The term almost finished, the show must go on, as the Year 12 and 13 drama students had the opportunity to perform the plays that they had worked on all of Term 1.
Each year group did their own individual plays, and everyone was able to take part performing onstage in front of an audience at Uxbridge Theatre.
The Year 12 peformance of ‘Cool Gangs’ follows Piet and Dina as they arrive in NZ and are caught up in the gang confrontation between TDGs (tastefully dressed guys) and SOS (sweet offensive souls). They’re billeted with the respective gang leaders, Justin and Leila. It shows how love wins over gang loyalty.
Before the show, the students had butterflies in their stomachs and were nervous that something would go wrong. Logan Gallagher who plays Piet (German exchange student) comments, “Before going on stage I had the usual butterflies and pre-performance jitters but as I had performed there last year I knew what to expect. It was a great experience as it allows you to develop an understanding of what it is like to participate in a real performance. It is also an awesome feeling to showcase to your family and friends what you have spent time working on and improving for the term.
Chanelle Wood who plays Jazz (Gangster) says, “I was very nervous as it was my first performance on stage but the energy begins to take over after a few lines. Overall, it was a really great experience and I really enjoyed the whole team work side of the play and getting out of my comfort zone with my character and exploring new aspects to see what I can do. It was also really good to see everyone come together and the support our class had and see everyone change to fit their character.
The students enjoyed their time on stage, with positive feedback from the audience including from our teachers who enjoyed the show.
The Year 13s performed a play called ‘The Incomplete life and random death of Molly Denholtz.’
As the memorial service approaches and rumours fill the hallways, everyone navigates how to grieve a girl they knew in very different ways: a now-distant elementary school friend struggles to write a meaningful eulogy; two exes tentatively share memories at an unexpected meeting; an acquaintance searches for the way to process some more complicated memories; and a girl who just lost her best friend is badgered by a barista on the wrong day. The Ian McWethy play renders the unexpected conflict and connection to be found in grief with knowing humour and bracing honesty. It was another successful performance from the students, receiving many positive comments.
The Year 13 students were calm as they had already experienced what it was like performing and were keen on doing it again. Mary Colmenar enthuses, “I had nervous energy, but I was definitely more excited than nervous. It was so much fun acting alongside my classmates and putting on a thought provoking and comedic show for our friends and families.”
Lorenzo Cruz
