Faculty of Performing Arts Update

Year 8 Victorian College of The Arts Visit

St Catherine’s has proudly established a new partnership with the Victorian College of The Arts (VCA), one of the leading providers of Arts Education in Australia. They have graduates currently performing in major productions across Australia, including Aladdin, Kinky Boots, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, as well as in productions on both the West End and Broadway. The VCA is part of The University of Melbourne, and offers a range of courses in music theatre, acting, classical and contemporary music, stage management and direction and design, providing an absorbing, atelier-based education that fosters critical confidence and creative risk-taking.

All Year 8 Drama students attended an excursion to the VCA on the last day of Term 2. This offered an opportunity to see the third year graduating Music Theatre class perform in Kander and Ebb’s production of Flora the Red Menace, as well as tour the newly opened studios and facilities with VCA’s Head of Music Theatre, Mr Tyran Parke. The students were offered advice regarding a career within the Performing Arts and saw the different career pathways on offer at The University of Melbourne. The production was a hit with the St Catherine’s students, as Flora the Red Menace focuses on a female protagonist, originally played by Liza Minnelli, that sets out to change the world and fight for equal rights. Both at interval and on the train trip home, our students were excitedly discussing the acting, singing and dancing skills on display, the way different scenes were created using a minimalistic set, and how impressed they were with the performers also doubling as the band.

Mr Parke wrote to us the following day to tell us that ‘The performers were deeply moved (particularly Lily who played Flora) to play THAT story to an audience full of young women, all clearly being educated in such a respectful, empowering way. The students were wonderful and the experience was important to us all.’

St Catherine’s is proud to establish this partnership with the VCA and we look forward to working with the University for many years to come.

Cinderella

Rehearsals have just commenced for the Years 7 and 8 Musical, Cinderella. Our enthusiastic cast are really enjoying working with the Performing Arts teachers to learn their songs, scenes and dance numbers. We are thrilled to welcome Ms Rachel Bronca onto the production team as our Choreographer for this production. Ms Bronca has a wealth of professional Music Theatre performance experience, as well as a Master of Education.

Cinderella is set to grace the Dorothy Pizzey stage on 18 and 19 October. Ticket details will be released next month.

Cast List

Cinderella – Georgia Hennessy (Year 7) Godmother – Freya Cantwell (Year 8)
Prince Charming – Scarlett Pringle (Year 7) Joy – Scarlet Russell (Year 7)
Portia – Claudia Sowerby (Year 8) Stepmother – Mia Krongold (Year 8)
Queen – Brydie Read (Year 8) King – Edwina Low (Year 8)
Herald – Hannah Wong (Year 7) Cheese Steward – Millie McIntosh (Year 7)
Chef – Zara Johnston (Year 7) Dessert Chef – Maeli Davenport (Year 7)

 

Ensemble:

Persephone Antippa (Year 8), Lilla Barrington (Year 7), Eloise Campbell (Year 7), Megan Chang (Year 7), Ava Colosimo (Year 8), Flora Cutchey (Year 7), Sarah Fanning (Year 7), Isla Forsyth (Year 8), Chelsea Harris (Year 7), Charlotte Henderson (Year 8), Phoebe Hogan (Year 8), Sienna Lonetti (Year 7), Samantha Love (Year 8), Jo-Jo Patterson (Year 8), Zara Peele (Year 8), Angelique Pereira (Year 8), Charlotte Rodgers (Year 8), Saskia Schwarz (Year 7), Lucia Tabbagh (Year 8), Charlotte Upton (Year 7), Ellen Vote (Year 8), Miranda Ware (Year 8).

Mr James Brown, Head of Performing Arts