Children of the Black Skirt

Congratulations to the Cast, Crew and Production Team of the brilliant Senior Play, Children of the Black Skirt. After the success of our satirical 2022 Senior Musical, Urinetown, it has been wonderful to turn our attention to a more boutique dramatic offering that grapples with important ideas regarding children’s rights.  

The Australian bush. A timeless world. Three children stumble upon a run-down orphanage. Playing ‘dress-ups’ with the tattered and disused clothing sees them transformed, crossing the threshold into a timeless spirit world of the abandoned orphanage. The children become residents of the institution and under the strict, silent gaze of governess Miss Emily Greenant – the Black Skirt, the changelings try to make sense of daily rituals but are haunted by the lingering voices from the past and tormented by the horrible Government Inspector. They tell stories to comfort each other, which releases the spirits of the orphanage’s trapped, forsaken children, one by one.  

Written by one of Australia’s leading playwrights, Angela Betzien (Hoods, The Dark Room, ABC’s Total Control: Seasons 1 & 2), Children of the Black Skirt weaves real stories into a powerful theatrical world that is deeply poignant and engaging. It is an evocative play that has captivated audiences across the country since it was first performed 20 years ago.  

Stylistically, Children of the Black Skirt is a gothic fairytale. In the classic tradition of Australian Gothic Theatre, it recounts the dislocation of the Australian psyche, its unresolved tensions with its landscape, its bush panic, and the stories of its lost children – abandoned, forgotten, stolen. This production served as a reminder of the significance of children’s rights and the inherent value of giving a voice to young people.  

I would like to acknowledge and thank the people who made this production possible. Our outstanding cast – Lilla Barrington, Scarlet Russell, and Miranda Ware – who all shone more brilliantly and further strengthened their inextricable bond with every rehearsal and performance. Engaging with conventions such as transformation of time, place and character was an exciting challenge for the cast. There were over 40 characters in this production and Lilla, Scarlet and Miranda have done justice to each of them.  

To Ms Kathryn Lucas for the creativity, positivity, and grace she always brings to theatre-making. Our Backstage Crew, Stage Manager, Phoebe Russell, and Ashleigh Jakobovits, Assistant Stage Manager; Technical Team, Danning (Rachel) Liu, and Anqi (Angel) Cai; and our Maintenance Crew, Mr Andrae Sellar and Mr Mark Vincenzini – the cog turners, set builders and mood makers, thank you all.  

To Aunty Gail Smith, Aunty Julieanne Axford, and the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, thank you for the guidance and support you have provided.  

It was a privilege to work with such a wonderfully committed and selfless group of students and staff who contributed to this year’s Senior Production. It is one that will remain with audiences for years to come. 

To view a full image gallery of the night, click here. 

Eisteddfod by the Bay Results

Congratulations to all our wonderful Speech and Drama students who competed in the Eisteddfod by the Bay this weekend.  

Our amazing Tutor, Ms Lucy Mason, helped prepare a wide range of entrants in many sections. The Judges at the Shirley Burke Theatre were impressed by the talent and fantastic characters on display.  

Notable performers in the 10 Years and Under Solo Section were Avalon Pascoe who placed third and Imogen Brownjohn who placed first with her portrayal of Anne of Green Gables.  

Evie Joseph and Nina Calvert also won the Duologue Section with a piece from Aladdin, whilst Aimee Davenport and Allegra Gavilan-Bongiorno received second prize.  

The 12 Years and Under Solo Section performers also had a great day, filling the podium with Ivana Gattino, Camilla Aberdeen and Jiali (Erena) Zhu being rewarded with bronze, silver, and gold respectively.  

Congratulations to Erena and Camilla who took out third place in the duologues. 

It takes courage, effort, and plenty of preparation to perform in such an exciting event. Well done to all involved and to Lucy for her excellent tutelage! 

Jazz Night

Further congratulations go to Mr Nick Grunden, Mr Saska Ayris and the Music Department for another outstanding Jazz Night which took place on Tuesday night. 

The standard of talent on display across all three sets was simply stunning. The Jamie and Rebecca Gray Theatre was transformed into a sultry Jazz Club, and our student performers, replete with black gowns, rose to the occasion.  

The Creative Arts Auxiliary, led by President Mrs Irene Karas, decorated the room beautifully and put on a fabulous drink and snack bar.  

A wide range of soloists worked with Mr Rory Clark to stylistically modify and refine their performances, and the results were mesmerising. The choirs and bands had the audience jiving in their seats and clapping along. The performers were visibly very grateful for the support shown by the enthusiastic crowd.  

Well done to all the performers and Instrumental Music Staff for a wonderful evening of music.  

To view a full image gallery of the night, click here. 

Seussical JR.

A person’s a person, no matter how small! 

Chookas to the team from Barbreck who are in the final days of their rehearsals for their production of Seussical JR.  

Under the watchful eye and careful guidance of Ms Kristen Dhono Isworo, Ms Lucy Mason and Miss Kirrilly Wootton, all Years 5 and 6 students are very much looking forward to performing their colourful and energetic production to audiences in The Jamie and Rebecca Gray Theatre.  

There is a buzz around Barbreck at the moment, and tickets are selling out fast. To secure your seat to see the mischievous Cat in the Hat, Jojo, Horton the Elephant (and all his friends) try to save Whoville, click here: Seussical JR. Tickets.

The Addams Family – School Edition: Auditions underway!

Hot on the heels of these productions comes the highly anticipated auditions for the Middle Years Musical, The Addams Family. It is a colourful and lively show based on the classic macabre family, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa. 

In preparation for these auditions, plenty of eager Years 7, 8 and 9 students attended our ‘audition workshop’ held during one of the regular Drama Club meetings on a Monday lunchtime. Other staff working on the show, Ms Kathryn Lucas and Mr Nick Grunden, and our 2023 Drama Captain, Miranda Ware, gave audition advice and examples to illustrate how the audition process works. They also provided guidance on where to find all audition information and backing tracks on the Addams Family Portal page. The students were very appreciative of seeing the advice-in-action, as it was both beneficial and entertaining.  

The audition process involves preparing a selected excerpt of a song, a selected paragraph of dialogue from the show, and attending a group dance call. Thereafter, the production team invited a group of students for a callback audition in order to help decide upon our final cast list. Rehearsals begin next term, and we are looking forward to getting started. 

For students not so keen on performing on stage, there are plenty of other opportunities to be involved in the production. There are roles to help with makeup design and artistry, set painting during lunchtimes in Term 3, sound and lighting operation and stage management skills to learn and develop during Term 4. 

Melbourne Theatre Company Ambassador Program

Lilla Barrington

Each year since 2010, a group of Year 11 theatre-lovers have been selected as MTC Ambassadors, embarking on a year-long extension program that offers insight into the world of professional theatre. Each month they attend an MTC production, meet with artists and staff, and share their experiences of theatre with like-minded peers.  

This year, our very own Lilla Barrington was successful in her application to MTC. Lilla has already attended two productions and met some of the theatre-makers for behind-the-scenes insights into how the productions were designed, directed, and performed. We look forward to hearing more from Lilla about her experiences and highlights of the program soon. 

If any Year 10 students are interested in applying for this program in 2024, please see Mr James Brown to discuss the application process and benefits. Further information is available here.