EDUCATION & INNOVATION

THE BLACK BOX THEATRE ‘Space to perform and grow’

ST CATHERINE’S SCHOOL

Domain Review, 28 September, 2021

St Catherine’s School’s carefully considered Strategic Plan‚ Towards 2025‚ is taking another major step forward with the development of the Black Box Theatre.

The custom-designed performance, rehearsal and learning space is just one example of the Strategic Plan’s initiatives that include a commitment to learning beyond the classroom.

A bespoke co-curricular program, called Her Signature, has been designed to “empower young women to discover through experience and extend their capabilities, pursue their interests, talents and passions and find their voice in the communities and world around them”.

Other facets of the Strategic Plan focus on Academic Achievement, Wellbeing and Leadership, Exemplary Staff, Embracing Community and Equipping the Future.

Her Signature provides students with opportunities across sport, debating and public speaking, global exchange programs, study tours and performing and visual arts. A key element of the program is the Black Box Theatre that, when completed, will seat 200 people.

The space will be used for drama, music, theatre and dance, and be coupled with a performance space for rehearsals, music soirees, concerts and junior and senior school plays and musicals, says James Brown, head of performing arts.

“The new theatre has been designed with the needs of all our performing arts students and educators in mind,” he says. “It ensures they are in the best environment to learn, rehearse and perform across a number of disciplines, as well as delivering high-quality productions to audiences and educational enrichment for our students.

“The Black Box Theatre will provide a specialised and professional performing space for students to showcase their talents and passions.”

The flexibly designed space will also be the drama room and used for year-level and house assemblies.

The construction of the theatre, located at the front of the school, is the central phase of the Performing Arts Precinct redevelopment.

“It will be the natural encore to the recent refurbishment of the Epstein and Myer Music Studios and will take centre stage at the commencement of the 2022 school year,” says Brown. The theatre design includes state-of-the-art lighting, sound and media technologies and a 360-degree blackout curtain that will provide the flexibility to configure multiple stage experiences.

The venue will also include a floor-to-ceiling digital display system and a shock-absorbing sprung dance floor that will reduce the risk of performers experiencing dance-related injuries.

“This theatre has the technological capabilities to provide context and visual imagery throughout the students’ productions, using projection, lighting, sound and space for flexible settings and staging,” says Brown.

“It will not only enhance the creative process but also provide further opportunities for students interested in the technical and backstage management roles within the performing arts.”

Initiatives like the Black Box Theatre and the Towards 2025 Strategic Plan are helping to deliver St Catherine’s charter to “nurture and empower independent and globally responsive young women, enabling them to approach their endeavours with confidence, wisdom and integrity”.

Brown is enthusiastic about the establishment of the Black Box Theatre and the benefits it will bring to the school community.

“Performing arts empowers our students to understand and respect their craft, collaborate together on the creative process, problem-solve and find their voice and personal leadership within a team and across the school,” he says.

“Students often begin to truly value the importance of balance, community, teamwork and persistence during their time in performing arts.”