A Message from the Director - Jennifer Wright
”I enjoy challenging teenagers to think about contemporary themes and issues while providing them with a safe environment to explore the thoughts and emotions this provokes. Drama allows students to tackle situations outside of their own experience, or sometimes close to their own reality, in a variety of ways. Having the opportunity to see how easily things can go wrong if choices are not thought through is enlightening. Exploring ways to respond to the struggles faced by peers can provide real life learning opportunities. Ultimately the connections made while working on a theatre production transcend playground possibilities. Working towards a common goal and achieving as a team is a life long skill in which valuable and rewarding friendships are forged.
"Behind the Drums" did just this. Tackling an all too real issue of a private photo going viral, Lucy had to build up her confidence and find resilience to continue on after her friend Ben had let her down. Behind the scenes, the cast had to build up their confidence to play a variety of characters for an audience, often working on a number of characters as well as the backstage production elements including props, costumes and music. The cast forged new friendships, working collaboratively on a production across year groups and schools. The cast were adept at improvising scenes and building on staging directions to create the atmosphere required.
Each student was challenged by the role they played by having to remember where to stand, what to say and when to say it. But theatre is about so much more; including developing characters vastly different to oneself, projecting voice beyond what feels like normal conversation while still trying to present realistic emotions and believable responses, quick costume changes, moving around in the dark while avoiding obstacles and wearing summer clothes in the middle of a Canberra winter.
I feel honoured to have had the opportunity to work with Merici and Marist students. This talented group have been polite, considerate and hardworking. They embody what it means to be a principled, open minded thinkers, always willing to have a go and support those around them. They have taken on leadership roles and been responsible for making key artistic decisions about the production which have directly led to the shows success. I would like to acknowledge the following students:
CAST
- Jessica Manclark as Lucy
- Noah Doszpot as Brando
- Chelsea McClelland as Caitlin
- Tom Davey as Ben
- Abigail Dunn as Ella
- Oliver Kuruc as Michael/Constable Fred GillespiE
- Nicola Keir as Sarah
- Tess Carlton as Tone
- Andrea Forshaw as Joanne
- Ben Brown as Daniel/Harry
- Gracie Adams as Ruby
- Olivia Miles as Mrs Carter
- Katelyn Pantaleo as Michelle
- Phoebe Howard as Felicity/Interval Musician
- Isabelle McDonald as Shirly
- Emma Garrett as Mavis
- Matilda Davies as Edna
- Lauren King as Stella/The DJ
- Hannah de Raadt as Sergeant Monica Groves
TECH CREW
- Lighting design by Stephen Rose
- Lighting and sound operation Stephen Rose
- Audio Visual operation by Emily Pantaleo
- Set Design by Jennifer Wright
- Paintings by Tess Carlton
- Poster by Tess Carlton, Abbey Dunn and Virginia McCloud
- Program by Phoebe Howard
- Backstage props by Katelyn Pantaleo
- Front of House by Amy King
This production would not have been a reality without the support and help I have had from a whole host of people including Stephen Rose (my lighting guy), Greg Bains (executive assistance), Carla Weijers (Marist contact), Nick Akhurst (Radford lights), Trish Ryan (set ideas), Christine Collins (money stuff), Trent Cannell and Damian Predovan (moving lots of stuff), Stephen Vajnar and Mark Fritz (AV help), Susan Anderson (Police costumes, framing, printing and displays), Virginia McLeod (poster text), Liza Laird (student supervision), Ros Parisi (publicity and admin help), Adrian Heim (finalising auditorium fit out in time), Tookie Capezio and Cass McGregor (catering), and to Loretta Wholley and Laura Pearce (directorial notes). Thank you all for making this production a reality. Another element of this production has been the learning experience created for students in Year Nine. Thank you to Clare Freeman, Ann Blakey, Jesang Kim and Jodie Muldoon for their help planning and delivering the Flex Lesson and to Phil Coe and Amy Connellan for scheduling this important learning opportunity for our students.
Thank you also to the mums and dads who are instrumental in this success; taxi driving, listening to lines, buying new clothes that are "really needed for the show mum, I promise" and navigating your own commitments around all of the above. Your support in invaluable.
And finally to the audience, thank you for supporting live theatre at Merici.”
Jennifer Wright
Writer and Director
