Dare to Dream: Victorian State Schools Spectacular

Dare to Dream: Victorian State Schools Spectacular

Dreams do come true and for a talented number of performers, their dreams, determination and hard work will see them centre stage at this year’s Victorian State Schools Spectacular. 

More than 3000 students from over 200 schools from across Victoria will perform hits from Queen, Lorde, Led Zeppelin, the Eurythmics and more in this year’s Victorian State Schools Spectacular – Dare to Dream.

The 100-strong principal cast of singers and dancers join students in the orchestra, choir and mass dance on-stage in two family-friendly, high energy live shows on 13 September 2014, 1.00pm and 6.30pm at Hisense Arena. 

This year, Jade Ingvarson-Favretto will perform her own song, Something Special.  Jade is the first person in the history of the Spectacular to be performing a self-composed song. She is a year 12 student at Viewbank College and will be celebrating her 18th birthday during rehearsals at Hisense Arena. 

Wendy Zhu will be the first student Concert Master for the Spectacular orchestra.  Wendy is a talented violinist who has been playing for 12 years.  She is a year 10 student at Canterbury Girls Secondary College.

Ryen Niven-Tait, (year 11, Ringwood Secondary College) and Indiana Rancie, (year 5, Boronia Heights Primary School) have successfully auditioned and will join Channel 7’s Jo Silvagni to present the telecast of the Spectacular later this year.

‘With only days to go to the Victorian State Schools Spectacular, excitement is building amongst our performers’, says Neill Gladwin, Creative Director.  ‘Throughout the year, all have worked hard and our dedicated team of dance & vocal coaches have travelled 10,500 kilometres across regional Victoria, (the equivalent of Melbourne to Perth via Darwin), rehearsing hundreds of hours with students from Mildura to Bairnsdale to create one of Victoria’s most loved annual events’. 

Minister for Education Martin Dixon said, ‘The annual Spectacular is more than entertainment.  It is also a challenging and rewarding educational experience for young Victorians who may aspire to a career in the arts, and wish to be part of our State’s artistic and cultural legacy.’

‘Being part of the Spectacular builds student confidence, leadership skills and enriches the educational experience of students in Victorian Government schools, encouraging our next generation to aspire to creative and successful careers in their chosen field.  The Spectacular showcases the State’s top young performers and I am confident that his year’s cast will follow in the footsteps of previous performers and go on to achieve in the performing arts.  The State Schools Spectacular really is spectacular in every sense of the word’. 

Dance Directors Troy Phillips (King Kong the musical, Moulin Rouge, Hairspray, The Boy from Oz) and Deon Nuku (West Side Story, Moulin Rouge, WICKid LLC)  join Creative Director Neill Gladwin (Los Trios Ringbarkus) and Music Director Chong Lim (Dancing with the Stars) in the 2014 creative team.  

The Victorian State Schools Spectacular, 13 September 2014, 1.00pm and 6.30pm at Hisense Arena. Tickets available through Ticketek:  http://premier.ticketek.com.au/  $40; Conc $30 and child under 15, $20.00.