Schools on Stage

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

By Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Linda Woolverton. Iona Presentation College. Directed by Joshua Brant. Regal Theatre, Hay St, Subiaco. Mar 25-28, 2021

After a year-long wait Iona Presentation College’s production finally hit the stage at the Regal Theatre, and this warm, well-presented production was absolutely worth the wait.

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

Music by Alan Menken. Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. Book by Linda Woolverton. The Reddam House High School. Directed by Dean Hattingh. NIDA Parade Theatre. March 24 and 25, 2021

Beauty and the Beast is a musical where you cannot shirk on the set or costumes, and this performance was a feast for the eyes from beginning to end.

Shows for Schools in 2021

School productions are back on stage in 2021, with major companies launching their incursion and excursion programs.

Complete Works Goes Global

Stage Whispers asked Andrew Blackman, founder of Melbourne based theatre company Complete Works, about all things theatre, going digital and surviving the pandemic.

Complete Works has been delivering live incursions to schools around Victoria for 21 years. Challenged by the changing demand and delivery that last year’s lockdown introduced, the company created online resources to support remote learning, allowing it to reach interstate and international schools for the first time.

All’s Well That End’s Well

Joanna Erskine, the Head of Education at Bell Shakespeare, explains how the company transformed during 2020 and what they have in store this year.

School Performing Arts Kit 2021

Stage Whispers presents its 2021 School Performing Arts Resource Kit - SPARK - a free on-line magazine with a guide to putting on a show and attending school oriented productions.

SPARK now also features new Digital Learning opportunities in the Performing Arts.

Click on the cover to read this free online magazine.

SPARK Includes articles on

• Theatre productions for schools

• Sound, lighting and special effects

* Costuming

Fiddler on the Roof

By Joseph Stein, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. Perth College. Directed by Tyler Jones. Judith Cottier Theatre, Perth College, Mt Lawley WA. Mar 18-20, 2021

Perth College’s production of Fiddler on the Roof is a visual and audio feast, a vibrant production that would please any audience and a wonderful celebration of community and life.

Directed with warmth and precision by guest director Tyler Jones, it has a wonderful sense of teamwork and group ownership.

Wicked

By Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, based on the novel by Gregory Maguire. Directed by Kylee Retallack. Mandurah Baptist College. Feb 21-27, 2021

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical

By Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin. Newman College. Directed by Dixie Johnstone. Marist Auditorium, Newman College, Churchlands WA. Dec 2-6, 2020

Newman College’s production of Matilda carried the motto “Shine Through Discovery” and was guided by Matthew 5:16 “Let Your Light Shine”. In addition, the programme tells us that the students are encouraged to Challenge-Collaborate-Create and Celebrate - perfect guiding principles, not only for the uplifting themes of Matilda, but in particular, for this joyous, beautiful production.

Getting to Know Footloose The Musical

Adapted for the stage by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie. Music by Tom Snow. Cecil Andrews College. Directed by Sarah Humphreys. Cecil Andrews College Performing Arts Theatre, Armadale, WA. Nov 27-29, 2020