Performing Arts

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE... AGAIN!

With Term 2 our busiest time of year, the performing arts have risen to the challenge. Already many of our students have been involved in nationwide events, kicking off with Dio’s Jazz Band competing at the National Jazz Festival in Tauranga, followed by the senior Hip Hop crew competing at the Mega School Division competition, Dio hosting the Shakespeare Festival regionals, and Les Misérables debuting as our first largescale production in the new theatre, to name a few.

We have been thrilled with the results across so many disciplines and look forward to more fabulous successes at regional and national level later in the year.

In collaboration with Dilworth School, the Diocesan team presented Les Misérables one of the most popular musicals in the world as our first fully staged production in the new theatre. The students across both schools were unbelievably excited to be in this wonderful new venue, which boasts a large open stage perfectly suited to musical theatre, an orchestra pit, full lighting rig and backstage facilities to die for. With a stellar double cast of 50 performers, 15 musicians, 36 backstage crew, and a 15-strong creative team led by Director Sarah Spicer and Musical Director/Producer Lachlan Craig, this epic production of passion and redemption set during the French Revolution, brought out the very best in everyone and we were so proud to stage this West End hit as our first major production in the new venue.

Les Misérables

Shelagh Thomson, Director of Performing Arts

“Les Misérables is an alltime classic, full of drama, excitement and emotion. It is the ultimate musical theatre experience that audiences around the world have loved for decades and our Dio/Dilworth production, in the brand new, unbelievably cool Dio Arts Centre, was no exception. We had the best time creating unbelievable memories that will stay with us long after we leave school.

“Usually ‘show week’ for a production is when the cast and crew move into the theatre only two days before opening night. Thanks to our incredible new facilities, we started rehearsals in the theatre in March and this generated an expectation from everyone to give their absolute best and achieve a more professional level of performance. At every rehearsal we looked out to the stalls and imagined performing to an audience. We sang our hearts out in a fantastic reverberant acoustic and watched as Ms Gerrard, Dio’s very own costume designer, brought the characters to life.

“The magic really started in the final rehearsals when the orchestra joined us. Hearing our fellow students in the orchestra play the show music so beautifully was breathtaking, especially when we know how hard they practised to reach such an amazing standard.

“Backstage, the green room was the hangout space for the cast; chilling, listening to music and getting our makeup/wigs sorted by Ms Holland. Our director, Mrs Spicer, and musical director, Mr Craig, both did an outstanding job bringing this production together. It’s been such a fun experience for everyone across the two schools.

“We feel incredibly lucky; our new Dio theatre drew the highest standard from each and every one of us and we were determined to make this first production a memory to treasure.”

Rosie Leishman, Arts Prefect

DIO TODAY