FGS & BGS Strictly Ballroom Program

Welcome to the fabulous world of

Strictly Ballroom!

“Many adults in the audience will fondly remember the 1992 Baz Luhrmann film; an unlikely romance between ballroom star Scott Hastings and the daggy, dance beginner Fran, and how it has since become an iconic Australian story.

It is an honour to be invited to step into the role of Director this year. Having worked as a professional Arts practitioner for 30 years I am a firm believer in the life-changing power of the Arts, particularly when young people engage with the unique collaborative process required to bring a show to life, from the page to the stage.

My vision for this show came directly from the underlying themes of the story that really speak to me both personally and professionally: artistic expression, originality, innovation, integrity, courage, determination, and the rebellious nature of the creative mind and spirit.

Scott has the innate creativity of a true artist and one who is driven by a desire to dance his own steps. The old, stale and conservative Federation of Dance is terrified of change and Barry Fife will do whatever it takes to stop it. But thankfully Fran, our heroine, through her inherited family values of resilience, determination, courage and authenticity, teaches Scott a very important lesson:

A life lived in fear is a life half lived.

I’m incredibly proud of the fearless way that these teenagers have joined in a shared vision that is much, much bigger than any one individual. They are brave and beautiful, and I hope that you relish in their creation. I trust you will agree that the heart and soul of Australia’s beloved Strictly Ballroom is alive and well in their hands.”

Carita Farrer Spencer Director Left to Right: Melissa Langton, Naomi Fogliani, Catherine Bates, Olivia Fanning, Carita Farrer-Spencer, Sophie Bolton and Lillian Direen

Creative Team

Director | Carita Farrer-Spencer

Musical Director | Catherine Bates

Vocal Director | Melissa Langton

Choreographer | Lillian Direen

Assistant Choreographers | Olivia Fanning and Sophie Bolton

Ensemble Coach | Hayden Spencer

Production Manager | Samantha Kosky

Production Support | Naomi Fogliani

Stage and Lighting Supply | David Strahan from Bayside Productions

Lighting Design and Installation | David Strahan from Bayside Productions

Lighting Operator | Sienna Howie

Follow Spot Operators | Oliver Elliot and Ruby Pollio

Costume Design and Coordination | Dee Skinner, AmazingTransformations Costume Hire

Costume Support | Danielle Williamson

Costume Crew Leader | Anastasia Galinas

Costume Crew | Pippa Anscombe, Ronan Chad, Isabelle Furber, Chloe Jones and Harrison Kemp

Sound Design and Operation | Gerard Hook and Stagepass

Sound Crew | Eva Cuthbertson, Sarah Lawrence andThomas Lipovetsky

Sound Equipment Supply | Stagepass

Stage Manager | Portia Giles

Assistant Stage Managers | Matthew Barwood and Sasha Hill

Stage Management Mentor | Stacey Brown

Stage Crew | Charlotte Alsop, Mira Amarilli, Harriet Bean, Evie Burgess, Mia Burgess, Alistair Liddle, Heidi Mottram,Will Smith and ChrisTomaras

Props Leader | Sasha Bollen

Props Crew | Lucas Barwood, Ruby Landry, Anne Liu,Tex Novak and Annie Constance Roubos

Props Support | Milena Ickeringill

Makeup and Hair Leaders | Frances Kelly and Mietta Edwards

Makeup and Hair Crew | Annabelle Hartenstine, Orla McCarthy, Meg Noske, Isabella Richardson and Maya Swinton

Rehearsal Accompanist | Robyn Coles

Photography and Videography | Dr Andrew Lee

Ticketing | Sarah Saunders

Graphic Design | Charlie Ickeringill

Ushers | Woody Aldridge, Max Barbary, Max Benitez, Rachel Brown, Sophia Janoshalmi, Isaac Pels, Georgia Ross,Thomas Sloan, Kylan Thompson and Scarlett Walch

Baz Lurhmann

Creator and Book Writer

Born in Sydney, Australia, Baz Luhrmann has captured the popular and critical imagination internationally with a diverse range of award-winning projects in film, opera, theatre, and music, making him one of the world’s most recognizable creative forces. Recently, Luhrmann wrote, produced and directed on The Get Down, an original series for Netflix, which premiered in 2016. Set in 1970s New York City, The Get Down is a mythic saga of how a battered city at the brink of bankruptcy gave birth to hip-hop, punk and disco - told through the lives of music of the South Bronx kids who changed the city and the world, forever. His most recent film is the extraordinary, Oscar ® winning 3-D adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (2013), starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire and Joel Edgerton. Earlier works include the ambitious epic Australia (2008), starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, the Oscar®-winning Moulin Rouge! (2001) featuring Kidman and Ewan McGregor; his boldly luminous version of William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet (1996), starring DiCaprio and Claire Danes; and the celebrated Strictly Ballroom (1992), starring Paul Mercurio and Tara Morice. The soundtrack albums for The Great Gatsby, Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!, executive produced by Luhrmann, have sold more than 14 million copies worldwide. The Great Gatsby received two Academy Awards® for Art Direction and Costume Design, a BAFTA for production design and thirteen AACTA Awards, Moulin Rouge! won three Golden Globes® and received eight Academy Award® nominations, with Catherine Martin winning two for Art Direction and Costume Design. Australia won four AFI® Awards. It is the second highest-grossing Australian film of all time.

The phenomenally successful Strictly Ballroom was originally conceived by Luhrmann as a short play while still a student at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). It was while producing an extended version under the auspices of the Sydney Theatre Company in 1988 that he met Catherine Martin, one of the company’s designers. He later directed and co-wrote the film version which premiered at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival and was awarded the Prix de la Jeunesse. It would go on to win eight AFI® Awards. In 1997, Luhrmann married Catherine Martin, his longtime creative collaborator. They have two children, Lillian and William. The same year they founded Bazmark, an innovative multi-media company with the motto “A life lived in fear is a life half lived”.

Baz Luhrmann is one of Australia’s most imaginative and strikingly original opera directors. His signature production of Puccini’s La Boheme for Opera Australia won considerable acclaim in 1990 when it starred Cheryl Barker and David Hobson. His later production of La Boheme on Broadway in 2002 was lauded by critics for its sensuality and glorious production design. It was nominated for seven Tony Awards®, including Best Revival and Best Director for Luhrmann. It won the Tony Award® for Best Scenic Design. Previous opera productions include Lake Lost, which won a Victorian Green Room Award for Best Director in 1988, and Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It received a Victorian Green Room Award for Best Director, a Sydney Theatre Critics’ Circle award for Best Director and the Critic’s Prize at the Edinburgh Festival in 2003. Luhrmann came full circle when he directed the stage musical adaptation of Strictly Ballroom which opened in Sydney, Australia in April 2014.

Song List & Musical Credits

SongWriter Credits

When You’re Strictly Ballroom

Written by Eddie PerfectControl

Written by Eddie PerfectControl Tequila

All Out War

Written by Chuck RioUniversal Music - Careers. Administered by Universal Music Publishing MGB

On The Edge

Written by David Foster, Bernie Herms, MoZella and Maureen Annie McDonald

Song of Universal Inc., G3650 Music and Pure Note Music. Administered by Universal Music Publishing Pty Ltd. Used by kind permission of Southern Music Publ. Co (A'Asia) Pty Ltd. © 2016 Mo Zella Mo Music /EMI April Music Inc.

Licenced by EMI Music Publishing Australia Pty Ltd.

Two to Tango

What Was it All For?

Time After Time

Written by Eddie PerfectControl

Written by Cyndi Lauper & Robert Hyman

Beautiful When You Dance

Dance to Win

Life After Dance

Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps

Beautiful Suprise

Scott’s Paso Doble

Rico’s Paso Doble

Magnifico

Concord Copyrights

Written by Eddie PerfectControl

Written by Osvaldo Farres and Used by kind permission of Southern

Written by MoZella, Baz Luhrmann, Bernie Herms, David Foster, Linda Thompson, Maureen Anne McDonald

Southern Music Publ. Co (A-Asia) Ptd

Limited c/o Peermusic Pty Ltd ©Brandon Brody Music Administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp By kind permission of Warner/Chappell Music

Written by Elliott WheelerControl

Written by David Foster, Bernie Herms and Maureen Anne McDonald

Song of Universal Inc., G3650 Music and Pure Note Music. Adminstered by: Universal Music Publishing Pty Ltd. Used by kind permission of Southern Music Publ. Co. (A’Asia) Pty Ltd. Magnifico - MoZella / Bernie Herms / David Foster) © 2016 Mo Zella Mo Music / EMI April

Love is a Leap of Faith

Happy Feet

New Steps

Love Is In The Air

The Looks, The Charm

Yesterday’s Hero

Written by Sia Furler, Baz Luhrmann, Eddie Perfect, Isaac Hassen, Theron Feemster

Composed by Jack Yellen and Milton Ager

Licenced by EMI Music Publishing Australia Pty

Limited Control

Written by Eddie PerfectControl

Written by Vanda & Young BMG AM Pty Ltd

Written by Elliott Wheeler, Baz Luhrmann, Craig Pearce Control

Written Vanda & Young BMG AM Pty Ltd

You Can’t Have Everything

Written by Eddie Perfect Control

Written by Eddie Perfect Control Let’s Dance

Synopsis

Strictly Ballroom The Musical is the inspiring story of a championship ballroom dancer who defies all the rules to follow his heart. This uplifting and courageous tale originated as a stage play that Baz Luhrmann created as a student at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney in 1984.

Strictly Ballroom The Musical had it is Global Premier on 12 April, 2014 at the Sydney Lyric Theatre followed by seasons at Her Majesty’s Theatre Melbourne and the Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre in 2015. The first UK staging premiered at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds in November 2016 directed and choreographed by Olivier Award winner, Drew McOnie. The UK production opened in Toronto, Canada in April 2017 as part of their Mirvish Theatre Season.

Featuring songs from 1992 Hit film including “Love is in the Air”, “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps” and “Time After Time”, as well as new songs from internationally acclaimed artists and composers such as Sia, David Foster and Eddie Perfect.

ACT 1

Scene 1: 1985 Waratah, Inter-Regional Ballroom Dance Championships at the Woongabbie Town Hall

Scene 2: Kendall’s Dance Studio

Scene 3: Hastings’ Kitchen

Scene 4: The Roof

Scene 5: The Milk Bar

Scene 6 to 8: The State Championships at the Doonville Dingos Rugby League Club

Scene 9 to 10: The Milk Bar

ACT 2

Scene 1: Braxton Hills Bowling Club

Scene 2: Hastings’ Kitchen

Scene 3: The Milk Bar

Scene 4: Kendall’s Studio

Scene 5: Federation Headquarters Trophy Room

Scene 6: The Milk Bar

Scene 7: Kendall’s Studio

Scene 8: Flashback

Scene 9: Kendall’s Studio

Scene 10: Pan Pacific Grand Prix

Cast Leads

Benjamin Fox as Scott Hastings Samantha Warner as Fran

Cast Leads

Aviva Quick as Shirley Hastings Charlie Sabin as Doug Hastings Ethan Rowe as Les Kendall James Hepples as Barry Fife Henry Salisbury as Rico Grace Harris as Abuela Hannah Lee as Liz Holt Ainsley Joy as Vanessa Cronin Max Thomas as Ken Railings Felix Wolfe as Wayne Burns Oscar Sloan as J.J. Silvers Charlotte Barker as Tina Sparkle

Cast Leads

Max Hacking as Clarry Wrench Harry Penwright as Merv Kira Mongey as Pam Short Josh McCahon as Nathan Starkey Ava Coleman as Natalie Marie-Helene Airoldi as Kylie Cate Froelicher as Luke

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Specialist Dancers

Fletcher Brougham

Amy

Spencer Kirkham

Yuka Nozu

Angelica

Pafumi

Isabelle Joffe

Eva

Pantelopoulos

Finn Powell

Bridget Roe

Charlotte Roe

Olivia Smith

Pia Gorander Fitzgerald Miller Soriano Reuben Van der Merwe

Ensemble

Isabella Lopreiato

Anastasia

Gantzos

Andrew McGregor Ava Livissianos Caitlin Martin Cooper Chilcott Corey Dow Eloise Escott Cyd Deng Lucie Braddon Sophie Chamberlin Lisa Clark Martha Ickeringill Madeleine Jansz Yuan Yuan Li Sarah Longmire

Ensemble

James Pennington Jared Thomas Jemma Seligmann Myles Powell Sarah Warner Savannah Smith Sophie Paltoglou Summer Tsiampas Donald Taylor Turner Will Stretch Georgie Quah Eadie Spencer Elio Ross Holly Tomkins Alex Sutherland Skye Weddell

Band

Miss Catherine Bates | Conductor

Nick Roney | Reed 1 (flute/piccolo/clarinet)

Giselle Eng | Reed 1 (alto saxophone)

Astrid Iitake-Wynne | Reed 2 (tenor saxophone/baritone saxophone/clarinet/bass clarinet)

Alexandra Pels | Trumpet

Layla Heinze | Violin

Miss Ainsley Turner | Keys 1

Kai Yin Goh | Keys 2

Mr Darryl Barron | Guitar

Mr Declan Hayes | Bass

Elliot Tay | Drum Kit

Sid Daniels | Percussion

Production Team

Portia Giles Stage Manager Matthew Barwood Assistant Stage Manager Sasha Hill Assistant Stage Manager Charlotte Alsop Mia Amarilli Harriet Bean Mia Burgess Alistair Little Heidi Mottram Will Smith Chris Tomaras Crew *Not Pictured: Evie Burgess

Production Team

Lighting

Sienna Howie Operator Oliver Elliott Follow Spot Ruby Pollio Follow Spot Sarah Lawrence Thomas Lipovetsky Anastasia Noulikas Galinas Leader Chloe Jones Harrison Kemp Sound *Not Pictured: Eva Cuthbertson Costume *Not Pictured: Pippa Anscombe, Ronan Chad and Isabelle Furber

Production Team

Make Up & Hair

Props

Frances Kelly & Mietta Edwards Make Up & Hair Leaders Annabelle Hartenstine Sasha Bollen Leader Lucas Barwood Anne Liu Tex Novak Annie Constance Roubos *Not Pictured: Orla McCarthy, Meg Noske, Isabella Richardson and Maya Swinton Ruby Landry

Band

Alexandra Pels Trumpet Giselle Eng Reed 1 Astrid Iitake-Wynne Reed 2 Layla Heinze Violin Sid Daniels Percussion Elliot Tay Drum Kit Kai Yin Goh Keys 2

Acknowledgements

Cast, Crew and the Creative Team acknowledge the generous support and expertise of the following people:

Thomas Lacey | May Downs Dance

(played Scott Hastings in original Australian touring production)

Natalie Gamsu

(played Abuela in the original Australian touring production)

Firbank

Grammar School

Principal | Ms Jenny Williams

Deputy Principal and Head of Senior School | Mrs Leandra Turner

Director of Admissions | Donna Galloway

Marketing and Communications Manager | Wendy Dumas and the Marketing Team

Event Management | Maddison Grange

Financial Controller | Le Lu and the Finance Team

Project Manager | Samantha Beveridge

Buildings & Facilities Manager | Graeme Cooper and the Maintenance Team

Piano Teacher and audition accompanist | Mr Isaac Mouskovias

Co-Director of Music (Choral and Curriculum) | Philippa Jones

Co-Director of Music (Instrumental) | Simon Marsden

Brighton Grammar School

Headmaster | Mr Ross Featherston

Director of Co-Curriculum | Mr Scott Whyte

Head of Drama and Productions | Mr Michael Kent

Teachers | Ms Sarah Gunn, Ms Kristie Vidotto and Ms Susie Heggie

Vocal Coach | Ms Christine Heald

Head of Music and Director of Choral | Mr Jared Furtado

FOPA | Friends of Performing Arts

President | Danielle Williamson

Secretary | Milena Ickeringill

FGS and BGS Parents of Cast and Crew | thank you for your support and encouragement

Our production of Strictly Ballroom is dedicated to those we love but are no longer with us.

Coming

Dance Night | Monday 24 July Drama Night | Thursday 27 July Years 7 - 9 Production of The Lion King | Thursday 10 to Saturday 12 August Firbank Grammar School Brighton Grammar School

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