THE ARTS

In true Broadway style, lockdown might have made life challenging for the cast and crew of our many productions but, in one way or another, the shows did go on.

Costumes were dusted off, make-up was carefully applied, dance routines were rehearsed and voices were finely tuned. While most campus musicals couldn’t be performed live in front of an audience, plenty of enthusiasm, talent and the power of technology helped make the best of the situation.

About 120 cast members from Years 5 to 8, backstage and lighting crews and a set production team brought Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical Jr to life at Edrington campus. While the show couldn’t be performed live and it couldn’t be recorded due to licensing restrictions, the cast and crew didn’t let such minor details dampen their fun.

“The students involved in the show demonstrated remarkable resilience and perseverance, enthusiastically rehearsing together until the very last session! Although unable to perform, all participants will surely remember the talent and energy emanating from our wonderful cast throughout the experience,” says Tessa Kerekes, Head of Performing Arts Edrington. The Newlands cast of Mary Poppins Jr moved seamlessly to online rehearsals. About 107 students learned songs, dialogue and choreography in the hope of appearing at Aikman Hall. While those hopes were dashed, the students found another way to showcase their hard work.

“Students recorded themselves practising at home and, with the magic of editing, created a montage of these recordings,” says Rachael Walsh, Head of Performing Arts Newlands.

Students at City campus worked quickly to bump into the Gasworks Theatre to put on the Lion King Jr. There was no live audience but Philippa Bell, Head of Performing Arts City, says the performance had ‘all the other bells and whistles’!

“The students didn’t miss a beat. They rehearsed their hearts out whether on stage or online. Though disappointed that they were not performing to an audience, they quickly moved their gaze to what they could do. The joy of performing was palpable,” says Philippa.

The shows

had to go on

Theatrically and musically talented students at Castlefield rehearsed The Addams Family Young@ Part. While the live performance was cancelled due to lockdown, the resilience and enthusiasm of the young cast and crew wasn’t as easily cancelled.

“Individually, our cast shone in their roles and characterisations but, as a group, they have been truly brilliant. And that is why we do this. The process is so much more important than the product. Throughout this challenging journey they have shown incredible resilience, determination, poise and compassion,” says Felicity Cartwright, Head of Drama Castlefield.

Taking their art to the next level

Haileybury’s VCE Art students have worked long and hard to complete their portfolios. They’ve used their creativity and hands-on artistic skills to create some memorable and striking pieces of work. Here we showcase a small selection of this year’s works and the inspiration behind them…

Product Design and Technology students, like Jobe

Berends, compile a visual folio detailing their design thinking process as they create a new product for a client with a specific need or issue. Jobe’s clients wanted a comfortable, functional and eye-catching piece of furniture to use when relaxing on their patio. Using his computer-aided design skills and researching durable and environmentally sustainable products, Jobe created an unusual-looking and contemporary sun lounger using bamboo and marine plywood and a special lamination technique to ensure his design withstands the harsh Australian sun.

Studio Arts student Summer

Chan decided to use her photographic talents to create a series of memorable images that she named GENSIS. Summer used a Canon EOS 60D with a 50mm lens, a tripod, stunning natural lighting and a longer shutter speed to create her artwork. This allowed her to highlight the finer details and textures in the images, such as the intricate lacework in the dresses, the skin tones of her subjects and the textures of the autumn foliage. The end result is a trio of photos with a cinematic and dreamlike appearance.

Visual Communication Design student Daniel Vereker created a

contemporary bayside home flooded with natural light for a hypothetical client. Daniel let his imagination wander as he visualised each floor and feature of the luxurious, light-filled property. Using manual drawing methods and researching diverse home design trends, Daniel produced a sophisticated, high-quality 3D model of the home that brought his vision to life.