Classic Fairytale Brought to Life in a Truly Enchanting Way Cinderella

WORDS LIANE MORRIS

The magical fairytale of Cinderella is coming to the Civic Theatre from 24 June until 1 July and promises to be a theatrical experience that will enchant the whole family. Presented by St Philip's Christian Senior College (SPCC), this is no ordinary school production. The multiCONDA (City of Newcastle Drama Awards) award-winning school is renowned for its excellent musical theatre productions produced by Michael Cooper, Director of Performing Arts and Theatre Manager at SPCC and former CONDA judge.

The passion and commitment of Michael Cooper are integral to the success that the school has enjoyed with their musical theatre productions for the past 20 years, with several student alumni going on to great success in the theatre industry.

"Alana Tranter was one of our leading ladies," said Michael.

"She's just come off touring Come From Away and is opening in Sydney in Disney's production of Beauty and the Beast. We've got alums who've toured as technicians in Lion King, Aladdin and Frozen. It's a testament to our commitment to providing valuable professional learning opportunities for our students and inspiring the next generation of industry professionals."

Michael grew up in Western Australia and Tasmania before moving to Newcastle to study at the University of Newcastle, where he attained a teaching degree majoring in Drama before heading to NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art) to train in technical production. He has performed in many pro-am theatrical productions over the years but decided at the young age of 19 to focus on creating opportunities for others.

"I felt very strongly that I wanted to use my skills to enhance opportunities for others. I didn't find acting particularly fulfilling for myself and have relegated it to hobby status – useful for maintaining skills and contacts in the industry and being involved with my local community.

"When I was young, I went to nine different schools. The easiest way to become a part of each school community was to be involved in the school productions. I was a guy who could sing, so I often got the lead roles. As an educator, I looked at what opportunities I could provide students within my areas of influence that would enrich their lives and learning. What did I love as a student, and what didn't I get that would be amazing? That's what drives me to provide these opportunities for our students."

Michael has been keen to stage this particular version of Cinderella for over 20 years.

"This is a classic Rodgers & Hammerstein musical revamped by Disney as a movie in 1997 (featuring Whitney Houston, Brandy and Whoopi Goldberg) and re-released as the 'Enchanted Version', which is what we are doing. It's been on my bucket list for a long time – it's a dream come true to be staging it now.

"When we are choosing our shows at SPCC, we look to the current cohort of students and the talent pool they represent. We also have to be able to secure the rights to perform the show. This year I could identify our Cinderellas early on and knew we had a chance. I was stoked when we obtained the rights.

"We have ensured our production includes all the well-known Cinderella moments with the prince giving a ball and a lost glass slipper, but have strategically enhanced much of the drama with comedy to ensure our audiences of all ages will have a rollicking good time. We've capitalised on the comedy aspects, and the songs are amazing - they're catchy, warm and luxurious. The show speaks to young people who feel left out and alienated. The feel-good effect of watching this isolated character become the person everyone wants to be, who wins out in the end, is particularly well done in this version.

"The sumptuous music of Rodgers and Hammerstein will be delivered by the largest live orchestra we've ever gathered together, producing a beautiful sound that will ricochet through the theatre and delight the audiences.

"Staging the magic of Cinderella right here in Newcastle is no small feat with over 65 in the cast, 20 in the crew, dancers and musicians in the orchestra, and a large number of special effects that are delivered through a unique fusion of both physical and digital scenery that hasn't been seen in Newcastle before.

"I went to London last year and indulged my passion for theatre by seeing 11 productions in a week. I noted that 9 of the 11 shows used digital content as part of the set, enhancing the magic and extending the creative possibilities. It's done by using a rear projection skin. There have already been over 100 hours spent with our screen and media department at the school, creating digital content for the show to ensure the magic is realised in a way that crosses the boundaries of live theatre and cinema. A great example is when the pumpkin turns into a carriage. The pumpkin is digital. The carriage is live. Fusing the two together creates a unique and authentic audience experience. Our live audience will actually see a pumpkin turn into a carriage. It's exciting."

SPCC productions regularly attract over 6,000 patrons. Considering that only about 20,000 Novocastrians regularly attend theatre, this figure is impressive. It also means that although the school owns their own theatre, which is hired out as a venue to others, the senior school productions are staged at the Civic Theatre.

"Staging at the Civic Theatre, despite the cost of it, provides a much larger venue, but it also provides an incredible learning opportunity for our performers and technicians to work in a world-class venue alongside industry professionals. It also enables us to offer quality musical theatre at an affordable cost for both public audiences, but also school groups who can come and enjoy seeing a full-length show at the beautiful Civic Theatre.

The season strategically includes matinees so that school groups can attend.

"We get kids coming from all over the Hunter. It's wonderful. We have a big school following. Some schools have been coming for 20 years. They always book ahead because they don't want to miss out. A lot of kids don't get to see a full-length musical complete with a live orchestra, so we deliberately keep the costs low for them."

"At SPCC, we are big advocates for collaborative working and making this a part of real life. Staging at the Civic means that our students get to rub shoulders with industry professionals, working to a high standard and making them that little bit more industry ready."

Any student who wishes to participate in the production can, as only the lead roles and dancers are auditioned.

"Some of our students never enter the industry, but they learn valuable skills in collaborative working and build incredible friendships that can last for years. They're often the kids who may not be good at sports or don't perform well academically. We work on these shows for almost a year, and it builds confidence, breaks down barriers and gives them a creative space and outlet that is all their own, as well as something to be very proud of at the end. Anyone who wants to try, can, including students with learning difficulties, support needs, English as a second language and disability. We believe that teaching skills in creativity, collaboration and confidence are important for every child and their future career."

Due to the demands of the Cinderella production, there are eight performances being run over two weeks rather than the usual six performances over one week. There are also two different Cinderellas to share the load. With 12 songs, it is essential to consider the vocal health of everyone, but the young actresses that are performing as Cinderella in particular. This altered season schedule will help the entire team's well-being and ensure that everyone enjoys the process to the fullest.

The benefits of training students in live theatre have led to the creation of High Street Productions, established in 2017, and now training over 150 students per week after school in live performance skills, including Drama, Musical Theatre, Screen Acting and Technical Production. This is open to non-SPCC students as well. Students are taught by passionate and experienced tutors and have the opportunity to perform in both scheduled productions and end of Semester Showcases.

Since beginning High Street Productions, Michael has noticed a higher calibre of performance skills in students participating in musical theatre productions like Cinderella and sees the training as a critical way to increase the capacity within the industry.

"Although there are several other drama training groups in Newcastle, we don't compete with each other. We each have our own supportive community, and there's no need to compete that way. We see each other's shows, and we're all on the journey together. We have found that students participating in drama schools have, by and large, not done drama before – 90%, in fact. It simply increases our capacity to reach more children and grow our creative future."

The supportive community that aids SPCC includes a large number of volunteers, some of whom take annual leave to help out on the productions and consider it a highlight of their year. They include assistant stage managers, hair and make-up artists and other crew members. It is a tradition that on the last night of the production, hundreds of alumni attend the show.

Michael is a busy man. During the production he will clock over 100 hours per week in his multifaceted role as designer, tech lead and producer. Add to that auditions, planning and rehearsals for High Street Productions' next show, Matilda, to be staged at the SPCC theatre later this year, and it's clear that he is a passionate theatre educator and practitioner.

"I work hard to have a positive influence in the lives of young people and in particular through my own area of expertise, including dance, drama, music and creative expression. I want our young people to flourish and learn skills they can take with them on their journey through life, building their confidence and self-esteem, giving them experiences that will stand them in good stead for a successful life, and helping them reach their potential."

And as if all of that wasn't enough, Michael is about to embark on another kind of journey – one that takes him to Malawi. He is helping to establish Beyond Christian Academy, which has partnered with St Philip's Christian Education to offer life-changing education to children in Malawi. The aim of Beyond Christian Academy is to provide students with individualised learning frameworks, innovative and engaging learning environments and opportunities to excel in the whole of their life.

Michael will bring his expertise and enthusiasm to the project that aims to teach children a love of learning. When children love learning, they are more curious and engaged in their education, leading to deeper understanding and greater knowledge. Beyond academic achievement, a love of learning fosters a positive attitude towards personal growth and development, encouraging children to take risks and pursue their passions. The school will open in September this year, and Michael will escort 27 students from SPCC to Malawi in November.

"We raised $70,000 through fundraising last year for the school. These kids have nothing, and it's inspired our own students to have a heart for others."

In the meantime, there is a huge production of Cinderella almost ready to hit the stage at the Civic Theatre. With a long track record of winning CONDA awards for excellence in ensemble work, lead roles and productions, audiences can be guaranteed high standards in performance coupled with state-of-the-art set design and digital content to bring the magic of this classic fairytale to life in a truly enchanting way. Add a live orchestra, talented dancers and choreography, and this show will not disappoint.

"It's true that we have a reputation for excellence that we need to protect. It's an ongoing challenge to maintain that reputation or to exceed it. I believe that this show is something we could all do with right now, the laughs, the magic, the message, and the beauty of the music. I guarantee that audiences will leave the theatre smiling, happy and filled with joy."

For tickets, visit www. civictheatrenewcastle.com.au/ what-s-on/all-shows/cinderella