Dylan Jesse (Princess Oopsie Daisy)
constantly depending on the children involved. “My main aim is to have the whole school in the play. I want all children to Leilu Logan (Cinderella) experience it; get a buzz for getting up there, for being proud of themselves.” Every class does an item to ensure this happens. “We have Talented music teacher, Sally Kohler is a choir, a disco scene for the Year 2s, doctors’ dance for the behind the creation of huge musical for Year 3s, a mouse dance for the PEP dance program, the entire population of Palmwoods Bollywood dancers…oh, and the Year 5 boys do a Bodyguard State School dance, which is great!” Sally arranges the music in the June/July holidays. “I find music I like, cut it and alter the lyrics.” The dedication across the school is a big support for Sally. She also has a valuable team on board to keep things “The teachers are heavily involved,” she says. “They film kids moving, from teacher aides to her own daughter. rehearsing on iPads, then watch it back in class and give “Chris Davis is my costumes mistress, and she is amazing. feedback on how to improve performances. She has to organise the creation of 400 costumes! Some of “The staff do a dance too, along with the Principal, Peter them we reuse and alter from other years, but it is still a huge Wilson. These dances always get laugh from the students. task. Last year we were ballerinas, this year…wait and see!” “My daughter, who is in Year 11 at Suncoast, has videoed all Sally’s other scripts have amusing titles like, Aladdin and the kids in the Green Room for the show ‘interviews’. She the Possibly Useless Lamp, and Sinbad and the Seven Cs (which does Film and Television at school and now wants to do this stand for traits like courage and commitment). for her career.” “I’ve written four now, so I can rotate them every two years, As for the dancing, “Work starts in May, with the auditions, which will help with my time,” Sally smiles. “It’s all-consuming and then every music lesson this term we teach dance.” doing this. I love it, but my family doesn’t see me from Sally herself trained in ballet, tap and jazz growing up, and February to September every two years!” completed her Teachers in Dance at 18. “I then went into The biggest reward for Sally is the joy the kids’ experience, primary school teaching music, as I had always played piano the atmosphere it creates in the school and the response of and sung a lot. the parents. “I also ran the Rock Eisteddfods in the High School in Miles, “Some of my actors feel like mini celebrities in term four. the small Queensland town where I was posted. It’s funny and they don’t expect it. And the parents often get “Every year our small school made the finals in Brisbane, a bit of a shock when they see how professional and brilliant and once we came third in the State. It was very satisfying.” the children are. In 2002 Sally joined Palmwoods State School, creating “I love hearing them rave about the kids. Everyone gets plays on a lower scale until about 2006, after she had her such a buzz – that’s why we do it.” second child (who incidentally plays the obnoxious prince this year). “We used to put the plays on at the school, but one year we I’m Cinderella, Get Me Out Of Here performances were rained out, it was awful; so we moved to Suncoast are on September 10, at 1.30pm and 6pm, at the Auditorium in 2010. It has a huge stage, which is perfect, and Suncoast Auditorium. Tickets are $15 per adult and the hall seats about one thousand people.” $8 for kids, available from Palmwoods State School Having said that, the tickets go fast, so Sally advises office, ph: 5453 2444. coming into the school office soon, as they won’t be available on the door.
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