Performing Arts

There is no doubt that this year has seen the much anticipated return of so many Performing Arts events to Mazenod. It has been an absolute joy to see students coming to rehearsals, spruiking their shows and standing on the stage performing.

Once again the Drama department had the honour of VCAA Top Class, with two of our 2021 graduates receiving invitations to perform for the Season of Excellence. Anthony Yong and Nicholas Tod both achieved an A+ for their Drama solo, which places them in the top level of state results for this examination. Further to this Anthony was also invited to perform at VCAA Top Acts – this is an event which showcases the cream of the crop across all of the Performing Arts subjects. I would like to congratulate the boys for this fantastic accomplishment.

After getting so close to putting the musical on stage in the past two years only to miss out at the last minute, there was definitely a sense of nervousness throughout rehearsals as to whether the show would get to the stage. However, it was with so much pride that the Musical team was able to present Shrek – The Musical to appreciative audiences. For many of the students involved it was their first experience of being in the College musical so the learning curve was enormous, but the huge smiles on their faces after each performance was a clear sign of their joy. The flood of congratulatory messages sent to the College after each performance allowed us to know that we had definitely achieved our goal in presenting a musical production that made both Mazenod and Avila very proud. The Drama and Music departments both played major roles in the development and presentation of the musical and I would like to particularly thank the staff from these departments for all of those extra hours given to make our dream come true.

The annual Performing Arts Festival has become a highlight in the school year and this year’s effort certainly did not disappoint in maintaining a high standard. For this event the staff are the helpers, as the senior Performing Arts students take the reins of leadership from the first conceptual meeting to the final bow of performance. With last year’s festival having to be an online event, it was so wonderful to see the students performing live on stage again. The Performing Arts Festival showcased a wide range of student talents, including music, song, dance and drama. The absolute joy both on stage and in the audience was all that was needed to show that the event was both a terrific night of entertainment and a brilliant experience for the young men involved. It has been a very busy year overall for the Drama department, with ever-growing numbers of boys choosing to undertake the Drama electives, solid involvement in the annual College musical and a wide range of co-curricular events taking place in the Drama room on a regular basis, it is clear to see that the Performing Arts culture in the school is indeed alive and well. It will be exciting to see how the journey will continue next year.

Felicity Kamevaar