Production
The Padua Production is an exciting event that happens every two years. It is a huge play that many students participate in, utilising their God-given talents, and putting on a fun night for parents, local community, and their peers alike. This week, we interviewed a variety of students from the Rosebud Campus about their experiences with the College production thus far.
How Was Opening Night?
Dean: It was absolutely amazing, it went smoothly, no issues at all. Mrs Donnelly's notes were perfect. Everyone had so much fun.
Ruby: I really enjoyed it. Seeing the crowd and audience was brilliant, it made me so happy to see everyone enjoying the entire cast's efforts.
Angela: Opening night was magical. There was a swarm of people looking beautiful, and practising our difficult moves as we waited. The magic in the air was palatable, you could almost taste the excitement.
Harley: It was very nerve-wracking, but as I went I got used to it the more I was on stage. Afterwards I felt amazing, it was really good.
Would you recommend it to others?
Dean: Absolutely. I was thinking of leaving into the audience just so I could watch it, it’s that good. I watched part of it in rehearsals and even seeing only a small portion of it was so much fun.
Ruby: Yeah, it is a great show and everyone put a lot of effort into it, so I think it’s really worth seeing for anyone with tickets.
Angela: Absolutely, there was so much hard work put into this show. From the costumes, to the set, to the acting, it took so much energy to organise, and I'm really impressed with the final product, and everyone’s commitment.
Harley: Yeah absolutely, it's really fun. The audience participation is so much fun, now I just want to get the audience to stand up and dance a little in the bows.
Have you made other friends?
Dean: No, unfortunately not. But all the boys have great fun in the changing rooms as we wait for our scenes. Someone brings in their Nintendo, and we play card games and the like.
Ruby: A little, I don't really branch out much, but I’ve met new people from my campus that I didn’t really talk to before production, which is really nice.
Angela: Yes! I’ve made so many beautiful new friends, it's a great experience getting to know all these new people. I can’t wait to go to the Mornington Campus to see them all again!
Harley: Yeah I've made so many it’s hard to count. The cast has been great to get to know, and I’ve met so many new people. The leads have become some of my closest friends throughout the course of production, and it’s brilliant having such a close knit group.
Would you do it again?
Dean: Probably not, only because the next one I’m in VCE, but otherwise I definitely would. It is great fun, and I’ve really enjoyed it so far.
Ruby: Yes I would, I adored it, it was a great experience. The rehearsals with my friends, and the performances have been such a unique experience so far.
Angela: Absolutely, I can't wait for Year 11, this experience was magical and I can't wait to do it all again, next time with different people. I love theatre so much, so getting to be a part of it is so much fun.
Harley: Yes 100%. I have a huge passion towards musical theatre, it’s so much fun getting to play different roles, making new friends, and getting new experiences.
We also got a special interview with Mrs Wright, one of our production staff.
How has it been compared to other ones?
This has been the most fun production I’ve ever worked on. The cast has been so supportive, cohesive and talented, and has been such a joy and wonder to work with. I have loved the dedication and commitment from all the students and staff, and it has come together so beautifully.
Stressful?
When you work with amazing students, you see another side. Working on production brings me joy in my job. It reminds me that, even through teaching, I am making a difference in students' lives, and impacting them in such a positive and wonderful way. So no, this doesn’t cause me stress, because I’m enjoying it so much when I do it.
How was opening night?
Energetic. To say the least. All of the students were supportive and excited and nervous in all the right ways. Everyone worked together so nicely, and it was a joy to be a part of it. There was a nervous aura in the air, and it was honestly so exciting to be a part of. It was absolutely fantastic.
Other notes?
It's been an honour and a pleasure to work with such dedicated and passionate students, and I can’t wait to see what we put on in the future. Well done everyone!
Book In A Day
On 20 July, we went to St John Paul College for our first Book in a Day session.
When we got there, we were split up into writers and illustrators. Writers got to meet two children’s book writers, and did a workshop. Illustrators met a children's book illustrator. She taught us about creating settings that show and don't tell, and how to make more interesting images that tell you more about the book without it being obvious. We met an illustrator from the Simpsons and Rick and Morty. At the end of the day we got 90 mins to create a plan for a book using example prompts. Meeting the Simpsons illustrator was really interesting, definitely the highlight of my day, and gave me new ideas I had never even thought of before that I cannot wait to utilise on the competition day.
Jet Angus, Year 9 Anthony
