Just as Jamie-Lee Carter, Shania Winkley, Gregg Andrews, Mikaela Beckett and Ciahn Pertzel were coming down from the high of finishing the High School Certificate (HSC), they had a new burst of excitement.
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The five Taree High School students have been selected to present their HSC drama group’s major work at OnSTAGE in Sydney this February.
OnSTAGE features drama groups that have achieved outstanding performances and results in the HSC.
This is the first time a group from the school has been selected in what is very tough competition.
Sitting down with the group of five and their drama teacher Melissa Cotton, it's clear they have a special group dynamic.
“The whole HSC is so stressful, but getting to achieve something like this together – that’s been the best part,” Jamie-Lee said.
The group of five put everything into their performance – working on it outside of class and in between juggling other major works and life commitments.
Their determination was fueled by not only doing well, but to get across the message of their performance that “we are all the same”.
The performance explores the stigmas and stereotypes associated with public versus private schools through the make believe schools of Bushwood High and Greanleaf Grammar.
The work was inspired by a diverse range of high school texts including comedies like Chris Lilley’s Ja'mie: Private School girl and Summer Heights High and syllabus texts including film Dead Poets Society and T.S. Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.
“With Prufrock, it’s about him taking off his mask from society,” Ciahn said.
“We wanted to do the same to show we are no different from one another.”
The 12 minute performance jumps rapidly between scenes at each of the schools, until the public school burns down.
All of sudden students, parents and staff are in the private school system together – creating a hilarious juxtaposition of expectations and a chance to find common ground.
The performance strikes a balance between tasteful satire and serious reflections on the faults within each of the school systems.
The end culminates in a re-creation of the famous Dead Poets Society scene ‘O Captain! My Captain!’.
“By the end they’ve reached a level of acceptance,” Ciahn added.
The group were constantly attuned to crowd response in ensuring their message was being received. This meant changes were being made right up until two days before the final marking.
The group’s drama teacher Melissa Cotton said, “I never doubted them”.
“They are all talented, intelligent students who were quick to fix any criticism,” Melissa said.
“They strived for perfection.”
Busloads of students, staff, parents and friends will attend the group’s six performances at Sydney’s Seymour Centre.
See the details here: http://www.seymourcentre.com/events/event/onstage/