Performing Arts Excursions

What a semester we’ve had in the High School Performing Arts department – a time when too much is barely enough! Over the coming editions of the newsletter, we’ll share with you what’s been going on, as well as keep you up to date with what’s coming in Semester 2:

Excursions so far:

February saw our inaugural excursion with our KPAX (King’s Performing Arts Excellence) Company to South Brisbane to see ‘Crossing the Divide’ by the Gold Coast’s own Shock Therapy Arts, and visit GOMA to experience the brilliant exhibition from Olafur Eliasson: ‘Presence’. Students were challenged to ‘see differently’ in both of these contexts – one dealing with the First Nations experience of colonisation, and the other exploring the notion of perspective and how that influences our view of our world.

May brought two excursions within one week – another one for KPAX to see ‘Dakota of the White Flats’ by Red Leap Theatre with whom we had a workshop in Term 1, as well as attend a panel discussion run by QPAC’s Education team for Pathways into the Creative Industries. We finished the day with a Discovery Backstage tour of QPAC and visited the QAEMT (Qld Academy of Excellence in Musical Theatre – attached to the Griffith Conservatorium) to see what they were rehearsing for various performances, including the graduating class's production of ‘& Juliet’.

The second May excursion was to see Qld Theatre’s performance of ‘The Sapphires’ in the Bille Brown studio at their South Brisbane complex. This was specifically for our Senior Music and Drama students to learn more about the integration of narrative and music, which will feed back directly into their curriculum in the coming weeks and months. The performers were outstanding, truly versatile and thoroughly engaging, with all the students coming away full of high praise for the phenomenal skill level and talent demonstrated by all the company and crew.

June – Finally, our Year 9 Drama students (and some lucky Senior students) were able to attend the performance of ‘Koal’ at HOTA, presented by a past Gold Coast performer, Jacinta Yelland. Devised in the style of Physical Theatre, the students were astounded at her ability to swiftly develop a diverse range of characters and locations, and shift mood as she explored the devastation of the 2019 bushfires and their effects on the natural environment and communities in southern Australia. The Year 9 students will now take that experience into Term 3 when they themselves will be charged with the development of their own narrative Physical Theatre concept.

And now, in Semester 2, we have another four excursions planned, from a project day with Qld Theatre for King’s Souldiers, two Dance excursions (Bangarra and the Australian Ballet) and one final trip for Senior Music students to see the Australian Chamber Orchestra in August. Stay tuned for the reports on those experiences next term.