I’ve never had the courage to participate in a musical or school play. The closest I came to being a legend of the stage was playing Bob Hawke in Year 5! I distinctly remember adding flour to my hair to turn it grey and anxiously rehearsing my couple of lines before giving a stirring speech no doubt! However, that was where my theatre career ended! During high school and since, I have thought that participating in a musical or play looks like a lot of fun but have never been brave enough to give it a go!
As I write this article, I am currently sitting at the back of our school hall watching another rehearsal for our upcoming play, ‘The Little Mermaid’. Even though we are a couple of weeks out from opening night, I am already amazed at the progress shown by our students from the time they first started rehearsing until now. It never ceases to amaze me how in a school of our size there can be so many talented singers, dancers, actors and actresses! However what is even more impressive is the fact that around one quarter of the student population is in the musical! How great is that! As a school we are all about student involvement and getting in and having a go, and the current production is a prime example of that in action.
I have no doubt that at the end of this production, we are going to have a whole host of students who have grown in confidence in their own abilities, and had a whole lot of fun along the way. The advantage for these students is that confidence developed from participating in a musical is often transferred to other areas of their lives. In a society where people are increasingly falling away from community events, I love being in a country town and a school like PCS where community involvement is alive and well. Growing young people who are willing to be part of something bigger than themselves is so crucial, and this musical is another prime opportunity and example of that taking place.
If you haven’t already, can I encourage you to book your tickets and come and support this great show! Know that coming to The Little Mermaid goes beyond seeing an entertaining show, it is you choosing to celebrate and encourage all our young people who have decided to stretch themselves and be part of something bigger than themselves. It’s not just about singing, dancing and laughs, it’s about our students knowing that investing in community is worthwhile, even if it means dressing up as a fish!
A huge thank you to our Director, Miss Katrina Harris and the whole team for the enormous amount of work that goes into creating this opportunity for our young people. Bring on opening night where I’ll be right here cheering you on.
Have a great week.
Glen