The Pink Panther Strikes Again - Final Performance
This year’s play, Pink Panther Strikes Again, put on by the Year 12 Theatre Studies class was a great success. A really funny show, full of ridiculous accents, stunts and one liners! All the students in the cast and crew deserve a big congratulations for creating such an entertaining production. At the conclusion of the final performance on Saturday night, the directors Maddy Leanne and Ryan Abblitt, gave a heart-warming speech, which we would like to share with you.
By Maddy Leanne and Ryan Abblitt
Good evening ladies and gentlemen! My name is Ryan and this is Maddy, we have had the pleasure of being this year's Student Directors. For those of you who don’t know, the play you just watched was initially put on by the Unit 3 and 4 Theatre Studies Class as part of our Unit 3 outcomes. Students have worked hard in the planning, development and presentation stages within their respective stage crafts such as costume, makeup, props, set, lighting, sound, production management, acting and publicity.
Unlike other subjects Theatre Studies doesn’t have a traditional classroom, instead we have this hall. This is due to our learning style being very hands-on. Each lesson we don’t walk into a classroom to learn out of a book or follow a plan — we learn through experiences and trial and error while producing the play. We learn theatre skills and terminology but along the way we learn a lot about ourselves, in terms of management, organisation and our ability to strive forward, pushing our physical and mental limits as we put our blood, sweat and tears into this show. It is safe to say after the past six months all the students gathered here on stage have each grown a lot as people, so thank you to the whole class for making this show the best it could be and making it a reality for many of us who had dreamed of this night since Year 7.
As Ryan has just mentioned Theatre Studies isn’t something that you see as a class, it’s more than that. As I’m sure most of you have heard at one time or another, the cast, crew and Theatre Studies students all become a family for the duration of the play, and that is really important. Through the experience of the school play we are able to connect with students from other year levels that we would otherwise never get to meet. The older students help the younger ones by teaching them the ropes of high school in general and how a show works. Eventually the tables turn and it is the ones who were once learning the ropes, who are now teaching those below them.
These plays are a safe haven for so many students because it’s a place where everyone can walk into rehearsal and know they’re supported and that’s where the family aspect comes in. School for some students can be a really scary time, especially when you’re in the younger year levels and you’re figuring everything out. The students that get to be a part of communities such as these have a place and people they can rely on and it is like having your own little support system at school. On behalf of all the Theatre Studies students we would like to thank the cast and crew of this show, firstly for making it possible, because without you we could not have put on the show that we did, but for also allowing us to pass on traditions for you to continue in future years.
We couldn’t have had any of what we just mentioned without the help of some really special people. So, we would like to say thank you to all our parents and teachers who helped with front of house, etc. The office staff and past students Abby Pettigrew, Belinda Gerace, Tracy Pettigrew and teacher Mrs Cerra and the Arts faculty leader Mr Brice.
AND – we can’t forget Mr Russell! Without him this show couldn’t have happened and we are all so grateful for the work that you put in to allow us to have this opportunity. Mr Russell constantly has to deal with us whether we’re stressing, taking our frustrations out on him or asking the same question we’ve already asked three times in a row. So, thank you so much for everything you do!
