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B R U N S W I C K S E C O N D A R Y C O L L E G E M A G A Z I N E

Issue No 5 SEPTEMBER 2013

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The energetic and committed cast rehearsed for many weeks and their performances on stage were testimony to their hard work, dedication and professionalism. It was great to see the camaraderie between cast members of all year levels and to witness their combined efforts in ensuring the highest quality of performance.

The process of interpreting and performing the score was indeed challenging, employing both complex and simple forms and styles which give voice to this justly loved work. Simply put, it would not have been pos-sible to interpret this wonderful music without the skill and musicality of students, staff and members of the wider Brunswick community.

A mammoth undertaking of this type can only be realised through the dedication of so many people who give generously of their time and resources. Thank you to all who have been part of this adventure. I would also like to thank and acknowledge each student performer on stage and back stage as it has been so rewarding working with you on the journey that is Fame – The Musical!

Tracie Eastwood Director/Choreographer

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From the Director It has been a privilege to be part of the inaugural production for our school community at Brunswick Secondary College. Fame – The Musical follows of a diverse group of talented students in the early 1980s and their journey to fulfil their dreams to succeed at “P.A.” To tell the story requires a full range of talent needed in Music Theatre - Voice, Dance and Drama … each in continuous combination which was a steep learning curve for many of our students.

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From the Music Coordinator

Participating in musical theatre is not only fun; it teaches students about teamwork, it builds self-esteem, it encourages students to be highly organised, and the skills learned are ones they can continue to use their whole lives. While some schools are cutting their arts budgets, Brunswick Secondary College sees the value of such co-curricular activities and I am thrilled to have been part of this inaugural production. Musical theatre is a huge undertaking because it requires performers to use multiple skills, including singing, dancing and acting. As opposed to simple standing and singing in a choir, everything had to be memorised including the words and harmonies, along with the simultaneous dancing and acting required. Many of the students in Fame had little or no singing experience, so it was a steep learning curve. Ably directed by the production’s special guest conductor Karen Haranis, the students were put through their paces and learned the songs. Through their hard work, the Fame cast put on a sterling performance of which they can be very proud. In addition to the cast there was also the band. Some schools present musicals with a recorded back-ing track, but we had a full band playing the actual charts from the original Broadway show! The band comprised student Bridget Penington (who played three instruments: clarinet, alto saxophone and tenor saxophone) and instrumental teachers Lyndal McLean on flute, Marc Matthews on trombone, Wayne Simmons on guitar and I played bass guitar. We were joined by visiting teacher Holly De Jong on trumpet, plus students from the University of Melbourne: Adam Wojcik on piano and Ashley Slabbert on drums. We hope that in future there will be more of our own students playing in the band.

KATHLEEN McGUIRE Fame Music Coordinator

From the Assistant Director/Stage Manager I am so proud of what the FAME Company achieved last semester with our inaugural whole school production. It has been wonderful to see how FAME has changed some of our students: new friendships have been made, new talents discovered, new pathways considered and potential realised. As a teacher, the production allowed me to work with my colleagues in a creative capacity, and I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to get back on the ‘cans’ as Stage Manager to call the show. FAME was a collaborative effort, and I countmyself lucky to work with such accomplished educators and artists. The professionalism of the students at the theatre impressed the venue staff, and I applaud all students involved for the dedication and discipline they showed throughout production week. These are emerging artists and I look forward to watching their skills continue to develop at Brunswick Secondary College.

Nick Tranter Assistant Director/Stage Manager

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Students were able to sustain an engrossing performance for such a long time is a tribute to all those involved.The ‘Hard Work’ song should be played at the end of lunch every Friday so that students don’t suffer from a dip in application. Graeme McKinnon Teacher

To see students with a range of skills, abilities and personal qualities in a different setting- that is, on stage, showcasing a different set of talents and enormous confidence, was the highlight of the performance for me, as a teacher. I have seen this impact on their confidence in other areas of school life. Rosalie Fourniotis Teacher

FAME was testament to the hard work of the students, staff and musicians. The most impressive part for me was witnessing the delight of all those involved, their pride was tangible and it was clearthe cast and crew had bonded through the trials and tribulations of the production process. Bravo! Oki Gardner Teacher “The FAME musical was truly a little bit of Broadway in Moonee Ponds” Warren Evert Teacher

The band, the back-stage crew and the multi-talented company were all terrific. I was very proud to see students I teach, or used to teach, transform themselves so convincingly into such gritty, interesting and passionate characters. I would particu-larly like to thank Amelia, on behalf of allEnglish teachers, for her stirring performance. Karlee Baker Teacher

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lsBrunswick’s inaugural production of ‘FAME’ was one of the most amazing, most rewarding things that I have ever done. Playing Carmen Diaz was also the most exciting and challenging thing I have ever done! Carmen is an over-confident, sassy and ambitious girl who would do everything to become famous. The whole cast spent many hours perfecting our American accents (which I struggled with a lot), our facial expressions, care-fully learning our lines and building up stamina to last a whole two hour show. As Carmen, I also spent quite some time observing and trying to understand how to flick my hair and how to act overly confident when I was actually terrified before going on stage! I learnt so much about stagecraft as well as develop-ing upon the skills I already had in singing and dancing. Going from no drama experience at all to being able to act sassy Carmen and ‘In L.A.’ Carmen was something that I am very proud to have achieved. I think we all managed to surprise ourselves at what we could produce in a short few months. Getting fitted for a head microphone was a surreal experience as it had been one of my dreams from when I was little. The quickchange room, which I, and many other principals, lived in due to my 12 costume changes, was a crazy and fun experience. Notes which were given by Tracie before performances were also part of my highlights. Having Tracie spell out all the corrections and motivating us before each show really boosted our confidence and created a wonderful learning path to help us strive for a better outcome ineach show. The shows will remain as a heart-glowing memory for the rest of my life. It was great to know that all our hard work had paid off and that we were all doing what we loved; to perform! Not only did I develop my perform-ance skills, I also formed new relationships with people from all year levels, especially among the principal cast and the core dance group, and with some really talented and caring teachers.

Without Tracie, our director/choreographer and Mr Tranter, our assistant director/stage manager, the show would not have been able to be com-pleted in such a short amount of time and to the standard it was at. On behalf of the ‘FAME’ com-pany, we’d like to give a special mention to Karen Haranis, our musical director, for helping the cast, especially the principals with solo singing roles, to reach our potential. I’d also like to make a special mention to Dr. Kathleen McGuire, our acting music coordinatorfor the term who played bass in the show as well as helped us believe in ourselves. The whole cast would also like to thank our fantastic FAME band for taking the time to rehearse in their own time and come to our rehearsals. A special congratulations to Bridget Pennington, our only student in the band who managed to juggle playing 3 instruments in the show whilst balancing year 12 and other extra-curricular commitments!

Brunswick’s inaugural production ‘FAME’ was amazing from start to finish and will forever bea fond memory which will be with me for the rest of my life.Larissa Li Carmen Diaz and Music Captain Th

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Fame was an absolutely unforgettable and rewarding experience. I’m really proud that our first ever production was such a tremendous success! The skills and co-operation that were learnt by being part of ‘Fame’ aren’t just skills and lessons for those interested in pursuing a career in the performing arts; they are also skills that are applicable to other fields. The work, commitment and maturity required and shown by the students in ‘Fame’ is incrediblyimpressive particularly from the younger students. When, as performers, we took those final bows and saw our friends and family give us a standing ovation, we were able as a cast to truly learn the life lesson of getting out of life what you put into it and the accomplishmentyou feel after achieving your goals. But most importantly, Fame taught me that it is never too late to make new friends and meet new people. Being in year 12 this year it was incredibly easy to assume I could just float on through the motions and keep my head down and just focus on my studies but being part of Fame opened my eyes to how much I would’ve missed out if I had kept this foolish notion. Even in my final year of school I made so many newfriends and connections with younger students and teachers that I would’ve otherwise never have known. These experiences reminded me that Brunswick really is made of not just talented people, but profoundly welcoming and friendly people. New, fresh talent was discovered, confidence andgreater empowerment was achieved and friendships both newly formed and old were solidified by this fantastic team effort. I am so excited for Brunswick to continue creating great productions with the skilled and professional guidance of Mrs Tracie Eastwood and Mr Nick Tranter so that the fusion of the artistic talent in Brunswick can continue to thrive and grow. I recommend everyone to try and get involved in production even if you’re not a performer, because roles extend further than on the stage and the bonds and experiences gained by being part of something as big as this will enrich and balance your schooling lives.As I leave Brunswick I can say that as someone who has a deep passion for the performing arts I am proud of what Brunswick students have achieved and this experi-ence will be a fond memory I will carry throughout the rest my life from what I gained at school. I wish the future students luck in future productions because I know that, as impossible as it seems, it will only get better from here.Amelia Constable Miss Sherman and Performing Arts Captain

“I am very honoured, proud and privileged that I was there to be a part of BrunswickSecondary College’s very first school production: FAME. In the musical I played the character of Mr Sheinkopf. Although he was not a huge character, I definitely had fun with this role. Mr. Sheinkopf was a German music teacher who stuck to the classics, he always followed the guidelines, he was the kind of guy who would read the ‘terms and conditions’ before making a YouTube account, so in that way he was absolutely nothing like me! But luckily being the acting extraordinaire I’ve been made out to be I took on this role and absolutely smashed it out of the ball park! Jokes aside though I really did enjoy the experi-ence, I have done productions to this size out-side of school, but this one was different.I think because it was my own school’s very first production it was that so much more special, it is something that I will definitely remember as a great time during my childhood and a story that I will go on to tell my grandchildren when I’m a bitter-old man. I’ll say to them ‘I remember when I was 16 I starred in Brunswick Secondary College’s very first school production of Fame: the Musical’, to which they’ll respond ‘What is Brunswick Secondary College? What is Fame? What is a musical?’, they will ask these questions due to the fact that by that point in the future we will all have moved to Mars as Earth was no longer inhabitable and our grandchildren don’t understand the life that we lived... And although they won’t understand I will have the very fond memory of playing a German music teacher who managed to have seven tie changes throughout the performance (which many people didn’t notice) and did an amazing dance which won the ‘most original dance’ award (which went under-appreciated). So if you can manage to see through all my nonsense I think you will understand that this really did mean a lot to me” - Blake Everett Mr Sheinkopf

When I attended the first information session for FAME, I was interested, but not sure that I wanted to audition for a lead role. It took quite a bit of perusading from my friends to get meto sign my name, but I eventually attended the audition. I was very nervous and not sureabout my chances. I was overjoyed when I heard that I had gotten Serena Katz, a lead role.

The first few rehearsals were a completely new experience to me . I didn’t know most of thecast, but they were all very friendly. In a few weeks, the entire cast new each other as closefriends and we had some fun times together. There were some tough times when there wasa lot of material to learn at once, but each and every one of us persevered until the very end,resulting in something amazing. The show week was very busy and exhilirating. The opening night had finally come and all the pieces finally came together.Throughout this whole experience, I met some incredible people, learnt life-long skills and improved my leadershipimmensely. No matter what your age is or what your level of experience is, there is a role foreveryone. It was honestly the highlight of my year and I encourage anyone who is even slightly interested to believe in yourself and just go for it. You might even surprise yourself.Gracie Tointon Serena Katz

The production is an amazing time for performers of all types to meet, diversify and work together to create a truly incredible event. The bonds you create doing the productions are incomparable.For me, the best parts of the experience were being able to develop my character over a long time in every detail and really live the role. The thrill of becoming someone else in frontof so many other people is a rare event. It was also a good experience to play piano, sing and act all at the same time – although it was difficult. The production creates friendships and develops skills that you will never forget.Xavier Dupe Schlomo Metzenbaum

My name is Lucy Payne and I played the role of Iris Kelly in FAME. Iris is a prissy, highly trained, ballet dancer, who falls for the troubled, unorthodox, Tyrone Jackson. This role was initially daunting for me, as Iris is the best dancer in the FAME school and I’ve got two left feet. As we rehearsed, however, I became more confident with her character and thedancing aspects of the role. FAME was one of my best experiences of high-school - the camp, and production week being the highlights. I’ve learnt so much from Tracie, Nick and Kathleen - They’re incredibly skilled and excellent teachers and I hope to take my new skills even further in the future. Iv’e also made so many friends, especially with younger students I never would have met otherwise. I’m really excited for next year and an even bigger and better production.Lucy Payne Iris Kelly

Goody is an easygoing, fun-loving character with a passion for music. Born into a middleclass family, his musical abilities earned him a scholarship to the ‘Fame’ High school.Making many friends including the no- nonsense Schlomo and the quirky Lambchops, Goody feels right at home, bringing an element of ‘jazz’ to the band with his saxophone. Goody matures over time, but is still a childish boy at heart.Fame was an amazing experience for me and I learnt heaps about all different areas ofstagecraft and acting. All of the long hours I put into this production were definitely worth it, and I learnt so many new skills and made lots of new friends. When I was learn-ing my lines and rehearsing, I tried my best to ‘connect’ with Goody, and took the same, light-hearted and optimistic approach to all of the lines and rehearsals as he would have with his music. I came out of my ‘FAME’ experience full of new knowledge and pride. I encourage anyone and everyone to participate in Brunswick Secondary College’s next school production. It’s heaps of fun and a great experience!Sasha Gillies Lekakis Goodman King

Hi, I’m Alanna (it rhymes with Hannah) and I had the pleasure of performing in BSC’s production of FAME! It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Ever. Being involved was one thing, but actu-ally performing was something I had dreamed about happening to me at Brunswick. In the musical, I played “Lambchops”. She’s a quirky, tomboyish drummer (apparently from Staten Island but she seems more of a Bronx girl to me!) and she was a blast to play. I had a lot of room for my own interpretation and even though she didn’t have a huge number of lines, I still felt like she was a big part of the cast.Lambchops certainly connected with me because we both are loud-mouthed and speak our minds most of the time. I also imagine us sharing the same taste in music. So she is basically me with an American accent. Because of this it was very easy to get into character. I just listened to a bit of Divinyls and Rolling Stones, put on my costume, tried to think what she would say when talking to other cast members, and then walk on stage in this frame of mind. The hard part was staying in this persona for the whole show. Because I wasn’t on stage constantly, it was very easy to slip back into Alanna and then have to find Lambchops again before my next scene. This is an important lesson to learn for people studying Drama and is one that I’m glad I took away from this experience. I’ve also realised how much effort and work goes into putting on even a school production. Putting it all in perspective made me fully appreciate how much time and money people invested in this. I was so glad that the final product turned out the way it did. We were awesome! But the thing that was mostsurprising was how many people I met and now consider friends. School productions are afabulous way to bring kids from every year level together and have them work towards a single goal which, ultimately, will blow everyone’s socks off. This whole experience has been one that I’m so happy to have been involved with and I’m definitely looking forward to many, many, many more productions to come!Alanna Marshall Grace Lamb

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Taking to the role of Nick Piazza, for me, was not as hard as I had previously thought it to be.Through this entire experience, I discovered how to really put yourself into a character andgive an amazing performance. I delved into that human desire to be seen, noticed andpraised; our desire to be wonderful. Essentially, that is exactly what Nick had longed to be;wonderful. And so my version of Nick was born; the slightly socially-awkward drama enthusiast who would give anything to be the next De Niro. That is probably the best advice I can give to any future production principal at Brunswick Secondary College; understand who your character is, make them your own, and, above all else, have fun!Liam Jenkins Nick Piazza

Yo, I’m Tyrone Jackson. I mean, I was, or I pretended to be for the first half of the year. I’m actually Henry de Oleveira, a year twelve student here at Brunswick Secondary College and I participated in the school’s first ever production. I played Tyrone Jackson, an illiterate, short tempered young dancer. Tyrone thinks he’s top dog, every space he finds himself in, he owns it. He’s egotistical denies his flaws which funny enough, is actually an incredibly fun mindset to be in while playing a character. Because you can do anything you want anytime you want – also, it meant that if I was ever late to rehearsals I was just ‘Method Acting’.

Another reason Tyrone was so much fun to play was the freedom Tracie (our amazing director) gave me. Tyrone’s attitude and personality allowed me to make some really fun, different choices for my movement and line delivery. The production as a whole was a really rewarding experience for me, as happy as I waswhen I got the part of Tyrone, the part had two ma-jor potential obstacles for me. Tyrone sings and dances, neither of which are things I’d ever done in front of an audience before, unless we’re counting my reflection as an audience. So the prospect of it seemed a bit daunting, but with the help of our awesome teachers, I managed to pull off both singing and dancing to a degree that I was proud of and happy to show an audience. Working with a talented and diverse cast was really great and the atmosphere and excitement after the finalshow are feelings that will stay with me for a long time. I was incredibly happy to have had the chance to work on a production with school before I leave, and FAME didn’t let me down. The hard work put in was completely worth the joy of the final product and I have to thank Tracie and Nick once more for the awesome time!Henry De Oleveira Tyrone Jackson

Initially when I first found out that I would be playing Miss Bell, I thought she was not much more than a ballet teacher. However, as the blocking of FAME progressed and as I grew more familiar with the script and my lines, I realised that there were other sides to my character. My song shared with Miss Sherman, ‘The Teacher’s Argument’ really opened up my character and made me see that she was not simply an airy-fairy ballet teacher, but someone passionate and fierce too. While I do not believe I am an airy-fairy person, I am definitely passionate and have strong beliefs which is how I related to Miss Bell. In preparation for Fame, I tried to learn my lines after my scene had been blocked and would change the delivery of my lines until I liked the way I did it. FAME has really made me see the way a musical is staged and the work behind it all. Fame was the highlight of my year and definitely one of the best experiences of my life.Elise Louey Miss Bell

I was lucky enough to have a principal role in the first school production FAME. Being ableto take part in this was such a wonderful experience. I played the character Mabel. Mabel was a student at the FAME school who was a straight forward student. Mabel also had a very big appetite which got in the way of her dancing. During FAME I learnt a lot of skills based around musical theatre. FAME also taught me about how much work and effort goes into a production. Before FAME I had never been in a production. so this was all very new to me, it took a while to learn all my lines and feel confident to speak them in front of an audience. However, this all came together on the night with a spectacular first Brunswick Production.Sammi Rigazzi Mabel Washington

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Fame for me was an experience like no other. For me it was a first for many things; first school production, first role in a play or musical, first time acting on stage, I had never done anything like it before and Ii feel that it has had a great impact on me and many others. When I first signed up I didn’t know much about anything to do with it and just sort of tagged along but by the end it was a part of me and I wanted to complete it passionately. I made many new and great friends from FAME and it further introduced me to theatrical arts. If I were to recommend participating in productions I would say definitely! Do it for an experience like no other, that you will learn from, and surprise yourself with what you learnAmos Batt Year 10

I played Jo [Jose] Vegas in Brunswick Secondary College’s first production, FAME! The things that I enjoyed about FAME would have to be the rehearsals because they were fun and everybody was laid back but serious, the sleep over was also fun the games we played at night though our team lost we still had fun. There was also a wonderful sense of team work amongst the group the whole way through which made the whole experience so much more worthwhile. On the day of the performance everybody was nervous but the first show went like a knife through warm butter, after the show we were all pumped and the other shows went great. After that we said our good byes and hope that we’ll be in the next Brunswick Secondary College production. Nathan Sokolowski Year 8

Being part of the backstage team in FAME was an amazing experience, I not only got to workwith the other guys on the backstage team and the cast but I had the opportunity to help outthe lighting technician with the programing of the lights and operating the spotlight. Being involved in backstage meant that weworked together with the cast to and other crew to make sure things ran smoothly on the night. The final production week was the most intense week out of the whole production I think especially for the backstagies, a few of us did the bump in (bringing all our sets and stuff to the venue) on the Sunday, then the rehearsals started at the Clocktower some nights going till quite late and some days with 2 full dress rehearsals.

By the end of the Friday night it wasn’t over yet we then had to bump out and bring everything back to school, then at 2 am on Saturday morn-ing we had finished bringing everything back and it was all done. The amazing experience that FAME gave was all worth it though especially during year 12 it was a place to have a break from study and work. It was really sad when it all finished and the friends that I have made are ones that I will have for a long time to come.Anthony Campana Lighting Assistant/Backstage

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usFAME was a very good experience. I have never done musical theatre before and I enjoyed performing with the whole cast. I noticed the difference performing in front of an audience as we had people to tell the story to.Indu Mulligan Year 9

Hello my name is Harry and at the start of this year I chose to be a part of Brunswick Secondary College’s first ever school production. Rehearsals began in February where we began to practice the opening number. Back then all I knew was how to sing and never even thought of trying to act or dance but by the first show, I knew how to do it all. There is a great feeling of success when you have performed in your first show because the moment the curtain hits the ground you breathe a huge sigh of relief and think about what a cool thing you just did.

When I finished the production I took a lot of skills with me such as how to act or dance and all the names of the things on and around the stage. I think if you really like singing, acting or dancing the Brunswick Secondary College school production is for you!Harry Wilkinson Year 8

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Firstly, thank you for helping Xavier realise his primary school dream of being in a school production, more importantly a musical! FAME connected Xavier to new friends, inspired him to play music for the joy of it and allowed him to share his love of performing.Belinda Pringle (Xavier Dupe) I think it is fair to say that as a family we all lived the experience of FAME. Xavier was so absorbed in the process of rehearsing and preparing his character, that there was no room in the house where you didn’t hear him singing the songs, playing the tunes on the piano, or wildly dancing his way up the hall. When we finally got to see the show, we were a bit relieved that he wasn’t playing all the roles, but was part of a very well drilled andenthusiastic cast. We were also very proud of the standard that he and the other performers had achieved, and the pure joy of performing that they displayed. For Xavier, it was not just HARD WORK, but also the camaraderie and achievement as part of a team. Bring on tomorrow!Christopher Dupe (Xavier Dupe)

My daughter Gracie participated in the school’s production of FAME in June 2013 and what a fantastic opportunity it was. It was a wonderful, professional show and all the students both on stage and behind the scenes did an excel-lent job and we were thoroughly entertained on the night. Closer to the performance time, the rehearsal schedule was quite intensive but the camaraderie between the students and the encouragement of the teachers (Tracie and Nick) motivated Gracie to work really hard with terrific results.Gracie has always showed a keen interest in the performing arts and this experience really honed in on her skills and I saw a real jump in her confidence and abilities in a short space of time. This experience also gave Gracie the oppor-tunity to work with other students from various year levels who shared her love of music and the performing arts. We are very excited that this program has continued and we look forward to the next performance.Caroline Smith (Gracie Tointon)

I was in the audience for FAME today accompanying the juniors from Sydney Road Community Schooland the senior citizens from Moreland Social Service PAG group and I just want to say on behalf of alla big Thank You.SRCS juniors had a full contingent and were awed at what their peers at BSC were doing. They all enjoyed the production and some were inspired enough express an interest in doing some theatre at SRCS.

The senior citizens PAG group also all enjoyed the production and asked me to pass on their thanksto you for allowing them to be included in the audience today.Something to ponder... one of the seniors, a sprightly lady named Thelma who is 102 years old, personally told me she thought the kids did a terrific job. Thinking of what she’s seen over the years and yet is still able to be impressed by our BSC students joy and enthusiasm sure says something wonderful.Congratulations to you and all the cast and crew.

Jeremy Fiske Secondary School Adolescent Health Nurse.

On behalf of the teachers, parents and students who attended your FAME matinee preview todaywe would like to send a huge congratulations to all the staff, parents and students involved at BSC.The performance was brilliant and loved by all. The vast array of talent was definitely evident and we know that everyone who attends will enjoy the performance as much as we did.Again a sincere thank you for the invitation and another huge congratulations to all those involved. A great job.Patricia Amerena Coburg West Primary School

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What a triumph for all the people involved in the production of FAME. It was a wonderful engagingshow. The whole production was very professional.What a great life experience for the students .Congratulations to all involved and hope they enjoy celebrating their success after the final show.Go Brunswick Secondary College!!Jenny Taaffe BSC School Council Member

Mallory & I attended FAME on opening night and I just wanted to say we thought it was fantastic. I am friends with Henry’s( Tyrone’s) Grandmother and was astounded when she told me he had neversung or danced before. It is always wonderful how Brunswick Secondary College gives everyone a go.I enjoyed it more than many professional shows that I have seen. Go Brunswick!Susan Hamid BSC Parent

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Thank you to the following people who have helped to

make our production a success in 2013:

Saferoads Use of VMS board for advertising.

City of Brunswick Scouts Use of trestles and tables.

Clocktower Centre For their friendly staff and technical

expertise.

John Scott For his invaluable assistance with set

construction.

Our Office Staff Chris Salmond, Yvie McGhie,

Evan Kittelty, Caroline Peachey, Caroline Farah and

Sheila Calwell for their support throughout the production.

Brunswick Secondary College

Production 2013

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To the FAME Company

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l On the day of the first Fame rehearsal, Tracie Eastwood spoke to me about her excitement and goal for the production. It was more than just wanting to put on a good show. ‘I want the students to surprise themselves, to perform on opening night in a way that they could not imagine possible now,’ she said. All who saw this stunning and professional production will agree that the cast and crew of Fame not only succeeded in surprising themselves but also in surprising and delighting their audiences. Tracie took cast and crew on a journey of growth and challenge that I know they are grateful for. As a school we are indebted to Tracie for the professionalism, polish and quality she achieved in a such a short lead-up time – a mere four and half months. It was amazing.

It has been a privilege to see such a growth in skill and confidence in our students, from the early rehearsals with the ‘I will never be able to hit that note’ faces, to the professional quality of the acting, dancing and soaring voices on show in the Clocktower at each performance. Before opening night, I shared with the company my pride and pleasure in their transformation as performers. I also shared with them a little background information about the produc-tion’s talented and affirming Assistant Director, Nick Tranter. At the end of last year, Nick had to choose between a six month acting internship in New York and working as a Drama teacher at BSC. We are of course are thrilled that he chose us. In return, we have repaid him by giving him an experience of New York, Brunswick style, as Fame is set in New York’s High school for the Performing Arts.

However the ethos behind our production of Fame stands in contrast to the highly competitive and individualistic character of Fame’s High School for the Performing Arts. Our production is about community and contributing to something bigger than yourself, rather than individual fame. I congratulate each and every member of our wonderful and professional Company and the genuine, passionate interest and support they have shown in developing one another’s success.

The vision of a whole school production has been ‘in the wings’ for over a decade at Brunswick Secondary College. Our music staff and senior students will remember with love, our singing teacher, Genevieve Rogers, who passed away in 2009. Genny was a great advocate of musicals and of BSC pursuing this path. She was also the first singing teacher of Larissa Li, our Music Captain. How incredibly proud she would have been of Larissa’s in-terpretation of the role of Carmen, and of our instrumental music staff too, who performed as the Fame band.

On closing night, the Performing Arts Captain, Amelia Constable, spoke of her pride in seeing the fusion of mu-sic, drama and dance that gave birth to BSC’s first whole school production.

What the Fame Company has achieved is outstanding for itself, our school community and the future of Performing Arts at Brunswick Secondary College. Viv TellefsonPrincipal