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H A R T T H E A T R E

C O M P A N Y

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Welcome 03

Animal Farm 04

The Pajama Game 06

Big 08

A Matter of Life and Death 10

Aladdin 12

The Hart Theatre Company 14

Roma Hart Theatre Award 15

The year that was 16

Musical Theatre Guild of Victoria Recognition 18

“Great theatre is about challenging how we think and encouraging us to fantasize about a world we aspire to.” Willem Dafoe

C O N T E N T S

W E L C O M E T O T H E T H E A T R E

As the Hart Theatre

Company prepares

to roll out its seventh

season of theatrical

offerings, I am moved

to reflect on what it is

we engage in when we

make and participate in

live theatre. Theatre is about reflecting the

world around us – using narrative, movement

and metaphor to examine our world.

We share a couple of hours as a collective

group working together on both sides

of the footlights to create, for a single

performance, something that is unique and

will never be replicated. Theatre influences

the way we think about our lives, our values

and our behaviours.

For the past six years, the St Leonard’s

Hart Theatre Company has delivered to its

audiences exceptional theatrical experiences

that encourage self examination, provoke

thought and generate discussion. 2018 will

be no exception.

Audiences who join us for the season will

take a satirical look at the nature of power.

They will examine how politics can be

overcome by love. They will be asked to

remember what it was like to be a child who

longs to grow up faster than time actually

allows. There will be laughter, music, magic

and tears as our remarkable students bring

to life the diverse range of productions

that have been chosen to populate the

2018 season.

There is nothing better than being surprised

at the theatre so come join the troupers who

make up our shows as they work to dazzle

you with tales from other times,

other dimensions and far off places.

Our track record speaks for itself and we

guarantee you will not be disappointed!

Kim AndersonHead of Theatre ProductionExecutive Producer Hart Theatre Company

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A N I M A L F A R M

DATES: 24, 27, 28 April (7.00pm) 26 April (6.00pm)

VENUE: TC Woolhouse Theatre | DIRECTOR: Mr Nathan Armstrong

While George Orwell’s classic tale Animal Farm is about a group of farm animals who overthrow their human master, it really stands as an indictment of all people, parties or regimes that seek to control and coerce others or force obedience through manipulation, brute force, and fear.

The play also examines how the promise of utopia can lead to exclusion, degradation, and dismay. Animal Farm

warns us of the pitfalls of a steadfast and unyielding belief in an idea, and upholding it no matter the cost.

Set in a classroom in the 1960s, our production will see a group of schoolchildren in detention bring to life the story of Animal Farm. Using the tables, chairs, blackboard — and all the other things they have at their disposal — the students will invent and create the world of ‘Manor Farm’ and demonstrate

how a group of animals initially sought freedom but ended up with a future beyond their most ‘wild’ imagining.

M I D D L E S C H O O L P L AY

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T H E PA J A M A G A M E

DATES: 16, 18, 19 May (7.00pm) 17 May (6.00pm)

VENUE: Kevin Wood Centre | DIRECTOR: Ms Kim Anderson

Romance is blossoming at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Handsome new Superintendent Sid Sorokin falls hard for feisty Union rep “Babe” Williams, and, despite her dismissal of all things love-related, it seems she’s falling right back. That is, until Sleep-Tite employees are refused a seven-and-a-half cent raise, and the pair find themselves on either side of the union protest that results.

Based on Richard Bissel’s novel, 7½ cents, Adler and Ross’ Pajama Game portrays the ups and downs of romance, with the added heat of politics making the temperature extra hot. Babe and Sid must figure out how to love when the principles they value most are tearing them apart.

First staged in 1954, The Pajama Game won three Tony Awards, including best musical, and won another Tony for Best

Revival in 2006, a testament to the fact that love, music, and politics are as hot as they ever were.

S E N I O R S C H O O L M U S I C A L

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B I G

DATES: 25, 27, 28 July (7.00pm) 26 July (6.00pm)

VENUE: Kevin Wood Centre | DIRECTOR: Mr Tom Ellis

We live in an age where kids wish to be adults and adults wish they were still kids. When Josh Baskin makes his wish to Zoltar — a carnival machine — little does he know that the next day he would wake up an adult! Cue awkwardness and a quick few lessons on how to be an adult, and Josh makes his way to New York in a fun and engaging story complete with witty humour and a whole lot of heart. Soon Josh realises that there is more to being an adult than he bargained for,

and that we should all grow up at our own pace. Accompanied by a beautiful high-energy contemporary score, Big is sure to be the smash hit of the 2018 season.

Based on the hit 1987 Movie, Big is new to the stage and is sure to delight those who are young and those who are young at heart.

M I D D L E S C H O O L M U S I C A L

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DATES: 29, 31 August & 1 September (7.00pm) 30 August (6.00pm)

VENUE: TC Woolhouse Theatre | DIRECTOR: Mr Barry Tudor

A Matter of life and Death is inspired by the film by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. It is 1945. A young Airman jumps to certain death from his doomed aircraft. His last words to a girl he has never met but spoken to in his final minutes: ‘I love you June. You are life and I am leaving you’

There is an angelic blunder caused by a classic English pea-super resulting in the airman — Peter Carter — miraculously

surviving. Peter finds June in the flesh and love seems destined to flourish. If only life and death were that simple. The heavenly authorities, keen to rectify the mistake, have other ideas and Peter is forced to state his case to remain on earth to the Universal Court of Appeal.

Originally staged by Kneehigh Theatre, an institution on the fringes of British theatre known for its intensely collaborative, thought provoking

and non-naturalistic performances, A Matter of Life and Death is a charming piece that questions the reasons we went to and still go to war.

S E N I O R S C H O O L P L AY

A M A T T E R O F L I F E A N D D E A T H

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A L A D D I N

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DATES: 21, 22, 24 November (7.00pm) 23 November (6.00pm)

VENUE: TC Woolhouse Theatre | DIRECTOR: Ms Georgina Hearnden

Welcome to Agrabah, the city of enchantment where every beggar has a story and every camel has a “tale”! Aladdin, a kind but wily, street urchin, falls in love with beautiful Princess Jasmine, who he knows is way out of his league. It just so happens, however, that the Sultan has declared Princess Jasmine must choose a husband within the next day. With the help of a fast-talking magical Genie, Aladdin introduces himself as wealthy suitor

Prince Ali Ababua. Meanwhile, evil royal adviser Jafar has plans of his own. Will love conquer all? With a little help from a Genie and a faithful monkey friend, anything is possible!

Join us in Agrabah for magic, music and mischief! A musical the whole family will enjoy.

Y E A R 5 / 6 M U S I C A L

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The Hart Theatre Company (HTC) was

launched in 2012 with the opening of the

Big Top production Barnum. Over the past six

years the company has gone from strength

to strength and grown in stature within

the community. It has offered theatrical

opportunities to hundreds of students and

drawn in professional theatre practitioners

to our production teams who embrace

innovative production concepts. With two

award-winning musicals to its credit and

a dizzying number of nominations and

commendations for its musicals at both the

Middle and Senior School level,

the St Leonard’s College Hart Theatre

Company has proven it is a force to be

reckoned with.

The company is named after Mrs Roma Hart,

the first Speech and Drama teacher to stage a

production at the College. Mrs Hart gave us

our foundation; all those who come to ‘play’

with us give us our ability to soar.

It is the aim of the St Leonard’s College Hart

Theatre Company (HTC) to provide all those

in the College community who participate

in the program with a platform to build

confidence as young performers, theatre

practitioners, musicians, dancers and scenic

artists. HTC looks to foster growth through

involvement while creating an environment

where unique and creative vision is applied

to productions with passion, dedication,

fearlessness and inclusion.

St Leonard’s College Hart Theatre

Company’s vision sees a future in which

the expression of dramatic art is embraced

and encouraged in the spirit of professional

theatre. The Hart Theatre Company is a

place where performance skills are tools

for communication and lateral thinking

brings applause.

Book your seats closer to the show dates via stleonards.vic.edu.au

T H E H A R T T H E A T R E C O M PA N Y

M I S S I O N & V I S I O N S T A T E M E N T

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2 0 1 7 R O M A H A R T A W A R D F O R E X C E L L E N C E I N T H E A T R E

The moment I became a part of the Hart Theatre Company was walking in the towering South Road gates to audition at the end of Year 9 for the Senior School Musical for the following year, Pippin.

I was absolutely terrified when I walked in the audition room, as I wasn’t even a student at the school yet, however my first task was to stand up in front of all of these strangers and sing a piece of music I had never seen before.

This was, I think, the defining moment of my St Leonard’s College ‘career’. The pure adrenaline that one gets when performing, as I did standing up at that audition, is unmatched by anything else. I got in, and spent the first half of the year in awe of the magic we were creating. Wednesday,

Thursday, and Sunday afternoons became my haven and I loved every minute of being part of that ensemble. The passion from every single student and staff member involved was absolutely inspiring to me.

What I find most incredible about the Hart Theatre Company is the sense of family that is created within productions. Ms Kim Anderson, who has been my inspiration, guide and mentor over these last few years. She always creates a real sense of community within the shows she directs. To Ando, we are not just cast members, we are a troupe. It has been an honour working under your direction, particularly in Urinetown this year, and I have benefitted from our work together as both a person and a performer.

I formed friendships through the program with people that I know I will never lose. The work that was done in rehearsal, and the incredible feeling of showing that to an

audience is something that has driven me towards performing after Year 12.

My dream is to be a songwriter, and while I don’t know what the future holds, I know that the Hart Theatre Company taught me the value of art, the value of hard work, but most importantly, the value of passion.

M i c h a e l G o t z e

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T H E Y E A R T H A T W A S – 2 0 1 7

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Clockwise from left – Honk, The Little Mermaid, Love and Information, Love and Information, The Little Mermaid, , Urinetown, Urinetown, The Trial, Honk, The Trial.

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2012Awarded – Junior Production of the Year – BarnumAwarded – Direction of a Junior Production – Barnum Nominated – Musical Direction of a Junior Production – BarnumNominated – Junior Male Performer in a Leading Role – Finn Doyle, P.T. Barnum – BarnumNominated – Junior Female Performer in a Leading Role – Darcy Eagle, Chairy Barnum – Barnum

2013 Awarded – Junior Production of the Year – Sweet CharityAwarded – Junior Female Performer in a Leading Role – Lucy Travis, Charity – Sweet CharityAwarded – Junior Male in a Supporting Role – Josh Gordon, Lumiere – Beauty and the BeastAwarded – Technical Achievement in Scenic Design – Sweet Charity Nominated – Direction of a Junior Production – Sweet Charity Nominated – Musical Direction of a Junior Production – Sweet Charity Nominated – Musical Direction of a Junior Production – Beauty and the Beast Nominated – Junior Male Performer in a Leading Role – Daniel Maw, Oscar – Sweet Charity

2014Awarded – Achievement in Costume Design – The Wizard of Oz and Seussical the MusicalNominated – Junior Production of the Year – The Wizard of OzNominated – Direction of a Junior Production – The Wizard of OzNominated – Musical Direction of a Junior Production – The Wizard of OzNominated – Junior Male Supporting Role – Daniel Maw, Cowardly Lion – The Wizard of OzNominated – Junior Female Supporting Role – Holly Lomas, Wicked Witch – The Wizard of Oz Nominated – Junior Female in a Supporting Role - Lucinda Pezzimenti, JoJo – Seussical

2015Awarded – Junior Male Performer in a Leading Role – Josh Gordon, Leading Player – PippinNominated – Junior Male Performer in a Leading Role – Christopher Burgess, Pippin – PippinNominated – Direction of a Junior Production – PippinNominated – Musical Direction of a Junior Production – PippinNominated – Choreography of a Junior Production – Pippin

M U S I C A L T H E A T R E G U I L D O F V I C T O R I A R E C O G N I T I O N

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2016Awarded – Choreography of a Junior Production – HairsprayNominated – Junior Production of the Year – HairsprayNominated – Direction of a Junior Production – HairsprayNominated – Junior Female in a Leading Role – Emily Adams, Tracy Turnblad – HairsprayNominated – Junior Male in a Supporting Role – Joel Bowditch, Seaweed J, Stubbs – Hairspray, Michael Gotze, Corny Collins – Hairspray, Jared Clark, Edna Turnblad – HairsprayNominated – Junior Female in a Supporting Role – Mimi Galt, Penny Pingleton – Hairspray, Natalie Wilson, Velma von Tussle – Hairspray

2017 Nominated – Junior Female in a Supporting Role – Annika Soderstrom, The Cat – HONKCommendation – Junior Production of the Year – UrinetownCommendation – Direction of a Junior Production – UrinetownCommendation – Junior Female in a Leading Role – Imogen O’Leary Quereshi, Little Sally – UrinetownCommendation – Junior Female in a Supporting Role – Mimi Galt Penelope Pennywise – Urinetown

St Leonard’s College

163 South Road, Brighton East VIC 3187

stleonards@stleonards.vic.edu.au

stleonards.vic.edu.au

P (+61 3) 9909 9300

F (+61 3) 9909 9300