The enduring power of Shakespeare will come to life for six Year 10 and 11 students from The Armidale School on 18-19 June as they participate in the Sport for Jove Theatre Company’s 2016 NSW Shakespeare Carnival in Sydney.
The carnival is a statewide competition exploring the great playwright and poet through acting, music, costume and set design and dance. TAS students Kaliya Alldridge (a boarder from Tamworth), George Lane (Inverell), Katie Miller (Glen Innes) and Hugh Worsley (Inverell) entered The Lovers’ Quarrel scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, while Ellen Coote (Moree) and Matthew Turnbull (Armidale) prepared the balcony duologue from Romeo and Juliet.
Though they did not make it into the final round they were both nominated as Judge’s Picks and so will complete a full day workshop with the company and perform alongside other competitors Saturday night in the York Theatre.
“Being able to be part of such a new and innovative event is an exciting and will help us develop our skills in performance and interpretation as students of Drama,” Katie Miller said.
“Shakespeare still looms so large in literature and drama so many centuries after his death, and the carnival will be a great way of expressing the essence of his impact and continued relevance.”
Creative Arts coordinator Andrew O’Connell said TAS was the only regional school to be involved in the statewide competition.
“The young performers have found the experience incredibly rewarding already,” Creative Arts coordinator Andrew O’Connell said.
Ellen Coote,Matthew Turnbull, Hugh Worsley, Katie Miller, Kaliya Alldridge and George Lane rehearse their pieces before the Shakespeare Carnival
