Annual Production

2016
 

MacBeth - a Superb Production

 
Congratulations to all students and staff who worked extremely hard to produce the wonderful production of MacBeth.
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2015 - Our MC Hammer - Lewis Tagaloa

Those who saw "Popstars", our musical production, earlier this year will fully understand why the judges were so wowed by Lewis Tagaloa. Lewis  won in his category at the Auckland Schools Showdown competition for best male vocal in a minor role. Competing against many other schools in the Auckland region, Lewis won for his outstanding performance of MC Hammer’s “You can’t Touch this” in this year’s Lynfield College Production of “Popstars”. Lewis had all the moves and the rap vocal down to a fine art (at left of image)

The awards evening was held on Friday 6th November.

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2015 Popstars

The 2015 Lynfield College production was Popstars. Directed by Celia Nicholson this 90’s musical sported hits such as “Hit me Baby One more Time” and “Hero”.
 
David Fa’aulaga and Emma Purro played their parts with great heart while Elizabeth Wongchiu was suitably evil in the overly ambitious role of Shannon. Rachel Clarke as the somewhat slow Tina, Marylinda Lamositele as Charlie, O’Shara Ardelean as Steffi, Jules Wagner as the mum Shane and Ben Roughan as the “player” all provided many of the laughs for audiences. Joseph Peteru, playing Shannon’s twin brother, must be mentioned for his extraordinary singing. He is, unbelievably, a Year 9 student.
 

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The Band directed by Lisa Norman was awesome as was the singing directed by Belinda Mittermeier. Special mention should go to Sarah Jordan for the massive amount of choreography she invented for the show as well as the amazing input of time and effort she put into rehearsals. Neil Waddington not only designed all the lighting this year but he also built most of the set including the magical mobile walls. A huge contribution to the look of the show and the stage crew were always up to the challenge of quick scene changes.
 
The show had a fantastic ensemble cast who faithfully turned up to rehearsals and were impressive in their commitment and energy. A big thank you to all staff and students involved, including those who contributed by way of costume, makeup, front of house, publicity etc.
 
All in all with the packed houses, the show was a wonderful and satisfying success.
 
 

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 2014 A Midsummer Night's Dream


 Lynfield College's 2014 annual production was A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare.
 
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The play is set in Athens and a wood nearby. This production has the Athens scenes set in the present day and the “dream” set in a fantastical world with Elizabethan touches to the costumes. The wood is represented by dancers who play live trees and who react to the various situations.

As this is intended to be a comedy, there is an emphasis on physical absurdity which parallels the somewhat crazy turn of events for the four lovers.

The students  rehearsed for one and a half terms and on the way acquired an appreciation of the bard’s poetic language
Cast - The roles and the players
 
The Elders
Theseus, Duke of Athens - Gavin Feng
Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons; betrothed of Theseus – Aly Wongchiu
Egeus, father of Hermia – Gareth Barton-Lewis
Philosrate, Master of the Revels – Connor Gee
 
The Lovers
Hermia, in love with Lysander - Hermia
Helena, in love with Demetrius – Shakayla Campbell
Lysander, - in love with Hermia - Blair Faith
Demetrius, in love with Hermia – Jay Purandere
 
The Fairies
Oberon, King of Fairies – Toa Peteru
Titania, Queen of Fairies – Lygia Verhoven
Puck, Oberon’s servant – Kieran Sumner
Peaseblossom – Renee Prasad
Cobweb – Vishaka Murthy
Moth – Elizabeth Wongchiu
Mustardseed – Acacia Lord
 
The Mechanicals
Quince, a carpenter – Daniel Ly
Snug, a joiner – Adam Dewar
Bottom, a weaver – Ben Fleming-Yates
Flute, a bellows-mender – Anup Menon
Snout, a tinker – Jacob Danielson
Starveling, a tailor – Reon Sumner
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Dancers – Performing as the trees in the woods - Shannon Murray, Kelsey Murray, Alice-Neville Smith, Rosanna Kelly Nair, Rebecca Gandhi, Brittany Day, Serene Aun, Karina Thompson, Jayshri Ratnam, Adesola Adekunle, Bethany Edmonds, Jessica Zhang, Brian Wang
 
 
 

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2012 - Romeo and Juliet

 
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  Romeo Juliet  

 

And to answer your questions...

Don't we only do musicals at Lynfield College? Is it Romeo and Juliet - The Musical?

No.

Does it have music?

Yes

And dancing?

Yes

Isn’t Shakespeare too hard? Won’t it be too difficult to understand with all that Shakespearian language?   No

Why stage Rome and Juliet?

Firstly, Romeo and Juliet has remained in the global canon of literature because one of the greatest poets from the past 400 years of Western Civilisation wrote it. Secondly, for the enduring theme : that prejudice has tragic outcomes.

Writing in Europe in the 1600s, William Shakespeare saw exactly the same human frailties as we witness today: ingrained regimes of culture, religion, politics and wealth; social states that define, and confine, individual freedom.

One only has to consider the current world situation to recognise the relevance of William Shakespeare’s theme:

Christian / Muslim; Israeli / Palestinian; Tutsi / Hutu; Sunni / Shiite; Mongrel Mob / Black Power; Rich / Poor; Crip / Blood; Left / Right; East / West; Black / White; Montague and Capulet

The story is a tragedy about the futile deaths of the young in society. The universal theme is personalised effectively to reach both young and old. The resultant horror expressed in the play by the families and the authorities at the demise of the two lovers, combined with the emotional sense of loss experienced by the audience, creates a potent opportunity for insight.

The purpose of art, the purpose of literature, is to hold up a mirror so that we might see ourselves and the world we inhabit, more clearly. That is why we are producing, Romeo and Juliet. Come. See for yourself, whether it be Art or not.

 
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Unusually, this production will be ‘in the round’ – a central stage with the audience in scaffolded seating on four sides of the hall. Another modern aspect is the dancing at the Capulets’ party, where energetic hiphop and latin dance skills will be on display. The set, costumes and performances will create anew Shakespeare’s story in the modern world, as lovers meet while their feuding families go to war and prove unable to stop their fighting, with bitter consequence.

Starring in “Romeo and Juliet” are experienced drama students. They include Dion Pritchard as Romeo, winner of Best Supporting Actor at the AMI awards last year, and Emily Jenkins as Juliet.

Other cast members are Holly Stokes as the very comical nurse, Breanna Blackwell as Lady Capulet, Josh Edmonds as Lord Capulet, Tom Jaeger as Mercutio, Billy Scarfe as Benvolio, James Olsen as Tybalt, Ben Fleming Yates as Balthasar and Gregory, Anup Menon as Sampson, Brayden Silby as Lord Montague, Samantha Holland as Lady Montague, and playing the prince as a Queen instead, is Zoe Vickery. As well a large number of students are participating in the chorus, sword fighting and dancing.