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Play No Drama For Teens
Newcastle Herald
Thursday October 23, 2008
FOR the third year running Toronto High School Year 11 students have won the MindPlay drama competition, held at the University of Newcastle on June 6.
Presented by the Hunter Institute of Mental Health, the aim of MindPlay is to get young people thinking about mental illness, mental health and wellbeing. Students in high schools from all over the Hunter region are asked to research, write and direct a play with a mental health theme. It is hoped that by getting students to carry out this process, the students learn more about mental health than they could from an in-school lecture. The theme chosen by the students from Toronto was dissociative identity disorder, commonly known as multiple personality disorder. After many weeks workshopping ideas, developing scripts and costumes, the class had to audition at the university to make it through to the grand final. Using feedback from the audition judges, the actors further developed their play, Who's there?, to have the most dramatic effect on the audience.In addition to practising the play in class, the students also rehearsed after school and during the school holidays, demonstrating the dedication and enthusiasm needed to become adept actors.Several hiccups occurred on the way to the grand final, with one student away from school for several days with an allergic reaction and another nursing a sprained knee. But, proving the old theatre adage that "everything will be all right on the night", the performance ran smoothly. Toronto received $1500 in prizemoney ahead of Bulahdelah Central, Lambton High, Dungog and Kurri Kurri. "We could hardly believe it when we were told that we came first," group member Casey Wrightson said."The judges said it was a very close competition."Our teacher (Miss Samara Ballantyne) pushed us hard to help us reach our potential," Jenna Rudland said.The winning actors were Kimba Bellamy, Kristie Butler, Josh Harris, Emily Ingle, Kira Johnson, Courtney Jones, Abbey Page, Sarah Radcliffe, Jenna Rudland, Buck Williams and Casey Wrightson.
© 2008 Newcastle Herald