Performing arts at Ringwood Secondary College has been thriving for decades and continues to go from strength to strength today.
The school has a proud tradition of annual productions and is committed to staging a full scale, large chorus musical in August each year.
Over the past thirty years, Ringwood has produced shows such as Oliver!, Guys and Dolls, My Fair Lady, Anything Goes and Crazy For You, among countless others.
All students from Years 7 to 12 are invited to audition for the production each year, and the school usually accommodates about 80 students on stage. Lead roles are double cast where possible and each student will perform in an equal number of shows, increasing performance opportunities.
The orchestra is also comprised of students, as are all other backstage and technical divisions in the production. Of course, a dedicated team of highly skilled and professional teachers set the direction and are supported by an amazingly dedicated team of parents and past students who graciously volunteer their time.
In December of each year, Ringwood Secondary College also stages a Junior Production. This is designed to provide further opportunities to students in Year 7 and 8 in particular, who may have been unable to make it into the cast of the main musical. The cast of about 60 produce a one act show, and pull it together in the last six weeks of the final term.
Outside of these annual productions, there are a number of other key activities that define Performing Arts at Ringwood.
The jewel in the crown is the Performing Arts World Tour, staged every three years since 2001. The fifth tour was completed in March/April 2013. It lasts for four to five weeks and has typically involved about 40 students each time, visiting countries such as New Zealand, Canada, USA, UK, The Netherlands, France, Czech Republic, Thailand and China. The tour is built around a self-devised show that involves every student in acting, dancing, singing and playing an instrument.
The next World Tour will take place in February/March 2016.
Our instrumental music and ensemble program is also significant, with regular concerts, competitions and tours a fixture on the annual calendar.
Importantly, the last few years has seen an explosion in the popularity and profile of dance at the college, with involvement in Vic Moves and The Victorian State Schools Spectacular drawing huge numbers of participants.
In 2015, the College's Production of Oliver! was recognised by the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria as the Production of the Year in the Junior Division.
Show Business, Pirates of Penzance, And the Big Men Fly, The Wizard of Oz, My Fair Lady, Oliver, Kiss Me Kate, Brigadoon, Half a Sixpence, Annie Get Your Gun, Lola Montez, Guys and Dolls, The Music Man, Showboat, The Pajama Game, Calamity Jane, Crazy for You, Anything Goes, Sweet Charity, Hairspray and The Producers.