Back in June, a small piece of photocopied paper was distributed to every form in each eligible year. That piece of paper would lead to months of preparation, work and effort. It would result in excitement, nerves and a competitive spirit that could only have had one cause. And that piece of paper? An announcement. “Auditions for the school production after school.”
And so it began, and though at first some were dismayed when they heard that the play would be ‘The Wizard of Oz’, everyone soon warmed up to the idea and discussions began in earnest on who would go for the lead roles, and people slowly beginning to think of the roles that they themselves might like to play. And, of course, not forgetting those who were eager to help, but preferred to do so from the side wings; props are also a necessary part of any show.
On the day of the auditions, the nervous and excited pupils filed into the drama studio. After a short talk from Mr Bateman, we were all considering roles that we hadn’t even known existed. The munchkins were the obvious choice, but many thought, wouldn’t it be great to be one of the witches? Or perhaps a lady of Oz? Eventually, after watching all of the scenes performed by all of the potential candidates, the drama staff came to a decision, and the roles where hung up outside the door, along with a schedule. There was some surprises, and not all of them were pleasant, but everyone had a role.
The scripts were handed out, the lines read and re-read, memorised and repeated. The first few rehearsals were slow, and a few smaller, individual roles were handed out, but soon, once the general shape of the show was established, the scenes were acted and re-enacted until everyone knew their part, their cue, their lines and their songs. The summer holidays were an obvious pause in the proceedings, but they gave everyone a chance to thoroughly memorise every detail so when everyone came back, they were rested, refreshed and ready to get going again. With a few slight hiccups, Act One could be rehearsed without pauses or prompts and the rehearsing of Act Two could begin. All of the pupils involved showed great dedication, even coming in over the weekend to practice.
The arrival of the costumes was a major point that many of the cast were most excited about, parading their new outfits in front of friends, cameras and mirrors. Photographs of each ‘group’ of the cast were taken (witches together, generals, ladies etc.). Once all of the minor details were ironed out (although, as most stage directors will tell you, the play is almost never ready until it is first performed before an audience). The first dress rehearsal was a definite success and when the play was first performed for its first large audience, the primary schools, it was met with great enthusiasm and was considered a real triumph.
Then, the night so many had been waiting for. Nerves soared as the sun set over the day that was to be the first performance of the show in front of friends and families. The cast began to arrive, some as earlier as an hour before the show. In fact, the pupils who played the main roles didn’t even go home!
Bits and bobs, props, make-up and hats were all checked and double-checked so when the audience began to pour in, first in trickles then in floods, everyone was ready and waiting. The debut went exactly as intended, and the audience really enjoyed the show. One of the viewers, Hannah Sutcliffe, 9S1, said “It was really good. It definitely could have been put on stage in London. It was the best school production I have seen… yet!” On the second night, even the slightest technical blip or fudged line was 
sorted and by the third performance - the finale- it was perfection. Everyone gave their last, sang their hearts out and screamed their throats off (all metaphorically and varying according to roles). As the curtains closed for the final time, everybody cheered and laughed and whooped. Everyone left with smiles on their faces, and even though most were exhausted, not one person complained. Georgia Hardman, 9B2, who had two roles in the play, said “Being part of the show was amazing. The atmosphere was great, everyone was lovely, and it’s just an overall great experience. I’m definitely making sure more of my friends join in next year!”
By Krystyna Szczerba, 9C1.
