Drouin students put on show
A small group of Drouin Secondary College students performed the first act of the 1955 Tennessee Williams’ classic ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’.
VCE students Alyssa Fritzlaff and Sarah Portbury both share a love of performing arts and have been involved in the school production for many years.
They approached the College’s Performing Arts teachers with the idea of putting on a show that was produced, directed and performed by students.
The show began small, with auditions at the end of 2017 and by the start of this year rehearsals were in full swing.
Alyssa and Sarah said they are astonished that as two year 12 students they were able to direct and produce such a show in only six months.
“It was extremely challenging at times – but it is something we are extremely proud of and an achievement that couldn’t have been accomplished without our amazing cast and the support from our teachers, Miss Brooker and Mrs Moss,” they said.
The students involved experienced all sides to producing theatre, including directing, designing and coordinating set, props and costume, and publicising the event.
The cast of ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ included: Abel Ferguson as Brick Pollitt, a man struggling with the death of his best friend and his own sexuality; Alyssa Fritzlaff as Maggie Pollitt, Brick’s desperate and emotionally driven wife; Sarah Portbury as Mae Pollitt, Brick’s sister inlaw; Dayna Tampaline as Big Mama Pollitt, Brick’s mother; and Hayley Bond as Dixie, one of Mae’s children.
Held in the Drouin Secondary College Auditorium, the show was a success, running smoothly on the night to an audience of family, friends and the general public. It was an incredible learning journey for all involved.