BBAA supports drama
Aspiring young stage performers Alannah Hunt and Shontelle O’Connor have joined a summer drama camp in Yarragon with assistance from Baw Baw Arts Alliance.
Bbaa, a not-for-profit collective of artists committed to seeing the development of skills in all the arts, supported the two local students with scholarships.
The summer drama camp was conducted by Theatre craft Youth Unlimited led by Joanne Watt and culminated with performances at the Yarragon Public Hall over the weekend.
Alannah, age 17, is about to begin year 12 but is determined to direct a play at Warragul Regional College where she will be studying Chemistry, Maths Methods, Specialist Maths, History and Literature.
She hopes to study a Bachelor of Science with a research component. Already, Alannah has been involved in directing plays for the Warragul Youth Theatre and completed year 12 Biology. For her, drama has always been a way of communicating ideas through words.
She was placed in the physical theatre group at the camp and learnt to communicate through body language and facial expressions.
Shontelle, aged only 15, is about to start year 10 at Newhaven Secondary College. She has an impressive array of theatre experiences behind her. She is studying units one and two of VCE Theatre Studies this year after participating in several musicals.
She enjoyed the challenge of performing in a straight play without music at the summer camp.
Shontelle admits another challenge had been meeting new people and developing the courage to talk to strangers. Her dream is to pursue a career in musical theatre, but she is keeping her options open and may end up following a career in forensic science.
Alannah and Shontelle echoed the others’ thoughts when they said that while the drama camp was hard work and challenging, it was worth the effort for the skills learnt as well as increased personal confidence.