The videoconferencing facility at Sacred Heart College has given pupils the unique opportunity to be the only school in Africa to collaborate internationally in performing arts.
A programme called TheatreLink run by the Manhattan Theatre Company in New York, has made this a possibility. The Grade 11 Dramatic Arts class of Sacred Heart College produced The Disappearance for the Theatrelink Project.
Only 20 schools worldwide participate in this innovative and exciting initiative. Schools write original plays for their partner schools to produce, and watch each other’s work via live video conferencing. The classes in geographically remote locations then discuss the streamed performance with their partner school.
The Disappearance was written by a school in Texas, and produced by the Sacred Heart College learners. In turn, a school in Florida has produced a play called Amandla written by Sacred Heart College.
The Sacred Heart College Grade 11 class performed The Disappearance to fellow pupils and visitors in the school’s Old Chapel Theatre on 30 May. The play revolves around a disjointed family dealing with an abusive relative, and a terrible mistake that two sisters make in order to protect their grandmother from her son’s actions.
The play was completely run by the Grade 11 class of Sacred Heart College. By attending video conference lectures, the class learnt about, and were assigned, theatre jobs such as acting, stage managing, set and costume design, make-up and marketing.
“TheatreLink provides a cross-cultural experience for the learners,” said Sacred Heart College drama teacher Tamara Schulz, “and it is a fantastic opportunity for them to go through the entire play-making process from writing through to directing, acting, designing and doing the technical work.
“It gives them a hands-on experience that exposes them to career opportunities in the performing arts at an international level.”
Details: Naomi Meyer 011 487 9000 or naomim@sacredheart.co.za
