To download a version of the Term Three newsletter, click here.
To view the photo album from "When I Grow Up", click here.
Welcome to Semester Two! Firstly, a big congratulations to all our students for their fantastic performances over our “When I Grow Up” season at the Union Theatre. We have had lots of positive feedback from both audience and teachers about the shows. Well done to all involved! Take a look at some of the colourful photos from the shows inside this newsletter.
Secondly, welcome to our new students who have commenced classes with Beginners OnStage for
Semester Two. In this newsletter, you can read about the exciting things we have planned for the semester and some of our student successes.
This semester the Beginners OnStage are letting their imaginations run wild as they discover lands “Beyond the Rainbow”. Our theme explores enchanted forests, treasurefilled caves, magic castles, under the sea and many more mystical places. Why not encourage your Beginners OnStage student to explore some more of their creativity by getting out their colouring pens and pencils and drawing about the magical places they wish they could visit?
Once the students have settled into classes, be on the look out for Beginners OnStage rehearsal materials which will be issued to the students. Students will receive their very own script for the play they will perform in December. We ask that once roles are assigned, parents and guardians help students learn lines and rehearse at home. The students also get a take-home rehearsal CD with
all the songs they will need to know for their performances. This is a great rehearsal tool to have in the car on the way to class, at home for those spontaneous bedroom concerts, or even for Show and Tell at school. We know these rehearsal materials will assist the students to feel completely prepared and confident for their big stage debuts!
Want to design the front cover for the Semester 2 production of ‘Beyond The Rainbow’? Draw, paint or design a colourful picture of what you might find beyond the rainbow and you could win a family pass for tickets to the show. To enter, either post to the head office or email it to competitions@cpca.com.au before August 7th.
CPCA wishes to congratulate Brianna Altman-Bishop who has starred in ‘Australia’s Got Talent’. Brianna began performing with the CPCA when she was seven and has since gone on to have soloist roles with the Young Australian Broadway Chorus. Brianna’s performance of ‘Don’t Rain On My Parade’ received high praise from all three of the show’s judges and earned her a place in the grand final. Watch her performance on YouTube.com by typing in “Brianna Bishop Australia’s
Got Talent.”
Tell us a bit about your background:
I began singing at a very young age! Growing up in a musical family, we were encouraged to sing and play piano. Growing up in the country, I never had the opportunity to participate in and benefit from a program such as the Beginners program... I wish I had! So, it wasn’t until a local lady heard me sing and asked if she could give me some lessons when I was about 13 that I really got some proper training. I started singing, and when I was 14, I was selected in the first ever ‘Gondwana Voices’ choir. It is a national choir with children from all over Australia able to audition. I ended up travelling to Europe with the Choir and recording a CD! I started dance lessons when I was about 10 and continued that right through High School.
What are you working on at the moment?
Currently I’m studying my Graduate Diploma of Education, so between that and teaching for CPCA I’m pretty busy, but I always pop along to auditions that crop up! Fingers crossed something exciting might come my way again soon!
Complete the following sentence: a good performer: does a good job and adequately delivers the show, but a great performer: loves what they do, and thus engages the audience, oozes confidence and energy, leaves the audience with great memories!
Do you prefer acting on stage or screen?
I’ve been lucky to have had some commercials etc and it’s exciting to see your face replayed on TV, but there’s nothing like the feeling of performing to a live crowd on stage! So... stage!
What’s the funniest or most impressive thing that you saw in the rehearsals for ‘When I Grow Up’?
Kids really taking onboard all of my direction and giving the attitude to make the performance shine! I especially loved the
‘Celebrity’ set because the songs allow kids to give it some sass!! Funny stuff! I love it when kids have the ah-ha! moments.. when they remember things all on their own!
Do you have any pre-show rituals?
YEP!! Ask any of the members of my cast! I have one of the most vocal/noisiest warm up routines! I also always go to the gym to make sure my body is physically warmed up before my shows too, it helps me sing better and warms up my voice easier! A good 10 mins in the steam room is preferable too!
Whose work do you most admire?
Wow.. there are so many!! But in Musical Theatre, I absolutely adore Shoshana Bean (Wicked) and Indina Menzel. In Australia... I’ve always LOVED Rachel Beck, I met her as a teenager and just fell in love with her voice and her work! I’m seeing Shoshana perform in Adelaide on the 26th of June... I’m sooo excited! Pop singers.. can’t go past Beyonce and Alicia Keys... I love Jason Robert Brown’s writing.. just amazing songs!
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Have fun, be yourself. Dream, Believe. Create. Succeed. Don’t Settle for the moon if you’re reaching for the stars!... I’ve got plenty of these!! My parents always taught me to work really hard, to do my absolute best, and live in the knowledge that I’ve given my all. To respect myself and others.
What do you like to do when you’re not performing?
Hang out with my friends and family, listen to music, sing, shop, go to the footy, travel, gym, going out for dinner, watch movies!
CPCA is proud to have six of our students making their professional acting debuts in the Production Company’s ‘The King & I’. The production will star Lucas Tang and Maverick Newman as the two junior leads, Prince Chulalongkorn and Louis. Appearing in the ensemble are Holly Vuong, Zane Teh, Michelle Gerster and Philip Chen. ‘The Tony Award winning musical tells the story of an English governess who arrives in Siam (modern Thailand) to tutor the king’s many children.
‘The King & I’ is playing at the State Theatre from July 14-18.
For those parents who haven’t already seen it, ‘Animal Kingdom’ is a fantastic Australian crime drama starring former CPCA student James Frecheville. ‘Animal Kingdom’ is currently screening in cinemas (rated MA15+).
Beginners Settling into Classes
Parents and guardians are not permitted to stay and observe their children in classes.The CPCA has a legal obligation to ensure that all directors and administration are covered by a WWCC and appropriate insurance but we cannot provide this cover for parents. To help our students build their self-confidence, cooperation and attention skills, we would ask parental/guardian cooperation in keeping from peering into classroom windows and doors.
Uniform
Please make sure you are wearing your uniform to class each week. If you do not yet have uniform, please see your venue manager.
We Love Feedback!
Got a funny story from rehearsals? Heard a good theatre joke? Has your child had an achievement we should know about? Want to thank a staff member or comment on a performance? Email us your thoughts at emily.frawley@cpca.com.au
Programme Donations
Every semester the Children’s Performing Company donates a portion of programme sales to charity. $2 from every programme sold will go towards supporting the Starlight Children’s Foundation and The Lilly Robyn Foundation. The final figures will be announced in the Term 4 newsletter.
Information Updates
The start of a new term can often bring changes in contact details and student requirements. Please be sure to contact our office if you have changed any of your details or if you have not been receiving our emails and we will update our records accordingly.
Attendence
Please remember that classes commence promptly so allow a few minutes to get to class so you don’t miss out on anything. This is a good habit to get into for future dealings in the industry! Apologies for absence or lateness should be sent to your Venue Manager, not phoned through to the office. Please check the contact details on the front of this newsletter.
