Hi,
everyone!
I'm
being beseiged from all sides to “get the web site up to date!!”
Sorry, folks. I really have been remiss. I've loads
of excuses, but excuses are poor reading, so we won't even go there.
WHAT'S
HAPPENING
OK
. . . so where are we right now? Well, we're at a scary, but
exciting place. The global recession is hitting us HARD! That's the
truly scary bit. The exciting bit is that it means we must now set
our sights at a higher and even nore innovative level than ever. A
challenge! That's always a good thing.
GOOD
NEWS FOR PARENTS!!! Fees are being cut, from €20 per week to €16.
AND
we are also dropping all production fees this year (€25 per show).
We've
had to do a lot of juggling and rearranging of the school and its
basic structure . . . losing some things, changing some things,
hopefully strengthening our basic foundation, which is to encourage
our students to recognise, accept and celebrate their individuality –
their unique specialness – and to develop their self-confidence and
natural abilities.
Sadly,
we say goodbye to two of our long-standing lynch pins, Anne McIntyre
and Erin Klatt. You can still find Anne engaging in her special
brand of teaching in the Rising Stars Performance School, Wicklow.
And Erin will continue her work with Realtíní, a school for 3 to 6
year olds. (Please note, because we are losing Realtíní as a part
of Innovations, we are now lowering our age of entry into what has
always been known as “the Big School” to 5 year olds.)
We're
also losing our “Street Theatre” school, brilliantly led by Sarah
Morris the past two years. (Those of you who saw her production of
“The House of Bernarda Alba” last May will understand just how
brilliant!) The good news is that the extremely talented and much
loved Sarah will be joining the full-time staff, teaching drama in
Gorey and dance in Arklow.
WINDING
UP IN STYLE
The
last month of the last term, May, was a chocker-block time! The
Gorey school presented a beautiful production of Alice
in Wonderland
featuring Aine Collier as Alice. The following week, the senior
girls from the combined schools presented a jaw-droppingly powerful
rendition of Federico Garcia Lorca's The
House of Bernarda Alba
in the Conary Community Theatre. In the meantime, students of the
Arklow school presented their annual A
Little Showcase.
This showcase was attended by special guests Dave O'Leary, a Dublin
production manager; Diane Richardson, founder and director of the
Tapestry Dance Company and a teacher with the Gaiety School of
Acting; and Pat Nolan, star of RTE's Fair
City.
CONGRATULATIONS!
. . . . . to our award winners
. . . . .
The 2011 Arklow Student of the
Year is Rose Pollard.
The 2011 Gorey Student of the Year
is Melissa Larkin.
The Deirdre Short Memorial Award
for Most Promising Student has been awarded to Laura Doyle.
And, for the first time in ages,
we are thrilled to have given the PACE Award. The very
well-deserving student is Gorey's Aine Collier.
Also, for the first time in ages,
we have awarded the “Men in Black” Award for excellent work
behind the scenes to the incredibly organised and unruffleable
Jessica Davis.
. . . . . and to . . . . .
Past pupil Leah Penston for
securing a place in the Guilford School of Perfomance, England; and
to past pupil Shauna Crooke for securing her place in the Liverpool
Institute of Performing Arts.
Kudos are also due to Jonny Holden
for winning the 2011 AIMS Award for Best Supporting Actor for his
stunning performance in Spring Awakening.
COMING UP
Even as this letter “goes to
press”, we are presenting our Summer Theatre School in the Gorey
Community School. And come September, we have some really exciting
stuff lined up.
We
plan to present a major Christmas show (somewhat similar to ITS
Christmas!
in 2006), combining the Gorey and the Arklow schools. We also have
plans afoot to work on radio plays which (hopefully) will be aired in
January of 2012. The Gorey school will be presenting The
Perils of Lulu
and the Arklow School Greater
Tuna, Texas.
Radio is a new venture for us and it promises to be loads of fun.
And
we're now exploring the possibility of another international tour in
the summer of 2012.
So,
as you can see, lots of exciting things are on the horizon.
Nevertheless, we need lots of new students. If you have any
relatives, friends, acquaintances who might be interested in joining
Innovations Theatre School, PLEASE
encourage them to attend our up-coming auditions.
AUDITIONS
Auditions/interviews will be held
on 3 September next: 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. in the Gorey Community
School, and 2.00 to 4.00 p.m. in the Bridge Christian Community
Centre, Arklow. 5-6 year-olds, accompanied by their parents, will be
interviewed in a most child-friendly manner. (We just want to get to
know them and to let them get to know us a little bit.) 7-18
year-olds will be auditioned – again, in a very child-friendly
manner.
By
the way!
Check out the new FORUM set up by Shannon McGraynor. All you
existing students (and other interested persons, too, of course), let
us know your thoughts.
Till next time . . . .
Cheers!
Anne
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