Foundation
Legacy Gift of Class of 2021
The Class of 2021 proudly continues the Legacy of previous Yr 12 cohorts, and through their efforts have been supporting the Belinda Oxley Scholarship Appeal and sustainability initiatives of the School.
“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” Vincent van Gogh. This slogan resonates with how important each of these efforts are and how these Year groups are contributing towards a common goal.
This cohort’s final fundraising initiative for this year is a memorable Yr 12 Tea Towel, featuring students’ and selected staff hand-drawn faces. To pre-order these wonderful gifts and memorabilia, please visit here.
Congratulations to our Yr 12 students to continue this journey and BIG thank you to Ms Sarah Matthews, Dr Meta Regis and other Redlands staff for supporting this wonderful initiative.
Musical Productions at Redlands have a Long History
The Redlands musical is a highly anticipated event on the school calendar, even during COVID-19 enforced lockdowns. This year and last, the School has staged Grease albeit in different ways to past years. By happy coincidence, the production echoes the 1950’s theme of Bye Bye, Birdie, Redlands first fully co-educational musical, produced in 1982 in Redlands Hall.
Bye Bye, Birdie was not the first time Redlands boys appeared in school productions. Drama and Music at Redlands dates back to the early days of the school when numerous boys in the Prep School trod the boards. Dr G J Sutton, Associate Professor in Chemistry at UNSW, recollected his first drama production at Redlands in 1920 in Column 8 of the Sydney Morning Herald noting, ‘among our accomplishments at kindergarten was an enactment of the Court of King Arthur. I was Sir Lancelot but I have been out of touch with ‘Elaine’ and the rest of the court for over 50 years.’
In 2007, Once On This Island was staged for the first time at the Everest Theatre in the Seymour Centre, and heralded the start of the annual rather than biennial musical. The move to Chatswood Concourse was another significant move in 2013 with the first production 42nd Street.
Congratulations to all students and Redlands staff involved to make Grease the Mucial the Movie for our community to enjoy in these unusual times! Tickets still available in Drama section of this NoteDay.
Alumni Postcard from Rebecca Burchett, Class of 2019
We have seen much great talent over years among our students and the spirit they enjoyed while rehearsing for musical productions. The enthusiasm, camaraderie and quality of these performances are quite unique for Redlands. I have reached out to some of our recent graduates.
Immediately after graduating from Redlands, I was lucky enough to be accepted into the BFA (Music Theatre) course at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne. I am currently in the second year and have had many amazing experiences and opportunities already, including performing as part of the choir in the touring production of Chess: The Musical at the Regent Theatre. I’ve found it incredibly rewarding to know how many of the lessons I have learnt from my experiences in the Redlands Musicals have translated to my professional practice.
A lot of my best school memories come from the Redlands Musicals. Memories like when we would do our first dress run of the show, with students practically tripping over themselves because, funnily enough, we weren’t used to doing pirouettes and partner work in massive ballroom dresses (who would have guessed?). However even amongst the fun backstage banter and games, my favourite memory is reserved for our final curtain for Strictly Ballroom. As the final curtain closed on our last performance, all of the students and staff in the wings erupted into cheering and screaming. It is not completely understood unless you have experienced it, but the musical truly meant a lot to us. It finally meant our hours of rehearsals, going over lines, going through challenges and victories was worth it.
The musical at Redlands really is a very professionally run production and all students and staff involved need to be commended greatly for the commitment and dedication they have put into Grease. As cheesy as it sounds, the Redlands Musical really is a family, and I hope that if I’m lucky enough I will be able to be in a professional production that is just as fun and has the same sense of ‘family’ that the Redlands Musical does.
Rebecca Burchett, Class of 2019
Patrick Friedlander, Class of 2019 in the next issue.
Trivia Night
Thank you to the RPFA Committee to organise a Trivia Night again this year for our families to enjoy on Sunday 15 August. For further information, please visit the RPFA page.
Mrs Dana Casimaty
Director of Development
dcasimaty@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9858