Three pieces: Lara Secondary College students Lisa French, Ben Griffin, Brad Rankin and Jasmin Barrett star in Shortcuts.
By Erin Pearson
LARA Secondary College students tackle hard truths in a new three-part stage show Shortcuts, according to drama teacher Michelle Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald said the production would feature the school’s Cracked: Unsocial Networking & Gallus Domesticus, which students performed at this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival.
The two new components were XYZ and Asylum, which year 10 and 11 students developed respectively.
“Gallus Domesticus is the scientific name for chicken and the play focuses on the tale of why the chicken crossed the road,” Fitzgerald said.
“XYZ deals with issues that the students deal with every day, such as bullying, being dependent on technology and the stigma older generations often place on them.
“It’s been really meaningful for them to analyse how other people look at them.
“They’ve had the opportunity to debunk some myths and show some truths.”
Fitzgerald said SBS documentary Go Back To Where You Came From inspired Asylum.
The documentary “deeply affected” some of the students, she said.
“They wanted to do something really meaningful to show a more-rounded perspective.
“It’s important for them to be able to explore all these issues and showcase it.”
Fitzgerald praised the 30 students involved in the production.
“You have no idea how proud I am. The senior drama students and I have developed quite a little family.
Courthouse ARTS’ Ross Mueller said Shortcuts demonstrated the potential of school productions to be “innovative and exciting”.
“We’re thrilled that Lara is going to be staging their show here because they’ve shown such initiative already in taking show to the Melbourne Fringe Festival,” Mueller said.
“To now bring it home thrilled me with optimism for the future.”
Councillor Jan Farrell said Shortcuts would be the first performance in the Court House Arts theatre after its $6.5 million refurbishment.
“The venue was redeveloped to should events like this and we’re hoping to see a great turn out for it.”
Shortcuts plays at Court House Arts next Thursday.
