Catherine McAuley Students Place 3rd In Shakespeare Drama Competition

A team of Catherine McAuley Years 9 and 10 students has placed 3rd in the State Final of the Sport for Jove Shakespeare Carnival

Students take part in the Sport for Jove Shakespeare Carnival as part of the Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese Creative and Performing Arts program.

Catherine McAuley has been involved in the Sport for Jove Shakespeare Carnival, as part of a CAPTIVIATE entry, for the past three years and has had great success. This year a Catherine McAuley team of Years 9 and 10 students has achieved 3rd place in the Self Devised Category of the State Finals for this competition.

The Catherine McAuley Team explored the complex relationships of young females in Shakespeare's plays in their self devised piece, ‘To Love, Serve, Honour and Obey’. The drama performance looked at the abusive relationships many of Shakespeare’s female characters endure and the different ways the female characters often suffer at the hands of men who say they love them.

The Sport for Jove Shakespeare Carnival is a drama competition organised by the Sport for Jove Theatre Company, designed to encourage students to challenge themselves, gain confidence and improve literacy, as they bring Shakespeare’s inspiring characters to life. CAPTIVATE is the Creative and Performing Arts program offered by the Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD) which connects students with creative arts professionals and develops students’ skills in the areas of drama, dance, music and art.

Lucinda Armour, Captivate - Drama Practitioner, says that it was a wonderful achievement for the students to achieve third place in what was a tough competition. “We have had real success in the Self Devised category of this competition over the past three years including winning the Western Sydney Carnival in all three years and placing 3rd, 2nd and 1st in the State Final at the Seymour Centre, Chippendale," Lucinda says. “This has been against students from across NSW.”

“The self devised piece this year was created and performed by Amelia C., Calista S., Taashya D., Siya P., Saadhana K. and Johanna O., who are all members of the The Captivate After School Drama Ensemble. Their drama piece drew on Hamlet, Taming of the Shrew, Othello, The Winter's Tale and Measure for Measure.”

In addition to the Self Devised category Catheine McAuley also had a second entry in the Smartphone Film category. Year 9 students Ishaani G., Raylene M., Sophie S., Lilly G., Bhakti D., Lucia V. and Kashika S. worked together to devise, perform and film a short Shakespeare inspired video piece filmed on a smartphone titled, ‘Exit…Pursued by a BEAR’. Ishaani directed and filmed their team piece and says taking part in the event was a lot of fun, “I enjoyed learning new things about film making, editing and writing scripts,” she said. “It was also such a great opportunity to work with a professional who could help me learn more about film and editing, something I've always had an interest in. I love taking part in the Captivate Drama Ensemble because the environment is so welcoming and supportive.”

Year 9 student Sophie says she too enjoys being part of the Captivate Drama Ensemble because she enjoys being part of a community where everyone involved shares the same passion for acting.

The Captivate After School Drama Ensemble takes place every Thursday afternoon at Parramatta Marist High School. Interested students from across the Diocese gather together to share their love of drama and creativity. It is open to all CSPD students in Years 7-12 and runs year round during term time.

Further information is available via the CSPD website

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