It was St Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Ecology, who reportedly wrote, ‘He who works with his hands is a labourer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.’
Artistry is alive and well then at Newington College where our students are free to investigate and develop their love of material and performance aesthetics.
Last week NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) announced more than 20 students across Drama, Music, Design Technology and Industrial Technology have had their HSC major works and performances nominated to appear in NESA’s statewide showcases.
In Drama, student performances to HSC markers in the Duckmanton Drama Centre recently saw 11 students act their way into nominations for OnSTAGE, NESA’s Drama showcase. These included nods to three thespians for their Individual stage performances and eight for Group Performances.
Treading the boards solo, Harry Power impressed with his monologue from one-person play Scaramouche Jones, about a centenarian aged clown. Harrison Wadland connected with examiners through his rendition of Mr Incredible, while Remy van Stom caught NESA’s eye with his piece from Exit the King, an absurdist drama by Eugène Ionesco.
In the Group performances, Toby William and James Ashworth were nominated for their performance from The Thinking Machine as were William Angus, Wales Kah, Harry Power, Remy van Stom and Harrison Wadland. Theatrical contemporaries, Harvey Douglas, Andrew Carnegie, Daniel Davison, Angus Fletcher, Thomas Ethan, Hastilow Gray, Benjamin Socratous and Darcy Yu were also all nominated for their performances from Tanked.
OnSTAGE is an annual showcase of HSC Drama performances and individual projects. Students will be selected from nominees to perform at the Seymour Centre in Sydney from Saturday 8 February to 14 February 2025.
The Newington College Drama department stages four plays and one musical every year. Rehearsals will begin in Term 4 for the recently cast production, Catch Me If You Can.
NESA’s musical equivalent showcase is ENCORE, and bravo to Year 12 musicians and students Seojin Kim and Joshua Nugroho who have both been nominated for possible inclusion this year.
More than 450 students across the Newington College community, including our Wyvern and Lindfield Prep schools, regularly play and perform in our College Choirs, String Ensembles, Rock Band, Jazz Combo, Chamber Music, Symphonic Winds Band, Symphony Orchestra and Percussion Ensemble. Year 12 nominees selected to perform in ENCORE will play at the Sydney Opera House Monday 24 February 2025.
Our makers and industrial engineers also outdid themselves this year with Industrial Technology eight Industrial Technology students nominated for SHAPE, NESA’s statewide showcase, along with 50 per cent of our Year 12 Design and Technology students too.
Nominated Industrial Technology students include Mackenzie Berman, Zachary Eleftheriou, Charles Gill, Billy Hayward, Finlay Luck, Toby Rodwell, Dean Stellios and Joel Zipeure. Another three students were also nominated for Design and Technology and may also be selected to showcase their HSC works within SHAPE at Walsh Bay Arts Precinct in March 2025.
Huge congratulations to all these students and every Year 12 Newington student who played, performed and problem solved for these HSC subject.
Brava! We could not be prouder.
