16 June 2023
A school Musical, especially one as technically complex as Jesus Christ Superstar, does not simply ‘happen’. It takes countless hours of behind the scenes work by both cast and crew, and often extends beyond this, impacting upon the families of all those involved. This tireless dedication and commitment could not have been more evident to those who came along and watched one or more of the shows which took place last week; the production was of the highest calibre, and in both performance and aesthetics, surpassed any other school Musical I have seen in my 20 years of working in education. My sincerest congratulations and thanks go out to the entire production team, in particular Jacqueline Cook, Zoe Kirkwood & Max Grynchuk. In your evident care for the students and desire to bring out the absolute best in them, you have indeed set the bar very high.
Ms Adele Turner
Head of the Arts
This production would not have been the same without the vision and tireless commitment of Zoe Kirkwood, our designer and producer (creative). Zoe also has vivid memories of that brilliant ’92 production and we were instantly on the same page creatively. I honestly can’t thank her enough for lending her talents to every part of this production. What a legend!
Having a team of industry professionals on board made this experience wonderful, not only for me, but for the students as well. I sincerely thank Lara Elsdon, Aidan Munn, Marcus Barricelli, Damon Caller, Jacob Heinze and Max Grynchuk, for their creativity, problem-solving and support throughout this process. Thanks also to Barnaby Eaton who remained positive and willing to help in any way he could.
Thank you to Principal, Dr Deborah Netolicky and the leadership team at Walford Anglican School for Girls. Your students were incredible to work with, and wonderful representatives of your school. They shone brightly and are an irreplaceable asset to this performance. Special thanks for lending us the powerhouse that is Lara Elsdon, trouble-shooter extraordinaire!
Finally, thanks to Headmaster, Tim Browning. He loves this show as much as I do (evident in the frequent humming of the opening bars when we cross paths in the Common Room!). The opportunity to engage in a production of this kind is truly special, I know these young people will remember this experience for many years to come, and Tim has championed this production from the beginning.
Jacqueline Cook
Drama Coordinator (Acting)