As the curtains rise, the music strikes and the lights dim, the characters emerge.
The audience catches its breath and parents beam with pride as the quiet student now commands the stage with confidence; the class comedian delivers unexpected tenderness; the seemingly unengaged student knows every cue, every movement and every word.
Drama at Parkerville Steiner College invites all students into other worlds and other lives, and has a way of revealing qualities in young people that perhaps even they did not know were there. Through stories, poetry, character and movement, students explore courage, humour, conflict, compassion and the complexity of what it means to be human.
While asking students to step into the shoes of another, speak with confidence, listen deeply and stand fully present before others can feel daunting and unimaginable for many, through the safety of a character, Drama becomes a place to shine in ways they never expected. Quieter students often discover confidence, experiment with new voices and mannerisms, and step into qualities that can be difficult to access in everyday life. Equally, students who naturally love the spotlight learn something different: to listen, collaborate, show restraint, serve the story rather than themselves, and discover greater depth and empathy through the lives of others. Sometimes, we find new parts of ourselves by first becoming somebody else for a little while.
Every student, in every year, is part of the journey, taking on increasing ownership of the creative process as they move through the senior years and contributing not only as performers, but as directors, designers, marketers and producers. The pinnacle is the Class 12 performance, a long-standing Steiner tradition and a cherished final chapter of school life. As a final gift to the school community, the Class 12 students come together one last time to create something meaningful as a class.
Long after the curtain falls, what remains is something far more important than applause: confidence discovered, empathy deepened, friendships strengthened, and the knowledge that sometimes we find ourselves most clearly when we are brave enough to become somebody else for a while.
