Sister Act 2, written by Mrs Downie and Mrs Hunt using the film as inspiration, was a storming success!
Telling the story of how ex-nun, Deloris, Las Vegas headliner, comes back to save the day when the school at which her former colleagues work is threatened with closure, the show included great soul, motown and gospel numbers like Aretha’s ‘Respect’ and ‘Think’, and Diana’s ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’. This is the music of another era but our students took ownership of it and belted the numbers out as if they were the songs of their own youth.
For the last year, the Music, Dance and Drama departments have been working closer than ever together under the banner of the Performing Arts Faculty. The results were there for all to see in what was probably the most slick, professional, disciplined and polished performance we’ve ever seen at Great Barr School. Our shows are always amazing but how wonderful it is to see the children’s talents being nurtured such that year on year they are able to achieve greater and greater heights. This is what school should be about!
It’s impossible to single individuals out for special recognition as they were all brilliant but special mention has to be made of the crazy nuns played by Abbie, Rhiannon, Lucy and Gemma; Rymarn’s hilarious performance as the class geek demonstrating flawless comic timing and characterisation; Ben’s wonderfully observed long-suffering Father Maurice, modelled on the Archbishop of Canterbury, I’m sure!; and stunning soulful vocal performances from Charnel, Melissa and Ami.
Ami was not only the leading lady in this production; she took the same role in ‘Hairspray’ two years ago and ‘Highschool Musical’ four years ago, and those of us with long memories remember her in ‘Grease’ in the summer of 2006. Ami is a model student who throws herself into everything she does with both feet first and as a consequence she will take away from her time at school memories she will still cherish when her grandchildren’s children are taking part in school productions. Well done, Ami, you and the many like you make us proud to work at Great Barr School.
Massive credit also needs to go to Mrs Hunt who produced the show, Mrs Downie who directed it, the band of staff and students who played the music under the direction of Mrs Hill, to Mrs Butcher and Mr Egere for the choreography, former student Steven Hollywood for the set design (Steven, a veteran of our school productions, is currently studying Film and Theatre Design at Nottingham Trent University), Miss Clarke for painting the set, and to former student Chris Walker and his two college friends who are all studying Theatre Lighting and Sound and did an amazing job turning Warwick Hall into a professional theatre. There are many more – a huge thank you and congratulations to you all!
I can’t wait for the next one. I have every confidence you’ll strive to make it even better; after all, there ain’t no mountain high enough!
