On 4 April twenty-two MGGS girls from Years 10 – 12 escorted by Ms Marshall and Ms Fairlie flew to New York on the inaugural Drama Tour.  After a long flight of movies, eating, games, movies, eating and a little bit of sleeping we arrived and settled into the Edison Hotel only a minute’s walk from Times Square.

While we were there we attended a variety of workshops, saw theatre shows, went sightseeing and managed to fit in some shopping.  After nine days we flew to Los Angeles where the focus changed from live theatre to film and we were involved in workshops at the post- production level as well as having guest speakers and tours.

It was a wonderful experience with so many highlights – we saw a diverse range of productions, ranging from naturalistic period plays to absurdist theatre through to musicals.  We attended workshops and seminars, led by working actors or current designers, all working on Broadway. We gained so much insight into the industry in all its formats and experienced a range of theatre that we can only dream about at home. It was a tour we will never forget.

AUDITIONING WORKSHOP - Eloise

The auditioning workshop at ‘Planet Broadway’ with Tony Galde (swing for Wicked) entertained and educated us on what to expect when attending a Broadway audition. Tony drew on past experiences not just to do with performing but, life in general. Everyone really listened to what he had said about his struggles and successes. After listening to Tony, each person took something different away with them. I still remember something he had said “There is one person to play that part….Why can’t that person be you?”

DANCE WORKSHOP - Anna

Before seeing Mary Poppins, we went to a dance workshop that morning to learn the Supercalifragilisticexpialodocius dance. We were taught this by a cast member, Sean McCourt. It was so much fun for everyone and when it came on in the show a number of people were doing the actions in their seats. This dance workshop will not be easy to forget as it was one of the highlights of the trip!

VOCAL WORKSHOP - Sophie

During the Vocal Workshop our leader, Gavin Creel, who was one of the leads in Hair, worked with us on our breathing techniques, taught us 'Age of Aquarius', ran scales and even had us jumping around like monkeys. For both the singing students and the 'vocally challenged' percentage of the group, everyone had a ball and came away with some very funny memories and new knowledge.

LINCOLN CENTRE/JUILLARD - Kate

We had a taste of home at the Lincoln Centre, one of the biggest music halls in NY as our new Recital Centre in Melbourne is an exact replica of it, an interesting observation. This was followed by a tour and talk at Julliard, one of the top performing arts schools in New York. It was a wonderfully, inspiring experience as each of us as we were encouraged to pursue theatre at the end of yr 12, and the idea of attending this school was not an impossibility.

TODD AO - Arielle

Todd AO was a great learning experience in LA. It gave us a clear idea of the range within the industry. As we walked into the building there were several girls auditioning for a new MTV show. Walking the halls, there was a new department around every corner. From auditions, green screens, editing, sound effects, special features, creating trailers, voice over’s, DVD menu’s and talent management. It showed us how the entertainment industry has an extremely wide variety of roles that one could be involved in.