“SUPPER THEATRE” a roaring success at the Theatre Domicile

We ended off our third term with a Bang! All our Upper Primary students, and a selection of Lower Primary students hosted a re-imagined version of our Parent Presentations. Normally our students do a group Parent Presentation, where they get to show off what they learnt during the term. This term we had to put a bit of the twist on it and it was in the form of a Supper Theatre performance in their own homes.

                                         

All students had to plan and perform a show, which included a 3-course meal, as well as a variety of items performed while the audience enjoy their various courses. They designed posters, tickets, menus, and programmes. They had to create a stage, set with props and costumes. They had to be the MC and the waiter, or enlist their siblings to help. 

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The Upper Primary students had to perform a solo interpretation of a traditional Verbal Dynamics item, Cities, as well as a Monologue, and an improvised advertisement. The Lower Primary Students who chose to do the Supper Theatre, performed a dramatized prose, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, by Michael Rosen, and a poem from our Term 3 selection. 

We encouraged the students to be creative and put their personal stamp on the event, so some students wrote their own monologues and added items to their performance, changed the “supper” to a “picnic”, and helped prepare the food and used it for their advertisements.

We asked the students to take lots of photos and videos so we could all share in the fun, and from what we received, it was a roaring success all round. The parents clearly enjoyed the performances and the food, and the students loved showing off their work. When asked for feedback after their performance, the one word used to describe their show most often was “amazing”. Time and time again: “It was AMAZING!” 

How wonderful that we could bring enjoyment, fun and excitement to our students’ homes and families. 

 

This year has been so challenging for everyone, but it has pushed us in so many ways to re-invent and re-imagine old favourites, and each time the result was so, well, amazing!  

Let’s keep this momentum and level of enthusiasm going into Term 4, where we are once again going to have to pull a rabbit out of the hat to make our year end productions live up to our tried, tested and much adored live shows.

🌟 O'Grady's Gauteng Competition 🌟

 Let's get creative during the month of September! Open to all ages... Contact us on ogradyspeechcomp@gmail.com for more information 🤩

Teaching is a work of Heart - by Maryka Roux

 Happy Spring everyone! 

It is a new season which means new opportunities to grow, just like the beautiful spring flowers! Spring always reminds me that new beginnings are possible and beautiful.

This was also the case 5 years and 5 months ago when I started teaching at Helen O’Grady Drama Academy Pretoria. I remember my interview with Principal Juliet like it was yesterday. I met her at the very studio where I still teach, and we just connected. The biggest thing I remember is us talking about how important Drama is for Confidence. Immediately I could feel we were on the same page, but I knew I had to await confirmation to know if she thought I would be fit to teach at such a prestige and astounding Academy.

Thankfully, I got a call a few days later and my new season started. I could feel that there was a Spring in my step and Spring flowers in my heart.

 You see, Drama is not just a form of gaining confidence, teaching it is as  well. When you teach you grow in your skillset, your craft and in  knowledge. With Helen O’Grady, that is exactly what happened. The  curriculum is so well thought out, the exercises, scripts and activities are  super great for confidence building and becoming acting-ready and the  Drama Presentations encourage organizing and event planning with the  wonderful showcases at the end of the year that take you into a true  theatre atmosphere.

                           

As a teacher in different studios I have always felt loved and always see the confidence growing not just in myself but also the students. With new gained confidence it is only natural to become better at what you do. So as time progresses teaching becomes a work of art, a skill that is challenged and beautifully articulated every year, every season, and every term – we get the opportunity to teach and learn.

 

Now I can honestly say, I am still learning something new every day, not just because of the amazing Helen O’Grady context and content, but also the amazing staff, teachers, and students who always aspire to grow. That is why teaching is more than just a work of art, but a work of heart ♥️. Loving what you do and loving people, makes life much more lovable ❣️

My hope and true passion in life is to help everyone find their purpose, the one thing that makes them do their work with heart. I have found my calling and that is to teach. I hope to inspire and motivate others through my company ButtonUp to find the work of heart that they can do and love for the rest of their life!

You know what they say, if you do what you love, you never have to work a day in your life. Thank you Helen O’Grady for not only providing me with a platform to do what I love but also to love and be loved.

      ButtonUp is a Motivational Company specializing in Motivational Talks, Workshops, Courses to find your purpose and Individual Confidence Classes for all ages and all walks of life.

The title of this blog was inspired by a present given to me by an Alumni student - it read: 

Teaching is a work of heart.

                                                            

                                

Written by Maryka Roux