From 3 to 5 May, 2018, Eddies and St Clare’s College put on the production of Disco Inferno to packed crowds.
Disco Inferno tells a classic tale of redemption. After the hero of our story sells his ‘soul’ for the promise of fame and fortune and everything that comes with it, he soon realises that the quick fix he asks for is not the answer. With the fame and fortune comes the trials and tribulations which ultimately lead him to the realisation of ‘be careful what you wish for.’ Although this is a fantastical tale, the themes that run through the musical are relevant today; if you want success nothing beats a little bit of hard work, a quick fix can seem the best and easiest option but it is fraught with problems.
The cast and crew put on an incredible show. Lachlan Brayshaw who played the lead character, Jack, filled the role of the wannabe Disco star with verve and enthusiasm. He was superbly supported by Lucy Sugerman in the role of Jane, Josh Nichols, (Tom), Sam Grebert, (Maggie), Matt Brown (Duke), Leo Marris (Terry), Ishe Chitsungo (Heathcliffe), Adriana Stramandinoli (Kathy) and Sam Quilliam as Lady Marmalade and backed up by an incredibly talented cast and a knockout band under the musical direction of Mrs Margaret Thomas.
Each member of the cast loved their time on the stage belting out the 70’s classics, from Boogie Wonderland, a Village People Medley to Hot Stuff, I will Survive, Starman and the shows namesake Disco Inferno.
The love and enthusiasm of the show were shared equally by the audience. I cannot tell you the number of people who I spoke to that said they left the school hall in a much happier and joyous mood than when they arrived. This is a testament to the tremendous show that is Disco Inferno which is infused with fun and laughter.
The musical could not have been possible without the tireless efforts of Mrs Thomas as musical director, Ms Lee as stage manager and costume manager (the costumes were incredible) and Ms James as support and photographer and Jessie Hart and Megan Browne Year 12 students from St Clare’s who expertly choreographed the show.
The great pleasure of directing a school musical is sharing the journey of creating a piece of theatre, the cast becoming a close-knit family in theatre and being able to share the fruits of our labour with our audiences.
School productions are of intrinsic value to the culture of any school and in the words of our female lead, Lucy Sugerman, addressing the audience after the final production ‘For me this is what school is about. For us this is what school is about. Productions like these go side by side with core learning and academic subjects. From this musical, we take away memories of collaboration, teamwork, laughs, song and dance and problem-solving. It gives us a richness in education that can never be replaced by Google or technology or any Math equation. It gives us real-life experiences and teaches us so many important lessons for which we will always be thankful.’
Nigel Palfreman (Head of Creative and Performing Arts)