SPECIAL EDITION Heritage College Newsletter - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Secondary Musical
Wow! What a show! Our students have certainly outshone themselves again with perhaps one of the best shows Heritage has seen! The memories our students have created through this experience will certainly stay with them throughout their lives until Christ returns. We are all so thankful and pleased with how our students performed in each of the shows, showing resilience and responsibility beyond their years.
There are many important parts of any musical, whether it be the performance itself with all the acting, dancing and singing, the backstage management, the music performance and the running of stalls. However, perhaps the most significantly important aspect for us as a school is the learning for our students. Educational research tells us that authentic tasks significantly impact on student engagement, the ability of them to see real life application to their learning as well as develop skills that will help them in life post-school. In addition, the skills that students learn through these tasks, and particularly through the Musical, are capabilities that employers are increasingly desiring and skills that they can use within our ecclesial community.
The World Economic Forum has identified skills that students are increasingly requiring for life post school, and our musicals are an ideal opportunity in which students can activate their learning in these skills. Skills such as active learning, creativity, initiative, leadership, influence, problem solving and emotional intelligence are all at the fore in the preparation for our musicals where our students take significant control over the direction of various elements of the performance. Student driven areas such as the running of stalls and finances, costume and set design, performance rehearsals and choreography are some of the vehicles that we use to develop these capabilities as well as their skills in design thinking.
Various classes have contributed significantly to the preparation of this musical, but significant mention should be made of our Year 9/10 and Year 11 Creative arts subjects as well as our Yr 11 Café Skills students, who have really taken ownership over the different elements they were responsible for. For this years musical over 100 students were involved in putting it together.
In addition to the student involvement, we have also had significant numbers of parent and community volunteers, however special mention and thanks needs to go to Bro Nico Petiet who has worked tirelessly on Chitty herself! It was truly the star of the show!
Above all, we thank our Heavenly Father for the opportunity that he has afforded our students to develop these skills and engage in this experience. - Evan Franco
Student Teacher Feedback
I just wanted to say that I have found my time at Heritage to be the best placement I’ve ever been on. I remember my first day there, you read out a letter from a previous PST who talked about how friendly everyone was and I thought to myself, “I’d like to have a similar experience”– but I didn’t even have to try! Between all the staff (even Caleb and Andy) and students, everyone was approachable, and I had hilarious conversations with many in the staff room. I was also very blessed to be part of the Musical and the Performance night- both of which were very special to be part of. I know Kirsty is away, but to credit her also, I learned so much about organising, teaching and managing all at the same time (something my other placement didn’t really touch on) so all the hands-on and extra-curricular work was thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated. One other thought I had, was how much I appreciated the staff opening up about Christadelphian beliefs. During my time with Heritage, I felt more connected to God and I think it is very much to do with the overall tenacity to read the His word and ‘follow Christ’s steps’, as well as playing/singing hymns such as Seek Ye First!
Words can’t really put into effect how much I truly cherished and valued my time at Heritage. Each and every teacher (and groundskeeper) took time to talk with me and make me feel welcome. I have had nothing but positive and encouraging things to say to everyone who has asked “how’s placement going?” and that is all to do with the exceptional work that all of you do to input into the school! I hope to keep in touch, and in the meantime, good luck with the water-station fundraiser!!
Kind regards and blessings,
Daniel Fenby
Musical Review
What an amazing experience our secondary musical was. It’s been over a year in the making from forming the staff committee in term 2, 2022, choosing and announcing the musical in term 3, holding auditions in term 4 and then beginning rehearsals in January this year.
Our fantastic students have been involved with every facet of the performance development. Here are some of the photos of our backstage development in costumes, props, set, hair and makeup and choreography.
Every Friday during Friday sport, the 43 musical students gathered to rehearse. In terms 2 and 3 we also had after school rehearsals. During these sessions Ella capably led the warm-ups, Aunty Danielle gave valuable direction on pronunciation and the meaning of the text, Uncle Alex led the music from the piano, while Aunty Kirsty created the blocking (stage movements) and choreography. Here are some photos from our rehearsal process.
We also had many out of hours sessions to get all the costumes and sets completed, including a well-supported working bee. Thanks to all who worked to create the stage magic.
The Car
Back at the end of 2022- Uncle Nico Petiet said he was keen to give it a go at making our flying car. We were given regular updates and our excitement grew and grew as we saw it become so amazing! Truly Chitty was the most fantasmagorical car and we are so thankful to Uncle Nico for all his hard work.
Performance Week
We started with a tech rehearsal on Friday week 5- where we slowly stepped through every scene and plotted out the sound and lights. Aunty Kirsty was super impressed with all the students who came in during their day off and had such a fantastic attitude while doing it. Particularly to the stage hands as this was their first try at using the car.
On the Saturday after the Sunday School exam we had our dress rehearsal, the first time we wore all of the costumes and makeup. We made sure to get lots of photos of the cast and crew. It was a long, busy day but everyone worked super hard to keep improving and master the show.
Dress Rehearsal- Makeup prep
Dress Rehearsal- Group Shots
Fun Shots - Pre Stage
Then the day of the first performance came! A massive thankyou to Mel Pillion who took such beautiful photos of our fantastic show.
Relive the magic of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang below.
Pre Performance Prep
Catering and Sales Team - Community & Year 11 Catering
Act 1
Scene 1
The opening. The imaginary race in the broken down car. We meet Mr Coggins, Miss Scrumptious, and the nasty Junkman who is going to melt the car down for slag. The evil Baron and Baroness Bomburst learn that the car is in England and send their two best spies to go get it, by any means possible. Jeremy and Jemima ask Caractacus to buy the car for them - it’s only 30 shillings.
Scene 2
Mr Potts has fixed the breakfast machine and the family sits down with Grandpa Potts. They talk about the many inventions of Caractacus and demonstrate the sweet machine.
Scene 3
The Potts family take their musical sweet invention to the Scrumptious Sweet company to try and sell it for money. Lord Scrumptious and his assistant Miss Phillips (who both bear a suspicious resemblance to our main villains) are initially resistant until Truly and Potts win them over with a song. It looks like Potts will get his money- until a rogue pack of dogs chases them out of the factory.
Scene 4
The two Vulgarian spies are trying to work out how to get the car, and decide to disguise themselves as English men to try and get away with it.
Scene 5
Back at the windmill house, the children have a plan to raise the money- by selling their many treasures, a nail from Noah’s ark for example. Mr Potts thanks them and sings them a lullaby that Mrs Potts used to sing to put them to bed.
Scene 6
Mr Potts has one more plan to save the car, by taking his hair cutting invention to the funfair and earning some money. Unfortunately, his first customer Sid isn’t happy with the result and he has to hide among a bunch of Morris Men dancers to get away. After their dance, a certain turkey farmer finds Potts to buy the machine for his business and the car is safe!
Scene 7
While Mr Potts works on the car to get it back to glory, Grandpa entertains Jeremy and Jemima. Then the wonderful, newly improved car is revealed! The family decide to go for a drive- but not before the spies get grandpa and Caractacus muddled up.
Scene 8
The family enjoys their drive- where they christen the car with her new name- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. They run into Truly Scrumptious and her faulty motorbike again and invite her to attend the picnic by the seaside with them. The enjoy a lovely picnic, thoroughly distracted by all the fun until they realise the tide has come in and Baron Bomburst’s men are shooting cannon balls at them. Chitty saves the day by revealing she can float and they get away.
Scene 9
In the War Room of Vulgaria, the Baron hears the bad news about the car getting away and even worse, that there are children inside it! The Baroness doesn’t like this news at all, and so they call for the child catcher.
Scene 10
The family arrives safely at home and go inside to get ready for dinner. While they are distracted, the spies kidnap Grandpa Potts by hoisting his very small “laboratory” into the air with their hot air balloon. The Potts family and Truly race after them in the car, until they accidentally drive straight off a cliff! The car once again saves the day by revealing her beautiful red and yellow wings!
Act 2
Scene 1
The spies have swam all the way back from England to Vulgaria and are excited to show the Baron they managed to capture the inventor of the amazing car. The Vulgarian people sing their national anthem to welcome them home. Grandpa Potts realises the miscommunication but has to go along with it to save his skin. He is given 24 hours to work on the Baron’s car with his team of 6 very old, but very plucky inventors. Unfortunately, they failed, and Grandpa is dragged off to prison.
Scene 2
The Potts family land their car in Vulgaria and are promptly brought inside the Toymaker’s shop to hide the children from the Child catcher. The Toymaker reveals that there is a way to get inside the castle and takes Potts with him, leaving Truly to guard the children. Truly eventually leaves the children to go find them some food. The Childcatcher, however sniffs out the children and captures them with promises of treacle tart and ice cream!
Scene 3
Up in the castle, the Baron and Baroness are getting ready for the Baron’s birthday party. The Baron is so excited for his party that he offends his wife and needs to convince her of how much he loves her.
Scene 4
Down in the sewers, Potts and the Toy Maker meet the few children they have managed to save, before Truly arrives and tells them that Jeremy and Jemima have been taken. Potts convinces all the children they need to work together and come up with a plan to take on the Baron.
Scene 5
It’s the Baron’s party and the Baroness has forced all her subjects to participate in a choreographed Samba dance routine inspired by the booming, bouncing, beaches of Brazil. After the dance, the Baron demands his toys. The Toy maker doesn’t give the baron the rocking horse he was working on, instead Potts and Truly are dressed up and pretend to be dolls wowing the watching crowd.
After the Baron is sufficiently distracted, the cake is revealed- and behind the cake- none other than Toby- the smallest child! The children stream in from the sewers and chaos ensues as they tie up the Baron, throw the child catcher into his own cart and the car bursts into Grandpa’s cell and rescues Jeremy and Jemima.
The Baron and Baroness are banished and the Toymaker takes control of Vulgaria. At last everyone is happy and the Potts family can return home, after Potts proposes to Truly of course.
Intermission Refreshment
Community Feedback
“They have come so far with their performing confidence and I was blown away by their singing.”
“Thanks for all your work with the musical- all the students did a fantastic job! You’re right what are we going to do without Anthony and Keren’s boys to ‘steele’ the show?”
“The whole production was just amazing and the performers were incredible! What a huge project to pull together, with such fantastic results. Thanks for giving our students such a wonderful opportunity to perform, we thoroughly enjoyed the show!”
“I loved seeing how the kids took so much responsibility for everything. The growth the kids have shown is AMAZING!”
“The Samba was a huge highlight with the loud drums.”
“I really appreciate how willing the students are to chat to us and value the work Richard and I do, particularly the students who have done multiple shows with us and have gotten to know us quite well.” - Gary