FEATURES
WEST SIDE STORY PLAYED TO FULL HOUSES OF VERY SUPPORTIVE AUDIENCES
LEFT TO RIGHT : JACK ARMSTRONG , HENRY ROGERS , JACK HANDBURY ,
EDWARD
MANDERSON , VAROON SHARMA , RUPERT
SIMMONS , XAVIER TANG , JEREMY GRAY ,
THOMAS KLUCKOW .
‘ AN EXTREMELY FUN , CHALLENGING EXPERIENCE ’
OPPOSITE PAGE , CLOCKWISE ,
FROM TOP LEFT :
DRAMATIC SCENE FROM WEST SIDE STORY ;
HENRY ROGERS
AND JACK ARMSTRONG ; MILLER ARTZ AND LOUIS CAMERON ;
EDWARD
MANDERSON ; MILLER ARTZ ON CENTRE STAGE ; MAX ORLOFF AND RUPERT
SIMMONS
WEST SIDE STORY LEAD , JACOB HOOKE
The curtain came down on the West Side Story journey on Saturday 30 July – and what a show ! Fifty-five performers , 14 crew and 23 musicians played to full houses of supportive and mesmerised audiences over three nights in this year ’ s Senior Musical , demonstrating the depth of student talent that can be found over in the James Forbes Academy .
For many , this was their first time taking to the Geoffrey McComas Theatre stage and for most , their first musical experience . The cast danced through memorable tunes such as Jet Song , America and Gee , Officer Krupke and tackled the notoriously difficult musical score , performing to such a high level that we had comments from the audience that they had to pinch themselves to remember it was a school show !
The cast collaborated across years , with contemporaries from Lauriston Girls ’ School , making memories and friendships that will last for many years to come . The company leant into challenges of a complicated musical score and narrative , to create a show that they should be proud of .
We are so pleased that the boys continue to support the Performing Arts Program , both as spectators as well as those
8 Great Scot Issue 162 – April 2021