Cairns Junior Eisteddfod: Drama

Bentley Park College students were heavily involved in the Cairns Eisteddfod again this year in Music, Dance and Drama, as reported in our June eNewsletter.

With the Drama competition still in action during the school holidays, full Eisteddfod drama results are below, with stand-out performances by Year 12 student Johnathon T. and Year 9 student Taylor R, who both won major awards:

Johnathon:

• 1st place: Shakespeare Monologue
• 1st place: Senior Set Poem, 'Swans'
• 1st place: Myth Legend Original Poem/Yarn (personal writing) ‘Our World Today’
• Championship Trophy for set poem ‘Coal Fire’
• The Bird Family Shield for Most Outstanding Speech and Drama Student across all sections, Grades 3-12
• The Jem Bursary for Most Promising Performer, 13 years and over

Taylor:

• 1st place: Myth Legend Original Poem/Yarn
• 1st place: Senior Championship Set Poem
• 1st place: Impromptu Reading
• Highly Commended: Shakespeare Monologue
• Highly Commended: Poetry Recital
• The Sheryl Dunstan Trophy Speech & Drama Encouragement Award, Grades 7-12

Other results:

• Kassie – 2nd: Impromptu reading
• Jake and Lily - 3rd: Duologue
• Nye - Highly Commended: Poetry recital
• Year 7-9 Drama Troupe: Highly Commended

Congratulations students and drama teacher Mr Nash! And these are not just wonderful achievements, drama helps develop skills for life - resilience, confidence, public speaking, self-expression, memorisation and creativity!!

Cairns Show performances

Performing at the Cairns Show each year is a highlight of our Instrumental Music program. This year, around 100 students from Years 5 to 12 entertained an appreciative crowd at the Cairns Regional Council Community Stage on the Wednesday of Show week. 

The performances followed on from the Eisteddfod at the end of Term 2, and allowed the hard work to be celebrated and shared once more. Our Junior Band, Secondary Concert Band, Stage Band, Percussion Ensemble and Secondary Choir performed well and represented the College in an outstanding manner.

Thank you also to teachers Ms Pols, Ms Bowen, Ms Hosking, Miss Henson, Mrs Johnson and Mr Barbagallo. 

Mr Nash plays Lurch!

Drama teacher Mr Adam Nash recently played the role of Lurch in the Cairns Choral Society production of The Addams Family for a sold out season of 10 shows. He handled his role of many grumbles, groans and grunts with true embrace of the character, and was thoroughly entertaining.

Thank you and congratulations to Mr Nash for contributing to the local arts community, and bringing those experiences back to share in the classroom with our students. Photo courtesy of the Cairns Choral Society. 

Melbourne Band Tour

Our Secondary Concert Band have started gathering their winter woollies ahead of their tour to Melbourne from 29 August to 2 September, where they have secured a spot at the Victorian School Music Festival on Monday 1 September. See their website closer to the date for details of the live stream. 

The Band will also take in the Melbourne Youth Orchestra at Southbank, visit the Melbourne Zoo, and see the musical Annie at the Princess Theatre. We look forward to hearing about their tour in our next newsletter!

South Side Celebration

Hambledon House/Cairns South Together will be running their annual South Side Celebration at Ravizza Park on Friday 5 September, from 2.00 pm to 5.30 pm. This year, some our Arts students will be performing!

This is a school student free day (and also the day of the Year 12 Formal), but if you want to see what some of our performance groups in Music, Drama and Dance have been working on - including new original music from a rock band in Year 11 - come along and support this great community event!

Southern Cluster Concert Band Camp

As part of our transition program, we will be hosting Year 4, 5 and 6 Instrumental Music students from Bentley Park College and local primary schools at the Southern Cluster Concert Band Camp on 12-13 September.

The camp will give the primary students the experience of working with different conductors and instrumentalists; allow them to perform in a larger ensemble; promote the transition to secondary school; and prepare them for the combined music concert 'Play On' in Term 4.

ENERGY Exhibition

The ENERGY Exhibition is an annual presentation of visual art produced by school students across the region. This free event will be held in Tank 4 at Tanks Arts Centre Edge Hill throughout the next school holidays.

The exhibition launch will be on the last day of Term 3, Friday 19 September, from 5.30 pm to 8.00 pm. It will include award presentations and entertainment by selected secondary school musicians to complement this outstanding evening of celebration of our visual arts students and teachers. 

After the launch, the ENERGY Exhibition will continue from Saturday 20 September through to Sunday 5 October. Times 9.00 am to 4.30 pm on Mondays to Fridays, and 10.00 am to 2.00 pm Saturdays and Sundays. 

Queensland Symphony Orchestra 

A big shout out to College Captain and musician, Able L. In 2024, Able successfully applied for the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) Compose program, where he worked on his composition skills and wrote a piece for QSO to perform. It was an outstanding effort from him and a wonderful piece created from this experience.

Now, in 2025, Cairns audiences will be able to see and hear Able's work performed in the program of the concert Queensland Symphony Orchestra: Classics in Cairns. The concert will be at CPAC at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 24 September and will include old favourites as well as striking works by emerging Australian composers from QSO Compose program. Tickets are available online.

How exciting, and congratulations Able on your achievements!

In conjunction with the QSO visit to Cairns, from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm on Wednesday 24 September, there will be a workshop in composing music for the orchestra that Music students are invited to attend.

Students will have to make their own way to CPAC and register for the program through the link they are given. This is a fabulous chance to learn and is part of QSO Education program - and it’s free to attend! See Mrs Johnson if you’d like more information.

Understory High Film Festival

Media students are busy creating short films to enter in the upcoming Understory High Film Festival. A red carpet event and award ceremony will be held in on Friday 10 October from 7.00 pm at Tanks Arts Centre. We're looking forward to celebrating our student film makers!

Upcoming Arts Events:

• ‘It’s a Mad World’ School Performance Tour: Wednesday 20 August
• College Band Tour to Melbourne: 29 August to 2 September
• Southside Celebration Arts performances: Friday 5 September
• Southern Cluster Concert Band Camp: 12-13 September
• ENERGY Exhibition: Launch - Friday 19 September; Exhibition continues 19 September to 5 October
• Queensland Symphony Orchestra in Cairns: Wednesday 24 September
• Understory High Screening & Awards Presentation: Friday 10 October
• 'Play On' Instrumental Music concert: Wednesday 12 November