DEAR PARENTS,

I hope you have all survived last week’s wild weather. Our thoughts are with our families who have been affected by the flooding and we send you all our love and strength through this time. Please reach out to us if you need any assistance with anything.

We apologise for last week’s newsletter stating we would be open for the week… we really underestimated what was to come! However, any lost time this week will be made up throughout the year in extra rehearsals and extended lessons.

EXTRA REHEARSALS

Our first extra rehearsal is for our 12’s Performance Teams and Chicago cast. Please ensure you have stayed on top of all correspondence from teachers regarding these extra rehearsals. It is very important that we have full attendance at these:

Sunday 13th March

9.00-1.00: Broadway Bound Extension – Full Chicago cast

Sunday 20th March

9.00-1.00: Broadway Bound Extension – Full Chicago cast
9.00-11.00: 12’s Team (Skid Row)
11.00-11.30: Morning Tea
11.30-1.00: 12's Team (Lyrical and S&D)
1.00-1.45: 12's Acro Team
2.00-3.30: Razzle Dazzle cast

TALENT QUEST

It’s been awhile since we hosted one of our NAPA Talent Quests but we are excited to bring this back in 2022! Our talent quest will be held on Saturday, 7 May and we will have a Junior event (for students up to grade 6) and a Senior event (for students in grade 7 and above). Sing, Dance, Act, Juggle, Magic Act… the sky is the limit! We will have two guest judges and entry fee is $5 (to be paid on the day). All money raised will go back into purchasing equipment for our students.

Junior Talent Quest – 4.00pm

Senior Talent Quest – 6.30pm

MINI UNIFORM ORDERS

These have now been cut off and orders have been placed. The turnaround for these uniforms is 4-6 weeks. We can’t wait to see our Minis in their new outfits!

TEAM BEARS

Did you know our 6’s and 8’s Teams both share a special mascot in each of their classes? Meet Charlie and Nap! Each week our special bears spend a week with one of our team members who have worked especially hard in their lesson, and displayed NAPA studio spirit.

IT’S AUDITION TIME!

Many of our classes have begun the process of auditioning. This can be a very daunting time, especially for our new and younger students. Here are some tips on how to make your audition experience a fun and rewarding one!

When it comes to auditioning, whether it be for a school play, a community theatre show, or even a part on Broadway (hey, you never know!), nerves can play a big role for young children. Here are some tips on how to help your child overcome those nerves (not to mention how to keep your own anxiety in check) and ace their next audition through good preparation and the right attitude.

A Word on Nerves

It’s okay to be nervous. In fact, it’s a good thing. You need that adrenaline to run a marathon, why wouldn’t you need it in an audition? Take that nervous energy and turn it into good energy. Always remember that casting directors want to love you, they’re on your team, and if you’re right for the role, you’ve made their life that much easier!

Prep Time

Prepare the right materials. When trying out for a role, ensure you have read all the instructions on what to prepare. Sing something that shows off your talent. Don’t sing something too high for you — you want to show off the stronger part of your voice.

It’s more than memorisation. Your child should do research on the role they’re trying out for and audition as that character. Have your child research the show so they’re familiar with the time, the plot, and the character’s role in it. They need to know what it is the character wants and why they want it. They need to understand the character’s circumstances and then act as if it were happening to them.

A common mistake we see, is when a child doesn’t know the meaning of a word in their audition song or monologue. It’s an actor’s job to know what all the words mean, so he or she can deliver them in the right way.

Day of the Audition

Be willing to try new things. You should have prepared audition materials, but some directors may ask you to stray from that to test your other skills. The key is to listen to the director and follow directions. Have fun! Look at each audition as an opportunity to do the thing you love the most—to perform. Show off, knock their socks off, have fun with it.

CV’S

A CV is a vital part of auditioning, as most directors won’t know you or your training and experience. We send our CV template out to all classes before auditions, so please ensure that you complete this and send it with your child on their audition day.

Dealing with Disappointment

Don’t take it personally. By nature of the audition process, many children will try out for a role but only one will receive it. To help children deal with the inevitable disappointment that comes when they don’t land a role, we teach our students that casting is “nothing personal.” A child may nail an audition and still not receive the role simply because the director has a different idea in mind for the part.

You may never know why you don’t get the part. They may have given it to a sixth-grader who’s graduating or maybe the role just wasn’t right for you. But every audition should be a win-win situation. If children are confident and prepared, they’ll impress the director and they’re bound to get another role down the road.

COLLEGE KIDS OFF TO CAMP

Our College kids are off on their annual camp. For some this is their first, for others their third! Our College camp is the perfect place for our young performers to bond, but also to learn the life skills necessary to embark on a life in the Performing Arts Industry. We can’t wait to hear all about this year’s journey. Good luck to Mr David who is this year’s mentor! Miss Kim has accompanied the students for the past two years, but has handed over the mantle to David this year.

FROZEN REMINDER

Don’t forget to let us know if you have purchased tickets to see Frozen on 27 March at 6.30pm, so we can have an idea of how many of us there will be. We are still trying to organise a post-show meet and greet, but this has been a challenge with QPAC flooding and some COVID restrictions still in place. Stay tuned!

Best wishes
Kim