Photography Showcase: View examples of photographic work by Year 12 students (2008/9)

School Show: "Down the Rabbit Hole" l Drama at Overgate Hospice l Future Heroes awards l Stunning performances in Berlin!

Year 12 Drama
Calder High School’s reputation for excellence in the performing arts was highlighted once again when the Year 12 drama students performed their exam piece, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in front of an external judge.

The sixth-formers tackled the difficult and demanding story of life in a psychiatric hospital with immense maturity. The individual performers also recited their solo monologues before the examiner.

Head of expressive arts, Mrs J Leicester, said that the group had worked exceptionally hard to produce a  terrific performance. The actors were Patrick Boyle, Ellie Byrom, David Hyatt, Ben Wilson, Patrick Evans, Talia Gianotti, Lewis Finney and David Burnip.


Year 10 Showstoppers: 23 June
On a lighter note, the Year 10 students are preparing for their annual Showstoppers concert which will be staged on June 23 in the Ted Hughes Theatre. It will feature numbers from Chicago, Cabaret, Fame, The Rocky Horror Show, and Oliver. Tickets for this will go on sale after half term.

It will be followed in early July by the annual Calder’s Got Talent show.

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School Show 2010
Congratulations to students and staff - another stunning performance with a creative rendition of 'Down the Rabbit Hole' including trapeze, glowing caterpillars, and innovative costumes.

Performance photos:

'Down the Rabbit Hole' is where the audience will be following Alice when Calder High School’s annual production takes to the stage. That’s the title of a surreal and dramatic adaptation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. And Calder is leading the way, with the curtain going up a whole month before the release of the Hollywood version (which stars Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter).

Adapted and scripted by dance teacher Jez Gregg, 'Down the Rabbit Hole' has Alice on a flying trapeze, and 15 students playing the part of a luminous caterpillar.

“This is a spectacular show and unlike anything we have done in recent years,” said Mrs Jill Leicester, head of expressive arts. “It is very surreal, in the true Lewis Carroll tradition.”

The show is being rehearsed in just a tight three-week period as the first two weeks of term were badly disrupted by the weather. “But in true theatrical tradition, the show must go on,” said Mrs Leicester.

The show opens on February 9 and runs for three nights. Tickets can be bought at school in lunchbreak, or they can be ordered by calling the school on 01422 883213.

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Drama at Overgate Hospice
Drama students from Calder High School took two of their own pieces of work out “on tour” – and presented them at Overgate Hospice. The year 13 group, who are doing Drama A level, performed two plays. The first was Cluedo, a murder myserty which involved each audience member receiving a party bag and voting on the final outcome. The second was a slapstick farce called A Tale of Two Pipes, complete with traditional door slamming and double-takes. One member of the audience said: “It was hilarious, the best thing I’ve seen all year. It beat the socks of Mamma Mia!”

Mrs Jill Leicester, head of expressive arts, said: “The plays are part of a growing relationship between Calder High School and Overgate, which began last year with a variety concert. We hope to continue entertaining and fundraising for this amazing organisation.”

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Future Heroes awards



Seven students from Calder High School have won prestigious musical Future Heroes awards. They make up half of all the awards made throughout Calderdale in the competition organised by Northern Orchestral Enterprises Ltd. The winners, who were judged by the director of Northern Ballet Mr John Pryce-Jones, are Fingal Plumpton, Georgia Lomax-Thorpe, Solomon Cotton, Rebekah Rolinson-Lord, Madeleine Rolinson-Lord, Flora Harkness and Isla Harkness. They have all been awarded scholarships for extra musical tuition.

Head of music Ms Suzanne Peers said: “ We were up against some very stiff competition from private, grammar and specialist performing arts schools. We are delighted and extremely proud of our musicians.

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Stunning performances in Berlin! (Report and photo by Mr Gregg)



Mrs Leicester and Mr Gregg have just returned from an International Schools Theatre Festival in Berlin with 17 year 11s and 13s. They were one of 6 different international schools from Europe and beyond. The American School of The Hague, ABA Sultanate of Oman, Calderdale Theatre School, Marymount International School Rome, Schule Schloss Salem, and the Heidelberg American School. Each school brought approximately 15 students and they worked eclectically in ensembles with the other schools to create a performance based around the theme ‘the fall of the Berlin wall - a city once divided and now made whole’. Over 100 students aged 15 to 19 performed in the most powerful piece of theatre, that explored all the ideas surrounding the theme. They were insired by the sights they visited the; state secret police prison; berlin wall monument; palace of tears; Brandenburg gate and other locations around Berlin.

The work they produced was unbelievable. Through movement, voice, sound and drama they created a sincere performance that was honest and moving. They also demonstrated the fantastic skills they have in communicating with others; working in groups, offering opinions, being authentic and real in everything that they do, wanting to learn…they really were a benchmark at the festival, and can make us feel extremely proud of the students in this valley. Every artist that worked with the students had something great to say about them, about their authenticity and commitment...we couldn’t have asked for any more!

Calder High School is one of the first comprehensives to be involved in an international schools festival, and in partnership with the Halifax based Calderdale Theatre School Association, we will be hosting our very own festival next year…watch this space.  Calderdale is going global!

Mr Gregg would also like to thank Calderdale Theatre School for giving Calder High students this amazing experience.

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Music

Instrument and Voice lessons
A letter has gone out to Parents with information about the lessons being offered in school from the start of the Autumn term. Enrolment is taking place now. Please return the completed form or contact Miss S Peers for more information.

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Art

Young Brilliance by Year 8 students (see Poster)

As part of the Young Brilliance in Calderdale Schools project, Year 8 have produced artwork on the theme of the Mexican ritual 'Dia de los Muertos' (The Day of the Dead). These images will be on display at the Piece Hall during the exhibition which runs from 31 July to 1 August. There is a preview showing on Saturday 26 June from 2:30 to 4:00pm.

Dressing the skeleton:

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Showcase of Students' work:
Check out the wiki created by Mr Khan

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