Every year our school calendar is filled with opportunities for students to participate in our own theatrical performances and for audiences to celebrate and support the creative arts, whether our own, or touring productions. For a school of our size to offer annual drama performances in all three schools - Junior, Middle and Senior Schools - is nothing short of exceptional. It remains a crucial and extraordinary aspect of a TAS education, where students can learn about themselves.
PRODUCTIONS
TAS students across the whole School have the opportunity to participate in school productions. Junior School students perform in their own annual production, whilst Middle and Senior School students can take part as actors, dancers, musicians or members of the technical crew. Each year, the Creative Arts faculty presents a musical or play to the School and Armidale community over a four-night performance season.
Through months of dedicated rehearsals, students step beyond their comfort zones to perform before sold-out audiences. Cast and crew work collaboratively to bring a shared creative vision to the stage, supporting one another through the challenges and triumphs of live performance. Students develop technical and performance skills whilst learning to trust themselves and their ensemble. The annual production creates a space where every contribution matters, fostering a spirit of mutual encouragement that strengthens the entire TAS community.
From little things … the annual Junior School Musical
The annual Junior School production is an integral part of the Creative Arts calendar, whereby students in Pre-K - Year 5 mount a musical interpretation of a much-loved show. This special collaboration between Creative Arts and Junior School staff empowers our youngest TAS performers to take creative risks and to shine under the spotlight within the Hoskins Centre Theatre. TAS families and community members are invited to attend the end of year production as a celebration of the performing arts, witnessing the extraordinary growth that our cast of actors and dancers experience. The Junior School production is always a highlight, with a special dose of ‘cute’ added in for special effect!
The Hoskins Centre - heart of our Creative Arts
The TAS Hoskins Centre is the beating heart of the School. Built largely thanks to the generous donation of Old Armidalian, Michael Hoskins, after whom it is named, the Michael Hoskins Creative Arts Centre opened in 2009. The Centre provides both TAS and Armidale with purpose-built teaching, learning and performance spaces in which the creative spirit is nurtured, expressed and showcased.
Each year, the School stages two major production works as well as a number of in-house concerts. Our theatre also plays host to a number of external creative practitioners, from Ziggy Harris, to Shock Therapy Arts, Newcastle Chamber Choir, Got ya’ Back Productions and Armidale Drama and Music Society (ADMS), who bring their shows to TAS for the Armidale community to enjoy. The TAS Hoskins Centre is always busy, and our students benefit from the rich, unique and thrilling opportunities provided to excel on the stage, in the music pit or as part of the technical crew.