Chicago Performances Dazzle Crowds
Each evening between the eighth and eleventh of December 2021, Headington’s Performing Arts departments put on four stunning performances of ‘Chicago’.
There were 46 members of the cast from L5-U6, and 27 in the crew and band, from L4-U6 and so reaching 73 in total!
The set up included 20 mics, two follow spots, and costumes produced, managed and operated by individual Sixth Form technicians. The younger members of the tech crew were involved in prop making and sourcing, wardrobe organising and set movements back stage.
Mr Phil Macken, Director of Chicago and Head of Drama at Headington School said: “We were so elated to have four sell-out nights, welcoming almost 800 audience members to our first production in two years. The students have worked so hard in the last few weeks and they were rewarded with four excellent performances. It is worth noting that despite their on-stage bravado and sass, they were all, the lead actors in particular, consummate professionals, good humoured, hard working and modest about their own abilities.
“We hope that we will see many of these performers continuing to drive the Senior Productions over the next few years. Some will feature in the Scholars Play next term, and we hope you will join us at the end of March for that. They will be performing abridged versions of Shakespeare’s Henry VI trilogy (based on the beginnings of the War of the Roses, but we are setting it in a tribalistic dystopian future!).”
Thanks go to the large team of staff involved in putting on the show.
Mr Macken said: “We’ve been incredibly lucky to have such fantastic staff working on this show. The Performing Arts Faculty really define a strong group of staff who love to put on large events such as this. Mrs Jamison and Mr Penman have been fantastic with the musical elements, Miss Jackson and Miss Hindmarsh have choreographed nearly all the pieces (minus a few that the girls choreographed themselves), and as ever, Mr Welton and Mr Humphries have tirelessly proven the importance of strong technical design.”
In the final week of the Summer Term, Headington will put on its Junior Production, which is also a Shakespeare, but yet to be announced, and will feature students from U3, L4 and U4, all performing in their first show since joining Headington.
