The last few weeks have seen an extravaganza of Wicked/Oz-related opportunities across the Senior and Junior Schools. Wicked, the prequel to the beloved film The Wizard of Oz and now itself the highest grossing film adaptation of a Broadway musical, is much loved by our students and staff. Four separate recent events, each of which would have been extraordinary in its own right, have memorably showcased opportunity, creativity and fun. In short, they’ve been Wicked!
These began with the Senior School’s Drama Scholars having a joyful trip to see Wicked at London’s Apollo Theatre. Phoebe (Lower V) commented: ‘The show was magical and moving and we all had such a fun night! … it was really inspiring to see all the performers shine for those of us who aspire to be in West End musicals ourselves one day!’
Just days later, this inspiration was deepened by the visit of West End actor Kate Leiper to The Abbey. Having starred as Elphaba in the Wicked in London, she shared inspirational advice on pursuing a career in the creative arts and the passion, character and resilience this requires, not least if you have to be ‘greened’ for every performance. It was wonderful to welcome students from across Reading to this event, organised under our ARCH programme. Kate noted that it was: ‘so nice seeing so many students really into the arts and a school that encourages it.’
Drama Captain Liza (Upper VI) said: ‘The Wicked talk was helpful in getting a better understanding of the work of a West End actress and the magic of theatre. Having a lot of interest in theatre myself, I was beyond excited to be able to introduce and listen to a professional speak about their line of work. She showcased a lot of passion and gave advice for the younger generation interested in acting, which made it even more outstanding!’
Following this, our Upper IV to Upper VI Drama Scholars will have the exciting prospect of a workshop at The Abbey led by more members of the Wicked team. These are the kind of opportunities which students will remember forever, and which might even be life-changing.
Drama teacher and Wicked fan Grace Elliott commented: ‘These events are incredibly meaningful to both our department and students, providing unique insights into musical theatre that will not only benefit our own musical production next year, but also give our aspiring performers a valuable head start in the industry. Opportunities like this are rare, and we’re incredibly lucky to have them. Wicked teaches us to accept people for who they are, to stand up for what we believe in, and reminds us that everyone deserves the chance to fly. These values are at the core of what we teach our students at The Abbey every day. For me, Wicked is particularly special because it’s what made me fall in love with theatre, and sharing this passion and its important message with our students has been truly incredible’.
Finally, the Junior School brought us back to where the Wicked story began with their wonderful Lower I/Upper I production of The Wizard of Oz. Acting, singing and choreography were all extraordinary and the confidence and character shown by the ensemble cast absolutely outstanding and beyond their years.
Wicked and The Wizard of Oz are a natural fit at our school because they are stories driven by strong female leads. In the wider world for the first time globally more than half of the top 100 grossing movies of last year featured female leads. That said, female directors were only responsible for 11% of those films. And, of the 100 films, only 8 significantly featured a woman aged over 45, compared with 21 featuring men in the same age bracket. The industry still has a long way to go to reach equal representation. It is reassuring within this context that Abbey students will not accept any such glass ceilings. One of our students, Hope (Upper VI) has a place for next year at the prestigious Italia Conti Stage School, one of the leading performing arts institutions in the world, to study musical theatre. We can’t wait to see what she goes on to achieve.
Sadly, many modern schools can allow their students only very limited exposure to drama and the creative arts. I have no doubt that Abbey parents are giving their daughters an extraordinary gift of opportunity and confidence not only through what is offered within our curriculum but through the nature of these types of events. One might even say that our students are being put on a path to ‘defying gravity’.
Sarah Tullis, Senior School Head