21 Jun 2019
Children of the Black Skirt
Byron Bay High School is hosting its third annual Theatre Production, presented by the Year 11 Drama class. This year, the play being staged is Angela Betzien’s “Children of the Black Skirt”, a haunting Australian gothic fairytale suitable for teenagers and adults. The three nights of this production are part of Byron Bay High School’s 2019 “Winter Arts Festival” which is a month long event hosting a variety of Drama, Music and Dance performances and art exhibitions over several dates.
In the play, three wandering children, lost in the bush, stumble across an abandoned, haunted orphanage. It is here where they play dress ups and magically enter into a timeless world, recreating the stories of Australia’s ‘lost children’, in order to free their tormented spirits forever. The cruel figure of the silent but terrifying Black Skirt floats menacingly through the corridors, wielding her enormous scissors and watching the children’s every move.
From 18th century England and convict times to World War II and the Stolen Generation, the stories of the orphanage’s young restless spirits are told one by one, and the audience are transported through a frank and emotive historical journey. The stories are, of course, ones of harshness and despair, yet the characters and their experiences will resonate with you long after the play is over. They are stories that desperately need to be told.
The play is originally written for three actors, but Byron Bay High has adapted the roles to suit nine. Under the guidance of Director and Drama Teacher, Simone Museth, the talented students have taken on both acting and technical roles and have worked tirelessly over a three month period to bring this important pay to life. The play will showcase over three nights - Tuesday 25, Thursday 27 and Friday 28 June at 7pm in the Byron Bay High School Performing Arts Centre. Tickets are now on sale and can be bought at the front office or by calling 6685 8188.
Please be advised that the play contains supernatural themes and references to racial discrimination and the abuse, trauma, exploitation and suffering of children. Parental guidance is recommended as the play may be frightening for younger primary school students.
Ms Simone Museth - Drama Teacher