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Many people in our community enjoyed the recent production of 42nd Street, which was as successful as ever. It reminded me of all the musicals which have been staged over the years. One which came to mind was The Mikado in 1992. Local boy, former St Bede’s student, Eddie Perfect, currently appearing in Melbourne in his show, Beetlejuice, was in the title role.
In 2010, I received an interesting request in the Archives regarding Eddie, who had just come to prominence in Melbourne about that time. He recalled in an interview, having been smitten with a certain girl, Theresa Whiting, who played the role of Ko-Ko, the Lord High Executioner. A journalist sought pictures of the production to flesh out that article.
In my early days here, we seemed to alternate between entering the Rock Eisteddfod and putting on a production. In more recent years, since 2008, I believe, we have alternated between a whole school and junior production.
Here are those, that I could find quickly: Mikado 1992, Fiddler on the Roof 1993, Annie Get Your Gun 1995, Picnic at Hanging Rock 1996, A Night of a Thousand Stars 1997, Oliver 1999, Iolanthe 2003, Beauty and the Beast 2007, 42nd Street 2009, Oklahoma 2011, Wizard of Oz 2013, Hairspray 2015, Thoroughly Modern Millie 2017, Mary Poppins 2019, Matilda 2021, Legally Blonde 2023. Junior productions have been: A Midsummer Night’s Dream 2008, Alice in Wonderland 2010, Peter Pan 2012, Annie 2014, The Little Mermaid 2016, Beauty and the Beast 2018 and Frozen 2024. In 2013 and 14, two operas Dido and Aeneas and The Fairy Queen were performed, with our own Amanda Hargreaves in prominent roles.
Such displays have been a constant since the very early days at Kilbreda, with an annual concert taking place at the end of each year starting in 1905. Some memorable early ones were The Gondoliers in 1947, excerpts from The Pirates of Penzance and As You Like it, Patricia – the life of a Roman Martyr 1933. On another occasion in the 30s, scenes from the life of St Brigid were performed.
Damian Smith
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