Melbourne: “Youth Theatre On Air”
On Saturday, April 22, the opening ceremony of the 4th International Online Meeting/Festival – “Youth Theater On Air” took place.
This is a program that started in 2020, in the midst of a pandemic, with organisers the Poupoulos Theatrical Visual Arts Centre in Thessaloniki, Motivation in Art of Paphos, Cyprus and Creative Drama & Arts of the Greek Community of Melbourne.
The Greek Language and Culture Schools of the Greek Community of Melbourne consistently participate every year, winning important awards in the “Hellenism Abroad” category. So far, more than 200 students from Greek Community of Melbourne schools have taken part in this program, a particularly significant number, which indicates their interest in participating in international programs and building communication bridges with Greek children all over the world.
This year the schools of the Community participated with 6 theatrical/narrative works in the ” Hellenism Abroad ” category, some of which were distinguished with awards. Characteristically, the judge of the category, Dr. Stavroula Nikoloudi, coordinator of the Greek Program at La Trobe University, said about the excellent effort of all the students: “The “Theatre in front of the microphone” offers an opportunity for children and young people to use the Greek language and improve their oral language. I judged their effort for the liveliness and theatricality that I heard and felt as a listener, and I hope that they will have fond memories of this special experience.”
This year our schools participated in the competition with the following theatrical/narrative plays:
– The Sixth Grade of the Doncaster Friday School narrated the fable ‘Love to the Sun’ from Greek mythology.
– The 1st and 3rd high school Grade students of the Bentleigh School retold the myth “Orpheus and Eurydice” from the book by Syrmos Kapoutsi “Greek Mythology, Stories, published by Diaplasi.”
– Balwyn School Sixth Grade recited the folk song ‘They’ve taken the City, they’ve taken her’.
– A Sixth grade student of the City School told the story “Would you give me your hair?” by Eleni Polymatidou, Graphima publications.
– The Sixth Grade of the Bentleigh School recited the poem “The Crazy Ship” by Odysseus Elytis, from the collection “The Sovereign Sun”.
– The 1st High School Class of the Mathisi School told the improvised story “The Treasure Hunt”.
The two schools awarded for their participation are the Mathisi and Balwyn Schools. The Greek Community of Melbourne warmly congratulates the students and their teachers, Ms. Katerina Manolakou from Balwyn and Mr. Vangelis Kapsalis from Mathisi, for their work and for the wonderful result.
The two award-winning dramas will be broadcast in Greece by ERT3 at 9.58fm, in Cyprus by RIK1 first program and in Australia by SBS Greek in the coming days. “We thank the state radio stations and radio producers for their support, from the first broadcast in 2020 until today”, concludes The Greek Community of Melbourne, while informing that this institution will continue and “we are ready with our students to register for the Youth Theatre On Air 2024”.
