In 2021 …
We are planning to finally stage Alice in Wonderland with the JAM next July in the school holidays. The timing of the JAM production is one term earlier than in the past, so our program will be a little different. JAM usually runs 3 terms and workshops theatre skills before starting on the show preparation. Next year we will launch straight into rehearsing Alice in Wonderland. Had 2020 been a little different JAM would have started in Term 4 to be ready for July 2021! There will be an information session regarding JAM 2021 early in the year. More details to come.
NOW …
Since it’s nearly Christmas, and pantomimes are traditional Christmas fare, we thought we’d explore this genre and teach the JAMdrama kids about this aspect of theatre. Julia and Paul have been preparing their scripts and casting roles. They are working on 2 short pantomimes (with no singing) and planning to perform the 2 plays live in front of an audience of JAM supporters. We will do this in conjunction with videos of other JAM kids performing songs from Christmas Musicals and then a covid safe kids party! Details were in a previous posting.
Then…
After the cancellation of Alice in Wonderland …. JAMpactMUSICALS! was our next plan to bring live theatre back to our lives. It was to be a concert for soloists, duets and ensemble items, all based around musical theatre items and intended to rehearse in Term 3 and 4 with a showcase in November. JAM had 3 weeks of fabulous auditions from dancers and soloists and duets. The JAM panel were amazed at the talent they saw, so much potential… and ONCE YOU ADDED SOME ENSEMBLE NUMBERS, #JAMpactMUSICALS! would be an amazing show! But then new restrictions came out for schools – no year groups mixing at school, no singing and no sport between kids from different regions. Unfortunately, after much discussion and proposing all possible scenarios, the production team had to make the call that although we have auditioned fabulous items, we could not feasibly start to rehearse our wonderful JAM Wednesdays and work toward an inclusive concert. SO, #JAMpactMUSICALS! did not happen. The production team made this decision with heavy hearts but we knew it was in the best interests of all to keep our JAM FAM safe.
BUT…
we couldn’t let the auditioned talent go to waste so we are reinstated our JAM online concerts and introducing #JAMZOOMusicals! The auditioned talent prepared videos of their songs and we invited the public to our zoom concerts.
Before that …
We had 5? Zoom concerts… which were AMAZING! …
Before that… we had Alice info night but lockdown stopped us the day before the first rehearsal in term 1.