Scots All Saints College Year 12 student Stella Gavey has spent much of her life on and around the stage, and she will head to Sydney in January for a workshop with a professional theatre company.
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Stella was one of four students Australia-wide to receive a 2019 John Bell Scholarship, which will see her receive training and mentorship from the Bell Shakespeare theatre company.
She will also gain an insight into a professional Shakespeare play at work, with the theatre company in the process of putting together a production of Hamlet for next year's season.
"It's a great opportunity to gain experience from a company with such a prominent level of prestige," Stella said.
"It's a great opportunity to gain experience from a company with such a prominent level of prestige."
- Stella Gavey
"I love theatre and acting, and this opportunity was too good to pass up."
Stella auditioned for the scholarship with a monologue from A Midsummer Night's Dream, assuming the role of Helena.
"Helena's such a relatable character, especially through her unrequited love for Demetrius in the play," she said.
Stella said Shakespearean plays continue to hold up in modern times due to their insightful portrayals of human behaviour.
"They're beautifully written examples of how people experience life and its many challenges," she said.
"The plays might be centuries old, but their themes are still relevant today."
Stella hopes to pursue an acting career at the conclusion of her schooling.
Head of English and Drama Leigh Morrisey said Stella's achievement is indicative of the school's appreciation for the dramatic arts.
"It solidifies what we're trying to do with our English and Drama programs in terms of building appreciation for Shakespeare," Mr Morrisey said.
"I've been teaching for over 20 years, and Shakespearean texts are still the ones that open students' minds."
Mr Morrisey said the merger of Scots and All Saints has allowed the institution to diversify its performing arts programs.
"Our Year 12 drama class achieved strong results in the Higher School Certificate this year, and there's some big cohorts in the younger year groups," he said.
"All Saints hadn't run a senior drama class for quite a while, so the merger has helped fill the void."
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Sam Bolt
"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
"I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them." -Nick Cave
