THE major theatre production staged each year by ASPIRE, the Hunter Catholic Schools organisation that gives students training in creative and performing arts, invariably attracts people from all walks of life because of its engaging nature.
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This year's work, 365 Questions, Issues and Good Deeds, certainly has watchers appreciating the skills of the more than 150 performers, and the musicians and backstage crews, as they see how the lives and relationships of youngsters in their mid-teens evolve and change over the course of a year, with parents and other adults occasionally giving them advice that they don't always accept.
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As is always the case, the adult production team gives a very real nature to the settings, including fast-food cafes, parks, streets, and a bedroom and a lounge room, with backdrops and projections revealing the changes that take place in the story's 12 months. And the 17 musical numbers, as well as featuring songs by composers including Lady Gaga and Beyonce, have four works developed by ASPIRE students.
There are also amazing technical effects, with Ollie, who initially receives sneers from fellow party-goers when he wears a super-hero style red cape to an event, influencing those young people to wear a very colourful range of caps to a gathering later in the year. And colourful images of stars suddenly shine all around the Civic auditorium when a father talks to his youngster about dreams.
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Audience members also unexpectedly become involved in creating magical lights on a couple of occasions (but I don't want to spoil the experience by revealing how that occurs).
The story's other incidents which affect the relationships of some of the young people include a hamburger-eating contest and the decision of a boy and girl to attend a party wearing outfits that have tree leaves because they want others to be concerned about climate change.
Anna Kerrigan, who wrote the script and is the show's artistic director, sadly has given too much repetition to the story and has many of the characters two-dimensional. But, it is generally very eye-catching and ear-catching.
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