Schools Spectacular
The Schools Spectacular is an Australian variety show featuring more than 3000 young students and is performed annually at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Highlights of the Schools Spectacular are broadcast each year by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The actual performance is made up of many different pieces. A typical piece would have a spotlighted soloist singing on an elevated platform in the arena, surrounded by many dancers and actors. On the stage, the orchestra would be playing the instrumental part of the song while the choirs behind and next to the orchestra would be singing the chorus of the song.
The first Schools Spectacular was Schools Spectacular 1983 and was intended to be a sound test for the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Since then, the Schools Spectacular has evolved in ways no one could have imagined back then.
Schools Spectacular 2005 was dubbed "The Face of Australia" and celebrated the Australian history, landscape, goal and lifestyle. A tribute to Alec Campbell, the last surviving ANZAC, who had died in 2002, was in the production. Previous Schools Spectacular successes like John Foreman (Who has hosted Schools Spectacular since 2001) and Human Nature made appearances during the show.
Schools Spectacular was broadcast as a telecast with the highlights by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), and as a first, webcast through the Internet onto their website, with the help and sponsorhip by Cisco Systems. See the News Bulletin on this event.
The Schools Spectacular is produced by 'The Arts Unit' of the NSW Department of Education and Training.
Contents |
[edit] Past Themes
Each year the School Spectacular follows a theme, usually reflective of something Australian:
1993 - One Spirit
1994 - International
1995 - Hats Off To Australia
1996 - Get Set 2000
1997 - The Edge
1998 - Reaching the World
1999 - To Be Australian
2000 - The Entertainers
2001 - Celebrate!
2002 - By Invitation
2003 - 20 Years on
2004 - 21st Birthday
2005 - The Face of Australia
2006 - Shine
2007 - My Spec
2008 - The Spectacular Spirit
2009 - Reaching Out
2010 - Colour My World
2011 - Imagine
[edit] Schools Spectacular 2008
2008 marked the 25th anniversary for Schools Spectacular. It intended to bring back some of the most talented performers in the show's history (many who are now world famous), from when it began in 1984 until today. It planned to highlight how the show had grown over the twenty-five years.
The event has grown to be one of the biggest shows on earth, also published in Guinness World Records for over 10 years now as "the world's biggest variety show", and claimed by audiences across Australia as "the most heart-warming event of the year".
The Spectacular starts off with hundreds filling the grand stage for the opening and builds by "thousands" in over three hours of non-stop performances and talent. Finally the cast of over 3500 of the most talented student performers across NSW return to the one stage for the finale.
The show will start November 2009.
[edit] Schools Spectacular 2007
Schools Spectacular 2007, dubbed "My Spec", had a schools preview performance on Friday 23 November 2007, followed by an evening performance on the same day. There was another performance at 2pm and 8pm on Saturday 24 November.
[edit] Schools Spectacular 2006
See Shine (Schools Spectacular)
[edit] Notable alumni
- Human Nature (band, Australian recording artists)
- Nathan Foley (children's TV group Hi-5)
- John Foreman (musician, Australian Idol musical director, Schools Spectacular host)
- Shannon Brown (The Ten Tenors)
- Paulini (Australian Idol finalist, Australian recording artist, Young Divas)
- Sabrina Batshon (Australian Idol finalist)
- Roshani Pridis (Australian Idol Finalist)
