Selected students from Nuriootpa High School’s Year 10, 11 and 12 English and Women’s Studies classes recently had the opportunity to attend a performance of the State Theatre Company South Australia’s award-winning show Trophy Boys.

Fresh off a sold-out national tour and an off-Broadway season in New York last year, Trophy Boys is currently touring regional South Australia. The performance, presented at Trinity College’s Marnkutyi Parirna Theatre (Gawler) on Wednesday 25 February, provided Nuriootpa High School students with an opportunity to access a world-class performance locally.

“Attending live theatre exposes audiences to diverse stories, characters, and experiences, helping to promote variety of perspectives, dialogue and potential social change,” explained senior school English teacher Mrs Natalie Centenera.

Trophy Boys, performed by a female and non-binary cast, is a satirical look at ‘insecure adolescent masculinity, entitlement and the ego of Australia’s next generation of politicians and powerbrokers.’ Set within the fictional elite St Imperium College the senior all-boys debate team is forced to prepare their argument to the topic ‘feminism has failed women’ ahead of the impending debate tournament grand finale.

“There were plot twists and jokes, sad and angry parts, and controversial topics. It was perfect for Women’s Studies,” said Year 12 student, Zara.

“The boys portrayed were so realistic and are much like the teenage boys I know. The script was amazing and I know that everyone I talked to afterwards loved it too – we couldn’t stop talking about it for hours!”

The opportunity to attend live theatre provides a collective experience for both students and teachers, which is not just entertaining but enriching. Multi-modal texts, such as theatre, provide students an opportunity to engage and critically reflect in new ways, and build their ability to draw upon texts and apply it to their curriculum studies.

“Ms Baldock, Mr Sheridan and I were proud to attend the production with the students. They represented our school with maturity and good nature,” reflected Mrs Centenera.

Image: Trophy Boys cast courtesy of the State Theatre Company South Australia.