At Fourways High School, “Sister Act: The Musical” was a tornado of nerves, hard work, and, eventually, triumph. Over the course of nine hard months, we immersed ourselves in rehearsals with a mix of excitement and nervousness that spread through the cast.
From the outset, the weight of our roles bore heavily, especially for main leads like Neo Kele, Simelwe Ngcobo, Jordan Mazibuko, Kamva Grootboom, Joshua Dorman, Li Sihlali, Azile Jacobs, Zizipho Gclilitshana, and Jessica Nanguia. Each of us felt the pressure of months of preparation and anticipation, wondering how we would measure up when the curtain finally rose.
The journey was not without its challenges. There were moments when it seemed the teachers themselves were ready to give up. Mr. Clayton, in his own unique way, punctuated rehearsals with exhortations to “SING THE RIGHT NOTES, CHOPPIES,” causing us to shake in our boots. Mrs. Borrill’s fiery outbursts about needing new cast members if we did not “pick up our socks” were legendary and kept us on our toes. Even the usually cool Aunty Mrs. Ahlers was driven to raise her voice to whip us into shape.
Amidst the stress and occasional chaos, the major production camp emerged as a turning point. What started as a nervous venture evolved into a bonding experience, where we tackled tough choreography and harmonies together. It was a hectic yet exhilarating weekend that brought us closer as a team, preparing us for the challenges ahead.
The performances had good points and low points. Not every night was met with wild acclaim, and there were times when the crowd’s response fell short of expectations. Tears were shed behind the scenes over alleged off-key notes or missed words. But these moments were essential to creating our cast relationship. We discovered how to help one another out by providing energy and helpful criticism so that every performance improved on the previous one.
Our journey was ending, and on the last night, we were filled with emotions. We painfully said goodbye to the personalities and friendship we developed over months of demanding rehearsals and late-night sessions. Weeping uncontrollably, we said our farewell salutations.
We had learned perseverance, commitment, and the happiness of working together to create something truly remarkable from this experience, which had changed all of us.
“Sister Act: The Musical” was more than simply a school play; it was an indication of our group’s development and dedication. It demonstrated to us the strength of unity and the capacity for change in art. Looking back, we appreciate the times of hardship and victory that drew us closer together as a cast and as friends, in addition to the memories of being in the spotlight.
This year will always be remembered in our hearts as one that will live on as a tribute to the strength of determination, as well as interaction, and the eternal charm of theatre.