Erica Girls Primary Productions

What a pleasure it is to work with students as courteous, self-disciplined and enthusiastic as the students at Erica Girls'. Thanks to their hard work and wonderful attitudes, the Erica Girls produced three sterling plays. Well done, girls!

Sanctor Sings!

Students from Sanctor Primary did their school proud as they graced the stage of the Savoy Theatre in their Helen O'Grady Drama Academy Year End Productions! Juniors performed "The Snake Charmer", with Cecil the dancing snake, and seniors performed "The Cleanest Town in Texas". What a pleasure it has been to see these students develop into confident and articulate young people.

Uitenhage Makes Macbeth!

Our Uitenhage students did the small Eastern Cape town proud when they presented their Year End Productions at the Savoy Theatre in Port Elizabeth. The Youth Theatre class performed a particularly magnificent "Unmasking of Macbeth". Well done on your excellent efforts, Youth Theatre!

Newton Park Productions 2009!

The Newton Park studio stunned their audience with fantastic Year End Productions! The Snake Charmer charmed us all, while we enjoyed our trip through The Cleanest Town in Texas. What a wonderful wrap up for a great year of developing communication skills, confidence and stage craft!

Productions Rehearsals Approaching

As the end of Term 3 approaches, our classes almost ready to start working on their Year End Productions. Each class in the Academy presents a short, scripted production for family and friends at the end of the year. Rehearsals take place during lesson times during Term 4, and costuming is really simple. Students just love the excitement of preparing for their performances, and parents are always amazed by the progress they see in their children! Roll on productions!

Local Drama Student in National TV Ad

One of our very own students recently participated in a national advertising campaign. Many of our Jo'burg and Cape Town students are afforded opportunities to act in TV and film. With a new casting agency opening soon in PE, we hope to increase the number of opportunities available to children and adults in TV and film across the Eastern Cape!

On set while filming in front of the green screen!

More Fun at Term 2 Parent Days!

Ready for Parent Day in Walmer

Parent Day and awards at Willow Academy

Linton Grange and Willow Academy Parent Day

Erica Girls Impress Parents!

Three large drama classes at Erica Girls' Primary school impressed their parents this afternoon in back-to-back Parent Day Presentations. What a wonderful effort from these school girls! As teachers, it gives us so much pleasure to watch both new and experienced students perform. The development that they continue to experience is clear for all to see!

Attendance High at Nasruddin Islamic School

We held a Parent Day Presentation at Nasruddin Islamic School in the evening to accomodate Moslem prayer times. After just over three years at Nasruddin, our wonderful self-development programme is really making a difference amongst participating students!

Uitenhage Enjoys Awards

Many Uitenhage students enjoyed receiving their awards at Parent Day in June!

Four Parent Presentations in Two Days!

We're flying really fast at the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy in Port Elizabeth! We have run four wonderful, successful, exciting Parent Day Presentations over the last two days. Our students are such stars, remembering their lines, performing with gusto and enjoying their mini-scripts! Take a look...

Sanctor Lower Primary being prepped by their teacher, Faith.

The lovely Faith in action.

Sanctor Lower Primary performing their Improvisation.

Summerstrand Lower Primary enjoying their entry onto the stage!

Summerstrand Upper Primary waiting excitedly for their turn!

Performing their speech work like professionals!

Anticipation grows as parents arrive to watch their children at our Newton Park studio.

Newton Park Lower Primary before they perform "The Circus Comes to Town".

Newton Park Lower Primary enjoying their improvisation.


Malabar Youth Theatre as they perform for their parents.

Parent Days Approach!

Excitement is running high as our classes are all ready for their Parent Day Presentations! Harvest held theirs just before the long weekend, and did a sterling job impressing parents and friends with all they have learnt since starting our wonderful drama programme.

Malabar students rehearsing having fun with their Parent Day material!

Linton Grange Upper Primary practising "Cities".

Linton Grange Lower Primary students after an improvisation.

Uitenhage students rehearsing their Mini-scripts.

Saturday Drama in Newton Park

Upper Primary students, aged 9-12 years, enjoy their Saturday morning drama classes every week in Newton Park. Our highly acclaimed, international drama programme promotes confidence and communication skills in our students. Our Newton Park studio sees students from all over the city - Linton Grange; Cotswold; Algoa Park; Sidwell; Walmer; Mill Park; Hillside; Parkside; Gelvan Park; Kwa-Nobuhle; Blue Water Bay... Many working parents find our Saturday morning classes very convenient. As we are so centrally situated, parents can easily run errands and do their shopping while their children enjoy drama classes at the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy!

Summer Fun in Summerstrand

We have such a great team of staff members at the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy here in Port Elizabeth! New to our team of teachers is Maxine Neudecker, known to all as Max. Below are some photos of our Summerstrand Upper Primary enjoying Max's lessons.

Helen O'Grady Idols Star

"Graeme Watkins who taught the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy classes last year at Bergvliet Primary school has reached the top 12 of the South African Idols. We are very proud of him and his achievements and I know over 5,000 South African Helen O'Grady children will be hoping he is the winner this year. Graeme's girlfriend, Kim Coppen, is also one of our teachers and she appeared recently on television with him."


Posted by duncanrice at 12:20 PM
Saturday, February 14, 2009

Starting Strong!

Wow - our TENTH year of operation in Port Elizabeth, and we have had a really strong start to 2009! For the first time, the Helen O'Grady Drama Academy is presenting drama classes at Harvest Christian School in Port Elizabeth. Our Harvest students are such good sports - participating in all the fun activities with vigour, and self discipline at the same time! Faith Fisher is the teacher responsible for the classes, and photos show just how well she does her job!