Recently, I was fortunate enough to take my mother to see 'TINA – the Tina Turner Musical' at Crown theatre. While I was delighted to spend the afternoon with her, I was initially ambivalent about the musical itself. That all changed when the curtain rose, and the performance began. The acting, music, singing and dancing was flawless, complemented by technical genius in every scene. It was, as the lyrics go, 'simply the best.' 
Anton Chekov once wrote, "You should feel a flow of joy because you are alive. Your body will feel full of life. That is what you must give from the stage. That is art: to give all you have." Sitting there in the third row, I had a close-up view of every cast member. They had more than just talent, they had passion which shone through their performances and took us on a rollercoaster ride of emotion. They gave every part of themselves to entertain us, and they were scheduled to do it all over again for a new audience just two hours later. What a privilege it was to watch people so committed to excellence in their chosen sphere and to see hundreds of people leave the theatre so full of joy and appreciation.
This weekend, the joy of live theatre comes to the College, as many months of hard work culminate in the opening of 'The Adventures of Oliver Twist.' Directed by the talented Dr Kim Delury, with assistance from Ms Mikayla Connolly and Ms Michelle Timms, this show promises amazing performances from our drama students with plenty of thrills and spills along the way. While audiences will no doubt be focused on the stagecraft and costumes, there is more at play inside the characters and backstage team. A production of this scale requires passion and commitment, and the boys delivered in spades. Every rehearsal saw them put their heart and soul into achieving a common goal and into creating something special for our community. Speaking to them this week, I was struck by their enthusiasm, excitement, slightly nervous laughter and the connections that they have formed throughout this venture. With tickets for the Sunday afternoon show, I can hardly wait to see their efforts come to fruition and their pride as they realise the significance of what they have achieved together.
The passion and commitment of CBC boys was also evident in their performance in the ACC Swimming Carnival this week. In the very competitive A Division, our team placed third in the Junior Boys' Shield, took first place in the Senior Boys' Shield and won the Overall Boys' Shield. The under 16 boys also broke a long-standing ACC relay record. These results are clearly impressive given that they competed against schools with specialist swimming programmes. However, they are perhaps even more impressive because they reflect the approach the boys took to their team training sessions and personal preparation for the carnival. A team effort like this requires discipline and a willingness to persist when things are challenging. We congratulate our swimmers and thank their families for their support.
A CBC gentleman does his best and understands the inherent value of doing so. We encourage the boys to approach life with a positive outlook and to focus on and commit to whatever it is that they are passionate about. In today's world, where there are unlimited distractions, it is a valuable skill to be able to fully commit one's time, energy and talent to a specific goal. Doing so reaps rewards and provides a deep sense of satisfaction and achievement, boosting self esteem and confidence and bringing joy to oneself and others. What a gift!
I look forward to seeing many of you at the show this weekend.
Ms Georgina Bowler
Director of Staff