CALAMITY JANE. A POST PRODUCTION NOTE FROM THE PRODUCER

There is no doubt that the 80 or so pupils who took part in Calamity Jane, Wellington College International Tianjin’s sixth annual musical theatre production, enjoyed themselves enormously and will, as a result, be humming the many popular tunes from the show for a very long time. After only five weeks of intense rehearsals, pupils aged from 8 to 18 years took to the stage in a lively show that was filled with song, dance, movement, and drama - all enhanced by a specially constructed stage set, colourful and authentic costumes, and creative and imaginative lighting. It was written by Sammy Fain many years ago as a fun, feel good show and this is how we wanted to present it in the Seldon Theatre at Wellington. Set in the Wild West, fictionalized story of Calamity Jane is now almost folklore: a larger-than-life cowgirl who nearly always gets things wrong. Wellington’s production had a most convincing Calamity in the form of Year 8’s Crystal. She sang and acted brilliantly, as did her co-stars. Wellington’s production of Calamity Jane was the first to be staged anywhere in China. The show was directed by Jane Griffiths and produced by her father, the College’s Director of Performing Arts, Steve Griffiths.