A PERFECT score is no drama at all for Jack Richardson.
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The drama student was awarded 100 out of 100 for the Louie Dunn Prize, in the Royal South Street speech and drama competition last week for his recital from Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Jack deftly jumped between several characters and the role of narrator with his performance. It was his third consecutive Louie Dunn Prize but his first perfect score. He won with a score of 97 last year with an exerpt from Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and 96 the year before with Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl.
“The previous years, only the top three competed for the prize but this year it was open to all, so there were seven competitors,” Jack said. “All were very good, so I had no expectation of winning three in a row. The score of 100 was absolutely a surprise. A shock actually.”
Jack was one of three Ballarat Centre of Music and the Arts students to win their age groups on aggregate in the speech and drama competitions, claiming the Cuthberts Award in the open age section.
Georgia Marshall won the under-10 age group on aggregate, while Ellie Carroll won the under-14 group on aggregate while also claiming her second Leanne McInnis Scholarship.
Fergus McLaren claimed the Ivy Keates Memorial Prize, while Tara Faull was awarded the under-16 encouragement award and Patrick Osborn the under-14 James F. O’Shea Encouragement Prize.
BCMA director Paula Heenan said it was not the centre’s first perfect score but it was its first 100 in drama.
“We have had 100s in singing, piano and dancing but this is a first,” Ms Heenan said.
“It is a reflection on the growth in the drama department here. We are extremely impressed by the commitment and discipline of all BCMA students in the lead-up to this year’s competition, and the dedication and commitment of all the BCMA drama teachers.”
BCMA students competed in 210 performances over five days of Royal South Street speech and drama competition.