Friends of Ridgeway Theatre
Ivanhoe Grammar School has a vibrant and active parent community who volunteer their time, energy and expertise to different areas of the School. They are a valued and vital part of life at Ivanhoe, helping to make the Ivanhoe experience what it is today.
Friends of Ridgeway Theatre (FoRT) actively supports the Performing Arts at The Ridgeway Campus. Behind every school musical, school play, campus film project and VCE Theatre Studies production, a small army of FoRT volunteers work away on making costumes, building sets, procuring props and coordinating catering.
FoRT raises funds through a variety of activities such as sponsorships, sales of choc tops, flowers and programs, commemorative photobooks and BBQ fundraisers. These initiatives have allowed FoRT to contribute almost $20,000 on new equipment for the Schuster Theatre, making it one of the best-equipped black box theatres in any Melbourne school.
All parents and guardians of students involved in the Performing Arts are encouraged to join working bees and fundraising initiatives as all kinds of help and all kinds of skills are required to keep the Performing Arts running. FoRT is always looking for people who can help with sewing, painting, set building, catering coordination, deliveries and so much more. In the true spirit of community theatre, every parent and guardian is a member of FoRT and most welcome to contribute. Being part of the FoRT community is an excellent way to get to know other likeminded parents and guardians and above all, it’s fun!
A soon as COVID-19 restrictions allow, the announcement of the 2021 Senior School Musical will be made. This is a highly anticipated event where students come together to watch a video of the most recent production while having dinner and lots of laughs.
How can parents get involved?
FoRT’s staff convenor is Mr Shaun Murphy who is supported by a formal FoRT Committee that meets regularly. This year we farewell our very hardworking inaugural Chair, Jayne Maini, whose daughter Elena graduated in 2019, along with several long-serving committee members. Any FoRT member who is interested in finding out more about the committee should contact Mr Shaun Murphy shaun.murphy@ivanhoe.com.au
