All the big names were there.
And, as tuxedo-clad co-host Bruce Antees told mesmerised audiences, the night-of-nights was “just insane, and everyone was so ready”.
Taylor Swift, One Republic, Kate Perry, Lady Gaga and Justin Timberlake – to name just a few – wowed spectators, and so did the kids from kindergarten through to Year 6 when St Philomena’s Catholic School hosted the 2024 Grammys, St Phillies-style.
The full-scale production, hosted by Aggie Tighe, Penny Vickery, Bruce Antees and Joseph Sullivan, opened with a house-full matinee performance on Wednesday, followed by sold-out evening shows Wednesday and Thursday.
The Hollywood-style extravaganza, with a cast of 246 children, was more than six weeks in production and executed with pinpoint accuracy.
Teaching and admin staff also got in on the act. They closed the evening shows with a Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders’ entrance, followed by a fully choregraphed routine to AC/DC’s Thunderstruck which then morphed into Barbie Movie-inspired moves to Dance the Night by Dua Lipa.
Co-ordinator Sam Cosgrove helped plan the one-and-a-half-hour shows, which brought standing ovations each time the final curtain fell.
“It’s taken a lot of work, because we’ve got to get all the class teachers and all the kids on board, and there’s lots and lots of practice behind the scenes,” Sam said.
“All the kindergarten to Year-6 teachers choreographed their own dances for their own classes, and did all the practice and rehearsals.
“It’s all part of school PE and creative arts curriculum, so the kids practice at school and the teachers organise all the costumes, props and make-up.”
After deliberating over numerous theme ideas, the decision to host the Grammys came down to a vote.
“We started with quite a few different ideas, and the Year 5 and Year 6 kids voted on which idea they liked the best, and the Grammys was the one,” Sam said.
“Our dress rehearsal the previous week went really well, and that made us excited and keen for this – they’ve all done really good,” she said.
Parents, grandparents and great-grandparents strolled the red carpet, dodged paparazzi, and filled the school hall over three performances.
Stephen and Karen Brown proudly watched great-grandkids, Wiley and Jack Simpson, perform with classes 1-Blue and 3-Blue.
“This was our second concert, and we absolutely loved it – it was great – and the kids enjoy it, too,” Stephen said.
“The performances were very, very professional and the best part, without any favouritism or bias of course, was 1-Blue and 3-Blue,” he laughed.
“But seriously, it was a great show and it’s fantastic to see kids interacting and enjoying themselves.”
Words and Images: Bill Poulos
(Staff Images Supplied)
