Source: IBSC Website
Under the guidance of drama teacher Patrice Wilson, Dilworth School’s drama students have achieved incredible success, recently clinching the Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) National Shakespeare Festival’s ultimate honor, the SGCNZ Award.
Wilson has many outstanding teaching qualities, but what stands out most is her talent for fostering her students' social-emotional development. She has helped them find their unique voices with stunning effect.
Take the 400-year-old text of King Lear—a world a far cry from the lives of her students. Under Wilson’s guidance, the play's universal truths resonated deeply with Dilworth students. They reimagined King Lear as a Pasifika King, tormented by the same struggles we face today: family turmoil, abuse of power, and war.
This fusion of cultural relevance and heritage enabled Dilworth students to make the text their own by blending traditional storytelling with their natural talents—singing, powerful movement, and cultural grounding. They delivered an outstanding performance, defined by their own mana, grace, and professionalism.