Newtown High School of the Performing Arts
The Newtown High School of the Performing Arts is a government-funded co-educational comprehensive and specialist secondary day school in the suburb of Newtown in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is among a few performing arts and visual arts schools in Australia.[citation needed] All students must study drama, music, dance and visual arts subjects as part of the curriculum for the first year of secondary school, and one performing or visual arts subject until Year 11.[citation needed] The school participates in variety of events both on and off campus in all types of performing and visual arts as well as video, technical, costume and design.[citation needed]
In 2016, it adopted an 'inclusive' uniform policy, under which there are separate 'boys' and 'girls' uniforms and students may wear whichever they prefer.[3][4]
The New South Wales Department of Education runs the school.[5] Dr Susan Green has been principal since November 2023.[1]
The school caters for approximately 1,200 students from Year 7 to Year 12.[citation needed]
History
The school remains open and accessible to the local population, however a larger percentage of prospective students from outside the local acceptance boundaries can audition to obtain a place at the school.[6]
Extracurricular activities are available; there are ensembles and companies in the music, drama and dance departments.[7]
Alumni
- Ralph Myers (1996) – artistic director of theatre company Company B Belvoir
- Jac Bowie (1997) – entrepreneur, founder of Business in Heels
- Nathan Foley (1997) – cast member of Hi-5
- Elle Dawe (1998) – actress
- Elana Stone (1998) – jazz singer and band leader
- Abe Forsythe (1999) – actor
- Virginia Gay (1999) – actress
- Tamara Jaber (1999) – recording artist
- Emma Lung (1999) – actress
- Alyssa McClelland (1999) – actress
- Rose Jackson (2002) – former president of the University of Sydney Students' Representative Council and past president of the National Union of Students
- Indiana Evans (2003) – actress
- Lindsay Farris (2003) – actor and Artistic Director of the National Youth Theatre Company and founding Chairman of the National Youth Theatre Company Foundation
- Yael Stone (2003) – actress
- Jessica Tovey (2005) – actress
- Jordan 'Friendlyjordies' Shanks (2007) – YouTuber and political commentator
- David Jones-Roberts (2008) – actor
- Hanna Mangan-Lawrence (2008) – actress
- Alycia Debnam-Carey (2011) – actress
- Odessa Young (2013) – actress
- Christopher Bahng/Bang (2014) – professionally known as Bang Chan; leader of South Korean boy group Stray Kids under JYP Entertainment
- Claude Scott-Mitchell (2014) – actress
- Samuel Thomson (2014) – actor and rhythmic gymnastics, Australian youth champion at the 2012 Australian games
- Sophie Wilde (2015) – actress
- Milly Alcock (2018) – actress[8]
- Ed Oxenbould (2019) – actor
- Maya Cumming (2019) – former Internet personality and pop musician known as MAY-A