Top Class Drama Honour for Oliver Sexton

Congratulations to Oliver Sexton, who was selected to perform his Drama solo The Drama Teacher at Top Class Drama 2025 at Melbourne Recital Centre.

Top Class is an annual concert series presented by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) showcasing outstanding performances by VCE and VCE VET students from schools across the state.

This year, 52 top performing students were invited to audition for Top Class Drama, and only 19 students were selected to perform. Selected performers exemplify the skill and creativity that can be achieved within the VCE curriculum.

Speaking about his self-devised performance, Oliver said, “My portrayal of The Drama Teacher takes the audience on a compelling journey through the challenges and victories of Jean Wood, a vibrant, pretentious, and naturally theatrical drama teacher at Broken Hill High. Jean was recruited by the school board from his beachfront home in Brighton, Melbourne, with the task of revitalising and redeveloping their drama program.

“Throughout the performance, Jean confronts a series of obstacles, including stubborn students, self-doubt, inner conflict, and a particularly nasty principal, Karren. In crafting this performance, I drew inspiration from a variety of sources, particularly my own experiences and the influence of my drama teacher, Mrs Darlow, and my mother, who is also a drama educator. Additionally, I incorporated elements from iconic fictional teachers, such as Chris Lilley’s Mr G, Miss Honey from Matilda, and Mr Miyagi from The Karate Kid.

“This project was an incredibly rewarding creative journey, and I am delighted to have been chosen to perform in Top Class.”

Speaking about Oliver’s achievement, Mrs Darlow said, “We are so proud of Oliver’s incredible achievement in having his VCE Drama Solo Performance selected for Top Class Drama. Oliver’s creativity, enthusiasm, dedication and organisation ensured that his performance of The Drama Teacher was one to remember! Oliver willingly accepted feedback and consistently worked to improve his skills and performance throughout the development process, using costume, props and sound design to his full advantage to deliver a captivating performance.

“Congratulations on a brilliant Top Class performance, Oliver, and also for being one of a small number of regional students selected for this great honour.