Diggers
By: Jeff Bonnor
With 13 great songs 'Diggers' uses drama and humour to convey the story of the Gallipoli campaign. The musical can be performed by a grade or by the whole school.
There are 13 songs in the show which can be allocated to different classes to learn a dance to. 'Left Right Out!' is a marching song and therefore a reasonably easy song to move to so it would lend itself to being performed by younger children.
This musical has been written for a traditional stage, a stage extension at the front of the stage might be useful as it would mean that the acting can continue on the extended stage whilst dancers or performers are getting in position behind the curtain on the regular stage.
The storyline is portrayed by 20 actors whose roles vary from many lines of dialogue to only a few.
The show takes place in three settings: an old building site, the town square and an office. A backdrop of the building site can remain in place throughout the show with alternating flat sets placed in front of it or for an easier alternatively, key items can be placed on stage by actors or crew to establish the settings.
What's Included?
The complete script including extensive production and director's notes
A songbook featuring simple sheet music and lyrics for each of the show's songs
Instrumental only and vocal guide music tracks for each song plus sound effects
All items are delivered as easy and convenient digital downloads
- The full master version of the script for you to peruse
- Vocal guide music tracks for each song
- All items are delivered as easy and convenient digital downloads
Hard copies, video licences, production packages and poster packages can be purchased during checkout
John and Keith, two country boys from Gilgandra enlist and set off to see the world, leaving behind their mothers and sisters. We follow their journey from training in Egypt, and on to their landing at Gallipoli, while back in Gilgandra their mothers and sisters worry.
The Gallipoli campaign continues with good times, bad times, making new mates and losing old ones. The evacuation happens and the ANZACS farewell Gallipoli. The final scene takes place on a modern day tour of Gallipoli.
Australians, New Zealanders and the Turkish tour operator are brought together when they contemplate the ultimate sacrifice made by the Anzac soldiers.
Keith, a naive, good-natured country boy who falsifies his age in order to enlist. A lot of the play is linked to Keith, e.g. the scenes in Gilgandra feature Keith's mother and sister and the final scene involves one of Keith's descendants. Keith is the perfect foil for John.
John is more street-wise and savvy than Keith. John begins the musical as self-centred and vain but he gradually learns the value of mateship, largely thanks to Simpson.
Simpson is pivotal to the musical. He brings the Anzac characters together with his humour and compassion. It is through Simpson's example and his death that the characters truly understand the value of mateship.
Marshall is from New Zealand and forms a strong bond with the rest of the Anzacs.
Cookie takes his job as army cook seriously, but no one else takes him seriously. His food is the constant source of jokes from the other Anzacs.
The Sergeant is a typical, tough-talking, no-nonsense type. It is his job to whip the raw recruits into shape. Sergeant leads the men during the invasion but is not in the following scenes.
The family, left back at home consist of Mrs Seabrook, Edie, Madeleine and Lucy.
There are eight smaller speaking roles including the visitors to the modern day Gallipoli.
The show allows plenty of opportunity for extras to perform as soldiers and as the families left back at home.
Here you're able to listen to a small sample of vocal backed music tracks featured in the show.