24 June 2004
Rangiora script Out of Control wins Crashbash 2004

Out of Control, a stage script co-written by Rangiora High School Year 10 students Melissa Buchler and Julia Croucher, has won Crashbash 2004.

Out of Control will be professionally developed and produced as a play to tour high school asssemblies in greater Christchurch next February and March.

The 2004 theme of alcohol-impaired driving the morning after drinking, was chosen because Police are noticing a "disturbingly large number” of people being stopped while drink-driving at dawn or pre-dawn, says Sergeant Kieran McGoverin of the Strategic Traffic Unit.

"The only way to get alcohol out of the system is 12 hours with no drinking" Sergeant McGoverin says.

Six scripts were picked for the finals performance, held on 18 June in the Great Hall of the Arts Centre. The competition format was changed last year with scripts now judged on the strength of their message and potential for staging at school assemblies.

Other finalists were from Villa Maria College, Christ's College, and Marian College, and Pari Nui O Whiti Correspondence School.

Elizabeth O'Connor, convener of the adjudicators, says the standard was significantly higher than last year and there were more entries, so judges had a hard time selecting the best script.

"’Out of Control’ is engaging, quirky, with believable characters, lively situations and great humour. The young co-writers have obviously developed a good partnership in writing the script," she says.

Crashbash has been held for 11 years. It was set up by Christchurch Students Against Driving Drunk (Sadd) and is now run by the Christchurch City Council Community Alcohol Action Project. Its aim is to encourage teens to think about drink-driving issues.

The Students Against Driving Drunk Award 2004 for the play that best identifies this year's theme and portrays it effectively through their performance went to Villa Maria College.

Roisin Moore's The morning after is always a killer was staged by Year 13 director Patricia Phelan, earning praise for its high impact and high quality presentation.

ENDS

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