When Abby Dettman decided to put her hand up for the role of Palladian Cup Captain at Wesley, she knew she would need to reach deep into her bag of tricks.
After all, this was no ordinary college leadership role. With intercollegiate performing arts competitions taking place throughout much of the academic year, the Palladian Captaincy demands energy, organisation, and unbridled creativity.
So Abby did what came naturally: she revived a character she knew could command a room. Enter Mr G — the unforgettable, self-important drama teacher from Summer Heights High.
With impeccable comedic timing and more than a little theatrical flair, Abby transformed herself into the iconic character for her pitch to the College. It was a performance that had the room in stitches, demonstrating not only her notable talent, but the confidence, creativity and infectious enthusiasm she would bring to the role.
Needless to say, Abby got the job.
As she wraps up her third and final year at Wesley, Abby can look back on a remarkable year at the helm of the college’s Palladian team. Across the competition, Wesley’s performers have once again demonstrated an extraordinary breadth of talent, commitment and creativity — qualities Abby has tirelessly fostered.
For Abby, the Palladian Captaincy has been about much more than winning. It has been about creating a team where people challenge and encourage one another to be sharper, funnier, more creative and better than they thought they could be.
And it is a testament to Abby’s dedication that someone who once considered herself a shy, introverted school student should have found herself at the centre of so much performance, leadership and community life.
Finding her voice
Now in her third year at the University of Sydney and her final year at Wesley, Abby is studying Biomedical Engineering, with a particular interest in gene disorders and genetic diseases — a career she hopes to pursue beyond her degree. But when she is not studying in the library or peering down a microscope, Abby inhabits another world entirely.
A passionate performer, she has been dancing since she was three, much of it competitively, and she began exploring drama towards the end of primary school. By the end of senior school, Abby had become Drama Captain, throwing herself into musicals and productions and discovering just how much she enjoyed performing.
It was a journey that began somewhat unexpectedly.
A self-described introvert throughout primary school, Abby says drama was what eventually “brought me out of my shell”.
Heading into high school as a quiet student, she found drama class a sanctuary - a safe space where she could be herself, experiment and discover her talents. Her drama teacher (also Mr G!) played a significant role. Full of energy and enthusiasm, he brought an element of fun and inspiration to the subject, encouraging his students to push beyond what they thought they were capable of. His influence, combined with a Year 12 drama tour to New York and Los Angeles - including Broadway and the wider performing arts scene - cemented Abby’s desire to keep drama in her life beyond school. “Whatever that looks like,” she mused.
Taking a chance at Wesley
When Abby was considering her tertiary options, she was relatively open-minded regarding which university she might attend. Wesley, however, was a different story.
“I was desperate to come to Wesley,” she says.
Having visited the College in Year 11, and again in Year 12, Abby was drawn to the sense of community. The College didn’t feel too big, she recalls, and the students all seemed to know one another well. It had the genuine community atmosphere she was looking for.
Yet even after arriving at Wesley, it took time for Abby to find the confidence she would later bring to the Palladian stage. In her first year, she was too nervous to audition for solo drama. The following year, she still lacked confidence. It was only 10 minutes before the audition that she finally found the courage to put her name forward. Thank goodness she did.
The experience proved to be a turning point. Abby made the team and Wesley ultimately took out first and second place in Palladian drama. Abby found herself having an extraordinary amount of fun in the process, where team bonding and performances helped her embrace College life in a way she had not previously experienced.
It was the kind of moment that can change how a student sees themselves — and their place in a community.
From performer to leader
By the time Abby took on the role of Palladian Captain, she had developed not only as a performer but as a leader. The role carries significant responsibility, and with Palladian events scheduled throughout most of the academic year, Abby has been responsible for recruiting, coordinating and supporting teams across a wide range of artistic disciplines. It has required an extraordinary amount of organisation, as well as the ability to bring together people with different personalities, talents and levels of experience.
For Abby, those demands have provided lessons that extend well beyond the stage.
Drama has given her the confidence to speak to people, particularly in large-group situations. Performance has made public speaking feel more natural. And leading Palladian has strengthened her organisation, communication and leadership skills. Most importantly, she says the experience has taught her the value of commitment - and of setting and maintaining high standards.
A community she will miss
While the performing arts have played a central role to Abby’s Wesley experience, she notes that the College has also provided outstanding academic and social support. She found the College’s tutoring groups particularly valuable in her first and second years, when she benefited from the experience and guidance of students further along in their degrees.
Now, as she prepares for life beyond college, the reality is beginning to sink in.
“I can’t bear to think about leaving,” she laments.
Knowing that her cohort will be moving on together makes the transition slightly easier, and Abby takes comfort in what - and who - she is leaving behind.
She is excited by the talent and enthusiasm of this year’s Freshers, whom she believes will take up the baton and continue to grow Wesley’s strong performing arts culture. They are a particularly musical cohort: eager to contribute, enthusiastic performers and, just as importantly, a fantastic audience.
For Abby and her fellow graduating students, there is comfort in knowing the College will be left in great hands.
Looking ahead
After Wesley, Abby hopes to continue performing in whatever form that might take, while also completing her Biomedical Engineering degree next year. An overseas exchange is high on her list, preferably somewhere in Europe.
Whatever comes next, she leaves Wesley with a remarkable collection of experiences - from nervous last-minute auditions to commanding a room as Mr G, and in turn successfully leading a major intercollegiate competition.
Her journey is a reminder that confidence is not always a quality we arrive with. Often, it is something we discover by taking chances along the way.
For Abby, that first step onto the stage opened the door to much more: performance, friendship, leadership, community and a place where she found her voice.
And if her Mr G audition is anything to go by, she certainly knows how to use it.
