Students from St Brigid’s Catholic College at Lake Munmorah have taken out a group award for Excellence in Acting at the 2021 OzTheatrics Junior Theatre Festival Australia.
The award was presented at an online event on October 30.
St Brigid’s was one of 15 schools across Australia selected as finalists in the theatre festival.
Ten students from the College aged between 12 and 17 presented selections from Shrek Jr for leading musical theatre personalities from the United States.
Creative and Performing Arts Teacher at St Brigid’s Catholic College, Michelle Wilson, said the group put together the performance from home.
“The students were really excited to be able to showcase their hard work, and I am so proud of them,” she said.
“They put together the ‘Zoomsical’ while learning from home and they really showed their tenacity and resilience by committing and showing up to all the rehearsals online.”
The students involved were Chloe Barr, Emyli Meehan, Sophie Holloway, Kahli Burgess, Maddison Davey, Layla Hepplewhite, Tamika Sheehan, Alex McGill, Emily Cronan and Zara Hepplewhite.
Junior Theatre Festival Co-Producer, Shane Brandson, said each of the student participants had the unique opportunity to receive tips from some of the world’s best producers, directors and writers from New York.
“As a major treat, the students participated in a vocal workshop presented by viral TikToker and Broadway composer, Daniel J Mertzlufft,” Brandson said.
The Junior Theatre Festival Australia 2021 was funded by a grant from Music Theatre International.
Managing Director of Music Theatre International Australasia, Stuart Hendricks, commended the Junior Theatre Festival Australia Team on their monumental pivoting efforts to deliver the event.
“Around the world, Junior Theatre Festivals offer young people the opportunity to bond with their peers in an immersive celebration of the art form they love,” Hendricks said.
“MTI is committed to promoting the value of theatre in education and giving performers additional opportunities to demonstrate their talents and to support and learn from each other.”
The Junior Theatre Festival was conceived by New York based iTheatrics, and festivals take place in the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand.
The festival brings together international theatre programs to come together to share their talents and be a part of an international community of people who care about acting.
Harry Mulholland