While audiences will soon see more than 320 students bring Disney’s Frozen Jr. to life on stage at The Wedge, some of the most valuable moments of the production have been taking place behind the scenes.
Months of intense rehearsals have brought together students from every year level at Gippsland Grammar’s St Anne’s Campus. The production has created unique opportunities for younger and older students to work toward a shared goal, forming lasting connections that rarely occur during a standard school day.
Co-director Katie Germaine said one of the most rewarding aspects of school productions was watching these multi-age relationships develop.
“One of the things I love most about school musicals is seeing relationships form between students who may not usually spend time together,” Mrs Germaine said.
“As rehearsals progress, suddenly you have foundation students and year six students talking to one another, encouraging each other, and building connections through a shared experience.”
The whole-school structure of the St Anne’s musical means every single student from foundation to year six is involved, either on stage or behind the scenes.
For younger students, the production provides a platform to develop confidence and a sense of belonging while working alongside the campus’s senior leaders. For the year six students, it offers an authentic leadership opportunity to model positive behaviours, support younger performers, and help foster a welcoming environment.
Head of St Anne’s Campus Jie van Berkel said these social connections were among the most valuable outcomes of the entire project.
“School productions provide students with far more than performance opportunities,” Mr van Berkel said.
“They help students develop confidence, teamwork, and communication skills, while also strengthening the sense of community that exists across the campus.
“It is wonderful to see students from different year levels working together, supporting one another, and celebrating each other’s successes. Those relationships often continue long after the final curtain call.”
Featuring familiar songs, colourful costumes, and beloved characters, Frozen Jr. promises to be a memorable theatrical experience for the local community. However, for the hundreds of students involved, the friendships, confidence, and connections formed during the rehearsal process may prove to be the most significant legacy of all.
Frozen Jr. will be performed at The Wedge in Sale across six daytime and evening sessions today, Thursday, June 11, and Friday, June 12, with showtimes at 11am, 5pm, and 7pm.
CAST PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
– Thursday, June 11: Students from Tisdall Hotham and Blundell Bogong Houses.
– Friday, June 12: Students from Cranswick Dargo and Wellington Binks Houses.
