AFTER a turbulent, stop-start eighteen months, the Ballarat Centre of Music and the Arts is finally getting ready to unleash its junior performers on the stage for two shows of Disney\u2019s Aladdin Jr and Shrek Jr.<\/p>\n
BCMA director Paula Heenan said the cast of 150 students can\u2019t wait to tread the boards.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor many of them it’s the light at the end of the tunnel, when everything else is going wrong,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe kids have got a great deal of energy, but they’ve also trained really hard to do some amazing singing, and great choreography.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs actors, they’ve been incredible. And they’ve got a great acting coach, Rachael Shelton, who\u2019s a very positive and inspirational leader for them. So they’ve really enjoyed putting it together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Heenan said the two Disney musicals were selected for being \u201cgreat shows for kids with positive meanings.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have great upbeat songs and Shrek has 35 actual roles in it.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it meant that most of the kids in the classes would have roles with things to both sing and say. It gives everyone a chance to be in individual costumes as well,\u201d Ms Heenan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAladdin certainly has some cast members who are ready to take on the big roles too. We’ve got some really strong young people in there. The eight to 10 age group are ready to take on the world. They’re so good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Catch BCMA\u2019s Aladdin Jr and Shrek Jr on Saturday 31 July and Sunday 1 August at Mount Clear College, Olympic Avenue, Mount Clear.<\/p>\n