WITH fake fins at the ready, the Ballarat Centre of Music and the Arts\u2019 junior musical theatre students are preparing to bring a familiar Disney tale to the stage.<\/p>\n
Later this month, the troupe will be one of the first in Australia to debut the 2021 musical Finding Nemo Jr, a musical adaptation of the 2003 Disney-Pixar movie Finding Nemo for young performers.<\/p>\n
BCMA\u2019s founder and musical director Paula Heenan said the show will be a great showcase for the company\u2019s younger intake.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is our six-to-12-year-old performers doing this,\u201d she said. \u201cThey study acting and dancing all year with a mid-year show and then they take part in our big show.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis show has only just been released as a junior version so we\u2019re one of the first to do it in Australia. It\u2019s a one-hour version so it\u2019s ideal for parents with young children to come along to.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a storyline that people know and the music\u2019s really catchy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe kids have done an extraordinary job pulling it all together and they\u2019re learning to sing, dance and act at the same time which is quite a feat for kids their age.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following four dress rehearsals, the company will perform the production at Mount Clear College\u2019s Gay Gough Theatre on Saturday 17 June at 2pm and 6pm before a final third show on Sunday 18 June at 2pm.<\/p>\n
The students have been rehearsing on Wednesdays and Saturdays since the start of the school year in February.<\/p>\n
Lara is one of more than 120 performers taking part in the production and said she\u2019s excited to be playing the role of seahorse Sheldon\u2019s parent.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never had a proper character before. I was just singing the songs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really excited about that and to do an actual show in-person because the last one I did was on a big TV during COVID. This is my first music-theatre show in front of a live audience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tickets are $30 for adults, $28 concession, and $18 for children aged 16 years old and under, and can be booked at bit.ly\/3WMl9Qh.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WITH fake fins at the ready, the Ballarat Centre of Music and the Arts\u2019 junior musical theatre students are preparing to bring a familiar Disney tale to the stage. Later this month, the troupe will be one of the first in Australia to debut the 2021 musical Finding Nemo Jr, a musical adaptation of the […]<\/p>\n