Aspiring thespians in the spotlight

LATE last term, Mount Gambier was treated to two evenings of theatrical performances with the Year 9 and 10 High School production of Unicorn Girl.

The cast and crew celebrated almost sold-out shows, with the first production of 2026 offered free of charge.

Year 9 student Danielle reflected on how the experience fulfilled a dream for her.

“Studying drama was really big for me this year, it was an opportunity I’m glad I took, and It resulted in myself earning the main role!”, she said. “I had such a fun time performing and it was something I’ve always enjoyed doing. Performing in front of people has always been an enjoyment of mine.”

MGHS drama teacher Chloe Fry has been working tirelessly with the young cohort of students, many who had never performed before a genuine audience before.

“The production ‘Unicorn Girl’ was a tremendous success, with two fantastic nights of performances showcasing not only our students’ talent, but also the significant growth they have made throughout the rehearsal process,” she said. “Drama has given these students the confidence to take creative risks, trust one another, and respond calmly when the unexpected happens.

They learned to improvise, using their understanding of the story and their characters to keep the performance moving seamlessly when things didn’t go to plan.”

Mrs Fry applauds the students work behind the scenes and incredible commitment to perfecting their craft.

“Throughout rehearsals, students developed from simply pretending to be characters to fully embodying them through their voice, facial expressions, movement and physicality,” she said. “They embraced the play’s satire and absurdist humour, committing to exaggerated performances that generated genuine laughter and enthusiastic responses from audiences across both nights.”

MGHS arts coordinator Matthew Key reflected on how small productions create huge success for high school students, and the strong commitment shown was evident in the seamless delivery.

“One of the great joys in education is seeing students out of their comfort zone and achieving big things,” he said. “The play these kids selected was a massive undertaking, but every person on stage and behind the scenes delivered a professional-level production.

“From the incredible range in acting to the lighting design and movement, it is clear we have some serious talent here at Mount Gambier High School.”

Unicorn Girl by Madelaine Nunn is a fast, funny and painfully relatable coming-of-age comedy about identity, friendship and the weird, wonderful mess of growing up.

Sam Reid is 13, awkward, and mostly invisible, until one accidental schoolyard fight and a very pointy unicorn pen turn her into a schoolyard legend. Overnight, she goes from unnoticed to unforgettable.

But as popularity grows, so do the pressures of fitting in, staying true to yourself, and figuring out who your real friends are.

For more student-centred art productions, please follow MGHS on Facebook or Instagram.