Schools on Stage

Teacher Music Theatre Scholarship

In 2023, the Junior Theatre Festival (JTF) Australia, along with major sponsor Music Theatre International - Australasia, are proud to again offer the Stage Whispers Teacher Support Scholarship, a unique professional development experience for one lucky Australian teacher.

The recipient will enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to join the action at the Civic Theatre Newcastle for the full two-day Junior Theatre Festival Australia event on 27th and 28th October this year.

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Schools Edition)

Written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott. Rosny College, Tasmania. Darren Sangwell (Director). Nicole Ottrey (Costumes). Suze Quinn and Andrew Castles (Musical Direction). Dwight Brown Auditorium. 8 – 17 June 2023

This is the first time that the Schools version of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert has been staged.

Thrilling and Moving Shakespeare

Sport for Jove theatre company previews their 2023 season in NSW, QLD and beyond.

Kids do it effortlessly, they make and they believe. Adults can so easily forget the value of both. Theatre is all about making and thrives only on believing.

After the tumultuousness of the last couple of years, felt deeply in all schools, 2023 is a chance to come together and celebrate the joy of theatre. So, what’s on?

I Wanna Be Yours

The experience of a young modern love in a big multicultural city is the subject of Melbourne Theatre Company’s May production I Wanna Be Yours, which is also part of the Company’s Education and Families Program. One of the stars - Oz Malik  - explains why he believes it is a must see for students and the general public.

What is I Wanna Be Yours about?

Shows for Schools in Sydney’s North

Glen Street Theatre - on Sydney’s upper North Shore - welcomes student groups and excursions to experience the magic of a live theatre performance.

For some children, visiting Glen Street Theatre may be their first experience of the performing arts. A trip to the theatre exposes students to new ideas, inspires their creativity and challenges them to think critically. It can also be a tool for cultivating important life skills in young people such as empathy and confidence.

Brainstorming and Creating for 40 Years

Now, more than ever, educators are searching for ways to engage their students in meaningful conversations around issues like mental health, bullying and online relationships. Live theatre is the perfect vehicle for stimulating discussions around these complex and often sensitive topics.

For 40 years in-school performances by Brainstorm Productions have been both delighting young audiences and empowering them to make positive changes.

Aussie Students Win International Junior Theatre Festival Award

Photo credit: Rachael Monteleone

The Aussie All-Stars performance group, composed of students who had auditioned from towns across Australia, received a top youth theatre award at the USA Junior Theatre Festival in Atlanta. The fifty-three Aussie students, aged eleven to eighteen, won the Freddie G Inspiration Award (named after Music Theatre International Co-Chairman, Freddie Gershon), an accolade for their outstanding performance,

HSC Plays at ACA

Image: Twelfth Night. Photographer: Clare Hawley.

Actors Centre Australia has established a new education arm that will present four plays in its inaugural year at the company’s own theatre at Leichardt, in inner-western Sydney.

“We are thrilled to welcome HSC students for an immersive experience, exploring the challenging works that form part of their HSC English Curriculum,” said the ACA’s Head of Acting Adam Cook. 

Mother Courage and Her Children

By Bertolt Brecht and Tony Kushner. Directed by Armani Newton-Lowe, Keira Lilly, Tahlia Padayachee, David Phillips, Annabelle Turner, Tyler Hewitt and Hannah Cooke. Willeton Senior High School, WA. Apr4-5, 2023

Willetton Senior High School’s annual Dinner Theatre is a tradition that showcases the talents of their Year 12 Drama Students and the Year 12 (and 11) Cooking and Hospitality Students. While Brecht is rather an unconventional choice for a dinner theatre, the experience was clearly enjoyed by the audience.

School Performing Arts Resource Kit 2023

The 2023 Stage Whispers School Performing Arts Resource Kit - SPARK - is out now.

The 120 page free on-line magazine includes features on shows suitable for attendance by school students alongside a comprehensive state by state directory.

A major part of the publication comprises features to assist school teachers in choosing a play or musical to perform, features on costume, props and seating, recommendations for Sound, Lighting and Special FX, study resources and training.