The windy, wet weather of the past week was the perfect backdrop for the set of the cold dark streets of Old London Town, created for this year’s junior musical Oliver JR at Good Shepherd Lutheran College.
Over 90 performers, aged between nine and 13, mesmerised the audience for four nights with song and dance while telling the well- known story of Oliver JR!, the classic Broadway j version of Lionel Bart’s classic musical based on Charles Dickens’, Oliver Twist.
Jim Tomkins and Kirsten Lee, junior musical directors, were thrilled at the result of months of lunchtime, after school and even school holiday rehearsals.
“It all came together beautifully on the night,“ Mr Tomkins said.
“With so many students involved we didn’t have many opportunities to rehearse the entire show, so it’s always a little nerve-racking but they all did exceptionally well. The standing ovations told us the audience members were impressed too.“
“This production was a year in the making and the children just embraced the challenge,“ Ms Lee said.
“They loved the sense of community that comes from being a part of a musical production. I think these students will cherish the memories for a long time, or at least until the next musical.“
While for many younger children it was their first experience of the wonderful world of Charles Dickens, they did enjoy watching mums and dads sing along to the crowd favourites such as Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself, and Oom-Pah-pah.
Perhaps this time it will be the kids who ask for a new playlist to be set to repeat rather than the parents.
