Take a healthy dollop of spicy acting, throw in some breathtaking singing and finish it off with whipped up dance choreography\u2026bake on the hottest stage in town\u2026yes, that sounds like theatre at Woodlands International College.<\/p>\n
In past years, Woodlands students have had the opportunity to showcase their creative talents in numerous theatrical genres \u2013 arguably none more exciting and entertaining than that of Musical Theatre.<\/p>\n
For the first time in the Senior College, the production in 2025 included class performances from all Grade 8 and 9 students. The production \u2013 part of the wildly popular Mamma Mia! franchise – followed all the familiar favourite characters in a spellbinding storyline with vibrant choreography. Amazing sets saw a little Greek village brought to life right inside the Matthews Hall. In impeccable costumes and with a new sound system in the Hall, this production was one of the best staged by the Senior College.<\/p>\n
In 2024, the College brought to life the classic tale of the Lion King. Loosely based on Hamlet, this production was student-led with a unique spin written into the script by our students. Pride Rock \u2018n Roll boasted a 22-strong cast to retell this favourite Disney classic, but also included 80\u2019s classic rock songs to ramp up the performance and audience interaction.<\/p>\n
In 2023, the College produced Murder Backstage, an adaptation of Shakespeare\u2019s Macbeth, with intrigues and evil schemes played out through a theatre company\u2019s onstage personae \u2013 a play within a play paired with music from Grease, Mamma Mia and the greatest hits of Queen. This was a fun-filled, edge of the seat production following the trials and tribulations of a theatre troupe who fall under the spell of three mischievous schemers, resulting in murder and mayhem!<\/p>\n
Following on the success of Wicked in 2017, Woodlands continued this tradition with a familiar, but thoroughly updated tale. Alice in Wonderland tells a story of wonder, power, revenge and love that follows the characters through the magical land of the Queen of Hearts. This production incorporated familiar music from the hit show The Greatest Showman to really bring life to characters like Alice, the Mad Hatter, and the always late Rabbit.<\/p>\n
The production was initially planned to be performed in 2019, however, delays in the construction of the Matthews Hall delayed opening night to March 2020. Just before Covid forced the school into a period of lockdown, the cast of actors, singers and dancers took to the stage and received standing ovations after every performance. As always, the show included magical set designs, wonderful choreography and fast-paced and witty dialogue to keep the audience enthralled. It was a special privilege for the College that many of the students who matriculated in 2019 retained their roles in the musical and returned to the College as Alumni to perform alongside the cast.<\/p>\n
Wicked tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two young women who first meet as sorcery students at Shiz University: the blonde and very popular Glinda, and a misunderstood green girl named Elphaba. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda\u2019s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power while Elphaba\u2019s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences for her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.<\/p>\n
In 2017 Woodlands International College turned 15 and this in itself demanded a production that would be worthy of celebration. And what better way to celebrate 15 years in education than to bring back some of our Alumni to be part of this birthday production?<\/p>\n
For the Gala Performance, many of the Woodlands Alumni who had graced our stage over the past five years joined the cast and crew to perform a number from Wicked in honour of the 15th birthday and also to celebrate the incredible journey that Woodlands shared with so many young performers on the Woodlands stage. Spanning seven shows, with seven standing ovations, Woodlands was blessed with an immensely talented cast whose effortless and professional performances had the audience clamouring for more.<\/p>\n
In 2015, the College was faced with the reality that many of its senior and stage hardened performers had matriculated in 2014. The College was still blessed, though, to have an abundance of incredibly talented young up-and-coming stars. Our seasoned performers had left a significant void behind and we needed to rebuild from the ground up. The challenge was to find a show that would allow us to enthral an audience and at the same time grow our young stars-in-the-making.<\/p>\n
Central Perk: the Musical is the tale of an underground band of bohemian misfits whose aim it was to fight against the destruction of live entertainment. The New Regime declared that all entertainment had to be digitally created and distributed. The lives of all singers, dancers, musicians, actors and artists had been destroyed. Central Perk \u2013 the coffee shop \u2013 became the underground safe haven for these unwanted bohemian artists. It was here the revolution found its strength and musical theatre was reborn.<\/p>\n
Despite the initial concerns at the beginning of the year, this show confirmed that young talent \u2013 no matter how inexperienced \u2013 should never be underestimated. Woodlands had proven once again that musical theatre was in incredible hands and, based on the success of this wonderful show, planning for the next production could begin \u2013 and a production befitting the 15th birthday of the College.<\/p>\n
After the pantomime Snow White in 2011, Woodlands found itself overflowing with young singers, actors, dancers and musicians enthusiastic to be on the stage and all with dreams of making it in show business. What better show to then stage at Woodlands other than the unmistakable title from the unforgettable film and television franchise Fame – The Musical? This remarkable film and series inspired generations to fight for fame and light up the sky like a flame! The show follows the final class of New York City\u2019s celebrated High School for the Performing Arts, from their admission in 1980 to their graduation in 1984. All of the struggles, fears and triumphs \u2013 from prejudice to substance abuse \u2013 are depicted with razor-sharp focus as the young artists navigate the worlds of music, drama and dance.<\/p>\n
This was an incredibly successful stage production that ensured that a love of Musical Theatre was being created and instilled at Woodlands. As they say in show business, \u201cthe show must go on\u201d \u2013 and at Woodlands it appears as if it will for a very long time to come.<\/p>\n
The applause continued in 2011 as the curtain came down on the phenomenal production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. This pantomime (defined as \u201ca theatrical entertainment, mainly for children, which involves music, topical jokes, and slapstick comedy and based on a fairytale or nursery story\u201d) ran for five nights with sold-out performances and had the audience wondering how it could possibly be topped.<\/p>\n
Marking the Musical Theatre Renaissance at Woodlands, the production was the perfect medium for involving as many students as possible, and forming a solid foundation for the more serious nature of acting on a stage before a large audience.<\/p>\n
2010 saw the students taking to the stage in the dramatic fashion show De Ja Vu. It was a show like no other and had the audience on their feet in rapturous applause.<\/p>\n
An incredible collaboration between the Grade 11 students of 2010, the culturally talented students of Woodlands and some friends, and an incredibly talented creative department made up of staff and guest choreographers, costume designers and make-up artists, this production was ironically \u2013 given its name \u2013 a theatrical extravaganza so unique in its context that it has not been possible to recreate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Take a healthy dollop of spicy acting, throw in some breathtaking singing and finish it off with whipped up dance choreography\u2026bake on the hottest stage in town\u2026yes, that sounds like theatre at Woodlands International College. In past years, Woodlands students have had the opportunity to showcase their creative talents in numerous theatrical genres \u2013 arguably …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1625,"parent":28,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n