Calvary Primary Students Dazzle in 'Madagascar: A Musical Adventure Jr.' to Sell-Out Crowds

CALVARY Christian College’s Primary students captivated audiences with their impressive performance of DreamWorks’ Madagascar: A Musical Adventure Jr., in two sell-out shows. This marked the school’s first Primary musical production in over a decade, and due to its overwhelming success, a primary musical is now set to become a biannual feature of the College calendar.

The College’s Performing and Creative Arts Coordinator, Mrs Robyn Tipping, expressed her enthusiasm for directing the production.

“It was an absolute privilege to direct this musical with the entire Primary College. Over the past six months, we’ve worked together to bring this lively performance to life,” she said.

As part of their Semester 1 curriculum, students engaged in an in-depth study of musical theatre, which included exploring the characters, setting, and music of Madagascar. This educational approach ensured that every class was immersed in the world of the musical, culminating in thrilling performances by each year level and a high-energy finale where all students joined together to sing the theme song, “I Like to Move It.”

“My greatest joy and passion are introducing our students to the world of Musical Theatre, which gives them the opportunity to engage in drama, dance and music with connections to a story that is engaging and relatable,” Mrs Tipping said.

“Not only is it fun, but engaging in the Arts is a vital part of learning on all levels, playing a significant role in neural development, executive function and creativity. We saw so many of our students grow in skill, confidence and social interactions during this period.

“Producing an event on a large scale like this requires a team of dedicated, vision driven people. We are proud to be a part of a dynamic team culture at Calvary Christian College, with amazing Primary Directors who made it all possible,” she said.

For Calvary Primary students this experience has been an unforgettable one, for some even life changing.

Year 4 student Annabel Lasscock, who played Marty the Zebra, shared her excitement for the experience.

“I loved making new friends and pushing myself to the limit. I love that Marty has so many ways to show himself and I loved dressing up and playing his character. I learned a lot from my first musical, especially about how to work with a team. It was a lot of fun!” she said.

Another standout performer, Year 6 student Bailey Baker, had the audience laughing with his portrayal of Skipper the Penguin.

“I loved acting and being on stage. It was a great chance to spend time with my friends and make new ones,” he said.

College Primary Specialist Teacher of the Arts and Musical Director, Rebekah Bigalla said Madagascar was a good choice for students to really embrace the musical theatre experience.

“Madagascar has a lot of vibrant characters who are fun to play with and recognisable to many. We also wanted to give many opportunities for our students to experience being a main cast member – Madagascar gave us this opportunity," she said.

Miss Bigalla said that around 80 students from Years 4 to 6 auditioned for main roles and despite the considerable time and effort involved, the experience was truly memorable for the entire College community.

“We were blown away at what our students were capable of. They showed remarkable resilience throughout the musical process and tremendous courage to perform in front of two sell-out crowds – approximately 1400 people in total.

“Our youngest main cast members are only ten years old. For most of our students, this was their first time performing like this on a stage and we are incredibly proud of their efforts,” she said.

The musical’s success highlighted the collective effort and talent of the Primary College, making it a memorable and moving experience for both students and the audience.

“We could not have done this without the support of our Primary Directors, team, and parents of the College. It has been our privilege to watch our students shine in this way – to see their confidence, performance skills, and friendships with each other grow has been wonderful,” Miss Bigalla said.