By DANI ROTHWELL
STUDENTS at Kooweerup Secondary College are aiming to have their names in lights.
This year’s production is the school edition of Les Miserables which is sure to test the abilities of the students.
Their teachers, however, are certain they will succeed.
Rehearsals began in May and will go through until their first of five performances on 27 August.
Assistant principal Leonie McGinley said the students were very committed.
“It’s a great passion for them – they love it,” she said.
“They even came in during the school holidays for a whole day.”
Currently, students are rehearsing up to 11 hours a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
“It’s a real team effort from families,” she said.
“We have a number of parents who’ve been coming in each Sunday while their kids are rehearsing to help with costumes.”
The long-running musicals component of the school encourages the students to get out of their comfort zones and learn to love performing.
The Kooweerup High School Theatre Group was established in 1979 and has run a musical every year since.
It is estimated that 167 shows have been performed with 36,500 audience members, 1725 cast members and 597 band members.
With this many people involved, it’s also estimated that 3180 cans of soft drink and 4432 chocolate bars have been consumed.
Throughout the past 36 years of musicals, the Kooweerup High School Theatre Group believes there have been about 48 on-stage kisses.
Past musicals include Seussical: The Musical (2008), Jesus Christ Superstar (2005) and Annie (1987, 2001, 2013).
The students have also won the overall prize in 2012 and 2013 for the local Schools on Stage Competition, and took out Best Song in 2014.
The public are welcome to attend the evening performances of Les Miserables on Thursday 27 August, Friday 28 August and Saturday 29 August.
Tickets are available through: http://www.trybooking.com/148374
