Young performers take to the stage at Playhouse Opera
Learners from Warner Beach and many other schools will form part of a choir that will perform in the 'Dream On: A Poppins Tale of Joseph' musical production.
THE 2024 annual Young Performers Project (YPP) will have the biggest cast yet: 170 school children, from Warner Beach to Umhlali, will take to the stage at the Playhouse Opera from July 6 to 14.
The children, aged from five to 19, from more than 50 schools in KwaZulu-Natal, will participate in the specially created jukebox production of Dream On: A Poppins Tale of Joseph, which is a pastiche of fabulous musical theatre numbers.
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Publicist Illa Thompson said that for the second time, the cast includes primary school learners. “Historically, YPP focused on high school learners, but last year, the attraction of a live on-stage massed children’s choir led to the decision to audition primary school learners to create two on-stage choirs of 55 children each, who alternate performances. This exercise was so successful, it is being repeated this year,” she said.
The cast jointly represents schools across all locations, demographics and languages representing private, government, independent, rural, online and township schools – as well as home-schooled individuals from Warner Beach to Umhlali – and everywhere in between.
The plotline is a young show director who is beside herself when she needs to create a production at the Playhouse, but all the best shows have been taken.
“The kindly cleaner, Brenton from The Bluff, who has a penchant for show tunes himself, played by Rory Booth, suggests the director summon Mary Poppins, who always has a solution for everything. In flies Poppins (Georgie Mabbett Kelly) with her children, Jane and Michael, and her trusty carpet bag, into which they all toss ideas and inspiration. A book on bugs and beetles, a piece of jewellery, and an assortment of scripts are all mixed together, whereby Poppins magically reveals the perfect story for the director. The ethos of the Joseph story about the importance of family, forgiveness, love and respect is embellished with some brilliant toe-tapping tunes.”
The YPP’s goal is to groom talented youth in the art of musical theatre, under the guidance of professional directors, musical directors, vocal directors and choreographers, while promoting cross-cultural friendships, strong interpersonal skills and developing a talent pool of young performers for the future of arts and culture in South Africa.
The musical is staged by The Young Performers Project NPC, in association with The Playhouse Company, SAMRO and Go! Durban Academy (eThekwini Municipality).
The daytime show runs for 90 minutes, with an interval. It is suitable for ages four and above. Tickets are available through Webtickets.
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