How Northbridge musical productions such as Annie bring our school community together

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To each person involved, a musical provides a challenging opportunity in which to invest him or herself, and to push his or her boundaries to the extreme. 

Whether this means actors and actresses with no prior experience pushing themselves by trying out, then rehearsing endlessly to bring their characters to life; members of the parent community painting sets, running to market and tailoring costumes; students taking on leadership roles by designing dance numbers; teachers putting their leadership skills to the test backstage, in the sound and lighting booth, or while building and painting sets; a musical gives all involved the opportunity to go outside their comfort zone to produce a unique and highly satisfying work of art.

For the actors and actresses, the endless hours spent memorizing their lines, learning their dances, and developing their singing voices shows in the increased confidence they exude on stage and in life.  

As a performer, each one has to be prepared for whatever might come his or her way; they never know when a microphone will fizzle out, a costume will come unglued, or a castmate will forget his or her line.

Yet, through hard work, and a lot of dedication, they gather the courage to put themselves up there for all of us to see, hear, feel, and enjoy. It is quite a pressure filled journey, yet one that leads to unparalleled self-growth.

On the evening of 28 February 2019, our Northbridge community witnessed the results of that unbelievable effort when we came to see Annie.  

As director, I always find it hard to fathom just how many hours of work, by how many people, go into producing a piece of work that lasts for merely one fleeting hour.

Yet, by looking at the impact it brings to the lives of so many, most would attest to just how worth it that experience has been for them. This magnificent experience that will stay with us for our entire lives.

It’s been heartwarming to hear from so many members of our Northbridge family about how you, “can’t stop singing Annie songs,” or “how well the actors showed their poise during moments of adversity,” or “how It looked like they’d been prepared for any possibility!”

And of course, none of us will ever forget the thunderous applause we received from you, our treasured audience.  

Our young performers showed themselves to be stars, in every sense of the word. They were poised! They were professional! They were outstanding! And, this is completely thanks to the efforts of our school community. We did this together!

Thank you for your unbelievable support. We hope you enjoyed the results of our efforts, and look forward to bringing Broadway to Cambodia again soon.