College Musical
A wrap-up and thank-you for the 2026 College Musical Oliver! (Wednesday 19 – Saturday 22 August 2026, sold out), plus what families need to know about auditions for the 2027 musical in Term 1.
The College Musical is the largest single co-curricular event St Mary's stages each year, bringing together more than 100 students from Years 5 to 12 as cast, orchestra and crew. Our 2026 production of Oliver! closed on Saturday 22 August 2026 after five sold-out performances in Mary MacKillop Hall. This page wraps up the season and looks ahead to the 2027 musical, for which auditions will be held in Term 1.
Oliver! 2026 — thank you
Every one of the five performances — Wednesday 19, Thursday 20, Friday 21 and Saturday 22 August 2026 at 7:00pm, plus the Saturday 1:30pm matinee — sold out, with more than 2,200 people through the Hall doors across the week. That is a record for a College production.
Some numbers from the season:
| Cast | 68 students, Years 5–12 (our Year 5 and 6 students played the workhouse children and Fagin's gang) |
| Pit orchestra | 14 musicians — 11 students and 3 staff |
| Crew | 22 students on lighting, sound, stage management, props, costume and front of house |
| Rehearsal hours | Approximately 180 since Term 1 |
| Performances | 5, all sold out |
A special mention to our Year 8 Oliver, our Year 12 Nancy in her final College performance, and our Year 11 Fagin, who carried the show with remarkable poise. Every member of the ensemble, from the smallest workhouse child to the crew members calling cues in the dark, played a part in a production the whole community can be proud of.
Our thanks go to the production team:
- Director: Mr Julian Ashby, Head of Drama
- Musical Director: Ms Grace Whitlam, Director of Music
- Choreographer: Mrs Naomi Pike
- Producer: Mrs Julie Sanders
- The parents who sewed costumes, built the London rooftops, painted flats, ran the front-of-house roster and delivered cast suppers — we counted 46 parent volunteers across the season
- The P&F, who ran interval refreshments and raised $3,180 towards the Junior playground shade sails
Loose ends for Oliver! families
- Costume returns: all costumes and hired items must be returned to the Drama Studio, cleaned where instructed, by Friday 28 August 2026. Items not returned by then will be charged at replacement cost.
- Photos and video: a download link to the professional photographs and the filmed Saturday evening performance will be posted on the Parent Portal by Friday 11 September 2026. Only students with current media consent appear in the shared gallery — see the Photography & Media Consent Policy.
- Lost property from backstage is at the Senior Office; see Lost Property.
- Cast and crew celebration: Friday 4 September 2026, 3:30–5:00pm, Drama Studio. Pizza provided; RSVP to Mr Ashby.
The 2027 College Musical
The title of next year's musical will be announced from the stage at the Spring Concert on Wednesday 16 September 2026 and posted on the Portal the following morning.
Who can be involved
- Cast: students in Years 7–12 in 2027 (that is, current Years 6–11).
- Children's chorus: students in Years 5–6 in 2027, by invitation following a short workshop in Term 1.
- Pit orchestra: by invitation from Ms Whitlam, usually students in Concert Band, Stage Band or String Ensemble.
- Crew: Years 8–12, no experience needed; sign-up opens in Term 1 with the auditions.
Audition timeline (Term 1 2027)
| Date | What |
|---|---|
| Wednesday 3 February 2027, 3:30–5:00pm | Audition workshop, Drama Studio — learn the audition song and dance, no preparation needed |
| Monday 8 – Friday 19 February 2027 | Auditions (Term 1, Weeks 3–4), booked in 15-minute slots via Parent Portal > Bookings |
| Monday 22 February 2027 | Callbacks for principal roles, 3:30–5:30pm |
| Friday 26 February 2027 | Cast list published on the Portal and Drama Studio noticeboard |
| From Monday 1 March 2027 (Week 6) | Rehearsals begin |
At the audition each student sings 16–32 bars of a song of their choice (a backing track or our pianist), learns a short movement sequence and reads a scene provided on the day. Every student who auditions is offered a place in the cast or ensemble; principal roles are cast after callbacks.
The commitment
Rehearsals run Monday and Wednesday 3:30–5:30pm from Term 1 Week 6 until the production, plus several Sunday rehearsals in Term 3 and a production week of after-school and evening technical rehearsals. Performances are Wednesday 18 – Saturday 21 August 2027. Principal roles carry additional rehearsals. Families are asked to think about clashes with Saturday sport, sport training and part-time work before auditioning — the show only works if everyone is at every call.
There is no fee to be in the musical. Families are asked to supply basic items such as black shoes and to help with one front-of-house or backstage shift during performance week (a Working with Children Check is needed — see Volunteering & WWCC).
Questions
Contact Mr Julian Ashby at drama@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au, or the Music Office on (03) 9555 0130 for orchestra and ticketing questions. More about drama at St Mary's is on the Drama & Theatre page.