The winter holidays are almost upon us, and Wellington is ready to take to the stage and celebrate with a star-studded series of music and theatre events. Whether it is Christmas carols or Scottish perils, we have a little something for everybody. Here is a taste of what the festive performance season has to offer.

The holiday music season kicks off at 2:00pm on Thursday 18 November with Wellington's first-ever Pre-Prep Christmas Concert. Our year 1 and 2 pupils will fill the College Theatre with Christmas cheer with a variety of seasonal songs. The following week, on Tuesday 23 November at 6:00pm, our Lower Prep orchestra and choir will take to the stage for a musical feast of all our festive favourites. Then at 6:00pm the following evening (24 November), it is our Upper Prep and Senior School Concert. This evening will feature our Upper Prep/Senior School orchestra, bands and choirs bringing warm winter tidings. The evening will also see the debut performance of our staff/parent choir with our Upper Prep/Senior School orchestra as they perform portions of Handel's Messiah.

This modern reworking of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy places the action over 40 minutes. The ensemble of 25 actors from years 6 through 8 have worked with Mrs Heatley and Mr Jones in shaping this immersive performance into an intimate experience for a small audience This sold out show aims to make the performance as engaging, relevant and shocking as its original performance. The work has been inspired by the Shakespeare in Schools Festival in the UK, a nationwide arts festival that brings schools together with professional theatres. There will be two main performances: 2 and 3 December at 6:00pm in the Black Box Theatre with a special afternoon performance at 5:00pm on 3 December due to popular demand. 

Aladdin: The Pantomime

Once again, Wellington continues its annual tradition with a holiday pantomime. On 9 and 10 December, our Upper Prep pupils will roll out the magic carpet and spirit audiences away to the bustling streets of ancient Baghdad. You know the story! With the help of Genie, the street-smart Aladdin outwits the diabolical Abanazer as he vies for the affections of the beautiful Princess Jasmine. Expect lots of laughs, as well as some fun and familiar musical numbers, courtesy of our music department.

In case you missed it…

Earlier this month, Wellingtonians put their dance talents to the test with our annual Have-to-Dance competition. Competition winners then joined our dance scholars to perform in Wellington's first-ever Autumn Dance Showcase. We are excited to share some highlights from the evening.