Raglan Theatre Academy made a vibrant return with a three-day school holiday programme, marking its first of its kind after an eight-year hiatus. Founder and teacher Ruth Hare described the experience as “such a blast” and hinted that we can definitely expect more in the future.
A lively mix of new and experienced young performers gathered at the Old School Arts Centre to play, create, and bring a performance to life for their families. Ruth shared that she tuned into what the group was excited about—and the answer was clear: “Let’s do a performance!”
From there, the group dove into drama games and creative exercises, followed by brainstorming their characters and building a storyline together. By the final day, their performance was shaped, which they proudly presented to their parents.
Stella Quinlivan, one of the programme students, described the experience as “fun and enjoyable working together to make every part of the play, like writing, learning scripts, costumes and props. Made new friends too.” Her father, Ryan, who attended the final performance, praised the effort, saying he “thought it was amazing what they came up with in three days. It was a well written and cool performance, with big themes covered.” Charlie Munkenbeck, another of the students involved, spoke about the personal growth the programme offered: “I really enjoyed learning new ways to express myself on stage and getting to know other kids my age in the local area.” Charlie’s mother, Jaime, was equally amazed, noting, “I was really impressed how much the kids learnt in 3 days!! Amazing that they all remembered their lines.”
In addition to school holiday programmes and weekly classes, the school begins preparing for its end-of-year production starting in mid-year. Be sure to mark the last weekend of November on your calendar, as the academy offers a special treat for the community with its annual production.
If you are interested in upcoming programmes and information on weekly classes head to: raglantheatreacademy.co.nz.
