From Page to Performance 

Tim Roach

Head of Learning – Performing Arts

This year’s production of Diary of a Wimpy Kid was an absolute highlight! 

What made this project so special was that it was entirely student written, adapted and directed. Watching young people take ownership of every layer of the process from prop, set and lighting design, to acting and directing, really demonstrates the power of drama and music to build confidence, leadership and connection, and how lucky we are to have such a strong culture of Performing Arts in our school community.

Emily Lynch, our student director, led the production with a level of professionalism well beyond her years. In addition to her experiences doing work placements in theatres, and being a 2025 Melbourne Theatre Company Ambassador, it is so evident that her experiences in Drama classes, the BSC Theatre Sports team and whole-school productions, have really helped her develop her craft in the way she guided the cast. She communicated clearly, problem-solved calmly and created an environment where younger students felt supported to take risks and contribute ideas. It was a privilege to see her skills translate into such strong artistic leadership.

The way this production opened doors for students across year levels has been absolutely fantastic. Junior students were able to collaborate with others they might never have met otherwise, and developed really strong friendships. Students developed not only their performance and musical abilities but also their teamwork, resilience and sense of belonging.

Projects like this are a reminder of why creative and performing arts matter. When students are trusted to lead, they rise to the occasion, and the learning that occurs both onstage and off is so, so powerful. I am incredibly proud of the students involved and grateful to have been able to support them on this journey. 

Emily Lynch, Year 11

I’ve had such an amazing time writing and directing Diary of a Wimpy Kid. This opportunity has allowed me to develop so many new skills, showing me what it really takes to create a show from the very beginning and bring a great performance to life. I’m incredibly proud of this production and of our wonderful cast, who worked so hard to embody each character and demonstrate their individual talents in acting, singing and dancing.

Being part of the junior production when I was younger was one of the highlights of my time at this school, and it inspired me to help give younger students that same experience. Junior productions offer such a valuable chance for students to build confidence, meet new people, and learn what it’s like to rehearse, learn lines, and perform in front of an audience.

I’m so grateful to Mr Roach for trusting me to write this show and for giving me the opportunity to take the reins with directing - allowing me to make the show truly my own. I’ll always be thankful for this experience as performing arts is my passion and I’m incredibly lucky to have gained so much first-hand knowledge that I can carry with me into the future.  

Nina Cartwright, Year 8

Playing Rowley was a fun challenge. At first it was all about learning my lines, which felt like a lot, but as rehearsals went on I realised how important it was to pay attention to what everyone else was doing. Fitting my character into the ensemble moments made the whole show stronger. I learned that acting is reacting, listening and building off what other characters do. Fully stepping into the character became one of my favourite parts of the whole process. 

Ned Treasure, Year 8My favourite part of the process was the rehearsals right before the performance. That was when everything finally felt like it was coming together and I could see how all the different scenes connected. Earlier on I didn’t always know where my parts fit, but those final rehearsals made it all clear. Seeing everyone’s work combine into a full show was really satisfying and made me realise how much teamwork goes into making a production work.

Ema Cruz Arbildua, Year 8

What I enjoyed most was watching the show slowly take shape. We spent a lot of time blocking scenes with most of the cast and sometimes worked separately on scenes with the main characters. It wasn’t until we put everything together that it truly felt like a real production. By performance night I felt confident because we had rehearsed the full show enough to understand how it all flowed. Performing in front of people made all the rehearsals feel worthwhile. 

Lyra Moxham, Year 7

At first I was worried the show would not be ready in time, but in the last few days of rehearsal everything suddenly clicked together. The performance went really well and it felt amazing to be part of something that came together so strongly at the end. I learned the importance of working hard, communicating with others and always trying my best for the whole cast. 

Alessia Di Florio, Year 8

The performance night was the highlight for me. After running the whole show during rehearsals, it felt great to finally perform for an audience. Practising the full sequence of scenes helped build my confidence. Once we were onstage everything we had worked on came to life. Even when things went wrong we knew how to keep going. Performing after so much preparation was a really rewarding experience. 

Maddie Steendam, Year 7

The best part for me was performing the show after all our hard work. Things never go completely perfectly and mistakes happen, but the show still turned out well. I learned that if something goes wrong onstage the most important thing is to keep going and stay focused. You just continue with whatever needs to happen next. That confidence comes from rehearsing and trusting the cast. 

Evelyn Tamsitt, Year 9

My favourite part was meeting new people and feeling the energy of performance night. Seeing everything come together, especially the Safety Dance, was a lot of fun. I was also surprised by how well the show worked with the bands. We have not done many performances where the band is fully integrated into the action, so it was exciting to be part of something that blended music and drama so closely.