Senior Arts News

Twelfth Night, The Musical: A sold-out season success

The Performing Arts Department proudly congratulates the cast, crew, band, creative team and staff behind the 2026 Senior Musical, Twelfth Night, which played to sold out audiences in the Jamie and Rebecca Gray Theatre. 

This year’s production marked a particularly exciting milestone for St Catherine’s School, as we became one of the first schools in Australia, and the first company in Victoria, to stage the musical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, conceived by acclaimed artists Shaina Taub and Kwame Kwei-Armah. 

The journey to bring this production to life began during the 2024 New York Performing Arts Tour, when members of our Performing Arts team attended a Broadway performance of Shaina Taub’s Tony Award-winning musical Suffs. Following the performance, the opportunity to meet Shaina at the stage door and discuss her work sparked excitement and inspiration that would ultimately lead to this year’s production choice. To then stage her musical adaptation of Twelfth Night at St Catherine’s was both a privilege and a thrill. 

Set within a whimsical and colourful Illyria, inspired by circus and coastal dramaturgy, the production combined music, movement, comedy and heartfelt storytelling to explore themes of identity, love, disguise and belonging. Audiences responded enthusiastically to the production’s humour and emotional depth, with each performance met by overwhelming support from our community. 

The success of Twelfth Night is a testament to the commitment and collaboration of our students and staff. Our cast embraced the demands of Shakespearean storytelling alongside Shaina Taub’s contemporary score with professionalism and courage. The best pit-band in Melbourne were electric (figuratively and literally, with 90 meters of fibre optic cabling connecting them in the Hall Green Room to us in the theatre), while the student crew and production teams worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure every technical and design element supported the storytelling. 

A special thank you must also go to the dedicated staff and creatives whose expertise and generosity shaped the work throughout the rehearsal process. The countless hours spent rehearsing, designing, building, organising and mentoring allowed our students to flourish both artistically and personally. 

Most importantly, this production celebrated the joy of live theatre and the power of ensemble storytelling. It has been rewarding to watch our students support one another, take creative risks, and grow in confidence as performers, musicians, technicians and leaders. 

Congratulations once again to everyone involved in Twelfth Night. It was a production full of heart and imagination, and one that will long be remembered and cherished at St Catherine’s School. 

“So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.” 

Mr James Brown 

Head of Performing Arts