Stage Door Productions Charitable Trust also enjoyed success at the annual Junior Theatre Festival NZ gathering.

The talented troupe behind Stage Door’s recent hit, Newsies Jr, travelled north to take part in the three-day festival – a gathering of young performers from across the country.

The group participated in workshops, attended performances, and presented excerpts from Newsies Jr before an international panel of theatre professionals. Their hard work paid off, earning them the Excellence in Dance Award.

Stage Door principal Trace Tidd, pictured, said this year marked the trust’s first appearance at the festival, an experience they had long hoped to make possible.

“This year we were determined, though, and with lots of planning, parent help and a generous donation from the FearNot Foundation, we were able to make it work,” she said.

In addition to the main festival performance, seven Stage Door Performing Arts Academy students were selected to take part in an exclusive week-long pilot programme leading up to the festival.

“They spent the week working with amazing theatre makers from New Zealand, the US, and England, learning and rehearsing an entire new Broadway Jr musical.”

Their week culminated in a performance at the festival’s opening ceremony.

Tidd herself was also recognised with a festival observership, granting her behind-the-scenes access to the pilot programme and the festival weekend.

“This gave me access to attend the pilot week and then during the festival weekend, to take part in workshops and training sessions for theatre directors.”