SYDNEY: With only five weeks until opening night, the Galstaun College K-12 Musical Review is steaming ahead, with extra rehearsals, set building and painting and costume fittings.

The school is buzzing with talk of the upcoming performances from students and teachers in both primary and secondary school.

Galstaun College Head of Performing Arts Adrea Getley said: "The last two weeks have seen great progress; with Year 3 and Year 4 now well on their way to perfection. Students from both these years have given up their Friday lunch hours to learn dance steps, facial expressions and the lyrics to their songs and scripts, and they are so excited about the upcoming performances, that you can hear students humming and singing the songs in the playground, before school, during recess and lunch and hopping on the buses in the afternoons."

Year three students will be performing the song ‘Hakuna Matata' from the much-loved movie musical The Lion King, complete with Simba, Pumbaa and Timon.

The acting roles will be played by Nareg Tchaprazian (Pumbaa), Gayane Kortian (Timon) and Nejteh Moskofian (Simba). Students will perform a short dramatic scene prior to the song, and already the year three students are exhibiting incredible enthusiasm, commitment and talent. They even have a stuffed replica toy of Pumbaa as their classroom mascot to inspire their rehearsals.

Year four are also working overtime to ensure their performances are in excellent shape. With the help of Mrs. Diana Stachersky, the year four teacher, the students are taking extra rehearsals up in the hall to ensure that they are more than ready for opening night.

The year four students will be performing ‘I've Got No Strings' from Pinocchio with Patrick Kopoushian playing the role of Pinocchio, along with Ari Simonian and Tenny Karapetian who will perform an acting scene with Patil Sevagian from the high school.

Getley added: "Being the largest year group in the primary school, the dancing component of the song was exceedingly difficult to choreograph, yet the year four students worked and continue to work tirelessly to make sure that no one trips or forgets their positions on the night.

"Again, as with year three, the year four students are demonstrating an incredible level of commitment and enthusiasm towards their performances, and we all very much look forward to seeing them perform over the weekend in September."

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased for $10 each for any of the three performances. Performances are on Friday 10th September, Saturday 11th September and Sunday 12th September. Call the Administration for ticket purchasing details on 99706984.