Happy Campers Bring Rockin' Disney Musical To Stage

GET ready to rock! A high-energy musical, featuring a classic story of rivalry and power, is set to come alive in February and March.

Presented by Black Box Creations and directed by Katherine Freind (note to subs: spelling correct), Camp Rock: The Musical opens with Mitchie and her friends arriving at Camp Rock, ready to spend another summer jamming and having the time of their lives.

But the new, flashy Camp Star across the lake now threatens Camp Rock's very existence - to keep the doors open, Mitchie steps up, rallies her fellow Camp Rockers and gets them into top shape for the ultimate showdown.

The musical is based on the Disney films Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, both starring the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato.

"Camp Rock is a fun show with great music and features a large ensemble cast with many featured roles," Freind said.

"I am very passionate about youth theatre and enjoy helping children to learn new skills, gain confidence and make new friends.

"Whether the children are singers, actors, dancers or triple-threats, everyone has an opportunity to shine in this high-energy show!"

Learning dance as a three-year-old and performing at age seven, Freind has performed extensively in range of productions with highlights including Evita at His Majesty's Theatre and Oliver, The King and I, The Mikado and Cruisin' The Musical (with Glenn Shorrock), all at the Regal Theatre.

She studied at the WA Academy of Performing Arts and Trinity College of London and spent five years as part of the duo MUSE with Nat Ripepi, supporting numerous local, interstate and international acts while also releasing a CD.

Freind has also been director or musical director of numerous shows including The Great Christmas Tree Robbery, The Wizard of Oz, Snow White, Annie, Beauty and The Beast, Aladdin Jr, Looking Back and Peter Pan and currently owns The Stage Key Company, providing dance and musical theatre training for 300 children and adults.

"With Camp Rock, we are on a very tight schedule and have doubled our core cast which, of course, doubles the work," she said. "But it does give more kids greater opportunities, so it's worth it.

"Also, given we are performing in two separate theatres, I need to make sure our set design is easily moved from one theatre to the next."

Disney's Camp Rock: The Musical plays at the Kalamunda Performing Arts Centre at 7pm February 17, 18, 24 and 25 and 2pm February 18, 19, 25 and 26 and the Koorliny Arts Centre at 7pm March 17 and 18 and 2pm March 18 and 19.

Tickets are $25, $20 concessions and children - book for the Kalamunda shows at www.trybooking.com/NRPM and the Koorliny shows at www.koorliny.com.au.

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