The school’s annual senior production began with a free matinee performance for students and senior citizens and continues with public shows Friday and Saturday evenings.

Rehearsals started in October for the cast of 35, most of them year 12 students.

“That’s why we run it early on in the year,” director Richard Routley said.

“It’s one of the last things they do before things get serious.”

The musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein will follow a familiar plot, with themes that still resonate.

“Resilience, persistence, they’re the ideas that really come through,” he said.

“A young woman persisting against depression and then finding some sort of place for themselves –  it is a really old story.

“How you can modernise it without destroying some of the romance in it, I don’t know.” 

Cast members Emily Bell (Cinderella) and Imogen Hanlon (Stepmother) said rehearsals and learning the songs had been fun.

“There’s a 28-piece orchestra, so it sounds wonderful,” Emily said.

Both students also performed in last year’s show Mary Poppins, where Imogen played the famous nanny.

“It’s so good to be playing a different role this year, it’s a bit of a change but it’s definitely challenging me,” Imogen said.

Bookings for Cinderella can be made online.