Aladdin on stage at Te Puke Intermediate School

Back left, Marco Gargiulo (Genie), Scarlett Munro (Abanazar), front from left, Molly Mcgowan (Jasmine) Alyza Rollinson (Scherazade) and Tyler Karl (Aladdin). Photo / Stuart Whitaker

Panto will meet the Arabian nights for Te Puke Intermediate’s production next week.

The musical Aladdin will be staged on Wednesday and Thursday evenings in the school’s performing arts centre and the cast and crew are now in the “production school” final phase of preparation.

Director Becky Gardiner says the audition process began towards the end of term 1.

“We opened up the auditions to the whole school. We have a learning centre called Expressive and usually a lot of those kids are part of [the production] but actually our main characters are from the learning centres Energize and Excel - so it’s really nice that it’s opened up to everyone in the school, not just the performing arts learning centre.”

She says the process was a long one with students often auditioning for many parts.

Walter (King), Lachy Shirley (Sultan) and Haven Roberts (Wantu). Photo / Stuart Whitaker

“It seems like all the students, in the roles they’ve got now, are just perfect, so I’m really happy it came out the way it did.”

There is also plenty of backstage involvement for other students, including making props and scenery, as the production is an important tool for learning.

“Performing arts is part of the curriculum and is a core subject, but it does sometimes get overlooked, so this is a great way to promote this is what performing arts looks like.”

Becky says sometimes students who are not used to, or are apprehensive about, performing in the end “think it’s amazing”.

Jaymee Crawford (Wishy), middle Amelie Douglas (Widow Twankey) and Emily Winkworth (Washy). Photo / Stuart Whitaker

“It opens a door for them to something that they might not have thought they could do in the past and it’s a good way for the community and for our school to be promoting performing art in a positive way.

“The most rewarding thing to see is the ones that aren’t used to getting up actually getting up and doing it.”

Preparation has been slowed by illness and other events at the school but in the final stretch it is the main focus of those involved.

“They’ve got so much on and a lot of pressure with sports and academics and that’s made it tricky, but at the end of the day they have worked really hard and I am proud of what they’ve done so far.”

• Tickets are available from the school office.