Rotorua Musical Theatre is inviting locals to escape the 'zoo' of life and join them on a transatlantic musical adventure.
More than 58 children aged between 10 to 18 years, from most Rotorua schools, will play the outlandish characters based off the DreamWorks movie Madagascar.
Madagascar – A Musical Adventure JR follows the well-known characters Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the hip Hippo and the plotting penguins, as they escape from their home in New York's Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien's Madagascar.
The Broadway Junior shows are specifically written for students to perform and Madagascar Jr director Natasha Benfell said the previous show, Shrek Jnr, was a huge success.
"It has been amazing to watch their confidence grow since auditions and through rehearsals. [The children] are learning new skills and developing friendships through the shared experience of collaborating on this show."