Presented by: Pelican Productions
Reviewed: 16 January 2026
Please note: The following review is of the Hollywood cast.
In January of every year Pelican Productions hold their Music Theatre Camp which is a two week intensive “boot” camp in a friendly atmosphere which culminates in a showcase of what the students have learnt and rehearsed in those two weeks. This year the show is called Rise Up. The theme celebrates courage, growth and finding one’s own voice. The title is also indicative of the young performers rising up to show their skills and talent.
Tutoring and mentoring of this young talent are some of the most respected and experienced professionals in vocal coaching and choreography – names such as Rosie Hosking, Bec Schembri, Dee Farnell, Michael Griffiths, Mim Sarre, Joe Meldrum, Jemma Allen and Aidan Munn to name only a few. With this amount of talent, expertise and professionalism behind the performers one would expect quality in performances. The cast that this reviewer saw soared way beyond expectations (and having reviewed some of the names in the other casts in other shows, I would assume that they would too). The display of talent presented to us on the night was astounding!
The show is divided into sets of songs from various musicals: Act One has Hamilton, Oliver, Boop (a musical that was on Broadway only last year) and Rocky Horror. Act Two has Legally Blonde, Something Rotten (this reviewer’s Bucket List item), Hairspray and Once Upon A One More Time (it had to happen – a fairytale jukebox musical based around Brittany Spears songs). The Senior students presented Hamilton, Boop, Something Rotten and Once Upon A One More Time, whilst the Junior students presented the rest.
The evening started with a bang with Jack Keukenmeester presenting us with the now classic Hamilton pose and it just got even more powerful from there. There are far too many Seniors to mention by name (I will do my best) but suffice it to say all of them rocked whenever they were on stage for any of their segments. Keukenmeester was strong and powerful as Hamilton and well supported by all. Lucy Stirling, Emma Good and Chloe Molineux impressed as the sisters Schuyler; whilst Keukenmeester and Henry Green as Aaron Burr had us all hanging from every word of their duet Found Tonight. There was a lot of dance skill required in the Boop segment, and it got it from these performers – tight and sassy! Let me just state here that all the choreography (and there was a lot!) from the Seniors and Juniors was incredibly tight and precise up to a professional standard. Something Rotten is this reviewer’s all time favourite ‘unseen’ musical – so I had very high expectations. Was I disappointed? Not a bit!!Joakim Georgievski as the Minstrel welcomed us so elegantly to the Renaissance, while a tight fitting black suited Francis Osei-Tutu (Shakespeare) told us why it’s So Hard To Be The Bard, with the help of his fantastic Backup Manservants Keukenmeester, Green and Sebastian Cox. Ali Burns smashed Right Hand Man with well-timed interjections from Dash Heffernan Lucic and Benji Marks. The showstopper of the evening (as well as on Broadway) was the big number, A Musical. This is a very clever and funny number explaining how something called a musical will take the world by storm, wonderfully performed by all the Seniors. I dare you to pick out all 400 cleverly hidden references to Broadway Musicals (okay, I exaggerate – there’s only about 50). The last set on the Seniors’ list was Once Upon A One More Time with Zoe Pool as Cinderella and Cox as Prince Charming backed up by the rest of the Seniors as the other fairy tale princesses and princes. The great MTV dance moves stole this segment.
Now for the Juniors. Again, far too many to mention individually but rest assured every one of them is a gem. I do need to mention Vegas Nikolitsis as Nancy in the Oliver set singing one of my favourite songs, As Long As He Needs Me, so beautifully and meaningfully. I must also mention Nika Korcek (Brooke) and all her skipping partners in the famous jump rope song Whipped Into Shape from the Legally Blonde segment – precision perfect from all. A special shout out to young knee-high to a grasshopper Matthew Vuong. This young guy is probably the youngest and was so determined in getting everything spot on (and he did). What a little trouper! Act One finishes with the Time Warp and watching these youngsters being so energetic is the perfect way to go for a break. But be warned, we the audience do not get out of it so lightly. Riff Raff (a cameo appearance by Casey Mifsud, who was so good as Scaramouche in Pelican’s We Will Rock You) asks, nay, demands that the audience stand up and do it as well.
As always with Pelican, all aspects of putting on a zinger of a show are meticulous: from stage managing 500 or so children, to great costumes, lighting, sound etc. The time just flies by not just because the show zings by pace wise, but because we become entranced and mesmorised by the young, upcoming talent that abounds here in Adelaide. I’m sure you will want to see it “one more time”.
Reviewed by Brian Godfrey
Photo credit: Eve Green
Venue: Michael Murray Centre for Performing Arts – Westminster School
Season: Until 18 January 2026
Duration: 2hr including a 20 min interval
Tickets: $35 – $45
Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1508857
