Alyssa selected for Junior Theatre NZ programme

14 year old Alyssa Hartley has been accepted into the Junior Theatre NZ Festival Week Pilot Programme taking place in Auckland from 19 – 23 October. A maximum number of 50 young people up to aged 18 have been selected into the programme which will give them a learning experience like none other.

On the Monday they have to audition for a show which will take place on the Friday. This year it is ‘Frozen,’ and naturally Alyssa would love to be cast as Queen Elsa but just to be in the chorus will be great. They learn their lines and rehearse the show through to Thursday before performing the next day.

It started for Alyssa back in July when she performed the lead role of Ariel in ‘The Little Mermaid’ in the Manawatu Youth Theatre’s production in Palmerston North. All 13 shows were sold out and at the end the President of the Youth Theatre nominated her for the Junior Theatre NZ programme for which she was accepted.

Alyssa would love a career in theatre and music and is busy preparing for the possibility. This year she is studying for her Grade 6 singing exam. Next year it will be a Musical Theatre exam and either grade 7 or 8 singing. Even though she will be only in year 11, NCEA Level 1 next year, she will be taking Level 3 Music at Whanganui High School along with Drama, Singing, English, Maths and French.

Expect to hear a lot more about Alyssa’s progress in music and drama in the future.

River City Press 24/9/20