Sandra Reilly has been involved in Southern Stars for 25 years. Photo: Keeli Dyson.
Thousands of children from more than 100 schools have come together for the first time to rehearse for Southern Stars but while all eyes are on the stage for the 25th year, it’s the decades-long dedication of the teachers behind the scenes that has been truly spectacular.
Albion Park Public School’s Sandra Reilly has been helping provide creative opportunities for children in Southern Stars since the very beginning.
After watching competitive spaces crush the spirits of kids who just wanted to experience the joy of performing, Sandra jumped at the opportunity for her students to be involved in the show when it launched in 2001.
She still sees the benefits year after year.
“It’s just such a good experience,” Sandra said.
“They wouldn’t otherwise get this opportunity to do things like this; they would never dance in front of 5000 unless they’re an actual dancer.
“At the end of the day, they’re going to remember this, not the maths lesson you taught them in Year 6.”
In the early days, her sewing skills were put to the test, with the creative costuming a highlight of the show.
“We were Elvis Presley one year in suits with red sequins and guitars; the kids all had their hair slicked back,” she said.
“Probably the best costume we had was Sully from Monsters Inc. – I had blue and purple fur from one end of my house to the other.
“We were Humpty Dumpty one year and had these great big heads.
The first rehearsal for the show’s finale, which sees thousands of students on the stage at once. Photo: Emma Beaton.
“When Happy Feet came out, we had the tapping penguins – all these little tap dancers in penguin costumes; it was the cutest thing you’ve ever seen.
“When we were Einstein I had bald caps and wadding and I’m sitting up there during rehearsal sticking it on their heads.”
These days the costumes are outsourced more and the inclusion of a circus troupe has replaced some more risky show elements.
“One year we had a Harley Davidson drive out in the arena with us; we had a dune buggy drive out; we’ve had a horse walk around,” Sandra said.
“You could get away with stuff back then.”
The rehearsal process has also changed over time with a little help from technology.
“When I first started we didn’t even have CDs; so the first couple of years we would be at a dance rehearsal and we’re writing notes and you’d do a printed sheet of the steps,” Sandra said.
“Now we just put a video on Google Classroom and they go home and learn it and we practise once a week.”
Two thousand five hundred performers have now come together for the first time at the WIN Entertainment Centre with teachers and volunteers managing the chaos of getting them all on stage.
“If you tried to explain it to someone they would say that is never going to work but every year it just all comes together,” Sandra said.
It’s a surreal experience for Abby Trommestad, who is now supporting the kids from Farmborough Road Public School to perform, a decade after she was in the show herself.
“You get to see their excitement and it just matches the same as when you did it, just going on the stage with the lights and doing the choreography; I just feel like it’s come full circle and it’s inspiring just seeing them be so happy and sharing that same passion,” Abby said.
Abby wearing her mum’s 2004 Southern Stars top to mark the 25-year celebration. Photo: Keeli Dyson.
It also marks a family legacy for Abby, who is following her mother, who was first involved in 2004.
“She did it for 12 years,” Abby said. “I saw her be involved and that really inspired me to do it as a student and now I’m a teacher at the same school that my mum was and taking the kids to their performance.”
This year the school has brought its biggest group ever, with Abby knowing first-hand how important this experience will be.
“It’s a chance for them to feel special,” she said.
“Just to be able to perform on stage and be a part of a shared performance; not a lot of kids get to do that at such a young age.
“I have friends still now that I met in Southern Stars when I was in primary school – I still have connections to them.”
It has also provided a fresh perspective on just how difficult it is to manage thousands of children at the peak of excitement.
“When you grow up in Southern Stars the teachers always seem cranky because they’re telling you to be quiet or trying to get you somewhere and now I’m that person,” Abby said. “The roles are reversed; it’s so weird.”
Southern Stars 2025 UNLIMITED will play at the WIN Entertainment Centre on Friday 29 August for the 10 am school matinee, and at 7 pm; and on Saturday 30 August at 1 and 7 pm.
Tickets are on sale for Southern Stars 2025 UNLIMITED from Ticketmaster.
