The Academy
Musical Theatre Classes for Teens in Sydney
Suitable for ages 12 - 18 years
Available at 4 Club Locations across Sydney: Bellevue Hill, Sylvania, Forestville & Annandale.
What time is it? Time to step into something fabulous.
This season, The Academy brings one of Disney's most iconic musicals to life: High School Musical 2. New challenges. A bigger stage. The same unstoppable energy.
The spotlight's here. Are you ready for it?
Summer's not here yet... but it will be come showtime, and Sharpay Evans has plans.
High School Musical 2 picks up where the original left off, with Troy, Gabriella, and the East High crew navigating a summer that puts friendship, identity, and loyalty to the test. It's bold, high-energy, and yes, a little fabulous. Everything The Academy was built for.
Expect iconic numbers including What Time Is It, Fabulous, You Are the Music in Me, I Don't Dance, and the massive ensemble finale: All for One.
COMING THIS MONTH
see what could be YOU on stage
The Academy & Dance Campers
Fri 24 July
What Is The Academy?
The Academy is MMC's program for teens aged 12–18, and a genuine step up from Rising Stars.
Where Rising Stars is the ideal starting point, The Academy is where students are pushed further. The shows are longer and more ambitious: full high school musical titles, not junior editions. The choreography is more technical. There are more principal roles, more solos, and a faster-paced season that starts getting into the exact stage performance sooner.
But the core of it stays exactly the same. Every student who wants to be in the show will be in the show. The level of challenge is higher; the support and warmth behind it are just as strong. The Academy is designed to meet each student where they are and stretch them from there.
Produced and directed by Paulina Pinete, MMC's Creative Director and industry professional, students are mentored throughout the season by a dedicated creative team who know how to get the best out of every performer.
Every student who wants to perform and enrols, will perform and receive a role. That's not a maybe. That's a guarantee.
What You'll Develop
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Musical theatre technique: building a versatile, stage-ready performance skill set
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Dance and movement: more technical choreography than Rising Stars, tailored to each student's level
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Acting for stage: presence, intention, and storytelling under lights
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Vocal performance: technique, range, control, and confidence
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Audition craft: preparing, presenting, and owning a room
Program Highlights
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A structured two-step audition process: building real audition confidence and preparation skills from the very first week
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Full high school musical titles: longer, more ambitious, and more technically demanding than Rising Stars productions
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More principal roles and solo moments across the production
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A season-end full-scale live production: costumed, lit, and performed onstage at Zenith Theatre, in front of a real audience
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Ongoing mentorship tailored to each student's level throughout the season
Auditions & Casting
The Academy runs a structured two-step audition process, one of the key ways it differs from Rising Stars, and one of the most valuable parts of the program itself.
Before the season starts, every enrolled student receives a full audition preparation pack, a clear guide on what to prepare before day one.
Between Sat 25 Jul - Thu 13 Aug: General Auditions
Students audition individually with the creative team while the rest of the class works on a separate activity. You'll present:
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A 1–1.5 minute up-tempo song or ballad in the similar genre or theme as this season's show (not a song from the show itself)
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A 45–60 second monologue in a similar genre or theme
This is a starting point, not an initial pass / fail screening. General Auditions are a chance for the team to learn your voice, your strengths, and what suits you best; and a chance for you to practise one of the most valuable skills in performing arts: preparing material, walking into a room, and presenting it with confidence.
Thu 13 & 20 Aug, Sat 15 & 22 Aug: Callback Auditions. Students audition for specific roles, with requirements drawn from the audition pack.
IMP AUDITION NOTE: Cast is announced late, which means 3 weeks less than usual before diving into full official content for a full two-hour production, most likely across two show days, and different roles across both. If you're auditioning for a main role, we ask for full, consistent attendance from here on, unless you're absolutely unable to make it. This isn't a rule for its own sake, it's to make sure you feel confident and prepared once you're on that stage. We'll always work with you if something genuinely comes up.
Thu 27 & Sat 29 Aug: Cast List Announced. Roles are confirmed and full rehearsals begin.
New to Musical Theatre? You're in the Right Place.
Anyone who wants to be part of the show will be. Every single time.
The two-step process is about growing your confidence, practising the real skill of preparation and presentation, and helping us find the right fit for you. We have the whole season to refine. Showing up and giving it a go is what counts.
The general audition on day one is highly encouraged: choose a song you love, a scene that gets you moving. But if you need a moment to find your feet first, that's okay too.
Students who prefer to focus on ensemble rather than audition for a principal role are equally welcome and equally valued.
Academy shows are longer and more demanding than Rising Stars productions, so auditions happen earlier to give everyone as much rehearsal time as possible. More time on stage. More time to feel ready.
Whether you step forward on day one or need a moment, you belong here.
All for one.