Get ready for an unforgettable journey to the Emerald City! Our spectacular production of The Wizard of Oz is coming to life in the first week of Term 3.

This magical event will showcase the incredible talents of our Year 7–13 students, including actors, dancers, and backstage crew. It’s a true celebration of teamwork, creativity, and the amazing spirit of our school!

Tickets will go on sale in Term 2, with two fantastic seating options:

• General Admission for a classic theatre experience.

• Cabaret Style for a themed dining experience at table seats, complete with a specially designed menu that will transport your taste buds to Oz, courtesy of our amazing Technology Department.

This is truly a whole-school production! The Media Studies students are hard at work creating promotional material that captures the magic of Oz, and the Technology Department is building a stunning set and crafting a delicious themed menu.

We are delighted to introduce our lead actors:

Meet 'Dorothy' aka Riley Davison

Riley has been doing theatre for almost twelve years. She has been a lead or supporting character in multiple shows for Tauranga Musical Theatre such as Shenzi in the Lion King two years ago and one of the Sharpettes in High School Musical 2 last year. She has done dance and acting since she was two years old and around three years ago started singing with Carol Power. 

She's really looking forward to making a whole bunch of new friends in the production this year and the experience she is going to get. She can't wait for the show to be on the stage and ready for you to see!

Meet 'Dorothy' aka Sophie Brown

My name is Sophie Brown and I am playing Dorothy. I’ve been involved with performing arts since I was little as it’s always been a passion of mine. 

This is the fifth production that I’ve been cast in at Papamoa College. In our 2021 production of Alice in Wonderland, I played card gardener No.5, in our 2022 production of Fame I played Miss Bell the dance teacher, for our 2023 production of The Addams Family I played a dead bride, and in 2024 I played Sharpay in our High School Musical 2 production.

Rehearsals have been amazing so far as everyone is already so connected and I cannot wait to see how we will all grow in this experience together. Dorothy is such an important character to me and has been since I was little, so I am looking forward to showing everyone what I can bring to the character.

Meet 'Toto" aka Penny Irvine

Hi, I’m Penny. I’m excited to play Toto in The Wizard of Oz. I first saw this show on stage at Tauranga Musical Theatre when I was five years old. So it is exciting to now be part of it!

I’ve been dancing since I was little, and take classes at The Academy Dance Studios in ballet, jazz, contemporary, and my favourite styles, tap and musical theatre. I compete with troupes and as a soloist at competitions and have performed in many dance shows with The Academy.

I also enjoy singing and acting. In the last year I have had so much fun being in two shows with Wright Rohde Academy of Performing Arts: Legally Blonde Jr, and 13 The Musical. I also played one of Sharpay’s sidekicks, a Sharpette, in High School Musical 2.

I am really enjoying the rehearsal process of The Wizard of Oz and getting to know all the cast and teachers. I am grateful for this opportunity and excited to see the finished product in July.

Meet Aunt Em (Glinda) aka Taylah Medeiros

Hey! I'm a Year 13 student at Papamoa College and I am thrilled to be playing Glinda/Aunt Em in our production of Wizard of Oz! 

I've been singing for as long as I can remember and have always had a passion for performing. Learning music, writing songs and listening to music takes up most of my time. 

I have played ensemble roles in two of Papamoa College's productions and the role of Carmen in 'Fame! Junior'. I love the atmosphere and community that goes hand in hand with being a part of a production, and I’m excited to become more connected with the cast. I can't wait to immerse myself in this show!

Meet Uncle Henry (Emerald City Guard) aka Jayden Holdaway

I’ve been apart of the school production since year 7 and seeing how much I’ve grown has inspired me to take on the opportunity to help others grow, I can’t wait to make my final production an absolutely banger.

Meet 'Zeke (the Lion) aka Michael Snell

Hey everyone! I’m Michael Snell, and I’m super excited to be playing the Cowardly Lion in this year’s Papamoa College production of The Wizard of Oz! I’ve been acting for a long time, and last year, I got to be Troy Bolton in the Lava Cast, which was an awesome experience. This show has been a blast so far everyone’s working really hard and the rehearsals are going great! I can't wait to perform with my other cast members and just bring this show to life.

Meet 'Hickory (Tinman)' aka Ace Maxton

G’day! My name is Ace, and I’m super stoked to be part of this year’s rendition of The Wizard Of Oz! I started doing theatre in year 9, when I first came to Pāpāmoa college. I was put in the school’s first official performing arts class, and I was definitely reluctant at first considering I had no experience with any type of acting. It wasn’t offered as a subject in any of the Australian schools I attended. Throughout my childhood, I was always more musically inclined, and I was actually quite used to performing in front of people. Despite my initial weariness, I gave the class a go and have fallen in love with drama ever since. I’ve met some of the best people through performing arts, and I’m looking forward to ending my last year of schooling with awesome memories of the production experience! 

Meet 'Hunk (Scarecrow)' aka Maija-Layna Bernards

Hi i’m Maija-Layna! Ive loved acting for a long time but have only been brave enough to get into it a couple years ago. Once I did, I took every opportunity I could, to be involved with acting, such as the Wizard of Oz. For years I've actually dreamt of being of playing Scarecrow in this production and now here we are. Its a dream come true.

Meet 'Gulch (Wicked Witch)' aka Emma Hunt

Hello, My name is Emma Hunt, I'm a year 10 student and I enjoy sewing and all other types of art from sketching to acting. I have been doing drama competitions and exams for six years now, and have been doing theater for three or four. I've been involved with about nine shows, ten if we include Wizard of Oz and have been to the Junior Theater Festival NZ (JTFNZ) in 2024 where my group won an acting award. Acting has always been a passion of mine, I've always wanted to work in the arts when I grow up, and I always grow and learn each time I go to rehearsals. The Wicked Witch of the West has been a dream role of mine for a while now and I'm very grateful for the director making rehearsals a safe space as this is what I look forward to every week. This is my first time being a lead role and I'm very excited to be able to put as much effort into this production as I can and prove I deserve this role and for everyone to see our hard work come to life!

Meet 'Profesessor Marvel (Oz/Wizard)' aka Jake Bailey

Hi, I'm Jake, and I'm playing the role of the wizard/Professor Marvel. I love speech and drama, and have been doing it for three years. I've competed in numerous drama competitions, have done school speeches, and have represented the college in debating competitions. I'm looking forward to acting in my first school production this year. 

Mark your calendars

Shows run from Wednesday 16 July until Sunday 20 July. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to bring the family, cheer for the students, and experience the joy of The Wizard of Oz together. Follow the yellow brick road to fun, excitement, and an evening you’ll never forget!

Stay tuned for ticket details and get ready for an adventure over the rainbow!