“The kids performed really well considering it was their first night in front of a packed house and their parents, family and friends,” director Larissa Riddell said.

Ms Riddell, who wrote the musical titled ‘To Be or Not To Be (Me)’, said students put in a mammoth physical and mental effort over three days of rehearsals.

“They’ve spent three days straight in the theatre and I’m really proud of them,” she said. The musical production is a long-standing tradition at Horsham West. The first play was staged in 1992.

This year’s musical explored how people needed to have the courage to be themselves and was set in a kingdom where everyone must sing, dress and act in the same way.

The show’s final performances will be at 7pm on Thursday and Friday at the Wesley Performing Arts Centre.