Teenager Stephanie Free played the lead character in Galvin Park Secondary College’s production of ‘Annie’. 69850 Picture: ALESHA CAPONE
By Alesha Capone
PLAYING the part of a cute red-haired orphan seems to run in Stephanie Free’s family.
Last week, the talented Year 12 student took to the stage in Galvin Park Secondary College’s production of ‘Annie’, in the title role.
Stephanie’s older sister also played the character, in the same show at the school, seven years ago.
At last week’s two recitals of ‘Annie’ at the Wyndham Cultural Centre, many students wowed the crowds with their performances.
“This will be my first main role, I had to audition,” Stephanie said.
“I love auditioning, I want to do singing or anything to do with musical theatre when I graduate and auditions are just the beginning of what I want to do.
“I’ve got the main role and I’m the lead choreographer of the dancers, which has been stressful at times.”
“It’s everything, doing VCE and ‘Annie’ at the same time as choreography.”
Stephanie, who has been taking part in school productions since Year 7 including ‘Grease’, ‘The Wiz’ and ‘The Little Shop of Horrors’, rehearsed ‘Annie’ for two months before opening night.
“It’s always what I wanted to do since I was young, although at first I wanted to do photography in Year 9,” she said.
“I like showing what I can actually do and what musical theatre’s about, to me it was the one thing I ever enjoyed doing.”
The 18-year-old Wyndham Vale resident said she was not deterred by the hard work required to forge a career in musical theatre and she even enjoyed learning her lines for ‘Annie’.
“I find it easy because it’s what I want to do and if I want something, I want it right away,” she said.
“I think if you put your mind on something and try hard enough, you can get there.”
