Years 5-6 Drama Production: Honk Jr. celebrates being special! LITA Artists in Residence highlights
Years 5-6 Drama Production: Honk Jr. celebrates being special! LITA Artists in Residence highlights
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Years 5-6 Drama Production
A delightful adaptation of the beloved fable and the award-winning musical, Honk! Jr. is a heartwarming celebration of what makes us special. Scan the QR code to get your free tickets now!
Ugly looks quite a bit different from his darling duckling brothers and sisters. The other animals on the farm are quick to notice and point this out, despite his mother's protective flapping. Feeling rather foul about himself, the little fowl finds himself on an adventure of self-discovery, all the while unknowingly outwitting a very hungry Cat. Along the way, Ugly meets a whole flock of unique characters and finds out that being different is a wonderful thing to be.
BSM Music and Drama ended the half-term on a high note
It has been a significant and rewarding week for Music and Drama at BSM, showcasing both the impact of visiting artists and the maturity of our IBDP Theatre students as independent theatre-makers.
LITA Artists in Residence
Monday-Thursday, 09-12 February 2026
At the end of last half term, BSM was delighted to welcome James Bennett and Noel Sullivan from London International Theatrical Arts (LITA) for a dynamic Artist in Residence programme spanning Years 6-12.
Across the week, students explored four well-known musicals—We Will Rock You, Oliver!, The Lion King, and Grease—through immersive workshops focused on singing, movement, character development and ensemble performance. Each day culminated in short showcases in the Bayanihan Hall, Creative Arts Centre (CAC), demonstrating the depth of learning achieved within a single, intensive day.
One of the most encouraging aspects of the residency was the level of cross-year collaboration. Students worked confidently alongside peers from different year groups, volunteering for character and narrator roles, committing to choreography, and supporting one another in rehearsal. The pace of learning was notable—in many cases, students reflected that they had developed skills in a single day that would normally take several weeks to build.
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Student feedback highlighted acting, dancing, and performing in front of an audience as favourite elements of the experience. Confidence emerged as the most significant area of growth, with many students describing how they overcame stage fright, became more comfortable delivering lines, improved their physical expression, and learned to stay in character. The majority expressed a strong interest in taking part in similar opportunities again.
Just as importantly, the workshops reflected our core values of Kindness, Respect, and Integrity in action. Students spoke about feeling supported by their peers, encouraged to step outside their comfort zones, and challenged to contribute positively within large ensemble groups. Their willingness to participate fully and reflect thoughtfully on their learning demonstrates both artistic and personal growth.
We are grateful for the positive feedback received from parents, students, and school leadership. Thank you to Mr Meddows-Taylor, Ms Johnstone, Mr Sabas, Ms Mendoza, Mrs Everley and Mr Hannon for organising and overseeing a professional, engaging and high-impact residency.
The week was a strong reminder of the power of the performing arts to build confidence, collaboration and community across our school.
Year 13 Collaborative Projects
Monday-Tuesday, 09-10 February 2026
At the end of last half term, our Year 13 IB Theatre students presented their final Collaborative Projects, the culminating assessment for both SL and HL Theatre.
This demanding component requires students to demonstrate their summative learning, technical skill development and individual artistic voice as emerging theatre-makers. This year, two groups explored challenging and highly relevant themes: the impact of social media on relationships and the pressure of beauty standards and societal expectations placed on women.
Both performances were thoughtfully researched and confidently executed, incorporating effective use of technology, sound design and physical theatre, alongside moments of honest and vulnerable dialogue. The work demonstrated clear conceptual maturity and artistic confidence — reflecting the significant progression students have made since the start of Year 12 and throughout their wider Drama journey at BSM.
Congratulations to Advika, Héloïse, Adriana, Rose, Lily, and Megan for the professionalism, commitment and depth they brought to their work. The standard of presentation reflected not only their growth as performers, but as thoughtful and reflective theatre-makers.
Thank you to those who were able to attend and provide feedback, which contributes directly to their assessment process reports.
We wish our Year 13 students every success in their upcoming examinations and in the exciting pathways that lie ahead. We are incredibly proud of what they have achieved.
RELATED LINKS
- Creative Arts Centre
- Drama
- Music
- Visual Art