A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down!
Written by Cheryl Cheang, Year 8 CMC
For the first time in Lead International School’s history, our students stepped onto the stage to present a school musical. It was something new, exciting and unlike anything we had done before. In the midst of the Graduation and Award Giving Ceremony, the musical came as a breath of fresh air, bringing music, movement and storytelling together on one stage.
Titled “Timeless Classics”, the musical brought audiences into the familiar worlds of Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. From A Perfect Nanny and A Spoonful of Sugar to Do-Re-Mi, So Long, Farewell and Truly Scrumptious, each number brought its own character and energy to the performance.
Behind the production was our musical coach, Dr Cadis Lee Ying Jie, whose guidance helped turn what began as rehearsals into a performance ready for the stage. She was supported by Ms Norul Norsyazleen, or better known as Ms Syaz, Mr Muhammad Aidil and Ms Signven Wong, together with pianist, Ms Alice Ang Ying Ying. Bringing our first musical to life required more than learning songs. Students had to bring together singing, acting, movement and teamwork, while learning how each individual role contributed to the performance as a whole.
When the day finally arrived, all that preparation came alive. Vocal harmonies filled the hall alongside live piano accompaniment, while choreography and dramatic staging transformed familiar songs into performances of our own. The audience watched attentively before breaking into enthusiastic applause at the end of the musical numbers.
For the students on stage, however, the musical represented something greater than one afternoon’s performance. It was the experience of trying something our school had never attempted before, working through rehearsals together and finally seeing those efforts take shape before an audience.
As the final performance came to an end, our first school musical had done more than entertain. It had opened the door to something new. For a school stepping into musical theatre for the very first time, the performance was proof that every new possibility has to begin somewhere.
Looking ahead, what began as a first attempt may have started a new tradition at Lead International School.
