Showtime at ISL!

  • News
Showtime at ISL!

It was showtime at ISL as the school productions took the stage one after another just before the winter break.

At ISL, school productions have always been an important part of our community, reflecting our commitment to the arts programme and fostering young talent. Over the years, our auditoriums have hosted quite a few memorable performances, including Finding Nemo, Scheherazade, Grease, Into the Woods, and many others.

With the guidance of the Arts Team, students have consistently delivered extraordinary performances, and some have gone on to continue their passion for the stage beyond school. For example, our alumni, Tali, represented Luxembourg at the Eurovision Song Contest. 

This school year, our Arts Department put on three impressive productions: The Lower School brought laughter and warmth with Kid Frankenstein. Middle School students transported audiences into the world of Folk Stories and Fairy Tales. Finally, the High School dazzled the audience with their performance of Chicago: Teen Edition*, a musical that demonstrated our students' skills and versatility.  

Each production reflected the hard work, creativity, and collaboration of the students, as well as the support and guidance of their teachers. 


Kid Frankenstein

The Lower School brought a lively and heartwarming energy to the stage with their production of Kid Frankenstein. This charming adaptation combined humour and imagination, offering a entertaining twist on the classic Frankenstein tale. With over 30 young performers involved and countless hours spent rehearsing and preparing, the production was a real team effort. Teachers and students worked together for over 12 weeks, dedicating an estimated 45 hours to rehearsals, set design, costume creation, and final preparations.

The result? Pure joy and happiness on the stage and in the audience. 

Participating in the production helped students build confidence and develop valuable life skills. 

Cian McDonald, Production Director and Theatre Teacher

Cian McDonald, Production Director and Lower School Theatre Teacher, was proud about the focus and professionalism of the students as they managed to stay in character even when faced with an unexpected moment during the performance. In her own words, "It was incredibly rewarding to see students step out of their comfort zones, collaborate as a team and build meaningful relationships across grade levels. Participating in the production helped students build confidence and develop valuable life skills. For returning students, such as those who participated in last year’s Finding Nemo production, it fostered a deep love for theatre and performance that will likely stay with them for years to come."


Folk Stories and Fairy Tales 

Middle School students embraced the art of storytelling with their production of Folk Stories and Fairy Tales. This engaging performance brought together over 18 students, who rehearsed over a 3-month period to bring these moral narratives to life. 

The folk stories were a perfect fit for this year’s middle school production because they are rich in themes of community, tradition, and moral lessons, which resonated deeply with the students.

Maria Hudson, Middle School Theatre Teacher

Maria Hudson, Middle School Theat Teacher, explains what made the folk stories a good fit, "The timeless nature of these stories allowed the students to explore universal themes like bravery, kindness, and overcoming challenges, making the material both relatable and engaging. The students connected with the stories by bringing their own experiences and creativity to their roles, giving each character a personal touch that reflected their own unique perspectives and energy."

Each story was uniquely brought to life with creativity. The students’ ability to explore diverse characters and themes highlighted their versatility and growth as performers. With the support of their teachers, they created a vibrant production that celebrated the magic of storytelling.

The audience was left both entertained and inspired by the students’ interpretation of these age-old tales, showcasing the depth of talent within the Middle School.


Chicago: Teen Edition*

The High School production of Chicago was a real highlight of the 2024–2025 season, raising the bar for ISL’s productions. Known for its complexity, Chicago demands strong vocal and acting abilities, impeccable comedic timing, and versatility to capture the spirit of Bob Fosse’s revolutionary musical style.

This milestone production marked the culmination of many students’ growth as performers, some of whom began their journeys in the Lower School. Adding to the uniqueness of the show, and the performance of the stellar cast from Grade 9-12, the orchestra was conducted by Grade 11 student Michal Waligora, alongside the students' stellar work choreographing the entire production, the talent of ISL students both on stage and behind the scenes was on full display.

This particular show was originally planned before the pandemic, and after four years of waiting, we finally decided that the time was right and we also knew that we had a vast wealth of talented students who could rise to the challenge.

Jason Hudson, High School Theatre Teacher

The rehearsal process began after a vigorous audition process and the cast worked for almost 12 weeks leading up to the first performance. The backstage team worked effectively to organise all costumes and props as well as a lighting design to bring the show to life.

Theatre Teacher Jason Hudson, reflects on the cast's efforts to manage the demanding choreography and acting: "We had three very capable and enthusiastic students, Manon, Rewa and Marc, who stepped up to the challenges of choreographing the dance numbers in the show. They took on a wide variety of activities and worked tirelessly in and out of rehearsals to make sure that the cast were well prepared for the physical demands of such a dance-heavy production and incorporated elements of Bob Fosse’s unique style of expressionism." Jason also highlights the contribution of Michal, a fellow student and the production's conductor, stating,  "everyone was genuinely thankful for Michal's incredible energy and skill as a pianist, and the respect for his art only increased with every rehearsal."


As the curtain falls on another successful year of productions, we celebrate our students for the spark they brought to the stage with their youthful talent and boundless enthusiasm. They embodied our school’s motto: "Inspired, Resilient, and Passionate," serving as living examples through their performances.

To our amazing teachers together and everyone involved in these productions, you raised the bar to extraordinary heights this year. Consider this article a standing ovation and a genuine "Bravi to all!"

We look forward to next year's performances!


* CHICAGO: TEEN EDITION is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals.

www.concordtheatricals.com