2022 | Matilda Jr.
Where it all began

Matilda Jr. marked the beginning of a new chapter for school shows at Bellahouston Academy. It established the foundations of the productions we create today, giving young people the opportunity to rehearse, perform and work towards a shared goal.

The impact began long before opening night. Learning material, responding to feedback and finding the confidence to perform gave pupils opportunities to experience progress through sustained effort. It was the start of a school show community that would grow with each production.

2023 | High School Musical
A growing company

High School Musical brought our cast to around 100 young people. As participation grew, so did the opportunities for pupils to work with people beyond their usual classes and friendship groups.

A company of this size needs commitment from everyone. Pupils had to learn their parts, attend rehearsals and understand how their preparation affected others. Alongside singing, dancing and acting, they practised teamwork, organisation and responsibility.

The school show was becoming a place where more young people could find a role and feel part of something shared.

2024 | Sunshine on Leith
Developing our ambition

With around 100 pupils in the cast, Sunshine on Leith continued that growth in participation while bringing Scottish characters, voices and storytelling to our stage.

The production challenged pupils to develop their acting, musical expression and ability to tell a story together. Returning performers could build on their experience, while new members joined an established company with a shared sense of purpose.

Each production also created opportunities for pupils to take on greater responsibility. Experience gained one year could support a more demanding role the next, helping young people recognise their own progress.

2025 | Grease
Passing the 100 mark

Grease marked a milestone, taking our cast and production team beyond 100 to around 120 young people. Sold-out performances brought families, staff and the wider community together to celebrate their work.

That scale meant more than a larger cast. It brought together performance, design, technical work and audience-facing roles, with pupils contributing different skills to the same production.

For our young people, the audience saw the finished show. Behind it were months of rehearsal, feedback, problem-solving and persistence. Grease gave that work a public platform and gave our school community an opportunity to recognise what pupils had achieved.

Our detailed Grease evaluation, available below, explores the production’s impact and the learning we took forward.

2026 | Back to the 80s
Building on our success

Back to the 80s continued with around 120 young people across the cast and production team. Once again, performances sold out, reflecting the support our school shows had built among families and the local community.

With each production, pupils have opportunities to move from being newcomers to experienced company members. They can take on new challenges, support others and contribute with greater independence. Back to the 80s continued that journey, bringing together returning pupils and those taking part for the first time.

Its success was measured in the performances and in the work that made them possible: pupils preparing, collaborating, responding to setbacks and following through on their commitments.

Read our detailed Back to the 80s evaluation below to explore the impact of the production.

2027 | Mamma Mia!
The next chapter

Mamma Mia! will build on five years of school productions, bringing together over 120 young people across our creative and production teams.

Our ambition is to keep developing the experience for everyone involved. That means supporting first-time performers, challenging experienced pupils and creating meaningful responsibilities behind the scenes.

Every show has its own story. Across them all, our purpose remains the same: to help young people develop their skills, build confidence and experience the achievement of creating something together.