The run up to any show is an exciting time. But, when that show includes the lively personalities of 100 drama-loving children, then the weeks of preparation are sure to be overflowing with talent and emotion.

That is exactly what the team behind the School of Performing Arts (SOPA), Drama Troupe, is experiencing at the moment.

After all, there’s just a few days to go until they unveil their new production, A Step in Time. The young cast are eager to get the show on the road.

A Step in Time is being billed as a ‘celebration of song, dance and drama through the years’ and it will highlight some of SOPA’s past successes as well as its present work and future projects.

“The show will bring together a whole variety of musicals,” says Gillian Zammit, SOPA’s principal and head of music.

“We’ve chosen a selection of vocal, dance and acting numbers from popular musicals such as Legally Blonde, the Addams Family, Requiem, West Side Story, Les Miserables and Sleeping Beauty.

The show will bring together a whole variety of musicals

“We’ve chosen something for everyone and it promises to be a very enjoyable evening.”

Apart from the 80-strong choir, there will be performances from the school’s junior and teen companies as well as showcases from their music studio and their ballet, hip hop and Spanish dance classes.

A Step in Time will also present SOPA’s winning tap entry from the recent MICDE competition, Moses Supposes.

“Musical theatre brings all three of our main disciplines together, so it will be lovely to see the children showcasing such a wide variety of skills,” says Zammit.

“Everyone in the show has a performance to give and a role to play, whether they are part of the ensemble or a soloist.

“The whole choir will be dancing and moving as well as acting and singing and we have tried to select pieces that give the students the opportunity to consolidate all their training.”

One such student is Julienne Restall, 14, who has been attending SOPA (and its predecessor, Drama Troupe) since she was two.

“SOPA has been a huge part of my life for 13 years and I absolutely love it,” she says. “I consider my friends and the faculty to be part of my family. “My journey as a performer has been very exciting so far and I am very grateful for past performances. This one, though, is already taking the gold medal as my favourite production to-date.

“A Step In Time represents the past, present and future of the school with extracts ranging from a span of eras and musicals.

“I am sure they will be as fun to watch as they will be to perform.

“I am really proud to be part of it. SOPA has taught me to be the best that I can be and I look forward to helping to gain as much recognition for the students and teachers as possible,” she says.

Restall is one of several students who have been part of the SOPA journey for many years.

The school actually started life as a summer school called the Children’s Playhouse and grew to become an extension of CHS’s extracurricular activities.

From there it expanded and was set up as an independent entity with an ever-growing student population and a very wide range of classes.

Then, a couple of years ago, SOPA was born. The school is now split into three clear departments with the drama arm, still known as Drama Troupe, headed by Denise Mulholland.

The Dance Extensions dance department is led by Theresa Lungaro Mifsud and the Dance Studio is spearheaded by Zammit.

Taking that training seriously, 13-year-old Rebekah Regginiano believes A Step in Time will be more than just a play.

“This is tantamount to a real, professional acting job,” she says, adding how excited she is to be performing at Pjazza Teatru Rjal.

“I am very enthusiastic about taking part and, despite the hard work, have already found the experience to be very rewarding.”

Now the countdown is really on and the 100 students are perfecting the details of their performances.

“This show is open to the public and the students are looking forward to performing to a large audience,” says Zammit.

“It will definitely be a quality performance, full of emotion and laughter.

“We are very grateful to the public for supporting out local talent, whether it is established or up-and-coming.

The students appreciate that and certainly won’t disappoint on the night,” she says.

A Step in Time takes place on Tuesday at Pjazza Teatru Rjal, Valletta. Tickets are available online and from the Embassy Cinema Box Office, Valletta.

www.ticketline.com.mt