Beyond the reef

Student Reporters Zaynab Pirani 8.1 and Layla Hamid 8.7 explore Claremont High School’s annual production, Moana

Across three nights, from 4th to 6th March 2026, students from all year groups at Claremont High School came together to perform Moana. The show brought energy, colour and music to the stage as performers worked hard to bring the well-known story to life. From lead actors to the ensemble, students showed confidence and dedication after weeks of rehearsals.

The production also involved a large behind-the-scenes team. Stage crew, set designers, choreography leads, producers and directors, along with many others, worked together to create an immersive experience for the audience.

The atmosphere during the performances was electric, with audiences enjoying the lively songs, choreography and storytelling. Many students said the production was a fantastic opportunity to experience both sides of a performance - taking part on stage while also sharing in the audience’s excitement - making it even more memorable for everyone involved.

Co-directors, Ms Norrish and Mr Lipman, once again delivered an outstanding production. Speaking about the choice of show, Ms Norrish said, ‘We are always looking for a challenge, especially with the difficulty of learning two new Oceanic languages’. Mr Lipman added, ‘The story carries really powerful messages about community, belonging and inner strength’. Both teachers were impressed by how the cast members understood their roles and fully committed to them.

Tiah Davda in 8.3 took on the lead role of Moana. She said she ‘made so many memories that she’ll cherish forever’ and that the production ‘taught her to be more confident in herself’. She also described ‘the nerves you get beforehand’ as the most challenging part of the show, adding that ‘there was always support from other cast members and staff’. Yoanas Jegathesan in 12.5, who played Maui, described rehearsals as a ‘puzzle to be pieced together’ and said he felt his ‘confidence boost dramatically’, adding that he is ‘not shy to convey his thoughts or opinions on anything now’.

Alongside the lead roles were the ensemble members, who played a key part in bringing energy to each scene. Anastasia Nitu in 8.2, part of the Ocean Ensemble, said she enjoyed performing and making new friends, describing the production as ‘an amazing experience’. Keira Bhanderi in 8.9, from the Maui and Monster Ensemble, shared her enthusiasm, saying it was ‘amazing’ and she had a lot of fun being part of this year’s production. Aarisa Patel in 9.5, part of the Ancestor Ensemble, said that ‘working on this production helped me grow as a performer’ and added, ‘I’ll miss the fun rehearsals’.

This year many Year 7 students also auditioned and took part. Deen Al-Hirsi in 7.7 was cast as Mini Maui and played a key role in making the audience laugh. He found the production enabled him to ‘make new friends from different years as we all came together’. He advised future auditionees to ‘not be worried, even though it might be scary at first - the more rehearsals you do, the more friends you make’.

Talk of the production is still buzzing around the corridors, with students reminiscing and staff amazed it’s already over. A huge congratulations to everyone involved. We look forward to seeing how far their talents will go!