Britney Spears' Circus rings out as around 50 musical theatre kids put their pipes to good use.
Welcome to rehearsals at the Junior Theatre Festival (JTF) Australia, a pathway to the stage for hundreds of hopefuls ready to have all eyes on them.
Produced by OzTheatrics, JTF Australia brings together international and national experts for two days filled with performances, workshops and insights into the world of musical theatre.
More than 1300 kids have travelled from across Australia and New Zealand for the ninth annual year of the festival at Newcastle's Civic Theatre.
Event producer Daniel Stoddart said young theatre-lovers would get the chance to perform pilots of two Broadway junior productions, Once Upon a One More Time JR, based on Spears' music, and DreamWorks Prince of Egypt JR.
"What the kids are doing this week has a direct impact on what will be performed all over the world," he said.
Friday's performance was only the second time the junior version of the Britney Spears-inspired show had made it to stage, he said.
Mr Stoddart said the festival was a celebration of young people and their achievements in theatre.
"The main thing they get out of it, is that camaraderie and that celebration, and they get to support each other," he said.
"This is their family, this is their people and their place to be."
Director of Education and Development at Music Theatre International (the sponsoring organisation), John Prignano said they started the event in Atlanta, United States around 20 years ago.
"Theatre is a way for young people to connect, it helps teach empathy and community," Mr Prignano said.
"It helps build skills, reading skills, listening skills, all of the things we need as people to thrive as adults."
Mr Prignano said it was nice to see kids watch and learn from each other.
Stars of the musical &Juilet, Lorinda May Merrypor and Blake Appelqvist will share their experiences and expertise with the acting hopefuls.
The festival is open to student groups from schools and academies for kids as young as five to six years old all the way up to 18-year-olds.
Jasper Darwent, 16, from Adelaide Youth Theatre said her group had been working really hard on their performance all year and she was excited for the weekend's adjudication.
She said she loved the people she met and the possible opportunities.
"It is just such a diverse space, the singing, dancing, acting, you can do so many things with it," she said.
Tyler Mackay, 16, from Brisbane Junior Theatre was most looking forward to performing the pilot of DreamWorks Prince of Egypt JR.
"I'm excited to be able to perform and tell stories while putting on a different character," he said.
