An epic weekend was had by Annie Bearsley, Neo Carter and Mads Winfield – watching around 50 Shakespeare performances, taking part in workshops ranging from stage combat and singing to scare acting and stand-up comedy, and celebrating the 35th year of the festival, which has involved over 146,000 students from across New Zealand.

On Sunday they performed their own student-directed five-minute piece from Julius Caesar – Mads Winfield directed. The performance was powerful and polished, earning praise from students and teachers alike.

While they didn't receive any awards, they are incredibly proud to have represented our school and region so well.

They also visited Weta Workshop, Te Papa, saw two Wellington theatre productions, and connected with other young people who share their passion for performance.

A special thank you to their drama teacher Claire Bubb who helped make this opportunity possible – it was an unforgettable experience, and they are already thinking about next year!