Middle School Misadventures Diary of a Wimpy Kid Takes Centre Stage
One of the world's most successful children’s book series is being bought to life by High Street Productions and coming to Newcastle for the first time this April. Diary of a Wimpy Kid the Musical will be directed by Michael Cooper, Director of Performing Arts and Theatre Manager at St Philip's Christian College (SPCC) and features a cast of 37 from eight different
schools across the region.
High Street Productions (HSP) was established in 2017, operating creative classes for students in Grades 3 – 8 four days a week from SPCC and staging some of Newcastle’s most dynamic musicals. Diary of a Wimpy Kid the Musical will be HSP’s fifth musical, having staged Matilda Jr in 2023, which won a CONDA for Best Under 18 Ensemble and was nominated for many more.
“After the tremendous success of Matilda Jr in 2023, we have returned with passion to stage a show we have all fallen in love with and are excited to bring to Newcastle audiences,” said Cooper.
“I confess, I decided to stage Diary of a Wimpy Kid the Musical before I read a single one of the incredibly popular books … mainly because of the songs! They are just so catchy and reveal a depth of fun and emotion.
“Themes of ‘doing the right thing’ and ‘finding our place’ universally affect young people of all ages, so following the journey of Greg, who yearns to be popular and has to make decisions about friends, has been a wonderful ride for us all to be on … and hopefully all will end well!”
Loosely based on the author Jeff Kinney’s own childhood, the series follows middle school weakling Greg Heffley as he journals the trials, tribulations and humour of dealing with family, friends and surviving middle school. The first book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series was published in 2007 and today, there are 19 books published in 70 languages. The books have sold more than 290 million copies globally. The story has been adapted into four live-action movies, three animated films on Disney+ and the Musical.
“Bringing such a successful book to life on stage is a tricky endeavour,” said Cooper.
“You have to remain authentic to what people know and love about the book. I just loved the idea of bringing the page to the stage, honouring the integrity of the author’s intent and giving audiences familiarity in a way that brings their imagination to life on stage with singing and dancing, adding to the emotional connection.
“We’ve worked very hard on the set and are excited about what audiences will see. Everything in the set is in black and white, like the illustrated book. The page is on the stage. Set elements are hand drawn. And the plot twists and turns are like the turning pages of the book. It’s unique. I haven’t seen it before. The human element contrasts with the monochrome set with bright pops of colour. It’s like layering the story on the top of the page. HSP held open auditions, and 90 children of all ages and experiences put themselves through the rigorous process, vying for the highly coveted roles. The 37 successful children range in age from 8 to 16, some of whom have graced some of the biggest stages in the world, whilst others have never been on stage before.
“We focused on getting the four lead roles right first,” said Cooper.
“We made sure that specific skills were embedded in the talent – tap dancing, unique singing styles, different skill sets, and it took a while to find them. There are eight different schools represented in the cast, and it’s wonderful to see them connecting and developing a sense of place with musical theatre as the vehicle. They’re on a journey together.
“It’s also exciting to have a show with so many boys on stage – 16 out of the 37 roles are for boys. It’s unusual and is a challenge for Newcastle. It’s a sheer delight to have found them!
“Whilst every cast member is essential to the production, the plot is led by Lachlan King (Greg), Conway Oakhill-Saarenpaa (Rowley), Hudson Merza (Chirag), William Krause (Fregley), Layla Klinkenberg (Patty), Amber Copeland (Claire) and Charlie Murphy (Joshie & Rodrick) who are all experienced young actors and are going to wow the audience scene after scene with their remarkable movement, acting and singing.”
Lachlan King made his professional theatre debut to critical acclaim as Michael in Matt Ward Entertainment’s production of Billy Elliott at The Star Casino on the Gold Coast. Lachlan's other stage credits include Young Clyde in Bonnie and Clyde (Stand and Deliver 2024), Pugsley in the Addams Family (Metropolitan Players 2024), Young Peter Allen in The Boy from Oz (Red Tree Theatre 2023), Otho in the pilot production of Beetlejuice Jr (Australian Junior Music Theatre Festival 2022), Oliver, Seussical and Les Misérables.
Conway Oakhill-Saarenpaa is a dynamic performer who is passionate about singing,dancing, and acting. He began his journey on stage at age four. His notable roles include Scatcat in Aristocats Kids (Young People’s Theatre), Billy in School of Rock (Hunter Drama), Maui in Moana Jr (Hunter School of Performing Arts) and Michael Caffrey in Billy Elliot (The Very Popular Theatre Company), for which he received a CONDA Award nomination.
Hudson Merza is a talented performer, previously roaring onto the stage as Young Simba in The Lion King Jr, devoured the role as Eric in Matilda Jr, and took flight on stage in HONK Jr. and Hope of a Boat.
William Krause is just 12 years old but comes with a wealth of theatre experience, including playing the role of Mufasa in SPCC’s production of The Lion King Jr last year and the lead role of Noah in the Junior School Musical Movie Hope on a Boat in 2023.
The creative team includes James Laundon (Vocal Director), Natalie Baker (Choreographer) and Angus Jewell (Assistant Director), who was also the 2024 School Captain of SPCC.
“Angus is doing an incredible job as Assistant Director,” said Cooper.
“He works hard with the boys and relates to the plot. He brings authenticity to the storytelling. We’ve also got young people working in tech. Our sound and lighting are of the highest professional level. Maxis Killick and Samuel Scott have been passionate about learning lighting and sound from a very young age, and it’s wonderful to provide opportunities to showcase their talents.”
This is what it’s all about for Cooper. HSP trains students after school in live performance skills, including Drama, Musical Theatre, Screen Acting and Technical Production. Open to non-SPCC students as well, the students are taught by passionate and experienced tutors and have the opportunity to perform.
“It was my own experience of live performance that taught me the value of it as the most significant theatre education tool. Rehearsals are like being in a class with a concentrated, high level of learning taking place. That’s why we hold open auditions. Being in a HSP show is just a different pathway; those kids are still part of our cohort.
“Although there are several other drama training groups in Newcastle, we don’t compete with each other. We each have our own supportive community, and there’s no need to compete in that way. We see each other’s shows and we’re all on the journey together. It simply increases our capacity to reach more children and grow our creative future.”
Cooper passionately believes that musical theatre can provide young people with valuable life lessons.
“I work hard to positively influence young people's lives and, in particular, through my own area of expertise, including dance, drama, music and creative expression. I want our young people to flourish and learn skills they can take with them on their journey through life, building their confidence and self-esteem, giving them experiences that will stand them in good stead for a successful life, and helping them reach their potential.”
The message of Diary of a Wimpy Kid the Musical is that we should all be who we are and that sometimes, our desire to be popular, like the character in the story, can get in the way of this. Greg sometimes makes choices that aren’t the right thing just because he wants to be popular.
“We’ve actually got a popularity meter on the stage,” said Cooper, "It’s such fun."
"The key message is to do the right thing, do what you’re passionate about and be yourself "
"The show embodies this in an engaging, relatable and incredibly fun way that will delight every member of the audience no matter their age.”
Diary of a Wimpy Kid the Musical is on at SPCC Theatre from 26 April to 3 May. All tickets are just $29 and available from
