The original production, There’s something strange about Marvin McRae, features students from Years 5 to 12 ina  range of musical, drama and dance pieces.

Its fifth year features a completely original show including music from Coldplay and Pat Benatar. 

The story centres on Marvin, a young boy graduating to high school who is obsessed with the fact that he is weird. 

When disaster strikes, Marvin wonders if a heroic act could bring everyone to accept him.

Artistic director Anna Kerrigan said the concept arose from students’ expierences and her own school years. 

“Students are often ready and comfortable to share what it is that makes them different and embrace their quirks, which is fabulous, however there are still many students who try to hide their idiosyncrasies for fear of ridicule,” she said. 

“I believe [theatre] is a very important tool, particularly for young people to decipher the world around them.”

The program was nominated for a Drama Award (CONDA) last year. 

Performances begin at 11am Thursday, with 11am and 7pm shows Friday and another 7pm Saturday. 

Tickets are available at the Civic Theatre or through Ticketek.

IMAGINATION ran wild with the production of  ‘A Night in the Forest’ by ASPIRE, the performing arts group of the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.

The show, a contemporary version of William Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, is the effort of over 90 students from 26 Catholic schools coming together over the last few months.

Theatregoers can expect to see a war raging between fairies and elves, a circus tent full of clowns and a tale of runaway lovers.

‘A Night in the Forest’ showed on Thursday and again on Friday (7pm), with one more showing on Saturday at the Civic Theatre, Hunter Street at 7pm.

Tickets are available at the Civic Theatre box office, via the Ticketek website at ticketek.com.au or on 4929 1977