That's Showbiz!
When Mentone Grammar welcomed girls in 2006, the change reshaped more than classrooms – it transformed the cultural and creative life of the School.
As Mentone Grammar celebrates 20 years of coeducation in 2026, the performing arts program stands as a powerful example of how diversity and opportunity strengthen creativity. Increased participation in dance, music, drama, and theatre studies brought new energy and perspectives, fostering collaboration and confidence across the School community.
Today, the performing arts program is vibrant, ambitious, and deeply embedded in the School’s identity. Productions fill theatres, music echoes through rehearsal spaces, and students explore creativity both on stage and behind the scenes – a culture built through encouragement, investment, and a belief that creativity belongs at the heart of education.
The School’s performing arts tradition stretches back decades. In the 1950s, boys performed in plays and musicals, often taking on both male and female roles. Later, collaborations with local girls’ schools brought female performers into Mentone Grammar productions. With coeducation commencing in 2006, this tradition evolved again. The production of Oliver that year featured Mentone Grammar’s female students performing on stage in their own roles, marking a new chapter in the School’s creative journey.
Just one year later, the Performing Arts faculty set an ambitious goal to grow participation in the arts – and the response was remarkable. Established programs such as the House Music Competition and House Drama Competition already engaged the Senior School, while productions including Away, Sunday Afternoon Around the Piano, and the Festival of Music at Melbourne Town Hall created new opportunities for students to perform and collaborate.
Among the students immersed in these opportunities was Director and Mentonian Jared Daperis (Class of 2007). Although he enjoyed acting in school productions as a child, he quickly became fascinated by filmmaking.
“Film sets felt like my natural environment. I was far more curious about how a moment was constructed than how it was performed. By my early teens, I knew I wanted to direct or shoot films. The camera, the craft and the storytelling itself became the draw.”
Reflecting on his time at Mentone Grammar, Jared remembers the encouragement that shaped his creative path.
“When I was at Mentone Grammar, the performing arts program was admittedly far leaner than it is today. Drama existed, but quietly, and the Creativity Centre hadn’t yet been built. What I remember most, though, was the encouragement – the unconditional support for a pathway that clearly captivated me.”
Now an international commercial filmmaker, Jared has directed major global campaigns, including Flavours That Bind, the first global campaign in the 137-year history of Lee Kum Kee, later displayed in Times Square. He remains deeply connected to the School community.
“Former Principal Mal Cater showed an incredible generosity of spirit, both during my time at the School and in the years since. Allowing a young alumni to use Frogmore House as a filming location – with more than 40 cast and crew involved – was an extraordinary show of trust.”
Returning to watch the School’s 2013 production of Cats revealed just how far the program had grown.
“The talent on display, the ambition, and the investment in production values made it clear that Mentone Grammar has become as much a performing arts school as anything else.”
Another Mentonian whose journey began in the School’s performing arts spaces is Kelsey Cotton (Class of 2012). Through productions, ensembles, and her leadership as Performing Arts Captain and Prefect, she discovered a passion for singing that would shape her future career.
Kelsey went on to make her operatic debut with Victorian Opera in Aaron Copland’s The Second Hurricane, described as “ethereal and haunting”, and later performed in the world premiere of When I Awoke at Melbourne’s Butterfly Club to critical acclaim. After moving beyond classical voice, she found her artistic home in experimental and contemporary music, premiering vocal and chamber works across Europe and performing at festivals and venues in Sweden, France, Finland, New Zealand, and beyond.
As productions grew in scale and popularity at Mentone Grammar, performances moved to The Drum Theatre in Dandenong to accommodate audiences. This momentum led to a defining milestone: the opening of the Creativity Centre in 2017. Designed to unite performing arts, visual arts, and technology, the Centre reflected a bold vision for creativity as an essential part of education.
At the opening of the Creativity Centre, Kelsey returned to perform For Good from Wicked, symbolising the connection between past and future students of the arts. She has since performed internationally and is now completing a PhD in Interactive Music Systems and Artificial Intelligence at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden.
Today, the Creativity Centre embodies the School’s commitment to artistic expression. At its heart is the 450-seat Thorold Theatre, surrounded by specialist drama and dance studios, and a music school with professional recording facilities. Light-filled visual arts spaces coexist with state-of-the-art technology spaces inspiring industrial design and food technology. It truly is a place where imagination and collaboration meet.
With these facilities came expanded opportunities. The annual Senior Musical remains a highlight of the performing arts calendar, with memorable shows including Les Misérables (2017), Fame (2019), Mamma Mia! (2023), and Heathers (2025), alongside dance showcases, Campus productions, original plays, and House Arts collaborations.
For Head Prefect Gemma Hollingsworth (Class of 2023), these opportunities helped shape an unexpected future. Although she always loved singing, sport initially dominated her school life.
“Mentone Grammar gives students the opportunity to try so many different things at such a high level. I found myself always jumping between Frogmore Oval and the Creativity Centre – from sport training to rehearsals.”
With the encouragement of teachers and the performing arts program, Gemma began to see music as a possible pathway.
“Without the guidance from teachers and the amount of encouragement and support from the performing arts program at Mentone, I wouldn’t have thought to try. The program really helped me build the foundations I needed to become a performer.”
Her involvement included starring in the lead of 2022 Mamma Mia and 2023 Strictly Ballroom School musicals, the opera company, concerts, VCE Drama and Theatre Studies, and private singing lessons.
“Those lessons gave me essential training for my time on The Voice.” Since graduating, Gemma has appeared on Season 14 of The Voice Australia and performed as the Elle understudy in Legally Blonde at the National Theatre.
Performing arts at Mentone Grammar extends well beyond performance itself. Students develop skills in stage management, lighting and sound design, costume and make-up, choreography, and production leadership. Programs where students collaborate with industry professionals – such as the Amadeus Opera Company’s two‑year vocal training program and MG Rock, where students refine band‑dynamics skills through school and community performances – build confidence, teamwork, and stage presence, while nurturing a passion for music and providing authentic creative learning experiences.
Together, these Mentonian stories reflect the lasting impact of performing arts education at Mentone Grammar. Whether performing internationally, appearing on national television, or directing global campaigns, alumni journeys often begin with the confidence developed in school productions and creative classrooms.
Twenty years after coeducation reshaped the School community, performing arts at Mentone Grammar continues to thrive. Inclusive participation, visionary leadership, outstanding facilities, and passionate educators have created a program where students can discover their voice – and learn how to use it.
As the curtain rises on the next chapter of Mentone Grammar’s story, one thing is clear: the performing arts are not simply part of the School experience, they are central to it.
Written by Steph Kinnear