By Eleanor Wilson
During the new year period, Star News is reflecting on the year that was by revisiting some of the stories that made news in 2022.
Eleven-year-old Makayla Healy said she was “really excited” when her family got tickets to see Disney’s Frozen the Musical at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne earlier this year.
Little did she know, a few months later she would have quite a different view of the musical – from the stage itself.
The Berwick Primary School student has been cast alongside several youngsters to play young Elsa in the hit Broadway musical Frozen as it tours across Australia.
“I’d never [been cast] in a musical before so I was pretty shocked,” Makayla said.
The Grade 6 student, who has been dancing since she was two and “singing her whole life”, said it was her mum who found an advertisement for the casting on Facebook, sparking her decision to audition for the role.
Her father, Andrew Healy, said he was “blown away and really excited” that his daughter had been chosen for the role.
Makayla will be touring across the nation for the next eight months as part of the Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth legs of the show.
“I know my family are really, really excited for me. And I know my friends are really really happy for me as well, but some of them are going to miss me,” Makayla said.
A Frozen fan well before her personal involvement in the live musical, Makayla said she was looking forward to working alongside esteemed theatre performers, including Wicked’s Jemma Rix – who plays grown up ‘Elsa’ in the show.
“I just really like all the characters and how everyone plays them. There’s magic, and Anna has that excitable factor in her, and Olaf is really funny,” she said of the musical.
“it’s also pretty cool, because in the musical you get to work with all the snow, and find out how that all works.”
After each leg of the tour, Makayla will return home to see friends and family for a few weeks before jetting off to perform at the next capital city.
Her school will continue to provide education for the student, and the touring company will provide a tutor to support the touring kids’ learning, getting the tick of approval from her assistant principal father.
“Its OK. Because we’ve been used to doing remote learning for the last couple of years, it will be a similar scenario,” said Mr Healy.
Makayla began rehearsals for the Brisbane shows in March.
