ACPA Academy

IN THE REHEARSAL ROOM

Over the past three weeks, our Academy students have had the incredible opportunity to work with Nathan Pinnell, building a musical theatre piece for our End of Year performance.

From casting and character work to vocals, choreography and staging, our students have been immersed in the process of bringing a complete musical theatre work to life, learning to pick up material quickly, take direction, make adjustments and work together as a professional cast.

We are so grateful to Nathan for the time, knowledge and energy he has shared with our students. With more than two decades of professional industry experience across major productions in Australia and internationally, his insight in the rehearsal room has given our students such a valuable look at what is expected within the professional musical theatre industry.

More than anything, opportunities like this are what Academy training is all about. Learning from artists currently working in the industry, being challenged creatively and developing the skills to walk confidently into a professional rehearsal room.

Three weeks in, and it’s pretty special seeing everything starting to come together. 🤍

FROM *HEATHERS* BACK TO ACPA 🎭

Academy alumna Emma Caporaso returned to the studio while touring as Veronica Sawyer in *Heathers The Musical* to lead an audition masterclass with our Academy students.

From preparing an audition brief and selecting material to developing intention, storytelling and confidence in the room, Emma shared practical insight from her own journey into the professional industry.

A very special full-circle moment for our students, learning from someone who once trained in the same studios they do now.

Thank you, Emma, for coming back and sharing your experience with the next generation of Academy performers.

ACADEMY MID YEAR SHOWCASE 2026

Celebrating our 2026 Academy cohort after their performance last week.

We are so proud of the work, growth and commitment these students have shown since the beginning of the year. It was such a special moment to see them share that progress on stage and perform together as a cohort.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support this year’s talent. We can’t wait to keep building, refining and pushing their skills as we head towards our End of Year Show this December.

THE ROAD TO CANDANCE - PT 3

The final performance.

After weeks of rehearsals, refining details, and bringing the concept to life, this was the finished product.

Candance For A Cure remains one of our favourite events each year, bringing schools and performers together from across South Australia to celebrate dance while raising funds for cancer research.

We are incredibly grateful for the creative team behind this work and for the Academy students who committed themselves fully to the process from beginning to end.

Director & Choreographer – Joshua Taylor
Assistant Choreographer – Pep Rigano
Videography – Ebony Rumsby
Costumes – Megan Surace
Lighting & Tech – Changi
Music – Rory

THE ROAD TO CANDANCE - PT 2


Welcome to the final rehearsal.


Come behind the scenes as Josh takes the cohort through the final stages of the process - setting props, refining lighting cues, cleaning choreography, and locking in every last detail before the stage.


The pressure is building, but so is the performance.


See the work come to life tonight at Candance For A Cure.


Stay tuned for the final episode, where we take you backstage and show you what performing with the Academy really looks like.









THE ROAD TO CANDANCE - PT1

Creating the concept.
Josh is creating a piece unlike anything the Academy has produced before - conceptualising movement, choreographing, building the visual world, and shaping every detail from the ground up.

Take a look into the early stages of the creation process. Our dancers are training harder than ever to bring his vision to life.

In the next episode, go behind the scenes of the final rehearsals, watch the routine come together, and get a glimpse into what training at the Academy really looks like.

This is only the beginning.
See the work come to life this Saturday at Candance For A Cure.