Two St Peters College students will take the stage as part of South Otago Theatrical Society’s (SOTS) season of Moana Jr.

Serena Love, 17, and Lily Taylor, 14, will play Moana and Te Fiti respectively when the show opens in Balclutha on August 6.

Both girls are no strangers to the stage and are looking forward to showcasing their hard work.

Serena said she was a little shocked to discover she had the title role in the production.

“I enjoy singing and have performed in a number of shows with school, West Otago Theatrical Society and Stage Antics in Tapanui. When the Moana Jr .auditions came up, I thought I’d take the opportunity to do something I love in a new community. I originally auditioned for the role of Tamatoa, the crab, but was not expecting to get Moana,” she said.

“This is my first show with SOTS and I’ve loved it. The songs are amazing and it’s been great learning about the Islander culture and the language. We’ve had to learn how to pronounce certain words and sounds; it’s been new for everybody.”

The production features a cast of 30 performers, aged from 8 to 18.

“I’ve loved working with everyone in Balclutha, meeting new friends of all ages. Some other lead characters are much younger than me — the character of Maui is played by a 12-year-old boy and I never thought I’d have so much fun hanging out with someone five years younger than me.”

She was looking forward to seeing everything coming together, she said.

Lily comes from a theatre-loving family and has been in many shows with SOTS.

“I love acting and being part of a team working to bring a story to life. I’ve been part of many shows over the last four or five years,” she said.

Lily Taylor is excited to play Te Fiti in South Otago Theatrical Society's season of "Moana Jr". Photo: Supplied

“I’ve always loved the story of Moana and was excited to audition for the Junior show. I play Te Fiti. She is basically the heart of the island — she gives life to everything, and when her heart gets taken she turns into Te Kā. My costume is amazing. I also dance in the You’re Welcome ensemble.”

She loved everything about being part of the Moana Jr. cast and was looking forwarding to presenting it to audiences from August 6, she said.

Moana Jr. will run for four shows, including a matinee, at Te Pou Ō Mata-Au in Balclutha, August 6-9.