The staff and students will raise the curtain on their production of The Mikado for Highlanders, and it promises to be a joyous and fun night.

Director/producer Kate Price said their adaptation of the opera took the farcical wit and humour of the original and mixed in comtemporary elements to add a new vitality to the show.

“While this show is more than 100 years old, you can put it on now and appeal to a new audience if you tweak it a little bit,” she said.

“If you’re older, you’ll hear a song and realise you remember it, and the show has been parodied a lot as well.”

You’ll also recognise some places and names woven into the script, including Justin Bieber and Kim Jong-un.

“We’ve pulled back on the pantomine aspect and rewritten some songs to give cultural references relevant to today,” Ms Price said.

“It’s a satrical look at society in general.”

About 100 students are involved in the production, be it singing, acting, dancing or playing in the band.

Ms Price said the most important element of the show was the students.

“The amount of work that has needed to be done is a lot, but so worthwhile, the kids get so much out of it,” she said.

“For many of them, this will become a loving memory. I still have old students spot me on the street and sing out some lines of the musical they were involved in.”

There will be an eclectic mix of traditional Japanese and contemporary costuming, and the set will be a knock out.

“The girls have done an amazing job making the costumes,” Ms Price said.

“Many are handmade, as we couldn’t buy or hire many that suited.

“But wait until you see Mikado’s headpiece.”

The Mikado will be showing at McGrath Hall, Chevalier College, Burradoo, from May 17 to May 20.

There will be 7.00pm performances May 17, 18, 19 and 20, and a 2.00pm matinee on May 20.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for children and $60 for a family. Book your seats online at www.trybooking.com/pdyy or www.chevalier.nsw.edu.au.