Hoi Polloi Malta Returns from an Unforgettable JTF Europe 2026
- marco4073
- 21 minutes ago
- 4 min read
What a weekend.
Hoi Polloi Malta has officially returned from Birmingham after participating in the Junior Theatre Festival Europe (JTF Europe) for the third consecutive year — and what a journey it has been.
For those unfamiliar, JTF Europe is one of the world’s leading celebrations of youth musical theatre, bringing together young performers, educators, creatives, and theatre lovers from across Europe for a weekend packed with performances, workshops, adjudications, masterclasses, and unforgettable moments.
And this year, our HPA delegation truly embraced every second of it.
From a Full Production to 15 Minutes on an International Stage
This year, our students presented a specially created 15-minute adjudication performance of Disney’s Dare to Dream Jr., adapted from the full one-hour production originally staged last September by our Play in Production students together with Musikidz.
Honestly? One of the biggest challenges was deciding what to cut.
The piece was directed by Marco A. Calleja and brought together:
25 young performers
supported by 20 adults made up of HPA educators and parent chaperones
This year also marked an exciting development in our creative process, with students stepping into leadership positions:
Francesca Gauci as Student Choreographer
Emily Dimech as Student Musical Director
Watching students begin taking ownership of the creative process itself was incredibly rewarding and reflects exactly the kind of artistic growth and leadership we aim to nurture at HPA.
Achievement in Ensemble – JTF Europe 2026 🏆
We are beyond proud that our performance was awarded the Achievement in Ensemble Award at JTF Europe 2026.
The performance was described by adjudicators as:
energetic,
daring,
and heartfelt.
Most importantly, the feedback consistently returned to one word:
Ensemble.
The adjudicators — Chris Ma, Debbie Isitt, and Mary Catherine Zimmerman — highlighted:
the commitment behind every story we told,
the emotional honesty behind every moment,
and the unity that connected the group from beginning to end.
Their comments about the “sense of ensemble” meant the world to us because that spirit of collaboration and support sits at the very heart of how we work at HPA.
This recognition also continues an incredible three-year journey for our troupe:
Achievement in Acting – JTF Europe 2024
Achievement in Dance – JTF Europe 2025
Achievement in Ensemble – JTF Europe 2026
Together, these awards reflect the variety of skills our students continue to develop across acting, singing, dancing, storytelling, and collaborative performance-making.
Unforgettable Moments ✨
This year also brought several unforgettable individual moments for our delegation.
Festival All-Stars
A huge congratulations goes to:
Malaya Galdes
Raffaele Gauci
who were selected as Festival All-Stars and later performed Revolting Children on the Main Stage alongside fellow All-Stars from across the festival.
International All-Star Auditions
Meanwhile:
Renee
Amelia
Daniele
Francesca
were all nominated to audition for the prestigious International All-Stars programme, with hopes of once again representing Malta in New York in January 2027.
And then came one of the proudest moments of the entire weekend.
Former International All-Star Emily Dimech was invited on stage alongside Chris Ma to share her story — from training at HPA in Malta, to representing the country in New York, and now aspiring to become a Musical Director herself one day.
Seeing one of our own speak so confidently and passionately on an international stage was genuinely emotional.
Workshops, Training & Growth
Beyond the adjudication itself, our students spent the afternoon immersed in workshops and masterclasses with leading international practitioners.
The sessions focused heavily on:
acting through song,
truthful storytelling,
emotional connection,
and maintaining strong acting choices within choreography and movement.
And the learning did not stop with the students.
“Who Said JTF Is Just for Kids?” 💃
One of the things we love most about JTF Europe is that it is just as valuable for educators as it is for performers.
Our tutors participated in professional development sessions covering:
supporting young people pursuing careers in the arts,
voice and dialect work,
and creative storytelling techniques.
And yes… our tutors also made it to the Main Stage.
Joining fellow educators from across Europe, the HPA team performed Lady Gaga’s Abracadabra in a high-energy showcase that absolutely sent the auditorium wild.
It was chaotic, joyful, ridiculous, and honestly one of the most fun moments of the weekend.
Because theatre should never lose its sense of play.
The Journey Beyond the Stage 🌍
The trip itself became part of the experience.
We flew to Birmingham on Friday and intentionally gave the group time to enjoy the city together through a collaborative treasure hunt activity focused on teamwork, problem-solving, and building community.
Later that afternoon, we held one final outdoor rehearsal on a beautiful patch of grass near the hotel. Theatre outside? Why not.
It became one of those unexpectedly special moments where everyone simply reconnected, focused, and prepared together before the festival day ahead.
Following the festival, the journey continued with a trip to London’s West End.
After some free time wandering through the city and soaking in the atmosphere of one of the theatre capitals of the world, the delegation attended a performance of Matilda The Musical.
For a group of theatre lovers, performers, educators, and dreamers… it was the perfect ending.
And really…
Sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty.
More Than Awards ❤️
For us, JTF Europe has never been just about trophies.
It is about:
creating opportunities,
building confidence,
developing artistry,
nurturing leadership,
strengthening community,
and reminding young people that their voices matter.
At the same time, it is equally about ensuring that educators continue learning, growing, and evolving alongside their students for the benefit of future generations.
Reflecting on the experience, Marco A. Calleja described the weekend as:
“Emotion carried through every second.”
“Every note, every movement, every glance on stage was filled with purpose. Our students supported one another completely and performed with heart, honesty, and commitment. Watching them grow not only as performers but as collaborators and young leaders is what makes this journey so meaningful.”
And honestly?
We are still buzzing from it all.
More photos, videos, and behind-the-scenes moments from JTF Europe 2026 will be shared very soon.
The journey, it seems, is only just beginning.
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