Post by Queensland Department of Education

He was a sports-mad teenager who never had musicals on his radar — now Gladstone State High School graduate Jake Lyle has performed the lead role in Opera Australia’s The Phantom of the Opera. 🎭 ‘At school I was into sport, had my mates and musicals weren’t really on my radar,’ Jake said. That changed in Year 8, when a friend encouraged him to audition for a Gladstone production of Shrek the Musical. ‘I was cast as Papa Ogre. I was 14, and that experience genuinely changed my life.’ He found a love for performing, and with encouragement from his teachers, he kept going. ‘I had so many incredible mentors at Gladstone State High School who were responsible for where I am now,’ he said. ‘They were deeply passionate about giving students the opportunity to hone their craft and be themselves on stage.’ With support from his family and opportunities like our performing arts program Creative Generation - State Schools Onstage, his path was set. ‘A genuine thank you to Creative Generation for recognising potential and creating platforms that truly change lives,’ he said. ‘Everything I am doing now is built on the foundation laid by my teachers, my family, and my community in Gladstone. ‘I am proud of where I come from, and I carry that with me onto every stage.’ Jake shares his advice for young performers: ‘Don’t let anyone tell you it’s not possible. Never. Give. Up.’ Break a leg, Jake!

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