The Southern Stars show is guaranteed to be the main topic at the Ellevsen family dinner table.
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Jai Ellevsen is the youngest member of the Overnight Wollongong boy band that starred in the reality television show The Voice Australia.
He is also the youngest in a family full of Southern Stars.
The annual school show is a family tradition for the Ellevsens, all family members have taken a role in one form or another.
Jai's mother is the creative director of Southern Stars and his father was previously an executive producer of the show.
Jai's brothers, Zacariah, 22, a singer and all-round musician, and Jacob, 25, a guitarist both starred in Southern Stars.
"In our family art is compulsory because it's so important, isn't it? It's a non-negotiable. You must learn an instrument," Ruth Ellevsen, Jai's mother said.
Mrs Ellevsen explains that while you don't have to make a career out of playing an instrument it's important because of the benefits - the therapeutic effect.
It's not the first time the boy band has played in front of a big audience, they made their debut at WIN Entertainment Centre for the Southern Stars show.
They performed 'Larger than Life' at the 2022 Southern Stars show before performing it at The Voice blind auditions
"We've all been performing together for six years through Southern Stars and just everything about Southern Stars really prepares you for that part of the industry like singing, and dancing," Jai Ellevsen said.
Jai enjoys how Southern Stars brings people together, no matter what everyone is dealing with in their lives, he said they can be present on stage.
"No matter what is going in your life outside of Stars you put on the uniform you're walking with your friends, you're relaxed and you're having a good time, you're happy," he said.
This is the first year Ruth Ellevsen will run Southern Stars as the creative director, after several years as vocal director.
The head teacher of music at Wollongong High School said she enjoys a challenge.
One such challenge is introducing 80s and 90s classics to the students, or "real music", she said.
"I wanted to create a show that they would be introduced to the classics, and there are all now walking around going 'These songs are great!" Mrs Ellevsen said.
While the students have fun with contemporary music and the classics, there's a serious side to the theme of the show which is all about celebrating moments.
Mrs Ellevsen said she created a show that navigates the ebbs and flows of all emotions, not just the cheery ones.
"These are the kids that have come out of COVID, they've had a rough trot," she said.
"I think it's important to the kids to know it's okay ... It's okay to have all those feelings from COVID that they had as long as they channel it properly and healthily,
"I wanted them to really learn to celebrate all moments. Not just the positive ones and to be able to embrace the not so positive ones or the learning ones."
The Ellevsen family is getting ready for the big event on Friday, August 25 and Saturday, August 26 which includes about 3000 student performers.
Mrs Ellevsen said people can expect the Southern Stars 2023 show to be "a visual extravaganza".
"We have a circus. We have a marching band. We have people flying from silks, we've got drums, we've got dance. It's all happening!"
For further details and tickets to Southern Stars The Arena Spectacular, visit southernstarsarenaspectacular.com
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Marlene Even
Journalist at the Illawarra Mercury. Previously a radio and podcast host at 2SER Radio.
Journalist at the Illawarra Mercury. Previously a radio and podcast host at 2SER Radio.
