We’re thrilled to share that The Regals Musical Society’s President, Chelsea Holland, has been honoured as Bayside Citizen of the Year for 2026. This award recognises her outstanding leadership, tireless dedication, and the incredible impact she continues to make through community theatre and youth arts. Chelsea’s passion shapes everything we do at The Regals, and we couldn’t be prouder to see her contributions celebrated across the wider community.
Here’s the speech Chelsea shared with 100 of Australia’s newest citizens, their family and friends, and Bayside leadership at Rockdale Town Hall:
Thank you to Mayor Councillor Edward McDougall and all of Bayside Council for this incredible honour.
I’ll start by saying this hall alone is so special to me. It’s where I got MY Australian citizenship in 2021, and I’ve spent literal months of my life in the last 6 years on this stage as an actor, director, and the President of The Regals Musical Society.
If you’re not familiar with The Regals Musical Society, we’re a proud Bayside community theatre that celebrated our 80th anniversary in 2025. Community is at the heart of who we are and why we exist. Everything you see onstage during a Regals show is created by local volunteers and performed for the community that supports us.
For The Regals and myself, being part of this community means telling stories that reflect the people who live here. It means assembling casts and creative teams that draw from the incredible diversity that enriches our everyday lives. And it means making sure that everyone who joins us—onstage, backstage, or in the audience—feels welcome to show up as their authentic self.
Alongside our mainstage productions, I’m especially passionate about our annual youth show, which I’ve had the privilege to direct twice. Watching young performers grow in confidence, form friendships, and discover lifelong skills through the shared adventure of putting on a musical reinforces why the hundreds of hours the committee and I devote matter, and reminds me that the future of the arts is in very capable hands.
And in times like these—when so many of us are feeling the weight of the world—there’s something profoundly healing about musical theatre. Whether you’re singing, dancing, or simply sitting in the audience letting the story carry you away for a few hours, live performance has a remarkable ability to lift our spirits.
If you’re searching for a way to build empathy and strengthen the bonds of a community, look no further than the stage. Acting invites us to step into someone else’s shoes—quite literally—and in doing so, it reminds us how connected we really are.
If you’d like to experience the rich arts here in Bayside, we’d love to see you back here at Rockdale Town Hall in April for our production of the beloved classic Guys and Dolls. It will feature a cast of 40 incredible local performers and a live 14‑piece orchestra.
This community has given me a home, a stage, and a purpose. Thank you for recognising the work I’ve done to continue the legacy of this beautiful society and for believing in the value of local arts. I’m honoured to keep contributing as a proud citizen of Bayside. Thank you.