Grease definitely is the word….
…on all the lips of the sell out audiences of Guthlaxton College’s latest smash hit success. There have been numerous emails, phone calls and articles in local press expressing sheer enjoyment and delight in the outstanding talents of our cast. Their words express this far more effectively than I can, and from an unbiased audience view, and so I’ve included some quotes below.
The College musical’s continued success year on year is a testament to the drive, hard work and dedication (even when illness and exhaustion strike) of the students onstage, backstage and those playing in the band, the Performing Arts staff, front of house team, bar staff (who all joined me in dressing the part!) and most especially Ben Linstead for designing, building, and rebuilding Greased Lightning. This show would not have the professional qualities that our audiences clamour to watch if it were not for all the help of these people, and many more, including the parents who act as taxis, seamstresses, prop providers and of course buy the tickets. For their time and commitment and talents I thank them all. There are many amazing memories to cherish. It’s certainly very exciting to see the emerging talents of the year 10 students, most especially Sean Wright (Roger), Joe Mesvania (Doody) and Charlotte Forde (Jan), who were totally captivating in their lead roles, and I am sure that they will be the ones to watch in the forthcoming Performing Arts events. So much of the show rested on the shoulders of the principal characters, and they all worked tirelessly on creating such entrancing characters on the stage. While they all were ‘truly fanstastic’, I must make special mention of a few. My heartfelt thanks and utmost admiration and appreciation go to Stephanie Collings (Sandy) and Amar Aggoun (Danny) who drove the whole show forward as both the central roles and excellent role models to the younger members of the cast. They were truly outstanding and their support, energy and talents were essential to the success of the show. We wish them well in their further studies next year. All of the Pink Ladies and T Birds were exceptional and gelled together as believable friendship groups. My personal congratulations for two students that many audience members have given special mention to, must be for Charlotte Parker (Patty) and Josh Chalk (Eugene); for both this was their first leading role, and as comic roles they had to focus their attentions on timing and delivery, but still make their characters true to life. And so to the process of choosing next year’s show….
….watch this space
Ellie Dickinson, Director
“It was indeed worthy of being performed by them on a West End stage”
“It was such an uplifting show you left the auditorium wanting to see more”
“The college should be so proud of these very talented students of which they are a credit to.”
“We can honestly say that this one was up amongst the best of them”
“The sheer exuberant performance of the cast was every bit as good as that in many a professionally produced musical I've seen and some of the solo performances were the equal of many a professional performer.”
“Wherever I looked on stage there was always something going on”
“Such remarkable ambassadors of today's youth.”
Published on Thursday 31st March 2011 at 09:00