West End debut for theatre kids

Singing students from Lancaster trod the boards of the West End when they performed in a charity gala.
Children and teenagers from the Lakes Choir from Stagecoach Theatre School performed in London's West End.Children and teenagers from the Lakes Choir from Stagecoach Theatre School performed in London's West End.
Children and teenagers from the Lakes Choir from Stagecoach Theatre School performed in London's West End.

The Lakes Choir – made up of students from Lancaster, Kendal, Carlisle and Cockermouth Stagecoach Theatre Schools – was thrilled to be selected to perform at the Shaftesbury Theatre as part of the Stagecoach Charity Gala for Young Minds.

The choir was chosen from more than 100 performance pieces from Stagecoach events during the year.

Lakes Choir from Stagecoach Theatre School performed in London's West End.Lakes Choir from Stagecoach Theatre School performed in London's West End.
Lakes Choir from Stagecoach Theatre School performed in London's West End.
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The students performed their Beauty and the Beast repertoire from the 30 Year Anniversary World Record Breaking Attempt of Beauty and the Beast at the Birmingham Symphony Hall in June.

They formed part of the evening’s entertainment with seven other Stagecoach Schools.

The gala launched the first Stagecoach ‘Creative Courage Awards’.

The event was in aid of the Stagecoach chosen charity of the year ‘Young Minds’ whose mission it is to improve the emotional resilience and mental health of children and young people throughout the UK.

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Nilay Astagi from Stagecoach Lancaster was nominated for an award in the Acting category. He was pipped at the post but was delighted to have been nominated.

Stagecoach is a national network of performing arts schools and Principal of Stagecoach Lancaster, Ann-Marie White, has recently under gone an Annual Review by Trinity College London.

The review is to ensure quality teaching and learning and quality of leadership and management is of a high standard.

Having gained a grading of ‘excellence’ overall, the main areas of the review were found to ‘exceed’ criteria and expectation.

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Ann-Marie said:“The team and I are delighted with the results. We are a strong and committed team with a real drive to deliver quality performing arts education to young people.

“Part of the review process asks students how they feel about their Stagecoach School and one student wished that Stagecoach could run every day of the week!”

“This term our students will have the option of taking exams with the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) who send examiners to our private exam centre in Lancaster every year.”

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of School Principal, Ann-Marie, running Stagecoach in Lancaster, the students will be performing a gala event at the Lancaster Grand Theatre in July.

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All the students aged from four to 18 will come together to put on an exciting programme of Oscar-themed musical theatre pieces in celebration.

Stagecoach are now enrolling for the spring term with weekly classes at Lancaster & Morecambe College on Saturday mornings and The University of Cumbria campus on Saturday afternoons.

The school now has a new ‘Early Stages’ class for four-six-year-olds at the University of Cumbria running alongside the ‘Main Stages’ class for seven to 18-year-olds.

For more information, please call Ann-Marie on 07770 980913.