Standing room only for star-studded Magic of the Musicals

It was standing room only when the 200 strong Solihull community choir joined West End professionals to perform songs from the shows in Adam Hepkin’s ‘The Magic of the Musicals’.

Budding singers from Shirestone Academy, The Theatre Workshop and Grace Academies in Solihull and Coventry, sang West End favourites from musicals including ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, ‘Joseph’, ‘West Side Story’ and ‘Cats’.

Karl Loxley from BBC’s ‘The Voice’ headlined the show with West End stars Rachael Louise Miller from Les Miserables, the Wizard of Oz and Joseph, David Covey from The Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables, Christopher Ragland from Avenue Q and Little Shop of Horrors, and Sam Coleman who played Young Hodor in Game of Thrones.

Rachael Louise Miller said:

“This show is fantastic.  Adam has put together a great group of people who simply love performing and love musicals.  If you get the bug to be a performer, this is a great, safe place to learn your craft and have a great time while you are doing it.”

Speaking to students who are considering going into the industry, Rachael added: “It’s becoming more and more competitive as each year goes on, but if it is something someone really wants to do with their life, then they need to do as much as they can in their local community, learn from their elders, and then audition for drama schools.  That’s when you get your professional training and it will teach you that you are a small fish in a very big pond.  There are so many talented people out there, so you have to really want it and work hard.”

Year 10 student Bethany Ball from Grace Academy, who took part in the show, said:

“It’s been a lot of hard work and commitment and it’s turned into an amazing show. One of the West End professionals was helping to direct me during rehearsals on the right path for what I would like to do in the future.  I want to be a director of a theatre show.”

Primary school children from Shirestone Academy joined the community choir for the show and Head Teacher Nadeem Bashir said:

“It’s amazing and the children are so talented.  I think we are looking at the stars of tomorrow. I am very grateful that our children have been invited to take part and it means the world to me. Our children have had the opportunity to perform outside of our own school hall with other young people who are role models.  This has helped to build their confidence and I hope this is the first of many.”

Deirdre La Bassiere, whose daughter Annissa La Touche, aged 14, performed in the show as part of The Theatre Workshop, said:

“I was moved to tears, particularly during the rendition of ‘Over the Rainbow’. It was as professional as any show I have been to see in the West End.  It’s an amazing opportunity for my daughter to be showcased with West End talent in Solihull.  What we are seeing today will have ripple effects, and the stars of the future are here in this room right now.”

‘The Magic of the Musicals’ show was established in 2013 by Adam Hepkin, Artistic Educational Developer for Grace Academies in Coventry, Solihull, and Darlaston, and it has enjoyed sell-out performances across the country.

Darren Gelder, Principal, Grace Academy Solihull, commented on the success of the show, and said:

“This has been a sell-out evening of entertainment, music, and a fantastic opportunity for the young people at the Academy to work with primary school children and professionals.  It has been incredibly well supported by the community with standing room only and it is an expression of our continuing commitment to the Academy’s arts programme.”