Francesca Ballard Archives - North West End UK

29Aug

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Newsies Jr. – Z Arts

Produced by Dave Holden and Kimberly Holden, directed by Dave Holden, and with musical direction by Kimberly Holden, Newsies JR is an energetic, heartfelt and thoroughly engaging production that showcases an exceptionally talented young ensemble. Based on the inspiring story of the young newspaper sellers of New York who unite against unfair working conditions, Newsies JR explores themes of friendship, courage, resilience, determination and solidarity. This production captured those themes beautifully, brought to life by a remarkably committed cast whose performances demonstrated a level of vocal, dramatic and theatrical maturity far beyond their years. From the opening number to the final curtain, I was completely immersed in the world of the production. The cast established a stron...

Manchester Musical Youth’s 11th Anniversary Concert – Manchester College

Manchester Musical Youth (MMY) marked its 11th anniversary in spectacular fashion with a celebratory concert at Manchester College, showcasing the incredible breadth of talent that has become synonymous with this outstanding theatre group. With over 100 students taking part, from apprentices to main stage performers - this was more than just a concert; it was a heartfelt celebration of eleven years of nurturing young talent and transforming passion into performance. Headed by the dynamic husband-and-wife duo Kimberly Holden (Musical Director) and Dave Holden (Director), MMY once again proved why it is renowned for producing some of Manchester’s finest young performers, many of whom have gone on to excel on professional stages and screens. The evening featured 23 musical numbers s...

Sister Act Jr – Z-Arts

It has been a long time since Manchester Musical Youth’s (MMY) apprentices got to shine on the Z-Arts stage, so tonight was a personal joy to be back in the auditorium to witness a triumphant return with their latest production of Sister Act Jr. Sometimes, for me junior versions of full-scale shows seem cut too short and the story suffers because of this. I get the idea behind these versions and the opportunities it gives young performers, but tonight’s version of Sister Act did not seem to suffer from this, albeit some of the story was rushed. One thing MMY does better than most is find and cultivate young talent, many of which in previous years have gone on to some of the best theatre schools in the country and even the West End. Tonight, was no different as two young actors shone ...