Phoenix Students Audition for Top Talent Show!
Phoenix students were recently involved in auditioning for the first ever Rhodes Talent Search, held at the Rhodes Centre in Bishop Stortford. The auditions were held over 3 days where a variety of different acts auditioned in the hope of gaining a place in the Rhodes Talent Search Grand Final which takes place on Saturday 26th May. The winning acts will then get a chance to perform at The Bishop Stortford Carnival on Saturday 16th June at Sworders Field in Bishop Stortford.
Over the course of 3 days, (15th, 21st and 22nd of April) a total of 71 acts auditioned in front of a panel of four judges drawn from the entertainment industry. Following the auditions a total of 42 acts remain in the competition and the judges will now select the 22 finalists from this list. Phoenix Musical Theatre, Drama and Dance students participated in both group and solo performances including; The Phoenix Clowns (Directed by Vice Principle Jeanne Stacey following on from a recent ‘Clown Workshop’ created by Jody Schroeder, an internationally renowned hip-hop artist, and pictured above), a version of Christina Perry’s Jar of Hearts (choreographed by Phoenix Dance teacher Katie Barker-Dale, and pictured below), and a number of soloists including Primary students Jake Poolman, Sarinna Proudfoot-Mathurin, Elena Cotton and Melissa Mountney and Intermediate students Olivia Pritchard and Jessica Wolohan.
It was a very successful event and everyone that took part really enjoyed the experience and had a great day. Many of the above mentioned Phoenix acts are in the final 42 and we wish them the very best of luck in reaching the final and we’ll let you all know the outcome as soon as we do! More pictures taken throughout the auditions can be found on the Rhodes Facebook page.
Sophie Represents East 15 Acting School at National Festival
Primary Drama Tutor Sophie Barker was onstage at the world famous Globe Theatre on Londons Southbank this weekend (1st April). Sophie, who teaches drama in Harlow on a Saturday, played the part of Imogen in an excerpt from William Shakespeare’s Cymbeline that was the East 15 Acting School entry into the Festival (Pictured left). The Sam Wannamaker Festival, named after the actor whose lifelong ambition was to see the famous Globe Theatre recreated, brings together students from all 21 of the UK’s accredited drama schools to present a collection of duologues. As well as East 15, other drama schools represented included RADA, LAMDA and the Central School of Speech and Drama. Although the event is a celebration rather than a competition, the sense that each school is hoping to ‘out do’ the others with their presentations is apparent and Sophie’s achievement in being picked as the only female actress form East 15 is a reflection of the high regard with which she is held at the school. Sophie is currently in her final year of a 3 year acting course at the Loughton based drama school.
Largest audience ever for Primary Showcases
All 104 Phoenix primary drama students recently performed in the annual drama showcases 2012 (24th & 25th March) in the Studio Theatre at The Harlow Playhouse.
For the first time there were four performances playing to a combined audience of 500 enthusiastic parents and family members. In total we were treated to 13 separate pieces with an amazing mix of intriguing stories. These included a visiting alien from planet Zion, the history of working children, the tale of how Amazonian birds came to obtain their colours and many more. Highlights included the year 1 and 2 Harlow class’ tale of the Boy who Cried Wolf and the theatrical presentation of The Great Snakeskin, a piece created by the year 4-6 students from our new Bishop’s Stortford primary classes.
Each show finished with a finale devised by the students themselves in which they expressed what being a Phoenix student means to them and why they love our school. It was a fantastic conclusion, to a fantastic show. The children will be performing their pieces again for this year’s group LAMDA examinations in May and will have the opportunity to receive external accreditation for their efforts. We are sure they will do well and prove to be a credit to Sophie Barker and Faye Linden our Primary Drama tutors who have been ably assisted this term by Amy Moulder and Connor Linden.
Both shows were filmed and photographed and DVD copies will be available soon. A selection of the pictures taken can be seen on our Facebook page. The other 1400 or so will be available on a disk along with any DVD order.
Principal Phil Dale travels to Manchester to see Will and Jake
Phoenix Musical Theatre Students Will Edden and Jake Poolman are currently appearing in Cameron Mackintosh’s national tour of Oliver!, and Phoenix Principal Phil Dale and his wife Jules recently took a trip to Manchester to see them both perform onstage together. Will, 13, plays the main role of The Artful Dodger on the tour, having initially been cast as Nipper during the shows west end run at The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Following his stint there, he left the show to play Gavroche in Les Miserables at The Palace Theatre before being invited back to the show to take the much more demanding role of Dodger. Will must impress the producers as he is the centrepiece of a giant sized poster outside the Manchester venue. (Pictured below)
In a bizarre twist, yet fantastic coup for Phoenix, 9 year old Jake auditioned for the tour and was offered the very same part that Will had vacated a few months earlier! (Jake is pictured as Nipper below right.) Although the boys are in different groups and rarely perform at the same time, a slight change to the schedule meant that there was a small window of opportunity in Manchester to see them in the same show and Phil jumped at the chance to see them onstage together.
“It was a fantastic evening!” Said Phil. “I saw the show 3 times in the west end and I genuinely think the touring version is even better. Both Jake and Will gave great performances and were a huge credit to the school. They are both shining examples of what can be achieved with hardwork and commitment” Both Jake and Will study Musical Theatre and Drama with Phoenix whilst Jake also attends Phoenix Dance classes on a Monday evening.
The show features TV star Neil Morrissey in the role of Fagin while Samantha Barks, who finished in the top 3 of TV talent contest I’d Do Anything, takes the role of Nancy. The boys are currently contracted until June and will travel with the show while it travels to Birmingham, Southampton and then Edinburgh. The schedule means they appear for 1 week in every 3 but luckily for Phoenix both Jake and Will are available to perform in the forthcoming Phoenix Musical Theatre and Dance Showcase at The Playhouse on the 11th and 12th March and will perform a number from the show. Tickets are available now for just £10.
‘Stupid Cupid’ a Big Hit with Parents and Children Alike
The first ever Phoenix Play in a Day was a huge success when 28 Primary aged children, most of whom had never met each other before, gathered together at 10.00am at The Rhodes in Bishops Stortford with the sole aim of putting on a performance for friends and family by 6.30pm that evening! The idea was the brainchild of Phoenix Principal Phil Dale, who was asked by The Rhodes to provide a drama based workshop for the half-term holiday. The day-long project cost just £35 per child and 2 tickets for friends or family to the final performance were included in the price.
The 28 participants were assisted throughout the day by Phil as well as Primary Drama Tutor Faye Linden and Musical Theatre Tutor Debbie Hannam. Jules Dale also provided invaluable support with props and costumes whilst the Rhodes technical team were on hand to ensure the finished performance had that professional touch!
The children had great fun but most importantly worked hard to achieve their goal and astounded their friends and family with a 35 minute performance. Entitled Stupid Cupid, it included song, poem and mime and told the story of how a miserable pop star learnt to appreciate the concept of love. The performers received a rousing response from an audience of 100 at the end and went home tired but thrilled, with new friends and a huge sense of achievement.
More pictures of the day can be found on our Facebook page and a DVD record of the final performance will be available soon. Blip, the week-long summer school for primary aged children will return in July at the start of the summer holidays, and Blast, it’s big brother for senior aged students will be back in August. Full details will be released soon, along with news of the next Play-In-A-Day.