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The Parkmore group started the Murder mystery ball rolling in style. There were universally strong drama performances and lively, entertaining cabaret pieces that kept the audience amused all evening. It was a great team effort on behalf of the students and their staff after a stressful week of wondering whether tickets would sell. Here are some photos taken by the staff on the day of the show. IN UPLOADING TO THE SITE THE PHOTOS MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME DISTORTION - IF YOU RIGHTCLICK OVER THE PHOTO AND SAVE TO YOUR COMPUTER IT WILL SAVE WITHOUT THE DISTORTION
William Hart of Darlington 9.00am Early Stages Group won a Stagecoach national award recently and I went down to see William presented with his award at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and to collect another award on behalf of Lucie Russell.
Here are the photos I took of Will and then below is a link to Stagecoach.tv to see the video of the award ceremony.
Now see video footage of the awards by clicking on this link:-
http://www.stagecoach.tv/video/the-stagecoach-theatre-arts-awards-2011/
James Waine of the 9.15am Darlington Early stages class is the first student to win the platinum award for hard work. He has acumulated enough cards full of stickers to earn his £5 reward. Here he is looking justly proud.
Here is Macy`s story in the Northern Echo this week.
Little Lucie Russell of Darlington 11am Early Stages class has won a Stagecoach Award in only her first term of membership. It has been won because despite incredible health problems, Lucie is gutsy and enthusiastic and smiles all the time.
Lucie is only 5 years old but has only just learned to walk again after not being able to for 2.5 years. Lucie developed a very serious childhood cancer when she was two and a half years old which meant daily chemotherapy with a double dose on Fridays which left her vomiting all night. She lost the use of her legs and she could not be touched. Her reduced immune system allowed her to get chickenpox which put her into intensive care and then she caught swine flu which put her back into intensive care.
Lucy now has the all-clear and is trying to catch up on lost time. She loves to come to Stagecoach and expects no special consideration, giving as much as she possibly can in Dance, even though she still gets bone pain.
Initially there was a disappointment for Lucie in that on the day of the awards (her birthday) a huge party has already been arranged for her by her dad`s workmates (as she has never been able to have a party before). After the awards, the children and their families can go to see `Shrek` in the West End for free.
Although Lucie will miss out on this, there are plans afoot by our Head Office to make sure that she does not miss out altogether.
Well done Lucie. You are an inspiration to us all!
William Hart of the 9.00am Darlington Early Stages Class has learned this Weekend that he has won through to the finals of the `Good Buddy` award in the national Stagecoach Awards which will be presented at The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane later on this month. The awards presentations will be followed by a visit to the show running at the Theatre Royal at the moment - `Shrek`. William is already a big fan of Shrek.
Well Done Will!! We are all very proud of you. All your friends in your class and Janie, Sue, Kate and myself (being the teachers that know you the best) in particular!! We will all be thinking about you on the day and we`re very jealous that we can`t come to see Shrek with you.
Will`s mum Maggie nominated him in these words…..
William Hart is a delightful little boy, with red hair. He loves dinosaurs, Shrek, school, Stagecoach and most importantly his family. William, who will be six on the 24th November, is the middle brother of three. His oldest brother Alex, 7, happens to have Down syndrome. Alex’s speech is very limited, and William is in many cases is Alex’s voice. William, despite being only 5, recognises that Alex is different, in William words, “Alex has dance syndrome because he loves music!” Both boys attend the local mainstream school, Alex with full time support. William is very protective of his older brother, and in many ways is treated as the oldest brother, because he is much taller than Alex. William sets a great example of what a brother and friend should be. When questioned at school about Alex being different, William is happy to explain that Alex has Down syndrome and needs more help to do things but he can do things. This doesn’t mean that as brothers they don’t argue, they do, but the love that William has for Alex, and his younger brother Ben, is something rare
and wise beyound his years. Alex attends lots of appointments, and is also on the autistic spectrum, his lack of speech can make life at home frustrating, at times for us all, however William is fantastically patient and understanding. He accepts that at times Alex’s needs need to come first and never complains. He once said that he is happy that he doesn’t have Down syndrome, because he recognises that life is different for Alex. However he embraces the fact that Alex, is Alex, and happens to have Down syndrome. He is incredibly erceptive of all children’s needs and will talk and engage with any child. He is a delight and a child that will go far, what ever he chooses to do in the future. When he grows up he wants to be a dinosaur! I am very proud of all my boys, but William, as the middle child, who is treated as the oldest child in the family, is pretty amazing. His school, family and friends think so to.I would love to nominate William in the Good Buddy category, because he is a great buddy, friend and brother. He is an exceptional little man, who has grown up fast, who delights in life and is a kind and considerate little boy. (I run a charity for children with Down syndrome and it takes a lot of my time, but William is very happy that I work with children who are like Alex and happen to have Down syndrome.) William Hart, is in my opinion, a true role model to all the children who have brothers and sisters which have additional needs, and also to his friends and most importantly to his brothers.
After tonight, Macy Stasiak is the new Debbie in the all-new cast of `Billy Elliot` in the West End. We have known for some time of Macy`s success but it has all been under official wraps at the London end.
Macy is the second girl from Stagecoach Darlington that has won this part AND from exactly the same Stagecoach Darlington school - Saturday AM. Annabelle Crosby played Debbie, in the West End, for a year, a couple of years ago and now it is Macy`s turn. Macy was inspired by Annabelle`s success and also by being one of the `ballet girls` in our own productions of `Billy Elliot` in 2010, when we entered the Billy Youth Theatre project. We were lucky enough to get down to the final 14 groups (out of 115) selected to perform in the West End Showcase of that project, which meant that Macy has danced on that same West End stage before tonight.
Macy was with us this Saturday AM, as of old, and was VERY excited about opening in the show. Here she is with her Stage 2 friends. Break a leg, Macy!! When I get to know which shows Macy is performing in I will post it to the site in case anyone wants to go down to see her.
A rash of websites have news of Macy after her debut performance on Monday 14th November and the links are below. Macy`s mum said Macy`s first show was `fantastic! No mistakes, she thoroughly enjoyed herself.`
Website postings
http://www.broadway.com/buzz/158555/kaine-ward-macy-stasiak-join-billy-elliot-in-london/
My American internet friend has sent me links to the trailers for Jamie Bell`s latest films.
Here is `Tin Tin` - due out at Christmas, in which Jamie`s voice is Tin Tin`s. The film is directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Peter Jackson (of `Lord of the Rings` fame). It should be big!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=op3w_ICK4us
Here is the trailer to `Jane Eyre`- out now. There are a few glimpses of Jamie on there but you have not to blink!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpoKvgiCahA&feature=related
This is an extract that features him:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5VlXXw9N4E
And here is a scene cut from the `King Kong` film showing Jamie dancing again!
Our 2 choirs finish their run in `Joseph` at the Forum Theatre, Billingham, tomorrow and I know that there will be a lot of glum faces and a few tears when 10pm arrives tomorrow and the final curtain falls.
The Northern Echo have reviewed `Joseph` this week and here is their review above in which the choir get a generous mention.
” The chorus was made up of talented children from Stagecoach Darlington, who were incredibly professional under the spotlight as they lived their dream too.”