Following a string of 14 successful musical productions over the past 10 years, Christleton High School is preparing, for the first time, to stage a compilation show of some of the biggest hits from the West End and Broadway.
A Night at the Musicals will feature performances of songs from shows including Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Little Shop of Horrors, Phantom of the Opera, Matilda and many more.
As this is their senior school musical the cast is made up of 40 students from years 10-13 and will maintain the school’s tradition of putting on high quality productions twice a year, with the lower school musical following next June.
The most recent production at the school was Billy Elliot, in the summer, which sold every single one of the 1,500 seats available and was a huge success.
Director and musical director Simon Phillips said: “When we restarted the Christleton High School musical productions 11 years ago we began with Bugsy and although we have very fond memories of the show it included a small cast, a modest set and very little technical prowess.
“Since then we have aimed higher and higher each time and now try to give our students the opportunity to be involved in a production which uses professional sound and lighting equipment, a live band and more ambitious staging; this in turn, of course, encourages them to develop more and more sophisticated performances.
“We now regularly attract 100+ students to audition for each of our productions and our reputation has grown amongst the school population and beyond.”
The switch to offering a compilation show this time around was welcomed with excitement by the school, as Mr Phillips explained: “The students are excited at the opportunity to perform some of their favourite hits from the musical theatre repertoire and this format also gives more students the opportunity to lead performances on stage.
“We are especially excited about the finale we have planned for the show, which incorporates extracts from all of the 14 musicals we have staged over in the last decade.”
A Night at the Musicals runs from Tuesday, November 29 until Saturday, December 3 and tickets can be bought online using the box office button on the school’s website at www.christletonhigh.co.uk.
