Students set to take to the West End stage for talent showcase

TALENTED students from Bridgend and Cowbridge will be taking to the stage to perform in the iconic West End venue, the Shaftesbury Theatre, for Stagecoach’s Showcase on Sunday, November 21.

They are the only Welsh school out of 32 across the UK who will be at this exciting event.

After the 2020 show was postponed because of the pandemic, many of the talented students missed out on performing on the world-famous stage, but now they will get their chance. The students will be joining others from across the UK and for some, this will be their first time in two years on a stage, if not, ever. For many of the further stage students, this will be the last Stagecoach performance before they graduate to pursue a career in the performing arts and are going on to further education to study theatre and drama next year.

Earlier in 2021, Stagecoach students were the first to perform at the legendary Shaftesbury theatre venue after 14 months. 160 students from 10 schools took part in the test event which hailed the return of live theatre to stages across the UK.

There are 32 schools in total performing in the showcase, with many travelling hundreds of miles across the UK to join the Welsh students on the iconic West End stage.

Briony Tanner, senior marketing executive at Stagecoach, said: “We are so excited to be able to hold this incredible event at the Shaftesbury Theatre again. We are so proud of the students, parents and teachers and all of the schools involved, many of whom are travelling many miles to London to take part, and all of whom have been rehearsing relentlessly to put on a fabulous show. It is such a pleasure to welcome everyone back through the doors to celebrate their hard work at the end of what has been a busy, and sometimes tough year.”

Stagecoach Performing Arts recently reported a surge in new student enrolments (50%) as it reopens its schools across the UK and welcomes students back for the Summer term. Stagecoach prides itself on building Creative Courage For Life among students, which is more important than ever as children’s mental health, confidence and development have been impacted by the lockdown.

Performing arts’ powerful impact on improving children’s mental health, along with the need for social interaction, a creative outlet and a happy and positive environment where children can be themselves and make friends, have been key contributors to this spike in enquiries and enrolments.

Stagecoach is the UK’s largest network of performing arts schools, with more than 2,000 extracurricular performing arts schools worldwide. Early Stages classes are available for children aged four to six and Main Stages classes take place for six to 18 year olds every weekend.