W

hen The Drifters came into Sarah Martin’s drama school to do a music masterclass she never imagined it would lead to her starring in a musical about their life.

The Wearside performer caught the ear of the band after being asked to perform backing vocals in the masterclass, and now the 21-year-old’s joining the Motown hit makers in her first major production.

Stand By Me charts the musical history of a group that helped to define Atlantic Records, inspired early rock and roll and were a forerunner to both the black music movement in 1950s America and early Motown.

The new production, which is touring the country ahead of its West End debut, stars former members of The Drifters, Michael Williams and Ryan King.

Sarah, from Mount Pleasant, plays a number of roles in the musical as it follows The Drifters from the early days of the 1940s through to the present day.

The former Biddick School pupil said: “Stand By Me is all about the music of Ben E King and The Drifters and charts the band’s career from the 1940s to the present day. The band has had 65 members over six decades and with all those line-up changes it’s made for a lot of highs and lows, deaths and achievements.

“It’s been compared to The Jersey Boys because it looks at the history and life of the band. The industry was both cruel and kind to them. There were hard times and funny times. For the fans it’s great for them to be able to learn about what went on behind the scenes.”

The musical is a dream come true for Sarah, who was spotted when former members of the band did a masterclass at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford, where