Kids are all stars in fabulous show
Youngsters’ performance had loads of style
The Nicest Kids in Town was an apt number to get Hairspray Jr on stage in Shotts last week.
The junior show at Calderhead High School in association with Shotts St Patrick’s Opera Group was a great success.
The young people on stage were pupils of primary schools in Shotts and first year pupils of Calderhead and St Aidan’s High schools who produced singing and dancing of the highest quality.
The audiences were welcomed to the sixties with the story of Tracy Turnblad who dreamed ofdancing on the Corny Collins Show and her success brought a new era of integration.
The cast showed energy and talent throughout the whole performance on stage with harmonious singing.
Main players were Cerys Moore as Tracy Turnblad; Jack Stewart found some excellent dress sense as her mother Edna Turnblad; Shay Greenhorn as Willie Turnblad; Aimee Moore as Penny Pingleton; Morgan McLeod in the role of Prudy Pingleton; Emily Franchi as Amber Von Tussle had great rapport with Quinn Muirhead as her mother Velma; Joe McAdam was Link Larkin; and Logan Byrne wowed the audience as Corny Collins.
Nathaniel Sweeney played Seaweed J. Stubbs; Ailiesh McInnes captivated as Motormouth Maybelle; Ava Leitch was Little Inez; Oran Sweeney played Mr Pinky; Maia McMillan was the prison guard; and Niamh Hannah was the gym teacher.
The eye- catching Dynamites were Emily Allen, Robyn Coulthard and Olivia Semple.
All the cast members can be proud of their performances.
The chorus line gave sterling renditions of lively numbers and the final number “You Can’t Stop the Beat” summed up the energy of the show.
Musical director Fraser Wilson, director and choreographer Matthew Coulter, with assistant director Darren Strang, assistant musical director Rachel Totten, and assistant choreorgraphers Stephanie Welsh and Stephanie Connelly must have spent hours of work with the young people to make this show happen.
It was efforts well spent and they, and the young people of the cast should be very proud.