Youngest Ever Cast Astounds Audience Of Over 200 In LVS Ascot Production
15 Jul 2019
Children as young as 7 and no older than 9 staged their own theatre production this weekend as LVS Ascot broke new ground in placing its faith in their youngest ever cast. Amazingly, every pupil in Years 3 and 4 from the Infant & Junior School took to the stage for Hoodwinked, as over 60 of them performed, demonstrating the confidence instilled in all children from an early age at the school. Audiences of over 200 people on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th May gave them a standing ovation for their amazing achievement in the school’s professional theatre.
Previous productions at the independent all–ability school had seen Year 5 and 6 pupils acting alongside their senior school counterparts in shows such as Joseph, but this provided the ultimate test for even younger students in Years 3 and 4 to take to the stage on their own in front of hundreds of people. In a demonstration of inclusion and bringing the best out of all students, every child in those years was able to experience performing under the stage lights as part of the story based around Robin Hood.
Parent Sarah Sealey, whose 9-year-old daughter Emily Strange played Maid Marian, said: “It was written over their faces how engaged they all were with performing the show and how much they enjoyed it, which was beautiful. Emily has been given a huge amount of confidence here to go out and try different things and persevere, and she has just excelled which fills me with great pride”.
9-year-old Chloe Norgate played Will Scarlet and her mother Lindi Norgate said: “Everyone has worked so hard to make this a success and it is insane to see children that young perform so well. Chloe joined LVS Ascot four days into the September term after a very hard time at her previous school, but within a few weeks she had her personality back – they’ve done amazing things for her here. She’s done brilliantly in this show as I didn’t even know she could sing, but she also throws herself into the swimming squad, charity events and art competitions too, anything the school has to offer”.
Teacher and show director Rob Clayton said: “LVS Ascot is so well resourced with facilities such as this theatre that it provides great opportunities for students to get on stage at an early age, show resilience and gain confidence. They can go on from here to take part in a production combined with the senior school, and then grow into being part of senior school shows when they are older too so there is a real path for progression”.
Picture: Two of Maid Marian’s ladies put everything into LVS Ascot’s stage production of Hoodwinked