Local talent is feline good

The show will see 17 Bassetlaw youngsters from Stagecoach Theatre Arts head to the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham on Sunday 24th March. The part-time theatre school network will celebrate its 25th anniversary next month with an epic performance of the world-renowned musial. Exclusive permission has been given by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group for the extensive arena production, with thousands of performers from Stagecoach schools nationally and internationally taking part. The main cast will comprise 50 specially selected dancers and 500 singers in a grand choir from 13 Stagecoach schools. An additional 2500 young performers from a further 47 schools throughout the UK, Malta, Germany and Ireland have been allocated a selection of the Cats score to bring their own individual creative dances to life within the vast arena. These students will be supported by a virtual choir of international students from Stagecoach schools in Canada, Germany, Gibraltar, Ireland, South Africa, Spain and USA, visible on large screens. An orchestra will play the famous score under the direction of world renowned conductor, Paul Leddington Wright. Andrew Lloyd Webber said he was thrilled so many young people will be able to take part in this very special performance of Cats. “Happy 25th Birthday Stagecoach and thank you for giving your students the opportunity to perform the show in such a spectacular way,” he said. Since Cats received its world premiere in London in 1981, it has been seen by millions of people all over the world and translated into many languages from French and German to Korean and Mandarin. Director of education for Stagecoach Veronica Betts said: “‘We are honoured to have been allowed to perform Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical and are hugely excited to celebrate our quarter-century anniversary in this way.” “To bring together so many students from across the UK, and globally, has truly been team work on a vast scale and the final outcome will be something to remember forever.” For more information or to purchase tickets please visit www.stagecoach.co.uk/cats or telephone 0844 5814962