SPOTLIGHT%20ON%20PERFORMERS%20DECEMBER%202016

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Many Congratulations to Simon James Green, Head of Acting at Performers College who has just written his debut novel, a laughout-loud and come-out-proud novel, Noah Can’t Even. Linas Alsenas at Scholastic UK bought World Rights from Simon’s agent, Joanna Moult from Skylark Literary, having been captivated by a painfully geeky protagonist Noah Grimes. Desperate to survive school, Noah thinks his best chance at social normalcy is to start a relationship with the wonderful Sophie. However his plans are derailed when his best (and only) friend Harry kisses him at a party, that's when things go from bad to utter chaos. Teens everywhere will relate to the sheer excruciating awkwardness on every page of this funny and ultimately heart-warming novel. Debut author Simon has worked extensively as a director for stage and television. He directed “Hollyoaks” for C4 and co-writes screenplays such as “Rules of Love”, a feature-length teen rom-com for the BBC. His first feature film, The Infinity Boys, is currently in development. Simon brings his gifts for drama, humour and pitch-perfect character development to bear in his first novel, the opening chapters of which won him selection for SCBWI's Undiscovered Voices 2016. Simon says: “Being published by Scholastic is a dream come true, and it’s an honour to join their list of such wonderful authors. The Scholastic team are fantastically supportive, and I’m really looking forward to working with them to bring this funny, confused, complex mess of a teenage boy into the world. It’s incredibly exciting – you could even say, I literally can’t even right now!” Linas Alsenas, Commissioning and Development Editor – Fiction for Scholastic UK, says: “I often hear editors say something along the lines of “As an editor, I live in hope that a book like this will cross my desk,” but in the case of Noah Can’t Even, there’s no other way to put it. I love this book. It gives me all the feels, but most of all a steady stream of genuine, snort-out-loud laughs. The plot twists are shocking and mad – poor Noah – and yet the characters never cease to be real and fully drawn. I’m really looking forward to readers getting to know Simon, who is just as hilarious and fabulous as you would expect from his writing.” We cant wait to read it when it is published in May 2017 As part of their Three Year Diploma all students attend several shows throughout the year and evaluate them for their contextual work. So far this term Year 1 students have seen Best Of Broadway at the Royal Albert Hall which featured our very own singing tutor Mike Dore and on 28th November they were delighted to see their ballet tutor Sophia Hurdley in action dancing the lead role in The Happy Prince at the Lyric Theatre in London. THE HAPPY PRINCE is a classic Oscar Wilde story brought to life, with a score by opera singer Hal Cazalet. Sophia’s performance included the heart breaking pas de deux between the tragic Swallow (Alan Vincent) and the Happy Prince, directed by quadruple Oliver Award winner Maria Friedman and choreographed by hotshot Drew McOnie (In The Heights). The show was featured in New Songs 4 New Shows, which is just that, the first opportunity to enjoy a sneak preview of four exciting new musicals that will go into production from 2017 onwards. When Sophia is not tutoring at college she is also a principal dancer with Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures Company. During the show students were also able to preview ‘Wigmaker’ a modern hairy fairy tale about wigs coming to life, starring Douglas Hodge, Haydn Gwynne and Clive Carter. ‘Fanatical’ a romantic comedy which takes place at a Science Fiction Convention and starred Mel Giedroyc and Gemma Whelan and ‘Joan’ the life and times of Joan Littlewood, a renowned British Theatrical Director with Ian Shaw. All year groups will also be seeing ‘Half a Sixpence’ in January and Dream Girls in March, both of which are in the West End. Year 2 Matthew Bourne’s Early Adventures in Dartford on 22nd February and Y2 & 3 Motionhouse Scattered at the Peacock Theatre in London in April .
Year 2 student Louis Gaunt has had a busy few months combining work with college. At the end of October Louis performed on the Strictly Come Dancing results show as a dancer for British soul singer/song writer Laura Mvula. Also dancing on this particular show were former Performers College graduates Kyle Seeley and Zoe Purpuri. Louis will be on our TV screens again in a one off spectacular called The Universe choreographed by Arlene Phillips, which was filmed in front of a live audience at Elstree Studios earlier this term and will be shown on Boxing Day at 9.30pm on BBC2. The Universe is a unique collaboration by Eric Idle and John Du Prez, the creators of Spamalot, with Professor Brian Cox and choreographer Arlene Phillips, this is a unique comedy combining facts about the universe alongside an extraordinary explosion of music, dance and special effects. Based on a true story; forty one years ago Rutland Weekend Television presented a Christmas Special on BBC2 starring Beatle George Harrison. Now through lack of popular demand it’s back and this time the special guest star is Professor Brian Cox. Unfortunately Professor Brian is late arriving from Patagonia where, out of all cell phone touch, he has been studying the earth’s magnetic field and so does not realise that this one hour special about The Universe he’s been invited to appear in, is in fact a musical put on by The Muriel Tritt School of Music and Dance. He is greeted by Eric Idle and Robin Ince at the door and hustled into the start of what he thinks is his usual lecture. To his horror he discovers that musical dance numbers continually break out interrupting his talk, including Warwick Davis singing a song about the Universe “It makes You Feel so Small”, Noel Fielding appearing as Einstein singing “The Speed of Light” and Eric Idle singing “The Infinite Monkey Cage” from his hit BBC Radio Show and “The Galaxy Song” with the voice of Stephen Hawking! Things go from bad to worse when Hannah Waddingham, playing “Time” is late and Brian’s mounting frustration and dislike of the show he is trapped in is further exacerbated by Morecambe and Wise (Jonty Stephens & Ian Ashpitel) appearing because (of course) it is a Christmas Special. Look out for the show and see if you can spot Louis! Louis is currently an ensemble dancer in the Robinson Crusoe Panto at the Cliffs Pavillion Theatre in Southend with Brian Conley and Gok Wan. He has six other Performers College students to keep him company during the Panto season as Chloe Evans, Ross John, Joshua Jung, Kirby Sztanko, Megan Barnes and Jack Willmore, all in Year 3, are in the same show. Good luck guys! Year 3 students Dale Moran, Megan Bew, Mollie Thorpe and graduates Harry Morely, Chris Jones, Ollie Weldon and Emma Smith are currently in Dallas, USA in the production of Broadway Christmas Wonderland.
Page 1 and 2: Issue 4 Performers College is delig
Page 3 and 4: We are delighted and extremely hono
Page 5 and 6: For their In-House Show, DT3 presen
Page 7 and 8: On Sunday 13th November 2016 Perfor
Page 9 and 10: An annual event on the Performers C
Page 11 and 12: In August 2016, the ISTD (The Imper
Page 13 and 14: Summer School 2016 Performers Colle
Page 15: This term we have had some excellen
Page 19 and 20: Current Year 3 students Caitlin Har
Page 21 and 22: Down in Yeovil, Somerset Yr 3 stude
Page 23: Former Performers College graduate

SPOTLIGHT%20ON%20PERFORMERS%20DECEMBER%202016

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