On Friday night I attended a very entertaining and professional performance of Starlight Express by Dundee Schools' Music Theatre (DSMT).
At a packed Gardyne Theatre, the very talented young players sang and danced their way through a series of lively routines. As a regular at these shows, this is what I have come to expect from DSMT. But on this occasion, the staging required the cast to roller skate as well.
All the young players danced in their skates, sang in their skates and acted on their skates and in motion. In fact, exploiting a tricky loop down to and up from the orchestra pit had us on the edge of our seats.
Thank you DSMT for such a fun night at your music theatre..
On Friday night I was at Dundee Rep where I thoroughly enjoyed a very entertaining and 'professional' performance of Barnum.
Senior pupils from our eight secondary schoools, who make up the company of Dundee Schools' Music Theatre, were the actors, singers and dancers who combined so wonderfully on stage.
Marceli Guziewicz played the demanding role of Phineas Taylor Barnum. He was on stage for most of the night with a confident presence and credible characterisation. Other stand out performers were Ava Hickey who played Charity Barnum, Jessica Sommerville who played the ringmaster and Tobenna Ogwuda who sang so brilliantly.
The company however all deserve praise for their dancing, singing and their juggling, clowning, acrobatics and other circus skills.
Even by the high standards of Dundee Schools' Music Theatre, this was an outstanding performance.
Last night I attended the Summer Concert at Baldragon Academy. This is always an entertaining evening, and last night was no exception.
A range of groups made music from a wide variety of genres; from the String Ensemble playing a movement from Dvořák's New World Symphony to the Soul Band's rendition of Jess Glynne's 'Hold My Hand'.
Interspersed with the bands and groups, senior pupils played their Higher and Advanced Higher Music solo performance pieces.
The stand out solo performance for me was TJ Douglas Welsh's moving rendition of the song 'Defying Gravity' from the musical Wicked. TJ will be performing this later in the summer with Dundee Schools' Music Theatre.
It was also good to hear younger pupils performing including pupils from Baldragon's cluster Primary Schools. I was very impressed with the Trombone Solo from S1 pupil Natasha Borsch and the enthusiasm and pounding rhythms from the P7 Samba Percussion Group from Sidlaw View Primary School.
Once again this concert demonstrated the strength of the Music Department at Baldragon Academy and the fine support from the peripatetic instrumental tutors and city wide bands and orchestras. They are clearly very effective at nurturing musicality amongst the pupils at Baldragon and its cluster primary schools.
I am just back home after attending a fun night out at the Whitehall Theatre. I had been tapping my toes to the thoroughly entertaining all singing and dancing performance of "Grease".
This was the third of the summer musicals performed in successive weeks by Dundee Schools' Music Theatre. This time it was the turn of the Back to Back older group of pupils and immediate FPs making their final appearance before heading off to pastures new.
The company maintained a high standard of singing and dancing with the chorus complementing the lead players. There was a strong standout performance from Michael Strachan, ex School Captain at Grove Academy who played Danny and Zoe Heggie who played Sandy.
Last night at the Gardyne Theatre, S3 and S4 pupils from Dundee Secondary Schools gave an entertaining, polished and toe tapping performance of the classic Broadway musical, "Guys and Dolls".
This heartwarming musical follows some loveable gangsters desparately trying to win the next big bet. But one gets more than he gambled for......!
This is the first time I had seen "Guys and Dolls", although, as it progressed, I realised I was already familiar with the popular songs "Luck be a Lady Tonight" and "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat".
Once again the pupils involved in Dundee Schools' Music Theatre (DSMT) have delivered a wonderful ensemble performance combined with some remarkable standout performances.
As one member of the audience remarked at the interval, DSMT are one of the jewels in Dundee's crown.
Last night my wife Rowena and I took our grand daughter to a stage musical.
We had a most enjoyable night out as we were entertained by the very talented cast of Dundee Schools' Music Theatre. They were performing Andrew Lloyd -Webber and Tim Rice's, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat at the Whitehall Theatre.
The quality of the singing was excellent with standout performances from Zoe Heggie, Ava Hickey and Lucy Pedersen, the three narrators, who confidentally sang three part harmonies and Marcelli Guziewicz who very ably took centre stage as Joseph in dance, drama and song.
The choreographer should be congratulated for devising routines that made full use of the large company who danced and sang their hearts out on the extended stage, as well as singing and dancing their way up and down the aisles.
Every year, I attend DSMT performances, I think it will be hard to top or match that the following year, but truly the cast of Joseph have exceeded themselves and previous shows I have watched.
Making no concession to the age of the teenage performers involved, this was a polished and pacy performance that thoroughly deserved its enthusiastic reception and standing ovation at the end.
Joseph is being performed for the remander of the week Thursday 28 - Saturday 30 August 2014 7:30 pm at the Whitehall Theatre in Dundee. Catch it if you can.
Book your tickets now or call Dundee City Box Office on 01382 434940
As we arrived at the Whitehall Theatre last night, the rain started again. We needn't have worried because we were 'going where the sun shines brightly, .... going where the sea is blue'.
We were there for the final show in the run of 'Summer Holiday' as performed by the multi-talented members of Dundee Schools' Music Theatre (DSMT).
After an indifferent summer, four London Transport bus mechanics went off to the the south of France in a double decker bus to have a holiday in the sun. Plus ca change!
The show maintained a lively pace with the indefatigable dancers keeping in time and in unison; particularly impressive since there were often 30 or more performers on the stage. Their performance was enhanced by the colourful period clothes and the groovy music from the band under the direction of Paul Clancy.
The chief singing parts were all very well cast and were ably supported by the chorus. I must mention Don, played by Jack Pedersen from The Ferry. He was one of the stand out singers and dancers with a good stage presence.
As I sat there with my grand daughter, I was reminded nearly forty nine years after the film Summer Holiday was released that,
'And some day
When the years have flown
Darling, then we'll teach
The young one of our own'
The Megamix finale had the audience clapping and almost dancing in the aisles. During the curtain calls, the audience rose to offer a sustained standing ovation.
A great night of entertainment from a company of very talented singers and dancers; all outstanding ambassadors from our nine secondary schools and from our city.
