Kendal College students create a real 'song and dance' (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Kendal College students create a real 'song and dance'

5:30pm Thursday 11th June 2009 in

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FORWARD thinking and thoroughly modern - that’s Kendal College, on all fronts.

What with its biggest annual show to date and ambitious plans to redevelop its creative arts building into a state-of-the-art performing arts centre, there’s a terrific buzz about the place.

Next week the performing arts students jazz things up and create a real song and dance with Thoroughly Modern Millie, running at the Brewery Arts Centre, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, June 16-18.

On stage will be more than 40 young performers motivated once again by the college’s inspirational drama coach Hilary Pezet.

TMM won the 2002 Tony Award for Best New Musical on Broadway and was adapted for the stage from the 1967 film starring Julie Andrews.

It tells the story of a small-town girl, Millie Dillmount, who goes to New York City to marry for money instead of love – a ‘thoroughly modern’ aim in 1922, when women were just entering the workforce. Millie delighted in the flapper lifestyle, but problems loomed...

Bursting with catchy tunes and ozzing fabulous dance routines - in the capable hands of KC dance lecturers Kerry Bland and Alice Grayson - Hilary and her young charges have already performed the opening number, Everything Today is Thoroughly Modern, as a surprise for guests at the outgoing Kendal Mayor, Clare Feeney-Johnson’s, May ball.

“It was such a fabulous event to be invited to be involved with, but it meant getting this number ready very early,” explained Hilary.

“Thankfully, the guests loved it and it was fantastic to watch their surprise as all the singers and dancers burst in on their meal and treated them to a full scale musical theatre number.”

While chatting in KC’s ‘The Shed’ rehearsal space, Hilary told me that the show also contained several final year students who are in the process of auditioning for musical theatre, acting and dance schools and the demanding show was a great way to showcase their talent.

Brogan-Rae Anderson, who plays Millie, and Charlotte Taylor, who takes the role of Muzzy, are both in line for places at GSA in London, one of the UK’s top musical theatre training schools.

And Emily Booth, who plays Miss Dorothy, is off to study acting at Edge Hill University.

The backdrop to the college production is the plan to redevelop the site on and around the existing Allen Building.

College principal Graham Wilkinson’s vision will include a performing arts theatre, music and arts studios, technology workshops for lighting and sound and stage set manufacture.

Brewery box office 01539-725133.