High Street Musical

The Academy at CAST in Colnbrook is a remarkable organisation engaging its local community and developing young peoples stage and life skills through performances and giving opportunities to a diverse group so that they all can grow and develop in a fun environment. The loss in the last twelve month of two of stalwarts of the society in Keith Hughes and Rob Ingham adds an extra poignancy to this production and the development of a bursary fund to provide underprivileged youngsters access to the opportunities is a fitting ambition to build on their legacy.

As with last year’s We will Rock You it is inspiring to sit and watch these young people grow and develop and to see familiar faces working with first time performers and there is a sense that they are sharing with us their delight and pleasure in showing what they have learned. In many ways High Street Musical is a perfect title for a group with its theme of school tensions between Education, Athleticism and Drama pupils and emerging teenage love interest but also because there are many scenes that allow the cast to show their acting skills as relationship develop as well as their singing and movement talent. The creative team have done an excellent job in marshalling the cast, identifying their capabilities, and creating a joyous fun show in which everybody gets at least a moment to shine .

Of course, you need a strong couple to play the central love interest between the athletic Troy and Gabriella, a double act to play the twins Sharpay and Ryan and then young performers who can carry off the older roles of Drama teacher, Ms Darbus and Coach Bolton and the Academy is fortunate to have young artistes who did this so effectively and show they have the potential to develop as performers. This was a show with so very important messages for the young cast about willing to take risks, have a go, that everyone is special in their own way and that they are all in it together. This vibrant young cast showed they all embraced these messages and together delivered a first class show in which they all played a valuable part and as a result really entertained the friends and family in the audience who must be justly proud of them all.

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