North West Theatre Arts Company – Hairspray

They couldn’t have timed it better. NWTAC’s production of Hairspray started on 20th July just one day after Covid restrictions were lifted and it was a sell-out. Moston’s very own theatre at maximum capacity for the first time in 18 months.

For those who haven’t seen the film, Hairspray is set in Baltimore during the early 60’s where schoolgirl Tracy Turnblad dreams of dancing on The Corny Collins TV show. School doesn’t fit in with her plans so, along with her friend Penny Pingleton, she teams up with fellow African American students when they get put in detention. Together, they oust the reigning prima donna from the TV show along with her domineering mother and win the day.

Hairspray is a light-hearted, fun-filled musical with an underlying theme promoting tolerance and integration.

It also happens to be one of my daughter’s favourite films. She knows it inside out; every scene, every song, every dance move. So I was a bit nervous when I took her and the rest of my family to see the show.

Would NWTAC’s version measure up to the award winning film starring the likes of John Travolta, Zac Efron and Michelle Pfeifer?

Answer: they smashed it!

The casting was inspired. Annabelle Cooke bounced out of bed as Tracy with a bright and energetic ‘Good Morning Baltimore’. She was pitch perfect and I knew straight away we were in for a treat.

Eva Carty played Penny Pingleton perfectly while Jonny Molyneux had Tracy’s mum Edna Turnblad down to a tee. Jonny mustn’t have been available when they cast the film so they settled for John Travolta instead! He and his stage husband Gareth Maudsley have comedy timing in their bones.

James Burke followed in the footsteps of Zac Efron playing Tracy’s heart throb. He has a voice that just oozes confidence and rose to the challenge. Meanwhile, Penny’s love interest, Owen Omoruyi-Garci as Seaweed Stubbs, danced his way into her heart while his sister Little Inez (aka Elim Ghebrehiwet) sang her way into ours.

The TV ensemble was led by Anthony Horricks who carried off Corny Collins with professional smoothness. He and the station manager Velma Von Tussle (played by Melissa Grimes) and her daughter Amber (Kate Bannister) were superb.

In the West End, Marisha Wallace as Motormouth Maybelle was described as a show-stopper when she sang ‘I know where I’ve been’. I can only say that NWTAC’s Toyin Lawal, with her wonderful voice and elegance, was equally mesmerising.

Dance routines and songs just kept coming. Not once did anyone’s American accent falter. The full cast of 37 young actors and actresses who train at the North West Stage School did themselves, Beth Singh (Musical Director) and Katie Gough (Choreographer), Prab and the rest of the production team proud. It is such an elaborate show, packed with entertainment, humour and joy.

The past year and a half have challenged everyone but for this company to come through it all and produce a show as good as this is awesome.

My daughter, the whole of my family, loved it!

For all things NWTAC including future shows, professional theatrical training, their fantastic theatre summer school for anyone age 4+, Gap year theatre course, venue/set/costume hire and much, much more just follow them on Facebook and/or on their website where you can sign up to join the mailing list.

Get ready ’cause here they come… North West Theatre Arts Company is back!

The doors of NWTAC‘s theatre on Lightbowne Road, Moston, reopened to the public last week to a full on music and dance show – ‘The Sound and Soul of Hitsville, Motown.’

Tickets were limited for safe distancing so you had to be quick off the mark to secure a booking. Those lucky enough to get a seat were treated to a wonderful, warm welcome and a superb performance full of music, cheer, dance and sheer Motown magic.

The full company kicked off the show with ‘Get Ready’; a song written by Smokey Robinson that became a hit for the Temptations in the 1960’s. It was neatly followed by a variety of solo performances, duets and group numbers.

Who doesn’t love a bit of Motown? Timeless hits such as Walk on By, Under the Boardwalk and Heatwave followed one after the other. Pheobe Sutherland had Tracks of My Tears nailed while Anthony Horricks and ‘the boys’ rendition of My Girl was perfect. We had our socks blown off as Act One concluded with the full company gathering to deliver an impressive rendition of Edwin Starr’s ‘War’.

There was a short interval, a chance to replenish our drinks and indulge an ice-cream then we were soon into Act Two. Owen Maudsley sang a great Mustang Sally, Jade Hamer and the girls gave us I Say a Little Prayer, James Burke and Eva Carty sang Endless Love beautifully and Poppy Evans treated us to I Want You Back. There were many more hits and individual performances but before long the full company gathered on stage for the finale with Lean on Me, followed by Dancing in the Street and We Are Family.

A light, witty narrative threaded through the vocals telling the ‘story’ of Motown, including it’s early beginnings in 1950’s Detroit, the international appeal and events that inspired some of the music. I’d no idea that ‘War’ was originally a protest song by Edwin Starr about the Vietnam conflict sending a message that is, sadly, still relevant today.

As ever, the production team put together a seamless show, directed by Prab Singh with Bethany Singh as the Musical Director, Katie Gough the choreographer, Tempany Windsor took on lighting and Weronika Czerwinska managed the sound.

While we’ve all been busy with the challenges presented by the covid crisis, I am truly grateful that NWTAC have been quietly getting on with the business of preparing a show that was ‘ready to go’ as soon as restrictions were relaxed.

If you missed out this time there are plenty more productions in the pipe-line and you won’t have long to wait. Tickets are now on sale for Puss in Boots running during half-term starting on Friday 28th May and the Broadway musical ‘Hairspray’ is scheduled for the 20th to 24th July. Also, keep an eye out for ‘Lights Up – an evening of musical entertainment’ running from the 15th to 19th June.

Book early is all I can say.

To keep up to date with everything NWTAC, including how to book, follow them on Facebook or check out their website here. The box office number is: 0161 207 1617.

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NWTAC, Anthony Horricks and Friends Ultimate Cover Show and more…

Elvis, Lady Gaga, McFly, Take That, Ed Sheeran, Snow Patrol, Bruno Mars. The list goes on and the songs keep coming. Anthony Horricks and Friends ‘Ultimate Cover Show’ was streamed live by North West Theatre Arts Company on 29th December. What a treat!James, Tempany, Anthony, Jade and Maria

NWTAC have a performing arts stage school with their own theatre and usually put on about 10 productions a year. The Covid situation didn’t so much hamper their plans for 2020 but squashed and stamped on them. When getting together wasn’t possible they turned to Zoom instead. Songs, lines, dance routines, staging etc., were learned while planned shows were rescheduled.

A hopeful September saw the show ‘Factory Fest’ performed to a small audience. The auditorium was adapted for a unique experience with waiter service to comply with social distancing rules. It was an ambitious achievement.

In October, Beth Singh, professional vocalist and NWTAC’s music director, took to the stage with a special concert accompanied by a live band and performers from the school. Both shows were brilliant.Then, following the second lockdown, the new harsher Tier 3 restrictions meant the theatre had to close to the public completely. It was devastating but, once more, they adapted.

Beth had successfully streamed her ‘lockdown live’ concerts from her own home during the summer so they got on and recorded an abridged version of ‘ A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and broadcast it on YouTube. Then, and with a full cast, streamed live from the theatre a fabulous ‘West End Up North’ concert.Anthony Horricks had appeared in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and ‘West End Up North’. For the ‘Ultimate Cover Show’ he was joined on stage by James Burke, Tempany Windsor, Jade Hamer and Maria Collins.

Anthony grabbed the audience’s attention straight away with his opening cover of an Elvis classic. He went on to sing tracks by the Beatles, The Calling, Take That and, I kid you not, Lady Gaga along with many others.

James sang the Michael Buble track ‘Home’ beautifully. Tempany had ‘When I was your Man’, a Bruno Mars number with a twist, just perfect. Maria and Jade, both accomplished singers, did solos too and several duets were performed including Sam Smith’s ‘Lay me Down’.

It was an impressive mix with something to suit everyone.Between them they belted out over 20 hits and even popped back at the end for an encore. It was just brilliant and I’m so glad I got to watch it.

A few days later, NWTAC’s New Year’s Eve extravaganza saw 2021 in and they kissed good bye to one of the most challenging year’s they never expected to face.

The run up to Christmas is, of course, panto season. The theatre would have been packed to the rafters and rocking with families and children. But you haven’t missed out. Whilst Puss in Boots was ‘streamed’ on Christmas Eve, the live theatre version has only been postponed. All being well, it will be staged in the spring.

 

Details of future performances and ticket details can be found on NWTAC’s Facebook page by clicking here.

Information on all other aspects of the company, including the North West Stage School, theatre in education, theatre equipment hire and more, can be found on their website here.

To contact Beth Singh or Anthony Horricks, just click their names.

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