School’s future stars set for Lowry date

Some of the cast set to hit the big time are (back row, from the left) Katie Seddon, Danny Goodwin and Megan Makin. Middle: Ethan Curly, Emma Bradbury, Imogen Sleith and Lucy Spratt. Front: Calum Ford.

YOUNG actors from Blue Coat School are set to perform at the Lowry in Salford after being singled out by National Theatre talent-spotters.

A cast of 40 children performed a two-night run of “BedBugs” at the Oldham school as part of a drive to discover the next generation of actors.

Assessors from London’s National Theatre chose the musical as one of the productions that will now be seen onstage at top theatres across the country.

The Blue Coat cast is now waiting to be invited to perform at the Lowry in Salford in May.

The move is part of Connections, the National Theatre’s annual nationwide youth theatre festival, which offers youth theatres and school groups to stage new, often specially-written plays by some of theatre’s most exciting playwrights in leading theatres.

Niki Edwards-Cotton, the school’s head of drama, said: “We’ve been rehearsing for the last three months and this was the most successful show we have ever put on at the school.

“It was challenging for everyone, and certainly the most ambitious thing I have ever done as a director.”

She added: “The assessor from the National Theatre was blown away by the confidence of our musical director, Adam Neild .”

Adam, a year 11 student, played a big role in the success of the two evenings of the show at the school.

“The assessor couldn’t believe a 15 year old did what he did; it was brilliant,” said Niki.