Performing Arts students working on spring shows

Nescot’s Performing Arts students are mid-way through their run of spring shows, ranging from family favourites to pieces they’ve created themselves.

The Level 2 students are performing Grease at the college on March 5, while the first and second-year HND students are showcasing RENT on Thursday this week (February 28).

The first-year Level 3 students performed a piece based on a poetry anthology on February 13, followed the next day by Co-Lab, featuring the second-year Level 3 students acting and the HND second-years directing.

Jamie Roberts, Head of Performing Arts at the college, said staff in the department plan the shows carefully each year to make sure the students get as much experience as possible.

“We make sure we have a range of types of production, from musicals to contemporary pieces, as well as supporting the students to devise their own pieces,” he said.

“As well as the productions themselves, we invite theatre companies in to run workshops, we hold competitions and we help the students develop their performance skills with technical teaching.

“We aim to develop the students into rounded performers who are able to act, sing and dance, as well as devise, choreograph, manage staging and direct pieces.”

Level 2 student Grace Wilson won the role of Sandy in Grease at auditions in early January, and said she’s looking forward to the show next month.

“It’s my first lead role, so I’m a bit nervous but really excited,” said Grace, who studied at The Beacon Secondary School in Banstead before joining Nescot in September.

“It’s exciting to be part of a musical that everyone knows. We watched the film version before the auditions started so that we all had an idea of each character’s storylines.

“The rehearsals are tough, but we all love what we’re doing so we’re working really hard to make the show as good as possible for the audience.”

The Level 2 group performed at the Winter Festival before Christmas, doing two dances, a song and an acting piece. Grease is their second show of the year, and they will do one more before summer.

“I’ve learnt so much since I joined Nescot, and I’m already a much better performer,” Grace said. “You go from never having really acted before to being part of these big productions so quickly.

“We work like a professional company – we audition for parts, learn lines, work on particular scenes and then rehearse the whole show until we’re ready.

“The teachers have high expectations of us, and that pushes us to keep getting better with each performance. I would definitely recommend Nescot to anyone interested in Performing Arts.”

Nescot offers Performing Arts at Level 2 and Level 3. The college also offers university-level courses, including Technical and Production Practice as well as a top-up in Collaborative Theatre.