The Grand Theatre will host a special anniversary show this coming weekend.
Local Theatre and Musical students will perform at a special 25th anniversary show coming up. at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre We caught up with some of the performers.
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00:00So we're here outside Wolverhampton Grand Theatre and the Little Bird tells me there's going to be a rather special anniversary show coming up, is there?
00:07Yeah, it's WIMT or Wolverhampton Youth Music Theatre's 25th anniversary so we've got a show called One Night Only and it's celebrating all of the shows that we've done so far, all the way from 1999 until now.
00:20And is that this Sunday the 8th, is that right? Sunday the 8th, yes. 5pm.
00:25So how long have you guys been involved then?
00:27So I've been with WIMT since 2016 which would be 8 years, so I joined when I was 11 and now I'm 19.
00:35Obviously enjoying it then?
00:37Enjoying it so much, yeah, it's a great community, the people, the cast, the directors, everyone is just so welcoming, it's an amazing company to be a part of.
00:46And what about yourself?
00:47I joined the same year as Bethan but anything goes in 2016 and I'm now 22 and it's great to be back, just returning and seeing all the new faces grow up and their talent and confidence just bloom.
00:58And how does it feel to be performing at the Grand Theatre? I mean it's quite a special venue, isn't it?
01:02Yeah, I mean we're used to the arena so the grandness is like a complete jump now but I think we're all really excited to get on stage.
01:10Well there's a little man here that's had his fair share of exposure, isn't there? What's your name young man?
01:16I'm Daniel Wembley.
01:17So you're performing in Nativity that's coming up?
01:19Yeah.
01:20What will you be doing in Nativity?
01:21I will be a part of Oakmoor Prep and it's with Bilston Operatic.
01:26Ah, cool. And you've just been in China performing, is that right?
01:29Yes, I've been in China doing Love Never Dies.
01:33Wow, and how long were you over there for?
01:35I was there for three months.
01:36So are you fluent in the Chinese language now?
01:39No.
01:41Don't worry, we won't test you. That must have been an awesome experience though.
01:46Yes, it was.
01:47And what about you young lady, what do you like to do performing? Are you a dancer, a singer or?
01:52I do acting.
01:53Oh my God, we let that noisy busker pass. Go on chicken, start again, what was that?
01:57I'm Chloe Jenkins and I do singing, dancing and acting but mostly acting.
02:03Yeah, acting's your, yeah. Is that what you'd like to do kind of full time for a career?
02:08Yeah.
02:09And if you had a magic wand, would you be a film star or a stage star or a bit of both?
02:14A bit of both.
02:15Yes, that sounds cool.
02:17And I like to perform in venues like this.
02:20Yeah, yeah. So what will you be doing in this show, a bit of singing and dancing?
02:24Yeah, and a tiny bit of acting and blogging as well.
02:28Yeah, and it's good for building up your confidence, isn't it, being involved in a school like this?
02:32You know, and those skills I presume just carry through off the stage as well?
02:36Absolutely.
02:38I tell you what, there's no noisy buskers coming. Is there 30 seconds or something you might be able to give me?
02:43In a singing, yeah?
02:44Seasons of love.
02:45Seasons of love?
02:46No problem.
02:47Shall we have a dabble at that then? Now I know I'm putting you on the spot, I didn't tell you I was going to be asking you to sing, did I?
02:51So just a little, just a mere snippet then, when you're ready guys.
02:57Hang on, we've got the DJ here doing a, here we go, go on, come in chicken.
03:01Come on, come in Aisha, get that music by my phone if we've got a bit of a music to it.
03:07Yeah, we don't want the advert.
03:13So this song will be in the show, will it?
03:15Yes, this will be in the show.
03:16Great stuff.
03:17And there will be a signed performance of the whole show.
03:19Oh, wow.
03:20This one the cast members get involved too.
03:22Yeah, cool.
03:28Dramatic pause.
03:31The cast enter from stage left, lights go down.
03:36525,600 minutes.
03:41525,000 moments so deep.
03:47525,600 minutes.
03:52How do you measure, measure a year?
03:57In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee.
04:03In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.
04:08In 525,600 minutes.
04:13How do you measure a year in the life?
04:18How about love?
04:23How about love?
04:29Well done.
04:30Well done, they rose to the challenge.
04:32They rose to the challenge.
04:34Awesome.
04:35This is a former member.
04:37How is it?
04:39How are you doing, young man?
04:40Oh, come on, we've just clicked for the expression star.
04:42We're just doing a bit of video.
04:43Great.
04:44So they've got their show coming up next weekend.
04:46Are you going to be there?
04:47Yes.
04:48Good man, that's the right answer.
04:50Yeah, I want to be there.
04:52You've loved your time at W1T, haven't you?
04:54It's been great.
04:55What were you in the last show?
04:57Benny.
04:59That's such a good platform for other things, isn't it?
05:01Yeah, it is.
05:02I think it really helped you grow your confidence.
05:04You meet a lot of people.
05:05You do.
05:06It's very much a family.
05:0925 years inspiring our youngsters.
05:12Well done, guys.
05:13Well done.
05:14Well, thank you, guys.
05:15Give yourselves a round of applause.
05:17Well done.
05:18So, guys, over the years, there's been a few people that have come through the music school
05:23and they've gone on to, you know, do well, haven't they, really?
05:26A few names.
05:27Go on, chuck a few names.
05:28Yeah, absolutely.
05:29We've had loads of people.
05:30Stage screen, all the different things.
05:31One off the top of my head is Amy Fisher.
05:33She's been on the West End.
05:34She's been doing Elphaba in Wicked, and she was also Jenna in Waitress.
05:39So she's very esteemed and very professional on the West End.
05:42So another one that's been on a TV show as well, was there?
05:45Yeah.
05:46So that's Amari Douglas.
05:47Amari Douglas, yeah.
05:48What was the show that Amari was on?
05:51He was in It's a Sin.
05:53He was in It's a Sin.
05:54Cool.
05:55So some of them are coming back and getting involved in the celebrations, aren't they?
05:59Is that right?
06:00Yeah.
06:01Yeah, we've also got another lady called Simmi.
06:04Yeah.
06:05And she was currently in, she was Peggy slash Maria in Hamilton on the West End,
06:10which is a complete, utter, like...
06:13Yeah, yeah.
06:14Well, I guess that just inspires you guys then, doesn't it?
06:17When you see them going on to do things like that, you just realise that, you know,
06:21anything can happen, anything can be possible.
06:24Yeah.
06:25Right, Wicked.
06:26Well, we'll look out for your names in lights above the door, maybe in a few years.
06:30Cheers, guys.