CHRISTMAS is the most wonderful time of year and for four students of a borough theatre school, it most certainly will be.
The quartet have landed roles in festive shows at The Hexagon in Reading and Bracknell’s South Hill Park.
The children are all members of Steppin Out Theatre School, which has weekly classes in Wargrave, Wokingham and Woodley.
Lottie Hatt and Susie Stevens will appear in Beauty and The Beast at South Hill Park, and Alex Hutson and Josh Gasparo will play lead roles as Michael and John in Peter Pan alongside CBeebies superstar Justin Fletcher.
The school’s principal, Shelley Otway, encouraged her pupils to audition and is delighted at their success.
She said: “We have lots of talented students at Steppin Out and many got down to the final stages. I think it is a real credit to my team and the school to have four children this year in professional pantomime. It is fantastic!”
As part of their training, the foursome have enjoyed singing, dancing, and drama lessons, which Ms Otway says covers the whole performing arts spectrum.
She added: “The students are training to be ‘triple threat performers’, equally skilled in all three areas.”
It’s not the only taste of the professional stage that the children will enjoy. Several have appeared in West End musicals including Matilda, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, and Billy Elliott. And in the summer, the school took part in a dance routine at Silverstone during the Formula One racing weekend.
