SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE. by Spotlight Theatre School

Nottingham Arts Theatre.

An annual event which showcases the talents and the work of not only the first time board treaders, but also the more experienced actors. It's also a chance to see the group ensembles of popular music tracks and musical theatre highlights of the year and what is to come. It's also a chance to hand out some awards for the year.

I'm not going to be able to mention everyone who took part because there were so many and everyone, from the very smallest to the most experienced were brilliant.

Throughout the show, the stage was bathed in wonderful light patterns and hues and I truly feel that the Nottingham Arts Theatre now has one of the best lighting rigs and designs for any theatre, once again the hard work of Tom Mowat.

The sound also was clarity itself thanks to Rob Kettridge, Rob Temperton and Peter Hodgkinson.Together the sound and light team created aural and visual perfection.

I've had the great pleasure of visiting the Nottingham Arts Theatre and seeing Spotlight shows for a few years now, and it's also been my pleasure to see certain actors within the school grow both as people, and as talented singers, dancers and actors. These showcase shows highlight that growth.

Eva Sheppard was one of the worthy winners tonight and, especially with this year's showcase, I saw how far she has come from a few years ago. Talented in all aspects of the theatre, her voice has matured, as has her roles and she shows herself to be an able dancer also.

I know that I mention this young man almost every time, but James Murray also shone (again) tonight in several showcased sections. I saw from last night's "Our House" show that he had matured into a fine actor and singer and tonight I saw a more than capable dancer as well. A fine tap performance as well as being part of a beautiful ballet sequence. His clean lines and pointed toes were refreshing to see because this was one kind of dance that I'd not seen him perform before, proving him to be a versatile performer, and a worthy winner of a clutch of awards.

Both Georgia Hodgett-Young and Grace Hodgett-Young were also brilliant tonight, as they always are, and again worthy winners of awards, both showcasing some wonderful, spine tingling vocals.

I must also mention one of the inters, and I apologise that I didn't catch his name, could be Jacques, could be Joseph, but the little blond lad who did a brilliant little solo in "Blame It On The Boogie". He had so much rhythm and timing in all of the dance routines he was involved in, he reminded me of myself when I was that age, if only I had had Spotlight around then!! Both Jacques and Joseph also won awards tonight as well.

The music was well chosen and varied ranging from pop classics like "Uptown Funk", "Marry You", "People Help the People" and "Pack Up" to musical theatre gems from musicals as diverse as "Bugsy Malone", "Witches Of Eastwick", "Avenue Q", "Singing In The Rain", "Shrek", "A Chorus Line" and "Tarzan". I also loved Serena Eaden's emotional rendition of "Your Daddy's Son" from "Ragtime", a song new to me, which I intend to search out.

The night was celebration of all the hard work that is done on stage and behind the scenes throughout the last year. From choreography, which was amazing, through to stage management,and that was no easy job tonight either with so many bodies to manage, to lighting and sound to the tutors, chaperones, set builders and designers to the lady who was responsible for Spotlight's very being, director Amanda Hall.

Thank you every single person on that stage for a wonderful evening of entertainment. I am truly in awe of every drop of talent you all possess.