"A Million Dreams" by Midlands Academy of Dance and Drama (MADD).

Squire Performing Arts Centre, Nottingham.

I've been reviewing MADD's showcases for about a decade now, and there's one thing that you can always guarantee with them, and that is you are always in for a quality evening's entertainment by some of Nottingham's brightest future theatre stars. Let's face it, they have some of the most respected and talented tutors, which is always a great starting point for anyone who wants to get into the business.

The showcase/graduation is called "A Million Dreams" and that is what the students have, unfortunately the business is a harsh mistress and very few make it big, and that is why it's so important to support local arts as much as possible, because there's always a chance that you may be watching the next West End performer on a local stage. Either way, you do get to see the remarkable talents these young people have, and I have known so many local youngsters get that break, not just from MADD but several other local training grounds like Copper Studios, the Television Workshop and Kristian Thomas Company to name but three excellent groups.

One thing I've always loved about MADD's showcases is the staging and continuity of the shows. In between the introductions of the upcoming pieces, which are always very cleverly written and delivered, the outgoing performance is neatly segued into the incoming performances, making the show seamless. I've seem a few showcases where there are bare stages in between the performances and the audiences are left waiting looking at a blank stage. Not so with MADD, they have cracked that part of the stage management, which also makes for great timekeeping for the production and keeping an enthusiastic audience enthusiastic. 

Twenty seven performances in two one hour segments, so I'll just mentions some of my personal highlights of the evening......

The evening starts off with "I Hope I Get It" from "A Chorus Line", which is a brilliant starting point as it provides a realistic starting point of any show with the auditionees hoping that they get to start their careers in the musical. It also gives everyone a chance to see of the students on stage performing together. The other pieces that you get to see all of the students together including the closing of Act One with "A Million Dreams", the opening of Act two with a gorgeous medley of three of my favourite pieces from "Miss Saigon". After the presentation of the certificates near the end of the evening, we also get to see everyone singing "Bring On Tomorrow" from "Fame", another one of my favourite musical theatre songs, plus "Just Be" from "Kinky Boots", which is a fantastic message to send out to everyone as they exit the theatre.

In between these songs are so many of my favourites, "Freak Flag", another musical theatre song with a positive message, "Just Arrived" from "Copacabana", choreographed brilliantly by Luke Haywood, and talking about top notch choreography, "Buenos Aires" from "Evita" was as good as anything you'll see on a professional stage, and choreographed by Frankie Steele.

"Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat" from "Guys 'n' Dolls" is another great song with wonderful choreography, which by the way was segued seamlessly from a link with Toby Farley and Jamal Moyo, and sung by Jamal. 

This was followed on by "Somewhere" from "West Side Story" and what made this section special for me was seeing choreographer Stewart Avon-Arnold performing on stage, something he has not done for two decades. I had the pleasure of having Stewart as my guest on the radio a while ago, and he is such a passionate person when it comes to the subject of dance. He has choreographed for Kate Bush, and everyone knows that Kate is a supreme perfectionist with choreography.

Megan Blake sent shivers down my spine with her performance of "Me and The Sky" from the show that everyone wants to do at the moment "Come From Away".

Love the comedy in "Pop" from "The Wedding Singer" and what I also liked was that instead of doing a straight copy of the lyrics in the song by changing the name of the intended one, Glen, they changed the name to Jamal. as you can see, thought has gone into the staging of these scenes.

There's always one or two songs in any showcase that will be new to me and that's the case with "I Want It All" from "High School Musical 3". This was performed by the BTEC students featuring the other male student, Toby Farley with Jasmine and Eliza. This song is great fun and that includes the choreography from Hannah Fox.

"I'm Here" from "The Color Purple" is an emotional piece, and on stage was danced/performed beautifully by Letizia with selected students from all courses, and choreographed by Stewart Avon-Arnold.

Another piece that highlighted the amazing choreography talents of Frankie Steele was the piece from "Moulin Rouge" the brilliantly sparkly "The Sparkling Diamond". I adored the posh frocks on show, let's face it, who doesn't like a bit of glitter? I think there are a few glitter balls that have gone by the way to create these lavish and glittery costumes, and the ladies looked amazing in them.

"What You want" from "Legally Blonde" is a big number, and performed with great humour by a whole host of talented performers. Jamal looked to be in his element in this piece, even more than in "The American Dream" as part of the "Miss Saigon" medley. Does that man ever stop smiling? Would you want him to? The answer to both questions is a resounding "No".

The mash up of two of the most beautiful songs from "Les Miserables" by Grace Jackson and Jasmine Hutchens in "I Dreamed A Dream/On My Own" was like liquid chocolate being dripped down my throat. Simply gorgeous!

"Defying Gravity" from "Wicked" is always a big crowd pleaser but I absolutely adored every single thing about the following number "New Money" from "The Great Gatsby". Brilliantly sung, brilliantly performed and danced, and brilliantly choreographed by Luke Haywood and Sam Rollo.

Class of 2026 3^rd Year Students are Jamal Moyo, Megan Blake, Tilly Bull, Jess Grant, Jessica Lily-May, Tegan King, Leila Ritchie, Tasmin Rose, Indie Eliza, Leila Williams, Maizie Wood, Darci Gowling and Kacey Nixon.

2^nd Year BTEC Graduates are Daisy Billam, Diasy Spitiri, Eliza Kosminder, Esme Watts, Grace Jackson, Isobel Farr, Lauren Broadhead, Jasmine Hutchens, Lottie Parsons, Millie Rodgers, Taya Garrard and Toby Farley.

1^st Year BTEC Students are Molly Banks, Freya Hallam, Nancy Harvey, Sara Nicholls, Amy Rawdin, Sadie Ridley, Eva Robinson, Lydia Sansum, Lily-Mae Shaw, Morgan Spencer, Matilda Stones, Eliza Szejda and Erica Walters.

HNC Students Musical Theatre/Dance are Katie Ambler, Jaydene Davies, Ellie Jones, Mia Marpole, Jessica Roxas (Musical Theatre) and Millie Richardson (Dance).

2^nd Year Diploma & HND Students are Bree Hubbard, Hannah Wood, Ellie Hobson, Lexie Sawyer, Janusha Thavarasalingam (Musical Theatre), Olivia Ellis, Maisie Hepworth, Letizia Yeboah, Shannon Hickling, Shayenne Townsend and Kyla Zutic (Dance).

The choreographers are Mark Hedges, who also staged the show, Frankie Steele, Stewart Avon-Arnold, Hannah Fox, Luke Haywood and Sam Rollo.

Created and devised by Kelvin Towse, who is also the Musical Director.

Directed by Mark Hedges.

Musical Director for the BTEC Performing Arts Course is Hannah Oseman.

Lighting Design by Squire Performing Arts Centre.

The costumes are by The Company.

Vocal captains are Tegan King and Bree Hubbard.

Dance Captains are Megan Blake, Jessica Lily-May, Darci Gowling, Maisie Howarth, Esme Watts and Daisy Billam.

My personal thanks also go to Principal Edward Nudd and Jeanie O Shea for asking me along to such another wonderfully entertaining evening.

There's another chance to see "A Million Dreams" on Sunday 14 June at 3.30pm at the Squire Performing Arts Centre.