Young stars grace the stage

Above: Harlequin Youth Theatre are ready for panto season. Below: Stagecoach kids in costume for Aida.

A total of 34 students from Newton Mearns and Milngavie took to the Armadillo stage, performing a ballet sequence and playing soldiers and slaves in the Ellen Kent Opera and Ballet international production of Verdi’s classic.

Principal Gary Hamilton told The Extra: “The students gave the auditorium a headache in trying to find enough changing rooms for them and whole Chisinau National Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus.

“Stagecoach students are now looking forward to appearing in two more productions — Nabucco and La Boheme — when the company return in March.”

Pictured in costume are budding young stars Shona Bruce, Aimee Glen, Katie Lewis, Holly Sanderson, Elaine Kirk, Lois Chuwen, Sarah McLachlan, Olivia Maguire, Claudia Kinloch, Charlotte Cohen, Katherin Prentice, Clodagh O’Donnell, Louise McGraw, Erin Thomas and Eve McLernon.

Elsewhere in East Renfrewshire, seasoned youth theatre company Harlequin are celebrating after selling out their Christmas pantomime run.

The youth group (made up of budding thesps aged nine to 21) appear at Eastwood Park Theatre from December 3-7 (7.30pm show plus 2.30pm Sat mat) in Beauty and the Beast, — adapted by Alan McHugh and promising a twist or two.

For those lucky enough to have secured tickets before they sold out in September, audiences will follow the citizens of 18th century French village Granderrière and of course, the castle-bound beast — with a few familiar Harlequin tropes thrown in for laughs.

Harlequin were last on stage for Joseph and the Amazing Technicoloured Dreamcoat earlier this year.

And there’s a definite pedigree to the Eastwood group, which has been on the go since 1976, known then as the Junior Youth Fellowship of Giffnock congregational church.

All seats may be taken for Beauty and the Beast, but the seniors of the group (S4 and up) will be back at Eastwood Park in March for Grease — with tickets on sale from January 8.

For info on the show (running March 19-22 2014), email [email protected] or call 07593093028.

More info will appear at www.eastwoodparktheatre.co.uk/boxoffice soon.

Are you part of a local theatre group with a show coming up? Send details to [email protected] two weeks before for inclusion in The Extra.