A real Cats’ whiskers event for Stagecoach pupils

Pupils of Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen and Haverfordwest are still on a high after a real Cats’ whiskers event in Birmingham
West Wales pupils from Stagecoach took part in a special performance of the musical Cats at the 12,000-seat National Indoor Arena in Birmingham.
The world-famous Andrew Lloyd Webber musical was performed as part of the 25th anniversary of Stagecoach Theatre Arts in the UK.
One of the star pupils at Carmarthen’s Stagecoach theatre arts group landed a key role in the musical.
Gwenno Jones (pictured above), 16, from Nantgaredig, is a pupil at Stagecoach based at the Queen Elizabeth High School, Johnstown, Carmarthen.
The Bro Myrddin school pupil was joined on stage by other pupils from Stagecoach who had rehearsed especially for the gala show.
The evening was opened by Jonathan Antoine and Charlotte Jaconelli from Britain’s Got Talent.
“It was a thrilling occasion for all the pupils,” said Stagecoach Carmarthen and Haverfordwest principal Liane Davies.
“As you can imagine, the National Indoor Arena is a massive venue and the pupils got a real buzz from performing there. It’s the sort of experience that will live with them for a lifetime.
“It was a big coup for Stagecoach nationally to be allowed to stage Cats – and it was brilliant news for us at Stagecoach locally. Competition for places in the production was tough as there are more than 600 Stagecoach schools in the UK alone. Only 35 schools were allowed to take part in the show. It’s to the credit of Carmarthen’s pupils that we were one of the groups invited to join in the performance.
“It goes without saying that I am very proud of Gwenno and all the pupils who took part in Cats in Birmingham.”
There was a real buzz in the build-up to the show as the Stagecoach pupils were visited at rehearsals by a television crew from the Welsh Channel 4 ‘S4C’.
You can see them in action on the following weblink - http://s4c.co.uk/tag/wythnos52/c_item4.shtml
Students from Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen and Haverfordwest who took part in the 25th Anniversary performance of Cats were captured on film for the Stagecoach website. See - http://www.stagecoach.tv/video/cats/

Cats first opened on the West End stage in 1981. It has become one of the world’s best known and best loved musicals. With a plot based on T.S Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and award-winning music composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber; Cats, originally directed by Trevor Nunn, has since been presented in more than 20 countries and in about 250 cities, including such diverse destinations as Buenos Aires, Seoul, Helsinki and Singapore. The show has been translated into 10 languages.

About Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen and Haverfordwest
Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen and Haverfordwest has its Carmarthen base at the Queen Elizabeth High School, Johnstown, Carmarthen. It is soon to open in Haverfordwest.
The school opened in May 2009 and became an instant success. The school now attracts students from the three counties of Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion.
In recent years, Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen has staged the musicals Billy Elliot, Oliver and Annie.
Liane added: “Our aim is always to nurture and develop four to 18-year-olds to fulfil their potential through dance, drama and singing.
“It’s not all about treading the boards on stage. Early stages classes focus on allowing the children to express themselves, while at the same time building up confidence, poise and self-esteem. Above all, we make sure the experience is fun! The children love it.”
To find out more about Stagecoach Carmarthen, contact Principal Liane Davies, phone: 0845 604 1422. Email - carmarthen@stagecoach.co.uk. 

Weblinks:
Website -http://www.stagecoach.co.uk/carmarthen
On Facebook search for ‘Liane Stagecoach’ or ‘Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen and Haverfordwest’
On Twitter, @StagecoachCarms