A group of talented students from Curtain Call Creative, the Island’s triple-threat performing arts academy, have secured a prestigious performance opportunity at the renowned Mayflower Theatre in Southampton. Selected to take part in the Summer Youth Programme production of Bugsy Malone, the young performers now have the chance to work closely with the Theatre’s production team to stage a full-scale show during the upcoming summer holidays. Following a rigorous audition process that saw over 350 auditionees from across the south vying for a position, the Curtain Call Creative team are immensely proud that so many Island students have emerged successful. This achievement underscores the dedication, and hard work they all put in, alongside the incredible performing talent here on the Isle of Wight. Successful students are: Alfie Luke, Ava Cowan, Ellen Careless, George Sales, Miles Harvey and Tom Thorne. Curtain Call Creative previously staged Bugsy Malone at Media Theatre in November 2022, receiving excellent feedback from audiences, so the students already had valuable experience with the show, which surely stood them in a strong position when it came to audition day. Andrew Woodford, Principal of Curtain Call Creative, expressed his pride and excitement, stating: “We are so unbelievably proud to see so many of our students succeeding and securing more opportunities within the performing industry, both on and off the Island. Being able to play a part in their success and help them work towards building strong careers is an absolute privilege, and we can’t wait to see them on stage at the Mayflower in August.” The Mayflower Theatre’s Summer Youth Project runs every year, offering young people the chance to perform on stage in the 2,300 seat venue. Curtain Call Creative is a performing arts school based in Ryde, dedicated to preparing the next generation of professional performers and providing young people on the Isle of Wight, with a passion for performing, the chance to experience professional productions. 
Parents of the students taking part have said:
“Curtain Call Creative has been instrumental in fostering such an inclusive and creative community, allowing them to grow and develop their talents and has encouraged them all to be their absolute best on (and off) stage. No doubt they will cherish this opportunity, enjoy the collective experience and make unforgettable memories.” – JoJo Thorne “It’s so lovely that they are all experiencing it together. Their audition success speaks volumes for their professionalism and we must thank Curtain Call Creative for their help in paving the way and developing the confidence of the students to be able to cope with such a professional audition.” – Rosie Sales “I’m so proud of them all for doing so well amongst hundreds of other auditionees. This is such a fantastic opportunity for them and a dream come true. Curtain Call Creative needs to take some credit for the talent that the team has nurtured.” – Jenny Luke
If you’d like to see the students in action before their debut at the Mayflower Theatre, catch some of them in the upcoming production of Legally Blonde The Musical at Shanklin Theatre from 11th – 14th April. Tickets can be purchased from Shanklin Theatre – www.shanklintheatre.com Tickets for Bugsy Malone can be purchased from the Mayflower Theatre – www.mayflower.org.uk/whats-on/bugsy-malone-2024 More information about how to get involved with Curtain Call Creative can be found on the website – www.curtaincallcreative.co.uk
