PHOTOS: Morecambe and Lancaster stage school kids get ready for show in London's West End

Monday, 27 January 2025 09:40

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

Students at the Pauline Quirke Academy Morecambe & Lancaster preparing for the West End show

Talented youngsters at a Morecambe stage school are preparing for a huge opportunity at one of the best-known theatres in the West End of London.

Students at the Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA), based at Bay Leadership Academy, will take to the stage at His Majesty's Theatre in October.

They will get to experience everything a West End theatre has to offer, from stage door, to the dressing rooms and, of course, performing.

Students will rehearse in the months leading up to the show date, learning their lines, lyrics and chorography – everything that is involved in putting on a West End show.

Then on the day itself, they will spend a full day at the theatre rehearsing on stage with professional lighting, sound and set, before performing in the evening in front of friends and family.

His Majesty's Theatre is pictured below.

The production on Sunday October 5 is called 'Across the Line' and has been written especially for PQA, which has academies all over the UK.

Written by Will Brenton, ‘Across the Line’ is a contemporary, coming-of-age musical adventure aiming to celebrate each student’s individuality and put into practice the many skills they learn in their weekly classes.

Students have already started planning the show, which includes a whole host of speaking parts and even puppetry – a new skill that students have enjoyed learning, not least because they get to make their very own puppets!

“Our staff and students are very excited about our forthcoming show ‘Across The Line’ and experiencing of taking to the West End stage," said Mairead Croly, principal at PQA Morecambe and Lancaster.

"We strive to offer our young performers amazing experiences within the performing arts industry and are looking forward to putting our unique stamp on the show!”

PQA Morecambe & Lancaster runs every Saturday at Bay Leadership Academy (formerly Heysham High School).

PQA was started by actress Pauline Quirke (below) and her producer husband Steve Sheen in 2007 with an academy in their local town of Beaconsfield. This proved to be a great success and led to further openings over the years, now totalling over 220 PQA academies nationwide.