08/06/2018 Limelight Theatre Lead tutor – Dreams can come true!
What is your dream? For the Limelight Theatre’s Lead Tutor her dream has just come true! Read here all about Sarah’s recent theatrical experience – Dreams can come true!
“In 2006 I had a fantastic day trip to London to watch a show called Wicked. I didn’t know much about it. Arriving at the Apollo Victoria we walked to our seat in the stalls, about halfway back. The lights dimmed and suddenly the whole stage came to life. From the moment Kerry Ellis (Elphaba) stepped on that stage, I was completely drawn into her performance and totally inspired. I followed her career ever since. Never in a million years did I think I would actually sing with Kerry Ellis.
Back in February this year I received a message from a fellow performing arts tutor who said… “Do you want to sing with Kerry Ellis?” My response, of course, was “yes yes YES!” Sara from Musicality was also chosen, what luck. I’d already arranged to go and watch the show with Sarah Wright (our Senior Drama Tutor), so I obviously didn’t require a seat anymore!
The choir of 20 people had a couple of rehearsals back in February. Whilst at the first rehearsal Kerry texted the organiser to ask if there were two people who might want to sing with her. Imagine my eyes light up (in my head I was jumping up and down, shouting me, me, me, me…) but I kept quiet! The next day, I get a message asking if I would do it.
March came and so did the snow. The show was postponed and rescheduled for 6th June 2018.
We arrived at the Theatre at 5.30pm for a sound check, we walked in the door and there she was… right there, in front of me(!) was my West End idol. Kerry was so lovely, she made us all feel really comfortable and any nerves flew away. Sound checks completed and we went to get ready, we weren’t on stage until Act 2. We all sat listening to Kerry tell her tales of her career and how Brian May discovered her. The audience was loving every second.
We got our “Act 2 Beginners” call and made our way onto the stage to whoops and cheers from audience members. Our moment had come to sing with Kerry Ellis, ‘my’ moment had come to sing a verse in duet and then a trio with my West End idol!
It was amazing! I came off stage in disbelief with shaking hands and grinning from ear to ear.
I stood in the wings and listened to the next few songs. Kerry invited the audience to sing “For Good” from Wicked. What an amazing moment for every single person watching the show and what fine voices too!
We went back on stage after an amazing rendition of “Somebody to Love”, just wow, now THAT was how to sell a song!
We sang an Ed Sheeran cover with Kerry “Give Me Love” followed by THE song everyone had been waiting for “Defying Gravity”. As the band played the first five chords, the audience cheered with delight. My Musicality friend Debs (also in the Choir) grabbed my hand and we both realised what we were actually doing, we weren’t sitting there in the audience watching Kerry, we were singing with her!
It was one of the best theatrical moments in my entire life, I feel very humbled and so very lucky.
To every pupil at Limelight Theatre Company, be inspired, dream big, work harder than you’ve ever worked before and one day, your dreams really could come true!”
