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Dateline: 26th August, 2005
Theatre giant Clear Channel Entertainment has relaunched its Summer Youth Project in ten theatres throughout the country this month. Now renamed the Clear Channel Stage Experience, it gives young people from all backgrounds an opportunity to perform or to be part of the production team in professionally produced popular musical theatre shows. And now popular performers Bonnie Langford and Honor Blackman will join West End regulars Paul Spicer and Ruthie Henshall alongside Musicality and Strictly Dance Fever judge Stacey Haynes and singer Michael Ball to form a group of patrons for the project.
Invited to serve as aspirational figureheads for participants of the scheme, all of the patrons have backgrounds in musical theatre which make them the perfect choice to support, encourage and foster the work of those involved in the initiative. "When asked if I'd like to be a patron of the Stage Experience, I didn't have a moment's hesitation in accepting," said Bonnie Langford. "It's a fantastic way to get kids interested in and passionate about theatre. You forever hear people bemoaning the fact that audiences are declining and that theatre isn't what it used to be. Well, this is a great step towards starting to combat that and I'm really pleased to be able to support the scheme." "Being a patron of the Stage Experience is a great way of giving something back to a profession that has given me so much," added Michael Ball, "and I am delighted to be supporting the future of musical theatre here in the UK by acting as a patron for this Clear Channel initiative. It's a great way of introducing the workings of professional theatres to those who may be considering future careers in the industry and also to those who simply enjoy the process of putting together a fantastic show." "I wish there had been something similar when I was taking my first steps towards training as a performer," said Paul Spicer. "I am delighted to be a patron of the Clear Channel Stage Experience, which is a unique way of fostering new talent and offering young people around the country the opportunity to get involved in every aspect of creating and performing in a full scale musical theatre show," said Ruthie Henshall. Michele Tiley, Divisional Manager for Clear Channel with responsibility for the Stage Experience, added, "Having previously launched the Summer Youth Project scheme in several of our regional theatres, we've been delighted with its success so far and the passion with which our staff and the young people involved have taken ownership of the various productions which have been staged. It was felt that the new name the Clear Channel Stage Experience summed up the scheme now that it has grown in stature and recognition." The theatres involved this year are the Grand Opera House (York), the New Theatre (Oxford), Grimsby Auditorium, Tameside Hippodrome, Spa Pavilion (Felixstowe), Beck Theatre (Hayes), the Alexandra (Birmingham), Leas Cliff Hall (Folkestone), the Palace (Manchester) and the White Rock (Hastings). It is intended that more Clear Channel venues will take part in future years. Please note that all three Archive indices are very long and will therefore take some time to download.
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