Barry Comprehensive School

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On Thursday evening, 27th March, at Barry Comprehensive School, an event took place that made the audience gasp with delight. It was a musical concert quite unlike any other held at the school. Pupils from Year 7 to Year 13 have been working for the last couple of months, with professional singer Mrs Jo Thomas-Bourton. You may recognise the name from a concert held last year, “An Evening with the Bourtons”. This time, Jo wanted to showcase the talented young singers she has been working with at the School and came up with the idea to use songs from stage musicals and films. Her pupils were eager to sing, move and perform their songs like true professionals.

Accompanying the singers was the school band, made up of pupils and teachers, and together, the cast of players and singers performed to such a high quality, the audience gave them a standing ovation.

So many members of the appreciative audience cried out for ‘more’ and congratulations and requests for more evenings like this echoed around the hall for almost an hour after the show ended.

Headteacher, Mr David Swallow commented “This is one of the best musical evenings we’ve had at the school!” With popular songs from “West Side Story”, “Miss Saigon”, “Les Miserables”, “Chess”, “Oliver and “Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” ” in Act 1. Act II comprised of songs from the films “Monsters Inc”, “Lion King”, “Notting Hill”, “Toy Story”, and “Mulan”.

Working alongside professionals in an important part of the curriculum in the Creative Arts Faculty, the benefits, of which were seen on this night, in abundance. Thank you Jo for making it all possible, you brought out a sense of belief in our pupils and an awareness, yet again, of how talented our young performers are.

Rehearsals begin after Easter for the summer production of “Les Miserables”, a huge undertaking, but one to look out for in the month of July. Parents and members of the local community make a note in your diaries now, this production should not be missed!

All photographs by Miss Phillips and Matt Moore

Daniel Saunders - 'Guys and Dolls'

Tereza Machacova and Kelly Westall - 'West Side Story'	James Sullivan - 'Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat'

'Miss Saigon'

Gerran Howell - 'Les Miserables'	Jared Cornish and Gerran Howell - 'West Side Story'

Hadyn Pullum - 'Oliver'

Kelly Westall, Kelly Virgil and Tereza Machacova - 'West Side Story'	Jason Ivins - 'Les Miserables'

Jack Fuerison and Ensemble - 'Miss Saigon'

Sammy Assamed - 'Armageddon'	Tom Kinch and Tereza Machacova - 'Phantom of the Opera'