Audiences young and old will be tapping their toes and grooving during the Sooke School District music program’s annual spring show which hits the stage this weekend.
As part of the Program for Academic and Creative Enrichment (PACE), roughly 300 students are set to perform in The Greatest Show, which includes a wide range of pieces including Broadway favourites such as Cats, as well as songs from The Greatest Showman, Grease, and The Descendants. There will even be a Harry Potter medley.
“There’s a little bit for everybody,” PACE artistic director Sandy Webster-Worthy said. “It’s comedic, it’s fast-paced, it’s a really nice blend of classical shows and very current, modern stuff. A lot of songs will be familiar, others will be new. It’s something the entire family can enjoy.”
PACE alumni and Disney Channel star Calum Worthy and comedian Shawn O’Hara will MC the shows, while Sarah Scheunage, owner of The Rising – Victoria Centre for Circus Arts in Langford, will perform.
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Not only does the show give students from kindergarten to Grade 12 the chance to perform (there’s no auditions), it’s a learning experience as well.
Since rehearsals began in mid January, PACE alumni have returned to help mentor students in various capacities. For example, in the Cats set, Phil and Jane Devonsire, both of whom danced in Cats on the West End in London for several years, have been working with students on character development.
“The kids being exposed to people who are actually working in the industry makes a difference. It’s a higher level rehearsal than you would get in a school setting,” Webster-Worthy said. “The kids respond really well to the fact that professionals take the time to work with them. It just raises those performances to another level.”
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The Greatest Show takes place April 20, 21, 26, 27 and 28 at 7 p.m at the Isabelle Reader Theatre (1026 Goldstream Ave.) There will also be matinees on April 21, 22 and 28 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Call 250-391-9002 to reserve.
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kendra.wong@goldstreamgazette.com