On Friday, 175 young people will take to one of Northern Ireland's most iconic stages to perform a classic musical like you've never seen it before. The talented bunch of 10-18 have been putting their heart and souls into bringing The Pirates of Penzance to Belfast as part of the Grand Opera House 2022 Summer Youth Production.
To celebrate the Summer Youth Production’s 10th anniversary, this highly skilled company will sing, dance and act their way through the most energetic, funny and accessible of all the Gilbert and Sullivan titles. After a three-year absence due to the pandemic, the cast and creative team are determined to put on a show to remember.
Director Tony Finnegan has been working with the Summer Youth Project for their last seven productions. He told Belfast Live how getting to work with such a dedicated group of young performers is "the highlight of his year".
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Tony said: "We have been doing it for a long time now so we kind of have a formula that we can go by but this is very different because this is the biggest sing that we have ever done on the project - it is an opera comique so its really important that we get the music tied down.
"I do a lot of work with kids and I found that they sort of lost their mojo slightly because of the pandemic but these ones have been great. We were all a bit rusty, never mind the kids, it just took us a day to get back into. This is such a different thing when you've got 175 kids, there is a different energy you need.
"It has been really good and the kids have taken to it really well. It's a big sing and some of these kids are only 10 and they have taken to sing big operatic stuff - you wouldn't ask professionals to do it."
The Summer Youth Project offers young people from around the country to receive professional experience and leave their mark on NI's most famous stage over a ten-day period. Romance, thrilling choreography, madcap comedy and sublime singing is guaranteed as the cast takes you on a journey of fun, frolics and fantasy.
Tony continued: "What they can expect from the stage is just energy all the way but a bit more than that, there is going to be a bit of finesse which this show needs and that is the difference between doing 'Annie' or 'Oliver' where you just belt it out. You will just get energy bouncing off that stage and a lot of talent.
"There were 350 kids auditioned for this so to get it down to 175 was difficult enough but we have ended up with really really brilliant kids."
Lucia McLaughlin and Richard Collins are preparing to take on the starring roles of Mabel and Fredric in this year's production. While Lucia has already been a part of the Summer Youth Project before in 2018, this will be Richard's first time performing to a crowd on the Grand Opera House stage.
Lucia said: “I am really looking forward to working with and learning from the creative team and I am also excited to meet new people with the same love for theatre. To perform on The Grand Opera House stage is an amazing experience - I am excited to learn this different style of material and am very much looking forward to performing the character of Mabel."
Richard Collins added: "I am very excited as this will be my first performance in The Grand Opera House and this will be an opportunity to fulfil a dream to perform on this iconic stage. I am also looking forward to meeting new people and gaining experience from the talented team who are producing the show."
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