Newport Pantomime and Musical Society’s youth group’s forthcoming performance of Jack and the Amazing Multi-Coloured Beanstalk will see the young actors stepping into the spot light to celebrate turning ten years old in 2024.
The society, a registered charity, has been bringing fun and laughter to the Dolman theatre since 1970s, with the youth group opening to applause in 2014.
The youth group aims to provide performance experiences and skills, installing confidence in young people from Newport and the surrounding areas.
With two performances a year, the youth group have performed many successful shows including ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘Annie Jr’, ‘Rapunzel’ pantomime, and most recently ‘Frozen Jr’, which received a glowing NODA (National Operatic and Drama Association) review and standing ovations for every performance.
One of the youth society’s most notable achievements is the nomination by NODA for ‘Best Youth Production’ for ‘Snow White and the Seven Vertically Challenged Excavators’, directed by Laura Bassett and produced by Rose Chilcott.
The dedicated youth cast meets once a week, for four hours every Sunday from March until July to produce a musical theatre show, dedicating the months of September to December to produce their annual youth pantomime.
The cast consists of members aged seven to eighteen, many of which have been a part of the society for years, and view it as “a second family” and have “made friends for life”.
Rose Chilcott has been the Producer of the youth group since its opening in 2014, and was one of the founding members.
When asked about the origins of the group, and her role within it, Mrs Chilcott stated:
The society was becoming a small and ageing group. For it to keep going as both a society and a charity I asked the committee if they would consider starting a youth group to keep our society going and nurture new talent in traditional pantomime ways. Children tend to come in and are very withdrawn, especially after Covid. However, after a short time you can see them begin to flourish and become valued members of the group, setting up friendships, hopefully for life. You see them excited to be at rehearsals and interacting not just with their peers but with the adults too.It builds confidence and relationships enough to take on tasks and excel in them. It’s lovely to see.My hope is that it will continue to grow and change more children's lives for the better; giving them a respite from reality where they can escape, if only for a couple of hours, to a place where they can be carefree with lots of laughter and fun.”
The time is approaching for the cast and production team to take centre stage as they work towards their production of ‘Jack and the Amazing Multicoloured Beanstalk’ pantomime, being performed at their hall on November 22nd, 23rd and 24th.
The future shines bright for these young performers, with cast and family looking forward to another successful ten years.
