AVR Dance and Sunshine Studios present… Tomas Simon Sunday 27th March 2011

Tomas has worked with some of today’s top music artists which include: Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston T4, X-Factor, The Saturdays, Peter Andre, Blackberry, Addidas, Audi, Wella, Starbucks, Lucozade, Ask.com and much much more!!!! 

Tomas has taught and judged competitions accross Europe and the USA and is recognised world wide for his talent.

He teaches at Studio 68 and occasionally at Pineapple Dance Studios.

 Class One  11-12.30pm  6-12 years   Class Two 1-2.30pm 13+ years

Only £10 per Class to book call 07737 393 177 or Email avrdance@hotmail.com

Michael Hall Theatre School student Aiden Grimshaw in his performance of “Mad World” on Saturday night has set the standard for this year’s X Factor.  Aiden is certainly now the man to beat.   Why not leave a good luck message in the comments box below.

Aiden’s brooding performance of “Mad World” click here

Click Here to see Aiden’s X Factor judges’ houses performance

Bootcamp audition Click Here

To see Aiden auditioning with Kanye West’s Gold Digger  Click Here
Aiden’s blown away! backstage interview click here

Aiden started singing lessons at the Michael Hall Theatre School in 2004 and in the true spirit of the theatre, worked his way through the training starting with the part of Danny with an extract from Grease, for a performance in Hits from Great Musicals at Blackpool’s Opera House. Later in the same year he played two small parts in Bugsy Malone, his first time with orchestra, at MHTS.

Bugsy Malone

As happens with all boys when they reach a certain age, their voices begin to break, a critical time for Aiden. As his voice began to change,  we started rehearsals for Oliver. He had begun to loose his puppy fat and we were soon left with a skinny Mr Bumble! Not only that, but to our horror his voice was dropping so fast that  the key had to be lowered  for the whole orchestra in  “Boy for Sale”  not a small task!

Mr Bumble in Oliver!

 Aiden’s talent for performing and wowing an audience first came to light in the wake of Robbie Williams’ album Swing while you’re winning. He asked to sing  Ain’t that a kick in the head and Straighten up and fly right. No-one present on that evening will ever forget the confident style and the gyrating head movements.  This thirteen year old wowed the audience of our theatre school Swing Night in the same way he did during his audition on  X Factor. 

Soon Aiden started with drama lessons, winning prizes at Blackpool Festival and working his way through to LAMDA Gold Medal.

Aiden also took the opportunity to act in our theatre school plays and gave excellent performances in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Diary of Anne Frank and Hard to Swallow. He subsequently played  leading musical theatre roles in Calamity Jane staged at our theatre school and Mack and Mabel in our production at the Lowther Pavilion.

It cannot be emphasized enough that over the years Aiden has worked hard at his chosen profession and has been willing to have a go at everything and anything.  Aiden even had a go at classical singing, playing Adam in Haydn’s The Creation and singing chorus in various classical evenings at the theatre school.

His most recent performance was that of Romeo in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet at the theatre school in March of this year in a most moving and thoughtful performance with a twinkle in his eye.

Michael Hall Theatre School wishes him the greatest success in X Factor, despite the consequences it will have if he does well. Our future plans with him include directing our next year’s performance of Bugsy Malone, thus completing the cycle from bit parts to director and on his suggestion, we were preparing for the Brecht play The Good Person of Szechwan. Audience members come especially to see him in our shows, let’s hope they will soon be flocking to see him in huge venues…..

Click Here to go back to Michael Hall Theatre School Homepage

MHTS Adult Choir & Lytham Light Orchestra An evening of popular and light classical music at Michael Hall Theatre School, 19 Preston Old Road, Marton, Blackpool, FY3 9PR

25 – 30 October (see the press for times)

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Bill Kenwright Ltd with the children of Michael Hall Theatre School at the Grand Theatre Blackpool

20 November 7.30pm

Bastien & Bastienne and The Marriage of Figaro Act 4 Mozart at MHTS

19 – 21 December 2.30 (19^th), 7.30 and 7.30

MHTS Christmas Extravaganza – Family entertainment with singing, dancing and lots of drama!

3 & 5 February 2011

The Marriage of Figaro – Mozart at MHTS

Easter 2011 (dates to be decided)

Bugsy Malone

Future Musica Lirica productions will include Puccini’s Sister Angelica in 2011.

Hannah Channon   Acting Grade 4  65% Merit

Tom McLeod   Acting Grade 5  70% Merit

Hannah Armfield  Acting Grade 4  80% Distinction

Helen Wrigley  Acting Grade 2  80%  Distinction

Charlotte Lane  Acting Grade 4  80%  Distinction

In early Spring of 2008 Kids Music Shop approached us to take part in a project to create two children’s DVDs. The wheels on the bus and Row, row, row your boat. After initial internal auditions, a cast of 12 was decided upon. Thirty songs were then rehearsed and recorded. Choreographed routines  followed before the filming which took place in the Summer Holidays at various locations throughout the NorthWest.

  Watch clips of Tony George and the children performing  favourites such as Old MacDonald, Hokey Cokey, The Sun has got his Hat On and The Grand Old Duke of York

The children had great fun during this period and are looking forward to working with Kids Music Shop again in the future.

“I am writing to congratulate everyone at CRS records on your absolutely fantastic double-DVD set (Row/Wheels). Everything about it is just perfect – the choice of songs and their matching locations, the enthusiasm and good nature of the children, the choreography, the filming and editing, the wonderfully funny Tony as host, actor and song leader. The whole thing is just incredibly professionally done for what must be a small company. The DVD has a recommended age of 3+, but we bought it for our 16 month old baby girl who loves it. She points at the DVD sleeve and goes ‘ah, ah, ah’ to let us know she wants to watch it. She knows a lot of the songs from playgroups and daddy and mummy know the others. We all sing together. We’ve already bought two sets, and will be buying more for other children’s birthdays. Please pass on this message to all involved – you have done an absolutely brilliant job.”

Paul Emmerson, West Sussex

Once again, Michael Hall Theatre School  has teamed up with Kids Music Shop and Lancashire One to create two more children’s DVD’s. Tony and the gang are also back, with a few new faces to join in the fun and frolics as they sing and dance their way through 30 new songs. The recording session took place on the 6th and 7th of March 2010 and the children are currently in rehearsal for the choreography.

Listen to clips from the new recordings.

 Knees Up Mother Brown!

  Round and Round the Garden