News: Customs House Summer School

Open Auditions For The South Shields Customs House Summer School 

Is a starring role in a world-famous musical what you’ve been looking for?

The Customs House Summer School is working on a production of Disney’s High School Musical this year, with applications now open for those who wish to take part.

Auditions will take place on Tuesday 28 May at The CustomSpace in The Captains Row, South Shields, from 10am.

Children and young people aged between eight and 21 are eligible to take part.

Described as a modern-day Romeo and Juliet, High School Musical was adapted for the stage shortly after making its debut as a Disney Channel original movie in 2006, starring Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens as two high school juniors from rival cliques.

Troy Bolton is captain of the basketball team and Gabriella Montez is a shy transfer student who excels in maths and science. When they try out for the lead parts in their high school musical, it causes division among all the school’s students.

The film’s premier was watched my 7.7 million people and more than three million copies of the soundtrack were sold, featuring the songs Start of Something New, Get’cha Head in the Game, What I’ve Been Looking For, Breaking Free and We’re All in this Together.

Gareth Hunter, of Ion Productions, who is The Customs House Summer School director, said: “The team are excited to be able to work on this fantastic upbeat musical. It features some great songs and high energy dance routines and we hope to see lots of familiar faces and new ones at the auditions.  It’s a great show with some really good parts and loads of songs for the ensemble to get involved in too.”

The Customs House Summer School is one of the only ones to have a full-scale production as its conclusion in one of the region’s top theatres.

The summer school runs at The Customs House from Monday 22 July to Sunday 11 August, between the hours of 10am and 5pm, concluding with five performances over three days. Some weekends and additional rehearsals will be needed for principal roles.

For more information and to download an application form, visit www.customshouse.co.uk/news or e-mail alex@customshouse.co.uk. Completed application forms must be returned no later than Monday, May 20.

Tickets for the performances, on August 9, 10 and 11, are priced from £10 and available from the box office on (0191) 454 212334 or online at www.customshouse.co.uk.