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Dress rehearsals at the Wyvern Theatre

HUNDREDS of aspiring stars from Billie Piper's former dance and drama school are taking to the stage this week.

Youngsters from the Judith Hockaday School of Dance and Drama, based in Swindon's Old Town, pulled out all the stops to create a musical show at the Wyvern Theatre in just three months.

The show's theme is based around the closure of an old theatre.

The resident ghost, called Stitch, who is played by James Canning, haunts the stage.

He reminisces over all the magical shows that have played out at his theatre.

The cast are all students from the school, or teachers on the training course at the Judith Hockaday College, and range in age from five to 20 years.

Judith said: "There will be music from the musicals Hairspray and Wicked, Andrew Lloyd Webber numbers and a lot of songs that people won't know.

"We tried to find something a bit different."

The script was devised by Judith's sister Jenny Piechowicz, who teaches at the school.

"We feed ideas off each other and started writing last November," she said.

Judith said: "The young ones will showcase their skills in a farm scene as chickens, piglets and blackbirds.

"There is a comedy song involving a number of sheep, a gala performance of Russian dancing with the boys showing their Cossack tricks and the second half is a cabaret.

"I am keeping the songs under wraps as a surprise for the night."

The scenery is a hired backdrop and David Wicks, former stage manager at the Wyvern, has created the cabaret sets and will be controlling the lighting.

The performing arts school principal started with just 30 dancers in a hall in Havelock Street 48 years ago.

Today she has 300 wannabe actors, singers and dancers on her books and branches of the school in Highworth, Westlea and Stratton.

And a number of her students have gone on to become professionals in the world of entertainment.

"We had Billie Piper until she was 11, a number of students in West End shows and Rachel Gillespie, who has just been accepted at the Northern Ballet Theatre," she said.

The school covers all forms of dance including ballet, modern, jazz, tap and is also a performing arts school teaching singing and drama.

The show is on today and tomorrow at 7.30pm in the Wyvern Theatre.

Tickets are £8.50 and £9.50 from 01793 524481.

3:00pm Friday 28th March 2008

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