Following the launch of our 2027 musical, students in years 7 to 9 took part in a West Side Story musical theatre workshop. This was a great opportunity for students in our younger years to get an insight into our musical theatre provision at AKS, get to know the show, the characters and the songs.
Annie B, our Year 7 Drama Scholar has written the below article all about her experience.
I took part in a West Side Story workshop in my drama lesson, and it was an absolute blast! It was so much fun and exciting, it really made me want to be up there performing in the show at the Lowther Pavilion Theatre in January!
In the workshop, all students got involved and it was a great opportunity to get to know the show better. It was also a great opportunity for students who might be a little more nervous about performing to step out of their comfort zone and try something new!
First, we were introduced to the plot of the production, and I quickly learnt that the show is actually inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Alongside learning the storyline, we got to learn about all the characters and their clashing personalities. Here we were introduced to The Sharks, Maria, Anita, Bernardo and Chino as well as The Jets; Tony, Riff and the rest of his gang.
In small groups we split the story into 4 main plot points and began to stage them using Freeze Frames, using our best acting skills to bring the characters to life. My favourite scene to stage was The Sharks vs Jets rumble.
Next, we learnt the lyrics to one of the shows most well-loved songs, America. We also started to explore movement and dance to go along with the music. Again, this was so much fun and made me excited to get involved in dancing, singing and acting in the show.
I loved taking part in the workshop as it gave me confidence and helped me feel prepared for the auditions taking place next week. I think being involved in the school musical will be a great opportunity to improve my acting skills, make new friends and learn more about this style of performance.
Break a leg to anyone auditioning next week!
To prepare for auditions and for access to important audition resources and materials, please visit the West Side Story Audition Pack and we can't wait to see you at rehearslas next Wednesday & Thursday.