An Article by Rosie M - Performing Arts Scholar
Last Friday I attended the fantastic AKS Stardust Diner, which was a wonderful start to my first week at AKS and an exciting beginning to what promises to be a fantastic year for Performing Arts. Across the night an audience of 80+ enjoyed a range of musical theatre numbers along with the announcement of the 2027 musical which is West Side Story!
When people arrived it was a really welcoming atmosphere, students showed you to your table and you could talk to other people there, who also love to experience the magic of musical theatre.
There was a clear difference between this evening and other Performing Arts events, as at the Stardust Diner we were treated to diner and a show, as we were brought diner styled food in the middle of the performances which really took you out of a school hall and into a real New York style stardust diner. The audience enjoyed American classics such as hotdogs, fries and pancakes.
The evening was not only focused on finding out what the 2027 musical was, you also got to see the range of talent at AKS. I loved this, especially as a Year 7 because I got to see how where my Performing Arts journey at AKS might take me.
There were lots of different songs performed. In fact, 24 different songs from 24 different musicals. Some included: Naughty from Matilda, You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two from Oliver!, Six from Six!, A Spoonful of Sugar from Mary Poppins, A Whole New World from Aladdin, Electricity from Billy Elliot, Roxanne from Moulin Rouge! and it finished with a whole cast performance of The Time Warp from The Rocky Horror Show.
I enjoyed absolutely everything during the evening, but the performance that gave me goosebumps was The Winner Takes It All performed by Lila. I also enjoyed the performance of the Legally Blonde medley which had very entertaining choreography. I also found Rebecca’s performance of You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two very impressive and very funny. The whole night blew me away, and you could tell the audience enjoyed it because smiles were constantly on everyone’s faces.
The atmosphere of the evening was really warm, and it was great to see all of the cast supporting each other and making sure everyone on stage was comfortable and confident. It didn’t matter the age of the person on stage; across the year groups it was clear everyone was supportive.
Finally, when the 2027 musical announcement was made, everyone seemed really surprised, which quickly turned to happy cheers and excitement. Across the night, lots of different show predictions were shared. I did hear Legally Blonde being mentioned quite a bit, but I didn't hear anyone guess West Side Story. So, when the moment came, I think everyone was in disbelief, but then excited, happy and ready for the journey ahead.
I really enjoyed the AKS Stardust Diner and hope to experience it again next year, maybe even performing in it myself. I can’t wait for the musical auditions and to get involved in all things drama and performing arts at AKS.
A Message from Miss Worthington, Head of Drama and Director & Producer of West Side Story
“The Stardust Diner was a fantastic way to start the new school year with a bang! I was so proud of all of our performers, and it was wonderful to see the amazing talent we have across AKS.
The event was a great success, and I’m delighted that we raised £2,673.76 for the production. Thank you to everyone who came along and supported us.
I can’t wait to get started on West Side Story and begin this exciting journey with our students!”