BACKSTAGE
JTF
Welcome backstage!
Here you will find all the information you need regarding additional rehearsal information, travel times, costume requirements and access to rehearsal materials.
#lovelife
EVENT INFORMATION
This years Junior Theatre Festival is being held on Saturday and Sunday 18th and 19th May 2024 at Birmingham ICC.
The coach will leave Shrewsbury at TBC from Abbey Foregate car park. Please ensure you are at the car park before this time. All children will be chaperoned throughout the day by members of the Wigle team and fully licensed chaperones. The bus will return to town on Sunday at approximately TBC.
OUR PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
OUR PERFORMANCE
This year we are entering the festival with a 10 minute performance from Beauty and the Beast Jr. The whole piece is an ensemble section and the group will be involved throughout the complete 10 minute performance. There will be harmonies to learn and fun choreography of varying difficulty levels.
NEW WORKS SHOWCASE PERFORMANCE
We have been selected to take to the main stage to showcase a performance of a new show title that has not yet been released. This will be the UK premier of this show and we are extremely honoured to have been asked. The children will work on 10 minutes of this show and will also have the opportunity to work with the organisers of the festival who will travel to us from London to piece the showcase together. This performance will have full costumes and microphones on the main stage - a fab experience and exposure for our performers.
NEW WORKS SHOWCASE AUDITIONS
Students are invited to apply for a particular role for the New Works Showcase (NWS). To do this, please send a video recording of you singing and performing any snippet from the NWS to james@wigles.co.uk BEFORE Thursday 7th match 2024.
Girls wanting to be considered Janet Van de Graaff are required to send a video of them singing SHOW OFF and perform dance tricks either as a separate piece or within this song.
HAIR & COSTUME REQUIREMENTS
Plain black bottoms with black pumps or preferably jazz shoes.
​
Flesh coloured ballet pumps or light jazz shoes or plain white pumps for Nemo.
​
It is important that the adjudicators can clearly see the faces of our performers; therefore, long hair must be tied back & off the face. Longer fringes should be swept or gelled back.
​
No jewellery permitted
WHAT TO BRING ON THE DAY
in addition to footwear (as specified above), and JTF T-shirts (which should be worn all day), students are also required to bring a change of clothes and essentials for an overnight stay. Food will be provided Saturday evening, Sunday morning and Sunday lunch. All other food will need to be packed or bought. We also recommend students bring snacks & drinks. There is a Starbucks and WHSmiths on site for those wanting to purchase something, but queues can be lengthly.
ABOUT THE DAY
WHAT THE DAY ENTAILS…
Following a mass 'kick off' and warm-up session the day-long programme will consist of:
ADJUDICATION
Groups perform 10 minutes of a Broadway Junior musical for adjudication by leading theatre professionals. Groups are rated in the areas of music, acting, dance and overall performance. The adjudicators offer constructive criticism to each group to encourage further learning in key areas.
LUNCH
A packed lunch of sandwich, crisps, fruit and water is provided to every registered group member.
NEW WORKS SHOWCASE
After lunch everyone gathers in the theatre for a sneak peak at two new Broadway Junior shows soon to be released for licensing. One of these performances will be done by the Wigle team in full costume on the main stage!
A West End star will perform and have a Q and A with the students.
WORKSHOPS FOR STUDENTS
West End professionals and master teachers from across the globe offer interactive workshops in all aspects of musical theatre performance. Groups will rotate around THREE separate workshops, each focusing on one of the core skills; acting, singing and dancing. Dance workshops are delivered directly by West End shows, teaching the actual choreography from those shows.
​
ALLSTARS
During adjudications, 2 students from each group will be selected as AllStars. AllStars will participate in exclusive workshops and will rehearse and perform a featured number at the Awards Ceremony on the main stage.
​
AWARDS CEREMONY
To celebrate the accomplishments of the day everyone gathers in the main theatre to watch the AllStars perform. Outstanding performances are selected from the morning's adjudications and groups perform their numbers on the stage. Awards are given for achievements in dance, music, acting and ensemble as well as outstanding individual performances.
Special guest stars will perform on the main stage as a special treat to those attending the event.
PRACTICE VIDEOS
Practice videos are available on to watch on our YouTube channel by using the following links.
Reminder: Please don't share this content with anyone outside of the cast as we have to keep the contents of our performance a secret until the festival date!
Coming soon.
PRACTICE MATERIALS
FANCY DRESS - sheet music link
​
​
Script extract before Fancy Dress
​
Script extract before show off
​
​