West End musical director for youth production

The Youth Arts Centre has announced that its consultant musical director for its summer production of Footloose will be West End musical director Chris Hatt.

Chris was responsible for the hit run of Footloose in London and also for the touring production.

Currently musical director of Billy Elliot – The Musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre, London, his recent credits include Mack & Mabel (Criterion Theatre), Thoroughly Modern Millie (UK tour), Footloose – The Musical (West End run and UK tour), Our House (Cambridge Theatre) and Joseph (UK tour).

For Bruce James Productions he has been Musical Director for over 20 shows including Aspects of Love, Scrooge, A Slice of Saturday Night, Little Shop of Horrors, Crazy For You, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof and Godspell. He is also musical supervisor, fixer and arranger for First Family Entertainment, a new pantomime company headed by the Ambassadors Theatre Group and Live Nation.

As a composer, Chris has written an original score to a new stage production of The Corsican Brothers. His musical Destiny is performed across the country and he has written a series of children’s musicals that are currently touring schools and provincial theatres.

Chris is musical director for Top Hat Events, an entertainment agency providing artistes for engagements all over the world. He is no stranger to the Isle of Man, having been musical director for both runs of Joseph at the Gaiety Theatre for Dick Ray Productions.

'This is an exciting opportunity for young musical theatre performers on the Isle of Man,' said Fiona Helleur, Head of Youth Arts for the Department of Education and Children. 'Chris is an incredible musical director and he works brilliantly with young people, bringing the best out of them. We are thrilled that he has agreed to join us.

'We are looking for young people aged 14 – 25 who are considering a career in the theatre as actors, singers, dancers and musicians. We will be producing Footloose in the same way as a West End production with three weeks rehearsal before opening night,' Fiona continued.

'Rehearsals take place between 12 and 30 August, culminating in two full performances at the Gaiety Theatre on 31st August and 1st September. We will work the same way as a professional company learning the songs and dances during the first two weeks and then spending the final week with Chris polishing and perfecting the whole show. We worked this way last year with our production of Rent, which was a huge success: so much so, it’s being reprised in July.

'As well as performers, we are looking for musicians, set builders and painters, costumiers, hair and make-up artists who are available for those three crucial weeks in August. The YAC likes to set challenges to young people and give new opportunities and working with Chris will be a wonderful experience for all aspiring performers,' Fiona continued.

'There is a Footloose workshop on 24 June at the Youth Arts Centre in Kensington Road Douglas where young performers will learn the all-important Footloose song and dance ready for auditions.'

Application forms for the workshop and details of the auditions are available from the Youth Arts Centre or from;