News

From Hazel Grove Musical Festival to the West End – Joe Butler-Smith stars in ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’!

Joe Butler-Smith’s first public performance was at Hazel Grove Musical Festival. He has been a regular prize winner in Singing and Speech & Drama classes, since the age of seven and has performed at three of our Gala Concerts. We are thrilled to learn that Joe has landed the role of Charlie Bucket in ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, in London, from October 2015 to May 2016.

Joe, aged ten, lives in Adlington. He has singing lessons with Kate Oldfield in Poynton and studies Drama with Tracey Ray at Pownall Hall School, Wilmslow. He also plays the cornet.

Much in demand locally as a soloist, Joe has performed with the Macclesfield Claritas Choir and for the Manchester Midday Concerts Society.

We wish him every success!

Oliver Rushton: North West Regional Champion for Speech!

We are pleased to announce that Oliver Rushton, Hazel Grove Musical Festival’s nomination to the North West Regional Championships, held in Alderley Edge in September, 2015, is now the North West Regional Champion for Speech. He won with his superb performance of an extract from Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice’.

Oliver took part in his first festival when he was four years old and has won classes for solo singing and cornet playing, as well as for Speech and Drama. He is a member of the Lowry Young Actors Company and his ambition is to become a professional actor.