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Spotlites Theatre Company Ltd

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What you say about us! (warts and all!)

And I just came because my mate went...

I had always enjoyed performing whether it was playing the class clown, or doing the karaoke on holiday, you know the usual things that any normal kid does, but I had never really thought about acting until a good friend of mine told me about the acting group he went to on Tuesdays, 'Spotlites'.

He seemed very eager, taking delight in telling me how much fun he had doing a production of 'Fantastic Mr Fox'. Figuring this sounded like good fun I signed up. Ironically he left a couple of weeks before I started, but I was still eager.

For my first half a year I was in the Junior Youth Theatre, but I was one of the eldest in the group and just on the cusp of the Youth Theatre. It was great fun, and being one of the eldest I had few insecurities, but it wasn't until I moved up into the Youth Theatre that not only did my feelings change, but so to did I as a person.

When I saw the quality and devotion that the members of the Youth Theatre possessed I must admit my heart sank.
I felt I had been thrown in the deep end not knowing how to swim. They were all so confident, so full of energy, so big! How would I ever fit in? So far it had just been a bit of fun for me, now it was about acting. Now this is not to say that the Junior Youth Theatre is any less serious in it's own right, it's just I wasn't.

For the first sessions I was paranoid that I was being judged, but I was soon introduced to the major characteristics that I believe 'Spotlites' excels in bringing out in people. Respect and maturity. Never once was there an unkind comment or a sense of intimidation.

It was evident that this was something very different to any other group I had attended like football or cubs, this was an open friendly environment which brought out the best in people, not only as actors, but as people.
Within a few weeks I already felt like an established member of this unique family.

After a year or so I started singing lessons (remember the karaoke), to find it was taught with the same level of excellence that the drama was, while still retaining the same welcoming and friendly feel. I did my first showcase soon after that (definitely the best way to gain your first practical performance experience), and then my first show 'Jesus Christ Superstar'.

Through doing a show I can honestly say all aspects of my acting and performing improved ten fold as you learn so much from the excellent, professional directing that comes from Rachel, but also from your fellow cast members who become like a second family.

It was not only my acting I noticed improved, but me as a person. 'Spotlites' had a positive input into all aspects of my personality but undoubtedly the greatest was on my social skills and confidence. To name but one example of this would be this year when I was given the position of Deputy Head Boy at my school, a post that was partially due to academic merit but mainly through an interview with the Heads of the school.

I am now preparing to go to University to study 'Media Practice and Theory' but I can honestly say I wouldn't be where I am today as a person were it not for the massive impact that Spotlites has had on my life. After being a part of 'Spotlites' family for five years I realise that the kind of things I gained and people I met through 'Spotlites' will always be a part of me, and be one of those rarest of things; an aspect of my life I will always remember with a smile on my face.

Michael D

And from someone else ....

To sum up what Spotlites does and offers is not the easiest task in the world; in fact it’s nigh on impossible so perhaps the best way to do it is to explain my own experiences with them.

Some thirteen years ago I was introduced to Spotlites by mere chance, I was shy, quite and slightly retiring (anybody who knows me now would probably have a hard time imagining that.). Yet I had a wish to act, I started to attend Spotlites Children’s sessions on Wednesday evenings back in the days of them being held at the Brook Theatre, from the first session I was hooked. I couldn’t get enough of it, for the first time I felt as if I could be who I was.

Within weeks the shy tall kid with the posh accent had become the outspoken always chipping in his two pence worth tall kid with the posh voice. The thing that stunned me at that time though was although only a child Rachel never once treated me or any other member as anything less than an adult as long as you were willing to learn.

During my time I was involved in a variety of shows from Barnum (which was already well underway when I first became part of the Spotlites family) to Annie (and my first huge role as Rooster, it was daunting but satisfying) and Into the Woods (the first Amateur production) to name only a few, although to call these production Amateur seems almost unfair as the amount of time, work and dedication that gets put into them from the Lead Cast, Chorus, Rachel, Colin and everybody in between is nothing short of professional.

When I was fourteen/fifth teen I was forced to leave Spotlites against my own choosing and it was one of the hardest things for me to do, I wasn’t just leaving a group of people who had so much talent it was unnerving I was leaving people that I had come to think of as my second family. However regardless of that two/three years later I returned and although some of the faces had changed as had the location it felt as if I had never left. Unfortunately due to a change of personal circumstances I once again had to leave, but I still hold on to all that I had learnt from Rachel and my peers at Spotlites.

Spotlites truly does allow people to open up not only as performers but as people and the effects it has on these people is positive to say the least. I have but one regret, I now live in Glossop Derbyshire which means I have no way to return to Spotlites once again, however If they ever wished to do a tour up here they’d have free bed and board.

Stuart R