Offaly teenagers shine at Junior Theatre Festival in Birmingham

A GROUP of 28 incredibly talented teenagers from St Mary’s Youth and Community Centre travelled to Birmingham to take part in the MTI Junior Theatre Festival – and they did us all proud – on Sunday, May 25 last.

These young stars were the cast of our recent production of High School Musical, and at the festival, they had the opportunity to perform a 15-minute selection from the show in front of a panel of Broadway adjudicators. It was an inspiring and unforgettable experience for them all. The feedback they received was filled with encouragement and praise, along with invaluable advice to help them grow as performers.

One of the standout moments of the day came when an adjudicator said she would happily listen to "the Alex Corcoran album" on repeat – such was her love for Alex's incredible vocal performance. Avrit Rose Machado and Paige Standing were also recognised for their boundless energy and brilliant character acting. Both were chosen as the All Star performers of our group – a fantastic achievement!

Throughout the day, the young people took part in professional workshops with internationally renowned choreographers, vocal coaches, and acting mentors. They absorbed every second of it, learning from some of the best in the industry and pushing themselves to new creative heights.

READ NEXT: AN APPRECIATION: Tullamore mourns death of leading business man and sporting icon

To cap off a brilliant day, our cast was honoured with an award for Best Ensemble/Chorus Work. We were thrilled to learn that St Mary’s Youth and Community Centre was the only group from Ireland to receive an award at this prestigious festival – a proud moment for everyone involved.

This remarkable experience would not have been possible without the incredible commitment of our dedicated leaders and volunteers. A heartfelt thank you goes out to Roxanne Lawlor, Michelle White, Aisling Kerry, Cameron Daly, Tomás Griffin, and Mairead Daly for their tireless work and passion for supporting our youth.

We are also deeply grateful to the Board of Management at St Mary’s Youth and Community Centre for their continued support, and a very special thank you to Joe Thompson and Patricia Wallis of the LOETB. Their belief in our young people, and their support through a Creative Ireland Programme grant, made this trip a reality.

The entire team at St Mary’s is so proud of this cast and all they have accomplished – not just on stage, but in their growth, confidence, and teamwork. We look forward to seeing where their talents take them next!

READ NEXT: Remarkable 76-year-old woman completes 200th parkrun at popular Offaly venue