Whitby's Colebrooke Productions students back on stage for first time in 18 months

The sold-out shows consisted of 80 students who have attended classes regularly throughout the pandemic via Zoom and more recently in person.

The Showcase, directed by brother and sister Chris and Chanelle Colebrooke and their team, included a variety of musical theatre pieces, drama, dance and song.

Spread across two nights the show is made up of a variety of miniature performances all culminating in a large Showcase.

Sections of the show were inspired by Sister Act and Les Miserables and a dramatic ‘what if’ story based on The Wizard of Oz called Emeralds of Oz in which Dorothy has become an all powerful empress and dictator of Oz..

The show also included a tribute to the Harry Potter franchise with the whole school taking on their versions of the iconic characters.

After two decades of LP Dance Centre, the school closed in January this year and since then Chris and his team have taken a brand new intake of pupils.

“It was really great to get some of the ballroom pupils involved with the Showcase this year, we have more plans to come with the ballroom and can’t wait to show them off in the February show next year," said Chris.

Amidst the well-known songs the show also included the return of the infamous Scooby Doo gang or Mystery Inc, a comedy farce Connie’s Kitchen and not forgetting a tribute to Dolly Parton, which saw a class of Colebrooke’s youngest performers take to the stage as Dolly’s butterflies in Love is Like a Butterfly.

“To return to the pavilion stage and to two full houses after a year and a half of uncertainty has been an amazing feeling, and left us all feeling very warm inside,” added Chris.

The Showcase may be done and dusted but Colebrooke Productions are already on with end of year exams, upcoming competitions and an end of year Oscars award-style ceremony.