Pupils showcase their acting skills (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Pupils showcase their acting skills

BUDDING actors and actresses from across the Vale were out in force last week when they took part in the first drama festival of its kind in Pershore.

The Number 8 community arts centre in Pershore played host to the inaugural Pershore and district first and middle schools drama festival last Wednesday.

The schools wowing the crowds with their artistic ability were Abbey Park First and Middle, Cropthorne and Charlton First, St Nicholas Middle and Pinvin, Badsey and Inkberrow first schools.

Each school had to prepare a performance which could have been an extract from a school production or a piece of work rehearsed especially for the festival and were allotted 15 minutes on the day to present their special piece.

Abbey Park Middle School decided to take an extract from their most recent production, Beyond the Blue Horizon, while the first school put on an adaptation by Roald Dahl of Snow White, entitled Snow White and the Five Dwarves.

Headteacher of Abbey Park First School Angela Beddows said: "The children had a fantastic time and really got into it on the day, we were all very proud of how they performed and the general standard of all the schools was very good."

Arts co-ordinator at Abbey Park Middle School, Ian Leaver, said: "The event just goes to show how much acting talent there is within the schools in the local area.

"All the parents and pupils who attended were treated to a feast of wonderful acting and singing.

"The whole afternoon was a tremendous success and it is hoped that the festival will now become an annual event."

At the end of the day all the participating schools were presented with a framed certificate of attendance and some acts will be selected to take part in a county-wide drama festival in July at Malvern theatre.