BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME PUTS YOUNG PEOPLE
CENTRE STAGE WITH TWO MUSICAL SHOWSTOPPERS
Birmingham Hippodrome is putting young people firmly centre stage with two upcoming showstopping musicals; Flower Cutters (17 & 18 April) performed by Birmingham Hippodrome’s Musicals Young Company and Groove on Down the Road (18 & 19 July) performed by ZooNation Young Company Birmingham.
Flower Cutters is a brand-new musical by Josh Bird & Rachel Bellman that is in development with Perfect Pitch, a not-for-profit theatre company dedicated to the creation, development and promotion of new British musicals, run by the producers of the Olivier Award nominated hit musical SIX. This April will mark a regional premiere as the auditioned group of 19 people aged 16 – 24 from Birmingham Hippodrome’s Musicals Young Company will be the first to perform this exciting new work in the Midlands. The young company was created by Birmingham Hippodrome in order to provide a platform for talented young performers from Birmingham and the West Midlands to work with industry professionals to hone their skills and to explore and develop new work.
In July, ZooNation Young Company Birmingham (ZYCBrum)present Groove on Down the Road, ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company’s re-imagining of the well-loved story, The Wizard of Oz. The first ZooNation young company outside London, ZYCBrum is made up of 18 of the most talented young Hip Hop dancers in the city aged between 11 and 20. Led by Artistic Director, Rhimes Lecointe, the company train weekly at their base of Birmingham Hippodrome in foundations and Hip-Hop styles, learn from guest teachers and present new work at the Hippodrome and beyond.
Birmingham Hippodrome’s Head of Learning and Participation, Zaylie-Dawn Wilson said; “As a charity committed to working with our local communities and developing young talent, we created Birmingham Hippodrome’s Musicals Young Company and ZYCBrum to give the young people of Birmingham and the West Midlands a world-class professional platform to nurture their talents.
“We are delighted to see our two young companies taking to the stage with exciting, fresh and engaging works which will connect with both audiences and performers.”
Written by Josh Bird & Rachel Bellman, Flower Cutters is a coming-of-age thriller about friendship, betrayal, and the lengths we will go just to feel like we belong. Desperate to fit in at University, Cass finds herself hanging out with Mia, Luke and Tom, an eccentric and exclusive group on the fringes of campus society. What Cass doesn’t know is that they are part of a university project, shrouded in mystery that has drawn them into the black market world of endangered flowers. When the group find themselves subjects of a criminal investigation, Cass clings onto their fragmenting friendship. But at what cost?
Set in a fantastical urban world, Groove on Down the Road tells the story of Dorian and his adventures with Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Woman and Lion on their journey to Oz. The audience join Dorian, complete with red sneakers, and friends in this hip-hop dance production as they follow the yellow brick road in a quest to find happiness and family.
Flower Cutters plays on 17 & 18 April and Groove on Down the Road on 18 & 19 July in Birmingham Hippodrome’s Patrick Studio. Tickets are on sale to Birmingham Hippodrome Friends and Patrons scheme members now and available to the general public from 3pm today (21 Jan). To book visit birminghamhippodrome.com or call 0844 338 5000 (4.5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge).