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One of London’s most iconic music venues came alive with the passion of 400 young performers on Sunday 18th November with a special production from a franchise theatre school, who believes in giving its students these incredible opportunities. The students all attend various Razzamataz Theatre Schools across the country and came together for one night to put on a gala display where they showcased their incredible talent, determination and love for the performing arts.
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The children and young people all performed at the Indigo at The 02, which has a capacity of 2,800 and has many world-class musicians, comedians and performers grace its stages. The buzz leading up to the performance has been incredible and the support from the audience on the night was electrifying.
“I’m so proud of each and every student, teacher and Principal who put their heart and soul into every performance on the stage,” says Denise Hutton-Gosney, MD and Founder of Razzamataz. “This night will stay with the children and families for life and we are so proud to be a part of making these magical memories.”
As a large and established franchise network, the schools are able to take part in many exciting events across the UK. As well as the Indigo at The 02, schools can take part in performing at Her Majesty’s theatre in the West End, being part of a prestigious scholarship with The Stage newspaper, many industry-led workshop with professionals such as street dance crew Diversity and West End leading lady Kerry Ellis and being part of a magical cast at Disneyland Paris.
“We have many contacts and years of experience in the performing arts industry so it is possible to put on these huge-scale events,” explains Denise. “That is one of the most significant benefits of joining a franchise rather than going it alone and has also allowed us to welcome people who don’t necessarily have a performing arts background but who do have the passion and commitment needed to work with young people and grow a business.”
Franchisees at Razzamataz include retired performers, former teachers, parents who want to work flexibly around their children and young entrepreneurs straight from college. To celebrate 18 years of successful business, Razzamataz is giving more people the opportunity of joining the network with a range of special offers. To find out if franchising is the right option, Razzamataz holds regular Discovery Den days across the UK where potential franchisees get a chance to meet the Head Office team, find out more about franchising in general and discover what it is like to run a part-time theatre school.
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Razzamataz at the Indigo at The 02
Meatloaf Rocks! Performed by Razzamataz Mansfield
What a way to open the show! With an explosion of sound and music the dancers performed tricks and flips with an easy confidence to Bat out of Hell. The legendary anthems from Meatloaf and Jim Steinman had the audience wanting to rock out in the aisles and the light and shade of the piece was revealed with stunning lead vocals and beautiful contemporary dancing during I would do anything for love. A slick and high energy production.
The Best You Can Be. Performed by Razzamataz Newbury
This beautiful piece highlighted what it feels like to be a child growing up with big decisions to make. The clever storytelling and heartfelt acting captured the moment perfectly. The mixed age range of students took the audience on a journey of discovery with humorous moments such as the confident lead vocals during I wanna be a Billionaire and Jessie J’s Price Tag. Combine this with some slick and complex dance moves and the entire piece was both sensitive and polished.
Ease on Down the Road. Performed by Razzamataz Barnet
Simple but effective neon glow costumes help set the stylish piece from the students that saw them tackle the cult phenomenon of The Whiz with its iconic songs which got the audience clapping along in time. Complex street dance breakout sections intermingled with the emotional and heartfelt storytelling led to a mature finished performance.
100 Years Later & We Made It
Emily Davidson was a leading suffragette whose devotion to the cause helped us to mark the 100th year anniversary of women getting the right to vote. On the stage at the 02 was one of her direct descendants, who, along with her cast mates, put on a powerful performance celebrating the female icons of today and yesteryear. The a cappella opening set the mature tone and the pop star performance was a fitting tribute to all the strong girls on the stage who combined powerful vocals with full on dance routines.
Rule the World. By Razzamataz Durham.
The cast at Durham put on a fitting tribute to one of the UK’s most iconic pop bands. From the nineties, through to their most recent hits, the piece celebrated the best of Take That. Opening with beautiful vocals and a mesmerizing dance routine, the children filled the stage with their big ideas with renditions of Rule the World, standing up for justice with Kidz and believing in yourself with Shine.
While you were Sleeping. By Razzamataz Paisley and Glasgow North
This incredible performance piece was a visual delighted with complex and mature choreography. The cast took the audience on a journey into a world of dreams and through a range of dance styles, conveyed thoughts filled with excitement, sadness and even nightmares. Each step was steeped with emotion and the thought-provoking staging and soundtrack helped to narrate this beautiful piece of theatre.
Keep Calm & Carry On. By Razzamataz Maidstone
This challenging and mature piece was created as a tribute to the people of Britain and the way they face adversity. The recent tragedies were sensitively explored by the young cast through song and dance and left the audience feeling that there is much hope in our children. A highly polished performance with complex choreography.
Queen of the Night
This fierce and highly polished performance was a fitting finale to the end of the first half. With a rock concert vibe, the strong, powerful vocals and harmonies were an audio delight while the complex dance routines were performed with passion and energy. A fantastic tribute to singing sensation Whitney Houston.
Off With Her Head! By Razzamataz Sheffield
Alice in Wonderland lands at the 02 but with a scary twist. The large cast didn’t put a step out of place as they took the audience on a journey to the dark side of this much-loved tale. The energetic street dance sections showcased the personality of the school and the clever staging showed how using small movements was a very effective way to tell a story. Finishing with a powerful vocal performance that highlighted every cast member, the overall performance was slick and professional.
Razz Runs the World – a Tribute to Beyonce. By Razzamataz Rickmansworth
This young and energetic cast brought out their sassiest dance moves to pay homage to the international artist, Beyonce. The addition of microphones on stage gave the piece a rock concert feel, totally fitting for the venue. The piece showed off the cast’s maturity with the transition from high energy pop to standing still to sing followed by a beautiful lyrical dance piece.
From Time to Time. By Razzamataz Sutton Coldfield
The young cast might not have even been born when these songs were a hit, but they certainly know how to make them relevant again. The time hop performance featured songs from the year 2000 to the year 2018. This medley of pop songs featured confident vocals combined with complex dance routines and a generous splash of fun and laughter.
Dead Man’s Chest. By Razzamataz Edinburgh and Glasgow South
Swash buckling pirates and underwater sea creatures took the audience on an adventure of a lifetime to see who will win the fight of the sea. Emotive dance routines featuring the genres of street dance and lyrical combined with a mature vocal performance was a masterclass in storytelling.
Bruno Mars Medley. By Razzamataz Weymouth
From the opening Bboy moves, it was clear that this performance was going to take the roof off the 02! Very cool and complex choreography paid homage to Bruno Mars, one of the biggest music artists of all time. This fun and oh so very slick performance was the coolest party on stage and every single member of the cast performed their socks off.
Razz Army Rocks. By Razzamataz Newcastle
A mash up of army themed songs that took the audience on an emotional journey where the youngsters showed us fear, strength and commitment. Beautiful and powerful solo vocal to open the piece and set the story and clean lines and effective choreography to show the dancers’ skill. A wonderful piece showcasing the talent at Newcastle.
Disturbed Shadows. By Razzamataz Derby
Each performer took full command of the stage and fully embraced the theme of the reincarnation of some twisted diva souls. Opening up with three lead vocalists and leading in to a sharp and fierce dance section, the cast kept in character through every step of the performance, which finished with a homage to the iconic Thriller.
Our Shot! By Razzamataz Carlisle
An ambitious mash up of the smash hit musical Hamilton. This incredible piece challenged the students with every moment from the complex dance routines through to the tricky rap sections. All elements were delivered with passion, energy and maturity well beyond their years. A powerful and uplifting finale to a wonderful debut performance at the 02.
