Chester-based Youth Theatre Celebrates return to stage with Andrew Lloyd Webber Musical

Final preparations are underway as a Chester-based Youth Theatre gets ready to stage its first large scale musical in two years following the cancellation of a previous production due to the Pandemic.

On The Mark Youth Theatre (OTMYT) will stage the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical "Whistle Down The Wind" at Christleton High School from Tuesday 22nd - Saturday 26th March at 7.30pm with a Matinee performance at 2.30pm on Saturday 26th March. The show marks the Youth Theatre's return to staging large scale shows following the  cancellation of its production of "CATS" two years ago due to the Pandemic which left the young performers completely heartbroken.

Set in 1950s America, "Whistle Down The Wind" is a fast-paced show featuring full on power ballads with a score written by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Meatloaf and Bonnie Tyler songwriter Jim Steinman and also featuring the smash hit ballad "No Matter What" made famous by Irish boy band Boyzone.

Tickets are now on sale for the show which was first produced by The National Theatre in 1996 before transferring to the West End. The musical is based on the novel of the same name by Mary Hayley Bell, the wife of legendary Actor Sir John Mills. Set in Louisiana, USA, it tells the story of a group of children who stumble across an escaped killer (The Man) hiding in barn. The children become convinced that the man is in fact Jesus Christ. Whilst the townspeople set out to hunt the fugitive down, their anger is in complete contrast to the innocence of the children who believe in and trust the escaped prisoner.

The lavish production features a live band of 14 musicians and a cast which includes 12 adults taking to the stage alongside the 60 strong Youth cast. Playing the lead role of "The Man" is actor Rob Lyon. A graduate of Mountview & Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Rob most recently appeared on stage at Theatr Clwyd in Tip Top Productions musical theatre compilation show "The Show Must Go On". In keeping with On The Mark's usual high standards and production values, a team of no fewer than 30 backstage crew and technical staff has been assembled to ensure the show runs smoothly.

Speaking about staging their first large scale production in two years, Simon Phillips, On The Mark's Artistic Director said "We are delighted to be back on stage this March, following the challenging circumstances of the past couple of years. "Whistle Down the Wind" is a show that deals with faith of all kinds, and we’ve certainly had to keep our fair share of that as a group, since 2020. For the first time, we are combining our youth cast with a number of adults in key roles, and it’s been wonderful working together and bringing one of Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s masterpieces to life. As one of his less often performed shows, we hope that we are offering our audiences a chance to watch something new, in many cases, although many will know the original British film of 1961, based on the novel. Of course, the musical features a couple of familiar songs including the titular "Whistle Down the Wind", recorded by Tina Arena, and "No Matter What", famously recorded by Boyzone."

"In addition to Rob Lyon in the role of ‘The Man’, nine of our young members are sharing the lead roles of the three children who discover him in their barn and begin to believe that he is Jesus. Slowly the news spreads and eventually the inevitable battle between the children, as his saviours, and the adults, his would-be captors, comes to a head, with ‘The Man’ stuck in the middle. This is a show for all ages and will leave audience members with a number of questions of their own to ponder, we hope." said Simon.

Full details of "Whistle Down The Wind" can be found at:

www.otmyt.co.uk 

...where tickets can be booked online.