As we know, when lockdown commenced in March, everything stopped. People had to work from home; some workers were furloughed; some employed and self-employed workers lost their jobs; students went home and participated in their courses via Zoom; the list goes on. In the case of a significant number of professional musicians and actors, most of their income for 2020 simply vanished, with little (and in some cases, no) central financial support. Even today, there remains uncertainty for musicians and actors as there are restrictions on performances in the ongoing pandemic. How would all this impact on the Performance Arts in schools?

In March 2020, the Samuel Ward Academy in Haverhill, Suffolk, had been rehearsing for months to perform six live shows of a musical consisting of horror and comedy, containing Rock, Doo-Wop and Motown numbers. Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s Little Shop of Horrors was due to be performed in the week of the first lockdown, only to be cancelled when all schools were subsequently shut. The students had all learnt their dialogue and songs, the band had been rehearsed and the production team were ready with the lights and sound. It was devastating for everybody involved and, at that point, nobody believed that the musical would ever be performed at the school until life returned to normal (whenever that will be). However, when the decision was made for schools to reopen in September, the Performing Arts Team, Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team all agreed that the show, as they say, must go on.

On my first induction day, prior to starting my first PGCE placement at the Samuel Ward Academy, I discussed how I could become involved in school activities within the Music department. I was told that the Chamber Choir, School Choir and Swing Band to name a few had all restarted and next to get going would be the musical. It was at this point that, after discussing how I could help, I was asked if I would be prepared to conduct the musical. With the majority of the students already knowing the songs, and the orchestra the score, it was merely a case of reminding, reblocking, revisiting the harmonies and so on. Therefore, it was decided that we would perform the show for three nights at the start of November.

A huge risk assessment had to be made - the set would be sanitised after every rehearsal and performance; a one-way system was in place; students would have to wear facemasks in rehearsals; the band would wear masks when they were not playing; the kiss between the two lead characters was replaced by the now iconic ‘elbow touch’; the chorus would not be on stage for more than four minutes at a time in order not to mix; and backstage, the cast would be sat 2 metres apart and segregated into their year group bubbles - the list, I can assure you, goes on.

A technical team, a scaffolding company, props (used in the 2003 UK tour) were all on standby and ready to support the school whenever the show was ready. Then, in November, following a technical and dress rehearsal, the school put on three very memorable performances, with a live band (containing professional musicians, staff and students), all of the cast, the backstage team (including a Year 11 pupil puppeteering two different sizes of the evil plant, Audrey II), the technical team and film crew (including the Town Mayor), all dedicated to creating a vivid and memorable experience for all of the students.

"The only school musical performance to happen in England at this time."

The shows were all live streamed via YouTube and there was, unfortunately, no live audiences for any of the shows. Remarkably, the show has been viewed around 30,000 times for all three performances combined, and £2,350 has been raised through JustGiving in order to help fund the production, which has seen donations come from as far away as New Zealand and America. Everyone involved is extremely proud of the students who acted with great maturity, professionalism, dedication and passion. I was very grateful to be able to be part of live music making again and proud to have been involved in what was reportedly, the only school musical performance to happen in England at this time.

The three live streamed performances of ‘Little Shop of Horrors by SWA Performing Arts department 2020’ can be found on YouTube, with a JustGiving page contained in the descriptions of each video.