EastEnders actor and West End stage star John Partridge will be coming to Highbridge next month to lead a singing and musical theatre workshop for juniors and adults.
The event, on Saturday 23rd May at Churchfield School in Highbridge, is being held in aid of The Alzheimer’s Society.
It will be aimed at all aspiring singers and performers who want to improve their singing and performance skills.
As well as being a West End star of ‘Starlight Express,’ ‘Rent,’ ‘Grease’ and ‘Miss Saigon’, John is best known for playing the part of Christian Clarke (Jane’s brother) in EastEnders, which he joined in 2008.
John says he is thrilled to be coming to the Burnham-On-Sea area after being invited by ‘The Siobhan Johnson Singers’. Her choirs are ‘The Burnham Youth Choir’ and ‘Burnham on Song.’
“All my private singers and choirs have performed exceptionally well this year, especially at the Highbridge Festival with all my 70 plus singers all coming away with a medal, to which I am rewarding them with this elite and one off treat!,” she explained.
“John is also inviting as many local singers/performers who enjoy singing and performing, and happy to support the charity, to join him at his workshop.”
Siobhan added: “So much more can be learnt from a performer like John in a couple of hours rather than studying from a text book for years!”
“He will be teaching all aspects of performance singing and how to improve overall performance skills such as stage presence, projection and movement. Also, it’s not every day that a massively high profile celebrity like John comes down to a small town like ours to teach.”
There will be two workshops at the Highbridge event – one for juniors (9-18yrs) and another for adults (18yrs+). “If you enjoy singing and performing either as an individual or in groups/choirs and would like to be part of John’s workshop then please contact the number below for more information, and to reserve your place as spaces are limited and filling up fast!” added Siobhan.
John has worked extensively as a singer and dancer in musical theatre and is best known as the ‘Rum Tum Tugger’ in Andrew LLoyd Webber’s musical ‘Cats’ to which he toured all over Europe and ended up as playing the role in the official DVD film of ‘Cats.’ In addition to this role he also played the main roles of ‘Mr. Mistoffelees,’ ‘Alonzo,’ ‘Munkustrap’ and ‘The Rumpus Cat.’
He started out at the Royal Ballet School and went onto train at the Bush Davies School of Performing Arts School, followed by the Doreen Bird School of Performing Arts. After EastEnders in 2010 John, together with Sheila Hancock and Charlotte Church, was one of the judges for the new ‘Andrew LLoyd Webbers’ TV show ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’.
In 2014 he appeared as himself on the BBC’s show ‘Tumble,’ and has more recently appeared in 2014 and 2015 episodes of EastEnders for the funeral of ‘Lucy Beale’ as well celebrating their recent live 30th birthday episode. John is an active and strong supporter of the Alzheimer’s Society and in 2013 helped launch the Memory Walks in aid of his mother.
Contact Siobhan on 01278 751115 or 07855 642 641 (please leave a message) to reserve a place.
