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Gale Force students are making the grade
SCHOLORSHIP: Gale Force student Francesca Warren, 11, has gained a scholarship to King Williams College, and BELOW: Harry Ashley, 13, has been awarded a place at the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London
IN the spirit of London 2012 students of Gale Force theatre school have gone for gold and achieved even more success.
Harry Ashley has been awarded a place at the Sylvia Young Theatre School.
The 13-year-old from Port Soderick has been a Gale Force student since he was in the kindergarten class of the Buchan School where Gale Force founder and director Barbara Gale was formerly head of drama.
He gained distinctions in all his English Speaking Board exams under the tutelage of Mrs Gale, and was accepted at the London school that counts Billie Piper, Denise Van Outen, Emma Bunton and the late Amy Winehouse as former students.
He first came to the school’s attention some three years ago, when he was encouraged to become a full-time student to support his ambition to enter a career in the performing arts.
Achieving the coveted place has come only after intensive study and a rigorous audition process where, along with hundreds of other hopefuls, he was put through his paces in Shakespeare, song, comedy, drama and dance.
Another rising Gale Force star, Francesca Warren, from Castletown, has just made the leap from the Buchan to King William’s College, admission to which she has gained on a full scholarship in recognition of her exceptional academic studies and talents in the performing arts.
The 11-year-old has been a Gale Force student since the age of six and recently gained an honours grade when Gale Force became the island’s first theatre school to have been selected by the Sussex-based New Era Academy for examination in musical theatre.
She also picked up student of the week awards at the past two Gale Force summer school and has enjoyed considerable success at the Manx Music Festival.
Mrs Gale, who is already planning her school’s 25th anniversary celebrations next year, said: ‘Not only have Harry and Francesca excelled but also many of our other students seem to be destined for great things.
‘Barton Beaumont is soon to appear in “Annie” and the Christmas pantomime at the Gaiety Theatre and Beth Colgan continues to shine as one of Gale Force’s most promising young actresses.
‘Meanwhile, Timmy Chan, a wonderful singer, together with rugby fanatic Adam Corby-Fayle, are now at King William’s College, and Adam Morton, outstanding in singing drama and mime, has started at Castle Rushen High School.
‘So good luck to all these promising 11-year-olds and, in the spirit of what’s been taking place this summer in London, it would be more than appropriate to say that Gale Force students have enjoyed “Olympic-scale” success this year.’
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Weather for Isle of Man
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 6 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 6 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 32 mph
Wind direction: North west
