The Year 2 and 3 pupils from Heathfield Primary will take to the stage at Darlington Hippodrome on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 May 2025. They will perform alongside Newcastle-based balletLORENT's own dancers, getting a real taste for the world of performing arts.
The pupils were selected for their enthusiasm and spirit following a workshop for 109 of them was led by balletLORENT dancers Gavin Coward and John Kendall at the central Darlington school. All the young performers are aged between six and eight and they will appear in two different scenes.
The Darlington show is part of a national tour of the Brothers Grimm favourite, however the pupils will not be leaving their studies behind to go on the road. balletLORENT will find a new ‘young cast’ in every location.
With narration by award-winning actor Lindsay Duncan – recently seen on screen in Apple TV’s The Morning Show - and music by Dr Who composer Murray Gold, the children will be part of an impressive line-up of talent.
They will appear in two versions of the show, one which is suitable for ages 5+ and a second version called Snow White: The Sacrifice which is aimed at an adult audience.
Mrs Craggill, class teacher, Heathfield Primary, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for children from our school to be involved in a new skill and perform in a live theatre to an audience.
"They are all really excited to be chosen and looking forward to starting rehearsals."
Eight year old Divine is one of the children taking part. He said: "I really enjoyed the workshop because it inspired me to join a company and take part in a production.
"Outside of school I play football and sometimes volleyball. I'm a little bit nervous because I have performed in front of people I know but to perform in front of strangers makes me super nervous."
James MacGillivray, education & projects manager, balletLORENT said: "For many children, taking part in a professional stage production is a unique and transformative experience. It not only builds their confidence and creativity but also enhances their ability to collaborate, communicate, and express themselves in new ways.
"Schools benefit immensely too from our young cast initiative, as these workshops enrich their arts provision and inspire both students and teachers alike."
Suitable for ages 5+, balletLORENT’s dance theatre version of Snow White retains all the classic elements of the original Brothers Grimm tale, which has been familiar to story lovers for over two centuries. The show is a significant reworking of balletLORENT's 2015/16 Snow White, which delighted audiences around the country and received glowing reviews.
Snow White: The Sacrifice is a new production, which premiered in Newcastle in 2024. Created for audiences aged 16+, it turns the fairy tale on its head, exploring the tortured inner world of Snow White's mother, the Wicked Queen. It is the story of a woman’s dread of aging and her battle against obscurity.
Directed by balletLORENT founder Liv Lorent, the Heathfield pupils will join a professional cast featuring performers of all ages. Sixty-one year old balletLORENT regular Caroline Reece plays the Queen whilst her King, Geoff Hopson, 54, from Stockton, came out of dance retirement especially for the production.
balletLORENT's Snow White and Snow White: The Sacrifice
Friday 16 and Saturday 17 May 2025
Darlington Hippodrome, Parkgate, Darlington DL1 1RR
T: 01325 405405
https://www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk
Tickets: from £14