Taking centre stage

By Jack Dinsley, 17, Senior correspondent
Jack Dinsley performing in Beauty and the BeastJack Dinsley performing in Beauty and the Beast
Jack Dinsley performing in Beauty and the Beast

I have been involved with musical theatre since 2006, which is a total of 10 years!

I have had an amazing time involving myself with dancing, acting and singing.

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When I first started back in 2006, I was relatively young so I didn’t have a direction of where I wanted to take my passion.

However, I first saw my potential as a performer when I attended Daniel James School of Dance, in which I performed in Feet on Fire in 2007. This was an amazing experience and I got to perform in Fleetwood’s Marine Hall.

After that, I went onto attend further schools in Clifton, Kirkham, Preston and Wesham.

Then, I found my opportunity at Scream Theatre School, which is where I appeared in their amazing musical of Billy Elliot: The Musical in 2014.

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Now Carr Hill High School and Sixth Form Centre have turned me from a shy boy into a confident individual, who has grown from strength to strength.

I have performed with the school from 2009 to 2016, in their performances of Annie, The Wizard of Oz, King Lear, Oliver, The Sound of Music, West Side Story and Beauty and the Beast.

The latter is the one I have been the happiest about.

I have played a supporting character in four of the musicals but I was Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast.

Over the rehearsal process, I tried to make the character big but it wasn’t quite working.

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Then the opening night of Beauty and the Beast, I managed to increase the characterisation of Lumiere.

Being an actor and hearing the audience laughing at your jokes and movements is an overwhelming experience.

Just a week later from Beauty and the Beast ending, I performed at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool for the Wyre and Fylde Dance Festival: Carnival of Dance.

It has been my dream to perform at the Winter Gardens and I am glad that I have had that experience.

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Being the only male representing Carr Hill was overwhelming.

I am very excited to be starting at Fylde Coast Youth Theatre and a possible career in performing, whether that be dancing, singing, acting or presenting. I believe this could be something that I would like to do in the future!

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