WHAT A NIGHT!
Now in its third year running, the Ignite the Stage, the showcase for local performing arts talent, sold out the Arlington Arts Centre this year, raising four-thousand nine-hundred pounds (£4,900) for the Mary Hare Foundation.
The Foundation raises funds for the Mary Hare School, the largest school for deaf children and young people in the UK. The school provide the specialist support to enable deaf young people to achieve their full potential.
Nicola Moran, founder and director of the Ignite The Stage showcase commented: “The work of the Mary Hare School is truly inspiring and at Ignite The Stage, we believe the magic of performing arts has the power to amplify the school’s message and raise vital funds for their mission at the same time. By attending, the audience are not only enjoying a night of entertainment but also supporting the mission to empower deaf young people.”
Guest of honour, Mayor of Thatcham, Cllr. Mrs Petra Pemberton stated: “Children’s charities are very close to my heart, and this event is a very rewarding way to align entertainment and fundraising for a very important cause. It was a pure delight to see so much performing arts talent from across West Berkshire schools and clubs all in one place, and the three performances from Mary Hare School’s pupils were truly inspiring.”
Robin Askew, Principal at Mary Hare School added:
“I am delighted to be able to support Ignite the Stage through extending the use of Arlington Arts. I am hugely appreciative of the support the event brings to the Mary Hare Foundation but even more thrilled to see the enthusiasm and excitement of so many talented performers from across West Berkshire.”
Neil Farrow, Head of Performing Arts, Mary Hare School commented:
“We are blessed at Mary Hare to have so many of our students taking Performing Arts subjects at GCSE and in Sixth Form and we are always on the lookout for opportunities to immerse our young artists in high quality events alongside their hearing peers.
Ignite the Stage certainly hits all those high notes for us. Sharing the stage with such a variety and quality of talent at this celebration of the Performing Arts always gives our students a creative boost.”
The next Ignite Stage showcase will take place at The Arlington Arts Centre on March 9th, 2027.
The running order for the evening included a broad range of performances across popular and classical music, musical theatre, dramatic monologues, to electrifying dance both contemporary and classical, from the following artistes:
St. Finian’s Catholic Primary School Glee Club – ‘One Short Day’ from Wicked
Kennet School – Senior Contemporary Dance School – ‘The Man’
Maia Hendrickx Vocal Studios – Grace Neal – ‘Pretty Funny’ from Dogfight
Elibah School of Dance – ‘Echoes of Pompeii’
Mary Hare School = Dylan McMahon – ‘Ed’ from ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime’ by Mark Haddon
Maia Hendrickx Vocal Studios = Sasha Haydn Jones – ‘Requiem’ from Dear Evan Hansen
St. Bartholomew’s School – Barts Dance Company – ‘Hope’
Nicola Moran Academy of Drama – – Ellie Anns – ‘Carrie’ from Carrie
Mary Hare School – Hugh McMurtie –
- The Harp Cha-cha-cha – music by Alfredo Irtiz
- A Whole New World – music by Alan Menken
Allenova School of Dancing – ‘Four Seasons’
The Downs School – Eggs Benedict (Ava Eales. Wilf Allegretti, Laurie Parker and Rory Walker)
- ‘Sir Duke’ by Stevie Wonder
- ‘Live For You’ by Three Sacred Souls
- ‘This Love’ by Maroon S
St. Finian’s Catholic Primary School Glee Club – ‘When I Grow Up’ from Matilda The Musical
Kennet School – Year 9 Dancers – Lyrical dance
Nicola Moran Academy of Drama – Ellie Anns and Lucie Hopkins McQuillan – ‘Calm, Cool and Collected’ from Calvin Berger
Mary Hare School – Year 7-9 Dancers – ‘Transmission’ Babel by Gastavo Bravetti
Nicola Moran Academy of Drama – Mollie Moran and Matilda Moore – ‘The Twits’ by Road Dahl
Maia Hendrickx Vocal Studios – Lilly Bertoni – ‘Diva’s Lament’ from Spamalot
Allenova School of Dancing – ‘Autumn Lyrical’
Nicola Moran Academy of Drama – Bella Moran and Olivia Hodgson – ‘She’s My Sister’ from The In-Between
Elibah School of Dance – Elodie and Fleur Godbole – ‘Black Car’
Maia Hendrickx Vocal Studios – Amy Oliver – ‘Somewhere That’s Green’ – Little Shop of Horrors
Allenova School of Dancing – ‘One Night Only’
St. Finian’s Catholic Primary School Glee Club – ‘Consider Yourself’ from Oliver!’
