Blackpool student pulls of a musical spectacular despite lockdown

She may only have one foot in the stage door, but Blackpool student Amy McKay is already proving that the show must go is the industry by-word.
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Blackpool and The Fylde College scholar Amy didn’t hesitate when faced with one of the greatest challenges of her student life.

The musical theatre student had been working hard for weeks on a dance performance requiring intricate choreography.

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Her production was loosely based on Come From Away, a West End musical charting the stories of 7,000 global travellers grounded in Canada in the wake of 9/11. Amy and the musical express how the small Newfoundland community invited these 'come from aways', as they were known, into their lives – and to share life-changing moments.

Amy McKayAmy McKay
Amy McKay

Amy had explored through her work isolation, feeling trapped, and the sense of togetherness – sentiments now familiar to us all as the nation is in extended lockdown .

In an attempt to make sure her work didn't go to waste, she adapted her plans and garnered her ensemble section for a production

Trapped in their homes, she got her artists to perform their routine using the video conferencing service Zoom to bring everyone together and managed to get her show on camera.

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In her introduction to the performance, Amy said: "I really struggled when all this( lockdown) happened with just understanding what's going on.

A shot from Amy McKay's videoA shot from Amy McKay's video
A shot from Amy McKay's video

"!I express my feelings through dance and through singing. So I was like, ah, I can't do that anymore. You know, there's no space to do that.

“And then I was like, You know what? Do it. Just do it!

“Just do it in your living rooms, do it in kitchens and see what happens.

Amy acknowledged that her team didn't all need to be be together in a big room to perform and added: " You don't need lights, you don't need sound. It's the characters and the people that matter the most.

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"This whole experience has really helped me with studying at home and remote learning."

College tutor Dawn Harris was delighted with the outcome and said: "Amy felt completely heartbroken thinking she will probably never get to see her creation realised on stage.

"It seems so unreal that due to our current situation students are experiencing the same themes Amy was exploring in her piece.

"It was emotional for all of us watching her dancers come together and rehearse in isolation.

Amy is hoping to return to Blackpool and The Fylde College in September and perform her piece in the Park Road theatre.

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