Inclusive arts opportunities in fabulous evening of drama, song and dance

Spokeswoman Beth Gavin said: “This highly anticipated evening of drama, song and dance celebrated the incredible work of Ariel’s Othellos and their buddies.

“With groups in Burgess Hill, Crawley, East Grinstead and Shoreham, Ariel’s Othellos offers adults and young people with special educational needs and disabilities fully inclusive opportunities to perform. Each group is supported by buddies from Ariel’s mainstream academies, and the caring peer-relationships shone brightly on the vast Hawth stage. Imaginative and varied pieces were performed, including a high-energy, feel-good opening number from the musical The Prom. The evening was shaped with heartfelt pieces that shared lived-experiences of our Othellos written by an Ariel parent and a piece dedicated to all mother-figures in a fitting tribute sung to the Spice Girls hit Mama. There were also delightful musical theatre pieces from smash hits, Matilda, 9 to 5, Mamma Mia, and Shrek. The Burgess Hill Othellos group treated the 600-strong audience to a Rogers and Hammerstein medley which featured much loved musicals from Oklahoma to The Sound of Music. Local mayors Councillor Peter Chapman of Burgess Hill and Councillor Jilly Hart of Crawley were in attendance.”

Peter said: “It was so lovely to be invited to attend the Othellos showcase at the Hawth. I was thoroughly entertained by the depth of talent on display. You could tell that everyone had been practising really hard and all the performers had wide smiles on their faces while on stage in front of such a large audience.”

Ariel’s Othellos Plus, a group dedicated to adults with special educational needs and disabilities in Burgess Hill and Horsham performed pieces surrounding Family Holidays gone wrong and singing number Moon River, from the iconic film Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

If you’d like to find out more about Ariel’s Othellos groups, six drama academies across Mid Sussex, costume and theatre equipment hire, contact www.arielct.com or call 01444 250407. Free trials are available at all academies.