FROM Dixieland to Disney, Broadway to Britannia, delighted audiences were dazzled by a magnificent musical melee as the last night of the proms came to Darlington, American style.
Musicians and singers from Carmel College, Darlington, put on a show-stopping, flag-waving, Trans-Atlantic treat, with music from the American songbook alongside British prom classics in an end of year school production to remember.
Show producer Pam Walls said: “We put on a British last night of the proms in 2011 and it was fantastic.
“We had such good reviews that this year we decided to do it all again but with an American theme.”
Around 80 students from Carmel College took part in the two hour spectacular alongside 45 singers from the Carmel Community Choir and 20 Year 6 primary children from Holy Family RC School, Darlington, St Augustine’s RC Primary, Darlington and St William’s RCVA Primary, Trimdon.
The show, conducted by director of public performances Mo Wilkinson, opened with the Neil Diamond hit ‘Coming to America’ sung by 18 year-old Carmel College student Henry Ford, before solo performances from Molly Cunningham, 18, and Amelia Hughes, 18, singing I have nothing by Whitney Huston and Maybe This Time from the musical Cabaret.
Amelia, of Darlington, whose mother and chairman of governors Cyndi Hughes originates from New Jersey, said: “We visit relatives every summer in America and always take a DVD of the school performance.
“This year will be extra special because of the American theme to the show. “I was brought up singing all the American classics so this is an absolute dream production for me.”
Student Martin McSherry, 17, of Darlington, added: “I regularly busk in the town centre so I’m used to performing in public.
“My music is heavily influenced by American artists and I love the old style songs by Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darin so I’ve really enjoyed this performance.”
