BRADFORD youngsters have performed at a celebration of junior theatre, the first of its kind in the country.

The inaugural Junior Theatre Celebration, at Leicester's Curve Theatre, was organised by Music Theatre International (Europe), one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies. The day-long programme featured invited schools and youth groups from across the UK, presenting excerpts from specially-created Broadway Junior shows.

Idle theatre school Stage 84 was invited along, and youngsters performed numbers from its shows, including Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Jr and Annie Kids. A group of 28 of Stage 84’s young Performing Arts (musical theatre) students aged between 7 and 11 took part in workshops led by adjudicators and West End profesionals. They were also treated to a vocal session with Strictly Come Dancing star Joanne Clifton, who is in Thoroughly Modern Millie.

"Our students performed for Tim McDonald (founder of iTheatrics and the Junior Theater Festival), Steven G Kennedy (who has been in such shows as Oklahoma and West Side Story) and Lotte Wakeham (director of productions including Sweet Charity and Associate Director of Matilda for the RSC)," said managing director Craig Winward. "This was perhaps one of the strongest ever performances by our junior performing arts students. They worked exceptionally hard on their high-energy version of Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr. We were really pleased with the huge audience reaction, and the glowing adjudication from the panel." The performance won the Junior competition.

"We were so pleased to see their hard work pay off, especially given the standard of all the groups," said Craig.

Stage 84 youngsters also performed from The Little Mermaid Jr. "The audience reaction was fantastic. Our students did took this incredible opportunity and performed some of their best ever work."

Stage 84 presents Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr in September at Beckfoot School. New cast members are welcome.

* Call (01274) 611984 or visit stage84.com