Mearns Castle leaver dreams big
Chris (17) has just left the Newton Mearns school to pursue his dream job — by adapting and staging his own production as the first step to making it big.
Big the Musical will run at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Athenaeum Theatre next June.
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Hide AdThe teenager may not have been around when the original — a 1988 Tom Hanks film, about a boy who makes a wish that he was a grown-up and wakes up in the body of a man — was released.
However, he’s hoping it’s the first step towards a successful career in the glitzy world of musical theatre.
Chris’s ambition is to make it all the way to the west end, following in the footsteps of the likes of Sir Cameron Mackintosh, the man behind smash hit Les Miserables.
The budding producer commented: “I thought I’d start big, if you’ll pardon the pun.”
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Hide AdThe musical is just one new venture for the school leaver, who starts an HND in technical theatre at Stow College in September.
He added: “I then hope to go on to do a BA at the Royal Conservatoire.”
Chris is also off to San Francisco for the summer, staging children’s shows at a holiday camp for the third year running.
But he will be remembered at Mearns Castle for his contributions to music and drama classes, and for taking charge backstage at school shows.
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Hide AdDepute head teacher Alan Dick said: “Chris has been such an influential figure throughout the school and in the expressive arts faculty, supporting our shows, concerts and drama productions.
“He has been so supportive of the school and given up so much of his own time.
“I’m certain he’ll have an extremely bright future ahead of him in the theatrical world.”
Big the Musical runs June 16-21, 2014, with auditions taking place early in the new year.