‘Les Miserables’ performance to highlight 10th anniversary of New Kent High School, England’s Astor College collaboration
In 2005, a project to produce high quality, Broadway-style shows began as a partnership between New Kent High School and Astor College in England. Ten years later, that partnership is still going strong and will feature an anniversary celebration and performances of Victor Hugo’s “Les Miserables” starting next October.
The partnership is a collaborative effort to develop musicals featuring students from both schools in performing as well as behind-the-scenes capacities. The joint effort has proven worthwhile, as a number of New Kent students have received opportunity to travel to England for performances.
The schools staged “Jesus Christ Superstar” to launch the partnership in 2005. Since then, a different musical has been performed every other year leading up to “Anything Goes” in 2013.
New Kent High School theater arts teacher Victoria Kesling, who serves as artistic director on the American side, commented about the ongoing partnership and events planned for the upcoming anniversary.
“These programs have been a catalyst for the theater department,” she said. “These programs gave the theater arts program the needed boost, and now we have the capability to create our own musicals.”
The five past productions resulting from the partnership have led to capacity-filled auditoriums on both sides of the Atlantic.
“We try to put on the most professional show possible,” Kesling continued. “We have pushed for an equal program and partnership and each trip over to England is different.”
Chrissy Carter, a junior at New Kent, commented on her trip to perform in England as part of the theater arts program.
“It was amazing to go to a place and not knowing what you can see,” she said, alluding to culture shock upon arrival. “After getting settled, there was a lot of work to do on the show.
“I was thrown in and I got so much out of it,” she continued, speaking about her intention to pursue a degree in drama once enrolled in college. “The biggest thing is that this upcoming program in October is that we want the new people to get more out of the experience than just a trip to England.”
Kesling said presentations of “Les Miserables” will take place both in New Kent and England this year as part of the anniversary celebration.
“We plan to invite former students back for a reception and to see how much the performance has changed since they’ve been away,” Kesling commented. “I think they will see that what they started and the result of an initiative is continuing to get better.”
More than likely, at least two New Kent seniors who will graduate in June will return to witness the reunion. Jinny Daniel and Liam Schofield, both of whom travelled to England to star in performances, spoke about the challenges both faced during their time overseas.
“This has been a family experience to me,” said Daniel, who has an older sibling who participated in productions as well as a younger sister who will be in “Les Miserables.”
“The energy the British audience gave to us was amazing, but it was definitely different and you had to be very flexible,” she said.
“I never knew what role I would be performing when I got there,” chimed in Schofield. “In England, there was a lot of curriculum and you had to be able to jump in.”
Both students added that a connection grew over time with the production of shows and they were excited about returning in the fall for the reunion.
“I really look forward to it,” said Daniel. “It will be a huge show and undertaking, but this school has a huge wealth of talent.”
“I’ll still have my hand in it,” added Schofield, who will contribute to choreography in the production. “I know the performance will be top-notch.”
Kesling mentioned extensive growth of the program at New Kent’s end.
“When this program started, we only took six to seven students overseas for performances,” commented the teacher. “Now, that number will be about 15 in December. I am glad the new administration supports us and sees the benefit of having such a program.”