01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Striking students from Stage Skool in Motherwell set to wow audiences at Edinburgh Fringe Festival
This year they will be performing a production of Disney's Newsies Jr
Performing arts students from a theatre group in North Lanarkshire are set to thrill audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
It's a busy week for the young people from Stage Skool in Motherwell who will take to the stage at The Space, Grand Theatre in Edinburgh next week for morning shows from Monday to Saturday next week.
The performing arts group has bases in Motherwell and Bathgate for those aged from eight to 16 years old, and students from both come together over the summer for Stage Skool Live.
The intensive theatre program offers budding young stars the chance to work with professional directors, choreographers, and musical coaches to put on a full-scale production at one of the world's most exciting cultural events.
This year they will be performing a production of Disney's Newsies Jr, a stage adaptation of the movie and Broadway musical based on the story of newsboys, young newspaper sellers who went on strike in New York in 1899.
It's the third year running that Stage Skool Live has wowed audiences at the Fringe with Disney-related productions, with Frozen Jr in 2023 and Finding Nemo Jr last year proving a hit with audiences.
The students in North Lanarkshire haven't had much time to feel nervous about the shows as they had another production to worry about with two performances of a teenage version of Six, a West End musical about the wives of Henry VIII, at South Dalziel Historic Building in Motherwell this week.
Stage Skool was launched over a decade ago in West Lothian by owner Lindsay MacGregor, with the Motherwell branch of the group starting up six years ago.
Stephen Dillon manages the Lanarkshire Stage Skool but works creatively across both bases. He's been working hard with the youngsters during the school summer holidays to ensure they are on top form.
Stage Skool owner Lindsay MacGregor, said: 'We have two bases in Motherwell and Bathgate and we come together over the summer and collaborate. This year we have two productions.
'For the Fringe production we merge and have the kids from Lanarkshire and West Lothian working together. They will be performing from Monday to Saturday.
'Frozen totally sold out the first year and we moved to a bigger venue last year. It's amazing for our kids, who all come from different backgrounds. We had some of them over performing in Paris in July.
'Some of them have came back and went straight into rehearsals, they literally give up their whole summer holidays and dedicate it to performing arts.
'Stage Skool Live isn't just about putting on a show — it's about giving young people the tools, confidence, and stage to tell stories that matter. It's about growth, teamwork, and the thrill of live performance.'
Stage Skool's Disney's Newsies Jr is a 60-minute show and is on at the Fringe from on Monday, August 4 to Saturday, August 9.
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