Local children chosen to tread the boards in Kingston (From This Is Local London)

Local children chosen to tread the boards in Kingston

2:21pm Saturday 15th November 2008 in Where I Live By Alita Howe

The young actors prepare for the production

After more than 100 applications, 12 lucky local children have been chosen to appear in the first Christmas production at Kingston’s Rose Theatre.

A Christmas Carol will run from December 2 to January 3 and will be directed by the theatre’s artistic director Stephen Unwin.

Six roles were up for grabs in the play including Tiny Tim, Martha Cratchit and the young Ebeneezer and the 12 children, aged between 10 and 16, will rotate performances during the month long production.

Elliot MacKenzie, 11, from Hersham, has been chosen to play one of the Tiny Tim’s.

The Esher High School pupil, who hones his acting, singing and dancing skills at Stagecoach in Weybridge, said he was over the moon to have been chosen.

“At the audition we had to read a script and then sing Silent Night and when the theatre called and said I had got a part I was ecstatic,” he said.

“A Christmas Carol is a show for all the family and I hope that by having a local cast of children, it will be even more special to the people of Kingston."

Artistic director Stephen Unwin

“I get a real buzz from being on stage and its something I have always wanted to do.”

Mr Unwin said: “It is fantastic that 12 kids from the community will be in the Rose’s Christmas production.

“A Christmas Carol is a show for all the family and I hope that by having a local cast of children, it will be even more special to the people of Kingston."