A Night To Remember

On the night of Sunday 24th November, we held a concert at Kensington Arts Centre to raise funds for our Company Programme, and it is safe to say that it was a huge success. From choirs to bands, this evening really was 'A Night To Remember'. 

The concert was hosted by our Finance Manager, Joey Hills, who has a natural stage presence which made him perfect for hosting this night. After welcoming everyone into the building, we began with the performances. 

The first performer was Zac Colligon, our Managing Director, with a rendition of 'Superhero' by Dennis van Aarssen. He accompanied himself on the piano which filled out the room. Up next was Maddie Wood, a well known local performer around the Isle of Man. She sang a lovely version of 'Lost In The Waves' from Out Of Our Heads. Maddie is such a talented performer and did this song plenty of justice with her clean tone. 

Following Maddie was Scarlett Brophy, who sang 'Home' from Beauty and the Beast. Another emotional number, accompanied by Danielle Bridson (who was playing piano throughout the evening for those who preferred), and sang with such confidence and soul. Then, to lift the mood, was Katie Rose Hughes, who sang 'So Much Better' from Legally Blonde: The Musical. After playing the lead role of Elle Woods in Castle Rushen High School's production of the musical, she did not disappoint, bringing her character straight back to life for one more night.

The fifth singer of the evening was Will Gerrard, who sang 'Bring Him Home' from Lés Miserables. Will came to perform in this concert, on the back of finishing playing his role of Freddy in Centre Stage Production's, 'School of Rock', and shone once again infront of an audience. He sang with such a pure tone and hit every note almost effortlessly. Up next was Lola Sutton, who will be appearing on the Gaiety Theatre stage as 'Pritti' in March for the Manx Operatic Society's showing of Everybody's Talking About Jamie. On this occasion, however, she was a "heather" performing her very own rendition of 'Lifeboat'. Whilst it was a short piece, her powerful voice, alongside her grandmother, Judith's, atmospheric piano playing, kept the audience engaged throughout.

After Lola came Breesha Kelsey. Breesha is the current holder of the Sheffield Plate, which she won at the 2024 Manx Music Festival for astounding the adjudicators with her vocal ability. She sang 'All Falls Down' from Chaplin: The Musical, which showed off a sassy nature alongside a strong vocal range that had the audience stunned. Then, to end the first half of the concert, we heard the Arts Hub Glee Club sing their 90's Dance Melody, featuring classic dance songs from the 90's. The piece showed radiance from each and every individual on the stage and all the voices blended together so nicely to form a unique, yet assuring sound.

Once the Glee Club finished singing, we took a short interval to allow people to stretch their legs, get a quick bathroom break, and also enter into a "Guess The Amount Of Sweets In The Jar" competition where people could pay £1 per entry to be in for a chance to take the jar of sweets home with them.

The second half started with an emphatic performance from EJECT, a young, but incredibly talented group of musicians. They performed Sweet Child O' Mine, Don't Let Me Down and Crazy Train. Each of these pieces was played note perfectly and wiped the room with pride. Following EJECT was Kasia Ashton, who sang 'I Hate Boston' by Reneé Rapp. Kasia's warm vocal tone brought a cozy but powerful mood to the evening and was really a special performance.

William Shooter was up next, who performed his own version of 'Mack The Knife' by Bobby Darin. William is another former Sheffield Plate winner, and his stage presence and professional vocal quality reflected that tremendously. He then was joined by Zac again, for their take on 'Man or Muppet' from 'The Muppets'. 

Lastly, but most definitely not least, was Eve Puzzar, a former Young Singer of Mann. She sang 'Maybe This Time' from Cabaret, in which she showed a more sinister side to her performance, whilst using her wide vocal range to effortlessly execute the notes throughout the piece. Her tone warmly filled the room and resulted in a well-deserved roar from the audience.

To end the night, we invited all of the concert's performers back on stage to get a group photo, to make sure this night will be remembered.