National Youth Music Theatre beckons for King’s Ely Junior pupil Florence

King’s Ely Junior pupil Florence Nell has qualified for the National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT).

Flo, 12, who lives near Saffron Walden, has been invited to join the 2018 NYMT company following a tough round of national auditions over the last few months. After impressing the creative team, Flo will now go to Sevenoaks in Kent for a week during the summer holidays to be part of a residential workshop of a new show, Growl, which the NYMT plans to take to full production next year. Flo will also be part of the eagerly anticipated NYMT Christmas Carol Concert in London later this year.

At King’s Ely, Flo starred in King’s Ely Junior’s 2017 production of Cats, where she gave a strong and memorable vocal performance of ‘Memory’ in her role as Old Grizabella. She is also starring in this month’s King’s Ely Junior production of Seussical the Musical and is playing the part of Gertrude McFuzz.

Outside of school, Flo has been involved with Pure Rhythm Performing Arts School, based in Saffron Walden, since she was 5 and most recently played Captain Greylag in Honk and Tweedledum in Alice in Wonderland. After Seussical, she is straight into rehearsals with Pure Rhythm for their production of Peter Pan in July.

Flo’s parents, Katie and Philip, said: ‘Of course as parents we are incredibly proud of everything that Flo has been involved in and NYMT is a huge achievement. More than that, however, is the feeling that comes with seeing her flourish in something that she is so passionate about and that makes her so incredibly happy. It's in her soul!’

Head of King’s Ely Junior Richard Whymark added: ‘It is a joy to see one of our students being rewarded in this way due to their hard work, commitment and natural talent. Flo’s command of the stage is incredible and we are very proud of her.’

The NYMT offers exceptional opportunities in pre-professional musical theatre training for talented young people of all backgrounds aged 10 to 23.

To discover more about opportunities at King’s Ely, please visit www.kingsely.org.