Ringing in our ears are the sights and sounds of the Euro Cup Final and the England Men’s Football team. Strangely this is the day we announce our theme for next year – Winning and Losing, a title that was chosen months ago.
But I want to talk about a different winner, ex-student of Theatretrain, Garardine Sacdalan who has just opened in the title role in &Juliet on a nationwide tour. I know how much effort goes into becoming a performer but how even harder you have to work to play a leading role. I went back to Ruth McKechnie, former Company Director and Musical Director at Theatretrain Cambridge. She told me that Gerardine came to Cambridge South Theatretrain at seven and asked to do a solo. A huge voice emerged from that tiny person – sounding like Whitney Houston! She later had solos at many of our national shows in London especially when she sang Bring Me to Life for our Romeo & Juliet section at the O2 Arena in 2013. That’s a connection with her current show she might appreciate.
Ruth went on to tell me, “ She always stood out to me not just for her amazing talent but that it was notable that like a sponge she absorbed everything I taught her, remembered it and employed those techniques independently when she came along with new songs. Not only that, she practised and practised and would sometimes turn up and I could hear she’d been rehearsing too much!
She always turned up to classes fully prepared and excelled in dance and drama too. I have never come across a child so determined and committed and who applied such mature thought to whatever she did. That’s why she so deserves this success, so soon after just having graduated!
She had her West End debut in the anniversary show for Made in Dagenham at the Palladium a few months ago with Bonnie Langford. And then she was on BGTalent at the end of May with the cast of & Juliet to promote the tour. She sounded amazing.”
As one review said of the recent opening night,“ Gerardine Sacdalan is a smart and sassy Juliet, her powerhouse vocals more than do justice to the pop classics she so perfectly delivers, every note is pure pop perfection. From her first moments on stage, you know this performance is going to be something special.”
How wonderful to be a winner and how lovely to see all that dedication pay off – it was truly earned. That’s inside the theme as well – it’s not only about winning or losing but the journey you make along the way.
I’m taking a break now until September when our new year begins.
