Broadway Showtunes is back and better than ever for 2026. Full of big songs, stunning vocals, and fantastic choreography, BIGLITTLE Theatre School are not shying away from showcasing some of the incredible local talent in their 30 year celebration. 

Weaving familiar and lesser heard shows throughout the night allows each part of the theatre school to showcase their talents but also work collaboratively to create show stopping moments that the audience couldn't get enough of. 

Opening with Les Miserables could be seen as either fantastic or foolish but this rendition is the former with a truly goosebumps worth performance. The whole Broadway Showtunes company come together for the first time to take on the first challenge of the night to sing about sacrifice, friendships, and hope. Featuring members of the Professional Development Programme (PDP for short) it allowed the company to showcase some of the talent that we would encounter in the rest of the show. 

The PDP scheme allows those in Years 12 and 13 to partake in part time musical theatre training alongside their further education studies, helping them catapult themselves into the next part of their career. These skilled performers weave throughout the show in both their own numbers and with younger students showing versatility. 

This skill and talent is shown in the next section, Thoroughly Modern Millie where Carla Muirhead stepped into the title role and wowed the audience with her vocals whilst the rest of the PDP group stunned everyone with their slick choreography and contributions. It's inspiring to see how talented these young people are after performing together around their other studies to create something rather brilliant to watch on stage. 

The Starlight company set to work on a rendition of Mack & Mabel that was full of silent film acting and a heartfelt score that each principal singer put their all into. Whilst the Limelight Company joined the PDP performers to put on one of the most colourful, stunning, and fantastic renditions of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Dylan Cheer stepped into the role of Quasimodo and showcased talent that could honestly take him far in the future. 

Ending the first act was the iconic Matilda. Bringing together Starlight, Footlight, and PDP companies, this was an unforgettable section that was full of fun, laughter, and enjoyment. The cast on stage looked to be having the best time and the catchy songs had lots of people dancing in their seats, whooping, and cheering. 

Opening the second act may have closely beaten the opening of the first act for me with the glitz and glam of Gatsby. Full of romance, glamour, and gorgeous dresses, this set was something rather spectacular. I loved the visuals as they all danced across stage and it was truly a brilliant way to start act 2 with a bang. 

Rolling straight from one party to another, Footlights took on a school disco inspired set that paid homage to the songs of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Not only were they having the best time on stage, their performance showed true professionalism. I loved Matilda Dunford's rendition of I Will Survive that was packed with sass and style. The perfect set for these pint sized performers. 

The PDP team took a step into the world of operetta with Bernstein's Candide. Full of humour, big characters, and romance, this was a step into the unknown for most. Despite this being one of the more 'out there' musicals chosen for this show, it truly brought the house down with Ellie Crain’s flawless high notes that left all of us with our jaws on the floor begging for a mid show standing ovation. 

The show closed with a fantastic line up of featured female singers as the cast paid tribute to the legendary Tina Turner. Countless performers took their turn to showcase their own versions however nods must go to both Lola Shearer who's vocals started the earthquake of celebration in the theatre, and Elisha Heckford who embodied Tina in her flawless performance of River Deep Mountain High that closed the show - a truly talented bunch that could step right onto the West End stage now. 

Broadway Showtunes is one of those shows that I know is going to be a hit year after year, not matter what shows are included. From showcasing those more underrated shows whilst also giving a nod to some more popular ones, it's brilliant to see such talent take to the stage and showcase what they truly love.  With staging and costuming that wouldn't be amiss on the professional stage, and choreography that is slick and singing that is perfectly harmonised, it seems that BIGLITTLE have nailed it again. Well done guys, you've created another brilliant showcase.