Budding performers at Christopher Whitehead Language College wowed audiences with the high-tech dystopian hit musical We Will Rock You.

The school has been proud to unveil their new state-of-the-art theatre which leads the way to additional new performing arts facilities due to open in the summer term.

The show uses the music of rock legends Queen with a live band and sees students from year 7 to 13 showcase singing, choreography, acting and musical talent that had audiences dancing in the aisles.

The production is the result of months of hard work by head of performing arts, Melanie Dufty, her assistant director, drama teacher Dan Kent and the music and dance departments at the city secondary school.

Miss Dufty and the team had already created two drama studios out of existing facilities and were busy working towards the opening of two new dance studios, music classrooms, practice rooms and recording studio in their new building.

However, it has been the kindness and community spirit of a former student that has catapulted the school’s capability and potential forwards by years.

Jack Tompkins, who left CWLC 15 years ago, now runs his own successful Worcester-based building and lighting company, after starting his stage career as a spot operator in drama productions at the St. Johns school when he was 11. He continued to work as crew in plays until he left school to train as a lighting operator and builder.

Jack got back in touch with Miss Dufty during Covid to offer his voluntary support at the school as he wanted to “give something back” to the teacher and school that started him on the way to create his own business.

Jack has now donated thousands of pounds worth of equipment, man-power and creative input and the school theatre now stands as an industry-standard venue which will be available for community and group bookings, along with computerised lighting rig and full range of technology used in the profession.

Miss Dufty says that We Will Rock You is just the “start of a new era of performing arts” at Christopher Whitehead for both the students that attend the school and the surrounding community.

“It is a school that can now promise to deliver industry-standard teaching and creative opportunities to students who have a passion for the performing arts.”