00:00At the Stag Theatre in Sevenoaks, the lights are lit, the stage is ready, but this isn't your average play.
00:05It's an opera, and despite their age, the cast have been trained in the classics.
00:10Back in 2015, I noticed that there was a gap in the market for children who are really interested in
00:17singing in a more classical style.
00:19There were lots of opportunities for musical theatre, MT, drama clubs,
00:24but not for those who had more of a niche idea of what they wanted to do, which was singing
00:28in a more classical way,
00:30which involves equally amount of performance and training, so I decided to set up the Kitchen Youth Opera Company.
00:37As the lights come on, the rehearsal can begin.
00:40The Kitchen Youth Opera sees those aged 9 to 18 perform an opera, which traditionally is almost entirely sung.
00:47And this year, they're rehearsing for the one-act comedy, The Zoo, a classic from the 1800s.
00:51My favourite part is when I find out that Thomas Brown is the Duke of Islington, and then he proposes
00:56to Elisa Smith.
00:57My favourite part is when the rest of the group, they find out that I'm the Duke of Islington.
01:04This is my first year playing a boy, which Debbie likes to do.
01:09She likes to swap the gender roles sometimes, just for different voice types.
01:15It's really fun, and it's my first year doing hair and make-up for the show, so it's been a
01:23bit more added stress.
01:25I like the scenes where it has a lot of people singing different parts.
01:30I really like the grinder scene because it's really loud and kind of chaotic, and it's just really fun to
01:35do.
01:35And while the cast has plenty of veterans, it's not afraid to bring in some newer talent as well.
01:41I've loved every rehearsal. I mean, firstly, when I first joined, the singing was absolutely incredible.
01:47I mean, it was like I was sat in a choir. I was just swept away.
01:51I'm feeling okay. I'm just like a little bit nervous.
01:55I'm so nervous, but it'd be fun.
01:58According to the Youth Opera, the production aims to help the performers beyond opening night,
02:02with there being social and mental benefits to performing,
02:05as well as former cast members going on to study at Oxford, Cambridge, and the Guildhall School of Music.
02:10Now, they've been rehearsing at the zoo for about eight weeks,
02:13and during that time they've been having dress rehearsals,
02:15but the nature of an opera means that it's all sung,
02:18so they'll be sure that all this rehearsing means that they can start that very first performance on a high
02:22note.
02:25Finn McDermott for KMTV in Sevenoaks.
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