Stuart Marshall left Southport ten years ago to pursue his dreams of becoming a West End Star. Now performing in some of the best shows in the business, he has returned to his roots to teach others the secrets of his success …
A former pupil of Birkdale Boys and performing arts student at Southport College, Stuart only began his dance training at 17 and was told that he would probably be too old to pursue a career as a professional dancer. He said; “Everyone told me I was too late, that I should have started dancing when I was three or four, but I knew I could do it and was determined to prove myself. It was extremely hard work and I was way behind most of the dancers my age, but I had natural ability and found that I could pick things up quicker than the other students could.” |
| After two years at Southport College and supplementary dance classes at the Southport Dance Academy almost every evening, Stuart was given the opportunity to audition for Laine Theatre Arts in London, where he impressed the headmistress so much she offered him one of only a handful of male places on the course. “Then the hard work really began!” says Stuart, “I had never ached so much in my whole life, but it worth it to finally be doing what I had always dreamed of doing.”
During his time at Laine, Stuart began a professional career which has now taken him all over the world and seen him perform in such favourites as Saturday Night Fever, Chicago, Footloose, The King and I, Grease and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. He has worked with the likes of Paul McCartney, S Club 7, Blue, BB Mac and Marti Pellow, made several television appearances and choreographed shows for Sky TV, Disney, Charles Worthington, John Lewis, Harvey Nicholls and Hugo Boss.
In addition to performing, directing and choreographing, Stuart has also taught at many of the top London theatre schools – and it is his teaching which has brought him back to Southport. |
