Andrew Lloyd Webber surprised a group of school children putting on a performance his earliest musical. (Westonbirt School via SWNS)
By Faye Mayern
Hit composer Andrew Lloyd Webber surprised a group of school children putting on a performance of his earliest musical by sitting in the audience for their opening show.
Webber, 77, attended the opening night of Westonbirt School's production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" on June 26.
The students, from Gloucester, were shocked but delighted as theatre royalty sat in the audience to watch the play he first wrote at just 18 years old.
The show was met with a seal of approval when Lord Lloyd Webber met with the cast and crew to thank them for what he described as a 'colourful performance'.
(Westonbirt School via SWNS)
He told the children aged 11 to 17 that the musical was originally written for boys and said: "You should feel very proud - it’s not an easy sing for girls."
Headmistress Natasha Dangerfield said: "We were lucky and everyone was very gently wowed.
"For a young cast, they were so professional and that is a testament to their age.
"He came in and sat as a normal member of the audience and at the end, he said he'd stay back and talk to the kids.
"He talked about how much he enjoyed the show and of the history of the show.
(Westonbirt School via SWNS)
"To have an endorsement so great, when so much energy and effort went into creating the show, is phenomenal.
"As a head, I'm extremely proud of our cast and crew.
"It brought the words from the show 'if you think it, want it, dream it, then it's real' to life for our young cast.
(Westonbirt School via SWNS)
"Under an additional pressure with such an auspicious member of the audience, our students shone."
Andrew Lloyd Webber is known for composing 21 musicals over his decade-spanning career, including the iconic "Evita," which has seen a West End revival with Rachel Zegler this year.
