By Grace Hatchell
A Musical Theatre Spectacular comes to Derby Theatre on 3 May 2026, featuring West End stars and rising talent. The event supports the Lewis Sewell Memorial Trust, helping young performers access opportunities in the arts.
Right then… pull up a chair, love, because this one’s been rattling around in me satchel all morning, and it’s not just a bit of gossip or a cheeky opening night whisper. This one’s got heart. Big, aching, hopeful heart.
Now here’s something that stopped me mid-delivery (and nearly had me walking into a lamppost outside the stage door, which wouldn’t have been my finest moment). Younger adults from working-class backgrounds are four times less likely to end up working in the creative industries than their middle-class pals. Four times. That’s not a gap, that’s a full-blown chasm you could lose a chorus line in.
And if that wasn’t enough to make you raise an eyebrow over your cuppa, top-selling musicians are six times more likely to have been privately educated. Actors up for BAFTAs? Five times more likely. Suddenly those “anyone can make it” stories start to feel a bit… selective, don’t they?
Which brings me to a name that deserves to be said properly and remembered: Lewis Sewell.
Lewis wasn’t some distant, polished industry figure. He was one of ours. A proper theatre kid. The kind who puts in the hours, learns the lines, grafts through rehearsals and still hangs about after just to soak it all in. He spent years with Derby Youth Theatre, trained with Inspire Academy in Nottingham, and was gearing up for auditions at places like RADA and LAMDA when the world decided to throw a pandemic into the mix. Because of course it did.
He loved it all too — not just the big musical numbers, but the gritty stuff as well. Into The Woods one minute, something newly devised the next. The sort of performer who didn’t just want to be on stage… he wanted to explore it, stretch it, live in it.
And then, in 2019, at just 18, he was diagnosed with a rare cancer.
Now I’ll be honest, even writing that makes me pause a bit. Because what do you say? How do you make sense of that kind of thing?
But here’s the part that stays with you.
Even while going through treatment, even while everything was uncertain, Lewis wasn’t just thinking about himself. He was thinking about other young people. About how hard it is to get into this industry if you don’t have the money, the backing, the confidence, or someone quietly telling you, “go on, you’ve got this.”
He saw the barriers. The fees, the travel, the auditions, the pressure. All the little (and not so little) things that can quietly shut the door before someone even gets a foot on the stage.
And he had an idea.
If he couldn’t change the whole system, maybe he could help open the door for someone else.
Lewis passed away on 15 August 2020, but his idea didn’t go with him. In 2021, his family set up the Lewis Sewell Memorial Trust to carry that vision forward — helping young performers access training, auditions, and opportunities they might otherwise never reach.
And now, that legacy is stepping into the spotlight in the most theatre way imaginable — with a proper, full-bodied musical theatre spectacular.
On 3 May 2026 at Derby Theatre, a whole line-up of West End performers will take to the stage alongside young local talent, belting out everything from Wicked to Les Misérables, from Mamma Mia! to Dear Evan Hansen. It’s one of those nights where you just know the audience will be grinning before the overture’s even finished.
Producer Mark Robert Petty said:
“I’m delighted to bring this special musical theatre concert to Derby Theatre, showcasing
outstanding West End performers alongside talented young artists from our local
community. The Lewis Sewell Memorial Trust does incredible work supporting the next
generation of performers, and it’s a privilege for this event to help continue Lewis’s legacy
while celebrating the magic of musical theatre.”
Choreography for the event is led by Ben Sharpe Creative. With extensive professional
experience performing internationally, including stage work at sea, Ben now dedicates his
work to inspiring and developing the next generation of performers.
There’s a seriously impressive cast bringing it all to life — and it would be rude not to give them their moment in the spotlight.
So, before I seal this up…
We’ve got Carolyn Maitland, whose theatre credits read like a bit of a greatest hits list — Next to Normal, Ghost, Cabaret, Legally Blonde, Miss Saigon… honestly, I’d need a second satchel just to carry them all.
Then there’s Luke McCall, bringing some proper leading man presence, having taken on The Phantom in both The Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies — which tells you everything you need to know about those vocals.
Laura Pick joins the lineup too, known to many as Elphaba in Wicked — and if you can belt out Defying Gravity, you’ve already got my attention.
We’ve also got Luke Suri, who’s stepped into the shoes of Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys, so expect a bit of flair (and probably a few high notes that’ll have people nudging each other in the audience).
Alongside him is Manon Taris, with credits including Love Never Dies, Les Misérables, and The Phantom of the Opera — a familiar face in some of the biggest shows around.
And rounding things off is Chris Weeks, star of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story and a jazz singer with over 15 million streams worldwide — which, I’ll be honest, is not something you casually add to your CV.
The Musical Director is Adam Pennington
So yes… not a bad lot at all.
But it’s not just a concert. Not really.
It’s a reminder.
That talent is everywhere — in every town, every school, every kid scribbling lyrics in the back of a notebook or practising monologues in their bedroom mirror.
Opportunity? That’s the bit that’s uneven.
And that’s exactly what this trust is trying to fix, one young performer at a time.
I see it all the time, you know. Quiet brilliance. People who should be centre stage but are stuck watching from the wings because the path in just isn’t built for them. And then, every now and then, something like this comes along and gives the whole industry a gentle (or not so gentle) nudge.
So if you’re reading this thinking “it’s a tough world out there” — you’re not wrong. But there are people trying to change it. People like Lewis. People carrying his idea forward.
And maybe, just maybe, one of the names the charity supports will be the next big thing… not because they had every advantage, but because someone made sure they got a chance.
Now then, I’ll pop this one back in the satchel before I get too emotional in the middle of the street. Wouldn’t do for a professional courier like me, would it?
But this one’s staying near the top.
Some stories deserve to be delivered twice.
All proceeds from A Musical Theatre Spectacular will go directly to the Trust, helping provide essential opportunities, training and financial support for young people pursuing careers in the performing arts.
A Musical Theatre Spectacular! – Derby Theatre
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