On Monday, on a very warm night in London’s West End, something extraordinary happened at the Gillian Lynne Theatre which was hosting the National School Theatre Awards ceremony - the Oscars for schools. The buzz on the red carpet was extraordinary. Not only was the venue sold out but there were crowds of people outside hoping to get a ticket – 400 were on the waiting list! 2025 had been their biggest year yet with over 300 schools registered and 100 talent reps who had scoured the country for the absolute best in school theatre. Expectation was in the air. Hurtwood’s finest musical theatre actors, who had thrilled audiences with their production of ‘The Witches of Eastwick’ in the Surrey Hills, had been given the honour of performing at the NSTA Ceremony. After strutting their stuff on the red carpet in glamorous attire, our students did Hurtwood proud by performing a wonderful medley of songs from ‘The Witches of Eastwick’. Their colourful costumes designed by Elizabeth Poulter lit up the stage and the fabulous direction and choreography by Doug Quinn and Lottie Davis set Hurtwood apart from all the other acts of the evening. The musical direction was a testament to the hard work of Nick Larkin and our technical manager Guy Davey left nothing to chance checking every single student microphone before they set foot on the stage. This was Hurtwood teamwork at its best!
Still breathless after the performance, Hurtwood’s 36 actors were waiting in the wings waiting to hear which school (out of over 60 nominated) would win the prestigious prize of the National School Theatre Awards: ‘Best Musical 2025’. They knew that the competition was tough as the finest actors from schools around the country had been nominated. Hurtwood was hopeful as the report from the NSTA had been absolutely glowing: “The production’s overall vision was a testament to the directors’ artistry and meticulous attention to detail. The result was a seamless, high-energy show that felt polished, rehearsed, and inspired. It was a true masterclass in what school theatre can achieve when talent, ambition, and passion align. If Hurtwood House audience members had paid top-tier West-End ticket prices for this performance, they would have left the theatre feeling it was worth every penny – and more.”
In front of an audience which included BAFTA winning actors, theatre directors, casting directors and vocal coaches, the students could not contain their excitement when they won. The plan had been that just a couple of the lead actors would pick up an award if we were lucky enough to win but all 36 rushed on the stage in something reminiscent of a team winning the world cup final. It was emotional stuff and Cosmo Jackson, our headmaster said that it was one of his most proud moments in his 30 years at the school.
Hurtwood would like to congratulate all the students involved and thank Doug, Nick, Lottie, Elizabeth and Guy for everything. In the words of the NSTA “The production was nothing short of breathtaking. Bravo, Hurtwood House. A triumph in every sense.”
