Local stars take the stage in The Karate Kid: The Musical

Fellow star Abigail, playing the Ali Mills to Gino Ochello‘s Daniel LaRusso, is keen to get back to The Grand. Having grown up in the arts scene in Leeds, she had this to say about the feeling of returning:

“I grew up in Woodlesford and I went to CAPA College, which is in Wakefield, but obviously nearby. I did the kind of sixth form course they have – I’d say a highlight would be when we did a production of Fame, in my second year. That was really fun, and it was double cast. So we each had two characters – we had two tracks to play, so every night was completely different, and there were lots of funny stories. I really loved it.

I did a course when I was about 11, I think. It was this intensive course, learning everything about theatre. Not just performing, but all the different elements go into it. I did that at The Grand, and I remember we had a tour of the theatre. So, it’s a bit full circle that I’m coming back and performing.

I’m most looking forward to my dad’s cooking, to be honest, because it’ll be a long tour and I feel like that will be comforting. But, also, I’ve got so many people that have messaged me to say ‘I’m coming’ and they wouldn’t get the opportunity if it was in London. It’s really nice because this is the first thing I’m doing out of drama school, so it’s really nice to have that support at the start of my career.”

But Abigail’s not the only one with a feeling of homecoming this week. Matt agreed, also excited to return to home turf:

“I’m from Chapeltown and Harehills – kind of between there. Born and raised. I didn’t train, but my mum was phenomenal. As soon as I said I wanted to be an actor, she allowed me to go to anything I wanted to go to, because we’d get the brochures through, from The Grand, from West Yorkshire Playhouse (now Leeds Playhouse), from Carriageworks. My mum would go, ‘Look through these brochures, and pick out what you want to go and see.’ I got a theatre education like no other because I was seeing theatre every single week – from plays, to hip-hop theatre, to dance theatre, to Alvin Ailey, to Shakespeare, to poetry readings, to stand-up comedy. It was amazing.

I was a young black kid from a low income, single-parent household who got to see the world through a stage. That’s literally my childhood, in terms of my theatre education. And I got to watch great people make phenomenal pieces of theatre, and it made me want to be able to tell stories and inspire the next generation to do so. I’m really happy that in my life I’ve been able to do that. So coming back to Leeds, anytime I get to come back to Leeds – which I haven’t for a few years now – is always special to me, because I feel like there’s going to be another kid in the audience looking up and going, ‘I want to do that, because of that guy.’ And I think that’s a really humbling and special opportunity to have and be able to take hold of.

I started a dance company when I was in my early 20s and it was called Leodis Collective. We used to look up to people like Keone and Marie (the choreographers for The Karate Kid: The Musical) when we were doing that, when I was part of that dance company. So, to be able to see and be part of their choreography and their vision too… There’s a lot of full circle moments for me in the show.”