A Moray drama student who recently auditioned before Simon Cowell and the Britain’s Got Talent judging panel will take to the stage in his hometown next month.
Sean Ellis, 19, is starring in Moray Community Theatre’s debut production, a version of sci-fi musical Return to the Forbidden Planet.
The teenager, who will play the role of a roller-skating Robot named Ariel, appeared on an episode of the popular talent show’s ITV2 spin-off, Britain’s Got More Talent, last month.
However, his performance of a heavy metal song by Australian band Parkway Drive failed to impress the panel, and through bemused giggles each judge buzzed him from the stage.
Mr Ellis said: “I may have appeared before the nation on Britain’s Got Talent, but having to play a roller-skating, singing and dancing robot is an even more nerve-wracking proposition.”
The show’s producer, James Farquhar, has worked on legendary West End productions such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Grease and Buddy, and is flying in a technical crew from Zurich to help stage the show.
He said: “We’re putting on a show of high technical quality, and that really helps the audience get into and enjoy the songs and performances.”
Return to the Forbidden Planet was first performed in 1969 in the West End. Loosely based on William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, it features popular American anthems such as Johnny B Goode, Born to be Wild and Good Vibrations.
The show will run at Elgin Town Hall from Wednesday, June 3, until Saturday, June 6, at 7.30pm, with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm.
Advance tickets are available from Bijou on Elgin’s Batchen Street, or from the town’s St Giles Centre every Saturday.