Local artists Daniel Baron, Graeme Watkins, Nathan Ro and Cito teamed with budding stars on stage for a one-of-a-kind performance at the Lyric Theatre in Gold Reef City on 1 July.
The Born to Perform gala concert was created by Gemma Marinus Donnelly and Matthew Marinus, who run an art school called Stageworx, to create professional opportunities in the performing arts industry for talented youth.
Northcliff resident, Daniel Baron said the night was a huge success and the first of its kinds.
“It was an incredible experience to have the students on stage with us like that. It is such a great opportunity to bring the stars of tomorrow with the stars of today. It gave me great pleasure to take part,” said Baron.
Donnelly added,“Having these artists performing with our young artists will not only give youngsters an experience of a lifetime but also hopefully encourage other producers to create opportunities in the industry for them.”
Baron agrees that such opportunities are essential to the growth and development of performing arts in the country, “When I was younger, I didn’t get to perform on stage in front of an audience. It was only when I was older that I got that opportunity so this kind of development is a wonderful opportunity.”
The inaugural gala is expected to be an annual event, growing from strength to strength. Donnelly said they were lucky enough to have strong industry support.
