Stories

Sam on stage

Smethwick-born Sam outperformed 1,000's of other youngsters during the audition process and landed a role in West End Production of Oliver, which featured the Black Adder star.

He's also appeared in David and Carey Grant's Popshop, Rainforest Rumble at the Mac Theatre in Birmingham and the Ragdoll Company children's programme Boohbah. 

The journey Sam has been on to reach this point has been a challenging one for him and his family. His schedule and performance commitments are time consuming and financially straining. Yet his mother and elder sister do all they can to support his progression.

Curtains Up

His life on stage began at the tender age of five when he began taking dance lessons.  He went on to learn to sing, act and become a real all rounder.

Sam performing

"It's great being on stage," says Sam. "But it's all over so quickly so you try and enjoy it the best you can."

In April 2005, Sam transformed a school boy dream into the start of a promising career when he was accepted into the ITV Junior Workshop (now The Television workshop).

Since then he has consistently worked in theatre and television between studying drama, voice training and acting. 

In 2006 Sam took to the Birmingham Hippodrome stage in the theatre production of 'Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang' performing on stage for six months. Sam says: "Performing in a show everybody knows was really amazing. You make lots of friends from the shows."

Sam with Rowan Atkinson

West End Success

The real breakthrough came with when he took to the London West End stage with Rowan Atkinson in a revival of the musical Oliver in the spring of 2009.

"Rowan Atkinson was absolutely brilliant and really nice to all of us who were in Oliver," says Sam. Jodie Prenger, winner of the BBC reality TV show I'll Do Anything, also co-stared.

"I feel really luck to of had the opportunity. It was quite amazing to be on stage with him. It is extremely difficult and not as easy as people think. Whilst in Oliver I still had to keep up with my grades and continue with school work in Birmingham."

Sam with Jodie Prenger

In long running productions, child actors are only part of the cast for a few months at a time before being replaced. Sam has just returned home and clearly misses the show and the friends he made during his time there.

The Future is Bright

Sam's most recent achievement is probably one of the most important in his performing arts career so far. 

He has been offered a half scholarship to the Sylvia Young Theatre School after a successful audition. 

His mum Sandra was even happier than he was. "She came jumping and screaming upstairs: 'Sam you've got a half scholarship! I was like 'wow!'" he remembers.

Sam with his mum Sandra

Unfortunately, a half scholarship will not be enough for Sam's family to be able to afford to send him to the school. They still need financial help.

"Any financial assistance with the other half of the scholarship no matter how small would be greatly appreciated," says Sandra.  "This is a chance of a lifetime for Sam it would be terrible if he was to miss out, when he has worked so hard to get this far."

In the meantime, Sam is working for the Birmingham Showcase at the BAFTA award wining Television Workshop. 

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