A young Stockport actor has landed a leading role in a major new musical at an award-winning theatre.
Darragh Cowley, 20, plays the leading role of Melchior in Hope Mill Theatre’s production of Spring Awakening, which runs at the Manchester fringe theatre until May 3.
Darragh said: “It’s a dream to be opening at Hope Mill Theatre. I started my career ages 11 doing amateur dramatics at Stockport Plaza, went through Manchester Musical Youth, then went to Guildford training for three years.
“I finished two weeks ago and it’s a joy to come back to the city where it all started, where I grew up and went to school and perform professionally.”
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The fringe theatre in Ancoats – founded by Macclesfield couple William Whelton and Joseph Houston after they discovered the Grade II listed former cotton mill on Gumtree – is producing the acclaimed modern Broadway hit Spring Awakening from March 29 to May 3.
It has music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sater, and combines an electrifying rock score and genre-defying writing to tell the story of sexual and adolescent discovery.
Director Luke Sheppard paid tribute to the young cast: “We had 5,000 applicants but the cast were self-selecting.
“Each were our first choice for the role and were everything we were looking for. They give the material youth, verve and buzz.”