A 19 year-old Ruddington performer has received yet more national recognition by winning an award for ‘Best Actor in a Musical’.
At the weekend Louis Gaunt lifted the The Stage’s ‘Debut Awards’ accolade for his key role in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic ‘Oklahoma!’ after playing the part of cowboy Will Parker in a production at the prestigious Grange Park Opera House in Horsley.
Louis is the son of Freedom Dance & Performance principal Stacey Gaunt and started training here in Ruddington at the age of four. His talents led him to being offered a full scholarship to the highly renowned Performers’ College in Essex, where he studied professional dance and musical theatre.
Other credits along the way include a performance on BBC One’s ‘Strictly Dance Fever’ as a backing dancer for acclaimed artist Laura Mvula, appearing on BBC Two’s ‘The Big Bang Project’ with Arlene Phillips and Professor Brian Cox AND – his biggest break so far – a five week run in the cast of the “Dick Whittington” pantomime last year at the London Palladium alongside stars Julian Clary, Elaine Paige, Gary Wilmot, Nigel Havers & Diversity.
Mum Stacey tweeted: “CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR VERY OWN LOUIS GAUNT!! Winner of Best Actor in a Musical at The Stage Debut Awards!! So proud of this amazing achievement.”
It was only last year that Stacey decided to put a group of fathers together to perform a surprise act at her school’s bi-annual show. The resulting video of the ‘The Freedom Dance Dads’ went viral – with millions of viewers – making Ruddington’s Freedom Dance & Performance famous worldwide!
You can read MORE about “Ruddington’s Own Fame School” >>HERE<<.
