From Melton Theatre to the West End - Dan Hand is living his dream
A West End star who learned to perform at Melton Theatre has spoken passionately about its value as a community asset.
The future of the theatre is currently under threat because owners, Loughborough College Group, say it is not financially viable for them to continue running it.
But Dan Hand is fully behind the campaign to keep it open after recently landing a leading role in the Oliver! musical at the Gielgud Theatre in London.
Dan, who is 21, learned to dance at the theatre with the Misiuda Academy of Dance when he was four and performed in Bugsy Malone there with The Melton Mowbray Theatre Company (TMMTC) four years later.
He got the role of Dodger in Oliver! at Melton aged 12 and those memories came flooding back when he played that same pivotal part in the West End earlier this month.
Dan told the Melton Times: “It was like a full circle moment for me, having played Dodger at Melton Theatre.
"The adrenaline took me through it and I didn’t feel anything really until the end when the whole thing hit me.
“I had lots of family members there to watch me as well so it was a very special moment.”
He has been saddened to learn about the uncertainty surrounding Melton Theatre and is desperately hoping new investors or owners can be found to keep it open.
“Without Melton Theatre I would never have found my passion in the beginning and be in the position that I am in now,” said Dan, a former pupil of Long Field Spencer Academy.
“It is such an important part of the community, it supports so many people and it’s a space that a lot of people can escape and find themselves.
“If it was to close it would detrimental to loads of people and especially young people like myself with nowhere to discover themselves.”
Dan credits mum, Susie, for initially inspiring his love being on stage – she used to choreograph productions at Melton Theatre when he was a child.
After gaining wide experience in many different shows, he went off to drama school in Hertfordshire to hone his craft.
Dan’s big break came when the Cameron Mackintosh casting team visited the school and watched him perform.
He was invited to audition for the West End production of Oliver! and ended up winning a role.
His first performance was in April and as a ‘swing’ he has to fulfil multiple roles in the show, recently playing the iconic part of Dodger for the first time.
"I really like being a ‘swing’ because its different all the time and I’m never doing the same thing.
“If it’s a matinee I find out about 10am what I’m going to doing and if it’s an evening performance I will find out about 3pm.
“Sometimes I will play just one role but on several occasions I’ve done three different roles combined.
“That keeps me on my toes when I have different parts in the same show – it’s great.”
In terms of future ambitions, Dan added: “I’ve got a few dream shows - I would love to do Wicked and I’d also love to do Les Mis (Les Miserables).”