Cotton Shed Theatre to perform at Blackpool Opera House

Cotton Shed Theatre Company will entertain an audience of 2,700 at Blackpool Winter Gardens' Opera House on December 8.

The company, known for being inclusive, has been practising the Home Alone routine for the last six weeks.

(Image: Catherine Smyth Media) Eighteen members of the 16+ Company group and nine youth section members, aged 12 to 16, will be performing.

This is part of the Hits Christmas Lancashire event, which will showcase talent from professional dance colleges, schools, and companies from all over the county.

Artistic practitioner, Emma Matthews, said: "It has been going since 1989 and they do two shows a year.

"I danced in the first one when I was just nine."

(Image: Catherine Smyth Media) The Opera House, which has hosted greats like Frank Sinatra and Charlie Chaplin, will be a significant step up from their last performance at The Lowry, Salford, a venue with a considerably smaller capacity of 440 seats.

Cotton Shed dancer, Gregor Gilmour, one of three wheelchair users set to perform, expressed his anticipation.

Using his voice computer, he said: "I am really excited for Blackpool.

"It is the biggest audience we have ever performed in front of."

(Image: Catherine Smyth Media) New member, Andy Gallacher, who travels from Wigan weekly for the sessions, said: "The rehearsals we have had in the school hall have been really good.

"I am a little bit nervous because we will be performing in front of a large crowd, but I like Blackpool."

Chair of the board of trustees at Cotton Shed, Keith Lofthouse, said: "I have been involved in Cotton Shed from the beginning 14 years ago.

(Image: Catherine Smyth Media) "My son got me interested and I work in adult learning disability as a physio, but I don’t work here, I am a friend and a partner.

"Now I am chairman, we are having a revisioning and I want to find out what our members want."

Tickets can be booked by visiting the Blackpool Winter Gardens website.