Award-winning children’s book by Bolton’s authors becomes a play

A performing arts school in Bolton has collaborated with two award-winning authors to turn their book into a play.

The Stagecoach Performing Arts School at Canon Slade School has teamed up with Carl Wheatley and Simon Harthill, authors of I’m Reggie Rockit, to create a play based on the award-winning book.

The piece, which is currently only being performed in-house, will be performed by the students of the art school for the parents Carl and Simon.

And Carl hopes and believes that the film has the potential to be even more successful and will hopefully be picked up in other cinemas.

Carl, 48, said: “Two years ago my best friend Simon and I first released ‘I’m Reggie Rockit’. We wrote it during Covid and we saw that the kids were struggling and we wanted to do something together to help them.

Carl and Simon with students from the Stagecoach Performing Arts School (Image: Carl Wheatley) “The idea of ​​the book is to be happy by being yourself. It’s about a boy who wanted to be a rock star, but it teaches children that they can be anything they want to be and have fun doing it.

“When it was first published, we went to The Lowry and found that the kids absolutely loved it because we had found a bit of a niche as I had also written a song for the book.

“People left singing and we were thrilled because we realized we were changing children’s lives. It was more than just a book.”

Kimberley Riley-Shipperbottom, director of Stagecoach Performing Arts, said she liked the idea of ​​turning the book into a play.

She said: “Carl contacted me and asked if he had a book and if we would be interested in making a play out of it or using it as material in our school and I said yes we would.

“Stagecoach is a performing arts school, but first and foremost it is a school for building self-confidence. That is what we do. We teach courage for life and that is what we wanted to address.

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“The book really spoke to us and after we met Carl and saw that we could adapt the book.

“One of my teachers took the book and completely adapted it and added some parts to make it into a game.

“Now our youngest children at the school, aged between six and eight, will perform in front of their parents and Carl and Simon on July 6.

“We’re just really proud of them for being able to take on this challenge, even though they only had four weeks to do it. The adjustment period is great and we’re really excited.”

Carl, who lives in Heaton, said he was delighted the book had reached new heights and couldn’t wait to see further success.

He said: “I think it’s a perfect collaboration and I’m determined to get it performed.”

Carl and Simon with students (Image: Carl Wheatley) “I want it to go further and be made into a musical.

“I think there is potential to go even further with plays around the world, especially at other Stagecoach Performing Arts schools.

“The book is read by people all over the world, in America, Australia, India and other countries – all over the world, and it reaches children all over the world. And that’s what I want to achieve with Reggie Rock-It. I want it to become a household name and teach children to follow their dreams.

“I’m really excited to see the children perform the play. We visited them once during rehearsals and they were really happy. Simon and I just knew we had done the right thing.”

Kim, 36, who lives in Darwen, said: “The play will only be performed in the school this time, but when it is finished it could be shown at small festivals, theatre festivals or even other theatres.”

“Carl and Simon can show that it is a book, but also that it is a play.

“It definitely has the potential to go even further because it has now been adapted to fit the Stagecoach model which we can pass on to other Stagecoaches around the world.

“For us, the ‘Be Yourself’ ethos is great because we want our students to be themselves.

“The book can reach people, but this little play can also reach people.”

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