W4's answer to Glastonbury attracts top music industry names

groveSTOCK, Chiswick’s answer to Glastonbury, is to welcome three music industry celebrities - stage and screen star Susie McKenna, musical legend Mike Dixon and West End and TV actress Sharon D Clarke - as judges for the groveFACTOR kid’s talent competition.

These highly qualified and talented judges will face the tough task of determining the winners of groveFactor, west London’s premier children’s talent competition.

You can read ChiswickW4.com's exclusive interview with Mike Dixon first in this weekend's newsletter.

Now in its fifth and biggest ever year, fun music festival groveSTOCK will be held from 2.00pm to 10pm on Saturday 19th June in the verdant vicarage gardens of St. Paul’s Church Grove Park (corner of Hartington Road and Grove Park Road, W4).

The festival combines professional bands on the main stage, brilliantly talented children in the groveFACTOR competition, and the corralled choirs of Grove Park schools, while adults spar for fame in Chiswick’s Got Talent.

“The talent of the judges at this year’s groveFACTOR will only be matched by the enthusiasm of the competitors,” promises Julian Tanner, groveSTOCK coordinator. “It’s great for the kids to get the feedback and encouragement of high-level professionals. And for the winners it is transformational.”

Susie McKenna has been an actress on stage, television and film for over 30 years. In the West End she has appeared in The Witches of Eastwick, Chicago, Ragtime and Cats (she went on to play Gumbie cat in the Polygram film) as well as touring in many musicals including Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar. Her many TV appearances include EastEnders, Casualty and Mr Bean. As a writer, producer and director she settled at the famous Hackney Empire, where she holds the post of creative director and is renowned for writing and directing London’s number one pantomime there.

Mike Dixon is one of the most experienced and respected musical forces in London’s West End and on British television. His work spans all genres of music as musical supervisor, musical director, arranger and composer. In the theatre he has worked on more than 20 shows including We Will Rock You, Grease and Joseph, and is currently bringing the popular musical Hair back to the West End. On TV, he has worked on Pop Idol, The Royal Variety Show and many, many other top programmes.

Actress and singer Sharon D Clarke is well-known for her TV role as Dr Lola Griffin in Holby City and was on the judging panel of the BBC’s Last Choir Standing competition in 2008. In the West End, Sharon has played leading roles in The Lion King, Chicago and We Will Rock You. Sharon has also recorded chart-topping hits including Going back to my roots with FPI Project, and Just a groove with Nomad.

June 8, 2010