The Bridget Casse Award 2025

We are delighted to announce that talented members of Next Stage Youth have been awarded certificates and The Bridget Cassé Award for Excellence in Youth Theatre for 2025. The award was inaugurated in 2010, in memory of a talented Next Stage actress - Bridget Cassé - who was a much-loved Next Stage Youth tutor. The beautiful glass trophy is awarded in September to the individual/s in Next Stage Youth who have shown theatrical talent, enthusiasm, a willingness to help out and a positive attitude towards fellow members.

Next Stage Youth tutors who have worked with the group over the past twelve months nominate youthers for this prestigious award from which a Winner, a Runner-Up and a Highly Commended recipient are usually selected. However this year we are recognising the talents of five youthers – George Chivers and Finn Zanelli as Joint Winners, Elspeth Geddis and Millie Sharma as Runners-Up and Alex Tarasevych who was Highly Commended. We are really proud of the incredible work and commitment to theatre which all these individuals have shown throughout the last year.

Our Next Stage Youth tutors say of the five young actors:

George always seems to be focused and listening to what the next task is. He brings a lovely calming nature to the group and gets on well with all. He shows a great willingness to learn. George first took to the stage with NSY as Chino in West Side Story (2023), he then played a trio of roles (Sir Willoughby, Mr Gripe and School Inspector) in The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and was Ed in Blood Brothers earlier in 2025. George is playing Mr Briggs in the forthcoming production of Our Day Out.

Finn always brings a positive attitude to the class and is always happy to join in and get involved and gives every session his all - you can really tell that drama is what he wants to do. Finn’s first show with the company was The Wolves the Wolves of Willoughby Chase (2024), going on to perform in Blood Brothers (2025). Finn is playing Reilly in Next Stage Youth’s upcoming production of Our Day Out in October.

Elspeth Geddis and Millie Sharma - our runners up are excellent actors, and both have a willing and helpful attitude to Youth sessions always being prepared to help others both on stage and backstage.

Elspeth joined us for her first show - West Side Story in 2023 going on to be the Narrator in The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (2024). Elspeth then played Mrs Lyons in Blood Brothers (2025) and will be performing as Digga in Our Day Out in October.

Millie played Sylvia in The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (2024) and Mrs Johnston in Blood Brothers earlier this year. Although unavailable to perform in Our Day Out Millie has been along to rehearsals helping and encouraging her fellow Youthers along their creative journey.

Alex is a worthy recipient of our Highly Commended Award. He has come to a different country from Ukraine, learnt the language and has found the confidence to get on a stage and perform in front of strangers. Alex joined us to assist with lighting for Blood Brothers (2025) and went on to tour with the adult company to The Minack Theatre in Cornwall this summer in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Alex is playing the role of Colin in the forthcoming production of Our Day Out.

A huge congratulations to all five recipients this year. You continuously raise the bar for young performers in the local area with all the hard work you do, and your enthusiasm for acting and kindness to other members of the company has helped to make Next Stage Youth a highly successful and popular youth theatre group in Bath.