More than 100 youngsters got their moment in the spotlight with their version of an 80s musical classic.

The nine to 19-year-olds spent long summer days learning and rehearsing the lines and musical numbers from Footloose as part of the Orchard Theatre’s Summer Youth Project – sponsored by the Messenger.

Last week the group of young thespians showcased their production at Dartford’s theatre and more than 1,500 people turned up to watch the cast over their four performances.

The star of the show was 15-year-old Josh Baker, from Rochester, who already has some experience under his belt having played the 25th Billy Elliot in the West End musical between 2011 and 2012.

But many of the other budding actors, dancers and singers were just starting out, and relished the opportunity to work alongside a team from the world-famous Italia Conti stage school.

Chris Glover, the theatre’s director, said: “This was a great opportunity for youngsters from our local community to get involved and showcase their skills on our stage and they were rightly rewarded with a standing ovation at each performance.”