FLORENCE —The Barricade Boys will bring songs, harmonies, dance and anecdotes to the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. April 26.
The London West End musical group will transport its audience through every era of musical theater as well as their favorite moments in pop music.
The Barricade Boys are comprised of Scott Garnham, Simon Schofield, Kieran Brown and Craig Mather. The vocalist/dancers have solid credentials in London's West End theaters, including Mamma Mia, Wicked, Billy Elliot, The Book of Mormon, The Sound of Music, Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables.
The group has a fun night planned. It will take the audience on a journey from musical theater to pop music and share personal memories.
“We’re talking about things that are really intimate to us and that matter to us. We talk about our careers, our childhoods, what songs mean to us and why we’re singing them," Garnham said.
The Barricade Boys got their start almost 10 years ago when Garnham went to Schofield and pitched his idea for a show. Garnham was in Les Miserables at the time but Schofield loved the idea and they decided to go for it.
They booked a West End theater which Garnham said was a rare thing to do. The show sold out in two weeks, which caused them to believe they had something great on their hands.
The members wanted to create something that would appeal to themselves and an audience.
“I think sometimes people try and write shows and think what does the audience want. We thought if we like it then surely enough other people will like it” Garnham said.
Garnham and Schofield have been involved in the arts since early childhood. Both instantly fell in love with performing.
Theater was one of the only hobbies Garnham stuck with throughout his childhood. He tried sports and the Boy Scouts, but fell in love with theater after his mother enrolled him in drama classes when he was 7.
Schofield took up dancing as a 4-years old. He had his first audition at age 9 and was booked to perform in Les Miserables as a 10-year old.
Garnham and Schofield agree performing before a live audience is one of their favorite parts of theater.
“It is the audience without question," Schofield said. "I think for me it’s the beginning I like the excitement before the show starts. It’s electric so when it kicks in it’s special.”
The show has taken the Barricade Boys throughout the United Kingdom, the United States and the world.
Touring has quickly become one of their favorite parts of performing as well. They enjoy traveling to places in the United States because it’s all new to them.
It will be the Barricade Boys first visit to South Carolina but they are looking forward to the smaller venue and American audience.
Garnham and Schofield said performing in smaller venues can be more nerve wracking because they can see the audience reactions.
American audiences are more welcoming than United Kingdom ones.
“They wanna have a good time. It’s almost like it’s your job if you lose an American audience. Where as in the UK you gotta try and get the UK audience,” Garnham said.
Tickets are available at the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center website. Prices range from $32 to $55.
