Headteacher goes global for Olympics
Published on Monday 28 May 2012 17:45
A headteacher is performing at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games after applying to take part ‘on a whim’.
Dave Miller, of Pebble Brook School in Aylesbury, will be character acting under the guidance of Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle.
But he has been sworn to secrecy about exactly what will be happening during the showpiece event at the 80,000 capacity stadium and in front of billions of viewers worldwide.
Some 10,000 volunteer performers will be taking part in the opening ceremony, with Mr Miller spending around 15 minutes on show with about 600 others in his group.
He said: “I will be doing character acting under the directorship of Danny Boyle but I can’t reveal any details for fear of finding myself locked up in the Tower of London.
“I applied on a whim but didn’t expect to get the part, I just did it for the experience.
“I had a couple of auditions in February for the creative movement and performance side of things and I got selected. It’s very exciting. It’s a really different experience and a fantastic opportunity for me.”
Mr Miller has 80 hours of rehearsals to go through before the big day on July 27, with the first one inside the Olympic Stadium on June 16.
The headteacher of the special school has experienced amateur dramatics before but working under Academy Award winner Mr Boyle has been a particularly enjoyable experience.
Mr Miller said: “Danny Boyle is there all the time giving us directions and tips.
“He has been fantastic and is a really amiable guy.
“He told us after two years of preparing for this he’s really enjoying working with the volunteers. The whole experience is something I will remember for the rest of my life.”
Meanwhile, the Chair of Governors at Pebble Brook, Annie Andrews, will be running with the Olympic flame in Oxford on July 9.
She said: “It’s brilliant to be running with the flame. I’ve been watching it on the TV and it’s all very exciting. I’m going to keep the torch and bring it into the school the following day so the children can have the experience of running with it, too.”
Mr Stewart and Mr Chappell
Mr Stewart and Mr Chappell completed the Nomads Going Beyond Cyclo Sportive on the 17th June. This was a short tour of Herts and Beds made all the more enjoyable with proceeds from the event going to UK charity Teach Africa (http://teach-africa.org/) providing an opportunity for schooling to some of the brightest children from Nairobi slums.
