Inspirational young anti-bullying campaigner Charlie Kristensen is celebrating two new milestones – becoming a patron of the Midlands-based ASA Theatre Arts where the 12 year old first attended classes and accepting a full-time place at the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London.
Announcing Charlie’s patronship which also coincides with ASA’s launch of The Charlie Kristensen Scholarship, the CEO and principal of ASA Theatre Arts Alana Shirley said: “We are overjoyed to announce Charlie as our newest and youngest Patron. His passion, drive and individuality are at the heart of the ASA ethos and we are honoured to offer one young person the opportunity to train with us each year, under The Charlie Kristensen Scholarship.
“Having Charlie as a part of the ASA family, and to watch him achieve his dreams despite adversity, has filled us with immense pride and we hope that his mission will continue to inspire each one of our students.”
Charlie added: “ASA was where I started my journey, and it holds a very special place in my heart. I couldn’t be prouder or more honoured to be its Patron. The talent which ASA produces is very special, and I can’t wait to watch it grow over the coming years.
“To have a scholarship awarded to a male identifying student, named after me, makes me realise that my story needs to keep getting told. I am truly privileged knowing that a career can start because of The Charlie Kristensen Scholarship.”
The ASA announcements coincide with the news that Charlie has been offered a full-time place at the renowned Sylvia Young Theatre School, starting in autumn 2022, following a round of auditions and interviews.
Commenting on the offer, Charlie said: “This has been a dream since #cheerupcharlie first started and I had the honour of meeting Sylvia. I truly think that this is the chance for me to be amongst other kids who accept me for me whilst still allowing me to learn academically and take my training to the next level. I am so excited to be starting this journey.”
Charlie Kristensen first hit the headlines in 2019 when his singing teacher Jacqueline (Jax) Hughes appealed to the musical theatre community to send messages of support to the youngster after discovering he was being bullied in school. The industry responded with hundreds of messages of love, support and encouragement for the then nine-year-old boy affectionately known as ‘Little Charlie’.
Now living on the Surrey/Hampshire border, the youngster who now devotes over 100 hours each month to mentoring, campaigning, fundraising and raising awareness on a local, national and international level has also previously won a prestigious Diana Award.
His successes have included the release of a star-packed charity single, the development of a musical theatre workshop in partnership with West End actor and singer Nathaniel Morrison and a popular weekly YouTube chat show featuring star guests including Matt Lucas, Kerry Ellis and Luke Bayer.
Angela Thomas
SHARE THIS POST:
Comments are closed.