YOUNG drama students will have the chance to perform West End classics from shows such as Mama Mia and Oliver this July during a series of summer theatre workshops.

The newly formed Sunshine Theatre Arts company has been set up by Barnet actress Katie Ventress, who hopes to use the classes to teach children, aged four to 11, a range of techniques in drama and singing.

It is the first time holiday workshops are to be held by the professionally trained actress, who has taught drama for the past five years at Stage Coach Theatre.

Ms Ventress sees drama as a positive tool for young children, offering more than just skills in acting.

She said: "A lot of skills in drama are skills for life.

"Children have to learn to work as a team, they have to listen to each other and more importantly it gives them a great deal of self-esteem.

And she added that workshops are a great way of helping with this.

"It's really nice to seem them grow in self-confidence,” she said.

“At the start they are often shy and don't want to speak up, at then at the end, they can't wait to tell you about their day, what they had for breakfast, and really dive into the work."

Having graduated from the Italia Conti Drama School in London five years ago, Miss Ventress has worked in both theatre and television, touring across the UK performing Shakespeare with the Globe Players as well as starring in the West End Musical Comedy Blair on Broadway and in the television period drama Casualty 1906.

Each workshop will culminate in a performance for parents and friends, with students performing songs from famous musicals, including High School Musical and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat as well as street dancing from popular films such as Step up 2: The Streets.

The two workshops run from July 22th-24th and 27th-30 at St. John's Church Hall, Whetsone, and St. Vincent's Primary School Mill Hill. For more information contact Ms. Ventress on 07919 008 078.