What made me create Hayley’s Comet?
Well, I imagined the perfect performing arts class, something that as a child or a teenager, I would have wanted to be a part of.
I used to love acting lessons, but there were parts that I didn’t enjoy such as being given a script that was either too difficult to understand, or sometimes, boring. I decided that Hayley’s Comet would only have scripts written by the students… so they would never be too difficult to understand and never boring! A large focus of my classes would be on writing a fun, engaging scene where all the actors involved were happy and challenged.
Singing appeals to me most when the song tells a great story. Many believe that only musical theatre songs can do this, but that is not the case. So many pop songs, rock ballads and old Motown hits can have the same storytelling effect. Whatever stories that my students wanted to create, we would find the perfect song to enhance their acting scene… and whether that song was from Les Miserables or Led Zeppelin, it wouldn’t matter.
Another great way of storytelling is dance and choreography. I love how a dance can have meaning rather than just learning steps and correcting yourself in the mirror.
So, Hayley’s Comet became a company that created its own unique musicals. And I thought, if I were a kid wanting to perform, I would want to join. Luckily, hundreds of kids across Dubai agreed with me and we have been having fun creating shows for over 4 years now!
Hayley's Comet Theatre Company 