A touch of old-school Broadway glamour has come to an Oxfordshire school this week for a special production of Guys and Dolls.

Wheatley Park School in Holton is among the last schools granted a licence to put on the popular show as the official production will be going on tour in the UK in April.

The school launched its version of the New York musical on Tuesday, with performances going on at the school until tomorrow.

Director Jo Hatfield said: “We are very lucky to get the agreement to go ahead to do it and it is looking very good.

“We are really excited and we have a really broad age of students taking part, right from Year Seven to Year 13.”

More than 60 pupils are involved in the show, either on stage or behind the scenes, and the cast has been rehearsing since September.

Taking the lead roles will be 16-year-old Marcus Orrum as gambler Nathan Detroit, 17-year-old Lois Pigneugey as his long-suffering fiancee Miss Adelaide, Tom Clarke, 18, as high roller Sky Masterson and Lucy Allsworth, 17, as missionary Sarah Brown.

Mrs Hatfield said: “Anyone who auditions can be part of the show, however small their part may be.

“We have got some real high flyers in the cast who have been working with Garsington Opera on training up their voices. Tom has been in every single one of our shows since he was in Year Seven.

“We have a real tradition of kids who start in the chorus and come right up through the ranks until they get leading roles.”

Guys and Dolls was brought to the cinema in 1955 starring Marlon Brando, and was a long-running musical both in Broadway and the West End, where it recently starred Ewan McGregor, 30 Rock and Ally McBeal’s Jane Krakowski and Patrick Swayze during its run.

It tells the story of a series of linked New York characters and focuses on themes including gambling, love and romance.

The cast and crew have created a set using a series of different-sized dice, which are moved around to act as different props and create backdrops ranging from Havana to a church mission, to a garage.

Mrs Hatfield said: “It is a tricky show, but I think it is the best Broadway show there is.

“We have got a really good show on our hands and a really great team.”

Ten per cent of the entire school, which is Oxfordshire’s only media arts college, have been involved in the show in one way or another.

More information about the show is available from the school on 01865 872441.

fbardsley@oxfordmail.co.uk