West End Calling for Ballyclare Secondary School pupil Logan as he wins place in Grand Final

Ballyclare Secondary pupil Logan Weatherstone is one of just six young people from Northern Ireland – and the only one from Newtownabbey – who will be taking part in the Grand Final of West End Calling in London on May 25.

Now 12, Logan has been performing for around four years, starting with local company NACN. “In such a short period of time he’s been in eight shows, including being cast in last year’s Les Misérables 40th Anniversary show Let the People Sing at the Grand Opera House,” said his mum Erin.

“He will be playing the lead role of Gavroche in Les Misérables in the MAC in July, and Cousin Itt with Ulster Operatic Company in the Grand Opera House in September."

Logan currently trains weekly with James Huish at the Alfie Boe James Huish Academy of Theatre Arts in Belfast.

This was his first year competing in the West End Calling competition.

During the Belfast heat in February, he sang an audition song followed by a three minute song for the final show, which was attended by friends and family alongside 19 of his peers.

Logan performed ‘Expressing Yourself ‘ from Billy Elliot to wonderful feedback from West End judges, Ryan Kopel and Belfast actress Emily Olive Boyd, winning the audience vote to take him through to the next round.

He continued to impress audiences and judges alike at the semi-finals, held in Manchester on May 2. Performing against 23 other talented contestants, Logan took to the stage in front of West End stars Lauren Byrne and Holly-Anne Hull, who make up two-thirds of the UK Eurovision 2025 entry Remember Monday. The Ballyclare schoolboy admitted to being a little starstruck, as the group are his favourite band.

Working alongside his teacher, James Huish, Logan performed Middle of a Moment from James and the Giant Peach, and once again secured the audience vote to go through to the final.

The Grand Finals will take place on Monday, May 25 in The Other Palace Theatre in London’s West End. “This will be Logan’s first trip to London and he is very excited to hopefully get to see his first West End musical whilst there,” Erin added. “He will compete against 22 other children in the Junior Final, [as well as] a group number at the start and end of the show, which will be recorded for West End Calling’s new 2026 Final EP.”

For young performers from Northern Ireland, breaking into the world of West End theatre can be particularly challenging due to limited local opportunities, Erin added: “You usually have to live within an hour of London, so opportunities like West End Calling give these children the opportunity to be seen and get in front of casting agents for theatre.

"It will be an experience he won’t forget and who knows where it might lead. Logan’s name may be in lights one day; this is just the start for him.”