Tickets for Gainsborough Amateur Operatic Society’s 2010 show, Oliver!, at the Trinity Arts Centre, Gainsborough, are on sale NOW!.
The show will run from Tuesday 27th April until Saturday 1st May (evenings) with a matinée performance also on Saturday 1st May.
Call the Trinity Arts Centre on 01427 676655 for tickets or buy online HERE
27th April to 1st May 2010 at Trinity Arts Centre, Gainsborough.
Gainsborough Amateur Operatic Society is celebrating its centenary in 2010.
Our 2010 show will be the Lionel Bart hit “Oliver!” at Trinity Arts Centre, Gainsborough!!
Oliver still remains one of the best-loved musical shows of all time, vividly bringing to life Dickens’ timeless characters with its ever-popular story about the boy who asked for more.
The sensational score is full of Lionel Bart’s highly acclaimed songs including Consider Yourself, Food Glorious Food, You’ve Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Two, Oom Pah Pah, I’d Do Anything, As Long As He Needs Me and the spectacular Who Will Buy.
The show not only celebrates the society’s 100th anniversary but also the re-birth of the Trinity Arts Centre, which was recently threatened with closure.
Once tickets go on sale in the New Year they are likely to be snapped up within a few weeks as the society are anticipating a sell-out production.
The show will once again be in the capable hands of professional director Greg Snape who will in turn be supported by musical director Gerry Mooney and choreographer Brent Grantham-Rae.
With hit songs such as “Lullaby of Broadway”, “We’re in the Money” and “Shuffle Off To Buffalo”, 42nd Street is sure to be a hit with everyone.
42nd Street tells the story of a humble, naïve young actress named Peggy Sawyer who has come to audition for a new Broadway musical,. Unfortunately, due to her nervousness, Peggy arrives to the audition late and misses her chance to join the chorus. Luckily, Peggy soon catches the eye of the famous director, Julian Marsh, and he gives Peggy her big break. However, the show’s aging leading lady, Dorothy Brock, quickly grows to dislike Peggy. On opening night, Ms. Brock falls and breaks her ankle. Panic spreads through the company, as the show is doomed for closure, until it is suggested that Peggy take the roll. In only thirty-six hours, Peggy learns twenty-five pages, six songs and ten dance numbers and becomes a star.
FOR FURTHER IMAGES SEE www.guyhageman.co.uk
Copyright © Guy Hageman Photography
Cast and Crew
| Musical Director – Gerard Mooney Producer – Greg Snape Stage Manager – Paul Rae Choreographer – Brent Grantham-Rae Cast of Characters Dorothy Brock – Jose Bruce Peggy Sawyer – Sarah Norvock Maggie Jones – Beverley Evans Ann Reilly – Kelly Scarsebrook Phyllis Dale – Rebecca Nelson Lorrain Fleming – Hayley Bramham Gladys – Hannah Wilkinson Diane Lorimer – Christina Paine Ethel – Danielle Arber Julian Marsh – Lindsay Pepper Bert Barry – Paul Rae Billy Lawlor – Peter Cox Andy Lee – Thomas Newboult Oscar – Adam Toward Mac – Dori Saunby Pat Denning – Ian Neve Abner Dillon – Tony Graves |
Chorus Jane Bassett Emily Bottomley Catherine Bramham Lucy Clayton Brent Grantham-Rae Margaret Green Tracey Hand Susan Lugg Lauren Stimpson Thomas Toward Vicky Toward Susan Wragg Bethany Wright |
Musical Comedy with music by Cole Porter featuring popular songs such as I Get A Kick Out Of You; You’re The Top; Friendship; It’s De-Lovely; Blow, Gabriel, Blow; and Anything Goes.
Set on board a luxury cruiser on its way across the Atlantic Ocean to England the story revolves around Reno Sweeney, a beautiful evangelist-turned Night Club singer. Reno’s friend Billy Crocker is in love with elegant debutante Hope Harcourt and is determined to marry her. However, she is engaged to upper-class English gentleman Lord Evelyn Oakleigh and is due to marry him in three days time. The action and laughs come thick and fast with Billy assuming several disguises and Reno and Moonface concocting plans to assist him in his pursuit of Hope and avoiding capture.
| Musical Director – Gerard Mooney Producer – Greg Snape Stage Manager – Paul Rae Choreographer – Brent Grantham-Rae Cast of Characters Reno Sweeney – Vicky Toward Angels Hayley Bramham |
Chorus
Caroline Abbott |
PRESS REVIEW:
The Gainsborough Standard April 2007
Gainsborough Amateur Operatic Society has picked an award winning musical for its 2007 production. Sweet Charity which boasts songs such as Big Spender, If My Friends Could See Me Know and The Rhythm of Life is currently being staged at the Trinity Arts Centre.
From reviewing the musical on Tuesday night it was plain to see all society members and the band had put a lot of work into the annual production. This year for the very first time, the band was suspended on a platform above the stage which made the songs sound a lot louder. And it was nice to see the band behind a canopy instead of seeing the heads of the musicians as usual.
Sweet Charity is a tender, poignant and funny look at the adventures of a young woman Charity Hope Valentine. The musical opens with Charity being dumped by a man she had hoped to marry. After this she is left broken hearted and tells her colleagues at the ballroom where she works that she will never trust another man.
But as luck would have it, Charity meets her dream man Oscar Lindquist when the duo are trapped in an elevator. Oscar asks for Charity’s hand in marriage but will she finally leave her dead end job as a dance hall hostess and fulfill her dream of living happily ever after?
Charity is played by GAOS member Vicky Toward who has starred in other lead roles for the group. Other main characters who stood out include Oscar Lindquist played by Lindsay pepper, Helene played by Stephanie Yee and Nickie played by Jose Bruce.
The dancers and the girls who worked in the Fan-Dango Ballroom put on range of good and different dances with fantastic results.
The only criticism is that during one of the scenes in the hostess room it wasn’t possible to hear the three characters because parts of the stage were being moved behind them. But Sweet Charity is well worth seeing and is an entertaining night out for all the family. (AB)
Cast of Characters
Charity Hope Valentine – Vicky Toward
Helene – Stephanie Yee
Nickie – Jose Bruce
Carmen – Kerry Flynn
Rosie – Hazel Norton
Herman – Tony Graves
Ursula March – Katy Graves
Vittorio Vidal – Ian Neve
Oscar Lindquist – Lindsay Pepper
Daddy Brubeck – James Harty
Narrator – Susan Wragg
The Chorus and other parts
Lucy Adland, Catherine Bramham, Hayley Bramham,
Ashleigh Chapplelow, Veronica Eden, Sophie Goddard,
Margaret Green, Isaac Hardman, Rebecca Nelson,
Thomas Newboult, Paul Rae, Jennifer Robinson,
Philip Robinson, Dori Saunby, Kelly Scarsebrook,
Ruby Smythe, Vicky Woodhead, Elizabeth Yee
| Cast of Characters
Bobby Child – Phil Couch Sam – Garrie Foote |
Follies Girls
Hayley Bramham, |
Bobby, Polly & Bela
It is twenty years since the Gainsborough Amateur Operatic Society moved into the new Trinity Arts Centre. The names and faces have changed since then but the Society’s latest offering From Forties To Noughties proves that they can still produce an excellent standard of performance.
From Forties To Noughties was a musical celebration covering all the decades from V.E. day to present day. The set was simple but effective with the members sat grouped around tables when they weren’t singing. A musical Stave with bars depicting all the decades was pinned to the Back Drapes. This was very cleverly thought-out and looked very striking.
The members were dressed in clothes representing all six decades and the overall picture was very colourful. My own eyes were drawn to the head-banded hippie who Musical Director Gerard Mooney later referred to as “an Ozzy Osborne Lookalike”. Compliments are due to the Wardrobe department for creating such an image.
Chorus Numbers In The Mood and Chatanooga Choo Choo represented the 1940’s and set the tone for the evening with some very good harmonies coming through, particularly the train sounds from the men in the latter. Mr Mooney combined his duties as MD with that of Narrator and proved a very witty guide through the decades. Alwyn Hill led us into the 1950’s with a confident rendition of Rogers & Hammerstein’s If I Loved You which dripped with emotion. This was followed by Susan Wragg with an engaging interpretation of Fly Home Little Heart and the chorus singing Fly Me To The Moon.
As the Sixties came to the fore the Chorus sang Nat King Cole’s When I Fall In Love. The harmony was very tight in this one and I wasn’t quite sure whether they quite pulled it off. However, there were no doubts about Blue Suede Shoes, which really rocked and was one of the best numbers of the first half. The Chorus’ enjoyment of this number was infectious and seemed to lift the audience, which had been relatively quiet up to that point.
Sue Craig and Veronica Eden were next up with the Freddie And The Dreamers hit You Were Made For Me and showed great enthusiasm, as well as some smart co-ordinated moves. Nona Perkins stepped up with a fine interpretation of I Could Danced All Night from My Fair Lady. 2005 is Nona’s 50th year on the Amateur stage. She can still hold the audience’s attention and is a shining example to the youngsters in the Society.
No musical celebration would be complete without some Lennon & McCartney songs and the Chorus displayed some very tuneful harmony in a medley which featured Yesterday, A Long And Winding Road and Step Inside Love. This was followed by husband and wife team Jim and Karen Elvidge who gave an excellent version of the Fly Me To The North which had a distinct “Folkie” feel to it. Their two voices blended together very well and Jim’s guitar playing complimented it very nicely. Vicky Toward , Dawn Andrews and Gina Coles then combined “Supremely” to sing a Medley featuring several Motown hits. The first half drew to a rousing close with the Chorus singing the Abba hit “Mama Mia”, which again featured some good harmonious singing.
The Society were obviously busy in the break and came out for the Second Half dressed in their finery. The ladies were wearing a colourful and glittering array of dresses and the men, smart in White shirt, Black Bow ties and Black trousers. One of the men forgot to leave his jacket in the Dressing Room. This spoiled the effect slightly but will no doubt be rectified for the next performance. The Society kicked off the second half with a lively version of the Queen classic Don’t Stop Me Now.
This was followed by several excellent solos. Vicky Toward sang Maybe Next Time from Cabaret, which was a really good choice and gave ample scope to display her powerful melodic voice. Tony Graves followed this with a lovely rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s “ Bridge Of Troubled Water ”. Brent Grantham-Rae showed his vocal range with Anthem from Chess. Rosy Elvidge has sang with Gainsborough AOS since she was a child and possesses a pure sweet voice that belies her years for one who is still so young. She gave a excellent rendition of the difficult of Think Of Me solo from The Phantom Of the Opera which finished with a perfectly-executed collaratura.
Catherine Bramham and Susan Wragg sang a positive rendition of Blondie’s hit The Tide Is High. The Chorus then gave us some good harmonies an excellent medley of T.V. favourites composed by Howard Goodall which included Red Dwarf, Mr Bean and BlackAdder. Teenager Phillip Couch continues to show great promise and gave a confident interpretation of Stars from Les Miserables. The Chorus then demonstrated some more tuneful harmony in The Vicar Of Dibley, another Goodall arrangement. The Society continues to attract promising youngsters and four of the latest crop of Teenage girls gave a creditable version of Can You Feel The Love.
The Phantom Of the Opera featured again with Dan Chase and Gina Coles singing the popular duet All I Ask Of You and the Chorus then sang Masquerade. The men coped very well all night considering how few of them there were against the amount of ladies, but on this particular number they were slightly overpowered. This is an age-old problem and is countrywide – not just applicable to Gainsborough. However, there were some regulars missing and a few more men may step forward ready for when the Society stage their production of the new Gershwin musical Crazy for You next April.
The Chorus sang a very poignant version of Cole Porter’s Everytime We Say Goodbye and concluded the concert with Tony Christie’s rejuvenated hit Is This The Way To Amarillo. This was a very good choice and the audience joined in very enthusiastically, so much so that some of them were still singing it on their way out of the theatre.
From Forties To Noughties was a very entertaining evening. The Chorus sang very well night and it was encouraging to see so many of the members taking part in the solos, duets, etc, particularly the younger element of the Society. Ably led by Mr Mooney, the musical trio of Jen Kirk (Piano), Richard Oaks (Bass) and Mark Bonnett (Percussion) provided excellent support for the singers throughout the evening. There were two or three occasions, particularly on the up tempo Rock Numbers, when the latter forgot who he was backing and the singers struggled to be heard but this is only a minor point when you consider how many musical numbers were included.
Technically, there was an on-going problem with feedback from the sound system but the Trinity Arts Technicians did all they could to remedy the situation and no doubt it would be sorted out for the next performance. There were some interesting Lighting sequences, including particularly good effects from the Glitterball in some of the Second Half solos. However, on the downside there were also a few times when the stage was very dark. Again this would be no doubt improved upon for the next performance.
She was a member of the Management Committee for many years including a lengthly spell as General Secretary. In 1995 she returned to the Management Committee after an absence of 12 years. In 1996 she assumed the duties of Front of House Manager.
A keen fan of the Savoy Operas, Nona was a founder member of the Gainsborough Gilbert & Sullivan Etc Society, which existed from 1983 – 1993, playing leading roles in their concerts. She also was a member of the Lincoln Gilbert & Sullivan Society for several years, including appearing in a memorable production of The Yeomen Of The Guard set in Lincoln Castle and featuring ex-D’Oyly Carte performers playing the Principal roles. Nona also appeared in concerts with the Imperial Hall Players (based at Epworth) in the late 1990’s.
Nona returned to the stage with GAOS in 1996 for Underneath The Arches – the Society’s first venture into Music Hall and has appeared in most of the concerts since then. In 1999 she repeated her role as Mother Abbess in The Sound Of Music. She is appearing with the Society in this year’s production of Hello! Dolly! which marks her 50th year on the stage.
Nona was made a Life Member of the society in 1982 and is in possession of a NODA Long Service Medal and bars. Her husband Bernard has served Front of House for over 25 years and in November 1999 was a presented with a NODA Commendation in recognition of his service. Her three sons have all been involved with shows primarily with the Gainsborough AOS, and now with groups where they live.
(Steve Abbott -April 2005)
Yonkers Feed Store owner Horace Vandergelder, the well-known half-a-millionaire, is on the lookout for a new wife and has engaged Matchmaker Dolly Levi to assist him.
Dolly has arranged for him to meet Irene Molloy, an attractive widow, when he goes to New York to play in the 14th Street parade. Accompanying him on the trip is his weeping niece Ermengarde, who is in love with struggling artist, Ambrose Kemper.
Vandergelder’s assistants Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker take advantage of their boss’ absence and also head for New York. Vandergelder is waiting for Dolly and in order to avoid him seeing them seek refuge in the nearest shop.
Unfortunately this turns out to be Mrs Molloy’s Hat shop. Vandergelder enters the shop with Dolly and in the ensuing chaos she, along with Mrs Molloy and her young assistant Minnie Fay, succeed in hiding the two men.
Dolly suggests that Cornelius and Barnaby make amends for the chaos by taking the two girls to the famous Harmonia Gardens restaurant. She also arranges for Ambrose and Ermengarde to take part in the Polka competition being held there.
Dolly arranges for Vandergelder to meet Ernestina Money and arranges to take her along to the Harmonia Gardens. Dolly was a regular visitor to the venue when her first husband Ephraim Levi was alive and the waiters are thrilled to see her again.
The Harmonia Gardens is a hive of activity, what with the dancing competition in progress and the waiters dashing around delivering meals. Eventually all the parties meet up and pandemonium breaks out with them all ending-up in court.
Vandergelder is blamed for the disturbance and is locked up. While languishing in jail he realises that Dolly is the woman for him. Dolly turns up and rescues him and with everyone matched up everything ends happily ever after.
| Cast of Characters
Dolly Jane Mannion |
Chorus
Caroline Abbott |
GAOS SHAPE UP FOR MUSICAL TRIP AROUND THE WORLD GAOS SHAPE UP FOR MUSICAL TRIP AROUND THE WORLD
Fresh after their Summer Break Gainsborough Amateur Operatic Society have now restarted rehearsals for their Autumn concert . ‘Around The World In Song’ features music from popular musicals including Grease, Les Miserables, The Lion King, Mama Mia, Chess and Evita. If you are interested in joining the society please come along to rehearsals. These are held every Tuesday night at the Chesleigh Learning Centre, North Marsh Road from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
‘Around The World In Song’ is being staged at the Trinity Arts Centre on Friday 26th and Saturday 27th November at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available from the Trinity Arts Centre Box Office – Tel. 01427 676655.
