‘Me and My Girl’ is a very light hearted, fun, comedy show, jam packed with well-known songs including ‘The Sun Has Got His Hat On’, ‘Lambeth Walk’, ‘Leaning On A Lamppost’ and the title song ‘Me and My Girl’. If you would like to come and join the society we rehearse at Park Springs Community Centre, Riseholme Road, Gainsborough, every Tuesday 7.30pm – 9.30pm. Any questions please contact Vicky Toward 01427 615159.

Tickets are on sale now!

Prices:-

Ticket prices at £12.50

Concessions on Tuesday night and Sat. matinee at £10.

Family ticket available (2 adults + 2 children) for £45 available Tuesday – Saturday night

8 Principals plus maximum of 27 chorus.

COMPANY AUDITIONS – PARK SPRINGS COMMUNITY CENTRE 

Sunday 13 November at 2pm for group dance audition.

This will be followed by solo auditions – each person to sing a piece of his or her own choice and provide appropriate music.

Non-members attending the audition will be allowed to audition but if accepted into the Company their subscription must be paid on or before Sunday 4 December (or if not auditioning for a principal part) by the following Tuesday 6 December.

Stipulation that all persons accepted into the Company must ensure full attendance 1 week prior to the show and for the whole of the show week i.e. from and including Sunday 15 April to Saturday 28 April.  All persons will be requested to sign a written disclaimer as evidence that you have agreed and accepted this condition.

PRINCIPAL AUDITIONS – PARK SPRINGS COMMUNITY CENTRE 

Sunday 4 December between 1pm and 6pm.

Stipulation that those who are successful MUST make themselves available to attend ALL Tuesday, Thursday evening and Sunday afternoon rehearsals during the whole ofthe 4 weeks prior to the start of the show i.e. from and including Tuesday 27March 2011.

PRINCIPAL AUDITION PIECES

Bill Snibson: (No.20) Leaning on a Lamppost

Sally Smith: (No.10) Once You Lose your Heart

Maria, Duchess of Dene: (No.17) Song of Hareford

Sir John Tremayne: (No.18) Love Makes theWorld Go Round

Lady Jacqueline Carstone: (No.7) You Would if You Could

The Hon Gerald Bolingbroke: (No.14) The Sun Has Got His Hat On

Herbert Parchester: (No.4) The Family Solicitor

Sir Jasper Tring: No vocal audition

Vocal scores will be available from Tuesday 1st November at rehearsals. See Vicky.

Anyone wishing to borrow a score must first provide a £25 cheque, post – dated for Saturday 28th April (this is due to lost books in previous years costing the society £25 per book). Once your vocal score has been handed in on Saturday 28th April, your cheque will be returned to you. Please note you will not be able to borrow a book even for rehearsal purposes without first providing a cheque. Sorry for the inconvenience but GAOS cannot afford to pay for unreturned/ lost books.

Unfortunately, GAOS have only been provided with vocal scores, yet, thanks to Paul and Jo, you will be able to purchase the ‘Me and My Girl’ lib/script for £3 which will remain your personal copy.

Gainsborough theatre-goers were treated to a living history lesson of the Second World War when GAOS recently performed Lionel Bart’s Blitz!  The show has been hailed as Bart’s best musical with lots of catchy songs, giving the chorus plenty to do, and lots of minor roles, giving a sense of involvement for all the members of the Company rather than just the major principals.
Sadly Blitz! was totally over-shadowed by its predecessor Oliver! and has rarely been seen in London’s west-End.

Set in Petticoat Lane, London at the height of the Blitz the plot tells of a Community’s fight against the tragedies and traumas of war,  The show centred round the Blitzstein and Locke families with a constant feud between Herring stall owner Mrs Blitzstein (Elizabeth Roberts) and Greengrocer Mr Locke (Ashley Wingham).  These two were only talking to each other through her daughter Carol(Sarah Norvock) and his son Georgie (Adam Saunby).  Inevitably these two fall in love and overcoming the tragedy that befalls them both helps Mrs Blitzstein forget her prejustices and welcome Georgie into the family.  She declares that that she is more proud of him than her own son, Harry (Alan Trevor), who shows his colours as a womanisng, charmer, and a petty criminal who deserts from the army.

A packed Trinity Arts centre audience were drawn into the show as soon as the Overture started when the curtain opened to reveal the stage depicting the Bank London Underground Station. The lights then went out, sirens sounded and members from the cast poured in from the all entrances of auditorium and onto the stage to launch into the rousing opening number. It was all the more convincing on the night I went as some bemused late-comers and an usherette were caught-up in the action!
The main characters were then introduced to the audience when Mr Locke’s friend Ernie Nearmiss (David Walters) came on with soldiers Georgie and Harry, who  are on embarkation leave.  Harry has brought married lady Joyce Matthews (Kelly Scarsebrook) with him (who he picked-up on the train home) much to the annoyance of his on-off girlfriend Elsie (Vicky Toward) and his Mum.  Georgie confides in Harry about his love for Carol.

The sound of bombing is all around and the residents crowd around the wireless where the news is not good. However, hope shines through as they all join in with Vera Lynn singing The Day After Tomorrow.  The devastation affects all the community with the Lockes and Blitzsteins taking in other families when their homes are wiped out.  The community spirit shines through as the Company heartily sing Who’s This Geezer Hitler.  The next day the Children sing a lively rendition of We’re Going To The Country and board the train to take them out of the city.  Carol and Georgie have a night out together and pledge their love for each other, combining well in Opposites  – a lovely duet, which displayed their fine voices and featured an elegant dance sequence.  With the sound of bombing over head,  they encounter Mrs Blitzstein, who is looking for Harry and split-up to help her find him, agreeing that Carol will see him off at the train station the next day.  Mrs B sees Harry first – out with some dubious characters carrying a load of stolen lead.  As Harry scuttles away, the sound of the bombing increases and hearing an awful cry, Mrs B heads for the direction where Carol went.  When the morning comes and the soldiers board the train, there is no sign of Harry and Mrs B arrives just in time to see Georgie off on Carol’s behalf, after spending the night at the hospital.

The second half opens with the plaintive song Faraway sung by a blinded, Carol who has not heard anything from Georgie for some time.  The mood is lightened a little by the traders selling their wares singing Petticoat Lane On A Sunday Morning which they follow up with Down The Lane, which heralds the child evacuees returning from the country.  The children play together and sing the lusty Mums And Dads, which was very-funny and heartily-sung – one of the best songs in the show.  Mrs Blitzstein pours her heart out to her late husband with So Tell Me Jack, a powerfully delivered emotional song, in which she updates him with what has happened to the family since his demise.  A drunken Georgie appears – he has been invalided out of the army and is a changed-man, bitter after his experiences in the warzone and confused over his feelings for Carol.
Mrs B reunites him with Carol and a wedding is quickly organised.  Mr Locke and Mr Nearmiss, unhappy at Georgie marrying “the enemy” are in a quandary whether to go and only decide to go at the
last minute.  Harry re-appears and brings a present for the happy couple repenting his ways and intending to do what Duty Calls.  However, before he has chance to give himself up Mr Nearmiss reports him to the authorities and he is arrested.  Everyone disperses and Mrs B muses over her retirement
after handing over her Pickled-Herring stall to the newly weds when there are load bangs and smoke before the stage goes into darkness.  Mr Locke is first on the scene and assists
the firemen in retrieving a body from the debris only to find himself berated by Mrs B – nothing changes even with a war going on!

Blitz! was a good  inventive production – well-directed by Greg Snape and featured plenty of lively dancing, splendidly choreographed by Brent Grantham-Rae, to suit the various moods of the songs.  The Orchestra, though a little loud at times, were well controlled by Musical Director Gerard Mooney and produced a good sound.  The Musical Numbers were well-sung
by the Company – my own particularly favourites were: Our Hotel, Leave It To The Ladies sung by Elsie (Vicky Toward), Duty Calls. Mums and Dads, Who Wants To Settle Down and the poignant The Day After Tomorrow.   Both the Lighting and Sound were used to good effect and the special effects, especially during the bombing raids, were generally well-timed and very effective.
The costumes suited the period well and with quite a large Company it was obvious that a lot of work had gone into getting them right.

The Principals were well cast.  Elizabeth Roberts gave a commanding performance as Mrs Blitzstein and dominated the stage as the character should.  Her singing was strong, whether she was leading the chorus or singing the more complex numbers like So Tell Me Jack or Tell Him, Tell Her. Despite the subject matter there is much humour in the show – much of this coming from the pairing of Mr Locke (Ashley Wingham) and Mr Nearmiss (David Walters) – particularly the latter.  Alan Trevor displayed an easy charm as Harry and put his songs over well.  Teenagers Adam Saunby (Georgie) and Sarah Norvock (Carol) both played their characters to a tee and sang well too.  Above all the performers really looked as if they were enjoying their selves.

Blitz! was definitely a hit with the audience too as many went humming the tunes.

Gainsborough Amateur Operatic Society’s rehearsals for ‘Blitz!’ are well under way, heading for performances being
staged in September.

GAOS have taken on a real challenge in producing two shows this year and cast
members are now being put through their paces by professional Director Greg
Snape, Musical Director Gerry Mooney and Choreographer Brent Grantham-Rae.

Twenty five local children have been recruited and take on roles in the show alongside
an adult cast of thirty.

‘Blitz!’, set in 1940, centres on the matriarchal Mrs. Blitztein (played
by Liz Roberts) and her large family, especially her petty-criminal son Harry
(Alan Trevor) and her daughter Carol (Sarah Norvock) who falls in love with
Georgie Locke (Adam Saunby) the son of Alfred Locke (Ashley Wingham). Of course
there is a feud going on between Mrs Blitztein and Alfie Locke which makes
matters more interesting! The characters deal with many situations, some
humorous, some tragic, and eventually find their own individual peace against
the background of war. For his inspiration, Bart drew on his own experiences of
living in London during the Second World War and paints a vivid picture of what
life was like living with the relentless German bombing raids.

Blitz! will be performed at the Trinity Arts Centre from 13^th  – 17^th
September, evening shows from 7.30pm, Saturday matinee from 2.30pm.

Tickets: £10 (concessions £9 on Tuesday and Saturday Matinee only).

Family ticket – 2 adults, 2 children £35 Saturday Matinee only.

Tickets can be purchased at the Trinity Arts Centre box office.

Tel.: 01427 676655 or book on-line at www.trinityarts.co.uk

‘Blitz!’ is set in the 1940′s East End of London and is taking a terrible pounding from Hitler’s bombs. Life, however, goes on, centring around the matriarchal Mrs. Blitztein and her large family, especially her petty-criminal son Harry and her beautiful daughter Carol. They all fight their own particular battles with neighbours and authorities alike, through many situations, many humorous, some tragic, and eventually find their own individual peace. Providing scope for a large cast, it features many hit songs, including “The Day After Tomorrow”, “Who’s This Geezer Hitler?”, and “Mums and Dads”.

Gainsborough Amateur Operatic Society is staging Lionel Bart’s Blitz! musical at the Trinity Arts Centre on 13^th to 17^th September 2011 and need children to be in the show.

This is a fantastic opportunity for both boys and girls to perform with GAOS in a professional theatre, accompanied by a full orchestra in a full blown stage production. The children will be in the chorus; however there is also named character parts to play.

Children will need to be between the ages of 8 and 14 years old but under 5ft tall.

Rehearsals will be from June to September; however the children will be needed to be available from 3^rd September for intense rehearsals.

Auditions are on Sunday 19^th June 2-5 pm atSt. Thomas’s Catholic Church,Cross Street, off Spital Terrace, Gainsborough.

Children need to sing any song of their choice, either with cd, sheet music or unaccompanied.

If you are interested please contact Joanna Simpson on 01427 839928, email gaostreasurer@hotmail.com or turn up on the day.

Although the ‘Hot Mikado’ is not a well known musical and mostly associated with the earlier work of Gilbert and Sullivan, GAOS’s rendition of this modern take on a classic musical comedy has been a huge success.

The cast and crew have thoroughly enjoyed putting on this show which contrasted very much with last year’s ‘Oliver’.

The bright setting, extravagant props and beautiful costumes all came together and the cast just couldn’t help bopping along to all of the songs backstage. After taking part in the show, I can honestly say that none of us will be getting those songs out of our heads for a while!!

Congratulations to everyone who took part, and also a special congratulations to Kelly Scarsebrook, one of our younger members who was the first person to receive the Mike Pickle’s award, especially made to support younger members, for her amazing contribution to the society.

A musical comedy based on the great Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘Mikado’ adapted by David Bell and Rob Bowman is a witty musical that will have the whole family laughing.

The cast list is as follows:

GAOS' poster for 'Hot Mikado'

The show will take place from 12th – 16th April 2011, evening shows start at 7:30pm and the saturday matinee starts at 2:30pm.

All tickets can be purchased at the box office; Trinity Arts Centre – Gainsborough.

Box Office: 01427 676655

www.trinityarts.co.uk

Hope to see you there!!