Am dram with Alison Norton
This has been an exciting but sad week in a way.
Claudia Gilmour, the former head of creative learning at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre waved us farewell and headed off to Canada on an adventure of a lifetime.
Claudia was instrumental in the launch of the unique Grand Arena Youth Theatre and now leaves it in the capable hands of James Sykes, Fran Richards and Alex Turner, encouraging youngsters to devise their own theatrical works.
Check-In is the group's first work, which explores social media and migration, examining what happens when the online and physical worlds collide.
The piece is a result of a term's worth of exploration into playfulness, improvisation, physical theatre and devising, with Act One being presented by the junior group and Act Two by the seniors.
This is not just a youth group who learn to sing, dance and act and then put on a show, however.
The techniques and skills Alex, Fran and James are able to bring to the floor will stretch the minds of their young performers and teach them to use their imagination in their performance, not just to learn and repeat.
Check-In takes place on February 4 at the Arena Theatre in Wolverhampton. For tickets, priced at £8 and £6 for concessions, call 01902 321321 or visit www.wlv.ticketsolve.com – there are performances at 3pm and 7pm.
A new show which has become quite popular with amateur groups recently is Made in Dagenham. There is a very specific character to be cast in this show however, and it is not easy to find an actor who can portray him it would appear.
Are you a potential Harold Wilson? If so, Kinver Light Operatic Society will welcome you with open arms! For more information or to offer your political services, call 07429 095987.
Tettenhall Operatic Company is presenting The Merry Widow by Franz Lehar this weekend at the Towers Theatre within Tettenhall College.
This wonderful operetta tells the tale of Hanna Galwari, a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt to keep her money in the principality by finding her the right husband. It is based on on an 1861 comedy play, L'attaché d'ambassade (The Embassy Attaché), by Henri Meilhac.
Obviously the original version was written in German but has been translated in many languages, including English and French, and has been made into both a ballet and a film as well as gracing the stage. The libretto is wonderfully witty and the score contains some of the best-loved tunes from operettas including Vilia, You'll Find Me At Maxim's and, of course, the title song, The Merry Widow Waltz.
There is also a very energetic Can-Can in most versions I have seen previously. Let's see if this group do one too!
You can catch The Merry Widow on February 4 at 7.30pm and February 6 at 2.30pm.
Tickets are £10 each and are available by calling Marilyn Goodwin on 01902 751729, or they can also be purchased on the door.
Stafford Players, who perform at The Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, are presenting Hindle Wakes from February 14 to 18, a play by Stanley Houghton, one of the Manchester school of playwrights.
Set in the fictional mill town of Hindle in Lancashire, Fanny Hawthorn and Alan Jeffcote are discovered to have spent a naughty weekend together during the town's Wakes Week, to the dismay and horror of their respective families. Fanny is a mill hand at a factory owned by Alan's father and while their respective fathers were childhood friends, Mr Jeffcote senior became the owner while Mr Hawthorn remained on the shop floor. Add to that the complication that Alan is in fact engaged to another girl and it's a complete tale of woe. Both families put pressure on Alan and Fanny to marry, but then Fanny makes a decision which shocks them all.
I am assured that if you liked Hobson's Choice, you will also love this play. For tickets visit www.staffordplayers.co.uk or call the theatre's box office on 01785 619080.
News of an audition now. The National Youth Theatre is holding an open audition for young performers aged between 14 and 25 years on February 18 and 19.
They are inviting more than 500 youngsters to take part in acting and backstage courses during August this year.
For more information visit www.nyt.org.uk or call 020 36967066.
In Shropshire, Llanymynech Amateur Dramatic Society would like to thank everyone for their support at their recent charity concert.
The group is thrilled to announce they raised a total of £800 to be split between their two chosen charities – The Movement Centre and Prostrate Cancer UK.
As ever, amateur performers continue to support those less fortunate and help to fund causes which we may all be affected by. Well done ladies.
Finally this week, I cannot tell you how excited I am for the release of the forthcoming Disney movie Beauty and the Beast, my favourite fairytale.
Starring Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as the beast, it promises to be a delight and the live trailers promoting the film look stunning.
To coincide with the release, Market Drayton Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society is presenting Beauty and the Beast the pantomime at the Festival Drayton Centre from February 22 to 25.
This tale really is a delight for everyone. It is touching, engaging, fun and even scary at times; just the thing for all the family.
For tickets – priced at £8.50 and £7.50 for concessions – visit www.festivaldraytoncentre.com or call 01630 654444.
Well that's all for this week. Please email me details of your shows, concerts and events. Remember to include some good quality photos as well, and send them to a.norton@expressandstar.co.uk, or call me on 01902 319662 or follow me on Twitter
@AlisonNorton
Break a leg!
