Your Midlands and Shropshire am dram guide
At a time when amateur theatre is facing so many financial constraints, particularly those larger groups who perform in professional venues, it is still good to see donations to local charities are being made.
Manor Musical Theatre Company from Sutton Coldfield were delighted when their chairman Lynne Ridge recently handed over a cheque for £300 to Clare Whittaker from Helping Hands of Birmingham, an organisation which helps to feed and clothe the homeless people of the city. This is a plight which all too many people are suffering at the moment and one which seems unlikely to disappear.
This charity-focused group has donated many thousands of pounds since their first show back in 1953, with a variety of fund-raising activities, including carol singing over the festive period, which resulted in them also being able to donate to Acorns Children’s Hospice.
Manor’s next production is The Addams Family, a musical black comedy bursting with energy, song and dance. More about the show nearer the time, but for now let’s say a huge thank you to Manor Musical Theatre Company for continuing to help others less fortunate.
l For information on this group, visit manormusicaltheatrecompany.co.uk
In the same area, The Company of the Curtain will be presenting Love, Life and Laughter from February 5-9 at Curdworth Village Hall.
This is a light-hearted, hilarious look at the various aspects of the lives of ordinary people, presented in four acts.
Simple but effective theatre to entertain everyone.
l For more information, contact Anne Fitzgerald on 01675 463095, or visit www.companyofthecurtain.com
The Death of Me is a comedic murder mystery by Christine Foster, which The Circle Players from Aldridge will perform from February 13-16 at Aldridge Youth Theatre.
What happens when you find out you are dead, with no idea how it happened? How do you move on?
When five friends meet to celebrate the purchase of their new business venture, a recently renovated country inn, little do they know that there are ghostly goings-on afoot. The ghosts cannot change the past or the future, but simply observe.
For those with a carefree, cheery view of the afterlife, this is a must.
l For tickets visit www.thecircleplayers.co.uk or visit the group’s Facebook page.
The young performers at Brierley Hill Musical Theatre Youth Group are all set to rock the house with their latest show, Rock of Ages, which they will present this summer.
The show has a host of banging tunes including Don’t Stop Believin’, We Built This City, Dead or Alive, Waiting for a Girl Like You, Here I Go Again and of course, The Final Countdown.
July seems a long way off, but there is a launch night and read through on January 28 at Brierley Hill Civic Hall at 7.30pm, so if you fancy some head banging, hair shaking and rocking out, visit the group’s Facebook page to organise an audition!
The search for men to take part in musical theatre productions continues, as Rugeley Musical Theatre Company seek gentlemen to play Wild Bill Hickok and his cowboys for their version of Calamity Jane, which the group will present from 1-4 May at The Rose Theatre and Community Hall.
There is no audition and no experience is necessary. All ages over 15 and abilities are welcome!
l For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page or http://www.rmtcweb.co.uk or email emily@ftp.rmtcweb.co.uk
Over at Sutton Arts Theatre, you can catch a production of the rather saucy Ding Dong, a comedy adapted from Marc Camoletti’s French play, Sexe et Jalousie. Be prepared for anticipated infidelity, cover-up and mistaken identity; all the ingredients of a good old farce!
Bernard discovers that his wife is having an affair with Robert. He therefore invites Robert and his wife to dinner. Add in a put-upon maid and a call-girl and the stage is set for an awkward, yet hilarious dinner party with complications galore!
Funny if you like that sort of thing, and no doubt executed perfectly by this talented group.
l For tickets, visit www.suttonartstheatre.co.uk or call 0121 355 5355.
The Wolverhampton Literature Festival kicks off on February 1-3, with a play entitled A Rebel Against Injustice about Emma Sproson, presented by Central Youth Theatre at the City Archives. Then follows three days of pure entertainment through workshops, performances, readings and family events.
l Visit www.wolvesliteraturefestival for more information.
Pantomime is still hanging on by its fingernails and over at the Belfrey Theatre in Wellington, the resident group there is presenting Jack and the Beanstalk from January 25-27, then February 1-3.
With lots of songs and jokes, this is a traditional family panto for everyone to enjoy.
Can Jack save the people of Merrydale from the scary giant and his horrible henchmen! Will the king be able to satisfy the giant demands for more money and will Jack, Jill and Daisy the Cow live happily ever after? You know they will – it’s panto!
l For tickets, visit www.belfreytheatre.com or call 01952 222277.
Finally this week, amateur theatre remains a family affair it would seem. Elizabeth Smith, better known to her am dram chums as Mal, now boasts three generations of her family involved in am dram.
She and her husband Pete have been members of the Walsall-based group The Grange Players for many years, while son Dan performs semi-professional comedy around the Midlands.
Now Dan’s son Elliott is appearing in a leading role in Aldridge Youth Theatre’s pantomime. Talk about keeping it in the family! It just goes to prove what an addictive, happy hobby this is. In fact, I was speaking to my colleague Will Beavis earlier this week and he has returned to the stage after thirty plus years, taking part in pantomime alongside his daughter.
Will told me that he hadn’t been on stage since his school days, but the atmosphere was electric! He is definitely hooked again.
Well, that’s all for this week. Send all your news together with good quality colour photos to a.norton@expressandstar.co.uk, call me on 01902 319662 or follow me on Twitter.
