Your Midlands and Shropshire am dram round up
One of the best loved musicals of all time has to be Singin’ in the Rain. This iconic movie starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds has all the elements of true musical theatre; a laugh out loud script, wonderful score and the best dancing feet in the business.
It adapts perfectly to the stage too and although it is a hard show to produce, it’s well worth the effort.
The Little Theatre in Donnington is the latest group to tackle Singin’ in the Rain, from November 2-4, with performances at 7.30pm nightly.
Set in the waning days of the Hollywood silent movies, the talented, handsome film star Don Lockwood and his beautiful but dim co-star, Lena Lamont, struggle to make the transition to ‘the talkies’. While Don will make the ideal talking hero, Lina’s hideous New York accent and ear shattering singing voice cause considerable problems! Then in steps the girl next door, Cathy Selden and together with Don’s longstanding pianist and best friend, Cosmo Brown, they come up with a very clever way to resolve the nightmare!
Director Vikki Lee says: “Rehearsals have been tremendous fun, with the added bonus of having to make some black and white movies to be screened as part of the show, something very new to us, but I’m sure the audience will love it.”
With a score which includes, Fit as a Fiddle, You Are My Lucky Star, All I Do the Whole Night Through Is Dream of You, You Stepped Out of a Dream and Make ‘Em Laugh and the title tune to tap dance to among the rain drops, it’s pure musical theatre magic!
l For tickets for this wonderful show, visit www.littletheatredonnington.co.uk
From November 8-11, you can catch a production of Ray Cooney’s comedy It Runs in the Family, presented by Albrighton Players Drama Group at Albrighton Primary School.
Chairman of the group Keith Ellis describes the show as ‘being set in a hospital, this spectacular farce contains the usual assortment of farcical nuts running in and out of doors mistaking everybody for someone else, while Dr Mortimore tries to fend off a paternity suit, an ex-wife, a punkish son and various other dodgy characters so that he may at last, deliver the Ponsonby Lecture to a select and exclusive international conference’.
Sounds like mayhem!
l For tickets priced at £8 and £7 for concessions, call 07434830142 or visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/albrightonplayers
Over in Birmingham at the Crescent Theatre on November 14-18, The Arcadians Musical Theatre Company is presenting the classic musical comedy Guys and Dolls.
It’s a world where high-rolling gambler Sky Masterson is always on the lookout for the next dice game but does not bank on meeting and falling in love with a Mission Doll, Salvation Army gal, Sarah Brown.
In true gambling style, fellow gambler Nathan Detroit bets Sky that he cannot take Sarah to Havana on an overnight stay, but the stakes are high and it’s too good a bet to miss! Meanwhile Nathan’s long-term girlfriend and somewhat faded showgirl, Miss Adelaide, is determined to marry the no-good Nathan. After all, they have been engaged for 14 years!
The score contains classics including Marry the Man Today, If I Were a Bell, Luck Be a Lady and the rousing ensemble number, Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat!
l For tickets visit the group’s Facebook Page or call 0121 643 5858.
The Crescent is also playing host to Hobson’s Choice from November 11-25 in The Studio.
Brighouse’s comedy play is set in Salford around 1880, where bootmaker and widower, Henry Hobson, a pillar of the local society, fond of his drink but miserly and tyrannical at home, refuses to countenance the marriage of his three daughters, all of whom work for no wages in the family business. But when the oldest, Maggie, takes matter into her own hands and announces she is to wed her father’s employee, Will Moffatt, it isn’t long before her sisters follow suit and father is devastated.
l Hobson’s Choice is witty, clever and extremely entertaining.For tickets visits www.crescent-theatre.co.uk or call 0121 643 5858.
From November 1-4 Get Your Wiggle On who perform at Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury, will be presenting Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, a gloriously magical production of this classic tale, not to be confused with a pantomime. This is very much musical theatre, with beautiful costumes and scenery, plus a live orchestra and is recommended for all ages.
l For tickets call 01743 281281 or visit www.theatreservern.co.uk
The Oldbury Rep is hosting a production of Brian Clemen’s murder mystery, Holmes and the Ripper from November 4-11.
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson become embroiled in the grisly murders in Whitechapel in 1888, courtesy of Jack the Ripper. It’s guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat, with a twists right until the end.
l For tickets visit www.oldburyrep.org or call 0121 552 2761
Manor Musical Theatre Company will be performing Kiss Me Kate in April 2018 at the Sutton Coldfield Town Hall. They’re on the look out for male dancers to join the show.
If you’re aged 16 or over, contact 0121 378 0507 or visit www.manormusicaltheatrecompany.co.uk.
This group has also been fundraising, and recently made a donation of £500 to the Midlands Air Ambulance. This latest donation will bring their total to £5,500 to this worthy cause. Well done guys, I am proud to see amateurs donating in this way.
Finally this week, from November 7-11, Stafford Players are presenting Break the Enigma Code, a play by Hugh Whitemore. It’s based on the book, Alan Turing: The Enigma, written by Andrew Hodges.
Depicting the tale of Alan Turning, the breaker of the Enigma Code at Bletchley Park during the Second World War, this drama explains through performance who the man was, what happened to him and why.
l For tickets priced at £9 and £8 for concessions, call 01785 619080 or visit www.staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk
l That’s all for this week. Please keep those emails and good quality photos coming to a.norton@expressandstar.co.uk, call me on 01902 319662 or follow me on Twitter @AlisonNorton
Break a leg!
