Your Midlands and Shropshire am dram guide

As with best musicals, Evita is based on truth and follows the young and ambitious Eva Peron's meteoric rise to sainthood.

Set in Argentina between 1934 and 1952, the Tony Award-winning musical follows Eva Duarte on her journey from poor illegitimate child to ambitious actress to, as wife of military leader-turned-president Juan Peron, the most powerful woman in Latin America.

The events in Evita's life are presented in song and commented on by the show's narrator, Che.

The whole show is sung, with the classic musical theatre highlights including Don't Cry for Me Argentina, Oh What A Circus, High Flying, Adored, On This Night of a Thousand Stars and Another Suitcase in Another Hall.

The longest established amateur musical society in the Black Country, Cradley Heath Amateur Operatic Society, is presenting Evita from November 12 to 16 at Stourbridge Town Hall.

Spokesperson for the group, Paul Murdock, said, “Heading the cast in the iconic role of Eva Peron, is Liz Compton, who is relishing all the hard work that goes into such a demanding and rewarding character.”

“Paul Gardner who recently moved to the Black Country from Nottingham where he has performed in shows such as Me and My Girl and Anything Goes plays Che, and taking on the role of Juan Peron is Chris Psaras who recently produced Brierley Hill MTC's Youth Show 'Rock of Ages’.”

“We are enormously excited to be able to bring this show to the Dudley Area and the stage of Stourbridge Town Hall for the first time ever, continuing the vast history of musical theatre in the Black Country.”

The production team for the show is impressive too, with Director Steve Humpherson, Musical Director Chris Handley and Choreographer Richard Lathbury-Howell at the helm of this talented company.

A partner at the Lytton School of Dance based in Wolverhampton, Richard has appeared in a number of productions of Evita himself, including a professional tour, and therefore, as the song says, brings his own little bit of star quality to this production.

Tickets are £15.00 on opening night and Saturday matinee and £17.00 on Wednesday to Saturday evenings. Please call 0121 585 7380 or visit www.chaosoperatics.co.uk to book.

In complete contrast, Stafford Players are presenting the timeless comedy and long running BBC favourite The Vicar of Dibley, on the main stage at the Stafford Gatehouse Theatre from November 6 to 9.

Meet the eccentric inhabitants of rural Dibley. There’s zany Alice, Jim (no no no no yes), Mrs Cropley of cookery infamy and Frank, the indefatigable minute taker, to mention but a few, who are all shocked by the arrival of their boisterous new vicar, the unexpectedly female Geraldine Grainger.

In this production, Holly Spencer takes the much-envied role of Geraldine, with Keith Minshull as bossy chairman, David Horton, Barbara Horton as Mrs Cropley and Clare Balkwill and David Harfield as Alice and Hugo.

The stage play is by Ian Gower and Paul Carpenter, adapted from the original TV series by Richard Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer, ardent supporters of Comic Relief and the society is pleased to announce that that all the money they have paid for performing rights and scripts for the play will go straight to the charity.

Tickets are £11, with concessions at £10 available at www.staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk or by calling 01785 619080.

There’s more comedy too at Pattingham village hall from November 13 to 16 at 7pm nightly, as Pattingham Drama Group presents another BBC hit, Last of the Summer Wine.

Join them as they catch up with the three aged musketeers in this hilarious stage adaptation of the much-loved TV classic.

Bob Hughes will appear as Clegg, with George Kinnell as Foggy and Henry Ibberson as Compo. And who could forget the infamous Nora Batty? Well in this case, Tina Summers will be playing the matriarch of the dales, complete with wrinkled stockings and hairnet.

For tickets, visit the group’s Facebook page or email boxoffice@pattinghamdramagroup.co.uk.

At All Saints Church in West Bromwich, you can catch a production of Alan Ayckbourn’s comedy Family Circles, presented by All Saints Players from November 13 to 15.

Looking at Edward Grey’s three daughters and their unsuitable husbands, it is difficult to disagree with the pronouncement that we all marry the wrong person.

A new member to the group, Michelle Collins will play Polly, with Mark Burrows as David, Emma Davis as Deirdre and James Davis as the aptly named character James.

Spokesperson for the group, Ken Ford said: “Rehearsals are going well, it’s a really good loff.”

For tickets for Family Circles, call 0121 588 4786 or 0121 357 4248.

This group is also seeking new members both on stage and off, so for more information call Ken Ford on 07773000020, 0121 358 1141, or email kenford98@btinternet.com You can also follow the group on Facebook.

Finally this week, the festive season is just around the corner it would seem, as the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre has been celebrating with a musical version of the much-loved movie, Nativity, but that is not the only Christmas cracker set in a primary school.

From November 14 to 16, Horsehay Amateur Dramatic Society, based in Telford, is presenting Tim Firth’s hilarious comedy, The Flint Street Nativity at their local village hall.

Miss Horrocks’ class of seven- year- olds (all played by adults) is about perform their nativity play at Flint Street Junior School for the proud mums and dads-and the occasional social worker.

But squabbles arise when Gabriel wants to play Mary, the Star grumbles he’s not a proper star like they have at NASA, Herod won’t stop waving to his mum and dad and the subversive innkeeper is determined to liven up the traditional script. And then the stick insect escapes! It’s total mayhem but loads of fun!

For tickets visit www.hads.me/whats-on-tickets or contact 01952 610555.

That’ all for this week. Please keep sending me all your news and good quality colour photos to a.norton@expressandstar.co.uk, call me on 01902 319662 or follow me on Twitter @AlisonNorton or Facebook.

Break a leg!