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Post by TallPaul on Jan 7, 2019 14:37:44 GMT
That's too bad! Do you find yourself wondering how you ever found time to go to work?  Are you on the (e)mailing list of the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, which is the main, though not exclusively, amateur theatre in the fine city of York? ( www.josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk/ ) In the slightly less fine city of Sheffield, two of the 'big three' amateur companies use the Lyceum Theatre, which I know is already on your radar, and the third uses the City Hall, which is a concert venue rather than a theatre. The 'smaller' amateur operatic societies mainly use either the Montgomery Theatre ( themontgomery.org.uk/TheMontgomery.dll/Home ) or the Drama Studio, which is owned by Sheffield University. The website for the latter isn't that helpful at the moment (perhaps everyone has been on holiday!). Although it isn't used exclusively by university societies, SUPAS seem particularly ambitious. ( www.supassheffield.com/ ) I'll keep looking, and thinking, until I'm spent, or told otherwise!!! |
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Post by FrontroverPaul on May 19, 2019 8:48:14 GMT
Thought I'd bump up this thread with a mention of a musical I've never seen and know nothing about .
Stephen Schwartz's Children Of Eden is being staged at the Winston Churchill Theatre in Ruislip this coming week.
I haven't booked yet, partly because there's matinee and no reserved seats and but also I do generally avoid religious material in any format.
Any views or recommendations ?
( I've seen two "rare" - to me - musicals recently, Bonnie and Clyde and Side Show, both at Southend's Palace Theatre. Both were of the highest standard of amateur musicals and both really good stories and songs)
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Post by FrontroverPaul on May 19, 2019 13:24:25 GMT
To update my previous post, I see now that there are a couple of full length versions of Children Of Eden on You Tube.
Off to London to see Carousel at Cadogan Hall shortly so will be viewing one of them when I return.
There's so much good stuff on You Tube - including both Bonnie & Clyde and Side Show !
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Jul 6, 2019 22:23:46 GMT
A couple of amateur musicals that aren't performed too often
Girlfriends, Howard Goodall's musical, is at Brentwood Theatre from 10 -13 July.
Spring Awakening is back at Stockwell Theatre also from 10-13 July. I've booked both on Saturday 13 July.
Nunsense, not that rare but good fun, is at Brookside Theatre Romford from 17 - 20 July.
Always interested in similar amateur productions anywhere within 200 miles of London !
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Post by demelza on Jul 7, 2019 0:38:15 GMT
Hello, me again with a Southend shout! LODS are performing R&H Cinderella in November
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Post by Fleance on Jul 7, 2019 2:59:48 GMT
I'd love to see (in the UK) amateur productions of two Bock and Harnick musicals that I love: Fiorello and Tenderloin. Both great scores. Fiorello tied with The Sound of Music for the Best Musical Tony Award in its year. Both shows are very New York, subject-wise, the one about the rise of Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, the other about the 1890s NYC red-light district. Tenderloin was not a big hit, but the score is great, including the beautiful ballad "Artificial Flowers."
A favorite musical that does regularly get performed by amateur groups in the U.S. is Li'l Abner. Great score, fun show, lots of good opportunities for amateur casting.
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Jul 7, 2019 6:54:24 GMT
Hello, me again with a Southend shout! LODS are performing R&H Cinderella in November Thanks. I've not seen that Cinderella on stage, only the DVD, so would normally have booked it immediately. However it's also on at Thameside Theatre in Grays the previous month which I've already booked. |
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Post by highonahill on Jul 7, 2019 8:31:02 GMT
Great thread. If you fancy a trip to the South Coast give BROS Musical Productions (IG, Facebook, a follow. Our home is the Alexandra Theatre in Bognor Regis. We've just had a sell out production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and next is a concert is next in Oct with a 26 piece orchestra and cast of 50 followed by Chicago in May 2020. Over our 94 year history (!) we've done many old favourites and a fair few 'rare' gems like The Will Rogers Follies (we are doing the Campaign song in the concert), The Scarlet Pimpernel and Hot Mikado. Often though, ticket sales are poor for the less-well known stuff, despite them often being the most rewarding for those involved... Choice of rarer shows is always balanced with what we hope will be 'box office' for our demographic. I've been in some seldom performed & small cast shows over the years: Balancing Act (a pre-Nunsense Dan Goggin 6 hander), The Mitford Girls (I believe as the only amateur company to do this show, first performed at CFT in the 80s), Return to the Forbidden Planet (cult status apparently, we had a family come to see us from Devon I believe as they tried to see every production of it!), Snoopy!, Dames at Sea and The Drowsy Chaperone. Anyway, we'd love for forum members to come and check us out if we put on something 'rare' enough! |
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Post by highonahill on Jul 7, 2019 8:34:10 GMT
I'd love to see (in the UK) amateur productions of two Bock and Harnick musicals that I love: Fiorello and Tenderloin. Both great scores. Fiorello tied with The Sound of Music for the Best Musical Tony Award in its year. Both shows are very New York, subject-wise, the one about the rise of Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, the other about the 1890s NYC red-light district. Tenderloin was not a big hit, but the score is great, including the beautiful ballad "Artificial Flowers." A favorite musical that does regularly get performed by amateur groups in the U.S. is Li'l Abner. Great score, fun show, lots of good opportunities for amateur casting. I've been in Li'l Abner... Absolutely cracking show to perform in and Jubilation T Cornpone is one of my all time favourite ensemble numbers! |
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Post by robertb213 on Jul 7, 2019 11:16:03 GMT
I'm sure there's a conspiracy against me to not perform R&H's Cinderella anywhere that I can easily get to! It's been on my list to see for ages. If anyone hears of any other productions of it, let me know. And The Music Man. And Nine. And Newsies. I'll stop now... 😀
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3,333 posts
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Post by Dr Tom on Jul 7, 2019 14:53:53 GMT
Thanks for the heads up on R&H Cinderella. Is it the original version or the 2013 version?
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3,333 posts
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Post by Dr Tom on Jul 7, 2019 15:05:52 GMT
Thanks for the heads up on R&H Cinderella. Is it the original version or the 2013 version? To answer my own question, Southend is the 1957 version (from the R&H website). Can't find Grays listed at all. The 1997 version is on at: Melksham in September Carrigaline in October/November Ilkley in March 2020 Nothing scheduled in the UK for the 2013 version. |
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Jul 7, 2019 16:04:19 GMT
I'd love to see (in the UK) amateur productions of two Bock and Harnick musicals that I love: Fiorello and Tenderloin. Both great scores. Fiorello tied with The Sound of Music for the Best Musical Tony Award in its year. Both shows are very New York, subject-wise, the one about the rise of Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, the other about the 1890s NYC red-light district. Tenderloin was not a big hit, but the score is great, including the beautiful ballad "Artificial Flowers." A favorite musical that does regularly get performed by amateur groups in the U.S. is Li'l Abner. Great score, fun show, lots of good opportunities for amateur casting. I've been in Li'l Abner... Absolutely cracking show to perform in and Jubilation T Cornpone is one of my all time favourite ensemble numbers! I've never seen Li'L Abner on stage but from your tips have just finished watching a full length version on You Tube performed by a reasonably talented US high school cast and I really enjoyed it. Can see it would a hard sell in the UK but would make an ideal stage school end of year production. Bit long at 150 minutes but these US shows usually are, could easily be edited down to a cracking 2 hours with a bit less talk ! |
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Jul 30, 2019 12:20:32 GMT
Disco Inferno - The Faust Musical is at Brentwood (Essex) Theatre 22 -26 October.
Also a professional production of one seldom staged - Daddy Long Legs at Barn Theatre Cirencester 2 October - 2 November.
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Aug 14, 2019 10:51:16 GMT
Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens - Old Drill Hall Chesham 16 -19 October.
(Seems akin to Rocky Horror but ruder, the website refers to cabaret style seating and audience participation which is not for me so not sure whether to book this one)
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Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2019 11:50:30 GMT
ive seen Saucy Jacks quite a few times. it's a really fun show, with a great catchy score, but definitely not ruder that Rocky Horror. Go see it.
#GlitterBootsSavedMyLife
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Aug 14, 2019 13:28:18 GMT
I saw there were characters called Bunny Lingus and Anna Labia which made me think it might be a bit naughty but I love a good dose of innuendo and smut anyway!
I found out about the show on the NODA website but the link to book a ticket leads to the main website for Saucy Jack, not the Chesham production, so possibly not on sale yet ?
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2,416 posts
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Post by robertb213 on Aug 21, 2019 21:47:32 GMT
For anyone who can get to Coventry, the youth group are performing 'Blitz!', Lionel Bart's follow up to 'Oliver'. 6th to 9th November. albanytheatre.co.uk/yog-blitz |
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Post by robertb213 on Aug 21, 2019 22:30:00 GMT
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Post by hulmeman on Aug 21, 2019 22:36:52 GMT
paul26 - two things, first of all, your commitment to amateur productions is phenomenal and it gladdens my heart to read about it, but a plea from me, review what you see on here. Maybe it can't influence box office, but it will tell us what works and what doesn't. Secondly, there is a promising production of My Fair Lady at Theatr Clwyd, Mold in September. The venue is a bit off the beaten track, but Tip Top Productions is an established company giving reign to young blood directing. www.theatrclwyd.com/en/whats-on/my-fair-lady/ |
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Post by westended on Aug 21, 2019 23:21:51 GMT
I know of a school doing “Return to the Forbidden Planet” in October.
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Aug 22, 2019 1:41:59 GMT
I've already booked to see My Fair Lady in Mold. Staying at a Travelodge overnight on the Friday with my wife for the Saturday matinee as part of a mini-break in Wales.
Saw a youth production of Blitz at Frome earlier in August and very good it was too. Can't make the Coventry one in November due to other bookings.
Immediately booked I Love You You're Perfect, Now Change at the Network Theatre so many thanks for that one. I'd never heard of either the show or that theatre.
There are only a few shows I've seen and decided I wouldn't ever want to see again but Return To The Forbidden Planet is one of them unfortunately.
August is the month of youth theatre. Tonight I've been to Oxford to see A Chorus Line by a very talented young cast. Sound Of Music at Kingston upon Thames had an exceptional Maria Von Trapp at last Saturday's matinee. Half A Sixpence at Wimbledon was my biggest disappointment of the year and could be called Quarter A Sixpence due to the swingeing cuts made. Bring It On at the Greenwell Theatre was well performed but let down by the most awful sound system rendering the lyrics almost impossible to follow. Legend Trippers at The Other Palace was a newly-commissioned piece but didn't really work for me and I felt the cast deserved better material.
A fairly "rare" one these days which is a favourite of mine - She Loves Me at Penarth ( near Cardiff) Paget Rooms from 11-14 September.
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Post by robertb213 on Aug 22, 2019 20:07:56 GMT
Many people will already be aware of this I'm sure, but in case anyone finds it useful... www.amdram.co.ukIt's really handy for searching what's on, and there's a weekly email newsletter with production announcements as well. It was thanks to this website that I found out about performances of The Drowsy Chaperone and The Wiz earlier this year 😀 |
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Aug 24, 2019 21:40:12 GMT
I use the amdram website, the Noda one and ticketsource to search for shows.
I also regularly check the websites of theatres I've been to before, because although I am on dozens of emailing lists they don't always publicise amateur shows and not all the amateur groups send out notifications of new shows to previous customers.
There's no comprehensive source of all amateur musicals and I still sometimes find out about shows I'd have booked only after they have finished their run.
A couple of interesting ones in November at the Bridewell Theatre, London. Half A Sixpence is on from 5 -9 November (GEOIDS) and is I understand the first amateur presentation of the Julian Fellowes version, then Ragtime follows from 13 -23 November (SEDOS). Both booked.
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Post by TallPaul on Sept 11, 2019 12:39:35 GMT
Neither rare (especially for you!), nor in 2019, but are you on the LOAS (theloas.com) mailing list, FrontroverPaul ? Its production of My Fair Lady will be playing at Leeds Grand between 31 March and 4 April 2020, with a Saturday matinee at 2.15pm, and 7.30pm evening performances. Public booking (at leedsgrandtheatre.com) opens on Wednesday 18 September at 10am. The front row, along with almost all the stalls, is £36. |
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