insight may 2014
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Chairman’s Letter 2
Sweeney Todd 3
Carousel 6
Meet Our New Members
10
News and Events 12
Committee News 14
The Committee 15
MAY 2014
Inside this edition
Chairman’s LetterChairman’s LetterChairman’s Letter Page 2
17th December 2013 was a big day for me as it was the day that I was elected Chairman of the Society for the third time. I became a member of the Society in 1981 and immediately joined the cast of one of my favourite Rodgers & Hammerstein’s musical, South Pacific. For those of you who have recently joined I welcome you not only to a wonderful Society but to a way of life.
Over the last 33 years I have seen the Society blossom from the more traditional repertoire of operetta to a much wider range of musical theatre. Our more recent choice of shows is a long departure from the original productions staged by the Society in the 1940s–1980s. Who’d have thought when I joined that I’d enjoy performing in or being involved behind the scenes with such a variety of exciting productions such as Pal Joey (1997), Crazy for You (2002), Candide (2002), Anything Goes (2005), West Side Story (2006), Chess (2008), 42nd Street (2009), The Producers (2010), Jesus Christ Superstar (2010), Beauty and the Beast (2012) and Sweeney Todd (2013). Grease is yet another first for the Society.
Grease is indeed a big challenge for the Society and calls for not only youthful enthusiasm, vitality, exuberance but also plenty of experience, and we certainly seem to have all of these qualities in abundance in this production.
I take my hat off to the tireless commitment of the entire cast, creative team, production team and musicians, who have worked tirelessly for the past 6 months. We pride ourselves in our attempts to provide you with the very best in amateur entertainment in Oxfordshire.
I especially would like to thank our
Creative Team—Dave Crew as Director, Chris Payne as Musical Director, Jo Cook as Choreographer and Nia Williams as Assistant Musical Director, who have all worked tirelessly for the past few months, and I am confident that their hard work will be reflected in yet another amazing production on the New Theatre stage. We may be amateurs but we strive to produce a professional performance.
Special thanks must also go to the unseen and unsung members of the team who support the cast behind the scenes, whose contribution is so crucial to our continued success. It is unfair to name individuals, but I would like to extend my thanks to Dan Halsall, who has excelled in the role of Production Manager, and also to Phil Rumsby, who has now dedicated so many years to the Society as Stage Manager. We should all be proud of ourselves in the way we dedicate our free time to support each other and what we have achieved over the years.
In a few days’ time we will be auditioning over 50 new hopefuls who have expressed a desire to join us as performing members as we begin rehearsals for one of my favourite musicals—Rodgers & Hammerstein’s charming Carousel—which is being performed at the Oxford Playhouse in November. This production will, I’m sure, show the wide-ranging talents of our growing membership as we welcome a new Creative Team led by Hannah Grainger Clemson as Director, Frankie Alexandra as Musical Director and Margaret Milton as Choreographer.
Keri Williams
Sweeney, Sweeney, Sweeney...Sweeney, Sweeney, Sweeney...Sweeney, Sweeney, Sweeney... Page 3
WHAT’S ON STAGE
As a confirmed Sondheim aficionado, I had high expectations of this production and I was not disappointed. From the discordant opening notes of the overture I was captivated and when at the close of the opening number, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up, I knew that we were in for a great night.
Alex Williams as our eponymous central character demonstrated excellent vocal skills and lent Sweeney an air of brooding vengefulness which developed into resentful malice as the piece developed. Clare Dovey-Wilson's Lovett ably blurred the lines between comic simpleton and heartless villainess as she manipulates Sweeney into a macabre pact which will assuage his need for bloody vengeance and allow her the wealth and social advantage she so clearly craves.
Strong supporting performances were provided by Guy Grimsley as the orphaned boy Toby, taken in by Mrs Lovett after his master is slain by Sweeney, and by Tim Younger and Simon Tavener, as Judge Turpin and Beadle Bamford respectively, the former a powerful archetypal villain supported in his endeavours by his obsequious foil the Beadle.
The orchestra was exceptional. Vocally the cast were very strong, which is no small thing as Songheim's score is notoriously difficult.
The ensemble sections were expertly choreographed, particularly the masked ball, the climax of which was significantly chilling. All in all, I was most impressed by this production
NODA
This is not one of my favourite shows… but your production proved me wrong, The opening scene … worked perfectly, giving the two dimensional height for presenting the drama forcible to the audience. The ‘picture’, unmoving chorus, gave us a powerful, and controlled image… each chorus member had a character of their own, this gave the audience an
immediate impact, and this continued through out the entire production.
It was powerful, dramatic, chilling, demanding of everyone (principals, and chorus), humorous in places. These are just a few words to describe this outstanding, and brilliant interpretation of this production.
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OXFORD TIMES
It’s a notoriously difficult show to sing and stage, so all praise to Oxford Operatic Soceity to taking on this far from safe bet.
It’s the 35-strong main chorus that pins you to your seat as it lurches forward, fingers aggressively jabbing. You are left in no doubt that this is a lynch mob, ready to lap up every last detail of a public hanging given half a chance. From the opening delivery … the chorus spits out its words with hair-raising
precision. There’s venom aplenty, but director Ed Blagrove also brings out the humour flashes in Sondheim’s lyrics.
Besides the Chorus, the developing relationship between Todd and Mrs Lovett is the highspot of this production.
Alex Williams’s Todd is quite a bottle-up character, yet you get a strong feeling that his moral code and conscience have not totally vanished in a killing spree. Clare Dovey-Wilson’s superbly delivered performance would do credit in a West End production – yes, she’s that good.
This production is a triumphant success, energetically moved along by conductor Chris Payne and his sparky band.
THEATRE WORLD MAGAZINE
Oxford Operative Society are an amateur group but their dedication and the quality of their productions is consistently outstanding and, with aplomb, they have risen to the challenge of a musical score that’s unusual, complex and packed with multiple part harmonies.
Alex Williams is excellent as the demon barber, brooding under dark brows with a strong stage presence, and whilst clearly evil, Williams’ Todd shows an admirable focus in the midst of a chaotic world where others would have crumbled, and brings out some empathy in the
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audience for this man who’s deeply unhappy because of a tragedy that was not of his mak-ing.
Clare Dovey-Wilson also shines as a gorgeous Mrs Nellie Lovett, her steely core overlaid with a soft-er side as she cares for Todd and, initially at least, the boy, Toby.
The set is impressive... The use of lights is clever too, not just the swathing of the barber’s chair in red as another neck is cut, but to change the feel of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed a murderous night out with Fleet Street’s most notorious criminal.
THE OXFORD STUDENT
The stage at the Playhouse reminds me of that first page of Bleak House: foggy, muggy, mucky, muddy. How can this production surpass the likes of Depp and Bonham-Carter? The most in-spired addition to the script is the Greek chorus. Whilst the movie cut out all the choral numbers,
here the Greek chorus adds a new layer of interpretation: faceless narrators that float in and out, they fill in the gaps of the storyline... employed deftly as an emotional interface, stressing both the pro-tagonists’ anguish and sick glee.
Alex Williams as maniacal Todd, a gleam of utter insanity in his eyes, was a delight to watch along with Clare Dovey-Wilson as Lovett, who brought out both her character’s heart-wrenching devotion to Todd and nonchalant anthropophagy with gusto. Dovey-Wilson’s duet with Guy Grimsley as Toby was hauntingly beautiful.
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CarouselCarouselCarousel
Setting: An American coastal town, Spring 1919. The town is occupied by distinct communities of fishing and factory workers, and the fairground folk; a temporary haven of traditional values, seasonal work, and entertainment away from the aftermath of war in Europe. Later we see the demise of these industries as the action takes us through the 1920s to 1934 for the final scenes.
Plot and Themes: The details of the plot can be read in the libretto and on the Internet, but the story revolves – literally - around factory worker Julie Jordan and her short and turbulent relationship with fairground worker Billy Bigelow. They both lose their jobs and Billy attempts a robbery (led by local rogue Jigger Craigin) to provide for Julie and their unborn child. It is a fatal act but Billy is given a chance by the powers that be to make things right, fifteen years later. A parallel plot line follows factory worker Carrie Pipperidge and her romance with the ambitious fisherman Enoch Snow. In this production we will explore the notions of: personal & social aspiration; community ties; family; from the age of innocence to experience. We will show the aims and tensions of the town's society, and the roles and responsibilities that the citizens struggle to fulfil.
Feel: It is similar to Oklahoma! in that there are definite moments of light-heartedness, festivity, and tenderness over underlying tensions that bubble to the surface. As in West Side Story, society is changing and yet unchanging depending on one’s age and experience, and, like the Carousel and the Ferris Wheel, it can be both exhilarating and frightening. There isn’t the
glamour of Mille, or 42nd Street, but an energy and a sense of the magical and mysterious from the Fairground – as with Barnum! and Pippin - fuses with a spirituality from the supernatural Starkeepers.
Design: The central part of the design is a revolve on a mostly bare stage, with a pier walkway across the upstage area. This is a core part of portraying the tension of the cyclical nature of the community over generations. As many know from Les Mis, it is also a highly effective way of creating dynamic stage pictures and choreography, and quick movement between scenes, animated with a clever lighting design, props, and, of course, the performers.
Music: Typical of Sound of Music and other R&H favourites, the orchestration is beautifully rich, even if the vocal parts are not the 16-part complexities we are used to the challenge of! To get a feel for the ‘sound’, we suggest the 1993 National Theatre revival recording. In terms of vocal style, again listen to the National Theatre recording. It isn’t nasal ‘twang’ or operatic, but something rich and pure, and importantly full of expression in order to convey characterisation and narrative. The score we are using is a reconstruction of the 1945 original Broadway production and so if you want a more accurate idea of the orchestration and
arrangements then you should listen to that too.
Ensemble & Characterisation
The ensemble is the primary vehicle for
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exploring and portraying the themes and creating the changes in atmosphere. The prologue movement (‘The Carousel Waltz’) reveals the distinct sub-communities, as does their actions that create miniature narratives during and between scenes. This production is another opportunity to develop the skills of the society members, working in both realistic and abstract/expressionistic styles, and it will be a great experience to use the revolve. Note that ‘ballet’ means 'narrative through movement'. There is so much to be told through mime and movement, but it is not all classical dance. We need a full range of clog dancers, acrobats, waltzers, formation ‘social’ dancers, prim parasol ladies, and even lazy layabouts!
The ensemble will not necessarily play the same character throughout, and may even play characters of different ages, although we hope to allow the opportunity for individuals to develop a number of sub-plots to enrich the onstage canvas.
The female factory workers: their work is repetitive so they revel in time off. They could be seen as lacking in aspiration, accepting the same fate as their forefathers and mothers. However they also have a strong sense of family values, as well as having learned to serve their community in the absence of the men who served their country.
The fishermen: this is a strong cultural tradition in the town. They are responsible for the provision of food and both the process and the product of this is a source of delight. They have to leave without warning for long periods. They are often seen to respond to the call of the sea rather than their women.
The fairfolk: they are more glamorous in their appearance but also wilder in their physicality. They are mysterious and even romantic to the town community with the natural impulse and ability to move on at any time. They are seen to keep themselves quite separate, which makes Billy's immigration more poignant.
Other townspeople: schoolteachers, more affluent gentlemen and ladies, sailors and soldiers newly back from the war in Europe, policemen, a vicar, shopkeepers, and others.
Younger generation: We are looking to cast 12 performers (two groups of 6) to portray the younger roles that range in age from 9 to 15 years old. This includes two dancing roles for the Act Two Ballet which shows daughter Louise, her personal development and friendships, from 7- to 12- to 15-years-old.
Mary Mullin: the fairground madame: half ruler, half tart. She manipulates people with her sexuality and when that doesn’t work, she flies into a vehement rage. She wants Billy as her ‘thing’ as if she can’t have him, no one can.
Mr Bascombe: the owner of the factory. He has been brought up to understand his important position in the town and enjoys establishing his authority, especially over the factory girls. How influential his snobbish mother and wife are in his decision-making is a matter of interpretation. Nevertheless, he is capable of harsh and direct action, preventing the robbery by holding Billy at gunpoint.
Carrie Pipperidge: a ball of energy and the kind of girl who just makes you smile. She is Julie’s friend and confidante, but she has plenty of other friends who share her boundless enthusiasm for life. When it comes to Enoch, she is overcome with the joy of being loved 100%, but, oh, the dilemma of what that entails…
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Enoch Snow: He may be gentle, kind, dutiful, and brimming with paternal instincts, but this man is no wet fish. He is destined to run a successful business because of his own intelligence and hard work, and in this production he will be seen to join the fishermen in song and dance as proof of his virility. Quite a catch…
Julie Jordan: Here is a total emotional range in one fragile, yet inwardly robust, person. She is perceptive, brave, naïve, proud, dutiful, caring, daring, thoughtful, carefree. She sees through to the very core of everyone, and yet it is hard to tell how much of her real self she lets go. She sings relatively little compared to the enormity of the role but when she does, her voice is pure yet determined. She does not partake of wild dancing but she is a constant physical presence, even in the most subtle of gestures.
Louise: fragile yet determined, she is the absolute mix of her parents. Note – this is a spotlight, skilled acting/mime/dance role in Act Two and must be a convincing 15-year-old compared to Julie and Billy.
Billy Bigelow: a distinct contrast to the girl who catches him off guard and that he falls in love with. He is a brute – p h y s i c a l , muscu la r , p u s h i n g , and ready for a punch or war of words at a n y m o m e n t . There is a tenderness there, and aspiration, and a glimmer of moral integrity. But everything is a contradiction and a battle with Billy. He is multi-skilled (as the actor should be) – able to turn his hand to many things – and each time another layer is revealed.
Nettie Fowler: Julie’s elder cousin and a central social figure. She has a heart of gold and sees it
as her particular duty to lift everyone’s spirits, whilst men and women socialise with the right balance of decorum and joie de vivre. She can be a playing age of anything over 35+ but must have the power to command the stage as she leads the big numbers June, Clambake, and You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Jigger Craigin: a nasty piece of work. His fishing career veers between negligent and piratical, alongside other dodgy dealings. He is known to the police and has no qualms about taking what belongs to others: food, money, women. Nevertheless, there has to be a dangerously likeable aspect to him as Billy trusts him, Carrie flirts with him, and he leads the fishermen in a boisterous number that needs the audience on his side.
The Three Starkeepers: these are more significant roles throughout the entire show than just their key part in Act Two. They exist as prominent, lavishly-costumed fairfolk in Act One and will be seen in a number of scenes, observing the community at work and play, whilst also working themselves. In Act Two, they are both ancestral and celestial; a silvery-grey version of their earthly selves, representing Billy’s heritage and ‘family’. They are not gentle, but are worldly wise with a stern judgemental temperament that Billy fights against in vain. The intention is to cast two female actors as 1st and 2nd Starkeepers, with a male 3rd Starkeeper, also taking the role of Principal Seldon in the final scene.
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Production Team
Director: Hannah Grainger Clemson
Musical Director: Frankie Williams
Choreographer: Margaret Milton
Other female roles:
Arminy (solo singing)
Penny (solo singing)
Virginia (speaking role)
Susan (speaking role)
Mrs Bascombe, the wife (non-speaking)
Mrs Bascombe Senior, the mother (non-speaking)
Other male roles:
Sailor
1st Policeman
2nd Policeman
Principal Seldon, the schoolmaster
Younger male roles:
Enoch Snow, Jr. (aged 15) – also plays fairground/fishing lad in Act One
Peter Peasley (aged 15) – (non-speaking) graduating school pupil – also fishing lad in Act One
Joshua (aged 17) – (non-speaking, dancer) young rogue who dances with Louise in the Ballet – also fairground/fishing lad in Act One.
NB: it is the intention to audition within the Society for the three younger male roles, and Louise aged 15. However, if the parts cannot be successfully cast, the production team will hold a second round of auditions for members of the junior companies, MYCO and OYMT.
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Important Dates
Talk-in & first rehearsal: Thursday 5th June
Dance assessment: Thursday 26th June
Principal auditions: Sunday 29th June
Last rehearsal (before summer break): Thursday 17th July
First rehearsal (after summer break): Tuesday 26th August (principals) Thursday 28th August (company)
Children’s auditions: Sunday 7th September (tbc)
Sunday rehearsals: 14th September
12th October 2nd November 23rd November
Show week: 24th-29th November
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Andy rejoined the society in 2 0 1 3 a f t e r performing in Jesu s Chr i s t Superstar in 2010. Originally from N e w c a s t l e , w h e r e h e performed in shows with a v a r i e t y o f societies, he moved to Oxford
in 2009. Previous roles include: Bugsy in Bugsy Malone, Riff in West Side Story, Jack Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest at the OxFringe in 2011. Andy decided to rejoin the society after seeing Sweeney Todd and has enjoyed every
New to Oxford but no stranger to the stage, I a m v e r y excited to be part of such a talented and w e l c o m i n g society. My m o s t s p e c t a c u l a r credit includes t h e 2 0 t h Anniversary of
Les Miserables in London's Queen's Theatre. I have always performed with Cardiff's Orbit theatre company in the New Theatre Cardiff, credits include Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, Lucy in Jekyll and Hyde, High School Musical Welsh premiere, Godspell, West Side Story and many more. I have won Vale Young Singer of the Year and also had the wonderful experience of owning and directing my own theatre company to inspire young performers.
Andy Halliday
Our New MembersOur New MembersOur New Members
Nicola Caldwell Kerry Hudson
I am delighted to finally be part of the society after o r i g i n a l l y planning to audition back in 2009 after w a t c h i n g 42nd Street!
I grew up in Cornwall dancing, and singing as a member of my local musical theatre society. This sparked my love of musical theatre and at 13 I spent a summer at The Urdang Academy. It was this experience that cemented my musical theatre pathway, and at 18 I went to train at London Studio Centre. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be, and a back injury forced me to ‘retire’ two years in. Having not performed since my LSC days at The Hackney Empire, I am excited to be part of Grease—my first show in 9 years!
In ‘real life’ I’m Assistant Headteacher at Chalgrove Primary School, which has included working with schools in France, The Gambia and South Africa. I love to travel and can’t wait for my next adventure in July!
Matthew Lock
Matt re-joins us after a stint away from the s o c i e t y to explore his more "european" side.
He's had a lot of fun playing Vince Fontaine in Grease and tells us this a considerable step-up to his more typical roles within the society (e.g. Shark Boy 9 in West Side Story). Matt regards himself the true "triple-threat" to other cast members. With his lack of singing, lack of dancing and lack of acting skills he is three times as dangerous to anyone in close proximity whilst on stage! (his joke not ours).
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M e g a n h a s recently finished a t w o y e a r vocational course in the performing arts at the Royal A c a d e m y o f D r am at i c A r t (RADA) in London.
Here she achieved her Bronze Certificate in Shakespeare Studies and passed units 1-2 of the ADPA Teaching Diploma. Alongside this she has also completed her A-levels in languages and drama. Currently working at the Pauline Quirke Academy as a Teaching Assistant, she is also rehearsing for an adaption of Doctor Faustus by the Oxford Theatre Guild. Megan spent most of her schooling in France, where she became bilingual and would eventually like to do a B.A. in acting.
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Megan McInerney
I am 20 years old and currently living and working in Cheltenham as a Letting/Estate Agent and have been since I finished A-levels 2 years ago.
I have always taken part in as many productions as I can and I am very excited to be back in the game and working with
Oxford Operatic Society again after being in My Fair Lady and Jesus Christ Superstar. I have previously played the roles of Nathan in Guys and Dolls (dir. Ed Blagrove) and Oliver in Oliver!. I have also performed in productions such as A Clockwork Orange and Bugsy Malone.
Luke Saunders
I'm Tayler, I'm 18 years old and I study Archi tecture at Oxford Brookes University. Since my early teens I have had a passion for musical theatre, performing in my first musical Joseph as a brother at the age of 13. Since then , I have been in a variety of shows with the Liverpool Empire Youth Theatre, including West Side Story, Footloose, and Les Misérables. My biggest role has been the part of Javert in Les Misérables, and I recently played Hanschen in a university production of Spring Awakening. I lam looking forward to taking part in Grease!
Tayler Spruce
Madeleine Woolgar
Madeleine grew up in Oxford and performed with the Musical Youth Company of Oxford in shows such as Oliver!, Me and My Girl and Les Miserables. At the same time, she also performed with the North Oxford Youth Theatre in Anything Goes and West Side Story (with a low budget balcony that swayed dangerously the whole way through ‘Tonight’). Looking back, she has no idea how she ever had time for school work... After training at dance school, Madeleine went to the University of Birmingham where she was leader of the University Dance Team, getting the opportunity to compete (and win!) nationally, as well as performing with the likes of Basement Jaxx. Whilst studying for her degree, Madeleine also taught Musical Theatre for the Dance Society as well as choreographing and performing in the musicals A Chorus Line and A Slice of Saturday Night. Since leaving University she has continued to choreograph shows for local theatre groups, such as Guys and Dolls for North Oxford Youth Theatre. She is very much looking forward to being back on stage in Grease.
Page 12 News & EventsNews & EventsNews & Events Hope for Hollie
On 10th May 2014 some of the Grease cast travelled up to Milton Keynes to open the Hope for Hollie 6th Summer Ball. Hope for Hollie is a charity set up to raise funds for research into Niemann Pick Type C, an extremely rare metabolic condition which causes neurological decline and childhood dementia and for which there is currently no cure. Fewer than 50 children suffer from this condition in the UK and only 1000 worldwide.
OxOps were invited to perform at the event as the ball’s theme was Summer Lovin’; so it offered a great promotion opportunity, plus some well needed extra dance practice! After a long afternoon of tech and rehearsal the group performed Summer Nights, Hopelessly Devoted and Greased Lightning – leaving the audience gagging to book their tickets for the show. Our poster and flyers were all over the event, including the back cover of the official programme. The only near-hitch was hit mid-performance when the AV expert decided to change the stage lighting, plunging piano maestro Dave Crewe into darkness for half of Greased Lightning – Dave didn’t miss a beat.
The event raised at least £18k for the charity and surely drove some ticket sales for Grease as well!
Guy Grimsley
Top L-R: Andy Halliday; Phil Weller; Tim Younger; Tayler Spruce
Middle L-R: Antony Gibson; Libby Holcroft; Guy Grimsley; Stephen Piper
Bottom L-R: Frankie Alexandra; Nicola Caldwell; Margaret Milton; Palli Dent; Kerry Hudson
Concerts and Fundraising
Well after the success of last year’s concerts you will be pleased to hear that we will be having more of the same this year! The plan is for two concerts, one in September and another festive offering in December. Last year we really helped to boost the Society’s coffers with these fundraising events and hopefully this year we can have more of the same.
The September concert is planned to be a variety of family favourites. Songs from classic family musicals and films: everything from Disney to Shrek; Oliver to Annie; it is all going to be in there so some great sings and hopefully lots of appeal for ticket sales!
These concerts don’t happen without a bit of effort from the membership though, not only on the performing side of things but also with the organisation of said concerts. We are lucky to have a group of members who have volunteered to help
me logistically but I would be really interested to hear from other members who would like to join in with that side of the concerts.
I am also keen to hear from anyone who is interested in taking on Musical Direction or Artistic Direction for any future concerts. Concerts are a great stepping stone to carrying out production team roles in full shows, as shown by Frankie Williams who MD’d the Frilford Concert last year and will be taking up the baton in our next production, Carousel.
Andy Blagrove ([email protected])
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The Stephanie Williams Memorial Trust Concert - Showstoppers
The Stephanie Williams Memorial Trust promotes amateur theatre in Oxford and the surrounding areas by helping to develop individual and group talent and experience in the performing arts. Set up in 2013, the Trust serves in memory of Life Member, Stephanie Williams, who dedicated her life to local amateur theatre, working with many local societies as both a performer and a director. Stephanie passed away in September 2012, leaving behind an inspiring legacy of excellence in amateur theatre. The Trust that bears her name aims to continue her legacy by helping to develop the societies she knew and loved.
Last month the Trust presented its second concert, called Showstoppers, at St John the Baptist Church, The Broadway, Kidlington and at Wychwood School, Banbury Road, Oxford. The concerts were supported by Jerrams’ Brothers Funeral Directors, who had taken charge of Stephanie’s funeral at St. Mary’s Church, Kidlington.
Conducted by Musical Director Frankie Alexandra (aka Francesca Williams), who also wrote many of the arrangements for the singers and 3-piece band, audiences enjoyed hits from some of the world’s most beloved musicals, including Funny Girl, Company, Hello Dolly, The Wizard of Oz, Love Never Dies, Beauty & the Beast, Anything Goes. Sunset Boulevard, The Book of Mormon, Les Miserables, Spamalot, Hairspray and Godspell, to name but a few.
Society members that took part in the concerts included: Simon Tavener, Tim Younger, Guy Grimsley, Sian Millett, Alex Williams, Gill Baines, Clare Denton, Madeline Woolgar, Claire Cattel, Jackie Rumsby, Pip
Cartwright, Karen Poolman and Keri Williams.
The concerts were well-supported by Society members and Patrons and raised nearly £1,300 for the Trust.
The Trust provides bursary funding to local individuals and theatre groups wishing to further their education and training in amateur theatre.
Sponsorship, by application to the Trust, may be awarded for any of the following purposes:
participation in a NODA summer course in Performing Arts (acting, singing, dancing), Theatre Management (lighting, sound, stage management, makeup, props management, marketing), and Specific Training (musical direction, direction, choreography, production, conducting, workshop techniques, stage combat) disciplines;
vocal coaching, singing lessons, music lessons, theatrical workshops, or attendance at lectures and seminars;
certified training and qualification courses, including: Foundation degrees, Undergraduate and Postgraduate degrees, National Diplomas, International Baccalaureate, and other relevant qualifications.
For more information about the Stephanie Williams Memorial Trust, and how to apply for a bursary, please email: [email protected] or call 01865 461193.
Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Oxford Castle Courtyard Oxford Operatic members Edward Blagrove and Jennifer Smith are starring in Tomahawk Theatre’s Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Oxford Castle Courtyard this summer! We would love to see you from July 7th to July 19th and we would really appreciate your support.
Tomahawk Theatre returns to the Oxford Castle for
Shakespeare’s hilarious comedy. An evening of romance and midsummer magic where tales of mistaken identity and unrequited love interchange with the power struggle between Oberon and Titania, the riotous antics of mischievous fairies and the playacting of Bottom and his friends. This elegant, dynamic and stylish production will include song and dance while always remaining faithful to Shakespeare’s beautiful language.
Tickets: www.oxfordcastleunlocked.co.uk
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Committee NewsCommittee NewsCommittee News
New Member Auditions
Know anyone who would like to join the society? New member auditions will be
held on Tuesday 3rd June. Please contact Palli Dent at
[email protected] for more details.
Sponsorship
Do you run, work for or know an organisation that would like to help support Oxford Operatic Society?
As many of you will be aware there is a constant battle to balance the books and put on spectacular shows. One of the areas the committee are currently trying to explore is that of sponsorship through private sector organisations. Do you know one that would be keen to be part of the Ox Ops family?
Oxford Operatic Society are looking for organisations that want to get involved and help out the company financially whilst also getting something from us in return. We are very keen to hear from members who think they know of any such organisations and what it is that they’d look for in order to be involved. As Oxford Operatic Society is a registered charity there are benefits to organisations in supporting us and we’d like to make them feel part of the process and the production through full sponsorship packages and show week events.
Below are ideas of some of the things we may be able to offer:
Advertisement in the programme
Full production sponsorship, including logo’s on posters, complimentary seats to shows, drinks receptions and more
Packages are negotiable in price and will be available for Carousel and Legally Blonde.
Forthcoming Shows
Carousel Oxford Playhouse
24th-29th November 2014
Legally Blonde New Theatre
May 2015
Page 15Your CommitteeYour CommitteeYour Committee
Keri Williams: Chairman
78 Chorefields Kidlington
Oxon OX5 1SY
01865 461193 07906 311904
Katie Bedborough: Treasurer
52 St George’s Manor Mandelbrote Drive
Oxford OX4 4TW
07815 936245
Marilyn Moore: Secretary
Courtfield House Milton
Oxfordshire OX14 4EU
01235 831305
Ed Blagrove: Development Officer
40 Stonhouse Crescent Radley
Abingdon Oxon
OX14 3AF
Alex Williams: Marketing Officer
26 Sutton Road Headington
Oxford OX3 9RB
07960 582321
Palli Dent: Membership Secretary
46 Besselsleigh Road Wootton
Abingdon OX13 6DX
07905 097426
Marie Hadaway: Communications Officer
Stonehaven Besselsleigh
Oxon OX13 5PU
07545 211465
Andy Blagrove: Social & Fundraising Secretary
3 Cedar Drive Witney
OX28 1EJ
07921 179364
Ron Hewitt: President Ann Southwell: Vice President