NEWSLETTER 5 - MAY 2002

Welcome to the fifth edition of our newsletter. The Society is currently going through a busy period, with our next show, Some Enchanted Evening, coming up very soon. We also have the AGM in a few weeks time, and before you know it we will be embarking on rehearsals for our fabulous Autumn show, Guys and Dolls.

A great deal has happened since our last newsletter, which is why this issue is slightly longer than usual! We hope you find it interesting and informative. As always, if there is something you would like to contribute to future editions, please let us know.

Some Enchanted Evening

Our Spring Show this year is an exciting evening of songs from some of the world’s best loved musicals. We start with a choral medley from The Lion King, followed by a wide selection of songs from Rogers and Hammerstein, and finish the first act with a medley from Les Miserables. The entire second act will feature a sparkling concert version of Die Fledermaus, complete with a full orchestra.

The show is at the Palace Theatre from for three evenings from Tuesday 11 to Thursday 13 June. Tickets are just £7.50, with concessions at £7.00 for all three performances.

We also extend a big welcome to friends from other societies who have joined us for this show, helping to boost our numbers.

Please, Sell Those Tickets! Ticket sales at the time of writing are extremely disappointing, and it is vital that every member of our Society does their utmost to sell tickets for this show, whether they are in the production or not.

When you consider the costs of the theatre, the orchestra, the royalties and so on, you will begin to understand that this is an expensive undertaking for the Society, very different from a risk-free concert tour. The last thing we want is for the success of Pirates to be wiped out with a poor box office showing, especially when this is going to be an excellent show! So please, every one of you, do your very best to support the Society and push those ticket sales! Call Ann Duffin straight away on 01527 527363 to book tickets.

The ‘Broadway’ Pirates

Talking of Pirates, how many of you realise that this was our most successful production in many years? Not only in terms of audience figures and superb feedback, but we actually made a very nice profit - something our major autumn productions have failed to do for a long time! The reviews from the press were excellent. If you have missed them, they can be seen alongside some photographs and lots of other information on the Society web site.

The Society owes a huge debt of gratitude to our team of Tony Lacey, Bev Hatton and Norma Kift who produced a show that was exciting, fun, happy, disciplined and under budget. Thanks also to the stage crew under the leadership of David Duffin and Diane Williams who made sure the show was slick and professional in operation.

Everybody involved with this show is to be congratulated for their efforts. It has set a new level of expectation for our major productions that will be hard to match… but we will certainly try!

Guys And Dolls

We are delighted to announce that Bev Hatton and Norma Kift will be producer and musical director, respectively, for our forthcoming major autumn show. The show will be performed at the Palace Theatre from Tuesday 19 through to Saturday 23 November 2002.

First Rehearsal

First rehearsal for Guys And Dolls will be on Tuesday 25 June at Community House, Easemore Road. The evening will be nice and sociable, with the opportunity to hear how Bev envisages the production, hear some of the tunes, eat, drink and generally be merry!

For those of you who were not with us in 1991 when we first staged the show and who might be unfamiliar with the story, Guys and Dolls is a fast-paced, very funny and hugely enjoyable romp set in New York around the 1950s. It tells the story of good (a local Salvation Army group) battling against bad (a gang of roguish gangsters who keep meeting up to play their illegal craps games). In addition, we have a group of cabaret dancers called The Hot Box Girls as well as many other characters, all stemming from the imagination of famous author Damon Runyan. The show features some great songs such as Luck Be A Lady, If I Were A Bell, I’ve Never Been In Love Before and Sit Down You’re Rocking The Boat.

New People Urgently Required!

Guys and Dolls also needs a big cast! There are at least thirteen main characters, plus the Hot Box girls, plus dancers in the Havana scene, plus many more characters making up the gamblers, molls and salvation army teams. It is vital, therefore, that we find plenty of new people to join us for this show, and ensure that every one of them is given the warmest of welcomes.

We obviously need as many men as we can find, since there are plenty of gambler roles to be cast. We also need to encourage some more young ladies to join us, especially since a number of our existing younger members have left recently to go to university, etc.

We really need every one of you reading this newsletter to make it his or her personal responsibility to find people, especially men, to join us for Guys And Dolls. If you don’t, then the production could be in difficulties from the start. All of you have family, friends, colleagues and other acquaintances who might really enjoy being part of such a fun-packed show. Even if they’re a bit unsure, just bring them along to the first rehearsal on Tuesday 25 June and get them involved! We guarantee that they will have a great time.

Welcome New Members

We are delighted to say hello to new members Jo Barrett, Joe George and Barbara Ziglis and to returning member Teresa Twilton, all of whom have joined us this year. Along with our friends from other societies who have joined us for the Spring show, we hope you will make each and every one of them feel very welcome, and we hope they will remain with us for many years to come.

Molly Coles

As many of you are already aware, our friend and long-serving member Molly passed away recently after a fairly lengthy illness that, nevertheless, did not deter her from appearing as Queen Victoria in The Pirates of Penzance. Members of the Society performed one of her favourite songs One Hand, One Heart from West Side Story at her very moving funeral service.

In Molly’s memory, the Society have purchased a set of book shelves for the hymn books in her beloved St Philip’s Church in Webheath. She will be sadly missed by us all.

The Early Years of the Society

In the last newsletter, Maurice Clarke wrote about the origins of the Redditch Amateur Operatic Society that was formed in 1904, and took us up to the First World War. In this edition, he continues the story…

“In the first year of peace following the Great War of 1914-18, the Society came together again in 1919 to repeat their successful 1913 production of Le Cloche De Corneville, at the Palace Theatre. There was no presentation in 1920.

The spectacular 1921 production of The Rose of Persia, or The Story-teller and the Slave, proved to be a great success. Sir Arthur Sullivan wrote the music, and Basil Hood (who wrote the words for Merrie England) wrote the libretto. First produced at the Savoy Theatre in 1899 it was the last full operetta that Sir Arthur wrote before his death in 1900. Described as a combination of Arabian Nights and The Mikado, it was, by all accounts, most enjoyable. In January 1922 came a production of Princess Ida at the Palace Theatre.

December 1922 found the Society at an unusual venue, namely the BSA canteen in Glover Street, presenting Yeoman of the Guard. Sometimes listed as a 1923 show; possibly to convey continuity since there was no production in that year. Incidentally, the old BSA canteen became familiar to us in the 1960s after it was taken over by the Hymatic Engineering Company. Our then President, ‘Joe’, later Sir Joseph Hunt, allowed us to rehearse there. 1924 saw another move; to the Temperance Hall in Worcester Road, for a production in April of that wonderfully happy show The Gondoliers.

April 1925 brought a repeat performance of Rose of Persia, a remarkable undertaking on such a small stage. The later famous Redditch soprano, Mavis Bennett, ‘starred’ in this show. In April 1926, the Society removed itself back to the Palace Theatre for a production of Merrie England. This was to be the venue for the Society’s next twelve productions. In May 1927 came a version of Tom Jones. In April 1928, Iolanthe. The 1929 production was The Rebel Maid. Spring 1930, The Mikado. The Vagabond King was staged in November 1930. There were no productions in 1931 or 1932.

February 1933 brought an unusual comic opera called San Marino, with a libretto written by a local man, Mr Stanley Guise, and the music was composed by Dr Alfred J Silver of Birmingham University.

The next few years brought a number of popular light operas; February 1934, The Desert Song. March 1935, Rose Marie. February 1936, The Maid of the Mountains. March 1937, Tom Jones. November 1937, The Desert Song. There was no production again in 1938. In March 1939, the Society staged another production of Les Cloches De Corneville, a strangely ominous choice. This show was destined to be the last peace-time production before the 1939-45 war, just as it had been in 1913, before the outbreak of the 1914-18 war. The Society discontinued its activity with the coming of war, remaining dormant for 20 years. It was revived in 1959. That, they say, is another story.”

We would like to thank Maurice for writing this very interesting history of the Society. If any one of you would like to write something, on any relevant topic, for a future newsletter, we would be delighted to receive your contribution.

Future Shows

The Society is pleased to announce that, subject to final contracts, we intend to perform the wonderful Rogers and Hammerstein musical Carousel at the Palace Theatre in November 2003.
At the time of writing, we have not made a decision about a Spring show in 2003, and any decisions about shows in 2004 must be influenced by the fact that the Palace Theatre will be closed for renovation work.

We are, however, also expressing an interest in the show Barnum, amongst others, for some time in the near future.

Annual General Meeting

The AGM of the Society will be held on Wednesday 22 May at 7.45pm at the Continental Club in Oakley Road. We hope you will all be able to attend. For those who have attended AGMs in the past, please note the change of venue this year.

Committee Members Required

One of the main purposes of the AGM is to vote members of the Society onto the committee.
As well as the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary, there are six further committee roles that must be filled. From these six come roles such as Social Manager, Publications Manager, Marketing Manager, etc.

For differing reasons, a number of existing committee members are retiring this year. We thank them all for their efforts, and hope that they might join the committee again at some point in the future. This does mean, however, that we have a number of genuine vacancies that must be filled. Again, we must appeal to everybody in the Society to try and find volunteers to join the committee.

No matter how short (or long) a time you have been with us, we would be delighted for you to stand. And don’t forget that the committee can be drawn from friends and family, too. In fact, it would be most beneficial for the committee to also include people who are not directly involved as acting members.

Please get any nominations in as soon as possible - do not leave it until the last minute. Remember that this is your Society, why not have a say in how it is run? Nomination Forms are already available on the Notice Board at rehearsals, and should be handed to our Secretary, Jean Chalk, prior to the AGM. Many thanks.

Badge Sales

The Society’s badge making machine proved to be a big success during Pirates with over £50 worth of badges, fridge magnets, key rings and similar items sold. Remember that the Society is going to produce a memento of this kind for every show we do from now on. This will build into a nice set over the years, to remind you of all the shows we have performed.

The design for Some Enchanted Evening is now available. Paula Eaves will be taking orders for items during rehearsals. The badges are just £1.00 each and the fridge magnets and key rings are just £1.20. Please get your orders in now.

Vice-Presidents Wanted

Would you, your friends or your family members like to feel more involved in the Society without being in the productions? Or maybe you are a past member who, for various reasons, cannot take part at present? Why not become one of our Vice-Presidents?

We are reviewing our VP Scheme to ensure that even more is offered as a ‘thank you’ for being involved with the Society in this manner. For a voluntary contribution (from as little as £10 per year) we will keep you informed on productions and activities; give you priority bookings for our shows; send regular newsletters; add your name to our Vice-Presidents list in the programme; invite you and your guests to join us for our President’s Reception during the interval of the Friday performance at the theatre; and offer complimentary drinks and a programme during the show.

We really want to boost our number of Vice-Presidents, and hope you will help us to spread the word. For more information, please contact our Vice-Presidents Secretary, Ann Duffin, on 01527 527363.

Thank You to our Social Committee

One of the major successes of the past year has been the excellent number and quality of Society social events. We have had after-show parties and meals, Sunday lunch, the Cinderella Ball, quiz night, Valentine’s Karaoke and much more, all of which have been hugely enjoyable.

The committee would like to thank our Social Manager Alison Adams, and join her in thanking her hard working team of Janet Howells, Bob Taylor, Dave and Bev Hatton, Karen Wilson, Karen Lewis and Michelle Hill for all their efforts and ideas over the year.

A big thank you, too, to all those members who attended all the different events. A great time was had by all. And to all those who didn’t attend… where were you?

ROS Concert Party

On Saturday 20 April, about sixteen singers from the Society, accompanied on the piano by Ann Duffin, performed at Dunnington Baptist Church for a small, but enthusiastic, audience.
The Society is often asked to perform at social events or other occasions, where the organisers want to provide some entertainment for their guests.

We have a ‘core’ of familiar songs that we have done numerous times in shows and concerts over recent years, and accompany this with solo songs of our choice. These concert party performances are usually very enjoyable, and we look forward to them when the invitations arrive, since they help to spread the reputation of the Society. Many of our hosts will then be encouraged to see our main shows at the theatre.

Any Society member is welcome to join us for these concert party performances. In fact, the more, the merrier! Please speak to Jean Leadbeater for more details.

Arts Fest 2002

In 2001, the Redditch Arts Council introduced an ‘Arts Fest’ during which we had a display stand amidst the palm trees in the Kingfisher Shopping Centre. This day seemed very successful for the Society. Not only did we have a lovely new display stand all decked out with Pirates posters and paraphernalia, but we used the day to market the society to members of the public.

This year, the Arts Fest main event is held on Saturday 15 June. Whilst this is just two days after our Spring Show, Some Enchanted Evening, is performed at the theatre, it will, however, provide us with an excellent opportunity to begin the publicity for Guys and Dolls. In particular, we can use the day to try and attract new members prior to the first rehearsal a week or so later.

Wendy Rose, our Marketing Manager, will no doubt be going round soon asking for volunteers from amongst you to ‘man’ the stand during the day. We need as many assistants as possible, for short stints during the day, and would appreciate all offers of help.

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