GTG NEWSFEBRUARY 2015

Happy New Year and welcome to our Spring edition of GTG News, which this year will appear on a quarterly basis. This edition looks back to our highly successful Christmas pantomime, Cinderella and looks forward to GTG’s Spring Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie and includes interviews with our ‘Millie’, Clare Salter and our esteemed Musical Director, Bob Good. We discover who is learning to speak (and sing) in Cantonese and Mandarin. We bring you up to date with the planning for the DHMT concert (on 5 July at the Ben Travers) and we reveal that it is perfectly possible to conduct a GTG Committee Meeting in the dark!

Enjoyed by packed houses, Cinderella was a financial as well as an artistic success! GTG stalwart, Committee Secretary and regular performer, Geoff Embleton has kindly written this appreciation of GTG’s Christmas pantomime:

‘As ever with Mary Gallacher’s and Jenny Mayor’s pantomimes, the rehearsals were enjoyable and fun. Mary and Jenny involved the chorus in as much of the show as possible and augmented their involvement with extra bits and pieces and some inspired comic touches. When they weren’t rehearsing, the cast were being entertained by the antics of the ugly sisters, portrayed superbly by Keith Thomas and Paul Prebble.

Looking back at Cinderella

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Neither of these old stagers needed any prompting as to what was required from an ugly sister, and the contributions they made to the action and script made each rehearsal unique. They did, however, need to be reminded on several occasions that this was a family show!

The ugly sisters were wonderful, but they didn’t come close to provoking such audience hostility as Carol Gallacher’s ‘Wicked Stepmother’. Her comic, over-the-top malevolence was almost palpable, resulting in great amusement for the adult audience but near apoplectic vilification from the children. One little girl in the front row was almost on the stage at one point screaming her head off and waving her arms when Carol was holding ‘Cinders’ by her hair and making her tear her invitation to the Ball into “tiny, tiny pieces”.

As one would expect, the audience quickly warmed to ‘Buttons’, played by Andy Rowe, who coped expertly with the well-timed slapstick and the usual cringingly poor panto jokes and to the ‘Baron’, sympathetically portrayed by Neil McFarlane. Malcolm Fisher was a very posh ‘Prince’ and Jason McCann’s ‘Dandini’ was a worthy foil to their double-act with much being made of Jason’s provincial

accent to good effect. Their rendition of the duet Posh was particularly well received. Denise Hodgkiss’s ‘Fairy Godmother’ was excellent. Her northern accent and world-weary portrayal were inspired. Her work experience protégé, ‘Patsy’ from the Fairy School, played by Sarah Goddard, was another audience favourite and between them they produced some of the best visual comedy the Director could invent.

But no-one captured the audience’s heart like Fiona Proffitt as Cinderella. Her portrayal of a kind and loving daughter was spot-on and there wasn’t a dry eye in the House when she sang My House with such pathos. Her exit in the magnificent crystal coach at the end of Act I drew the most ‘oohs and aahs’ ever heard at the BTT (although that might have been for the coach!)

Indeed the singing throughout was of GTG’s usual high quality from all the main characters with special mentions also for Karen Skull and Lucy Brown who sang solos in the ensemble.

The Backstage Crew and Front of House were as professional as ever in support of the production with a special mention for Chris Morley, Stage Manager and Joy Barnham, Front-of-House Manager ’.

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Rehearsals are in full swing for our charming Spring musical. Thoroughly Modern Millie, with music by Jeanine Tesori, lyrics by Dick Scanlan, and a book by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan, is based on the much loved 1967 movie of the same name, which starred Julie Andrews as ‘Millie’, Mary Tyler Moore as ‘Miss Dorothy’, Beatrice Lillie as ‘Mrs Meers’ and Carol Channing as ‘Muzzy Van Hossmere’. Interestingly, the movie was itself based on a British musical Chrysanthemum, which opened in London in 1956.

Thoroughly Modern Millie tells the story of a small-town girl, Millie Dillmount, who comes to New York City to marry for money instead of love – a thoroughly modern aim in 1922, when

women were just entering the workforce. Few musicals are known for the realistic rigour of their storylines, but Thoroughly Modern Millie stands out, as one critic said, for its ‘delicious silliness’. It features a subplot about the white slave trade, an elevator that ascends at the command of tap-dancing feet, a speakeasy where people Charleston to a jazzed-up version of ‘The Nutcracker’ and a Chinese version of Al Jolson’s ‘Mammy’. The style of the musical is comic pastiche and, like the movie on which it is based, it interpolates new tunes with some previously written songs. Jeanne Tesori’s remarkably witty score even pays homage to Gilbert and Sullivan.

The show opened on Broadway on April 18, 2002 with Sutton Foster in the title role, Harriet Harris as ‘Mrs Meers’ and Sheryl Lee Ralph as ‘Muzzy Van Hossmere’. The production subsequently won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical. As a result of the success of the original Broadway production, there followed a US tour and a West End production in 2003, at the Shaftesbury Theatre. Amanda Holden starred as ‘Millie’ with Maureen Lipman and Marti Webb alternating as ‘Mrs Meers’ and Sheila Ferguson as ‘Muzzy Van Hossmere’. When Webb subsequently left the production to join Tell Me on a Sunday, ‘Mrs Meers’ was played by Anita Dobson. The West End production was followed by a UK tour in 2005. The musical has since become a popular choice for amateur companies.

Looking forward to Throughly Modern Millie – the Musical

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Hilary Harwood talks to Clare Salter

Following in the tap dancing footsteps of Julie Andrews and Sutton Foster is Clare Salter, our ‘Millie”.

Clare will be well known to GTG audiences for her performances as ‘Laura’ in The Time of My Life, directed by Denise Hodgkiss, which won a National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA) award , ‘Dorothy’ in The Wizard of Oz and ‘Hermia’ in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (both directed by Mary Gallacher). Clare has been acting, singing and dancing since she could walk and talk, through school plays, University (in Scotland) drama and, subsequently, in Guildford and London. Locally, Clare has worked with GHOSTS, Fasten Your Seatbelts and Farnham Operatic and Dramatic Society. Theatregoers may remember GHOSTS’ memorable production of Sondheim’s Into the Woods, in which Clare played ‘the Baker’s Wife’ (Emily Blunt in the splendid new Disney vesion). She also played played Nickie (the Chita Rivera role) in GHOSTS’ Sweet Charity. Clare delighted audiences in the (Guildford based) 24 Hour Musical version of The Pajama Game where her ‘Babe Williams’ out-Doris’d Doris Day! She also appeared in The Fantastics and in PH Productions’ glorious Follies in 2013 at the Yvonne Arnaud, where she played ‘Sally’. Follies also featured a number of other GTG performers (Kate Williams, Hilary Harwood, Sue Sillet, Paul Prebble, Natasha Halliwell and Christine Siddall). Last year Clare took part in the premier of the Alex Parker musical Amateur Dramatics, playing an actress who was a professional actress now doing AmDram!. Clare says she ‘loves the icons’ – Judy Garland, Doris Day, Liza Minelli, Bernadette Peters… and says

that hardly a week goes by that she doesn’t watch one of them.

I asked what attracted Clare to Millie. ‘Well - Mary Gallacher for one’. She says that with two children and a job she always makes very careful choices about what she wants to go for. ‘It will be a matter of what shows will be fun to do’. Clare believes Mary always attracts like minded actors, ‘so that you know when you hang out it will be a classy production’. She is also looking forward to working with Jennifer Baxter (on the tap), Jason McCann (Jimmy) and Darren Coppe (Trevor).

Clare is mindful of the challenge of portraying the character of ‘Millie’, a role eternally associated with Julie Andrews. Of course she knows the Julie Andrews’ movie and remembers the iconic ‘flapper’ from the album artwork, but she reminds us that Millie the Musical is different from Millie the Movie, and the original Broadway version starred Sutton Foster, who is a tall leggy brunette. ‘That at least made me less fearful of not being Julie Andrews!’ Clare is thrilled with the stage play version of Millie: ‘its well written and very pacy and funny – and it has tap dancing!’ Clare says Thoroughly Modern Millie is ‘good old fashioned entertainment and frankly, if you don’t enjoy it you may be dead!’

Meet our Millie…

Clare Salter

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An arranger and rehearsal accompanist, Bob is probably best known locally for having been Musical Director for many shows since the early 1980’s. His MD work with GTG began with the pantomime Goldilocks and the Three Bears and he has MD’d many pantomimes subsequently, the most recent being the 2014 Cinderella. Millie is the latest in a number of GTG musicals, including Jesus Christ Superstar, the Witches of Eastwick and the Scarlet Pimpernel.

Bob has composed two original musicals: Silver’s Ghost (performed locally by the Curtain Raisers) and Stud, produced by GTG in 2007. Directed by Denise Hodgkiss and choreographed by Siobhan McLeod, Stud was a quirky, funny and touching piece which featured some wonderful roles for the GTG performers, Kate Williams, Dave Sillet, Geoff Embleton, Alain Fousset, Tara Exell, Carol Gallacher, Donna Wheeler, Jenny Mayor and of course, Paul Prebble, whose performance was as immaculate as ever, despite one of the most alarming costumes ever seen!. Darren Coppe (Trevor Graydon in Millie) made his GTG debut in Stud.

Bob composes original music in a wide range of genres and styles for film, TV, adverts, corporate videos and for production libraries around the world. He says: ‘It’s important to me, when I’m writing and recording, that every recording of every performance of every note is the best

it can be ... after all, once it’s out there there’s no going back, no tweaking and if I’m lucky enough to hear something I’ve produced being used in a new context, then I want to be proud that I’ve done a good job!’ Bob’s music is used widely - from local radio adverts here in the UK to election campaigns in the USA; from BBC TV to television programmes in South America. His company, ‘Surrey Dance Music’ provides music for dance teachers, dance classes, festivals, choreography, examinations, auditions and shows. Bob is pleased to be working with Mary Gallacher again on Millie and is enjoying the musical score very much – ‘its very eclectic, each song has so many different styles’. And instead of positioning the musicians behind the set, Mary wants Bob and his 12 piece orchestra to be featured on stage as part of the action!

…and our Musical Director – Bob Good

Bob Good

Throughout Thoroughly Modern Millie, GTG Vice President, David Dray’s character, ‘Bun Foo’ – and Sean Lyttle’s ‘Ching Ho’ - speak in Cantonese and sing in Mandarin. In the interests of accuracy, which is the author’s intent, an audio instructional guide to the correct pronunciation is issued with the libretto. Quite a challenge! David and Sean are studying hard. David, as many of you will know, teaches drama at the Charterhouse Young Learners Summer School. This year he will be teaching Chinese students. Can we assume, David, that you will be teaching the sessions in Cantonese and Mandarin?

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Meanwhile David Dray is learning Cantonese and Mandarin…

David Dray

Madeleine Gibb, Production Manager for the DHMT concerts reminds us that now GTG’s 50th year is behind us we are looking to the forthcoming 51st year, 2015!

‘Once again we have been asked to stage a charity concert in aid of the DHMT as we have done virtually every year for the past 14 years. Last year was the exception as we did our 50th Anniversary concert instead.

The DHMT relies on the money raised at this concert to provide bursaries for those attending drama school and has given financial support to over 20 students over the past 15 years enabling them to follow their dream. The Trust is currently supporting three GTG members Sam Thomas, Emma Dalton

The Desmond Holt Memorial Trust Concert

The Desmond Holt Memorial TrustSupporting Education in Drama and the Performing Arts

Box Office: 01483 425556 or online www.thelittleboxoffice.net/dhmt

DESMOND HOLT MEMORIAL TRUST CHARITY CONCERT

THE 14TH

Sunday July 5th 20157.30pm | Tickets £12.50

The Ben Travers Theatre, Charterhouse, Godalming

Hosted by Godalming Theatre Group

Musical Director Peter Roberts

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and Megan Swaisland. The Trust needs to ensure funds are raised this year to ensure bursaries can continue.

This year’s concert will take place on Sunday 5 July at the Ben Travers Theatre. Once again it will be a show in a day so:GTG is are looking for performers to apply to take part and arrive ready to perform on the day AND due to the success of the 50th concert and the wonderful ensemble singing we would love to incorporate some of the ideas we used and Peter Roberts has offered to rehearse in advance two group singing medleys to be performed within the DHMT concert if enough GTG-ers are able to commit to four Monday night rehearsals during June prior to the concert. So…..

If you are interested in joining the medley singers please contact the Production Manager, Mad Gibb (m.gibb197@btinternet.com) to receive further details.

If you wish to be considered for a solo number/drama piece or comedy excerpt [maximum 3 minutes] which you will rehearse independently please Mad at the same email address (m.gibb197@btinternet.com) and you will be sent an application form.

Remember you need to be available to put the show together from 10am on Sunday 5 July’

Madeleine needs to hear from you by 1 April latest.

In the past Godalming Theatre Group has provided financial assistance to young members who have chosen to pursue full time education in the performing arts. The Society has experienced the joy and privilege of seeing them develop over time and has been able to support some of them during their education at drama school.

Sadly, it was not possible for Godalming Theatre Group to continue this practice, because of VAT implications. However, every cloud has a silver lining and so in 2001 The Desmond Holt Memorial Trust was created to inherit and advance this work. Desmond was the founder of Godalming Theatre Group; he loved working with youngsters and encouraged them to reach their full potential. It is, therefore, entirely fitting that the Trust should

bear his name. His widow Pat continued to support the DHMT until she passed in 2009. Desmond and Pat’s granddaughter Olivia Holt regularly appears in concerts whenever possible continuing the family’s support of

About the Desmond Holt Memorial Trust

Desond Holt

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the Trust and it work helping young talent performers.

The Desmond Holt Memorial Trust is an independent organisation, managed by a team of Trustees. Its sole aim is to raise funds to provide financial support to students training in the performing arts. The DHMT bears the name of a local director and founder of the Godalming Theatre Group who loved working with youngsters and always encouraged them to reach their full potential. Many talented students who win a coveted place to study at Drama School, then struggle to find the fees needed to fund three year’s training. In order to benefit from these bursaries students need to be members of local drama societies affiliated to GATA [Guildford Amateur Theatre Association] and who in their turn hold events to raise funds for the Trust.

Currently the bulk of these funds are raised from an annual concert hosted by the Godalming Theatre Group. Performers, many of whom are the students who have benefited from the Trust’s support in the past and who now professional performers on stage in the West End, UK and abroad and on TV, return to take part in the concert alongside many other local actors, singers and dancers. The result is a wonderful variety show featuring songs, dance, drama and comedy. The show is staged “in a day” with a large cast taking part.

Since it was created in 2001 the DHMT has helped many students pursue their dream on stage or behind the scenes in stage management and with the support of past recipients, local performers and audiences will continue to do so.

It was like a scene from an Agatha Christie play (now there’s an idea someone!). 13 GTG Committee members, who, caught in an unexpected 4 hours’ power failure, nevertheless held their meeting in the darkness by an open fire with only candles and torches. Never deterred, the redoubtable Mad Gibb, took the minutes by headtorch. ‘It takes more than a power cut to stop a GTG Committee Meeting’ said Mad. (Was she light headed?’ wondered David Dray). Treasurer Paul Furlong claimed that ‘at last he had seen the light’. However GTG Chairman Keith Thomas is keen to assure all Members, Patrons and Friends that it isn’t usual for the Committee to be in the dark…

Who put the lights out?

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Many of our GYTG members will be familiar with the Class Act Drama week run by GTG’s David Dray. For those of you not aware of this wonderful course read on.

Now in its 14th year Class Act’s Drama week is suitable for children aged 10 – 16 years and runs from 10.00am to 4.00pm daily from Monday 10th - Friday 14th August inclusive at The Ben Travers Theatre, Charterhouse which offers great surroundings for this very special drama workshop.

Class Act runs the whole course in a professional theatre. Many of the young people who attend return year after year! It offers a unique chance to spend a whole week in a real working, professional theatre. A great opportunity to experience the ‘whole theatrical journey’ from audition to performance under the guidance of professionals. Find out what goes on behind the scenes including lighting, sounds, props, costume, stage make-up, scenery and front of house. The course concludes with a performance in front of an invited audience; an ideal chance for budding thespians to find out what’s it’s really like!

David Dray has been involved in theatre all his life, acting, directing and teaching. David who teaches drama and confidence building to both adults and children, and of course, also runs the Godalming Youth Theatre Group.

Madeleine Gibb has been part of Class Act since its inception and has vast experience working with young people training in drama. Her specialist areas are costume, special effects make-up and production planning. She worked for Guildford

School of Acting for many years. She too runs GYTG.

Steve Andrews trained at Guildford School of Acting achieving a BA Honours Acting Degree before teaching drama at various youth companies. He is now a qualified as a school teacher. Also working with Class Act is a variety of Professionals who bring their own experience and technical skills to share with the course members.

To book a place/for further information: classacting@sky.com www.classact.webeden.co.uk

Summer Drama Week for Yound ‘would be’ Thespians at the Ben Travers Theatre

Exciting news - GTG will be performing at GLive on Tuesday 21st July as part of the Guildford Fringe Festival!

The committee was keen to be part of the Guildford Fringe Festival but wanted to be in a position to canvas the membership first to ensure we had your support. However an opportunity arose this week for us to perform at GLive and we had to make a snap decision to ensure we were included in the GLive brochure. So we said YES and it is happening - sooooooo read on as we need your support…

Here is the plan: Peter Roberts has agreed to MD the show [phew!] but does not have time to rehearse a new show, so the GTG Songs for a Summer Evening will comprise:

• Two new medleys that will be rehearsed on the four Mondays in June (as part of the DHMT concert). If you have already signed up to be part of this ensemble you can also be in the GLive Concert. Please confirm you are available on 21st July!!

• We shall also include medleys from the 50th Anniversary Concert, so if you took part in that event (but have not yet signed up for the DHMT) then please get in contact by return to let us know you are able to be part of the Fringe Festival Concert.

Once we know who is on board we can plan the GLive running order with Peter and put in one more rehearsal to pull it all together.

This is a wonderful opportunity for GTG. We get to perform twice in a month, once at the Ben Travers and then again at the Bellerby Studio, GLive. We are thrilled to be part of the prestigious Guildford Fringe Festival this summer, getting the GTG message out to a wider audience.

Chairman’s Stop Press

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Do support GTG - contact m.gibb197@btinternet.com now!

Keith Thomas Chairman

BECOME A FRIEND OF GODALMING THEATRE GROUP!

Godalming Theatre Group’s Friends and supporters are vital to its survival. Although we work hard to ensure our productions break even, this is not always possible. In addition, we have costume/prop storage and general running costs that can run into thousands of pounds every year. Our future, therefore, depends on our ability to attract financial support from those who love community theatre.

What is the Friends of GTG Scheme?Friends of GTG pay £10 per month by standing order/direct debit/PayPal - or pay a one off annual payment of £120. In return they can book two tickets free of charge for each show booking on line, selecting their own performance and seats, and are given a personal phone booking service if they prefer - offered by Lorna Embleton and Joy Barnham who are both long-time members of GTG. In addition, Friends of GTG are notified when the box office is about to open so that they can get the very best seats - and we also acknowledge their generous support in our programmes.

If you would like to become a Friend of GTG, please complete and send us the slip below, together with your first month’s subscription of £10. We will then contact you to set up the automatic monthly payment. OR, enclose a cheque for the £120 annual subscription. If you would like to discuss the scheme further, please contact Joy Barnham on 01483 418536.

I would like to become a Friend of Godalming Theatre Group

enclose a cheque for or please contact me for credit/debit card details

Name

Address

Post Code Phone Number

Signed Date

Please send to: Joy Barnham, Flat 2 Normanhurst, Summerhouse Road, Godalming GU7 1PY

£

Hilary Harwood, GTG PR and Communications, welcomes any comments and suggestions you may have for future editions of the newsletter.

Please go to the Contact Us section on our website www.gtguk.com