Images courtesy of Richard Batson / SLT
A feel-good show of stage song and dance favourites is set to be performed by a troupe of talented young performers at Sheringham Little Theatre.
A Celebration of Musical Theatre, running from April 14-16 at 7.30pm nightly, will see a cast aged eight to 16 showcase their stage skills.
They are excited and eager to step back into the limelight for the first time in two years, after the traditional Easter musical Guys and Dolls was postponed and then cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.
But the youngsters are aiming to come back with a bang with an hour-long show that will include hits from classic shows, including Guys and Dolls, as well as an introduction to some newer productions.
Assistant director Katie Thompson said: “The cast are a mixture of experienced youngsters from previous shows and some making their stage debuts.
“There will be group numbers, duets, solos – and our aim is for the young people to have fun. They are full of energy, enthusiasm and very excited to be back on stage performing.”
Songs and dances from Hairspray, Shrek, The Sound of Music and Oliver will feature, along with more recent shows such as Dear Evan Hansen and Rent.
There will be guest performances too from some Little Theatre favourites including youngsters Lucy Connor and Charlotte Caldwell along with panto creator Nick Earnshaw who is making a welcome return to direct the show.
The show signals the re-emergence of the theatre’s Easter youth productions, and comes in a year which will also see the re-appearance of youngsters in the professional panto.
Youngsters wanting to join the team can find out more upcoming productions and regular Monday night stage sessions on the website www.sheringhamlittletheatre.com or by following updates on the theatre’s Facebook page.
Tickets for A Celebration of Musical Theatre costing £8 are available at https://sheringhamlittletheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/1173624436
The volunteer crew at Sheringham have received a cheque for £1000 from the managers & owner of The Two Lifeboats.
On Sunday 29th January the managers of the Two Lifeboats public house Sheringham, Stephan & Anna Marriott, presented Sheringham lifeboat crew with a cheque for £1000.
Owner of the Two Lifeboats, Tim Joudrey said “We decided to choose the local RLNI as our main local charity as I and my recently deceased Uncle were regularly sailing together originally, on the solent and in the last 20 years on the Norfolk coast. It is a cause close to my heart and I wish to show our appreciation for the great work they do.”
A new-look Hub café is taking shape behind the blacked-out windows of Sheringham Little Theatre. The venue has been closed all January for a major revamp of its foyer and the café which is a vital income generator to support its arts programming.
When the curtain goes up on the £85,000 project visitors will see a freshened up café with new flooring, ceilings, lights, heating and revived tables and chairs.
The toilets are getting new lighting and hand driers – and the whole building is getting LED lighting, a front door porch and window film to make it more energy efficient and help make its rising power bills more manageable.
People walking past after dark will have already noticed colourful new lighting on the fascia boards.
A charity-run seaside theatre is facing a new drama. How to pay for its surging power bill.
Bosses at Sheringham Little Theatre face a staggering rise in the cost of their electricity from the current £10,000 a year to a breathtaking £70,000.
The seven-fold hike is much higher than the 500pc increases being reported by many regional businesses who are asking for government help to survive.
The soaring cost of living also affects audience spending, seeing people questioning whether to have a trip to the theatre when they have their own food and power pressures at home.
The double whammy is even putting the future of the community arts venue, which has just finished its summer season, in jeopardy in the longer term.
Actor Gillian Dean is set to play a blind woman in a summer drama thriller, using her own visual impairment to bring extra realism to the role.
But two weeks later she will play a fully-sighted character in a classic comedy, using stage craft and support from fellow cast members so her disability is not noticeable.
The inspirational 42-year-old from Lakenham, Norwich is currently rehearsing and learning lines for both roles at Sheringham Little Theatre this month.In Wait Until Dark she is blind Susy who is alone in her 1960s London flat with a doll being targeted by three desperate con men. In Table Manners she is Annie, who is trying to spend an illicit weekend with her brother-in-law.
Gillian said: “Thumbs up to the Little Theatre for casting a visually-impaired person to play Susy. “It is good for ethical reasons and because we disabled actors are under-represented - but I can also bring real authenticity to the role".
“I have played sighted roles before and it is all about talking to the cast and director about what I can and cannot do and finding ways around it. I can see enough not to fall over things but if, say, I cannot see a step on stage we can arrange for someone else to go up it first so I can follow. And if my cue is from a facial expression other cast members can make a noise or give me a nudge.”
Play director Brendan Murray said: “A sighted actor can represent a blind person on stage, but Gillian’s real-life experience is teaching us how to portray things from a genuine visually-impaired perspective. She is amazingly positive and a very able actor.”