Exciting 2009 & 2010 programme announced

Hi everyone

Now I’m back off holiday and the engagement party is out the way, I can catch up with some work that was getting put on the backburner!  As you can see on the home page, we are delighted to announce a very exciting and varied programme of productions and events to see us through to the end of our 75th Anniversary year in 2010.  For further information or if you want to either take part; assist in organising or get tickets for, just go to the Contact Us page and drop one of us a line, we’d be delighted to hear from you!

Since I last wrote my blog, we have sadly seen the passing of two of our longest standing members.  Vera Roberts (Life Member) who joined back in 1935 for the first show and Freda Unsworth (Vice President and wife of the late Jack Unsworth).  Our thoughts and prayers are with both families.

On December 3rd, we are singing carols outside Bolton Hospice for the Christmas ‘Light Up A Life’ switch on ceremony.  It’s only a 40 minute ceremony but very poignant.  Come along and join us.  On Friday 12th we’ll also be singing carols either at Bolton General Hospital or at two or three residential homes in close proximity.  We’d be delighted if you can come along, new singers are very welcome.  Just contact me by dropping me a line from the Contact Us section or call me!

Finally, in readiness for our 75th Anniversary, we’re trying to get in touch with ex-members who we have no contact with.  Are you such a person or know of one, please drop me a line in the Contact Us section (chairman@bcmcs.co.uk) with details as they may wish to either attend the 75th Anniversary Dinner Dance or request a copy of the book and DVD of archive photographs, programmes, critiques, etc.).  Please let me know.

Take care and hope to see you soon

Patrick

A Very Happy Ending for Julie Jordan

With Carousel now just a pleasurable memory for all those who were involved, the aftershow party certainly brought a very happy ending for Julie Jordan after grieving every night for her dead husband.  It is with immense delight that as proud parents, Clare and I can announce the engagement of Louisa Unsworth to Steve Watson.  Congratulations to you both!

Carousel – forerunner to Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)

Tonight was my opportunity to sit in the audience and watch Carousel in it’s entirity and it brought back many pleasant personal memories!  Congratulations to everyone on a super production that entertained the audience from the first minute to the last!  As we’re half way through the run, now is the time to scrutinise the storyline and ask those probing questions, such as:

• Is there any room left in heaven, as their acceptance selection policy seems to have the lowest ethical standards? You can be a lying, cheating, thieving, wife-beating coward who commits suicide to take the easy way out, but a couple of words into your daughters ear and telling your widow that you love her from beyond the grave means you can get in, no problem
• Did Oscar Greely Clendenning Hammerstein II (I bet he was always last to leave the classroom as he was still writing his name at the top of the paper)) really create the characters of Randall and Hopkirk?  I could almost here Marty shouting ” She took the star Jeff!  Jean took the star!  It’s almost like she knew I was here”

Good luck for the rest of the week and I await your own observations with great interest.

Take care

Patrick

Mr Snow proclaims he is ready…for FAME?

Well with opening night within sight, Mr Snow has announced that he’s word perfect…phew, that’s a relief!  Now all he needs to do is concentrate on putting them in the right order (Oh, how we all miss Morecambe and Wise)!  Today was the ‘get in’ at the Albert Hall and along with the Stage Manager, I extend our thanks to everyone who was down to help carry (what was meant to be a smaller set than last year) the numerous parts of the set up those 6 flights of stairs into the auditorium for assembling on the stage.  When will the Albert Hall either install a service lift or a cradle to raise scenery from the ground floor to the second?

As Adrian alluded to the next blog that will be on the website later this week, please join us in a fun discussion in regard to many anomalies detected in the Carousel storyline.  Come along to the show and see if you can spot those unanswered questions.

Yesterday at our last rehearsal, our 2010 show was announced and as you can probably gather from the title of this particular blog and Adrian’s reference to ‘skin tight dance gear’ (I must apologise at this point for the shocking images that are now embedded in your minds), it will be Fame – The Musical.  This will form part of our 75th Anniversary celebrations and within the next few weeks, I hope I can provide you with a full programme of productions and events.

So before I log off for the night, to the whole cast, production teams, backstage and front of house crews, may I reiterate the sentiments of Mr Enoch Snow in saying, break a leg sugar-lamb honey -pie!  It just about says it all!

Patrick

Less than two weeks to the show!

Well, less than two weeks to go before the opening night and it is frantic at this moment!  Only last night, we lost our Mrs Mullin due to injury, however fortunately we have managed to replace her with another experienced performer.  Who is it, buy a ticket and find out!

I hope you’ve enjoyed browsing the website and have seen many photos that have brought back memories in the video that takes us back to the beginning, nearly 75years ago. Unfortunately, due to the commitments of creating a 20 page programme for the show, the last two weeks have prevented us from updating ‘The Story so far’ video to bring in more photographs from the not too distant past.  We do hope to have those included soon.  I know it skips through the video at speed but when the book and DVD are produced in 2010, you will have the time then to freeze frame all the archive material.  As I said last time, it’s just a taster for things to come.

I would urge everyone to get their tickets for Carousel to see what Rodgers and Hammerstein regard as their ‘best show’  Time magazine voted it the ‘greatest show of the 20th Century’ and it is loved by millions.  Please may I ask though that when ‘You’ll never walk alone’ is sung, the football scarves don’t make an appearance!  Go to the contact page and send an email to Pat Grady to book your tickets or call her on 01204 856977.  If you want to see the layout of the auditorium, click on our link (home page) to The Albert Halls and select Ticket Bookings.  There will be two half page adverts in Tuesday’s Bolton News and Thursday’s Bolton Journal next week.  Please encourage as many people that you know to come along. They won’t be disappointed.

Finally, may I offer congratulations to Theo (Chris) Cook who is making his professional debut in the touring version of Cabaret (at The Palace Theatre, Manchester this week).  Theo is playing the same part that he did for BCMCS back in 2002 (the young Nazi).  This time, performing with Wayne Sleep (Emcee) and Samantha Barks (Sally Bowles – Samantha came third in BBC’s I’d do Anything), I was there to see it and he put in an excellent performance!  Congratulations must also go to Nick Larkin (Curly in Oklahoma 2004).  He has landed his first professional role in the forthcoming touring version of Fame – The Musical.  It’s great to see some of our younger members getting their feet on the ladder to what we hope is stardom.  Well done ‘Theo’ and Nick!

Hopefully, see you at the show

Take care

Patrick

Welcome to the new website

Hi everybody and welcome to the new BCMCS website.  May I offer my congratulations to Danny Greaves for his creation and encourage you to browse the various pages.  When he told me that I was to be given a blog page where I can let you all know what’s going on and also encourage a few fun discussions, I admit I was a little hesitant in my enthusiasm as it means regular updates.  However, it does have it’s benefits and will allow you to leave messages with your thoughts on the various topics.  So to the website and if we still have one or two issues to rectify, please bear with us.  Have a look at the gallery where there are a number of photographs taken at rehearsal by Kathryn Worsley.  Also have a look at the ‘Story so far’ section where archive photographs, crits and programmes dating back to 1935 are on a presentation.  This material has been compiled by our Archivist & Treasurer, Anthony Wilkinson and makes up part of the BCMCS – Preserving Past & Future project due for release to coincide with our 75th Anniversary in 2010.  Don’t forget that Carousel is only 4 weeks away and you can get your tickets by contacting our Box Office Manager by either telephoning 01204 856977, sending her an email via the Box Office Manager on the contacts page or finally going direct to the Albert Halls website by clicking the link on the Home page.  The seating plan and availability is shown for each performance but remember, we do have a greater selection of tickets for sale, but these are shown as taken on the plan.

I hope to see you all soon

Take care

Patrick

New Blog !!!!!!

Welcome to our new blog!