Phoenix Players Amdram theatre

2012 Walking On Sunshine

Admin — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 23:44:12 +0000

The 1980s were a decade of big hair, big egos, and big aspirations! This show tells the story of the 80s as seen through the eyes of the Milroy family and their neighbours on Sunshine Rd, Hackney. The show features well-known 80s pop songs including songs from Madness, Madonna, The Pet Shop Boys and others and draws on characters from 80s sitcoms – it's a real nostalgia fest!

Tony Sanders

Admin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:31:48 +0000

2011's ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ was Tony’s maiden voyage with us, unless you class as a ‘part’ being on stage for two minutes as a non-speaking dragon in the panto earlier that year, “Gerry & The Dragon”. In fact, playing a myriad of chorus roles in that show was Tony’s first go at treading the boards… EVER! We’re glad Fidelma managed to twist his arm to finally succumb to his inner Diva and join us on stage! Tony’s day job is for the Marine Society and Sea Cadets, so he’s holding out for a part in Anchors Away. A keen mountaineer and sailor, Tony hopes to scale the heights with this production. (Note from the website manager: that was not my joke!)

2012 Beasts In The Wood

Admin — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 12:37:16 +0000

Granny leaves Dame Polly in charge of telling the stories of Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and Jack (and his cow). But thanks to an interfering witch the stories

take on lives of their own. Soon the three bases are lost in ‘The Wood’.

Can Dame Polly rescue them from the clutches of the witch and the mad, bad Doctor Y and his ‘mashing’ monsters?

CAST

Ian Caldecourt – Dame Polly

Jennifer Hepburn – Red Riding Hood

Debbie Featherstone – Granny/Animal

Jude Figueira - Wolfie

Sam Leach - Woodcutter

Michelle Hayes – Cinders

Carol Norton – Step Mother

Gemma Miles – Step Sister 1

Cat Ellis – Step Sister 2

Juliet Hogarth – Cinder's Prince/Sunshine Girl/ Villager/Beast/Animal

Barry Pavey – Jack

Justine Knight – Jack's Mother

Nicole English – Rapunzel

Pauline Seagroatt – Rapunzel's Prince/Villager/Beast/70s Glam Rocker

Nikki Blemings – Rubella the Witch

Ruth Jones – Boy Scout/VillagerBeast/70s Glam Rocker

William Lewis – Scout/Villager/Beast/70s Glam Rocker

Paulina Dabrowska – Boy Scout/Beast

Debbie Williams – Sunshine Girl/Villager/Animal/Beast/70s Glam Rocker

Hannah Davies – Sunshine Girl/Villager/Animal/Beast/70s Glam Rocker

Amanda Williams – Sunshine Girl/Villager/Animal/Beast/70s Glam Rocker

Tony Sanders – Doctor Y/Villager/Beast/Animal

Geoff Bowes – Quasmo/Villager/Animal

Jen Green – Musical Director

David Armitt – Director

Musical numbers

Act 1

Panto Shock (Little Shop of Horrors) – Company

The Happy Wanderer – Dame plus Company

A Little Bit Of Good (Chicago) – Red Riding Hood & the Sunshine Girls

To The Wood (Oliver) – Dame, Jack’s Mother, Step-family & Company

Hood’s To The Wood – Red Riding Hood & Woodcutter

A Lovely Night (R&H’s Cinderella) – Cinders with Step-family (offstage

Reprise: A Lovely Night (R&H’s Cinderella) - Step-family & Cinders

Rapuzel’s Theme – 1^st time (ELO) – Rapunzel

Rapuzel’s Theme – 2^nd time – Rapunzel, & Rubella

Rapuzel’s Theme 3^rd time & Rockaria (ELO) – Rapunzel, Prince & The Animals (Company)

Be Prepared! (Tom Lehrer) – Scout Leader & Three Boy Scouts (with G&A Dance School)

A Beastly Tale (Kiss of the Spider Woman) – Scout Leader with Scouts, Dame & Mother

Could This Be Magic? (Barry Manilow) – Wolfie, Red Riding Hood &Sunshine Girls backing

Not While I’m Around (Sweeny Todd) – Red Riding Hood, Jack & Woodcutter

The Monster Mash – Doctor Y, Rubella , Quasmo, Prince & Company

Act 2

A Lousy Night! – Stepfamily

Reprise: The Monster Mash – Prince & Company

Part 1: Everybody Ought To Have A Maid (A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum) – Gran, Dame, Jack’s Mother, Jack Wolfie, Rapunzel,& Cinders

Part2: Everybody Ought To Have A Maid – Rapunzel, Jack & Cinders

A Super Rat Like Me (Dracula Spectacular) – Doctor Y, Rubella , Quasmo & Chorus of Beasts

Part 3: Everybody Ought To Have A Maid – Gran, Dame, Jack’s Mother & Wolfie

Go Glam! (Pet Shop Boys) – Prince & Company – Prince & Company

Reprise: To The Wood – Gran, Dame, Jack’s Mother & Company

Choo-Choo Honeymoon (Dames At Sea) – Scout Leader, Woodcutter & Sunshine Girls

Reprise: Panto Shock – Company

Spread The Love Around (Sister Act) – Dame, Jack, Mother, Cinders & her Prince, Rapunzel, Prince, Hood & Company

Damien Jones

Admin — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 14:47:55 +0000

Originally from a street in Erinsborough, Australia not too far from Ramsey Street, Damien grew up playing with Bouncer the dog, working shifts in Harold's coffee shop and avoiding natural disasters and personal crises on a weekly basis – honestly, I'm not making this up…well, not all of it anyway. He also sang in a few bands and got involved in a few school Amdram productions which you'd thing would be a springboard for a life in the theatre but No. Oddly enough since then he hasn't done much and it took joining the Phoenix Players to reignite his fire for the stage. But now there's no stopping him! He joined us for 2011's "Bubblegum, Soda & Pop" playing a very fitting Billy Kool and then was cast as the lead Conrad Birdie in "Bye Bye Birdie" from the same year. Harold would be so proud.

2011 Bye Bye Birdie

Admin — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 09:57:58 +0000

Bye Bye Birdie

This show (and the film made from it in 1963), it is a loose parody of Elvis Presley's life at the time when he was drafted into the American Army. Set in 1958, the key character is Conrad Birdie, a rock 'n' roll superstar who is suddenly drafted into the Army. Together with his agent/song writer, Albert Peterson, and Albert's secretary and love interest, Rosie Alvarez, a final Farewell performance on the famous Ed Sullivan TV show is planned to promote his single "One Last Kiss". As a grand finale for the performance it is decided that Conrad will select one of his fan club and give her "one last kiss" at the end of the show.

The lucky fan chosen is Kim MacAfee from Sweet Apple, Ohio but as Albert and Rosie arrive in Sweet Apple to arrange the show, an over-enthusiastic and fame-hungry father, Harry MacAfee, as well as Kim's jealous boyfriend, Hugo Peabody, begin to create problems. The show catalogues the hilarious consequences of that fateful show and its aftermath as well as the development of Albert and Rosie's love saga, which suffers from the constant interference of Albert's mother, Mae Peterson.

The story provides many humorous moments in the show and the music is classic American 60s rock 'n' roll with a few ballads mixed in. As well as the principle parts listed above there are many roles for the various townspeople of Sweet Apple, The Mayor and his wife, a singing quartet of Barflies, a Teen chorus (ahem…we may need to make this a more "mature" chorus) and, of course, the legendary Mr Ed Sullivan himself.

CAST

Albert Peterson – Jude Figueira
Rose Alvarez – Rebecca Jones
Kim Macafee – Siobhan Mc Innes
Mrs. Doris Macafee – Justine Knight
Mr. Harry Macafee – Barry Pavey
Mrs. Mae Peterson – Fidelma O'Neill
Conrad Birdie – Damian Jones
Hugo Peabody – Steve Norton
Teen Chorus – Emily Kirkpatrick, Laura Cole, Sarah O'Malley, Ursual Dekker,
Cat Ellis, Gemma Nicholson, Joanne Treacy, Hannah Davies,
Ursula Merkle – Lucy Dormandy
One Girl – Emily Kirkpatrick
Policemen – William Lewis, Roy Parris
Reporters – Roy Parris, Tony Sanders, Sam Leach
Mayor – Sam Leach
Mayor's wife – Pauline Seagroatt
Mrs. Merkle – Deborah Osbourn
Randolph Macafee -Reynaldo Guevara
Nancy – Laura Cole
Helen – Cat Ellis
Penelope – Hannah Davies
Gloria Rasputin – Debbie Williams (Thurs & Fri) Laura Cole (Sat)
Ed Sullivan's voice – Tony Sanders
Traveller – Deborah Osbourn
Mr. Johnson – Geoff Bowes
Maude – Geoff Bowes
Alice – Hannah Davies
Margie – Gemma Nicholson
Harvey Johnson – Tony Sanders
Deborah Sue – Emily Kirkpatrick
Trainman/ Train Conductor – Roy Parris
Conrad's guitar man – Reynaldo Guevara
2 sad girls – Emily Kirkpatrick, Sarah O'Malley
Stage Manager – Geoff Bowes

Stage hand – William Lewis

Stage hand – Roy Parris

Music

Overture – Band and Teenagers
An English Teacher – Rosie
Telephone Hour – Teenagers
How Lovely to Be a Woman – Kim
Put on A Happy Face – Albert
A Healthy Normal American Boy – Albert, Rosie, Teenagers, and Adults
Penn Station to Sweet Apple – Teenagers and Adults
Sweet Apple Band – Teenagers
One Boy – Kim and two Girls
Honestly Sincere – Conrad and Teenagers
Wounded – Teenagers
Hymn for a Sunday Evening – The Macafees, Teenagers and Adults
One Last Kiss – Conrad, Teenagers, All Principals and Adults

Act II

Entr'acte – Teenagers
What Did I Ever See in Him – Rosie and Kim
See in Him – Reprise – Rosie
A Lot of Livin' To Do – Conrad, Kim and Teenagers
Kids – Mr & Mrs. Macafee
Baby Talk to Me - Albert and Adults
Kids Reprise – Adults. Mr & Mrs. Macafee and Randolph
Ice House Living – Teenagers
An English Teacher – reprise – Rosie
Spanish Rose – Rosie and Adult dancers
Hand Car – Teenagers
Rosie – Albert and Rosie
Finale – All

We would like to thank to the following people

Musical Directors – Jen Green & Sarah Latto

Choreography – Debbie Williams & Hannah Davies

Costumes –Pauline Seagroatt

Props – Debbie Featherstone

Set Design & Construction – Steve Arnold & Sam Leach

Lighting Darren Knight

Sound – Steve Lonsdale

Program/Website/Video – Sean O’Farrell

Stage manager – Richard Seagroatt & Chris Cockburn

Front of House – Edith Adejobi, Joanna Walker, Justine Knight, Richard Knight, Ruth Jones

Special Thanks to Carol Morris and all at Edward Alleyn Theatre

2011 Bubblegum, Soda & Pop

Admin — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 09:18:36 +0000

Bubblegum, Soda & Pop

(a musical by David Armitt)

The girl bands of the 50s, 60s and 70s served as an important rite of passage articulating teenage romantic angst while proving that rock, was no boys club. They also lasted longer than most of their male counter-parts – how’s that for pre-Spice Girl power!? This show charted the fortunes, loves and fashions of two imaginary girl bands (The Flamettes & The Petticoats) from 50s high school through to merger in the 60s (The Ultimates) and separation in the 70s.

And as you'd expect, along the way there were some tremendously evocative songs of that era:

Act 1

You Can’t Stop the Beat

Man of My Dreams Medley

Grease Lightning

The Nicest Kids In Town

Sugar n’ Spice Medley

Dream Medley

Honestly Sincere

Welcome To The Sixties

Beatles Medly

Supremes medley

You Don’t Own Me

Act 2

Age of Aquarius

Stop In The Name of Love (Reprise)

Thank You and Goodnight

Telephone Line

Kiss Today Goodbye

Fabulous Baby!

Abba Mix

Think

Somebody To Love

Finale— You Can’t Stop The Beat (Reprise)

Cast:

Celia Lack – Carol DeBurca
Deloris 1 – Sinead Egan
Deloris 2 – Jade Smythe
Betty 1 – Caroline Smith
Betty 2 – Fidelma O'Neill
Marlene – Siobhan McInnes
Charlene – Zeena Dhealley
TP- Hannah Davies
Peggy & Angie - Joanna Walker
Sue – Nicki Oldham
Mary Lou – Jo Treacy
Miss Strict – Manuela Langotsch
Blimey Benny - David Armitt
Billy John Kool – Damien Jones
Corny Collins/Slade/Host – Jude Figueira
Janitor/Ziggy – Alan Pender
Ricky Roast – Barry Pavey
Shirl – Pauline Seagroatt
Girl 1 – Debbie Featherstone
Choir – Debbie Williams, Ruth Jones, Sam Leach

Musical Director – Jen Green
Band – Richard Burden, Andy Bragg
Choreography – Joanna Walker, Hannah Davies, Siobhan McInnes
Costumes – Debbie Featherstone
Lighting Design – Darren Knight
Stage manager – Richard Seagroat
Box Office – Justine Knight & Sean O'Farrell
Front of House – Geoffrey Bowes, Sarah O'Malley, Justine Knight, Gavin Buck & Sarah Weed

Director – Mary Dunn


And thanks also to the following for helping out: Sheila Seagroatt, Emily Kirkpatrick, Mark, Joanne & Pedro at Nettlefold Hall

Sarah Weed

Admin — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:54:57 +0000

Don’t let the easy-going manner and sweet smile fool you. As a leading City Dealmaker this woman has more power at her fingertips than any of us can imagine. If she’s having a bad day she can erase entire nations at the touch of a button! With her portrayal of a fiercesome deck-chair attendant in “Half A Sixpence” we briefly saw the veil dropped and a candidate for the next big movie Baddie revealed. Ah Mr Bond, I’ve been expecting you…

Jen Green

Admin — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:50:37 +0000

Jen read music at Worcester College, Oxford, where she studied composition with Robert Saxton. She is currently completing an MA in musical theatre (writing stream) at Goldsmiths University. Her 15 minute musical ‘The Diet’ was performed on the 31 March and a 45 minute work will be performed in September. In addition to musical theatre writing, Jen also composes incidental theatre music. Recent and upcoming work includes songs and incidental music for ‘As You Like It’ and ‘Twelfth Night’ (Goldsmiths University), ‘Great Expectations’ (Edinburgh Fringe), and music for an art installation (Goldsmiths University). She is the pianist for the show choir 'Starling Singers', a part of Starling Arts.

Katrina Johnson

Admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 17:20:58 +0000

Hailing from New Zealand, our Kristina is a case in point of how far Phoenix is prepared to cast its net to recruit the finest theatrical talent. Not only has she taught dance since she was 16 but she has also been in about 40 different musicals in her career. Like you, we’re scratching our head as to what in Earth she is doing in Phoenix but we’re glad she’s arrived and we hope she’ll stick around!

Ruth Jones

Admin — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 17:20:13 +0000

A newcomer to the gang for 2011's panto "Gerry & The Dragon" Ruth is a unique and welcome addition to the group. Her background includes singing with the prestigious Morley College Choir where pieces by Mozart, Vivaldi and the like were the order of the day. Quite how she’ll take the step down to clowning around with us on stage will be interesting to see. Nevertheless we’re sure this resilient Liverpudlian will manage it and we may even learn a thing or two from her.