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The Sisters Are Back In The Habit
Sister
Act
Alnwick
Playhouse
Wednesday
16th - Sunday 20th March 2016
A popular Northumberland amateur dramatics society
is preparing for one of its most challenging productions yet as it celebrates
its 30th anniversary.
Alnwick Stage Musical Society is kicking off its
celebrations with a heavenly production of Sister Act: The Musical. They are one
of the last societies in the North East to put on the show as the licence is no
longer available for amateur societies because of the forthcoming UK Tour.
The group was formed in October 1986 by solicitor
Norman Luke and civil servant Paul Toward. The pair went on to perform in the
group’s first production, The Sound of Music
in March 1987. Since then, the company has gone
from strength to strength and performed musicals including Rodgers and
Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!; The Pirates of Penzance; Kiss Me, Kate; Fiddler on the Roof; and many
more.
As well as the group’s main show in March at
Alnwick Playhouse, the group sometimes put on a summer show in July, such as
the mini-musical Nunsense, was performed in
1999 and 2000.
 |
|
The cast of
Alnwick Stage Musical
Society’s Sister Act
|
More nuns can be seen this March in Sister Act: The
Musical, a 2006 show based on the 1992 film starring Whoopi Goldberg. The show –
written by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner, Douglas Carter Beane, Glenn Slater and
Alan Menken – is set to be one of the biggest musicals the society has ever
produced.
 |
|
The cast of
Alnwick Stage Musical
Society’s Sister Act
|
Group members have been rehearsing since September,
and there are lots of new faces behind the scenes. Local journalist Michael
Pearson will be making his directorial debut
with Miss Georgia Robinson, of Alnwick’s GL Dance
school taking on the hard task of choreographing the fast-paced show.
Michael Pearson said: “We’ve been working so hard
to stitch this production together, and I’m so privileged to have such a
fantastic cast and crew to work with. We have a cast of just under 50 and a
production team of more than 10 people, and there’s a lot of work to do, but
there’s so much passion from everyone.
 |
|
Cast of Sister Act praying
for a heavenly performance!
|
“When you sit through a rehearsal and see Miss Georgia’s choreography come together with the fantastic
music, led by Northumberland composer and music teacher Peter
Brown, it’s a real pleasure to watch. We have
around 30 nuns, and each one of them brings something new to the
production. I’m quietly confident that this will be
one of the greatest productions we’ve ever put on.”
Leading the cast is beautician Leonie Dial, owner
of The Powder Room Spa & Beauty in Alnwick’s Market Place. She will take
the role of Deloris Van Cartier.
 |
| Leonie Dial as Deloris Van Cartier |
The budding thespian faced tough competition for
the role as more than 20 people auditioned for the main parts.
Leonie only joined the society last year, going on
to take the role of Nancy in the 1960 Lionel Bart musical Oliver!
 |
|
Mariana Bennett (Mother
Superior) and
Leonie Dial (Deloris) in
rehearsal
|
Leonie, originally from Kent, said: “When I was 17 years old, I travelled
abroad living my dream of being a singer and dancer on the cruise ships. When I
came home, I missed the stage so much I had to continue my passion with an amateur
group.
“After playing my dream role as Nancy in Oliver! back in March, I made so many friends, so
I am now so excited to challenge myself doing the role of Deloris in such an
amazing
show with a fab cast.”
Tickets:
The show is on at the Alnwick Playhouse venue from
Wednesday 16th until Sunday 20th March 2016. Tickets will be available at www.alnwickplayhouse.co.uk or contact 01665
510 785 - book ahead to avoid disappointment.
You can follow
their progress online at www.facebook.com/AlnwickStageMusicalSociety
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