Close your eyes and let music set you free! I’ve got a lot of living to do! I dreamed a dream in time gone by! She can’t act, she can’t sing, and she can’t dance - the Triple Threat! You pile up enough tomorrows and you’ll find you’ve collected nothing but a lot of sad, lonely yesterdays! We ham and jam and Spamalot! Got to find my corner of the sky! Witches can be right, giants can be good... you decide what’s right, you decide what’s good! I’ll eat some breakfast, then change the world! Big people have little humor, and little people have no humor at all! Won’t forget, can’t regret, what I did for love! Who am I? It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark and we’re wearing sunglasses! Anything you can do, I can do better...and in heels! A vision’s just a vision if its only in your head! There ain’t nothing like a dame! Even though we are sitting down, we are giving you a standing ovation! Anything can happen if you let it! Some people ain’t me! Musicians stay in the pit...and for good reason! The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter! Well, if that’s love, it comes at much too high a cost! The future’s got a million roads for you to choose, but you’ll walk a little taller in some high heel shoes! Another day, another destiny! If all the worlds a stage, then I want better lighting! Do you know what you wish? Are you certain that you wish is what you want? If you know what you want, then make a wish! To love another person is to see the face of god! Where the devil are my slippers? I cannot for the life of me understand why small children take so long to grow up… I think they do it deliberately, just to annoy me! I’d say it now but it’d take all day! Close your eyes and let music set you free! I’ve got a lot of living to do! I dreamed a dream in time gone by! She can’t act, she can’t sing, and she can’t dance - the Triple Threat! You pile up enough tomorrows and you’ll find you’ve collected nothing but a lot of sad, lonely yesterdays! We ham and jam and Spamalot! Got to find my corner of the sky! Witches can be right, giants can be good... you decide what’s right, you decide what’s good! I’ll eat some breakfast, then change the world! Big people have little humor, and little people have no humor at all! Won’t forget, can’t regret, what I did for love! Who am I? It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark and we’re wearing sunglasses! Anything you can do, I can do better...and in heels! A vision’s just a vision if its only in your head! There ain’t nothing like a dame! Even though we are sitting down, we are giving you a standing ovation! Anything can happen if you let it! Some people ain’t me! Musicians stay in the pit...and for good reason! The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter! Well, if that’s love, it comes at much too high a cost! The future’s got a million roads for you to choose, but you’ll walk a little taller in some high heel shoes! Another day, another destiny! If all the worlds a stage, then I want better lighting! Do you know what you wish? Are you certain that you wish is what you want? If you know what you want, then make a wish! To love another person is to see the face of god! Where the devil are my slippers? I cannot for the life of me understand why small children take so long to grow up… I think they do it deliberately, just to annoy me! I’d say it now but it’d take all day! Close your eyes and let music set you free! I’ve got a lot of living to do! I dreamed a dream in time gone by! She can’t act, she can’t sing, and she can’t dance - the Triple Threat! You pile up enough tomorrows and you’ll find you’ve collected nothing but a lot of sad, lonely yesterdays! We ham and jam and Spamalot! Got to find my corner of the sky! Witches can be right, giants can be good... you decide what’s right, you decide what’s good! I’ll eat some breakfast, then change the world! Big people have little humor, and little people have no humor at all! Won’t forget, can’t regret, what I did for love! Who am I? It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark and we’re wearing sunglasses! Anything you can do, I can do better...and in heels!
SPOTLIGHT
No.1
DOUGLAS CHORAL UNION
NEWSLETTER
It’s that time of year when thoughts turn to summer holidays. The sun seems to shine everyday and I have a daily urge to eat strawberries, smell the sea and feel the sand between my toes. But then there are also the DCU auditions to endure!
Yes, there’s the knot in my stomach. The very thought is enough to fill me with
dread and leaves me wondering how those paltry three minutes in the audition
room, can for many, feel like the most nerve wracking three minutes you’ll ever
experience. I mean it’s not like the England football team have to remember the
opening lines of Take Me to Heaven when they step up for a penalty! I’m quite
convinced most self-respecting nuns could kick a bag of air 12 yards.
But an audition is an opportunity, an opportunity to have an audience and to
try out everything you’ve been quietly working on. Its not every day you get
an opportunity like that, so we must embrace it and show what we can really
do! And for all those plucky thespians auditioning this year, take heart in the
knowledge that our Director, Tara and Musical Director, Andrew will put you at
ease and fill you with confidence and encouragement from the very moment
you step into the room. Gone are the days of stern-faced studio execs such as
those who evaluated Fred Astaire’s early screen test; Their verdict?
“Can’t act. Can’t sing. Skinny. Balding. Dances a little.”
Outside of auditions, the Committee are already hard at work to ensure our Sister
Act is one knock out show. This month’s Spotlight introduces you to the team,
who boast a new Chairman in Tony Jones, and three new members. So find out
who they are and what they’re up to, and maybe you’ll be inspired to contact us.
Finally, don’t forget to drop me an email and let me know what you think of
the newsletter and what you’d like to see included in future editions. Wishing
everyone the best of luck with their auditions - this will be one terrific Sister Act!
Don’t be afraid to do what your instincts tell you . . .You may not get the part, but people will take notice!
Robert De Niro
THE MAD, THE BAD & THE UGLY
Burt Reynolds & Clint Eastwood were good buddies back when they started out in Hollywood. The two attended an audition together and the casting director had sent them both packing, telling Burt that he couldn’t act, and Clint that he was ugly!
Once outside, Eastwood turned to Burt and said “well, at least I can act.” Burt shot back, “yeah, but I can learn to act. You’ll always be ugly!”
Did you know?Overture
@DCU_iom
Douglas Choral Union
www.douglaschoralunion.im
Lou
1
Joining Fred Astaire amongst the most famous of rejections are The Beatles who were turned down by Decca records. Hope for us all eh!?
I have the honour of being elected Chairman of Douglas Choral Union for this year and would like to welcome you to issue one of Spotlight - the first of our regular Newsletters.
I am sure that we are all looking forward to our
next production Sister Act which is a fun show
that should appeal to all ages. Of course, like other
Societies, we face a number of challenges, mainly
as a result of an increasing number of shows being
put on and the current economic climate on the
Island. This means that we can no longer rely on
ticket sales to meet the significant costs involved.
Having said that, I feel strongly that we should always strive to put on a production
of a high quality that audiences expect, and always get, when attending a DCU
show. If we are to do that then we have to seek to generate income from a
range of sources whilst also ensuring that we get value for money from all areas
of expenditure. I am confident that, with the enthusiastic and hard working
Committee we have and with support from the Membership, we can go from
strength to strength and ensure that we maintain the high standard and quality
of show that has been presented to audiences over the years.
This Newsletter has been introduced not only to keep members up to date
with what is going on but also to give you the opportunity to feed back to the
Committee your ideas, suggestions and comments on issues such as fund
raising, sponsorship, social events and indeed on the content of the Newsletter
itself. Please feel free to contact me at any time if you wish to discuss anything,
either by email or by telephone on 220850.
With the enthusiastic and hard working Committee we have and with support from the Membership, we can go from strength to strength!
Tony Jones
AUDITION INFORMATION
Douglas Choral Union are delighted to announce the audition dates for the forthcoming production of Sister Act.
They are Sunday 13th July at 6.30pm and Monday 14th July at 5.30pm, and will be held at St Andrew’s House, St Ninian’s, Douglas.
Individual times will be given once all applications have been received.
Full details along with an application form can be found HERE
Please note the closing date for all audition applications is July 4th.
First Act
@DCU_iom
Douglas Choral Union
www.douglaschoralunion.im
Tony
2
TONY JONES, DCU CHAIRMAN
For issue one of Spotlight, we would like to introduce you to this year’s DCU Committee. Tony’s team will be safely steering the Society through the next 12 months, exploring new avenues and keeping us at the forefront of Manx musical theatre.
Nick Cain, Marketing and PRHey buddies ,Nick here and I’m heading up Advertising and Marketing for Sister
Act. I’m responsible for getting the word out about next years production of
Sister Act. We are always looking for new and inventive ways to bring our shows
to the attention of the public, so if you should you know of any advertising
opportunities from flyers to concerts, banner positions to flash mobs please
let me know - [email protected]
Neil Callin, Production SecretaryHi, I’m Neil and I am this year’s production secretary. This means I’ll be doing a
lot of organising and liaising between all of the different departments to make
sure everything gets organised. I will be organising the teams who will look after
props and wardrobe, the stage manager, booking the set and costumes, sound
man, lighting man, Assistant Director, Assistant Musical Director, set transport,
follow spots operators and many other things including liaising with Tara and
Andrew and the Gaiety staff.
If you’re interested in helping out in any of these areas you can contact me by
e-mail at [email protected] particularly if you are experienced in operating
the follow spots.
Julia Bratty, TreasurerHi, I’m Julia and I’m the Treasurer for the Society, so when it comes to rounding
up the cash I will be the one begging! My task at the initial stages of organising
a show is to try and set a reasonable budget that we can adhere too. This is very
difficult when doing a show like Tommy where the set and costumes have to
be made from scratch but hopefully with Sister Act we will have a better idea
as we are able to hire everything.
The biggest unpredictable element is obviously ticket sales and numerous
factors influence this so it is up to each and every member to sell the show
and to suggest organisations that may be interested in sponsoring us. Today
the cost of staging our shows are the other side of six figures, so we always
welcome new ways to generate revenue, whether advertising, sponsorship or
fund raising events - so please get in touch.
Continued
The 11 0’clock Number
www.douglaschoralunion.im3
Name: Neil Callin
Likes: Back to the Future and skipping
Most likely to say: I’ll sing the long song
Name: Julia Bratty
Likes: To boogie
Most likely to say: Yes, to a glass of red
Name: Nick Cain
Likes: Having a go
Most likely to say: I did that once!
JUST THE BAD AND THE UGLY
Meet the team
Kayleigh Parkinson, Membership Secretary, Social SecretaryHiya, I’m Kayleigh and I am Membership Secretary and Social Secretary. I am
responsible for ensuring the membership is kept up to date with all relevant
information and details in relation to the DCU including matters relating to
auditions for shows or more generally relating to the membership such as
charitable events and/or bursary applications.
I am also responsible for arranging the social events for the society, and I have
some great ideas for the forthcoming year but would welcome any suggestions
from you, the members. The social events will be posted on our Facebook page
and details emailed to all members, so keep an eye out for those events coming
shortly. I can be contacted by email at [email protected]
Mark Dougherty, Charity and BursaryI’m Mark and I look after our charity and bursary. I’ve been in charge of coordinating
all aspects relating to the charity and support of other ventures by the DCU such as
Gateway theatre group as well as running the bursary scheme and its annual award.
If you have any ideas for fundraising or if you wish to be involved in the support of
the Gateway Drama group (a group for those with learning difficulties) and their
next production in July please don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected]
David Dawson, SponsorshipHiya, I’m Dawsey and this year I will be working with Mark on raising sponsorship
and fundraising for the DCU. I will be working hard finding new sponsors while
reaching new targets with our current sponsors and bringing forward ideas for
fundraising to get best for the society. If you have any sponsorship or fundraising
ideas or just want to say ‘Hi’ you can get hold of me at [email protected]
Gaynor Denham, RehearsalsHi, it’s Gaynor here. I was elected to Committee this year which will no doubt
turn out to be a very interesting but challenging year ahead for me. I will be
arranging the venues for rehearsals and dealing with the rehearsal timetabling.
We will do our best to try and plan rehearsals in advance and send out the
timetabling as soon as we possibly can each time so you can all put the dates,
times and venues in your diaries.
My email address is [email protected] but for a swift reply, please contact
me on 461862. And of course you can keep bang up to date with our wonderful
Facebook page. Its going to be an exciting show to rehearse. See you all soon.
And there’s more...
www.douglaschoralunion.im4
Name: David Dawson
Likes: Stuffing hands up puppets
Most likely to say: I’ll wear that!
Name: Gaynor Denham
Likes: Casseroles
Most likely to say: Casserole
Name: Mark Dougherty
Likes: Scene stealing deaths
Most likely to say: Maestro!!
Name: Kayleigh Parkinson
Likes: Rubbish TV
Most likely to say: Errr... No!
Douglas Choral Union are again offering a Bursary to support the development of local students pursuing further education in drama, dance, music and theatre. The Bursary is intended to aide funding for local students planning to study any aspect of Theatre at College, University, be it on-stage or off.
The Bursary is available for anyone up to the age of 25 and you don’t have to be
a member of the Society to apply. However, the society would be keen to see
chosen individuals participating in school visits and workshops with a view to
passing down their newly acquired skills, experience and knowledge.
Tony, our chairman explains it a bit more: “The DCU has received such fantastic
support from the Isle of Man public over the last few years that we find ourselves
in a position where we can help directly to improve the standard of theatre
and arts on the island. By helping students to complete studies we hope their
knowledge and skills will filter back to the Island and keep Manx theatre at the
highest standard, the standard the Manx public expect today. I would also like
to take this opportunity to thank our title sponsors, Dougherty Quinn Advocates,
without whom we wouldn’t be able to provide such exciting opportunities for
the Island’s talented individuals”.
If you think you would benefit from the Bursary, please do not delay in requesting
your application form from our Membership Secretary, Kayleigh Parkinson at
[email protected]. Each applicant will be asked to complete this
application form before meeting with the Committee who will assess that
applicant’s future plans. The closing date for the Committee to consider
applications is 31 July 2014 for courses commencing September 2014.
Over the last 2 years we have been able to offer support to Matthew Cannell,
Rebecca Lawrence, Chloe Shimmin and Joe Hillard. This year it could be you!
DCU Bursary
www.douglaschoralunion.im5
KEEP IT UNDER YOUR HABIT!
Screenwriter Paul Rudnick wrote the original script for the Sister Act film back in 1987 and Bette Midler was supposed to be cast as Dolores.
Our talented Director Tara Wilkinson was the associate director for the UK Tour of Sister Act the musical and the esteemed Andrew Hilton even played the Pope!
Did you know that not all nuns wear a black habit, some wear blue, purple and pink habits. Some don’t even wear a habit at all. However I am sure none wear the sequin habits you see in Sister Act the Musical.
Subs this year are the same as last year, yeah! £50 for Adults, £30 for Students, £15 for Non playing members. All subs to be paid to Julia Bratty. Julia will also be organising the Sister Act hoodies this year, so buy yours and help us advertise the show!
The Final Curtain