Preston Gilbert & Sullivan Society

Yeomen News

NODA Awards - November 2005

Two of our principals - Angela Lea and Sally Shaw won NODA awards for their parts in our January 2005 productions of Trial by Jury and HMS Pinafore.

Angela won her award in her role of Angelina, the Plaintiff in Trial by Jury.

Sally won her award in her role of Josephine, the Captain's Daughter in HMS Pinafore.

- Angela is pictured here in pensive mood as the bride spurned by the Defendent, Edwin. Angela was invited to and did reprise her role as Angelina in August 2005 in the 'Pot Luck' production of Trial by Jury at the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in Buxton. She also sang the part of Mabel in an extract from The Pirates of Penzance in a concert at the Festival and has been invited by the Festival Music Director, Brian Brown to return to Buxton in 2006 and audition for a role in the main Festival Production.

- Sally is pictured here ready to elope with Ralph Rackstraw the 'smartest lad in all the fleet'.

Our congratulations to both of them!

Sally took a break and did not appear in our production of Yeomen. Angela sang 1st Soprano in the chorus {but see below}.

Both photographs by Ted Yates.

Cast Changes

Unfortunately our original Sir Richard Cholmondeley – Francis Baron - and our original Leonard Meryll – Mark Rae - had both to withdraw from our Yeomen production. We missed them both and wish them well and hope that they may sing with us again in the future. We were pleased to welcome as our new Sir Richard Cholmondeley – Philip Walsh - and our new Leonard Meryll – John Sangster and are grateful to them for stepping in to fill the gaps in our principals' line.

Joan and Angela save the Show - January 2006

Yeomen completed its run at Lytham’s Lowther Pavilion on Saturday 28th January having completed its run at the Preston Playhouse Theatre the previous week.

Yeomen has been the Society’s most successful production yet since switching to performing in January instead of May, following uncertainties over the availability of the Lowther Pavilion at Lytham. Houses at Preston averaged 75% of capacity with some full houses. Lowther houses were very good too. The number of programmes originally printed fell well short of actual requirements but fortunately the printer, Line-a-Tone of Preston, was able to rush out extra programmes to meet the demand.

And unlike last year’s production of Trial by Jury with HMS Pinafore not a single member of the company had lost their voice. However on the final night at Lytham, the run of good fortune with the show seemed to come suddenly to an end when shortly before curtain up a ‘phone call was received to say that our leading lady, Katy Bradley playing the part of Elsie Maynard and Daniel Murphy our Headsman, had been involved in a car accident.

With just a few minutes to re-arrange things, Joan Marshall who had been singing the role of Kate was promoted to the role of Elsie Maynard and Angela Lea, stepped in to sing the role of Kate.

Derrick Hurrell stepped out of the chorus to play most convincingly the role of fearsome Headsman.

At the end of the production both ‘Lady High Substitutes’ received rapturous applause from the audience.

Happily we are able to report that Katy Bradley and Daniel Murphy seem to be getting over the accident well.

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