Happy New Year

My New Year's resolution is to write about how I got into amateur drama, and the shows that have given me such pleasure and fun during my time as a “Drama Queen”. I intend to write about the way they have made an impact on my life, not necessarily about the facts and figures of the productions; they can be found elsewhere.

I will probably also at some point make reference to appropriate presents for characters and songs, as that is my business.

My first initiation into the world of amateur drama was as a young teenager, playing a child in Finian's Rainbow, and in Carousel as one of the Snow children. I then had a break from performing after an opportunity to dance in No No Nanette made me realise that my taste was not for bright green twenties dresses with a huge bow at the hip, and that as a junior member of the chorus you get no choice in your costumes. I saw myself as a cool teenager, the wardrobe mistress saw me as an awkward child : we both had a point!

I had been taking ballet lessons since I was five years old, and my love of dance was a huge influence, but I was not going to be fortunate enough to follow this until I reached my mid twenties; life had a habit of getting in the way of my hobby.

I came back to the amateur stage to take part in my favourite ever show : West Side Story.

I had found the music alone moving when I first heard it, and “Somewhere” had made me cry even before I first saw the film version. Not even PJ Proby could spoil it for me.

I have been extremely fortunate to have taken part in two productions, each of which has a special place in my heart. West Side Story will be the first in my series of blogs which will follow and will be the one that takes up most of January if I write on a weekly basis.  I hope it will be of interest, and perhaps that others will share their experiences with me.  

And now, with the New Year, after a break of about ten years from the boards (life got in the way again), I am returning to participation in the chorus in a production of The Music Man with a company I haven't played with before. A good omen for 2012 I hope.

Wishing everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Myra