Culter Theatre Club

Auditions Over… now comes the hard part!

Well a great big thank you to all the very talented people who came along to audition for parts in this years pantomime, "The Wizard of Oz".  We have some really tough choices to make as there are so many who'd be wonderful in the show.  We'll be undergoing our deliberations this week, and hope to let everyone know the casting by this weekend.

Don't worry if you don't get a part - or if you weren't even at the auditions.  We're also needing help backstage and for all the other vital roles in putting together a production.  So if you're handy with a paintbrush, have a flair for design, or can make a nifty costume do let us know as we really need your help too!

Categories: Panto | Wizard of Oz

Wizard of Oz auditions are here!

Well whether you were expecting it or not, August has crept right up on us - and you know what that means?  Yes that's right: it's audition time again!  This month marks the start of the work in earnest for this year's panto.

So, have you always wanted to have a go on stage but never dared?  Do you think you have what it takes to "ROAR!" like the lion, "CLANK" like the tin-man or simply "THINK" like the scarecrow?  Or perhaps your renditions of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" mean you'd like to go for the part of Dorothy herself?  And in addition to the usual suspects, there're some other slightly more esoteric characters... including "The King" himself!

Whether you'd like to be a principle role, or you'd prefer just to dabble your toe in being part of the chorus line, why not come along to one of our auditions and try out for a part?  We don't bite, and we'd love to see new people come along.

Audition songs this year are “If I only had a brain” and “Somewhere over the Rainbow”. Excerpts from the script are available to collect from the village hall week beginning 19th August, or you can also just pick one up on the night (you don't have to memorise it!).

Thursday 22nd or Tuesday 27th August
Culter Village Hall

Children aged 10-16: 7pm-8:30pm
Adults & Over 16s: 8:30pm-10pm

If you'd like to put up a poster for the auditions, you can download one here.  We hope to see you one of the audition nights!

Categories: Panto | Wizard of Oz

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears… Oh My!

Well folks, we haven't been sitting around doing nothing since the end of ’Allo ’Allo - great plans are afoot.  Not least of which is that we've now decided on our Christmas panto for this year:

“The Wizard of Oz”

We've had a fun time having a read-through of different scripts, and we've now selected one that we're sure you'll enjoy - it's got all the old favourites in there, plus one or two surprises, and lots and lots of laughs for young and old alike!  There's a bit of work to do over the summer to get everything in place, but this year's Christmas panto is already shaping up to be a corker - and we have the promise of some pretty amazing special effects…

As ever, auditions for parts will open in August, so watch this space for more news about the show as it comes!

Categories: General | Panto | Wizard of Oz

Rita Hunter Award 2012: "Star Performer"

Last night Culter Theatre Club had a get together of cast and crew to celebrate the success of our most recent pantomime, Beauty and the Beast, which was enjoyed by hundreds of people over five shows just before Christmas.

As part of the evening, we also remembered Rita Hunter, who had been a member of the club for over twenty years and was a cast member in the club’s very first Pantomime, Robin Hood and his Merry Loons, playing the part of “The Fairy Queen” back in 1992.  Sadly, Rita passed away last year, but over the years she had been involved in all aspects of the theatre club, from performing on stage, creating costumes and being part of the production team, to writing scripts and directing.

Rita was always an encouragement to other club members, and a real support and mentor to many.  For that reason the club felt that one way to remember her, and to continue that encouragement she gave, would be to have an annual award in her name which celebrates some aspect of the work that a member of the club has achieved over the previous year.  This could be from any aspect of putting on a show; for particular flair on stage, superb set design or backstage work, to being a genius on the follow spot!

This year therefore, after a unanimous committee decision, I was very pleased to be able to present the Rita Hunter Award Shield to our “Star Performer”, Callum Turner (16) from Newtonhill.  Callum is one of the pupils at Camphill School Aberdeen and he has come from just watching the panto, to this time being right up there on stage doing a fantastic job with lines, singing, and dancing as one of Gustave’s Gang.  His boundless energy and enthusiasm was an encouragement to all the cast and crew, and his honesty and commitment through all the many weeks of rehearsals and the show itself was a true example to us all.  A well-deserved recipient of the Rita Hunter Award for 2012, our congratulations and best wishes from all the club go to Callum Turner.  Well done!

Colin Jones
Culter Theatre Club Chairman

Categories: Awards | Beauty & The Beast | Panto

Photos from Beauty & The Beast

So another panto year is over, and we hope that you all had as much fun watching as the players did in performing the Culter Theatre Club's Christmas Panto 2012, Beauty & The Beast.  Our five nights were a sell out, and our closing night performance gained a standing ovation!

So sit back and take a browse through some our our candid shots from the performances, relive the moments if you were there, have a look and see if you can recognise anyone if you weren't, and see if you can spot your favourite characters from the cast! 

See the gallery and programme on the Beauty & The Beast 2012 page.

Categories: Beauty & The Beast | Panto

Want to know how long there is to go?

Well, as if you weren't excited enough about our opening night, you can now keep an eye on exactly how long there is left before it's "Showtime!".  We've added a groovy little countdown timer that's going to tick away until the moment the panto opens for our first performance at 7.30pm on Wednesday night. 

So if you weren't sure how long you've got to wait, keep checking the website right here, and you'll find out! :)

Categories: Beauty & The Beast | General | Panto

The Final Countdown… One week to go!

Well in just a week's time the show will open, so the final finishing touches are being put all over the place.  From glitter on the scenery to, well, glitter on the cast - as you can see from the photo!

Everyone is really excited now, with the last couple of straight rehearsals this week, followed by our "Technical Rehearsal" this weekend.  The technical rehearsal is where all our backstage crew have their main run through of the show with the cast.  This allows them to work out the final details of how to get scenery moved at the right times, lighting and sound checked, and any special effects sorted out.

Then next week, that will be followed by our full dress rehearsal, where everyone runs the show in its entirety: costumes, makeup, lights, band absolutely everything, so that the show has been run completely before our opening night on Wednesday.

Hopefully you've got your tickets already because, as you'll see, we've now sold out every night.  Once again thanks to all our many supporters out there - we're so looking forward to seeing you on the night, and we hope you are too!

Categories: Beauty & The Beast | Panto