Difficult to know what to start writing about first - as I have so many things I want to say, but as this blog is about amateur theatre I thought I'd kick off by telling you why I got into it in the first place. I'm a member of Bishop's Stortford Musical Theatre Company www.bsmtc.org.uk and joined up about 6 years ago. I'd always loved acting and singing but somewhere along the way after university I stopped doing anything - I was trying to establish my career, then I got married and had my lovely daughter Olivia. I think I lost my 'mojo' and felt I did not have the talent or confidence to get up on stage. I left it for about 15 years! It all changed when I started working part time as a marketing manager in a local theatre. The venue I worked in was a council run place, and local groups hired it for shows etc so we played host to a lot of local theatre and ballet etc. I got interested in one group, BSMTC as they were putting on a production of My Fair Lady and it was selling out - I managed to get a couple of tickets at the last minute, went along and was so impressed by the talent. I sat in the audience wishing it was me up there in the costumes and under the bright lights -most of all it looked FUN. I really felt I needed something that was just for me - where I could be myself - not mummy, wife or career woman.
So I sent off an audition form and was asked to prepare a piece to sing and perform a poem or piece of text - I was so nervous I went and got singing lessons. I chose to sing a piece from Les Miserables - no, not I Dreamed a Dream, I chose On My Own instead and a speech from Shakespeare. My audition was on windy, cold night in a football club - I'd prepared the whole song, but when I turned up was asked to do only a section of it. It was so cold my teeth were chattering so it was not the ideal audition environment, but somehow or other I got in.
My first steps back onto a stage were in a Spring Cabaret in a village hall which the company do every year as a fundraiser - I thought to myself -' I'll just stay in the background until I get my confidence back', but everyone was so welcoming I started to really enjoy myself from week one. I soon started to see that other people were not afraid to get up there and really give it everything, so I felt - why not? You can do it too!! I think the closet diva started to emerge there and then - secretly I am a total show off! After that I got a part in Little Shop of Horrors which was my first big production in a proper theatre - I played Mrs Lucie the 'editor's wife' and was also in the chorus. A soon as I stepped onto the stage on our first night I was hooked - I had the biggest surge of adrenalin and happiness ever.
Since then I have not looked back and my confidence has grown and grown. I can honestly say have met the nicest people - I feel I have finally found my 'tribe'. They love acting, singing, dressing up, being crazy and having fun. I have never laughed so much as I do sometimes at our rehearsals and I have made the best friends.
Joining an amateur theatre company was the best thing I ever did - I got my mojo back.
Here I am in my first ever big show Little Shop of Horrors as Mrs Luce with my fellow cast members behind the curtain on the last night - I am top row 6th from the left in the red hat. That yellow thing is Audrey the man eating plant from outer space!
And here is another backstage pic from the same show...
Happy Days!
What about you? Do you act and sing and how did you get into it?
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