We are in the Ipswich Star today, advertising our "Annie" auditions.

http://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/entertainment/news/fmt_hold_annie_auditions_1_1194545

Main adult 

Warbucks Warm-hearted, stiff-collared host to Annie for 2 weeks at Christmas. Must be prepared to shave their head! Baritone.

Grace Faithful assistant to Warbucks. Soprano.

Miss Hannigan Cantankerous and mean old orphanage director. Mezzo-soprano.

Rooster Miss Hannigan’s no good brother. Baritone.

Lily Rooster’s floozy girlfriend. Soprano.

Roosevelt The President. Baritone.   

Other roles - chorus of men and women aged 16+  

Perkins Female Cabinet member, some solo singing

Ickes Male Cabinet member, some solo singing

Morgenthau Male Cabinet member

Hull Male Cabinet member

Drake Warbucks’ English Butler

Healy Radio personality, some solo singing

Three Boylan sisters Singing sisters, perform on radio show

Bundles McCloskey The Laundryman

Cecille a French Maid

Annette a French Maid

Mrs Greer the Housekeeper

Mrs Pugh The Cook

Sophie The Kettle, some solo singing

Fred McCracken Radio Personality

Wacky Radio Personality

Louis Howe Assistant to Roosevelt

Plus… Man, Announcer, Usherette, Apple seller, Artie, Dog catchers, Eddie, Honor Guard, Hooverville Denizen, Ira, Jimmy Johnson, Justice Brandeis, Kaltenborn’s voice, Lt. Ward, Mary, NBC Page, Peggy, Second Cop, Sound Effects Man, Star to Be…….    

Children’s characters 

Annie Friendly, big-voiced, street-wise urchin, about 11yrs 

Duffy The biggest orphan, about 13yrs

July The quietest orphan, about 13yrs

Pepper The toughest orphan, about 12yrs

Tessie The cry-baby orphan, about 10yrs

Kate About 7yrs

Molly About 6yrs    

Plus Twelve children’s chorus, boys and girls aged 16 and under
Dancers
Boys and Girls, any age, please contact Amanda Bond on 01394 273141 or 07974 256441 or chris.bond1@sky.com  

Sunday 19 Feb - Annie and children auditions
We are looking for Annie, 6 principal orphans and an additional 12 children:

Casting will be announced at the end of the day.

Sunday 26 Feb - Adult principals and chorus auditions

Casting will be announced at the end of the day. Smaller parts will be decided as we go along.

Our Summer show this year is “Annie” and will be directed by Michael Crane. The performance dates are 14-16 June with a matinee on the Saturday at 2.30pm.

There are lots of parts for all ages, chorus work, a group of dancers, young girls for the orphanage and there are 6 speaking parts as well as Annie.

As the rehearsals for “A Celebration!” are currently held on Mondays and Thursdays, the audition days for Annie on Sunday 19 and Sunday 26 Feb will incorporate a workshop in the morning to warm-up/practice the songs and audition pieces. Bring a packed lunch as auditions will take place after lunch at 1pm.

Auditions and rehearsals are held at: Welcome Hall, Trimley St Mary, Felixstowe IP11 0TN.
 

Acting fees are not payable until you are offered and accept a part in “Annie” and these are now confirmed as the following:
£20 adults
£15 16-18 years
£20 Under 16 years (no membership subscription required)

Any new information will be emailed and added to our website/facebook and twitter pages.
All the best and good luck to those who audition!

A peaceful protest is being organised to take place outside the S.C.D.C Council Offices tonight at 6pm. At 6.30pm the Scrutiny Committee Meeting will review the decision on the Spa's closure and we need a team of people to show their support and commitment to the campaign against the Spa closure.
We will be handing out flyers and collecting signatures on the ever growing petition and generally raising awareness by keeping the campaign in the public eye. We are expecting the local press to be there also so the more supporters, the bigger the impact!!
If you don't want the theatre to close, we need your support. If you can spare an hour or two Thursday evening please come along and help us to 'Save the Spa!!'
For more information on the on going campaign and to sign the e-petition, please click these links:
www.facebook.com/groups/182546488507455/
www.savethespa.com

PLEASE HELP SAVE OUR SPA!!!!!!

For the cast of "A Celebration!" - the next get-together is this Thursday at 7.30pm.

Happy New Year to you all!

Sonya Taylor is directing our next production, which is a "Celebration" show in the form of a cabaret (floor show) for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee at the Conservative Club in Felixstowe on 2 and 3 March. For ticket info please click here.

Please click on this link to sign the petition to 'Save the Spa' Felixstowe, theatre companies cannot afford to lose this wonderful venue! http://www.savethespa.com/topic/index.html

What a wonderful week, our run of The Sound of Music has now finished and we all had an amazing time. A big thank you to everyone that came to see us.
 

Our last day of performing The Sound of Music, we have had so much fun! Tickets still available from The Spa Pavilion 01394 282 126.

There are tickets available for The Sound of Music Sat matinee at 2.30pm if you don't have yours yet.

 "Raindrops on Roses and whiskers on kittens" What a wonderful show last night, the audience was amazing. You can still see us until 10 Dec!

"We took our 7 year old daughter and my mother to see your performance of this production last night at the Spa Pavilion and thought it was fantastic. The scenery, costumes and performances were just brilliant.

Our daughter absolutely loves the Sound of Music since first seeing it several years ago and was singing along to the songs all the way through, even though it was way past her bedtime.

So thankyou, you started off our Christmas festivies perfectly.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year." 

 The Sound of Music - our first performance is tonight at 7.30pm and we cannot wait to see you! Phone 01394 282 126 for tickets.

 "The hills are alive with the sound of music" The Sound of Music tickets still available from The Spa Pavilion call 01394 282 126.

 It is show week for The Sound of Music - we are busy adding the finishing touches to our set before we go live this Wednesday.

 Click here to view the editorial.

 We are on the front page of the Evening Star today.

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00lqqq0/Stephen_Foster_29_11_2011/

Members of the cast from The Sound of Music will be interviewed at 4.20pm today on BBC Radio Suffolk. Make sure you tune in!

It was lovely to see so many people yesterday at the switch on of the Christmas lights in Felixstowe. We sang songs from The Sound of Music and the afterwards we sang Christmas carols with the Salvation Army. It was great to see the people in the audience were singing along too!
 

We are really looking forward to the switch on of Christmas lights in Felixstowe today. We will be singing songs from The Sound of Music and Christmas carols at 3.45pm. Such a fun and festive afternoon ahead! 

Tickets are on sale at the Spa Pavilion Theatre, Felixstowe.

www.eastevents.co.uk
A big light up display with music, dancing, stalls, Santa's Grotto and the swtich on of the lights by the Mayor.
FMT will be there from 3.45pm.

 Click here to view.

 At the switching on of the lights on Sat 26 Nov in Felixstowe, The Sound of Music cast will be singing at 3.45pm - 4.15pm.
There will be songs from the show as well as some festive favourites.

"Silver white winters that melt into springs, these are a few of my favourite things"

The Sound of Music tickets are available from the Spa Pavilion box office.

We have a costume store with outfits you can hire for shows and parties. Do you need anything for Halloween? Phone Sonya on 01394 671 398. 

Show dates are 7-10 December at 7.30pm with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. 

Joint Trimley Saints/FMT quiz and Fish n Chip supper Saturday 3 Sept - members past/present welcome please confirm asap to info@felixstowemusicaltheatre.co.uk

Our next production is 'The Sound of Music' and the show dates are 7 - 10 December. Here is the information you need to know -

*Monday 11 July - The Von Trapp Children's Workshop - everyone wanting to audition for the part of one of the children, time 7pm.
*Thursday 14 July - Pre-singing rehearsals - everyone auditioning for a singing part.
*Monday 18 July - Singing audition.
*Thursday 21 July - Script audition.
*Monday 25 July - Final auditions and casting of the show.

Time: Usually 7.30pm
Place: The Welcome Hall, Trimley St Mary

We look forward to seeing you!

Photo by "Scully".

Felixstowe Musical Theatre’s fantastic and fantastical production of the well-loved Wizard of Oz draws you into a magical, wonderful world. The show is fast moving and perfectly “over the top”. The colourful costumes and make-up, sets, sound effects, snow (!) and lighting are all spot on.

The story is the same as the 1939 MGM film, so you can look forward to all your favourite songs, including Over the Rainbow, and Ding Dong! the Witch is Dead.

The whole show is very well staged, lively and fun, as always by director Sonya Taylor. The dancers, choreographed by Amanda Bond, are truly excellent, as are the children’s chorus, choreographed by Jacki Williamson. The singing and music, under musical director Natasha Free, are also very strong all the way through.

Particular highlights are the munchkins and flowers, the scarecrow dance, the jitterbug and ice ballet, and of course the many reprises of ‘We’re off to see the Wizard’.

Gemma Dixon is a very good Dorothy, suitably full of “wide eyed wonder”, and her three companions, David Crane (Scarecrow), Nigel Chenery (Tinman) and Martyn Chenery (Lion), are great in their characters. Kellyanne Crane makes a brilliant and absolutely authentic Wicked Witch (which I’m sure must take a lot of acting!!), well supported by her witch friends and skeleton. Jim Wearne is awesome and rather terrifying (to start with) as the Wizard, and Mark Falco provides some excellent comedy in character as the Munchkin Mayor. The whole of the rest of the talented cast really are very good too, including the delightful Sorceress, Melanie Peck, and special mention to Ellena Bacon as Gloria, for her ‘Merry Old Land of Oz’ solo.

This lovely show is great for children and for everyone – so if you’ve got the magic of Oz in your heart, then do see it today or tomorrow!

Felixstowe Musical Theatre (FMT) presents The Wizard of Oz at The Spa Pavilion Theatre, Felixstowe, Thursday 16th – Saturday 18th June 2011 at 7:30pm and a 2:30pm matinee on Saturday. Spa Pavilion Theatre box office tel: 01394 282126

A really lovely feel good show that had me smiling throughout.

So many really lovely characters in the show, my favourites being the white sorceress (slightly biased as she is my friend!), the scarecrow and the Mayor/Captain.
Dorothy was just so sweet, and the dancing was lovely, especially the spooky scene in the dark. Not forgetting those children, beautiful.

Well done, and enjoy the rest of the week!

Kind regards

Louise Cockerill 

 Listen to our recent Radio Suffolk interview with Gemma who plays Dorothy and Rob Bareham who is our stage manager http://ow.ly/5foBW

 Although we are on stage next week with 'The Wizard of OZ' we are also busy making arrangements for our next production which is 'The Sound of Music' and the show dates are 7 - 10 December. Here is the information you need to know - 

*Thursday 7 July - First get together - everyone interested in this production is welcome! Be it cast, crew, helpers etc.
*Monday 11 July - The Von Trapp Children's Workshop - everyone wanting to audition for the part of one of the children.
*Thursday 14 July - Pre-singing rehearsals - everyone auditioning for a singing part.
*Monday 18 July - Singing audition.
*Thursday 21 July - Script audition.
*Monday 25 July - Final auditions and casting of the show.

Time: 7.30pm
Place: The Welcome Hall, Trimley St Mary

We look forward to seeing you!

 We are being interviewed on Radio Suffolk at 4.20pm tomorrow, don't forget to tune in!

 The Wizard of OZ tickets are on sale at the Spa Pavillion Theatre in Felixstowe 01394 282126, show dates: 16 - 18 June.

More photos

Our AGM is Wed 11 May 8pm at the Welcome Hall in Trimley St Mary. The meeting is open to members, life members and patrons - do come along.

Doesn't time fly! Tickets are now on sale for our large scale summer production directed by Sonya Taylor ....... 'The Wizard of Oz'! 

We click our heals in anticipation. There is no place like home and no show like this one. From generation to generation, 'The Wizard of Oz' brings us together - children, grown-ups, families, friends. The dazzling land of Oz, a dream-come true world of enchanted forests, dancing scarecrows and singing lions, wraps us in its magic with one great song-filled adventure after another.

We have some great tickets for group bookings and families - if you are a group of 10 or more the tickets are £8 each and a family of four is £36 in total. We look forward to seeing you!

Thank you to everyone who has shown their support to Sonya both with cards, flowers, kind words and for those that could attend Richard's funeral yesterday. FMT are making a donation to the hospice and will be presenting Sonya with a card and flowers from the whole company on Sunday before the auditions begin.

It is with deep regret that I inform you all that Sonya Taylor's husband, Richard, sadly died this morning after a long battle with Cancer. Our thoughts are with Sonya and her family at this difficult time.

Read review

Monday 24 January - get together

Thursday 27 January - pre-audition rehearsal

Monday 31 January - auditions

Thursday 3 February - auditions

"Despite the cold, here is a show to warm the heart and ... defies even the most frozen eye to shed a tear."

"FMT bring us a spirited, feel good version of the story, as a live stage musical.."

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At the switching on of the lights this Saturday in Felixstowe the cast of The Railway Children will be on stage at 3.45pm - 4.15pm singing a selection of songs from the show and then we will be singing with the salvation army until 5pm. We look forward to seeing some of you down there!

Want to see what we have..?

It's full steam ahead for award-winning Felixstowe Musical Theatre, who are preparing to bring The Railway Children to the town’s Spa Pavilion.

Come and see us on 27 Nov in town when we help to celebrate the switching on of the xmas lights, members of the cast will be dressed in costume and will be singing too!

First get together - Monday 5 July at 7.30 pm at the Welcome Hall

Dancer Auditions - Thursday 8 July at 6.30 pm at the Welcome Hall

Second get together and practise of songs/reading parts - Thursday 8 July at 7.30pm at the Hall (After dancers auditions).

First set of auditions - Monday 12 July 7.30pm at the Welcome Hall

Second set of auditions - Thursday 15 July 7.30pm at the Welcome Hall

"One regular theatre goer enthused to me that it was the best show by FMT she’d seen..."

"...Felixstowe Musical Theatre is now in its 44th year and is still going as strong as ever with it’s whimsical latest production."

"...Another massive gold star goes towards the orchestra, they were wonderful, usually "Am Dram" orchestras don't sound amazing, but this one really did it for me and sounded almost professional. Well done to MD Andrew Burke."

Thank you to all who attended tonights AGM, it was a good turnout. Here is the new committee:

On Friday 26 and Saturday 27 February at 7.30pm with a matinee at 2.30pm, Felixstowe Musical Theatre will be performing a variety show with sketches, dances and singing at the Welcome Hall in Trimley St Mary. Tickets £5 - from either J C Webb (in Orwell Road, Felixstowe) or from 01394 285893.

Felixstowe Musical Theatre are pleased to announce they will be performing The Railway Children at the Spa Pavilion Theatre in Felixstowe on 2 - 5 December. Please click below for more information.

The show went very well and many people have said how impressed they were with the high standard of the performances. One of the letters received is below: