Music group facing finalé

Mar 7 2008 by Dave Black, The Journal

AN operatic society which has entertained music lovers in a Northumberland town for almost 90 years fears that the final curtain might have fallen on its popular shows.

Members of Ashington Music Society – which staged its first production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore in 1920 – say its future is in serious doubt unless they can find another stage on which to sing and act.

Since beginning performances in the pit town, the society’s singers, actors and back stage crew have been putting on an annual show with a loyal following of audiences.

But they now face being homeless after learning they will no longer be able to stage shows in the town’s Northumberland College, where the main hall has been converted into teaching space for students.

There will be no show this year and the society’s production of The Wizard of Oz last year may turn out to be its final curtain call unless it can find an alternative venue in its home town.

It still has more than 30 enthusiastic adult members and more than 20 young people keen to sing and dance in stage shows. In the past its most popular shows have included South Pacific, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, Annie and The Sound of Music, as well as the musical scores of Gilbert and Sullivan.

Evelyn Wilson, who chairs the society, said: “Everyone is going to be devastated if we can’t find an alternative venue.

“If that happens, it looks as if we will never be able to stage another show, which will be so very disappointing after all these years of entertaining the people of Ashington.

“We don’t want to simply become a concert party presenting musical reviews, because we love singing and acting on stage. Our concern is that if we cannot put on an annual show, we will start to lose our members, and that will be very upsetting.

“The youngsters we have with us at the moment want to continue the traditions of their predecessors. They have grown up seeing many of their parents and grandparents on stage in our shows. Quite what we are going to do we don’t know at the moment.

“We don’t want to move out of the town to another theatre or school, because we would lose some of our audience following if we did that.”

The society says it needs a hall with a large enough stage on which to perform, as well as decent dressing rooms, and auditorium.

Mrs Wilson can be contacted on (01670) 813989.