Ann Platten celebrates 60 years
Ann Platten celebrates 60 years with a NODA badge having been involved with the theatre and NODA as well as a Choir director for her local church.
Professionally trained as pianist and singer from age 10 Ann comes from a very musical family; both her grandfather and father were heaviy involved with brass bands as players and conductors, serving over 50 years with the brass band movement.
With her fathers tuition and support she learnt to play the tenor horn amongst other instruments with the Colchester Silver Band reaching the national finals standard.
Joining Colchester Operatic Society in 1960 Ann remained an active member serving on production committees and performing in most of their shows until 1984 when she became a founder member of Sudbury Light Operatic Society (SLOS) now renamed Sudbury Musicals Society. Here she put her skills to work helping the new group put on their first show at the Quay Theatre in 1985; as musical director for the society and later becoming chairman. Ann is proud to be acknowledged as a Life Member.
As a NODA representative for district 11, Ann recalls many happy memories, one was coordinating the musical rehearsals for the Eastern Area when in 1999 an evening at the Royal Albert Hall was performed with 1000 NODA members singing to a packed audience. It was called aptly The NIGHT OF 1000 VOICES, she says “we performed alongside such stars as Roy Hudd,Howard Keel, Philip Quast all accompanied by the City of London Philharmonic, and a guest appearance of Cy Coleman, and performing Rhythm of Life”.
Then a really great memory of going to the wedding of two members of the cast of "Carousel" Ann recalls “the wedding took place in the morning, then we did a Matinee performance of the show, announcing the marriage of Caroline and Reg to the cast, followed by the entire cast going back for a celebration wedding reception in the happy couples garden after the Matinee performance, before returning to the theatre to to perform the evening show! I’m not sure how many of the cast were sober!!”
Ann has now retired from her work as a NODA representative to spend time with her family and the hope that her grandchildren will follow in her footsteps.