From the Wild West to the West End

“From Wild West to the West End – A Musicals Showcase” was the latest offering from Spennymoor Stage and Song and in keeping with their usual very high standards what a production it was.

I’m also thrilled they agreed to move their intended production date from the week before which co-incided with the NODA Performance Awards so we had double celebrations with them the week before also!

We heard numbers from old favorites such as Calamity Jane, Oklahoma, and Fiddler on the Roof and also some of the newer favorites such as Chicago, Newsies, Fame, Wicked, Les Mis and Dear Evan Hansen plus a revisit to some of the works Spennymoor have recently performed such as Hello Dolly, The Addams Family, Anything Goes and their upcoming production Sister Act.  Directed by Liam Etherington, Musically Directed by Jill Jackson, choreographed by Stacey Thompson and Ann-Marie Clayton accompanied by James Clarke, it was a lovely afternoon for me of familiar songs executed well with some gorgeous arrangements – well done Jill!  Bringing out their best as always.

Big well done to the technical team of Louise Defty, Maurice Edmondston and Gary Jackson making sure they looked and sounded great.

The ensemble taking part were Eric Hickson, Margaret Thompson, Susan Rogers, Bethany Hitchen, Ann-Marie Clayton, Stacey Thompson, Jayne Etherington, Liam Etherington, Rhys Bye, Heather Whitfield, Rebekah Newman, Abs Newman, Eve Angstmann, Heidi Angstmann, Sarah Venis, Mads Loveys, Kallie Henderson, Hannah Crosby, Rachael Riches, Dan Riches, Jen Revell, Sara Holliday, Alesha Holliday, Robyn Watson, Kieran Watson, George Morgan-Watson and Wendy Hindmarch – a wonderfully talented group of truly remarkable people.

I find it really difficult writing reports on a concert without simply reciting a running order which I’m loathe to do, so what I do intend to do is simply state that it was a wonderful afternoons entertainment which the audience loved.  What’s special in concerts is that members who don’t necessarily take lead roles in big performances are given the opportunity to shine and Spennymoor certainly chose to give some of those members their opportunities which I do love.  The personal highlights for me I will mention however, which was hearing the wonderful Hannah and Eric singing out during “Black Hills of Dakota”, Jen and Sarah during “Oklahoma!”, hearing Dan confidently take solos and watching Rachael positively beaming with pride at him (as I was I – literally wrote down GO ON DAN!), “All That Jazz” number which was superb (definitely need to get Heather into that Velma role somewhere somehow!), Jayne’s perfect Hungarian in “Cell Block Tango” and beautiful rendition of “Far from the Home I Love”, “Sunrise Sunset” feeling all the more poignant as I’d personally visited Auschwitz Birkenau only days before, Rhys’ version of “You Will be Found” which was just gorgeous especially when the ensemble joined.  Really quite powerful.  In Act 2 I especially loved the tap during “Anything Goes”, Liam and Robyn taking on “Suddenly Seymour”, it was lovely to see Robyn sing a more serious role, she seems to gravitate towards the humorous characters usually and Seymour suits Liam’s voice perfectly, the arrangements in “Bring on Tomorrow” were beautiful, and Wendy of course raising the roof with “Wizard and I” from Wicked.  The Les Mis medley was lovely as a penultimate conclusion, again with gorgeous arrangements well-acted out and I loved hearing Kallie’s version of “I Dreamed a Dream”, Bethany Hitchin did an incredible version of “Castle on a Cloud” well done sweetheart, keep singing out! Then “On My Own” by Eve was beautiful.

They of course concluded with “Spread the Love” from their next musical Sister Act which I can’t wait to see what they do with.  Constructively although “Spread the Love” is a fab number it works so much better as a choreographed ensemble piece rather than sung static but all in all a wonderful concert, delivered by some wonderfully talented people and audiences loved it!  Well done Spennymoor and I’ll see you in January for panto!

 

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