WHEN Helen Woodhead says being in musicals is just like being in one big family, she means it.
Helen, whose day job is as a teaching assistant at Lindley Infants School, has long been one of the most sought after musical actresses in Huddersfield.
She’s played every lead female role you could wish for, from Nancy in Oliver, to Eliza in My Fair Lady and nightclub singer Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes.
Next week, Helen is back centre stage playing the part of Joanne in Longwood Amateur Operatic Society’s latest show, Godspell. And she’s loving it.
“I’ve played with other societies in town but this is the first time I’ve played for Longwood,” said Helen.
“They are lovely. They are so welcoming. We are having such a laugh in rehearsals, it’s been great fun.”
What’s been good for Helen is being reunited with old friends such as Neil Broadbent and Sonia Noble who she has worked with on many other shows.
“Neil has been a friend from way back and we’ve done some shows and lots of concerts together. It’s great to be back working on a show with him and with Sonia.”
The other bonus is that Helen’s own family, that’s husband Richard and children Amy, 15, and Andrew, 13, are just as interested in music as she is.
“Amy is very much a dancer and has been since she was little. She goes to the Patricia Stoj school in Milnsbridge.
“Andrew just enjoys being involved. He was in Huddersfield Light Opera’s production of Beauty and The Beast with me.
“Richard plays bass guitar and keyboards in a band called Hard Shoulder.
“It’s huge fun being in a show and I still love it and so do my kids now which is great.
“They sometimes come to my rehearsals. They say, ‘Can we come and watch and be with everybody?’ It’s a real family atmosphere.”
As for the show itself and the role of Joanne, Helen couldn’t be more pleased with either.
“The part I’m doing is one of the disciples. She’s full of life and “totally mad” as Neil described her. I think he sees her as the really fun one in Sister Act! It sounds a really great character for me.
“The show has some really good songs such as Prepare Ye and Day By Day which people will recognise.
“The music is fantastic and the show is really uplifting.”
Which all sounds a bit like Helen herself, a breezy mezzo-soprano with a great sense of fun and bags of musicality.
It should be quite a show.
Performances start on Tuesday and run all week at the Lawrence Batley Theatre at 7.15pm. There’s also a Saturday matinee at 2.15pm. Tickets from the box office on 01484 430528.
