MICHAEL Hellawell has been in amateur theatre for many more years than he probably cares to remember.
But he is now involved in a show which even for this vastly experienced actor, singer and director has excitement written all over it.
Next year, a long-established amateur operatic society will move its performance base from the massive stage of the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford to the impressive surroundings of Cleckheaton Town Hall.
And the society, Great Horton Amateurs, will celebrate with the Yorkshire premiere of The Likes Of Us, a musical by Andrew LLoyd Webber and Tim Rice.
The show is about Thomas Barnado and though written in the Sixties was never performed on stage other than as a recorded part production at Lloyd Webber’s Sydmonton Festival in 2005.
Now Lloyd Webber’s The Really Useful Company has released the musical to a small number of societies across the country.
The first amateur performance of this will be by Kidz R Us (1) at the St. Ives Theatre in Cornwall in January.
Great Horton will stage it in Cleckheaton next summer. Rehearsals start early in 2009 and the hunt is already on for a young baritone or tenor to play Barnado. Auditions are on January 11.
Michael, who lives with his family in Longwood, says the society had to move from the Alhambra after nearly 50 years because of the losses made on the society’s last two major productions.
“There’s a degree of sadness about leaving the Alhambra which was special. But over the least three years, reality has set in.
“When I started in amateur theatre there were six or seven societies playing the Alhambra. Now there is just the Bradford Catholic Players. It is cost driven.”
The Great Horton society still rehearses in south Bradford in rooms which are minutes away from the M606.
Switching its shows to Cleckheaton will mean cast members driving just another four miles from those rehearsal rooms.
Michael says that the society has been heartened by the warm welcome that it has received from staff at Kirklees Culture and Leisure and that the Town Hall at Cleckheaton is affordable.
All the society needs now is an audience for this big new venture next June – and a good singer, probably in his early 30s to lead the cast of The Likes Of Us.
Contact Michael on 07918 702056 or email him at jmhellawell@btinternet.com if you are interested in those January 11 auditions.
The show itself will run at Cleckheaton Town Hall for eight performances from June 8.
