THE first show of the season is still weeks away but Huddersfield Thespians are raring to go.
They’ve not only announced all five productions in a programme which runs through until early next summer but have a clutch of top notch directors in place.
Auditions for the last two plays of the 2010-2011 season get underway in the next few days. And it seems there is no shortage of willing hands ready to make sure that this, the company’s 90th season, is a memorable one.
All the Thespian shows are staged at the Lawrence Batley Theatre with the first production, a Noel Coward classic, opening on October 12.
The rehearsal regime is intense with actors spending five or six weeks rehearsing almost nightly in the run up to an opening night. Then come six performances including a matinee.
Alastair Cheetham gets the new season underway directing Coward’s Blithe Spirit on the LBT’s main stage.
Julie Root, who taught drama at Shelley, has created memorable performances on stage with the Thespians and is now directing for the company.
She will be staging Jim Cartwright’s play Two in the Cellar space in November.
James Sykes, one of the area’s most experienced directors, will kick off the new year by getting every bit of mileage possible out of Steve Thompson’s political comedy, Whipping It Up.
Then comes Keith Royston with a gem of a play, Marie Jones’ Stones In His Pocket. Just imagine, Hollywood pitches up in county Kerry.
To round off this milestone season, who better than that master of the modern comedy, Alan Ayckbourn and who better to direct than John Cotgrave.
John co-founded Dick and Lottie, the Huddersfield company which devotes itself to the works of Alan Ayckbourn.
Check the Thespians’ new look website for details: www.huddersfieldthes pians.co.uk
