A Level success

Congratulations to Josh Hill and Claudia Peach who have both done very well in their A levels.  Josh will be starting at Nottingham Trent University in a few weeks, studying Geography.  Claudia is having a gap year to decide what she wants to study from next Autumn and where.

Raising Money For Hope

Stalwart member, ticket seller and champion advertisement salesman, Carl Bateson has recently had some bad news about his health.  He is currently undergoing treatment and made the decision not to be in Little Shop Of Horrors. However he hopes to be back with us for Rock Of Ages.  Carl and LAOS are currently looking to raise money for cancer charities, notably the Hope Cancer Charity based at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

Brave The Shave

Ian Dean who is our puppeteer in Little Shop of Horrors and will be spending the second half of the show inside Audrey 2 moving the tendrils, has recently “braved the shave” and had his head shaved in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Team Rio

LAOS member Cazz Lander (who played Maria in our West Side Story last March) was lucky enough to be in Rio for the Olympics working with Team GB and and obviously had an amazing time!

New Honorary Lifetime Members

In the last few years LAOS has created the status of Honorary Lifetime Member.  We have reviewed the criteria for this which are long service and a significant contribution to the company.  This year at our AGM we were delighted to grant Honorary Lifetime Membership to four more people: Alan Speight, Sue Connelly, Pauline Knowles and Julie Bishop.

Little Shop Cast Revealed!

Audrey – Laura Woolley
Seymour – James Highton
Audrey II – Richard York
Orin – Chris Wilson
Crystal – Rowan Beaumont
Chiffon – Nicole Ray
Ronette – Rosie Morris
Mushnik – Mark Chinnery
Mrs Luce – Carl Bateson
Bernstein – Liam Patrick
Skipsnip – Josh Hill
Interviewer – Clare Proctor
Wino – Sean Hickling
Patrick – Kevin Clarke
Dental patient – Kevin Clarke
Customer – Matthew Leeson

Ronettes 2
Gemma Baxter
Becky Bakewell
Joanna Hayes

Ronettes 3
Alix Ashurst
Kirstie Louise
Debbie Pettitt

Skidrow solo lines
Alix, Adrian, Kirstie, Sean, Matt, Gemma, Nikita, Claudia and Debs

Plant puppet – Ian Dean

GET WELL WISHES

JEANETTE PATRICK-COOPER – We were all very sorry that Jeanette had to withdraw from being our Choreographer for this show, following emergency surgery.    She is now on the mend and we wish her well as she gradually works her way back to full fitness.

A HUGE THANK YOU

ALAN SPEIGHT – LAOS would like to record our grateful thanks to Alan Speight who has “retired” from being our Front of House Co-ordinator and Manager. Alan has been a member of LAOS for many years, and since he stopped performing on stage he has continued to work hard for LAOS behind the scenes, even taking on the thankless role of Chairman for a four-year term.

Over the years he has supported LAOS in many different ways including with set building and most recently has been our Front of House Co-ordinator and Manager. Alan is still supporting LAOS and will be among the Front of House team this week. And the family connection continues as his elder daughter, Nicola Dexter, has been our Director for Half A Sixpence.

A FOND FAREWELL

TED SHARPE – LAOS were saddened to hear of the death in November of former, long-term LAOS member Ted Sharpe. Ted joined LAOS in the late 1950s and his final show with us was Oklahoma in 2009. At Christmas LAOS raised money towards the Lewy Body Dementia charity in his memory. Our commiserations and best wishes go to his widow, Jean and all their family.