A night to remember on 13th December!

It's a night to remember on 13th December (hey, that rhymes) at King's Hall, Ilkley!

It'll be a fantastic evening of entertainment featuring Tom Ramsay, Robyn McIntyre, Luke Bayer, Sally Hall, Michael McGeough & Bethany Hare performing a showcase of Christmas songs, followed by our wonderful Wednesday Night Dramovoxers performing Honk! Jr.!

Book your tickets now!

Pantomime Auditions!

It is that time of year again. Oh no it isn't, Oh yes it is!

The Upstagers pantomime for 2015 will be Dick Whittington. It will be performed at The Kings Hall in Ilkley between the 23rd and 31st January 2015.

We are currently looking for cast members and will be holding open auditions on Sunday 19th October at The Upstagers Barn, next door to the Kings Hall/Winter Gardens on Station Road in Ilkley. If you or any of your family and friends would like to be involved in the show then please come along. No previous experience is necessary, but we will be looking for dedicated young performers who will be available for rehearsals that will commence in November. The timings of the auditions are detailed below.

10.30 - 11.30 - Senior Dancers (age 16+)
11.30 - 12.15 - Tinies (age 6-8)
12.30 - 13.00 - Inters (age 9-11)
13.30 - 14.15 - Juniors (age 12-13)
14.15 - 15.00 - Chorus (age 14+)

You do not need to register in advance, that will be done on the day, nor do you need to prepare any audition material, but please be prepared to dance, act and possibly sing. Principal roles will be cast separately and are for performers who are aged 17+. If you are interested in auditioning for a principal role then please contact us directly BEFORE the main auditions by emailing upstagers@upstagers.org.uk.

Opening Night Sucess For Sister Act

Wow! A standing ovation at the Bradford Alhambra on the opening night. The Upstagers cast and crew really made it happen last night and fully deserved the audience reaction. The atmosphere in the theatre was fantastic driven by a high energy, high quality performance from all involved.

Here are just a few of the lovely comments from audience members that we received straight after the performance;

"Fantastic evening watching Upstagers Sister Act. Well done"

"Upstagers, you never fail to amaze me. Faultless production once again. I'll be singing Spread the Love Around all night!"

"Fantastic Yorkshire Premier of Sister Act at Bradford tonight. Congrats to all involved. You are a tough act to follow."

"Sister Act was.....fabulous baby! Upstagers did it again"

"Sister Act was fantastic! What a show! You bunch of talented beauties"

"Blown away by you all! Amazing performances, as ever"

"Holy Mary Mother of God! I've just witnessed a miracle - Sister Act at the Bradford Alhambra - simply brilliant. Upstagers, you've done it again. May you be blessed with full houses for the rest of the week."

"Still buzzing after seeing Upstagers Sister Act. Fantastic production with incredible talent."

"I am in awe. What an incredibly talented group of people. I would happily sit through it 3 more times"

So if you were still not sure whether to make the trip to see the show these comments should make your mind up for you!

DO NOT miss this amazing production. Call Bradford Alhambra box office on 01274 432000 to buy your tickets or just turn up on the night. There will be tickets available on the door.

Sister Act Opening Night

It is finally here! The opening night of Sister Act is today! Our first performance starts at 7.30pm and boy, did it look good in dress rehearsal!

The cast and crew cannot wait to perform this show to an audience and fully expect the Bradford Alhambra to be blown away by the fantastic musical numbers, amazing choreography and the high energy, feel good story being told by our band of singing nuns and sleazy gangsters.

Tickets are still available by telephoning 01274 432000 or by calling in to the box office at the Bradford Alhambra on the night, right up until the time of performance.

You don't want to miss this "heavenly" show!

It's a divine time...

It's SHOW WEEK!

Upstagers Present Sister Act at The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford

Upstagers are well in to rehearsals for Sister Act which is due to open at the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford on the 17th July. The cast are working extremely hard and the choreography and the musical numbers are looking and sounding amazing. This is going to be a wonderful show with laughs and brilliant music that will raise the spirits.

The show opens on the 17th July 2014 with 4 performances including a matinee. Tickets are selling fast and to avoid missing out you should call the Alhambra Box Office on 01274 432000 or visit the online box office by clicking here.

Cancellation of some Dramovox classes on Wednesday 4th June

Due to Upstagers performing at the Wharfedale Festival Celebration Concert on Wednesday 4th June, we regret we have to cancel the 6:00 - 7:30 and the 7:30 - 9:00 Dramovox classes on that evening. 

The 5.00 - 5.45 Wednesday class will run as normal. 

We're sorry for any inconvenience this causes, but hope you can understand why. Please spread the word! 

Thank you! 

Two wonderful charities - please support

Greetings all. 

Just to let everyone know there's a charity show on Friday 23rd May at King's Hall for the Grace's Wish charity. Details are in the picture. If you check out their web site at www.graceswish.co.uk you can't fail to be moved by the effects of this terrible disease.




A friend of Upstagers' Josie Lamb is involved with the show and I'm sure they'd really appreciate all the support they can get. 

Also, please invite everyone you know in Yorkshire to play a part in building Smile Cottage by joining the campaign to May'ke A Million in May. The event culminates with an amazing day of entertainment in Millenium Square, Leeds on 31st May with performances by lots of very talented peeps, including many of our Upstagers family!




How amazing would it be if every Yorkshire household donated just £1.00 by texting MAYK98 £1 to 70070 - it would make Smile Cottage become a reality in the first year of the May'ke campaign. Please donate and share! 

Thanks all. x

Where's the Upstagers' Facebook group gone?!!?

Fear not, we have not abandoned social media!

We founded the Upstagers Facebook group before the invention of the Facebook page. From a logistics point of view the page works so much better for myself, John, Tarbs and the other people who contribute to our posts, pictures and events. We found that having a page and a group meant that we were double posting a lot, and those faithful Upstagers who opted in to both we also receiving two copies of everything. Therefore, I decided to close the Upstagers Facebook group, but encourage everyone to please 'like' our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/upstagers. It's one of the best ways to stay up to date with shows, audition dates, and general goings on. If you are a twitterholic you can also follow us @Upstagers or subscribe to our tragically underused YouTube channel - there are links to all these all over the website.

Thanks so much to those of you who have supported us in the old Facebook group, and indeed supported us overall over the last 27+ years. We're starting to gear up for the Yorkshire premiere of Sister Act in July so stay tuned for plenty of tasty news to come!

Cheers

Andrew x

Could you be the Voice of Yorkshire?

May'ke Voice Of Yorkshire Vocal Competition - would you like to sing in front of Celebrity judges at A Celebration Of Yorkshire in Millenium Square on 31 May 2014? Entries can be submitted up until 15 May, after which a panel of judges from Sound Sense Studios will choose ten finalists who will perform live! Trophy, great prizes and a fab title to take home! Visit www.mayke.org for more details on how to enter. Competition is open to all ages and all genres of music. Have you got what it takes to win???

Easter hols hello!!

Hope everyone's having a great break! Can't wait to get back to rehearsing now! Missing you all

Sister Act auditions

Les Mis is barely done, but remember that auditions for our July show Sister Act will be on Sunday 30th March at The Barn. If you want an opportunity to perform at the beautiful Alhambra Theatre then what are you waiting for?
We're looking for talented peeps aged 16-25, boys from 10am, girls from 1pm. Prepare something to sing and bring a backing track or sheet music. We look forward to seeing you there! :^)

Les Miserables is over! :^(

Greetings all!
Just a quick note to thank everyone involved in Les Mis, from the cast and crew to our incredible audiences. We've had an unbelievable response to the show, in person, on Facebook, by email and by Twitter.
This was, I feel, one of those very special shows and it's been an honour to work with such a brilliant cast and crew.
Thank you all.

Upstagers sucess for Les Miserables

Open Night Sucess For Les Mis

It was the opening night of Les Miserables last night and the audience reaction surpassed even our own high hopes. The cast, crew and musicians put on an incredible performance that brought a standing ovation. The reaction online has been amazing. Here are only a very small selection of the comments that people have been making;

"Blown away by the strength of the Les Mis production and performances. Magnificent and emotional. Be very proud."

"It's not often that words fail me but I think this might be one of those occasions. Tonight you were all incredible. I was so proud to be there supporting you all."

"Brilliant opening night for Les Mis. Professional standard, such a talented and dedicated group of teenagers"

"Well done to all @upstagers that was AMAZING."

"What an amazing show tonight Upstagers!. So much talent....loved it!"

"Stunning first night. You incredible Upstagers kids set that stage and the audience alight! Truly brilliant!"

"Well done to every single one of the cast. All of you were dedicated and stunning. Amazing show."

"Absolutely brilliant! You should all be so proud, it was fantastic."

"If you're in Ilkley or the surrounding area and haven't yet got tickets for Upstagers Les Miserables - you're missing an incredible show. The performances and the production are really special. I haven't enough superlatives."

There are still seats available for the remaining five performances but they are selling fast. Click here for our box office page for details on the performances and how to buy tickets.

Building the barricades!

Building the barricades!! Boys enjoying the set a bit too much! Get booking your tickets!

Band Call is in full swing!

Less than a week to go and the band are on top form!

Les Mis programme

Would you like to see your name and message of support appear in the utterly brilliant and fantastic programme that we have planned for Les Mis? We are offering page sponsorship opportunities for a few lucky people or businesses. Your name and a message will appear in the programme for all to see and all for a very reasonable donation. The show is going to be so good the programme is bound to become a collectors item so if I were you I'd get in fast! Email us at hello@upstagers.org.uk for further details.

Styles for Smiles

One last reminder that one of our Upstagers family, Bethany Hare is organising a fantastic 'Styles for Smiles' charity fashion show tomorrow (Friday 28th) at 7pm at Headingley Stadium. Tickets cost £15 and the show is looking to be incredible!

An amazing evening of fantastic models wearing designer wear from Yorkshire designers and retailers. Vocal performances include Upstagers peeps, Vicki Holmes, Bradley Johnson and Bethany Hare, plus fantastic dance spectaculars. The evening is organised in conjunction with Leeds Fashion Show. Host for the evening is Capital Radio FM Breakfast Show Presenter JoJo.

Tickets are available from Accent Clothing, Queens Arcade, Leeds 1 or Cutting Room Creative, Albion Street, Leeds 1 or by emailing bethanyssmile@virginmedia.com. If you are free on Friday evening then please come and support this fantastic cause!

Sister Act tickets on sale and date announced for our next auditions!

Sister Act tickets are now on sale! Now no-one shoot me if this isn't true, but I've been told that Upstagers is the first youth theatre group in the UK to perform this fantastic show!


Sister Act will take place at the beautiful Alhambra Theatre, Bradford from 17th to 19th July.


Also, Gill, Phil & I can now announce that auditions for Sister Act will be on 30th March (the Sunday a week after Les Mis) - more info will follow in due course.




Check out the 'Sister Act' page of the site for more details.

Les Mis rehearsal update

OK peeps - a rehearsal update for Les Mis...

On Tuesday rehearsals will start at 6:30 for The Wedding.
Then from 7:30 to 10:15 we'll do scenes with all those of you who sing solos in the 'minor scenes' (not that those aren't important of course).
NO rehearsal this Thursday.
On Friday we'll run Act 1.
On Sunday we'll run Act 1 then do the barricade scenes.

Gill will be at The Barn on Saturday from 10 until 4 for cast to come and try on costumes. Please try to make it sometime that day if humanly possible! You're not needed the whole day, just long enough to sort your costume(s).

Oh, and don't forget to keep selling those tickets!

If in doubt whether you're needed then please contact Gill.

Andrew x

Better get line learning!

Only four weeks to go, Meg (Madame Thenardier) and Bradley (Marius) better get learning their lines!

Fantastic Fashion Show - 28th February

One of our Upstagers gang, Bethany Hare does the most amazing work for charity. On 28th February, her charity Bethany's Smile is putting on an amazing fashion show to raise money to support the care of children with terminal, chronic and life threatening/life limiting illnesses.

The Smiles for Styles Fashion Show will be held at Headingley Stadium and hosted by JoJo from Capital FM. It'll feature some amazing designers and retailers and include performances from two other uber-talented Upstagers, Bradley Johnson and Vicki Holmes.

Tickets cost £15 and are available from bethanyssmile@virginmedia.com or at Cutting Room Creative, Albion Street Leeds or Accent Clothing, Queens Arcade, Leeds.

Please come and support this outstanding cause.

More info can be found at http://allevents.in/leeds/styles-for-smiles-fashion-show/703599156327295 and you can stay up-to-date by following Bethany's Smile on Facebook and/or on Twitter at @WalkOfSmiles.

Les Mis is looking great!

Rehearsals for Les Miserables are looking brilliant! We have such a great cast (but don't tell them that... yet) - and tickets are selling well so we encourage you book early to avoid disappointment. All the details can be found on our web site.

Half term for Dramovox

In case you haven't heard, Dramovox half term is the week beginning 17th February. Classes will be as normal the following week.

Was 'The Force' with us during Snow White?

Greetings Upstagers family & friends!

Now, it may not be general knowledge amongst members of the general public, but I am a HUGE fan of Star Wars. Some might say worryingly so. The cast and crew are generally aware of this, but I generally try to sneak a Star Wars reference into all Upstagers shows. In fact this year's panto also got a few other references from my childhood too!

OK, first Star Wars reference. If you look very carefully on page 5 of the Snow White programme you'll find something that looks like a certain Imperial battle station floating amongst the stars.

Also, Moaney the Dwarf - played brilliantly by my buddy Landon, had two classic lines which are lifted straight from Star Wars - "I have a bad feeling about this" and "We're doomed".

Finally people of my generation may recognise the two kingdoms mentioned in the show. The story takes place in the Kingdom of Eternia, and Prince Valentine is from the Kingdom of Etheria. Sounds familiar? Eternia is the planet that's home to He-Man and Skeletor, whilst Etheria is home to He-Man's twin sister She-Ra, Princess of Power. I'd like to claim credit that the name of the wicked queen, Evillene is a direct homage to Skeletor's side-kick Evilyn, but it's the same name that Gill used the last time we performed Snow White, many years ago.

Over the last few years I've always tried to sneak Star Wars references into Upstagers' shows, if you have the programmes for 2013 shows 'Children of Eden' and the Dramovox show 'A Christmas Carol' you'll be able to find more. Sometimes they'll be on-stage like our Spring 2013 show, 'Little Shop of Horrors', one poster on set featured the Rancor monster that featured in 'Return of The Jedi'.

So Upstagers audiences, your challenge is to keep spotting my hidden (or not so hidden) Star Wars references in future Upstagers shows. Sometimes they'll be subtle and sometimes they'll be pretty obvious. But they will ALWAYS be there as long as I can sneak them in. I haven't decided how to work one in to Les Mis yet, but there will be at least one... trust me. Just don't tell Gill.

Thank you to everyone for your support of my Upstagers family and may The Force be with you... always.

Andrew
x

Les Mis rehearsal schedule

Greetings cast of Les Mis!

The rehearsal schedule is online, along with a guide outlining which people are scheduled for which musical numbers. You can download these two PDFs from... you guessed it... the DOWNLOADS page of the Upstagers web site.

If you have any issues or questions regarding the rehearsal schedule then please let Gill know as soon as possible.

Thanks.

Just three shows to go!

Just three shows left for our 2014 pantomime Snow White! Thanks to everyone who has come to support us so far, and for all the lovely messages on Facebook, Twitter and in person. If you haven't got your tickets yet then what are you waiting for, don't miss out!

Great opening night for Snow White!

What a great opening night! A HUGE thank you to all our talented cast, crew and support team. Nine more shows to go - get booking your tickets peeps!

Saturday 25th January - Ticket Update

The online box office for today's shows (Saturday 25th January) is now shut. There are a few seats available for each show and you can still get tickets from our local box office on 01943 607944. If you aren't able to buy your tickets in advance then just come along to the Kings Hall in plenty of time and speak to Mrs Ticket. Judging by the audience reaction on the opening night you do not want to miss it!

Raffle request!

Greetings all!
I'm told we're still in need of raffle prizes for panto - if you have anything to donate please give it to Susan or Denise!
Thanks!

Snow White Ticket Update

Just a reminder that tickets are available to purchase for this evening's performance using our online box office until 1.00pm today. After that tickets are available from our local box office telephone number 01943 607944. There will be seats available on the night so even if you are unable to purchase or reserve a ticket in advance please come along to the Kings Hall tonight and enjoy the show.

If you have already purchased your tickets online and chose the e-ticket option, you will have received an email with your tickets attached. Don't forget to print the tickets and bring them along to the performance.

Pantomime rehearsals can be SO tiring...

Watching the senior dancers and senior chorus on stage was a real treat, those guys have worked really hard and it's looking really good! Exhausting stuff...

Late night rehearsal for Snow White

Sponsor a page?

If you'd like to sponsor a page in the full colour Snow White programme for £50, there are a few pages remaining. You can include a short message as well as your name.
Contact andrew@upstagers.org.uk by Saturday at the very latest  if you are interested, first come  - first served.
Thanks all!

Seeking raffle prizes!

Our front-of-house organisers are seeking prizes for the raffle at our pantomime.
If you'd like to donate something then:
(a) you rock!
(b) please drop it off at The Barn.
Thank you!

We're building a fairytale!

Calling our Upstagers!

We'd be very grateful for help building the 'Kingdom of Eternia' for our upcoming pantomime. If you can help us out with set building then please come along to lend a hand - we'll be at the King's Hall at the following dates/times.

Friday 17th January - 6pm to 10pm

Saturday 18th January - 9am to 12 noon

Sunday 19th January - 10am to 4pm

We'll keep you fuelled with tea and its always a good atmosphere, so even if you've never helped out before you'll be made very welcome. Hope to see some of you there!

Sister Act tickets - a slight delay

We planned for the tickets for our July show 'Sister Act' to go on sale tomorrow (13th January), but this will have to be delayed a little. Fear ye not, it's just a paperwork issue and we should be able to give you booking details soon!

Changes to the Snow White rehearsal schedule

Calling all cast! We've just updated the Snow White rehearsal schedule on the 'Downloads' page of the website - the changes from the previous version are marked in red.

Dramovox 2014...

Greetings Dramovox peeps!

Just a quick note to remind you all that the new Dramovox term starts today - Monday 6th January.

First rehearsal of 2014!

Six of the seven dwarfs meet for breakfast (Snoozy slept in). Don't forget to book your tickets!

Snow White cast - where & when?

To the cast of Snow White - if you've lost your rehearsal schedule, or the dog's eaten it, or your little brother made cut-out snowflakes out of it, or it was stolen by one of the dwarfs etc. etc. then never fear! You can download it from the website! It's on the... um... 'Downloads' page (but I'm sure you could have worked that out).

Dramovox returns on Monday 6th January!

Just a reminder that the new term for Dramovox starts on Monday 6th January. We look forward to a new year and a new term!

Happy New Year!

Wishing all our Upstagers family a wonderful 2014, it's looking to be a busy (but VERY exciting) year!