the musical produced | amateurstage
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Paul Frecknall of Sharnbrook Mill Theatre Company tells Amateur Stage about their recent production of the Stephen Sondheim classic, Company. Sharnbrook Mill Theatre, located on the outskirts of Sharnbrook village, Bedfordshire, has a good reputation for quality productions. Each year, they perform two musicals and two plays. They also have a developing youth theatre element who have successfully tackled Les Miserables, West Side Story and next season will perform Miss Saigon. Introduction As many Sondheim fans will know, Company is a two act ‘concept’ musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth. There have been a number of recent revivals in both the UK and New York, but the show debuted on Broadway in 1970 and two years later in London at Her Majesty’s Theatre. The ‘story’, set in New York, is very much taking place in Robert’s head. It is his 35th birthday and he is still single, while all around him his ‘married friends’ send out mixed messages as to the reason why they are all together. Sondheim has occasionally been performed at the Mill since 2000 (Gypsy, 2013; A Little Night Music,
2007; Sweeney Todd, 2001). Company had been regularly suggested by director Paul Frecknall since 2008 and the production committee felt that this year was the right time to stage it. It had been a show that Paul had been inspired to direct since seeing the Sam Mendes production staged at the Donmar in 1996. Together with Sondheim enthusiast Kaye Tompkins (Musical Director) and Melanie Coleman (Choreographer), the production team planned pre-audition workshops and auditions for early June 2013. Casting Advertising went out on the Mill’s website and newsletter with information about the show and the characters. Two workshops were planned prior to the auditions. The workshops were exciting and fun as participants ran through some of the songs and choreography. Lots of chat about the show took place with information given by the director as to the concept and stage/set design. Company is made up of fourteen characters and there is no chorus. So, everyone has to be able to sing, dance and act; nobody can hide behind the person in
front! There were selected pieces to become familiar with for those auditioning, which included dialogue and songs; everyone had to learn a piece of the choreography for ‘Side By Side’. One Sunday afternoon in early June was set aside for the auditions and, by early evening, with six new members joining, Company was cast. Costumes As lighting was to be the main source of colour, the costumes were monochromatic; black, white, greys, patterns and plain. They were designed to fit in with a contemporary time-period rather than the 1970’s when the show was written. This helped keep both the relevance of the theme as well as the fluidity of the show, so important in helping to put over Robert’s dilemma. Set and Props The Sharnbrook Mill Theatre features a mediumsized stage with an upper mezzanine level. The mezzanine is normally only accessible via two, fixed, upstage staircases.
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