SAME venue, new stage. Thanks to a £5,000 grant from Essex Community Foundation Grassroots programme, Severalls Concert Group have some new boards to tread for their latest show.
With the cash, the long-established troupe have been able to buy new sound and lighting equipment, and state-of-the-art staging to enhance their already popular performances.
Mick Wass, spokesman for the group, said: “We used to borrow that kind of thing from one of the local schools, but now we have our own stuff we can create all kinds of shapes and styles.”
Originally called the Severalls Hospital Concert Group, the troupe was formed by a group of bored Severalls Hospital staff in 1958, who wanted to put on a variety show for the patients.
The group eventually settled on Alderman Blaxill School, in Colchester, as a venue for their performances. With creative director Maria Miller at the helm, the cast of more than 50 perform two shows a year.
Their latest offering is Musical Timepiece. As with their previous shows it will be made up of variety of West End numbers.
There will be Chicago and Mary Poppins in the first half, and Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in the second.
The show takes to the new stage tonight.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here