GHOST the Musical
The Palace Theatre, Southend on Sea
21st - 24th October 2015
The Palace Theatre, Southend on Sea
21st - 24th October 2015
GHOST is a timeless fantasy about the power of love. Walking back to their apartment one night, Sam and Molly are mugged, leaving Sam murdered on a dark street. Sam is trapped as a ghost between this world and the next and unable to leave Molly who he learns is in grave danger. With the help of a phony storefront psychic, Oda Mae Brown, Sam tries to communicate with Molly in the hope of saving and protecting her.
Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Film of 1990, GHOST won numerous awards worldwide and is one of the biggest grossing films in the UK. It starred Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg and Bruce Joel Rubin's script won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and Whoopi Goldberg won the Oscar® for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The film's iconic love scene at a potter's wheel was famously performed to The Righteous Brother's Unchained Melody.
The musical has been adapted for the stage by Bruce Joel Rubin and Leigh Operatic & Dramatic Society’s production looks set to wow Southend audiences, judging from what I witnessed at their recent rehearsal.
The part of Sam will be played by Stuart Woolner who has been a long time member of the Society joining back in 1999 for a production of My Fair Lady. He has only missed being involved in 3 productions as he is also Musical Director for shows when he isn’t appearing on stage. Like the film, he tells me, the show is an endearing yet tragic love story. “I’m playing the part as real and natural as possible.” It’s very clear that he and Jenny Peoples, who is playing Molly, have created some great chemistry together; particularly noticeable as I watch them recreating that now famous pottery scene.
Stuart has also had to learn to play the guitar for the show which has proven to be a bit of a challenge but after a lot of practice and sore finger tips, he has now mastered the number he needs to play in the show and seems quite chuffed with his newly learned skill.
Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Film of 1990, GHOST won numerous awards worldwide and is one of the biggest grossing films in the UK. It starred Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg and Bruce Joel Rubin's script won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and Whoopi Goldberg won the Oscar® for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The film's iconic love scene at a potter's wheel was famously performed to The Righteous Brother's Unchained Melody.
The musical has been adapted for the stage by Bruce Joel Rubin and Leigh Operatic & Dramatic Society’s production looks set to wow Southend audiences, judging from what I witnessed at their recent rehearsal.
The part of Sam will be played by Stuart Woolner who has been a long time member of the Society joining back in 1999 for a production of My Fair Lady. He has only missed being involved in 3 productions as he is also Musical Director for shows when he isn’t appearing on stage. Like the film, he tells me, the show is an endearing yet tragic love story. “I’m playing the part as real and natural as possible.” It’s very clear that he and Jenny Peoples, who is playing Molly, have created some great chemistry together; particularly noticeable as I watch them recreating that now famous pottery scene.
Stuart has also had to learn to play the guitar for the show which has proven to be a bit of a challenge but after a lot of practice and sore finger tips, he has now mastered the number he needs to play in the show and seems quite chuffed with his newly learned skill.
Jenny Peoples and Stuart Woolner recreate the iconic pottery scene in GHOST rehearsals
Jenny, who has been in LODS since 2008, counting Amneris in Aida and Pitti Sing in Hot Mikado as two of her most favourite roles, tells me that although playing Molly is wonderful, she often comes home from rehearsals with puffy, swollen eyes, due the extreme emotional intensity that the part requires. “Rehearsals are pretty depressing” she says, with a hint of a smile.
Helen Sharpe looks amazing in costume as Oda Mae Brown, the part people will remember as being played by Whoopi Goldberg in the film version. However, she realises that audiences, particularly die-hard Ghost fans, will have expectations of how the character should be portrayed and her approach was to go with the characterisation that the script dictates.
“As an actor, you put yourself in a character’s situation and consider their natural reactions. You then apply it to the character in terms of how you deliver the lines, how you physicalise them. You have to believe it yourself or no-one in the audience will believe you. However funny or crazy a scene may be, if you don't deliver it with conviction, you will ruin the illusion that exists between the actor and the audience.” Helen explains, “I bring a quirkiness to Oda Mae and play her as a southerner who has lived in the hood for many years plying her illegal trade as a con woman, pretending to be a psychic. Oda Mae and her sisters are the much needed comedy element in the show.”
Helen has certainly had a lot of experience performing for the Society with characters such as Alex in The Witches of Eastwick and also in their last production, The Addams Family, playing Morticia Addams with impeccable comic timing. I have a feeling that audiences will be delighted with Helen’s version of Oda Mae.
Helen Sharpe looks amazing in costume as Oda Mae Brown, the part people will remember as being played by Whoopi Goldberg in the film version. However, she realises that audiences, particularly die-hard Ghost fans, will have expectations of how the character should be portrayed and her approach was to go with the characterisation that the script dictates.
“As an actor, you put yourself in a character’s situation and consider their natural reactions. You then apply it to the character in terms of how you deliver the lines, how you physicalise them. You have to believe it yourself or no-one in the audience will believe you. However funny or crazy a scene may be, if you don't deliver it with conviction, you will ruin the illusion that exists between the actor and the audience.” Helen explains, “I bring a quirkiness to Oda Mae and play her as a southerner who has lived in the hood for many years plying her illegal trade as a con woman, pretending to be a psychic. Oda Mae and her sisters are the much needed comedy element in the show.”
Helen has certainly had a lot of experience performing for the Society with characters such as Alex in The Witches of Eastwick and also in their last production, The Addams Family, playing Morticia Addams with impeccable comic timing. I have a feeling that audiences will be delighted with Helen’s version of Oda Mae.
Some of the cast of GHOST with Helen Sharpe as Oda Mae Brown (centre right)
Lewis Sheldrake is playing Carl, Sam’s friend who executes the ultimate betrayal. “It’s nice to play someone horrible for a change,” Lewis tells me. “Essentially the character of Carl goes through quite a spectrum in the show; he starts off being a likeable rogue and then, at the end of Act 1, there’s a really big reveal which essentially shows him for what he is.”
Paul Day, MD
Paul Day will be conducting a nine piece orchestra for the show and says that the score is full of fabulous tunes. “There are ballads, some 80s style rock/pop, disco, gospel numbers and even some rap. The music is beautifully evocative and really sets the mood of the piece.” He adds, “This show has the power to really pack a punch and the end of Act 1 will endorse that. The song with Sam, Molly and Carl is amazing!”
The show promises lots of great songs with some delightful chorus numbers choreographed by Gemma Cohen, not to mention more than a few ghostly surprises aided by some very clever jiggery pokery that is sure to leave audiences quietly stunned.
The show promises lots of great songs with some delightful chorus numbers choreographed by Gemma Cohen, not to mention more than a few ghostly surprises aided by some very clever jiggery pokery that is sure to leave audiences quietly stunned.
Peter Brown, Director
Director, Peter Brown, has certainly had a challenge with this production with its added technical requirements and admits, with a smile, that he will probably be needing a long holiday when it is all over.
He says, “When LODS secured the rights to produce it I knew that it would be a huge challenge. I'm primarily an actor myself and I love characters as much as straight acting. Having worked with Sallie Warrington over the years I just felt that I had hopefully absorbed as much of her skills as I could. Although anyone who knows me will agree I'm no dancer, so thankfully we've got a great choreographer in Gemma Cohen. We've also got visionary technical wizards in Drew Seal & Paul Ward, who are good friends of mine, so I just felt that this was a project I was really excited about and couldn't resist throwing my hat in the ring.” He continues, “Also call it romantic foolishness or whatever you like but it doesn't matter what your religion the fact that you would do anything to protect the person you love even after you die is something that I really identify with I suppose. It's not about a belief in a god it's more about the belief in love. Is that too cheesy?! Well it's the truth!”
I ask Peter what his favourite part of the show is. “I think my favourite part is the final scene (no spoilers!) in which our four principals - Lewis, Helen, Jen and Stu ultimately share the stage together for the first and only time in the show and it's the big payoff that reduces us all to tears in every rehearsal we've done it. It's pretty special.”
Having had a small taster of what’s to come, I can’t imagine that any die-hard GHOST fan could possibly be disappointed. Oh and may I suggest that, like me, you bring along a large box of tissues because I have a feeling that one of the punches this show packs will hit you smack on the heart strings and I for one really don’t want to smudge my mascara!
GHOST the Musical is on from 21st to 24th October at The Palace Theatre, Southend on Sea
www.southendtheatres.org.uk
He says, “When LODS secured the rights to produce it I knew that it would be a huge challenge. I'm primarily an actor myself and I love characters as much as straight acting. Having worked with Sallie Warrington over the years I just felt that I had hopefully absorbed as much of her skills as I could. Although anyone who knows me will agree I'm no dancer, so thankfully we've got a great choreographer in Gemma Cohen. We've also got visionary technical wizards in Drew Seal & Paul Ward, who are good friends of mine, so I just felt that this was a project I was really excited about and couldn't resist throwing my hat in the ring.” He continues, “Also call it romantic foolishness or whatever you like but it doesn't matter what your religion the fact that you would do anything to protect the person you love even after you die is something that I really identify with I suppose. It's not about a belief in a god it's more about the belief in love. Is that too cheesy?! Well it's the truth!”
I ask Peter what his favourite part of the show is. “I think my favourite part is the final scene (no spoilers!) in which our four principals - Lewis, Helen, Jen and Stu ultimately share the stage together for the first and only time in the show and it's the big payoff that reduces us all to tears in every rehearsal we've done it. It's pretty special.”
Having had a small taster of what’s to come, I can’t imagine that any die-hard GHOST fan could possibly be disappointed. Oh and may I suggest that, like me, you bring along a large box of tissues because I have a feeling that one of the punches this show packs will hit you smack on the heart strings and I for one really don’t want to smudge my mascara!
GHOST the Musical is on from 21st to 24th October at The Palace Theatre, Southend on Sea
www.southendtheatres.org.uk