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Let me introduce myself -
my name is Lynn Smith. Some of
you may already know me from
my previous involvement in the
Amateur Theatre.
I’m your new Membership
Secretary and I’ve taken on the
role in a bid to help lighten the
load a little from your Secretary.
Some of you may have already
heard from me when renewing
your memberships – and can I
take this opportunity to thank
you for your prompt renewals. It
really does make my job easier.
My theatrical hunger began
as a teenager in the early 1970s.
A friend and I walked down to
Holy Cross, her Catholic Church
hall, where the local Amateur
Operatic Society, All Saints
AO&DS, Eccles, rehearsed. I
was enthralled from the first
second we stepped in this ‘other
world’ of theatre. My friend was
not, so consequently I stayed, she
didn’t !
My first stage experience
came a few months later when
I took part in a summer ‘Songs
from the Shows’ at the Pembroke
Halls in Walkden. The show
starred Kathleen Lewis (I’m sure
many of you will remember her)
along with a cast of some 30/40
soloists and chorus. This was
my first starring role under the
spotlight. In the
Carousel
section
Jack Judge (Kath’s husband) sang
to me, as a newcomer, ‘When the
Children are Asleep’. We knelt
on the floor hand in hand, nestled
together, the rest of the stage in
darkness...... I felt every bit a star
- of course, being given this part
wasn’t due to any hidden talent.
It was only a last minute thing as
his partner had let him down and
I think it was just that I was the
nearest available female!
Still, I absolutely loved the
stage and from then on it became
a big part of my life.
Rehearsals quickly began for
the main production. Those were
the days when the society still
performed in the local picture
houses which were transformed
into a theatre for the week of
the show. We performed at the
Broadway in Eccles where my
first major production with All
Saints was
White Horse Inn
.
This is where I met my very
good dear friend for life ..... your
Chairman, John Flay’s wife,
Elizabeth! We had, and still do
have, some wonderful times – I
could fill the whole magazine
with our stories of rehearsal tales,
dressing room stories, disasters
in the wings, costume/makeup
dramas and backstage gossip, as
most of you probably could. I
Lynn Smith
Your Membership Secretary
think our greatest achievement
together on stage was in
Oklahoma
when she played
Laurie opposite Glen Fyldes and
I played Ado Annie opposite the
late Grayham Dey. Both were
well known male principals. We
shared the main female principal
dressing room and those were the
days when everyone bought you
flowers. We really thought we’d
arrived!
Of course, in those days,
the social side of a Society was
such a big fun thing. We were
lucky enough to have on board
the late Saunie Williams as our
Social Chair and she ran some
fantastic social events. Her
biggest achievement of course
was ‘Showcase’ which is still
one of the biggest events in the
North West Amateur Theatre
calendar; it goes from strength to
strength each year. Not only is
it a magical day for those taking
part or involved in but it has also
raised thousands of pounds for
charity.
Well, that’s enough from
me – for now – no doubt we
shall all meet again at either at
the Christmas Party and Awards
Night in November, next year’s
members day in July, or at one
of your fine shows. Please
keep looking on the website for
updates and do take advantage of
advertising all your productions.
• 2013 - 30th year of planting.
• Hundreds of trees freshly cut,
• potted or rooted available.
• Spruce, Fir and Pine all
available.
• Choose your Norway Spruce,
still growing in the ground
and either take it with you or
arrange to come back for it
nearer Christmas.
• Freshly made Holly and Fir
wreaths.
• Christmas Shop with tree
stands, lights and decorations
from 20th November.
• Off-road parking.
• Opposite Lindow Common
- Walk round Black Lake or
walk quarter of a mile and
see the peat diggings where
Lindow Man was discovered
in 1984.
HOW TO FIND US
Racecourse Road is just off the
A538 Altrincham Road, west of
Wilmslow town centre, or east
from junction 6 of the M56,
turning at the
Boddington Arms.
Lynn (centre) backstage at a Minstrel Show in 1985