4:20pm Saturday 6th February 2010
Craven College students will kick off the 2010 programme at Skipton’s Mart Theatre.
Organisers have lined up a wide range of performances over the next three months.
“Despite the recession we are still surviving and launching into our new season,” said arts development officer Anthea Rathlin-Jones.
“As a rural venue we value the support of our audience and we are always looking for quality productions and new drama.”
First to step into the footlights are performing arts students from Craven College with their version of the Broadway show Little Shop of Horrors. It combines offbeat humour with rhythm and blues numbers and can be seen next Thursday, Friday and Saturday, February 11 to 13.
Giles Atkinson, show director and performing arts lecturer, said: “The show involves all students on Craven College’s performing arts courses, either as cast members or in back stage production from lighting to set construction, crewing to costume and is closely linked with the units on their courses.”
The Mart then teams up with Angel Performance Arts for a half-term workshop, which will have a “crime and punishment” theme.
Running from February 15 to 19, the workshop will help students to create a challenging piece of musical theatre which will be performed during the Angel Performance Arts showcase, Most Wanted, on Saturday March 20.
The renowned Hull Truck Theatre Company returns on Thursday February 25 with its bittersweet comedy Me and Me Dad, while the focus turns to music on February 26 when Queen tribute band Mercury takes to the stage.
There is an “Arresting Night” to end the month on Saturday February 27. The improvisational show is based upon police officers Cooper and Walsh from the TV series Last of the Summer Wine and stars original cast members Ken Kitson and Louis Emerick. They will use ideas from the audience for their sketches.
“It is a completely different event to any other show as it is completely unrehearsed,” says the publicity.
For comedy fans, there is the welcome return of Jon Richardson on Saturday March 6. He first played at the Mart as a support act to Alan Carr, but is now a name in his own right on the comedy circuit.
The music of Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash will be brought to life on Friday March 12, when the Memphis Show Band joins forces with the Johnny Cash Tribute band to take the audience on “a journey through time, sound and vision”, recreating the music of two legends.
The focus stays on music on Saturday March 13 when BBC Folk Award winners Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham return to the Mart stage. Also making a welcome return is Eagles tribute band Talon, which will perform its Hotel California 2010 show on Friday March 19.
Gertrude’s Secret comes to the Mart on Friday March 26. Written by Benedick West, it is a series of monologues, both comic and sad, suitable for those aged 12 and above.
“Grumpy Old Man” Arthur Smith will entertain on March 27, with jokes, anecdotes, stories, poems, songs and readings from his memoir “My Name is Daphne Fairfax”.
April’s offerings include family show Ugly Duckling and Celtic music from the Battlefield Band.
For tickets, contact the box office at Craven College on 01756 791411 or visit The Mart Theatre website on themarttheatre.org.uk
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