Best Actor award given to Coleshill Drama Group member

Coleshill Drama Group’s Steve Brooks (pictured above) recently received an award for Best Male Actor, from the judges in the All England Theatre Festival. He was playing Sir Max, a murderous politician in the psychological thriller ‘Music for Amelia’, a very dark play by Derek Rhodes. With 3 male parts, this was Coleshill’s entry in the Warwickshire round of this prestigious Festival. The round was eventually won by the talented Abbey Players of Nuneaton, who subsequently progressed in the competition to the Midlands heat. Coleshill received the Wheatsheaf Silver Rosebowl for Runners Up, a great achievement against such stiff competition from other groups.

The standard of acting in this year’s competition, particularly of the men, was of a very high standard, according to the adjudicator. Therefore Coleshill are especially proud that they received 2 nominations in the Best Male Actor category. Steve’s friend and fellow thespian in Coleshill Drama Group, Charlie Barker, was also nominated for his portrayal of Hector, a stand in radio presenter tasked with interviewing Sir Max. Anne Bravey directed the pair, plus Alex Meeson who played a messenger, in this intense play.

Unfortunately there can only be one winner in and this wasn’t to be Charlie’s year. Luckily, Charlie has decided not to bear a grudge against his friend and the pair join forces again shortly in another piece of dark drama. This time Steve remains with his feet firmly on the stage but Charlie will be reverting to his other role, directing the play ‘Audience with Murder’. This clever thriller by Roger Leach and Colin Wakefield is being presented at Coleshill Town Hall from Wed 21st to Sat 24th May. It will be the last of Coleshill Drama group’s productions before their summer break and will wind up their 75th season on a very dramatic note.

Steve is being joined on stage by the multiple talents of Alexandra Liggins, Donna Jardine and Dave Bissett. This quartet will between them move the play, which is a play about a play, from a seemingly straightforward and innocuous domestic situation to a murder mystery scenario. With a dramatic conclusion to cap it all off.

Rehearsals are already well underway, so this play looks like being great Bank Holiday entertainment. Sure to create a talking point to rival Terry Wogan and the Eurovision Song contest at Bank Holiday barbeques across the town!

The Drama Group has just been extremely fortunate to receive a grant of nearly £3000 from Birmingham International Airport. This money is going to be spent on new sound equipment, which will be used from inside the new sound and lighting booth installed a couple of years ago. Visitors to Coleshill Town Hall will see the booth above the entrance doors in the Hall. The equipment should greatly improve the quality of music and special effects able to be played during shows. Coleshill are hopeful that this will be installed in time for the Bank Holiday show.

If you are interested din seeing Audience with Murder, shows start at 7.30pm in Coleshill Town Hall. Tickets cost £8 a seat (£6 concessions) and there is a licensed bar from 7pm with tea’s and coffees being served during the interval. Seating in the Hall is laid out informally in a ‘cabaret’ style with chairs around small tables. So drinks can be enjoyed during the show as well as before and after. The seats can not be reserved so it is best to arrive early to pick your favourite seats.

You can buy tickets in advance from Coleshill Library or from Gascoigne’s in Coleshill, (100 High Street). Alternatively call 01675 462674 to reserve some. Coleshill are offering a special promotion for this show. Anyone purchasing 10 tickets in advance will be entitled to an extra seat free of charge. Tickets can also be bought on the door, subject to availability. Additional car parking is available in the Chantry House grounds, opposite the Town Hall, for people coming by car.

If you are interested in finding out more about putting on shows, or would like to help in some way, you can log on to Coleshill Drama Groups website, http://www.coleshilldrama.org.uk/ or you can email Coleshill.drama@blueyonder.co.uk. to find out more.