Theatres may still be darkened by Covid, but the need to gather together remains strong amongst performers. On Saturday 19th March members and guests of Torbay Theatre attended a hugely successful Club Night in the Torbay Community Hall. The evening was live streamed for those sheltering at home.
Under the efficient eyes of Graham Mandeno as Stage Manager and Paul Topliss as MC, the entertainment opened with Iona McDonald playing 76 Trombones (on the piano) from The Music Man, which we hope to stage this December. Later, Lida Rose from The Music Man, was performed by a Barber’s Shop Quartet wearing the requisite straw boaters.
Christina Ellison and Ante Mahoney gave us examples of full-blown operatic singing, while Tony Nettleton serenaded his wife Avril with That’s Amore. Michael Read-Percival, a Torbay alumnus, presented two moving musical numbers accompanied by Jonah Vakapora-Hall.
Several musical items were presented by members of Autaki Performing Arts, a local community group run by Liz Swanepoel and Jan-Maree Baughan. Autaki had used our Gate Theatre recently to stage their large musical revue Sentimental Journey. We hope to see many of Autaki’s talented teens and adults in future Torbay shows.
Humorous monologues and poems were presented by David Adkins, Anne Rimmer and Steve Wright. The night was also an opportunity for us to farewell Steve and Raewyn who are shifting to New Plymouth. Steve is a long-time member of our theatre.
To open the second half, Iona, dressed in blue and yellow, played the haunting Ukrainian national anthem on the violin, and the evening closed with the rousing Climb Every Mountain sung by Jan-Maree Baughan.
There was so much talent on offer that night that it is impossible to name them all. Our thanks go out to everyone who contributed to this wonderful evening.
Anne Rimmer