Titanic the Musical: March 2010

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THE INVERNESS COURIER, FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2010
Cast adrift on uncharted waters


Inverness Opera Company rehearse with
new musical director Steve Jones for their
new show Titanic the Musical.
Iona Spence


AS musical director of Inverness Opera Company's 2010 show "Titantic - The Musical", Steve Jones is sailing into uncharted waters of his own.

The nearest he has come to directing a musical has been working on local pantomimes, though he describes himself as very much a fan of musical theatre.

Jones' musical career has been more classically based in the past, mainly revolving around his work as a choirmaster and organist in London and Cambridge.

However, marshalling a stage musical with its separate musical, vocal and dramatic elements, including such technical challenges as scene changes and an ever-changing number of people on stage is something a bit different.



"It is a bit more challenging than conducting a choral concert but it has the same basic elements," Jones says.

"I'm the musical director for this next show only but I feel very privileged to be asked to do it."

The Opera Company's 2010 show will be very different from 2009's "Anything Goes", despite sharing a shipboard setting - and also quite different from the blockbuster 1997 James Cameron film (so no danger of that Celene Dion song).

"The Broadway musical came out the year before the film," Jones pointed out.

"It had a run of 1000 performances on Broadway but it was never performed in the West End. There have been a few performances here in the UK but not many."

"Titanic - The Musical", with songs by Maury Yeston and a story by Oscar-winning writer Peter Stone, won five Tony Awards on its Broadway run, including one for Best Musical.

"It's much more related to the actual experience of people on the Titanic rather than a love story like the film," Jones added.

"The music is extremely good and there is a lot of it throughout the show, not just the songs.

"There is a lot of music underneath the dialogue which underscores the emotions - the excitement of a new ship and getting to America in the fastest way possible; then hitting the iceberg and first thinking they are all right; then the sinking and all the trauma that goes with that."

Despite the subject matter, Jones adds it is not a depressing show. "It ends on a hopeful note and even though it tells the story of the Titanic there's a great deal of humour," he says.

In keeping with a show inspired by the largest passenger ship of its time, "Titanic" has a suitably epic scale with 45 named roles, including passengers and crew and most based on real people.

In all some 75 people are involved in the show itself, including a large chorus - on top of which there will be accompaniment from a 20 strong band.

"We have a very strong cast for the show and it will be a great occasion - it's a must see, of course," Jones said.

"It's great fun to be with the people doing the show. The Opera Company members are a very talented bunch and very extrovert. They are a tremendously committed bunch of people."

© Calum Macleod
(Inverness Courier - Arts and Entertainment)

 

THE INVERNESS COURIER, FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 2010
Titanic effort to aid lifeboat charity


Picture Iona Spence

Hi-Arts
4th March 2010

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Inverness Opera Company presents Titanic the Musical

04 March 2010

Inverness Opera Company presents Titanic the Musical at Eden Court Theatre, Inverness from Tuesday 24th - Saturday 27th March 2010.

In May 2009, a new committee took over the running of Inverness Opera Company, now in its 85th year of existence. The previous committee had already shortlisted its choice for the 2010 production, Titanic: The Musical, and in keeping with constitutional rules, we pursued this choice of show.

The initial hurdle which they faced was the sheer number of men required to fill the roles; particularly Tenor men – the company has always had a bass-heavy male membership, and they had the task of finding additional talent, with an emphasis on Tenor voices. Titanic: The Musical is quite unusual in that there are over forty named roles, or Principals, (previous shows would usually have a maximum of a dozen or so!) as well as a substantial chorus, and they had moments of doubt as to whether they could achieve this.

Their next mission was to bring together the staff for the show. Before a show of this magnitude can begin, there are five leading players required…A producer, a musical director, a choreographer, a stage manager and a rehearsal accompanist. They spent many an hour deliberating as a Committee, and they came up with staff roster, who have proved to be a fantastic asset to the Company.

Rehearsals were called to begin in September 2009, and as a new Committee, they waited with some anxiety to see what numbers would turn up for the first rehearsal. Imagine our surprise when in addition to our regulars, they welcomed many new members – both male and female to the Company! Within the first weeks, auditions were held and the entire production was cast, with most importantly, the requisite number of men!

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THE INVERNESS COURIER, FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2010
All at sea - with music

Blame game in musical of maritime tragedy

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Article
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Titanic sails on to Inverness stage

Musical is one of the most ambitious shows put on by city's opera company.
24 March 2010 06:00 GMT

Article
Shipshape: Stage is set for Titanic musical. Pic: © STV

The curtain is about to go up in one of the most ambitious shows ever staged by Inverness Opera Company.

Titanic - The Musical - sets sail from the city's Eden Court Theatre on Wednesday evening.

With a cast of almost 70, and a 20-strong orchestra, the musical takes a different approach to the tragedy by featuring on the passengers aboard.

The production, which has only been shown twice in Britain, has no fewer than 40 scene changes. 

Director Maureen Pringle said: "Some people have said to me why do we want to make a musical about something that ends so sadly and of course we said what about Les Miserables, La Boheme.

"Many an opera and many a musical show all have sad endings and we know they have but we go, take a hanky. It's a lovely story."

The show runs until Saturday.

 


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