Fraserburgh Junior Arts Society is hosting auditions this week for its 70th annual pantomime production.
Formally launched in 1953, the group will be celebrating its platinum jubilee year following the big production in December.
First performing Humpty Dumpty as their premiere pantomime in the Old Picture House in Fraserburgh, the society will be hosting this year’s extravaganza in their new venue at Fraserburgh Leisure Centre.
Sign donated by Dame Judi Dench
Committee member, and this year’s producer of Rapunzel, Lynne Fyvie, said the “new home” had brought its challenges.
Moving in in December last year, she added: “Because we’re in a new home, we had no seats, we had no lighting rigs, no stage. We were having to start from scratch.”
Help came in the most unexpected form from theatre legend Dame Judi Dench after secretary of the society and nurse, Lewis Platt, was thanked by the star for his care of her relative.Â
After thanking Mr Platt in a video, Dame Judi and fellow star Joanna Lumley joined businesses and local residents in sponsoring some seats in the venue and also donated a new sign.
Mrs Fyvie said Dame Judi was very passionate about local theatre and the “beautiful, massive sign” she gave had given the society a “massive boost”.
New venue brings the ‘wow factor’
Speaking about the brand new pantomime produced with fellow member Craig Rodgers, Mrs Fyvie said the new venue would help bring the “wow factor” for audiences.
“The leisure centre has just opened many more doors for us because it’s a much larger venue,” the Fraserburgh resident added.
“We’ll have the wow factor of just going to a different level. Definitely with our sets because we didn’t have a lot of room off stage before and now we’ve got lots of it.
“On a production level there is so much more that we can do now. So it’s exciting for our audiences to come and see.”
The pantomime opens on December 12 for a week, and will kick off a year of jubilee celebrations for the club.
Mrs Fyvie, who has been with the society since she was a kid said it was “lovely” to start producing again.
The 49-year-old said: “I haven’t produced for a few years now so it’s just dipping my foot in again, and finding that confidence to step out my comfort zone and do new things.
“And even though I’m a mum now, and your life changes, it’s just coming back to something that I’ve always loved. It’s exciting.”
Want to give everyone that ‘goosebumps’ moment
The mum-of-two started in the Fraserburgh Junior Arts Society by coming in to do hair for the shows.
When she first joined, Mrs Fyvie said: “I probably never, ever felt that I had a talent. But people at that time and who were producing shows saw something in me that I never saw.
“They gave me lots of opportunities and I actually found my way into the society and started doing choreography and dancing back in that day.”
She added it was a society “for everyone” at all different skill and experience levels.
Mrs Fyvie said:Â “My passion for the society is that everybody gets an opportunity just to have that moment of being on the stage and getting the goosebumps feeling and just being part of something bigger than yourself and doing something for the community.
“We just want as much people to come to come along and have a try. And it’s a lovely bunch to be involved with.
“We want folk to have fun and if they want to try, please just come along, our door is open to anybody who wants to give it a go.”
Auditions are being held this week on Thursday, August 25 at 7pm and on Sunday, August 28 at 2pm and are open to anyone aged 12 years upwards.
While there will be tough competition, Mrs Fyvie said they will make it fun and there is always another role people can get involved with.
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