presents “ ” Witham Operatic Workshop!

13-18th February 2017

Witham Public Hall

Book, Music & Lyrics By Elliot Davis &

With Chris Tierney Isabella Chapman Harry Tunningley James Harris Jake Collis Tom Nicoll Daisy Greenwood Fraser McLauchlan William Hackett Amy Seymour Yasmin Sharp Alice Tunningley Charlotte Tofts Rebecca Hunt Katie Galley Isobel Pearce Faye Broadbent Alice Rydzik Ollie Such Emily Birt Ciaran Brewer Matthew Brewer Poppy Fisher Jenni Hunt Emily McNeill Mia Nichols Charli Piper Ben Rolph Maddie Smith Louisa Turnbull

Director Assistant Director Cathy Court Rhianna Howard

Musical Director Thomas Duchan

Originally produced on the West End stage by T C Beech This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Europe) All authorised performance materials are also supplied by MTI Europe www.mtishows.co.uk About the show

It is 1971 and Michael Dork is 17. They call him nerd, geek, slacker. Socially marginalised by the entire school (except by his buddies Lucas, Marvin and Francis) and constantly picked on by Eddie, the coolest boy in school. Michael is desperate to find his ticket outta loserville and is convinced he can get computers talking to one another.

Michael has also discovered a girl, Holly, a prospect (almost) as exciting as his love of binary. If only he had the courage to talk to her! Perhaps things haven't changed that much after all! Chaos ensues when Eddie decides to interfere and blackmail Michael’s friends so that he can impress his father. Will he get his way, or will our band of misfits crack the code in time and save the day? You will have to watch and see..!

Loserville takes geek to a whole new rock-pop level! Nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New Musical in 2013 and many more accolades, Loserville is based on the groundbreaking "" from the band .

Graham Green - President

Dear WOW! Supporter, Welcome to Loserville, a place of nerds, hard drives and romance. Loserville was created, produced and performed by Youth Music Theatre UK in 2009 and is written by Essex born James Bourne of pop group Busted and Elliot Davis. Bourne is a patron of YMT as is Ed Sheeran. As ever the cast have worked really hard to bring you their usual high standard of performance, I would also take this opportunity to thank all those involved with this production, many of whom you will never see. The main aim of WOW! is to provide a place where young people can experience the magic of musical theatre and we remain the only Witham based group to do this. Over the last twenty years we have had many scores of children that have achieved their aim of performing on stage to their highest ability, long may it continue! Chris Tierney - 17 Isabella Chapman - 17 Harry Tunningley - 14 James Harris - 16 Michael Dork Holly Manson Lucas Lloyd Francis Weir First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: Grease Our House Half a Sixpence Half a Sixpence Past Roles: Training: Past Roles: Fave Musical: Sonny in Grease, Mr Imagination School of Oliver in Oliver! (UK Parade Pressman in Our House Dance & Pixie Lott’s Tour), Bruce & Tommy Technology you can’t & Mr Shalford in Half a Italia Conti in Matilda (West End), live without: Sixpence Fave Musical: Buggins in Half a YouTube, it allows you Fave Musical: Beautiful Sixpence (WOW!) to watch videos of Gypsy Fave Loserville Fave Musical: people you wouldn’t Technology you can’t Character: Sunny Afternoon normally get to see! live without: Holly, I love her Hobbies: Fave Loserville My phone, because it determination & she Dancing, piano, Character: contains my entire life always stays true to acrobatics & parkour Ivanka & Marina - they & my music! herself know great English!

Jake Collis - 17 Tom Nicoll - 14 Daisy Greenwood - 16 Fraser McLauchlan - 12 Marvin Camden Eddie Arch Leia Dawkins Huey Phillips First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: Our House Grease Loserville Half a Sixpence Fave Musical: Fave Musical: Best WOW! Memory: Best WOW! Memory: Avenue Q or In the Hamilton Being made so Singing at Woodland Heights Dream Musical Role: welcome when I joined! View Care Home for my Training: Javert in Les Fave Musical: Grandad I have learnt to say Pi to Misérables In The Heights Hobbies: 28 places (it works as Fave Musical Star: Plans for the Future: Guitar, football & the show says it does!) Lin Manuel Miranda To work in Musical ju-jitsu Fave Loserville Fave Invention: Theatre Fave Loserville Moment: The Enigma machine Fave Song in Loserville: Character: The Star Wars puns - I because it was a “Sick” - I get to show a Lucas because I think love puns & the portable & efficient way really different side to it’s really funny that commitment to them in to break the Enigma my character he’s writing Star Wars this show is incredible! code William Hackett - 12 Amy Seymour - 18 Yasmin Sharp - 16 Alice Tunningley - 17 Wayne Pagoda Samantha Powden Elaine Friend Ivanka First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: Loserville The Boy Friend Loserville Footloose Dream Musical Role: Fave Musical: Fave Musical: Past Roles: Miss Trunchbull in Matilda RENT Hamilton Patty in Grease, Billie in Hobbies: Fave Musical Star: Dream Musical Role: Our House & Kate in I’ve started learning to Will Chase Veronica in Heathers Half a Sixpence play guitar so I can write Dream Musical Role: Training: Training: songs in the future Mimi in RENT Studying a Level 3 BTEC Imagination School of Fave Song in Loserville: Fave Invention: in Musical Theatre Dance & Centre of “What’s So Weird About The mobile phone Fave Loserville Advanced Training in Me?” because it is fun to Hobbies: Character: London sing and involves the Travelling, cooking and Elaine, everyone thinks Plans for the Future: whole company learning french she’s dumb but she I’d like to do a dance proves them wrong! course at Laine or Bird

Charlotte Tofts - 18 Becky Hunt - 16 Katie Galley - 18 Isobel Pearce - 15 Marina Convention Announcer Susie McAlpine Davina First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: West Side Story Half a Sixpence Footloose Half a Sixpence Fave Musical: Past Roles: Past Roles: Best WOW! Memory: Ghost Mabel Washington in Shop Girl in Half a Opening night of Half a Past Roles: FAME, Enid Hoops in Sixpence, Postulant in Sixpence Fay in The Boy Friend & Legally Blonde The Sound of Music, Fave Musical: Ann in Half a Sixpence Fave Musical: Louisa in The Fantasticks Wicked Fave Song in Loserville: In The Heights Fave Musical: Fave Musical Star: “What’s So Weird About Fave Musical Stars: Hamilton Charlie Stemp Me?” suits my character Rachel Tucker, Sutton Dream Musical Role: Fave Loserville Song: so that’s my favourite Foster & Gavin Creel The Witch in Into the “We’re Not Alone” Plans for the future: Dream Musical Role: Woods because the harmonies To go to university & be a Nina in In The Heights Fave Musical Star: sound lovely! primary school teacher Ramin Karimloo Faye Broadbent - 17 Alice Rydzik - 17 Ollie Such - 12 Emily Birt - 15 Duvante & Dance Captain Britney & Dance Captain Principal Adult Voices First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: Half a Sixpence Our House Loserville Our House Fave Musical: Previous Roles: Training: Best WOW! Memory: Hamilton Flo in Half a Sixpence, Grade 4 singing and Times spent rehearsing Dream Musical Role: Laker Girl in Spamalot & grade 3 guitar and singing with my Roxy in Chicago Show Girl in The Hobbies: friends Plans for the Future: Producers Cricket, hockey and Fave Invention: I hope to study a Classics Training: watching football Batteries - they have degree at Cambridge Currently studying Plans for the Future: made mobile phones, University and then have A levels & having singing When I leave school I’d remote controls and a career in arts and dance lessons like to pursue my cars possible! journalism Dream Musical Role: dreams of music and Hobbies: Flo in Half a Sixpence in drama or sport Reading, playing piano the West End and ukulele

Ciaran Brewer - 20 Matthew Brewer - 16 Poppy Fisher - 13 Jenni Hunt - 14 Ensemble Ensemble Ensemble Ensemble First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: Half a Sixpence Loserville Half a Sixpence Grease Best WOW! Memory: Fave Musical: Hobbies: Best WOW! Memory: The 20th Anniversary The Book of Mormon Playing the piano and The last night of Our concert because we got Plans for the Future: the flute House was soo fun! to meet past members Go to university to do a Favourite Musical: Favourite Musicals: and celebrate WOW! film course and Les Misérables Hairspray & Wicked Fave Musical: hopefully become a film Dream Musical Role: Dream Musical Role: Aladdin director Fantine in Les Eponine in Les Fave Loserville Fave Song in Loserville: Misérables Misérables Character: “What’s So Weird About Fave Song in Loserville: Fave Loserville Lucas - like me he is Me?” “Ticket Outta Loserville” Character: geeky and likes to write Fave Invention: it is so energetic and Elaine, she’s funny & scripts The Mobile Phone enjoyable to perform does what Leia says! Emily McNeill - 12 Mia Nichols - 12 Charli Piper -13 Ensemble Ensemble Ensemble First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: Loserville Half a Sixpence Loserville Fave Musical: Best WOW! Memory: Fave Musical: Wicked Playing Young Ann in Cats Plans for the Future: Half a Sixpence Hobbies: I’d like to be a Primary Fave Musical: Reading, reading & School Teacher A Chorus Line more reading! Fave Invention: Fave Invention: Fave Loserville Scene: The iPhone, I like to WiFi - it keeps me up The Sci-Fi convention, it keep up with social to date with the news is just SO geeky! media, all the time! Hobbies: Fave Invention: Fave Loserville Ballet, I just passed Definitely the Kindle, Character: grade 4 and started because technology + Elaine, she is so bubbly pointe reading = YAY!

Ben Rolph - 14 Maddie Smith - 12 Louisa Turnbull - 15 Ensemble Ensemble Ensemble First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: First WOW! Show: Grease Loserville Half a Sixpence Best WOW! Memory: Best WOW! Memory: Best WOW! Memory: Dressing up as a dog Summer school 2016 Summer school 2016 for Our House! Hobbies: Fave Musical: Fave Musical: Swimming & basketball Les Misérables Les Misérables Fave Loserville Plans for the Future: Fave Song in Loserville: Character: When I leave school I “We’re Not Alone” Samantha want to study directing Plans for the Future: Fave Tech at university To become a P.E. Breakthrough: Fave Loserville teacher The phone - it’s really Character: Fave Invention: easy to use! Holly - she is unique The iPad and follows her dreams Creative Team Cathy Court - Director

Cathy trained at Arts Educational School, Tring and Laine Theatre Arts before pursuing a career teaching classical ballet, modern theatre, tap and national dance full time in dance studios and vocational dance colleges. She is currently studying part time at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance for a Level 6 Diploma in Dance Teaching and Learning. Cathy has been involved in musical theatre with WAOS for many years and has enjoyed performing, choreographing and directing a wide range of shows. Previously with WOW! she has directed Bugsy Malone and The Boy Friend along with a number of summer concerts. She would like to thank Thomas, Rhianna, the WOW! committee and everyone involved behind the scenes for their endless hard work and support. Cathy has really enjoyed the opportunity of working with the cast of Loserville who are a wonderful group of hard working and talented young performers who bring enthusiasm and energy to rehearsals and she hopes you enjoy their performance.

Thomas Duchan - Musical Director

Thomas read music at the University of Chichester focusing on piano with Jonathan Plowright and Terence Allbright, conducting with Crispin Ward and Arthur Robson and singing with Susan Legg and Ian Baar. Thomas then returned to the University of Chichester as an associate lecturer for Music and Musical Theatre. Credits as an accompanist, copyist/ music preparation, chorus master, musical assistant and musical director: Sweeney Todd (Chichester Festival Theatre 2011), The King And I (New Victoria Theatre, Woking 2011), Charlie And The Chocolate Factory - The New Musical (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane 2013), The Girls - A New Musical By And Tim Firth (Workshop 2014), Before The Dawn - The Official Kate Bush Tour (2014), Gypsy (Chichester Festival Theatre/Savoy Theatre 2015), A Damsel In Distress (Chichester Festival Theatre 2015), The Smallest Show On Earth (Mercury Theatre 2015), Funny Girl (Menier Chocolate Factory 2015), Travels With My Aunt (Chichester Festival Theatre 2016), This Little Life Of Mine (Park Theatre, Finsbury Park 2016).

Rhianna Howard - Assistant Director

Rhianna is a past member of WOW! and performed in a number of productions, playing roles such as; ‘Sharpay' in High School Musical, ‘Factory Girl 4’ in Les Misérables and, more recently, ‘Jan’ in Grease. After graduating from university and moving back to Witham, Rhianna immersed herself in local amateur theatre once again. She has been a committee member with WOW! since 2014 and performed in shows with WAOS and Witham Music Theatre. Last summer Rhianna completed a Directing course at NODA Summer School. Since then she directed WOW!'s 20th Anniversary Concert and assistant directed Rock of Ages with Witham Music Theatre. Rhianna has had a very enjoyable time working on Loserville with such a talented group of young people and thanks Cathy and Thomas for their guidance over the past 6 months. Cast Michael Dork Chris Tierney Holly Manson Isabella Chapman Lucas Lloyd Harry Tunningley Francis Weir James Harris Marvin Camden Jake Collis Eddie Arch Tom Nicoll Leia Dawkins Daisy Greenwood Huey Phillips Fraser McLauchlan Wayne Pagoda Will Hackett Samantha Powden Amy Seymour Elaine Friend Yasmin Sharp Ivanka Alice Tunningley Marina Charlotte Tofts Convention Announcer Becky Hunt Susie McAlpine Katie Galley Davina Isobel Pearce Duvante Faye Broadbent Britney Alice Rydzik Principal Ollie Such Adult Voices Emily Birt

Ensemble Ciaran Brewer, Matthew Brewer, Poppy Fisher, Jenni Hunt, Emily McNeill, Mia Nichols, Charli Piper, Ben Rolph, Maddie Smith, Louisa Turnbull

Band Musical Director & Keys 1 Thomas Duchan Keys 2 Sue Long Guitar 1 James Stirling Guitar 2 James Maltby Bass Rob Watson Drums Paul Codling Production Team Director Cathy Court Assistant Director Rhianna Howard Production Manager Kath Adkins Stage Manager David Hunt Assistant Stage Manager Gemma Gray Stage Crew Graham Green, Dean Hirst, Keith Radley Set Design Ed Court, Cathy Court Scenery Event Sound & Light, Gemma Gray, Graham Green, David Hunt, Paul Lazell Lighting Kai Wright Lighting Assistant Casey Khan-Cudmore

Sound Jason Fenn Properties Managers Lydia Clough, Judy Fishwick Properties Design Gemma Gray Wardrobe Team Anne Howe, Sue Rogers, Alison Carlyle, Debbie Stirling Costumes The Dressing Up Box, The Society, Ron Howe Make Up Liz Watson Make Up Assistants Matilda Bourne, Shelley Moore Prompt Janet Hawkes Box Office Manager Janice Hawkes Front of House Manager Debbie Rolph Publicity Manager Donna Goddard Publicity Team Olivia Bentley, Matilda Bourne, Gemma Gray, Rhianna Howard Photography Matilda Bourne Programme Rhianna Howard Bar Manager Ron Howe Act 1 Living in the Future Company L Don’t Let ‘Em Bring You Down Michael, Lucas, Francis & Marvin L Little Things (Pre-Reprise) Holly L Brains and Looks Holly, Eddie, Huey, Wayne, Leia, Elaine & Michael L Slacker Company L Brains and Looks (Reprise) Samantha L Little Things Michael, Lucas, Francis, Marvin & Company L Don’t Let ‘Em Bring You Down (Reprise) Lucas, Marvin, Francis & Michael L Slacker (Reprise) Eddie L We’re Not Alone Holly, Michael & Company L Ticket Outta Loserville Company Act 2 We’re Not Alone (Reprise) Convention Announcer & Company L Holly…I’m The One Lucas L Long Run Holly L What’s So Weird About Me? Company L Holly…I’m The One (Reprise) Michael L Sick Holly, Lucas, Leia, Michael & Company L Genius Michael, Holly & Company L We’re Not Alone (Reprise 2) Company L Ticket Outta Loserville (Finale) Company L Slacker (Finale) Company The Helen Temperley Award After the Saturday night performance we shall be awarding one of our cast members the Helen Temperley Memorial Award. The award was first presented in 2013 after being created in Helen’s memory. The winner will be the member of WOW! who embodies the positive qualities that Helen exhibited, namely loyalty, hard work and selfless commitment while maintaining a great sense of fun and enjoyment. Previous Winners: 2013 - Michael Watling 2014 - Charlotte Watling 2015 - Ed Tunningley 2016 - Charlotte Tofts

About Us! Witham Operatic Workshop! is an award-winning musical youth theatre group based in Witham, Essex. Our talented & enthusiastic performers’ ages range from 11 to 21. WOW! is the junior section of Witham Amateur Operatic Society (WAOS, registered charity number 265029) & has been performing a variety of challenging & outstanding musical theatre productions every year since 1996. WOW! was founded by Nicholas Clough after the huge success of WAOS’ Oliver! that saw over 90 children audition. He concluded that there was a demand for a theatre group for young people in Witham & set about making it a success! Nick sadly passed away in 2015 but his legacy lives on through the passion seen in all of WOW!’s members and those that work tirelessly behind the scenes. WOW! is committed to ensuring that our productions are accessible for as many young people as possible and our audition panel all agree to cast as diversely and inclusively as they can. We perform one full length show a year & we hope you will join us for our 2018 offering ‘CATS’! Prospective members are warmly welcomed at our spring & summer workshops, our summer school weeks in August & for auditions in September each year. If you’d like any further information please contact our chairman, Stewart Adkins (07775 672547, [email protected])

National Operatic & Dramatic Association WOW! is proud to be affiliated with NODA. Founded in 1899, NODA is the leading representative body for amateur theatre in the UK. The Association has a membership of approximately 2400 amateur theatre groups and over 2000 individual members staging musicals, operas, plays, concerts and pantomimes at a wide variety of venues ranging from the country’s leading professional theatres to village halls. NODA Aims: To give a shared voice to amateur theatre. To help societies and individuals achieve the highest standards of best practice and performance. To provide leadership and advice to enable amateur theatre to tackle the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. WOW! was recently awarded the Best Youth Production Award 2015 (District 11, NODA East) for its production of ‘Our House’. We have also received nominations for Best Youth Production for last year’s show ‘Half a Sixpence’ and Dexter Montgomery, who played Chitterlow has been nominated for Best Young Performer. We find out the results in April!

North Essex Theatre Guild WOW! is also a long standing member of NETG. NETG aim to help amateur dramatic groups in Essex by adjudicating shows to give professional comments on the quality of local shows. They also stage a One Act Play festival to encourage group integration and host an annual Awards Evening to credit exceptional performances throughout the year. The last awards evening took place in September and WOW! received 5 nominations for our 2016 show ‘Half a Sixpence’. On the night WOW! was the joint winner of the Adjudicator’s Award for the singing and dancing of the Shop Boys and Girls and Jake Collis was joint winner of the Best Young Actor Award for his portrayal of Arthur Kipps.

The Society’s grateful thanks are extended to: - Those involved with box office, stewarding, programme and raffle ticket selling - Those involved with the bar - Those involved with chaperoning - Those involved backstage and with transportation - Those who have helped with publicity banners and boards - Dressing Up Box for the use of their costumes - Solopress for printing the publicity material and programmes - ? for producing the publicity banners - Montrose T C for the roadside boards - Witham Dramatic Club for the use of the raised seating - ? at the Public Hall - Spring Lodge and the Public Hall for the use of their rehearsal facilities - All those who helped in the supply of props including Asda for the use of a trolley - Matilda Bourne for taking the publicity and dress rehearsal photographs - Essex County Council and the Witham Visitor Information Centre for permission to display photographs - The RAFA Club, Cofunds and The Railway Tavern for allowing us to display banners The Society’s grateful thanks are extended to: - Those involved with box office, stewarding, programme and raffle ticket selling - Those involved with the bar - Those involved with chaperoning - Those involved backstage and with transportation - Those who have helped us to display publicity boards - The RAFA Club, Cofunds and The Railway Tavern for allowing us to display banners - Trevor Lenoir for picking up display boards and assisting with the roadside boards - Ed Court and Emma Nash for assisting with the show’s musical direction - Dressing Up Box for the use of their costumes - Solopress for printing the publicity material and programmes - Vinyl Banners Printing for producing the publicity banners & Montrose T C for the roadside boards - Witham Dramatic Club for the use of the raised seating - Spring Lodge and the Public Hall for the use of their rehearsal facilities - All those who helped in the supply of props including Morrisons for the use of a trolley - Essex County Council, Witham Visitor Information Centre & Witham Library for permission to display photographs - Those who have freely donated window space for the display of our posters - Tony Fisher and colleagues at BBC Essex for the radio interview - St John Ambulance service for being on hand at all shows to provide assistance when needed - The Media

Anyone else who has contributed in any way to the preparation and production of this show!

Previous Productions 1996 - Joseph and the Amazing 2006 - Fame Technicolor Dreamcoat 2007 - A Knight to Remember 1997 - West Side Story 2008 - High School Musical 1998 - Annie 2009 - Les Misérables 1999 - The Boy Friend 2010 - Hot Mikado 2000 - 42nd Street 2011 - West Side Story 2001 - The Wiz 2012 - Footloose 2002 - Bugsy Malone 2013 - The Boy Friend 2003 - Oliver! 2014 - Grease 2004 - Crazy For You 2015 - Our House 2005 - Little Shop of Horrors 2016 - Half a Sixpence

WOW! Committee President Graham Green Chairman Stewart Adkins Production Manager Kathryn Adkins Secretary Debbie Rolph Treasurer Keith Radley Publicity Manager Donna Goddard Pastoral Manager Lorraine Tierney Members Olivia Bentley, Matilda Bourne, Gemma Gray, Rhianna Howard, Steve Rogers, Sue Rogers, Gary Rolph

Summer School 2017 A workshop based week for 8-13 year olds A performance based week for 13-21 year olds 7th-11th August 14th-18th August Daily from 9am-5pm (Classes run 10am-4pm) Daily from 9am-5pm

Location: Witham Public Hall, Collingwood Road, CM8 2DY L Summer Schools are open to young people of all abilities wanting to improve performing arts skills. The total cost for the week is £125 and a £25 deposit is required to secure your place. In memory of the founder of WOW! Nicholas Clough, we will be offering 2 bursaries to cover the full cost for those that could otherwise not attend. L To book a place or apply for a bursary please contact Matilda Bourne email: [email protected] phone: 07894 540410

presents A Youth Group production by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Ltd. CATS Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on

‘Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats’ by T.S. Eliot

February 12th - 17th 2018

Witham Public Hall

Box Office

www.wow.org.uk Enjoying the Show?! Contact us: [email protected] Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WOWWitham Follow us on Instagram @WOWWitham Tweet us @WOWWitham using #WOWLoserville For more behind the scenes action add us on Snapchat