WAOS Woking Amateur Operatic Society is a local musical theatre company based in Woking, Surrey. We have produced over 80 shows since its formation in 1972. We stage two shows a year, here at the Rhoda McGaw Theatre, as well as fundraising concerts and other social events. We are a registered charity, number 284122. We welcome all newcomers to the society, both on and off-stage. If you are interested in volunteering to help in any aspect of our theatre productions, please do contact us via our website www.waos.info Committee Chairman – Graham Kirby-Smith Business Manager – Martine Young Treasurer – Keith White Secretary – Lynda Lawrence Membership – Sue Gaastra Committee Member – Sam Moylan-Heydt Committee Member – Louisa Nye The National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA) was founded in 1899 and has a membership of around 2,500 amateur theatre groups and 3,000 individual enthusiasts throughout the UK who are engaged in staging musicals, operas, plays, concerts and pantomimes in a wide variety of performing venues, ranging from the country’s leading professional theatres to tiny village halls. NODA's mission is to support the education and information needs of individuals and organisations with high quality services and products that contribute to the success of amateur theatre, as well as encouraging appreciation of the sector by participants and audiences alike. They aim to give a shared voice to the amateur theatre sector; to help amateur 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. If you would like to find out more about NODA and its range of services, please visit www.noda.org.uk From the Chairman Ladies and gentlemen, a very warm welcome to you and thank you for joining us as we explore The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders. Director Martine Young is back at the helm, and we are very pleased to welcome back Musical Director Ian Peters, an excellent partnership which has been wonderfully enhanced by the enthusiasm and creativity of Assistant Director Elizabeth Loveder in her WAOS debut on the production team. Our 2018-2019 season is proving to be another exciting one – our production of Little Shop of Horrors in November received rave reviews, including these, posted on our Facebook page: "I knew it would be good, but I didn't think it would be that good!!! You were all incredible!!" / "I was mesmerised throughout the performance. My face aches from smiling so much!!" / “Incredible performances, set, sound, lighting! You absolutely nailed it!!! Wish I could see it again!" We then reprised our summer Wartime Memories production for the Horsell Residents Association, as part of Battle's Over, a nationwide Day of Commemorative Events on 11th November, and in December, we provided entertainment at the Horsell Care Christmas party and did some carol singing at the Talbot Inn Ripley Christmas Market. I am very keen for us to continue to support local community groups and events, so if you would like us to provide entertainment for you, please do get in touch. If you think you might like to be involved in the WAOS community, you would be most welcome! The introduction evening for our next show High Society, will be on Monday 3rd June at the Old Woking Community Centre. Whether you would like to perform on stage, join our production team, help backstage, make costumes, paint scenery or even serve tea at our rehearsals, we would love to meet you. Graham Kirby-Smith From the Director I was privileged to direct Moll Flanders for WAOS 10 years ago and I am delighted to have been given a second opportunity. Moll Flanders was the winner of Best Musical in the 1995 TMA Awards. The music is by George Stiles, who is also the composer for Honk!, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, The Wind in the Willows and the 2016 version of Half of Sixpence. Based on the book written in 1722 by Daniel Defoe, the musical tells the story of this child, Betsy, later renamed Moll, born in Newgate Goal, the result of her mother “pleading the belly”. “Pleading the belly” was a legal defence, to be saved from the gallows. A pregnant mother could not be hanged because of the child she carried. Moll’s story is about money, social standing, morality and immorality and the means by which to achieve these, in Moll’s case, the only means was by using her feminine guile. Despite being called “the century of Enlightenment”, women had no legal rights: they belonged to their father, and then to their husbands. Only widows had a modicum of rights. Moll starts as an innocent young girl, and her travels among the wealthy, which exposes their vanity and shallowness, is the catalyst for her changes. She possesses a single fault of hubris in that she wishes to be a lady – a station she was not entitled to. She commits adultery, prostitution, child neglect, and incest in an effort to rise to this station, only to be brought to confession, forgiveness, and a "proper" life in the middle class. Defoe himself was a noted Puritan. His views are unambiguous, in that he believes and writes for hard work, devotion, and the work of providence as grace, and in that spirit, Moll starts the show with a prayer and ends with a prayer. Moll Flanders is sexy, sassy and strong – an extraordinary woman with an extraordinary life! If this was not enough, there is a goodly selection of larger than life characters, dipping in and out of her story. Martine Young Director – Martine Young Martine has been interested in the theatre since her school days when she was already “staging” school plays, with varying degrees of success! She has been a member of WAOS since 1979, joining as a chorus member, having already been with Workington Operatic Society in Cumbria for five years before moving to Surrey. She also sings with St Dunstan’s Choir. She is an established director for WAOS and other local theatrical societies. Her directorial credits include The Merry Widow, Camelot, Orpheus in the Underworld, Brigadoon, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma!, The Pirates of Penzance, South Pacific, Iolanthe, Guys and Dolls, The Magic Flute, Kiss Me Kate, The Mikado and Moll Flanders. She is delighted to have been given a chance to direct Moll Flanders again with Ian Peters, who is also reprising his role as the Musical Director. She would like to thank her creative and technical teams, who have given her constant support. She feels that Moll Flanders is a great period piece of musical theatre and has loved every moment of directing and bringing Moll and all the other characters to life. She hopes you will enjoy watching Moll coming to life and reserve judgement! Musical Director – Ian Peters Ian's principal musical study has been as a clarinettist. He now works as a freelance musician and teacher and is on the instrumental teaching staff for the University of Southampton. He was Head of Woodwind Performance studies from 1998-2018 and is now lecturing in woodwind instrumental education. An additional interest in conducting led to directing several notable youth orchestras, choirs and amateur symphony orchestras. His first venture into musical theatre was in 1991 with a production of Gigi for BBLOC in Bournemouth. He has now directed over 70 shows, working with many societies across the South, including Southampton, Epsom, Swindon, Romsey, Poole, Highcliffe, Waterside, Portsmouth, Fareham, Walton-on-Thames and Woking. Many of these productions have achieved NODA awards for excellence, as well as Ian receiving several personal awards. His association with BBLOC has continued, with regular invitations for amateur premieres, in the last couple of years these have included Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Moll Flanders was the first show Ian had worked with WAOS for, some ten years ago, and he is delighted to have been invited back for this revival. Assistant Director – Elizabeth Loveder Elizabeth has been involved with WAOS since 2017 when she appeared in Kiss Me Kate. This is her first time directing for the company. Previous directing credits include The Country Wife by William Wycherley in Bristol and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves for Fairlands Players. Recent onstage credits include Alice in Two by Jim Cartwright, Watchman in Much Ado About Nothing both with the Pranksters Theatre Company and as a singer in Lilies on the Land with Merrow Dramatic Society. When not involved in community theatre, Elizabeth is a Dramatherapist who specialises in child and family work. Elizabeth has enjoyed working alongside Martine, and learning the art of directing a large-scale musical. She would like to thank her for all the encouragement she has given. Assistant Musical Director – Samantha Moylan-Heydt In Sam’s own words “Assistant Musical Director sounds a very lofty title for standing in front of people and waving my arms around wildly”. As someone who is fairly musical, but not a musician, Sam doubted that she would be able to step up and support. Then she remembered that she is really bossy and very good at organising people! So working hand in hand with rehearsal pianist Jonathan and the company, they have worked hard and hope that they have make Ian Peters the Musical Director proud. Sam would like to thank the lovely cast for their hard work, being so supportive and welcoming her input. Perhaps she will be able to do it again in the future? Rehearsal pianist and répétiteur – Jonathan Rhodes-Smith Jonathan’s first rehearsal schedule and performance with WAOS was The Hired Man in 2010 and is still one of his favourite shows – although Sweeney Todd remains his firm favourite! Since then he has accompanied every show bar one and played in the “pit” for 14 of the past 18 shows.