The second half of 2024 saw many wonderful displays of GAOS talent of all ages and skill sets. So many that we couldn't keep up!
In the summer, our young people treated over 640 audience members to TWENTY, a medley of song and dance from beloved musicals that have been performed in GAOS youth shows over the last 20 years. Scripted and directed by Frou-Frou, with musical direction by Philippe Berthoud, and mentorship from many more, young GAOS members showed us all that the future of GAOS is in safe hands... and feet!
September brought us Life Rolls Along, a special musical evening created by Özge Tunçalp, together with Aurélie Laporte and Empi Mörn, that wove songs from musicals by Stephen Sondheim with excerpts from the memoir You Could Make this Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith. With stunning performances by the singers and musicians and magnetic narration, the story captured our hearts and moved many to tears.
The GAOS panto - the second of 2024 - was back at its usual time in December and it was magical! Aladdin was a sell-out, wowing more than 3,800 people with catchy songs, terrible jokes, and a majestic magic carpet. The 3 Cs - Carrie Douglass-Rose, Caroline Crow, and Chelsea Middleton - oversaw an impressive cast, band, production team, and crew to bring Aladdin's Cave of Wonders to life!
Finally, we closed our year with a festive Carol Concert presented by the GAOS Choral Group under the baton of Chelsea Middleton, with beautiful accompaniment by Joan Cambitsis. Our first GAOS Christmas Market brought an array of treasures, designed, handmade, and curated by or members. And the mince pies were in as high demand as ever!
None of these shows would have been possible without the GAOS members who step up to produce, direct, perform, stage-manage, design the sets, props, costumes, lighting, sound, hair, and makeup, act as callers and prompts, run the bar, market the shows, sell the tickets, welcome our audiences at front of house, and perform the many, many more tasks that go into making a GAOS show,
We have plenty of exciting plans in 2025 and we can't do it without all of you!
