CURTAIN UP - LATEST NEWS

Every GAOS production involves many good people in many different roles. Front of House is essential to a show's success. The team is there to give a friendly greeting to audience members, help with any questions and assist them through their theatre experience. They get to make the customer feel good even before our performers do!

It may seem early for putting together the FOH team for Rent, but as agendas fill up very quickly, Mike felt it best to get a prompt start. If you can help at any of the performances, please e-mail Mike with your availability.

Also, feel free to share this appeal with friends and family, even if they are not GAOS members. FOH is a great way for new people to get involved with the Society!

We have moved upstairs! In order to celebrate, and so members can see the new HQ if they haven't already, we will be having a housewarming party on the 7th of June. More details to follow, watch this space!

GEDS will be going to FEATS this year with two plays. The Festival of European Anglophone Theatrical Societies (FEATS) will take place 18th-20th May in Antwerp. GEDS is presenting both short plays as a double bill in Geneva for two nights ahead of the trips to FEATS. You may recognize some GAOS members among the cast.

The plays:

Friends Help You Move, written and directed by John Ward

Real friends help you move a body. Two inept criminals are planning a heist, but it doesn't go as planned... A black comedy.

Cast: Daire O'Doherty, Will Fihn Ramsay, John Ward

The Geese Fly South, written by Victoria Comstock-Kershaw, and directed by Liz Comstock-Smith

It's the evening before St Valentine's Day, and four couples dining in a smart restaurant reach different stages in their romantic relationships with drama, humour and poignancy.

Cast: Leonardo Jelmini, David McClenaghan, Amanda Monroe, Fatou N'Diaye, Masha Neznansky, Gemma Parkes, Will Fihn Ramsay, Özge Tunçalp

Time and venue:

Friday 3rd May, 20h

Saturday 4th May, 19h

Le Manège, 127 Route de Chancy, 1213 Onex

Tickets: CHF 25, at www.geds.ch.

Opening night patrons are invited to share a glass of bubbly with the cast and crew after the show!

Are you cold, in the dark and unable to get into your house or car (VW)? Then Martin Shaw might be able to help you! Please see attached photo of lost property found in the old HQ. Get in touch with Martin if you recognize any of these items.

You will recall that a few weeks ago we informed you that Barrie, our Assistant Business Manager, was stepping down, and asked for volunteers to take on the role. We are now happy to announce that Lauren Stocker has agreed to do so. Please join us in thanking Barrie for his time in the Committee, and offering a warm welcome to the team to Lauren.

Les Misérables will be performed in the Geneva Arena towards the end of this year and GAOS is going! If you would like to join a group to attend the 8pm performance on Saturday 2nd of November, please register and pay here on the GAOS website before next Sunday 31st March. We will make a group booking once the deadline for sign-up has passed.

Tickets are CHF 140 (132.50 plus booking fees).

Find your teammates and start brushing up on your trivia. Keith will be stepping into the role of quizmaster on Monday 15th April at Charley O'Neill's (Rue Hoffmann 18, 1202 Geneva). Start time is 19h45, and teams should have no more than 5 members. More details to come!

Sue Lloyd amassed an enormous amount of music of all kinds. The Society will take much of it and create a library in Sue’s name, which members will be able to consult.

One area of Sue’s musical interests was popular songs of the early/mid twentieth century and there is quite a pile of them! Would anyone be interested in having a look and perhaps taking them? It would seem such a shame to throw away such a collection – they are pieces that will never be found again.

You can contact me via e-mail but please make it within the next three weeks. Otherwise I will destroy it all. Some second-hand shop in England may well be interested, but I am unable to deal with that possibility. Thank you!

Joan Cambitsis

The Library in English is holding its spring book sale on 26th-28th April, with a preview for library members on the 25th. You can find details on opening hours here.

GAOS members are welcome to propose musical evenings at GAOS HQ. These do not go through formal auditions, but anyone who is organizing such an event is encouraged to be inclusive and draw on the diverse talents of our many members. All musical evenings must comply with rights requirements.

Many will remember that these musical evenings used to be in two parts, with a first half devoted to classical music performances. The Committee is proposing that this could be returned as an option, but broadened out to include any form of performance. So get your tap-shoes on, your stand-up routine ready, or your musical instrument tuned up and let's go!

Please reach out to Gisela if you would like to organize a musical evening: vicechair@gaos.ch