CURTAIN UP - LATEST NEWS

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

A Calvin Klein jacket, a hefty set of keys (who's a Man U fan?), sandals, hats, umbrellas and so many water bottles, and a lovely kids' jacket, watch and ring. All these items will be dumped on the 25th of March if not claimed before that date!

URGENT! If a Musical Director and a Choreographer are not found before the 31st of March, the show will NOT go on!

Wenona is hoping to Direct Fame, The Musical (youth version) as a Youth Show this year.  However, without a Musical Director or Choreographer(s), this can't happen. It would be very sad, after the huge enjoyment of High School Musical, by both cast and audiences, if we can’t put on a Youth Show this year due to a lack of volunteers. Please contact Wenona if you could help her out or pass the word around. Thank you.

We also need a Musical Director and a rehearsal pianist (Assistant MD) for 2024 Panto, if you can’t do The Youth Show but you will have time in later in the year.  Please contact Jo or Keith for more information on the role.

GAOS shows are only possible due to the talent and commitment of our members, especially those who come forward with proposals for shows. Here's a reminder of the upcoming deadlines:

Pantomime/winter show 2024: end of March, for a decision in April

Spring show 2025: end of May for a decision in June

Summer/Youth show 2025: end of December for a decision in January

Please reach out to the Committee if you have any questions.

We have received a message from Camilla Chalmers, Head of Communications at the British Embassy. The Embassy is hosting an event at the Ambassador's Residence in Geneva on the 18th of April, to mark the bi-centenary of Lord Byron's death and, as part of dinner, they would be very keen to have some suitably theatrical poetry readings. After GAOS's amazing Sister Act performance last year, the Ambassador is very taken with the idea of seeing some of us again, and wondered whether there is any chance that some members would be willing to enter into the Byron fun. Ideally in Byron-esque costume!

Please get in touch with a Committee member if you would like to organize a group of members to take part in this event. Also if you would like to participate but without organizing it yourself.

The HQ move has to be finished and we need to be in the new premises by 31st March. This is the good news, but to make this happen we need more volunteers to put in a few hours to help pack up. No heavy lifting involved. Over the Easter weekend, we need to clean our old premises ready to hand back on Tuesday 2nd April. Having Easter fall at the end of the month is not ideal, but if you are in the Geneva area over Easter, come and help us, the more the merrier!  Please contact Karin and tell her when you are free to help and she will let you know what is needed.  

David Wrigley is  doing some of the more manual work in our new space. If you fancy a bit of painting, or flooring, contact him.  Jon Nixon is coming over to do our electrics and will need a helper.  There is plenty for every age and ability, you just need to volunteer, don't wait to be asked. Here is a schedule of what's needed and when it's planned.

Karin 

David

Jon

If you are in HQ at anytime, as you walk past the costumes pick up a few off the rails and put them in a "wardrobe" packing box in the break room. Don’t be shy, go for it…..