CURTAIN UP - LATEST NEWS

The production team is pleased to announce the following people have been cast in Rent:

Steve Ash - Angel Dumott Schunard

Daniel Baker - Mark Cohen

Nikolai Bobenko - Roger Davis

Jessica Chan - Joanne Jefferson

Eloise Christen - Mimi Marquez

Alexis de Siebenthal - Benjamin Coffin III

Aurélie Laporte - Maureen Johnson

Sébastien Miazza - Tom Collins

Ensemble: Katya Akulich, Rachel Ash*, Clàudia Baró Huelmo, Steph Bongioanni, Cloda Boyle*, Sunil Chacko, Nataliya Domnina, Carrie Douglass-Rose*, Sarah Dwidar, Katie Johnson, Muriel Pivk*, Mia Schütze, Vaishnavi Sreenivas, Sarah Tinsley, and Neil Ware

* Advance dancers.

Congratulations to the cast, and thanks to everyone who auditioned.

We have finally got permission to move upstairs. After a long battle, this is very good news. We now have to start planning and negotiating with the landlord a schedule for the work needed and for the actual move. To contain costs, we will need an army of volunteers to help with any of the demolition and construction work that we can do ourselves. We will also need help to physically do the move, plus planning and organising. This cannot be left just to the usual "Barn People". We still have to continue the normal business of putting on shows! If you have any skill set that you think might be useful, please contact Jo Beveridge. GAOS needs you!

Dear GAOS members and friends,

This year once again the GAOS Choral Group invites you to the annual

  GAOS Christmas Carol Concert

  8 p.m. on Wednesday 20 December
      Salle Communale de Founex

Join us in familiar carols, hot wine, mince pies and Christmas cheer!

Your contribution of mince pies and Christmas goodies most welcome.

There will be a retiring collection, proceeds of which will be donated to the Fondation Point d'Eau.

We are still looking for volunteers to help at the bar and front of house during the Pinocchio run. Specifically, we need people willing to help at any and/or all the performances, someone who's able to be head of the Front of House team for the duration, and someone who can lead the Bar team for the second weekend.

If you are interested to work at the Bar, please contact Karin Divià. Should you be more inclined to help with Front of House, get in touch with the Secretary.

The backstage crew is also looking for help. Please contact David Wrigley if you are interested.

The courses for the 2024 NODA Summer School, which will be held in Yarnfield (UK) from the 3rd to the 10th of August 2024, have been announced:

1. Acting in contemporary theatre. Tutor: Eva Sampson
2. Acting through Song. Tutor: Pamela Rudge
3. Adapting a Classic Novel for the Stage. Tutor: to be confirmed
4. Costume for Theatre. Tutor: Stewart J. Charlesworth
5. Creating Accessible Theatre for All. Tutor: Chris Tomlinson
6. Directing Musical Theatre. Tutor: Tri Cumming
7. First Notes: Singing from the Beginning. Tutor: Marjory Watson
8. First Steps: Dance from the Start. Tutor: Lynsey Brown
9. How to Create Something from Nothing. Tutor: Jonny Dixon
10. MT Party People. Tutors: Lynne Bustard and Sarah de Tute
11. Physical Theatre. Tutor: Grace Goulding
12. Rave from the Grave. Tutors: Jack Bennet and Jordan Langford
13. Setting the Scene. Tutor: Gregor Donnelly
14. Shakespeare's Contemporaries: Body, Mind, and Soul. Tutor: Jim Mangenello

You can find more information on the courses here, and more information on how to sign up for Summer School here. As a reminder, here's the post on last year's group. Why not join us next time?

After the very sad news of the recent passing of Sue Lloyd, founder of the GAOS Choral Group in 1985, we have some good news - the Choral Group will continue with a Spring Concert planned for Saturday 27th April 2024 at Holy Trinity Church, Geneva, under the direction of Kirsty Griffiths! The programme for our Spring Concert will be a selection of glorious works by British composers who are very little performed in Geneva. We'll be starting Monday rehearsals at GAOS HQ on 15th January 2024, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. And the next important bit - we need YOU to sign with us! Please send an email to Carolyn Hornfeld (choralgroup@gaos.ch) by 11th December latest, mention what voice you will be singing (basses particularly welcome!) and give us your mobile phone number. This concert will be featuring great music, and under the inspiring baton of Kirsty it will be lots of fun too.

We look forward to hearing from you!

As lovers of musical theatre, we at GAOS know that there's a world of creativity out there that we can learn from. It's not always possible to get to Broadway or the West End, which is why GAOS is bringing the shows to you.

Our series of film nights, where we screen musical films and live recordings of professional shows, began with Rocky Horror Picture Show and Kinky Boots. Those who attended were impressed and inspired by exposure to new techniques and ideas.

To embrace the festive spirit, our upcoming screening will double as a GAOS Christmas party. Join us at HQ at 7pm on Friday 8th December for a special showing of Holiday Inn. We will be offering a selection of hot and cold party foods, so please sign up by 5th December to let us know if you're coming. As always, drinks will be available for purchase.

Holiday Inn is a 1942 American musical film that originally starred Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, with songs composed by Irving Berlin, the best known being "White Christmas".

We will be watching a live-recorded Broadway p4roduction from 2017 directed by David Horn and featuring Loa Lee Gayer, Corbin Bleu, Bryce Pinkham and Megan Sikora.

Preview/trailer: https://www.imdb.com/video/vi2347221273/

More information: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6411322/

Would you join a GAOS WhatsApp group where your Committee occasionally sends updates?

The new group would be for GAOS members on an opt-in basis. Information will ONLY be posted by a few Committee members who agree to act as Admins. The goal is to complement the Curtain Update with selected reminders.

Your GAOS Committee is testing this new idea.

Please click on this link and respond to our poll. Privacy will be totally respected.

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Here's an idea for a present the whole family can enjoy!

Pinocchio tickets will be available from Monday the 13th of November. There will be a member's discount valid for the first two weeks of sales. The discount code is: LAMPWICK. As always, you can buy as many tickets as you like, but we ask you not to share the discount code with non-members. 

GEDS is offering GAOS members a discount for their upcoming show, August: Osage County, by Tracy Letts, directed by John Ward. The discount code, valid until Monday 13th of November, is gaos23.

More information:

"August: Osage County"

A Play by Tracy Letts

Directed by John Ward

29 November - 3 December 2023

Théâtre de l’Espérance

Weds 29 Nov - Fri 1 Dec at 19h30

Sat 2 Dec at 19h00

Sun 3 Dec at 14h00

Tickets on sale now: www.geds.ch

Prices: CHF 35 & CHF 25

Opening Night patrons on Weds 29 Nov are invited to share a glass of bubbly with cast and crew after the show!

About the play:

And you thought your family was dysfunctional…

This black comedy-drama is a riveting journey into the dysfunctional Weston family's tumultuous reunion. Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece unravels dark secrets and bitter truths amidst razor-sharp wit and searing drama. Join us for a gripping exploration of love, betrayal, and chaos in this unforgettable voyage into the dark heart of America’s heartland.

Starring: Tamaam Madi-Nassar, Julian Finn, Raegan MacStravic, Will Fihn Ramsay, Amanda Monroe, Jaimie Guerra, Christine Housel, Christina Conti, Gary Bird, David McClenaghan, Josamine Bronnvik, Glenn  MacStravic, Lance Newhart

You can find the poster here.