CURTAIN UP - LATEST NEWS

The GAOS Choral Group likes to have a summer activity each year - just to keep people in voice (because the vocal cords, like every other muscle need to be used regularly!!).  This year, we have a weekend of music planned for the 7th, 8th and 9th of July during which we will be working on choral songs by some of the composers of the early 20th century and late 19th century (such as Edward Elgar, Charles Villiers Stanford, Hubert Parry).  

Directing the weekend will be Julian McNamara, well-known to many GAOS members.  Whilst he was in Geneva he was not only studying at the Conservatoire de Musique and organist and choirmaster at Holy Trinity Church but was also Musical Director of several GAOS spring shows (notably The Mikado and My Fair Lady).  Julian also conducted the GAOS Choral Group for some concerts and Christmas carol evenings.  He is now Head of the Department of Music at Downside Public School, close to Bath in Somerset, UK.

Sessions will be held at GAOS HQ (on Friday) and at the Salle Communale de Founex (Saturday and Sunday) and will be followed on Sunday evening by an informal concert and an apéro dinatoire. 

Please note that any member of GAOS is very welcome to join the weekend (cost CHF 50 per person) even if they have not so far sung with the Choral Group. For more information on the schedule for the weekend, please contact the Choral Group.

In the context of the Celebrations for 150 years of the Emmanuel Church in Geneva, the Library in English is pleased to announce a One-Day Book Sale and Tea-Room, Saturday 10th June, 10h - 17h, to be held outside in the garden. The Library would welcome donations of baked goods for the Tea-Room, to be taken in on Thursday afternoon, Friday evening, or Saturday morning. Let them know if you can take something. The Library will be open throughout the hours of the sale.

Auditions for our next panto, Pinocchio, will be held next week, on Thursday 8th and Saturday 10th for adults, and on Sunday 11th for children. You can find the audition pack and registration form here. Some slots are still available. Don't miss out, it's going to be a whale of a show!

Please meet at HQ at 11h30, where our picnics, rugs and chairs can be loaded into the cars of anyone wanting to join the picnic but not walk. The drivers can drive the 8 minutes to the picnic site and set up camp whilst they wait for the walkers to join them, or even walk back towards HQ to meet the walking group.  After lunch those that left their cars at HQ will walk back.

If you fancy the walk but don’t fancy a picnic there is a very nice restaurant at Peney Dessous - Café de Peney were you could enjoy a good lunch but you will need to book - tel: 022 753 17 55.

GEDS is offering GAOS members a discount for their upcoming production. Discount code is gaos23 and it is valid until and including the 23rd of May. Details on the performance follow.

A Raisin in the Sun

by Lorraine Hansberry

Directed by Rick Vincent

6 - 10 June 2023

Le Manège, Onex

Tues 6 - Fri 9 June at 20h00

Sat 10 June at 19h00

Info & Tickets: www.geds.ch

“What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up / Like a raisin in the sun?”  - 'Harlem, Dreams Deferred' by Langston Hughes

This seminal and widely critically acclaimed play presents the story of the struggles and aspirations of a black family in 1950s America during segregation.

Set in south Chicago in the humble apartment of a working class African-American family trying to escape poverty, the play deals with racism but also explores individual dreams, aspirations, and  conflicts both within the family and between them and the outside world. A show not to be missed!

Starring: Emanita Bailey, Tinashe Chikowore, Christopher Green, Leonardo Jelmini, Joanita Kalibala, Andrea Ogbonna-James, and Frederick Vaamonde

Opening Night patrons are invited to join cast and crew after the show for a glass of bubbly!

Le Manège Venue Access website: https://www.geneve.ch/fr/manege-onex

Registration for Auditions is now open!

Adult auditions will take place on Thursday 8th June and Saturday 10th June with callbacks on Sunday 11th June.    

Children's auditions will take place on Sunday 11th June.

More information and a full audition pack can be found here.

Not sure yet if you want to audition? Want to find out more about the director's vision? Come to the read-through on Saturday 13th May at 19h30 at HQ.

As an added bonus, it will be possible to stay and watch the Eurovision Song Contest grand final! Who's your favourite? Tell us in the comments! 

After well-attended and very dynamic auditions, which involved, among other things, bouncing and catching a basketball, we are pleased to announce the cast has been selected for our youth show, High School Musical. We thank everyone who auditioned, and encourage them to get involved in the show in other capacities if they were not selected.

From GEDS: Charity Show "(Mis) Communication", an evening of one-act comedies to benefit charity, directed by Christina Vasala Kokkinaki. Dates: Friday 5th and Saturday 6th May 2023. Venue: Emmanuel Episcopal Church. All profits and donations of this GEDS Charity Show will go to Save Sight Now Europe, to help cure the blindness-inducing disease retinitis pigmentosa in Usher syndrome affected children (one of them being the daughter of Berta Adell, a former GAOS member).

From The Village Players: Doubt - A parable, by John Patrick Shanley, directed by Margot Jaggy. Dates: May 11th-May 14th. Venue: CPO Lausanne.

On Monday 27th March, a delegation of nuns from GAOS brought a touch of heaven to the British Resident’s Association! 

Several members from the Sister Act production performed at a welcome for the British Ambassador to the Swiss Confederation, His Excellency James Squire. The performers included Chelsea Middleton, Musical Director for Sister Act, April Dalton, Aurélie Laporte, Gisela Schmidt-Martin, and Miranda Wilson with Keith Hayward accompanying the group on the piano. 

Ambassador Squire was visiting Geneva from Bern to kick off his visit to all 26 cantons during his posting to Switzerland. The event was held at the British Ambassador’s residence in Cologny, and was organized by Pam Walsh, GAOS member and Chairman of the British Resident’s Association. Members from both GAOS and GEDS were invited to attend the afternoon tea, as well as a few headmasters of schools, members of the RAF, the BSCC, the Oxford and Cambridge Association and various private companies. 

The group sang four songs from their then upcoming fantastic musical, Sister Act. At the conclusion of their musical revue, the Ambassador remarked, “Are you sure it’s amateur?” He joined the rest of the attendees in voicing admiration and appreciation for the performance. 

PINOCCHIO

A pantomime with no strings attached

by Tom Whalley

We can not tell you a lie, so, in order to have a "whale" of a time:

Your first opportunity to learn more about the next panto will be on Saturday 13th of May 2023 as the Production Team of our 2023-2024 Pantomime will give you a read-through of this hilarious show in order for you to get to know the plot and characters - HQ at 19h30.

The show will take place between the 19th and the 28th of January 2024 in the Théâtre de Marens, Nyon. Rehearsals will start mid-September. From the 19th of December there will be a break for Christmas (17 days) but the cast will have to undertake to be back in Geneva for rehearsals on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th of January to get the show back up to scratch.

Auditions will take place on:

Thursday 8th June - Adults, roles and chorus

Saturday 10th June - Adults, roles and chorus

Sunday 11th June a.m. - Children

Sunday 11th June p.m. - Adults, roles, chorus and call-backs

The Audition Pack will be available at the beginning of May.