Strictly Musicals by Darlington Operatic Society - interview with Leighton Taylor

"It's like the motion of the ocean and the sun in the sky"

There are some things in life that you just can't stop; Sun rise in the east, newspaper headlines denoting “Phew, Wot a Scorcher!” when we’ve had a reasonably warm Saturday, Sunderland’s inevitable slide down the premier league,  Christmas TV adverts in September (yes, I’ve already seen one this week).  Well now add another to the list - the momentum and excitement surrounding Darlington Operatic Society’s autumn show, Strictly Musicals.

Following on from my previous blogs, I popped down on Sunday to watch the latest rehearsals, and once again I left with a childlike impatience for opening night – one which is probably not shared yet by the cast & crew as there are still 4 full weeks of rehearsals, dress, set & tech to run through.

The first number was a duet from Phantom which halted everyone coming into the hall mid step.  Whilst many of the pieces in the show are big, stage filling show tunes, this one is as intimate as you can get in any theatrical production and yet, instead of it providing a respite from the intensity of the high octane dancing, will serve to only heighten the audiences’ involvement and embrace with the stage.  It wasn’t until after the last note had ended that I realised I had been holding my breath and that will undoubtedly be the same effect come opening night.

The second number we watched was the stage filling finale; a riotous conclusion to the
2 hours of singing and dancing worthy of closing any production.  Once again, Jo Hand has produced a number which is so very much more than the sum of its parts (and there's 47 on stage by the end) – I was lucky to be able to see it built and then ran through a few times and I needed a few watches just to catch sight of all the layers of movement, interaction and timing – this one will give the audience every opportunity and reason to get up out of their seats and will be, without doubt, a water cooler moment for the day after.

While at rehearsals I caught a quick chat with one of the Society’s newer members, Leighton Taylor who kindly answered a few questions:

AB - Firstly, when did you start with DOS and what prompted you to get involved ?

LT - I joined DOS in 2011 though due to work commitments in Cleethorpes I did not take part in a show until Titanic in 2012.  The reason I joined was due to the fact that my partner had moved back to the north east and was looking for something to fill the void left by not performing during his studies. As a performer myself I came along to tap class and chorus rehearsal and found the people very welcoming. This might be because I somehow managed to tap dance into a wall backwards.

AB - Which of the shows that you have been involved with has been your favourite (and why) ?

LT - It's hard to say which show has been my favourite as they each have very special memories.  Titanic was my first show which makes it very significant. It was also a show where not only did you want to entertain the audience but honour the memory of those who you are portraying. As it was also 100 years after the actual event it made it even more special.  Footloose was an amazing experience. The atmosphere throughout the whole of rehearsals was electric. Every member of the cast was excited to be in the show and the reaction from the crowd every night was nothing I had ever experienced before. The Sound of Music was a show which I had to be a part of due to the sheer popularity of the musical. Even though it there was not much to do, I enjoyed the backstage banter with other cast members and had a chance to shine by hosting the warm up for the sing-a-long, drawing on my experience as a presenter for Haven Holidays.

AB - What do you find the biggest challenge when starting prep for a new show?

LT - The biggest challenge for any actor is perfecting the character you have been given to play. You can learn the words, harmonies, dance routines and direction, but without a convincing character, the performance can fall apart.  The support we receive over the months and weeks of rehearsal makes the learning less stressful.

AB - ‘Strictly’ is a different type of show with so many musical numbers – how are you coping with remembering the setting for such a variety of different styles ?

LT - Luckily for DOS, we have a very talented cast for Strictly Musicals. We also have a director who understands that people have different capabilities and strengths that are stronger in different areas of performance.  The only things I am having trouble with at the moment is the dance moves (ED really ? cos your freestyle in the finale looks spot on good). But hopefully they will be smoothed out in the next five weeks.

AB - Which number are you most looking forward to  (don’t worry, I won’t give any secrets away  ) ?

LT - If I tell you I would have to kill you. (ED - gulp!)

AB - What would your dream role be, and just as importantly, which leading lady would you most like to star alongside?

LT - My dream role would be the Emcee in cabaret. I wouldn't like to choose just one
leading lady as I feel it would make the others jealous.

AB - What advice can you give to someone who is interested in theatre but doesn’t feel that they can sing or dance well enough to be in a show ?

LT - If you have the passion and the willing to learn then I would always say that a society like DOS is always a good place to start. You will find people that have the same interests as you and are passionate about the same things as you are.

I have met some of my best friends through joining DOS.

Thanks to Leighton for spending time out of a hectic schedule to give an insight into life as a 'DOSser'.

This next week the cast will be performing the first full non-stop run through and also finalising their costumes.  Things are certainly moving at a pace so if you haven't got your tickets yet , don't delay - miss it, miss out !

Strictly Musicals is on at Darlington Civic theatre from October 23^rd until November 2^nd.  Tickets are available through the website www.darlingtonoperaticsociety.org.uk