Musical - Oklahoma!

The latest offering from the Lewes Operatic Society - Oklahoma! - features a real-life rags-to-riches story almost worthy of any Rodgers and Hammerstein epic. Kath Reynolds has filled many of the backstage roles in the company in the many years she has put in there, and ended up becoming the head of refreshments. Last year she applied for a bursary from NODA (the National Opera and Dramatics Society) to do a summer course at Loughborough University, which, when she was accepted, was topped up with a donation from the society. The course in question was on how to direct a musical. She came out of it so full of confidence, she was chosen by the society’s committee to direct their latest piece.

I meet her on Tuesday evening, as the backstage crew start setting up the stage set for Oklahoma. “The course was brilliantly run by its tutor,” she says. “We were taught theory and given practical experience: I had to direct a scene from Fiddler on the Roof. I was delighted to be offered the role of director for this production, though I didn’t realise how much work there was involved. But I understand all sorts of aspects of production from my experience in the society, which has helped enormously. Nervous? I was much more so a few weeks ago, when the rehearsals were in their early stages. Now I’m much more confident: I have a great team behind me.” Oklahoma! opens a week-long run Monday. We will review the first performance next issue. AG