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Wednesday – Saturday 20th-23rd March 2013

Dovehouse Theatre, Langley School Arts Centre, Olton

Set in 1950s New York, Guys and Dolls follows gambler Sky Masterson in his plight to win the heart of Sergeant Sarah Brown from the Save A Soul Mission: is it only for a bet or has he really fallen in love?

His opponent Nathan Detroit (who is desperate to find a spot for his famous dice game) has been engaged to Adelaide for 14 years - the cause of her chronic cold. So, will Sarah ever curb Sky’s gambling and will Adelaide ever pin down Nathan?

Lyrics by Tim Rice; Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Performances  were held on September 29th and 30th 2012  in Solihull Methodist Church as part of the 75th anniversary of our church building.

This powerful musical is a retelling of the last seven days of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, beginning with the entry into Jerusalem and ending with the Crucifixion.  It suggests political and interpersonal struggles between Judas Iscariot and Jesus. 
Who did Jesus believe he was? Was Judas not satisfied with Jesus’s apparent lack of political planning and claims of divinity?  Is that why Judas felt he needed to betray Jesus?

Here are some comments about the production received from members of the audience:

• I am wiped, but I feel so so privileged to have been part of such a fantastic show that has reached out and genuinely touched so many people. Happy Birthday Solihull Methodist Church, and kudos to everyone for making it such a moving experience
• What an amazing performance from SMASH tonight. You rocked the house with beautiful singing, breathtaking solos, huge energy from the cast, you told the story brilliantly and were supported by such talented musicians. Cried my eyes out in the 2nd act and I wasn’t the only one! Congratulations to everyone involved, an absolute triumph!
• Moving and marvellous! Food for thought.
• Wow!!! That is definitely the most powerful show Smash have ever put on. I loved it!!! I have seen JCS before, so was not expecting to be moved by it, however I was gripped from start to finish and almost moved to tears by the end (in a good way). I think that the fact it was set in the church really helped, but also the passion and faith within many of actors and crew was so evident.  The great thing about Smash is that it is always such a great ensemble – there was never anyone just standing round, everyone lived it.

Here are some photographs of the production (left click on any picture, then use the arrows at the bottom left to navigate)    Photographs by Jeff Horton and Gillian Penny

This magical foot-tapping musical for all the family features favourite characters from the stories of Dr Seuss – Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, Lazy Mayzie, The Whos, and a boy with a big imagination—Jojo.    The blessings of friendship, loyalty, family and community are challenged and emerge triumphant.

The opening song captures the show’s spirit of imagination which transports us to the Jungle of Nool, the Circus McGurkus and the invisible world of the Whos.

The story centers around Horton the Elephant, who finds himself faced with a double challenge–not only must he protect his friend  Jojo (and all the invisible Whos) from a world of naysayers and dangers, but he must guard an abandoned egg, left to his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird. Although Horton faces ridicule, danger, kidnapping and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him, the only one who recognizes “his kind and his powerful heart.”   Here is a synopsis of the story in more detail.

Photographs from our production 

Left click on a photograph and then use the arrows at the bottom left to scroll through the photographs.

SMASH’s production was at the Dovehouse Theatre
23-26th March 2011

This musical for all the family is about the invasion of a Somerset village by child evacuees from London – the Vackees – at the start of the Second World War.  When the local youngsters don’t take kindly to the “invaders”, a different type of war seems imminent.

Click on a thumbnail to see the full photograph.  Photographs by Catherine Ralph and Alan Faulkner.

View more details about the story, the characters, the songs.

Londoners
Kip (an East End evacuee)
Kip’s Mother
Mr Duncan Constance (A London schoolteacher)
Chuck; Mack; Eric; Arthur
Eileen; Kath; Nan; Elsie; Molly (London Evacuees)
Additional vackees

London mothers and fathers

In Darchett Village
Buzz Brown (leader of the Darchett gang)
Lance; Stan; George; Fred; Dot (members of the Darchett gang)
May; Nel; Alice
Additional gang members

Aunt Luce (the woman with whom Kip is billeted)
Ellen (her niece and ward)
Mrs Crabtree (Aunt Luce’s cook/housekeeper)
Grace (14 year old maid at Aunt Luce’s)

Laura Maybee (Village schoolmistress)

Mr Jack (man living in the woods)

Lady Holdmore (A Darchett landowner)
The Vicar
Billeting Officer
German Pilot
Land Girls

Stars of the silver screen:
Ginger
Gangsters
Starlets/movie characters

Prologue characters
BBC radio announcers, Seaside Landlady, Dancing couple;
Health and Education Official; Stenographer