The smell of the greasepaint. The roar of the crowd. Both are conspicuous by their absence late on a Wednesday evening at The British School. In their place, a lonely pianist plugs away as a plate of Rich Tea biscuits slowly circulates amongst the assembled directors and producers. On stage, the cast of the Abu Dhabi Choral Group’s production of The Music Man attempt ‘Seventy-Six Trombones’, once more with feeling, and in the corridor outside, a lone woman sits patiently cross-stitching. Welcome to the world of amateur dramatics.
It may not always be glamourous but the Abu Dhabi Choral Group has been together since 1976, producer Laura Roberts reveals. She’s done 22 years herself, though she’s a rare example of longevity. In the winter, the group falls back upon its choral roots, putting on Christmas and barbershop concerts; however, when spring rears its head, all thoughts turn to the stage.
Like all independent clubs, titles are given and taken freely. Laura holds the position of producer, but her duties range from make-up and set design to filling in as a male barber in the barbershop quartet. Anyone can join, even those not blessed with golden tonsils, she tells us.
Other roles are more defined. Musical Director Betty Leanderson moved to Abu Dhabi from New York six years ago. A music teacher by trade, she has the air of an incurable enthusiast, but this is her last show, she says. It is a landmark she is celebrating by grooming a successor. But for Betty, groups like this offer something more than just a hobby.
‘The people who come here are from so many different backgrounds. If you don’t get involved in something like this then all you do is work, and after a while you have nothing to do but complain.’
It is a thought echoed by other cast members. Viv Lowery is a teacher originally from the North East of England; she looks after marketing and her husband Roy is the social secretary. The camaraderie is vital, she says, especially as the long evening’s rehearsals drag into the wee small hours. Certainly, glancing around at bleary-eyed actors clinging to cups of coffee like caffeine lifejackets, it appears to be more than just a social engagement.
This is definitely the case for Director Marcia Owens, who admits that she has lived and breathed the group for the past 14 years. ‘You give to it every day. The cast go home to their pesky little careers while I’m completely absorbed,’ she jokes. Late nights and long hours are a small price to pay for some, particularly after a hard day at work. ‘I would say 100% of the group have jobs. The cast are not all bored housewives, as many people assume,’ she tells us. ‘But as much as they complain about being on stage at 10pm, they love doing it.’
Amateur dramatics is notorious for its divas. Does the group have any, we wonder? ‘Not this year,’ Marcia replies, ‘but we do get them and it’s not always the leads.’ So how do you quell a screaming diva? ‘I out-nice them,’ she grins. ‘They are usually pretty grumpy and short-tempered, but eventually they back down.’
Scrutinising Nick Pavlos and Susan Peterson, The Music Man’s two leads, for any signs of diva-ish behaviour, we are sadly disappointed. ‘Nick’s been on Broadway,’ we are told. ‘Off-Broadway,’ he corrects. ‘I had my fill of living in L.A. and pursuing the acting dream lifestyle,’ he says. Now he pursues the more modest life of an Abu Dhabi drama teacher. Similarly, Susan is a teaching assistant from Chicago who was simply drawn towards singing, she admits. It runs in the family, it seems – even her daughters have starring roles in the play.
So what about the big night? Susan beams with anticipation; ‘I still get the jitters,’ admits Nick. Of course, Marcia’s seen it all before. ‘I’ve had stars totally crash whilst they’re putting their make-up on,’ she tells us. ‘I once had a 15-year-old lead completely collapse. But you just pull them together and as soon as you get them on the stage and they get a little something from the audience, it’s the biggest adrenaline rush ever.’
The Choral Group may be as much about meeting people as it is about making music, but make no mistake, they are serious about what they do. As The Music Man approaches its final rehearsals and the nights get longer, tempers might become strained, but that’s just another excuse for social secretary Roy to flex his Karaoke muscles. When the curtains go up on opening night, it’ll all have been worth it.
The Music Man is performed at The Club from May 27-28, 8pm; May 29, 2pm and 8pm; and May 30, 7pm. For tickets, or to join the group, email abudhabichoralgroup@gmail.com. Tickets are also available at Spinneys Khalidiya at the video desk.
