Words by Ben Pryde & Photo by Holly Steel
The Clydebank Musical Society cast a spell on their audiences with their recent production of ‘The Wiz’.
With 23 songs, all performed with passion, and a plot followed and acted beautifully, the cast had audiences laughing and chuckling throughout.
CMS is a renowned theatre production company which encourages local children, teens and adults to tap into their creative tendencies.
They have been holding annual performances at Clydebank Town Hall since 1982 and Junior shows started in 1990.
Although adults are not allowed to participate in the Junior shows, young people can rehearse for roles in the adult shows – usually minor roles or part of the ensemble.
Character Rewards
In the 2019 adult ensemble version of ‘Oliver’, 12-year-old Euan Reid stunned audiences as lead character Oliver, putting in a spectacular performance for one so young.
Now at 16, and a veteran of CMS, Euan returned to play the Scarecrow in ‘The Wiz’.
I spoke with him about his highlights from the musical’s five-show run.
“Playing a versatile character without a doubt requires the utmost effort during rehearsal time but is indeed the most rewarding come the end of the show.
“It was just an incredible week for us all – filled with laughter, joy and lasting memories,” he shared.
Euan has never failed to graft and meticulously plan his performances to ensure a cheerful and fun night for audiences.
“Preparing for such a demanding role like the Scarecrow most definitely requires a lot of discipline; both in terms of being hysterically clumsy whilst trying to not overdo it and being able to reveal a more emotional side to the character.
“Portraying this discipline helped me to have more chemistry with Dorothy, Lion and the Tinman as we embarked on our enchanting journey down the yellow brick road,” said Euan.
Developing Stage Skills
It was fellow SPTA pupil Morgan McCabe’s first CMS show after being at the Mummers Theatre Group.
She played Auntie Em and had a spectacular solo song at the start of the show.
Now with her debut run complete, she reflects on the start of her CMS journey.
“I think I performed well as Aunt Em, throughout rehearsals, I could feel myself embodying the character more and more.
“And I felt that affection for Dorothy as if I really was her aunt.
“As for singing, at the start I wasn’t too sure about my song as it was a bit out of my comfort zone, as it was such a big, belting song.
“But with time I adapted to it and was very proud of how I performed it.
“I feel like achieving this role has helped me sing in a whole different style that I didn’t do before.”
It was also clear to see everyone in the ensemble fully rehearsed their dances to perfection with a lot of effort.
They played their part amazingly throughout the show, with choreography and movement always on point, with a plethora of tricky dances to perform.
This is going to be difficult for CMS to top!
Find out more about Clydebank Musical Society on their Facebook page here.
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