Dancing Queen! - An Interview With Cheryl Rudd

Training in ballet, tap and modern, playing flute in the IW Youth Band, dancing semi-professionally and performing in pantos since she was 6, Cheryl Rudd is no stranger to the wonderful world of theatre and choreography! After joining The Wight Strollers when her daughter Izzi did in 2006, Cheryl went on to choreograph her first Strollers show in 2011 (Cinderella) and has choreographed every show since...

Starting with the big questions! 

Oh brilliant..!

2011 was when you first choreographed a Wight Strollers show - how did you feel going into it?

Scared! Terrified! Strollers always had such a good name and had always put on such a good pantomime. I had all these lovely children just looking at me, expecting me to tell them what to do...it was completely nerve -wracking. But I wouldn't change it for the world now!

What was your proudest moment as choreographer?

My proudest moment, without a doubt, is seeing the girls that I started my choreography journey with, when they were 6 years old, becoming senior girls within the company. 
We have a core of girls who have joined us at a young age, and it's phenomenal for me to see them do the full circle.


How about your favourite show that we've ever done?

Oh...wow. My favourite show would most probably be Cinderella 2018. My girl had her first principal role as Cinderella and it was such a special show.


Out of all the routines you've choreographed, do you have a favourite one?

'Somewhere Only We Know' from Aladdin (2015) was just so beautiful because of Emily (Scotcher)'s amazing vocal ability and the girls who danced were such a high technical standard, it was absolutely perfect. Another favourite has to be 'This is Me' from Robin Hood (2019), although my daughter choreographed it - it was phenomenal to watch. 
Again, I can't take full credit for choreography for this one, it was a team effort, but another favourite is 'I Put A Spell on You' from Sleeping Beauty (2020). Not only was it a song and a dance but it also portrayed one of the most important moments from Sleeping Beauty and it was just so breathtaking.

What about difficult routines?

Definitely skeletons! It was a routine from Cinderella in 2011, and we used the Addams Family theme tune...that music will haunt me forever!

As someone who danced from a young age, and having a daughter who did the same, why is dance so important for young people?

It teaches them a discipline that they don't necessarily learn at school or at home, it creates great friendships and ultimately it keeps the body fit through an enjoyment. It creates fun, laughter and achievement. As I always say, if you can walk you can dance!

The ultimate question - why do you love the Strollers so much?

If I knew what made Strollers so special and bottled it, I'd make a fortune. Friendship. Family. We're there for everybody.. I don't know. I just can't answer that! All I know is that it's special. And that is more than good enough for me!

Thank you so much for your wonderful choreography and for giving a great interview. We really are lucky to have you!

Meet the Director - A Chat With Sarah Scotcher

Directing shows for a company the size of The Wight Strollers is no mean feat, but Sarah Scotcher has been doing it a long time now, so there must be some appeal!

A founder member of The Wight Strollers in its current form, Sarah was a pupil at the Nesta Meech School of Dance, the banner under which our pantomimes were originally performed, from the age of 9 - and the rest, as they say, is history!

The first show Sarah directed for the company was our February 2008 production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, but both prior to that and since she has also taken on almost every type of panto role under the sun, from princess to villain, dame to dwarf.

Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood is the fourteenth show Sarah has directed for the company, and we wanted to find out what it is that she loves about the Strollers, why she enjoys directing, and what keeps her coming back for more...

What's been the most challenging production for you to direct?
Priscilla: Queen of the Desert - The Musical. The scale of the whole production, the number of costume changes, the bus...it's such a massive show, and it's all very fast-paced.

But was it worth the challenges?
Of course!

And what about directing in general? What is it you like about directing shows?
Because it's exciting, when I see it get on stage, to think that I've brought all of it together and managed to put my own slant and ideas on things and make them a reality. You start off with a blank canvas and you can add bits to it.

And on the other side of the coin, what's the toughest thing about being a show director?
My role crosses over into Producer a fair bit, which means I get pulled in all different directions and that can be really tricky. Critiquing your friends is always a tough task, too!

You've been a Stroller for almost fifty years - that's crazy! But you obviously love it, so what is it - in your opinion - that makes The Wight Strollers special?
It's a family-orientated company, it's a very friendly group, and above all it raises money for Island charities. And it's extremely special to me because I've seen it grow from something smaller, much smaller - I remember the days when we performed at Ryde Pavilion and Carisbrooke High School! - into what it is today. It's just grown and grown. More than anything, though, I love what it [the company] stands for - the Strollers, at its heart, isn't a pretentious company, it's just a group of people who like making theatre and having fun, and our charity ethos is very much a driving force behind that. The fact that raising money for charity is our motivation keeps egos at bay, and always has done, because you see what good the money does in the local community. That's the most important thing - it's why we do it.

Being in the company so long has no doubt given you some wonderful memories - what are some of your fondest moments?
There's so many - that's really hard!

We can let you have three, if it helps!
Not much, but I'll try! Going right back, one of them would be getting my first principal role, which was Sleeping Beauty in 1984, when I was 21 - it was my first principal role, it will always be special. And the first time I played a comedy role, too, which was actually Willy in our 1999 production of Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood, funnily enough.
But a big thing for me was seeing my children on stage and loving The Wight Strollers as much as me - that was, and still is, very special.

Turning back to directing for a moment, what's been your favourite show to direct?
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, because it was just so special. It was our first musical, and the music was fabulous and it was such a feel-good show. But if you asked me which pantomime was my favourite to direct, I would have to say Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in 2008. I don't know why, I think partly because it was the first show I ever directed for the Strollers. I liked Aladdin, too, because it's always a bit different and very colourful, and it's in a different setting to most other pantos and generally has a good mix of everything.

And on stage, what's been your favourite role to play?
Carabosse [the Wicked Fairy in Sleeping Beauty]. I've played the role twice and I enjoyed it both times. She's glamorous, and the way I play it is always sarcastic, which I love...

She does tend to be one of the nastier villains, doesn't she?
She is - she's just bad, she's actually not nice to anyone.

So what was it that made each time you played her so memorable? 
The first time I did it [2004], we did a Bushtucker Trial on stage and I absolutely loved that...in fact, on the last night I ate live worms! And I loved it the second time [2013] because I got to work with my daughter, Emily, who was playing Sleeping Beauty. And I suppose I also love it in general because in my younger years I was never a fairy...but Carabosse, although she's a villain, is still a fairy so you get a lovely costume as well!

Turning now to Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood, you co-wrote the script, as you also did for Cinderella - what was it that prompted the change to home-written scripts?
When you write the script, you can tailor it to the company's needs and there's more scope for finding new comic routines, new characters, and new ways of approaching the stories...and we've even built a whole scene around a song we wanted to get into the show before! A big part of it, too, is that it's cheaper, which means more money to give to our charities.

What is it about this particular version of Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood that you love?
I think it's a lovely contrast to some of the more Disney-esque shows. There really is something for everyone - action, comedy, romance, all sorts, plus a wonderful mix of songs. And it's giving a lot of our members a chance at a speaking role, including two of our younger members, Madeline and Miley. It's been really nice to see their acting skills and their confidence grow and develop through the rehearsal process, and they are now absolutely ready for an audience...and they're loving every minute of it!

And finally, why should people buy tickets?
Because no-one does panto quite like The Wight Strollers! I truly believe we give professional quality entertainment at amateur prices - I know I always say it, but I really do believe it. Once you've seen a Wight Strollers show, you will definitely be back for more.

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To get your tickets for Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood, being performed at Medina Theatre this February Half Term, all you have to do is phone 01983 823884, visit the Medina Theatre website, or pop over to the Box Office or 1Leisure Reception in person! See you in the audience!

The Babes in the Wood: Meeting Madeline and Miley...

Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood is our 2019 pantomime, and rehearsals are going brilliantly!

Everyone has surely heard of Robin Hood - and we'll hear more about him in another post! - but who are the Babes and how do their paths cross with that of Robin?

The Babes, in this instance, are Eleanor and Edith of London, nieces to King Richard (poetic licence abounds in Panto Land!) and heirs to the throne of England.

And so it is our great pleasure to introduce to you Madeline (aged 13) and Miley (aged 8), who are taking on their first speaking roles within the company.

Madeline's first show with The Wight Strollers was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in July 2016 and Miley's first show was Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in 2014, so neither are newcomers to the company and both are going to absolutely knock your socks off!

So let's get to know them a little...

How did you feel when you were offered the part?
Madeline: Overjoyed, because I felt as if I could really become the character of Eleanor.
Miley: I was really excited and a bit nervous, but when I started rehearsing I felt really happy and I was excited to do the show. I can't wait to perform in front of a real audience.

What's your favourite bit of the pantomime to perform?

Miley: When I have to say to Willie 'it needs practice', because I can be sassy! And also the part when I get to sing with Madeline, who is a fabulous pretend sister.
Madeline: 'Hushabye Mountain' because I get to sing, and it's also a really sweet moment for me and Miley together - and I love that.

And what about your favourite scene to watch?
Madeline: The jail scene with the Merry Men. Because it's just hilarious, and it's so clever...and all of their facial expressions are amazing!
Miley:  'Are You In Or Out?' because it's very funky and I like dancing to it, and I bet everybody else will love it as much as I do!

What do you like about performing with The Wight Strollers?
Miley: I love singing and dancing and performing with the friends I have made in the Strollers. I love being on stage with my family, too, as my Mum and my sister are also in the panto.
Madeline: The Wight Strollers are like a second family - everyone is so caring, and they give so much to charity.

Why do you think theatre is such a great hobby for young people?
Madeline: You get to just be yourself. And you also get to meet and perform with lots of great and different people.
Miley: Because you get to act and find your passion whilst making friends and having fun. It's hard work at times and can be exhausting but also very exciting.

Why should people buy tickets to see Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood?

Miley: There's lots of jokes and funny bits, and you get to join in with boos and hisses. It's a show the whole family can enjoy - there's some jokes my Dad finds funny but I don't understand!
Madeline: And because the show can make you cry and laugh at the same time!
Miley: Make sure you buy your tickets or you'll miss out!

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Get your tickets to see this wonderful duo in action this February Half Term at Medina Theatre - all you have to do is phone 01983 823884 or visit the Medina Theatre website...or pop into the Box Office/1Leisure Reception in person! See you in the audience!

The Tale of Robin Hood...

He robs from the rich to give to the poor. He's an outlaw who has the heart of Maid Marian and the hatred of the Sheriff of Nottingham. He lives in Sherwood Forest with his gang of Merry Men.

But how much do we really know about Robin Hood and his Merry Men?

It's time to explore the legend, give you a few fun facts, and answer some questions you didn't even know you wanted to ask!

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Was Robin Hood a real person?
The jury is out on this one! Quite possibly, although exactly who his legend stemmed from has become muddied with time, made muddier still by the fact that many bandits, outlaws and vigilantes over the centuries adopted the name of 'Robin Hood' as an alias to keep their identities secret.

How far back can Robin Hood be traced?
The earliest known records of Robin are from the 14th Century, and mentioned with him from the get-go are the Sheriff of Nottingham, Little John, Much the Miller's son and Will Scarlett - Maid Marian, Alan-A-Dale and Friar Tuck, however, are nowhere to be seen!

Alright then, so when did they make an appearance?
Not until the 15th century, when Robin Hood became commonly associated with the May Day festivities and many drinking games, parties and plays were themed around him and his merry band of outlaws. Friar Tuck and Maid Marian made their entrance here, and in some regions the custom of these 'games' lasted right up until Elizabethan times, with Robin often allocated the role of May King to preside over the games and processions.

But still no Alan-A-Dale?
Believe it or not, the minstrel known as Alan-A-Dale didn't actually make his first appearance until the 17th Century, and it depends on which adaptation you're paying attention to as to whether or not he's part of the Merry Men or portrayed as more of a 'Narrator' figure, singing ballads about Robin Hood and his friends and foes.

Was Robin Hood always popular?
Unlike many legendary or historical figures, yes. Robin Hood was always popular, particularly among those who were living in poverty and - perhaps more strangely - those living at the other end of the spectrum, with great wealth.

And was he really Lord Robin of Locksley, before he was outlawed?
Historically, it's actually more likely that Robin Hood - if he existed - was a commoner himself, at least of a sort. It was actually only in 1795 when Joseph Ritson published 'Robin Hood: A collection of all the Ancient Poems Songs and Ballads now extant, relative to that celebrated Outlaw' that the most commonly accepted 'version' of Robin became more concrete. Ritson placed Robin's birth at around 1160, thus making him active in the reign of King Richard I. He also thought that Robin was of aristocratic birth, and that his original name was Robert Fitzooth...but there is a big question mark over the reliability of his sources! 


So actually, who Robin Hood really was is probably going to remain a mystery for all time...if indeed he ever existed at all!
Exactly right. We can safely say he probably existed as a person...but how true his existence was to the stories told of him, and indeed whether those stories can all be attributed to one man, is another matter entirely! Robert has always been a popular name, and in medieval England 'Robin' was by far the most common diminutive. The surname Hood was pretty common back then, too, and most commonly it referred to either a 'hooder', who was a maker of hoods, or to somebody who wore a hood. Because of this, there are a number of 'Robert Hood' and 'Robin Hood' references throughout historical records, and a good number of them are known to have fallen foul of the law on more than one occasion...it must be something about the name!

Drinking games, plays, processions, secret identities - so far, it doesn't sound much like a story for children!
It wasn't! Robin Hood actually only became a popular children's hero in the 19th Century, when authors began to adapt Joseph Ritson's tales of Robin Hood into a variety of children's novels and poems.

Followed by a whole host of films and TV series in more recent times...
And these films added yet more details to the legend we all know and love. From Walt Disney to the BBC, the production companies who have taken Robin Hood and run with him are plentiful, each with their own unique spin on the character and those around him.  But then isn't that the beauty of a legend? It can be shaped, told and retold a hundred times over, in a hundred different ways, and never lose its essence.

...And let's not forget Robin Hood in pantomime form!
Yes, and pantomimes. It's actually impossible to tell when Robin Hood first became the subject of a pantomime but, with the art itself dating back to 16th century Italy in its earliest form and reaching its traditional form by the Victorian era, it's safe to say Robin's first panto appearance could have happened at any time. Given how popular he was as a cult figure it was probably earlier rather than later!

So what about the people who have portrayed him? Exactly how many different Robins are there?
On film alone, there are numerous Robins (some better than others!), including Kevin Costner, Errol Flynn, Russell Crowe, Patrick Bergin, Sean Connery and - most recently - Taron Egerton, to name just a few. Include the Robins of television and stage and we're talking about too many for us to count or record! Each one, too, is so very different to the last - he's been cheeky, brave, romantic, moody, funny, heroic, dashing, tormented, sarcastic, sweet, and everything in between!

And as for our Robin?

Well, you'll have to buy tickets to find out...! 

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You can get your tickets for Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood by phoning 01983 823884 or by visiting the Medina Theatre website, or simply by popping up to the 1Leisure Reception in person! At just £10 for adults and £8 for Under 14s, this is one fabulous show at bargain prices that you will not want to miss!

Cinderella's Magic Continues With Charity Donations

What a whirlwind few months it's been for The Wight Strollers - in the best possible way!

Our production of Cinderella was almost sold out, but for a few tickets on the first Saturday night, and the feedback that came in was nothing short of glowing from curtain up to curtain down. Our cast and crew worked their socks off, our audiences were warm and appreciative, and the reviews from Sardines and IW Theatre were fantastic.

As most of you will know, The Wight Strollers give away the proceeds of each show to Island charities and good causes - since 1981, we have raised over £215,000 and we're showing no signs of slowing up!

This year, at our AGM on Wednesday 18th April, we donated another £7,245 and we couldn't be more proud of everyone who helped us to raise this sum, be it on stage, backstage or by buying a ticket to see our magical pantomime.

We gave £2,500 to our main charity for Cinderella, KissyPuppy, who have undertaken their biggest Island project to date, a refurbishment of Oak House costing a total of £1.5million, to which KissyPuppy have pledged £300,000 in support.

"Thank-you so much to all of The Wight Strollers for this donation." said Aaron Rolf upon receiving the cheque. "We've done so much since we started KissyPuppy, but this is our largest project to date. The Mountbatten Hospice is the first adult hospice in the country to take on people under 18, and we want to make sure that continues long into the future."

We also donated £1,300 to Medina House School to assist with the transportation of their specialist equipment to enable their students to compete in the annual Rock Challenge event on the mainland.

"Medina House's travel costs are considerably higher than most other schools," said Elisa Jones, a member of the Strollers' committee, who nominated the school as a recipient.

"They need to take hoists and wheelchairs and all sorts of other equipment just to get the enable the children to get to the challenge and compete. This donation is amazing, and it should help them to participate for at least the next couple of years."

£1,000 was given to the Isle of Wight Fire Brigade Benevolent Fund, and representative Kev Ellis sincerely thanked the Strollers and said that the money would go towards the organisation's continuing work to support firefighters both past and present in times of need, whether that need be financial, medical or otherwise.

We also gave £500 to Wild Bird Aid, a charity run by just two people to care for sick and injured birds.

Vicky-Marie Hogan, one of the founders of the charity, attended the AGM to receive the cheque and said: "We rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured birds - last year we took in 1,000 and we currently have 200 in our care, including 25 permanently disabled birds. This charity is run by just the two of us, and this money will get us a good way through the nesting season, so thank-you."

£500 to Newchurch Cubs and Beavers, who - as Lewey Way, a member of the Newchurch group, said - are very much in need of some new camping equipment as the summer approaches!

And last, but by no means least, we have donated our seventh Public Access Defibrillator to the Isle of Wight.

This particular defibrillator is set to be sited at St Thomas of Canterbury Primary School following a letter to the company from the parents of one of the pupils there who suffers with a serious heart condition. PADs are so important - defibrillation within the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest can improve a patient's chances of survival from being less than 7% to up to 74%.

Thank-you so much to all the charity representatives who attended our AGM, and thank-you again to everyone who supported Cinderella in any way. It's moments like this that often remind our hard-working team exactly why they do what they do, and why they give so much of their time and talents to ensuring that our shows are a success.

Everything we do is done with our chosen charities for each show in mind. All the hard work that goes into our productions both on and off stage, all the fundraising we do to ensure we can continue to keep our donation levels high even as production costs continue to rise, and every community event we attend from carnivals to school fairs, it's all done so that we can  stay true to the ethos of The Wight Strollers: raising as much money for local charities as we can, whilst having as much fun as possible!

With that in mind, prepare for a shameless plug!

We have a Charity Auction coming up this Saturday 28th April at Shorwell Parish Hall, starting at 7pm - entry is by catalogue (£1) and there are over 275 lots, including meal vouchers, entrance passes to Island attractions, promises of cakes and meals made by our members, beauty vouchers, antique furniture, collectible film posters and scripts, gold and silver jewellery and even a date with our very own miniature horse, Hercules!

Viewing is from 5-8pm on Friday 27th, and from 10am-1pm and 6-7pm on Saturday 28th, so you can come and have a look at what's on offer before attending the auction in the evening, where refreshments will be available and the one and only Tim Smith will be banging the gavel!

The auction is to help fundraise towards our summer donation to the chosen charities that will benefit from Priscilla: Queen of the Desert - The Musical. 

These are Breakout Youth IW, Break the Cycle CIC, the Wessex Cancer Trust IW Branch and we will also be donating our eighth Public Access Defibrillator.

All worthy causes, so please do make sure you attend the auction, keep an eye out for other fundraising activity and book your tickets for Prsicilla: Queen of the Desert - The Musical by phoning 01983 823884 or by visiting the Medina Theatre website or by popping up to the Box Office in person...we'll see you in Oz!

Banter With Buttons...

Michael Mullin has been with The Wight Strollers for over four years now, and in that time he's been lucky enough to take on a range of roles, from Judah in Joseph to Jack in last year's Jack and the Beanstalk. 

This year, Michael is playing Buttons, the head servant at Hardup Hall - well, actually, he's the only servant at Hardup Hall! Best friend to Cinderella, confidante to the Baron and loved by all the villagers, Buttons is a long-standing favourite with pantomime audiences all over the country, and we have a feeling Michael's Buttons will be up there with the best of them!

So what is it that makes Buttons so loveable?
"What makes him so lovable? He's the real hero of the story! He's lovely, he's adorable, he's funny...and he should get the girl! It's not fair!"

O...kay...I think I've touched a nerve there! We'll move on! What are your two favourite moments of the show so far? 
"I love the little scene between me and Cinderella where we're sitting on a table and Buttons is convinced she loves him. As for my favourite scene that I'm not in, it would probably have to be the scene where she turns into a princess. That's a really key moment, too."

You've been with the company now since September 2013...
"Has it been that long?"

It has been that long! What's been your most memorable moment with The Wight Strollers so far?
"My most memorable moment would probably be the very first time I was on stage with the company as Man Friday, in my little loin cloth, facing off with Sarah Scotcher for the first time!"

That's a baptism of fire!
"It was, absolutely. I've never forgotten it - and I probably never will!"

Before Robinson Crusoe, you were a relative newcomer to pantomime but you'd performed in many other genres, and have done since, too. What makes pantomime different?
"It's totally insane! Everything about it is just geared towards having fun - the people on stage are having fun, the audience is having fun, and it's just unique in that it's totally focused on achieving that. There's no other aim except for everyone to enjoy themselves."

Cinderella is certainly going to be a lot of fun - and it's a firm favourite in the panto world, as a story. But what's your personal favourite of all the pantomimes?
"Oh, it has to be Mother Goose. I've never actually seen it, but I just think a pantomime based around a goose sounds great!"

That's got to be the most unusual answer I've ever had to that one! Turning back to Cinderella, why should people come and see the show?
"It's what I said before, about pantos just being unadulterated fun. That's just the feeling in all of The Wight Strollers' shows, they turn that idea up to eleven every single time and it's just rad. You'll have a good time whether you pay attention to what's going on in the story or not - the atmosphere is just brilliant."

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Catch Michael as Buttons in Cinderella, this February Half Term at Medina Theatre. Tickets are still available and can be purchased from the Medina Theatre website, by phoning 01983 823884 or by visiting the Box Office in person.

From Rags to Riches: Being Cinderella

Izzi Rudd has been a member of The Wight Strollers for as long as she can remember - she joined the company in September 2005 and her first show was the February 2006 production of Cinderella. How perfect, then, that she will be playing Cinderella in our February 2018 show!

Congratulations, Izzi! Cinderella is a fantastic role and one of the most beloved princesses - how did you feel when you were asked to play her?
“I couldn’t quite believe it. I remember sitting down at the beach and Sarah said she wanted to 'cast Izzi Rudd as Cinderella'. I almost had to ask her to repeat the name, because I didn’t think it was me - it was crazy!”

It's a major role, that's for sure! 

Cinderella is undoubtedly one of the most popular pantomimes, and she's a favourite princess for a lot of people, including you - what do you think makes her, and her story, so popular?
“It’s that classic fairytale, it's the ultimate rags to riches story. It’s that dream...of being whisked away by a prince and having this wonderful fairytale life. And it’s so much more than that, too - it's a really good story for children to hear, for everyone really, because it shows that, however bad times are, there is a light at the end of the tunnel."


That's very true - after all, things aren't exactly rosy for Cinderella, at least not to begin with, are they?
"Exactly. Cinderella hasn’t really got a great life, and she’s not happy all the time...but she’s not always sad either. But, no matter what, she never stops believing she'll get a happy ending – that’s such a nice story to teach young people.”

Beautifully put. Turning to our version of the fairytale, it's a script that's been written in-house and obviously that means nobody else will have performed or seen it before - can you give us a taster? What's your favourite bit in the show to perform?
“My favourite moments – can I say all of it? I think my favourite part to do is actually when Buttons calls me ‘brainy’ and then laughs about it, and I just give him this really dirty look! The song ‘When You Believe’ is another favourite moment, it’s really beautiful."

And what about a favourite moment that you're not in? The bits you most like watching?
"I don’t know – that’s hard, because it’s just such a good show! I think the songs are all going to be amazing – the singing is just beautiful, and we've set a bit of ‘Dancing Through Life’ with the cast now and it's so gorgeous. I was sat there thinking ‘Wow, this is going to look so pretty,’ because everyone is so good at getting into all their different characters and everyone works so hard - I love watching things like that take shape and come together.”

I'm sure the audience will be blown away! Okay, let's widen the field and make this more difficult...what's been your most memorable moment with The Wight Strollers since you joined the company all those years ago?
“Oh gosh…that's hard! Can I have more than one?"

Of course!
"Well, obviously Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in general was just this absolute phenomenon. I loved being the dancer in the French song in Joseph ['Those Canaan Days'] - that was so beautiful and it’s probably my favourite dance that I’ve done.

That was a beautiful routine, and I agree - an incredible show! So what about going even further back?
"Well, then I sort of go back to things like when I was a skeleton in the last Cinderella we did! But you know what, it’s not even necessarily the shows themselves that I love the most or the things I do in them, it’s all those little memories that come with them, like when I was stuck at the side of the stage with Sarah [Scotcher] and we couldn’t move because we’d both gone off the wrong way – it’s things like that, the little moments, those are what make the best memories.”

Good answer! You clearly enjoy being part of the company - what's the best thing about being a Stroller?
“These guys are my family. They’re my life. This is my thirteenth show, so they've watched me grow up...they’re all my extended family and it’s surreal to have that feeling about so many people. We’re so close, and it’s so special. But I think the best thing is that everyone has bad days, completely, but when we come together we just have an amazing time - we pick each other up and all those worries get left behind because you’re a Stroller. I don’t think many other companies can say that…definitely no other company I’ve been with. But it’s just how we are – it's just ‘us’.”

That's such a lovely way to describe it, Izzi...Like you said, you've grown up with the company and you've been performing since you were old enough to point your toe - why, in your opinion, is theatre so valuable as a pursuit for young people?
“I think it’s a way of expressing who you are through something other than social media, especially in this day and age where there's just so much pressure to be a certain way – you don’t feel like you have to fit into a certain stereotype or group when you're doing theatre. And I think it’s also an escape, because you can play someone else, you can express yourself through a character and you can have fun with it. It’s such a lovely hobby, and especially with a group like the Strollers where you become part of something, a big thing...it's a lovely feeling, and it’s so important to feel like you can just be who you are within that setting and have fun. It gives you such a good support network, too.”

That leads me nicely on to my next question - taking on a principle role for the first time can be as daunting as it is exciting. How have the rest of company been? Have they been supportive?
“Do you know what? It’s really lovely, because it was during our carnival season when everyone was told the cast list, and I can’t think of one person who didn’t come up to me and say ‘Congratulations’ and ‘You so deserve this’ and things like that - I felt so loved, it was such a nice feeling to know everyone was genuinely so happy for me."

That's so sweet! I bet that gave you a big dose of confidence right from the start!
It did - I sung solo for the first time a couple of weeks ago, too, and I had so many people saying well done and telling me I had a lovely voice. Every part of the journey so far has been amazing, and the cast is amazing - and my prince, Ches, is great. He's always telling me how good I am, and that's a real boost, too!"

So here's the big final question: Why should people come and see Cinderella?
"Because you will enjoy every single moment. You’ll sit there and you’ll think ‘I want to be in that’, even if you've always hated the idea of getting up on stage. I’ve had so many people say to me ‘this is great, it's so much fun, those guys are having an absolute blast up there’about our shows – so just come along and watch it, have some fun, and enjoy it! …And you’ll get to hear my singing debut!”

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To see Izzi in action, make sure you’re in the audience for  Cinderella! Tickets go on sale on Tuesday 2nd January 2018 at £9 for Adults and £8 for Under 14s. They can be booked online at www.medinatheatre.co.uk or by phoning 01983 823884. The performances are at 2:30pm and 7:30pm on Saturday 10th February, 2:30pm on Sunday 11th February, and 2:30 and 7:30pm on Saturday 17th February. See you there!

Of Defibrillators and Donations...

What a day we had yesterday!

Some of our members visited Island Car Centre in Rookley, the site of our sixth Public Access Defibrillator, which within a week of its installation has already been used to help someone.

Louise Walker - head of the Isle of Wight NHS Ambulance Training & Community Response Services (and mum to one of our junior dancers!) - joined us for the visit and had this to say:

"Once again thank you so much to the Wight Strollers for supporting our Community Defibrillator programme, your passion and drive to raise money for local causes is highly commendable and so very much appreciated.  I look forward to seeing you all in the Island carnivals this year!"

A defibrillator is a portable device that can be used by a member of a public in the event of cardiac arrest - it analyses a casualty’s heart rhythm and will shock them if needed.

For every minute that passes without defibrillation and Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), chances of survival decrease by around ten per cent.

The idea behind PADs is that when someone calls 999 the Isle of Wight NHS Ambulance Service will make the caller aware of the nearest Public Access Defibrillator - and it could be what makes the difference between someone making it to hospital or not, between someone living and dying.

They're an invaluable piece of kit, that's for sure, and the scheme to get PADs set up Island-wide is one we hope to continue to support - we've purchased six for the Island so far, and counting!

But that wasn't all that happened on our visit to Rookley...

Whilst we were at Island Car Centre, the staff there came out to chat with us about who we are and what we do, and then disappeared...when they returned, it was to present us with a cheque for £100 towards our fundraising efforts for the local community.

We were truly touched, and would like to thank Island Car Centre for both their generosity in making a donation and also for agreeing to be the guardians of our latest PAD.

Everything we do is for Island charities, all our donations stay on the Island, and every penny makes a massive difference to Island people. So, from all of us here at The Wight Strollers, we'd like to say a massive thank-you to Island Car Centre, to Louise and the Isle of Wight NHS Ambulance Training & Community Response Service and, of course, to you - our supporters - for making all this possible.

A Quick Catch-Up!

Firstly, our apologies for the radio silence - things have been rather bonkers behind the scenes of late!

However, to make up for it, we have a bumper edition of news and updates, starting with Jack and the Beanstalk...

We were blessed with an entirely sold out pantomime run, a first in Strollers history! Normally, for reasons unknown, the first Saturday night is slow to sell and never quite makes it to full - but not this year!

Our cast and crew were chuffed with the result, and as such it's meant we've been able to give another fantastic set of donations to Island charities and good causes.

At our AGM in April, we donated £2,500 to The Bus Shelter IOW, £2,300 to the 1st Newport Scouts, £1,000 to the Isle of Wight Society for the Blind, and we purchased our sixth Public Access Defibrillator for the Isle of Wight - wow!

We also had a our committee elections at the AGM, with our chairman, Mike Sutcliffe, standing down after 12 years of service and our treasurer, Brian Whitewood, standing down after 9 years.

"Every year I report that we have had a pretty successful 12 months," said Mike in his final chairman's report. "I can't do that this time round because the last year hasn't been pretty successful - it's been ruddy amazing."

He went on to praise the work of the cast, crew and committee, and the loyalty of our audience members old and new in helping us to continue to play to sell-out houses.

"I always end my report with the same words, because I can't think of better ones," he finished. "The fact that we have staged two amazing productions and that we can donate so much to our good causes...is down to all of you, who give so freely of your money, your time and your various special talents. So, on behalf of our audiences, our charities, the committee and myself, I sincerely thank you all."

Both Mike and Brian have been absolutely incredible and there aren't words enough to thank them for everything they've done for the Strollers. It's safe to say they will be missed on the committee, but their successors are worthy ones and the new committee is looking forward to continuing the wonderful work done under the guidance of its predecessors.

Taking the reins from Mike is Gerry Tulloch, one of the founding Strollers and a former member of the Nesta Meech School of Dance, from which the company originated.

From dancing to directing,  performing performing to creating the most spectacular costumes (including last year's Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat!), Gerry is part of the very fibre of The Wight Strollers and the company could not be in safer hands.

Joining her on committee is Leslie Kast as Treasurer, along with the confirmed director of our next two productions, Sarah Scotcher, with Judith Day reprising her role as Secretary.

Mike Squibb and Emily Scotcher (yours truly!) were both reelected, whilst Nicola Steedman, Aly Keele-Toms and David Kast also continue to serve their terms on committee, and the company also elected two new members in Elisa Jones and Andrew Wilson-Jenner.

In more Strollers news, we will once again be appearing at the Island's carnivals this summer; although our theme, as always, is top secret for now, we can promise that it's going to get the crowds buzzing!

We have also been able to announce our next two productions, our February 2018 pantomime and our July 2018 musical.

On February 10th, 11th and 17th, we will be returning to Medina Theatre to perform Cinderella, one of the best-loved pantomimes and a firm favourite with many of the cast. The script is underway, the casting process has started, and the production team are starting to put together ideas to make this our most magical pantomime yet!

Following that, on July 6th, 7th and 8th 2018, we will be performing our second musical when we tackle the fabulous Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. It's colourful, it's fast-paced, it's funny and it's packed with floor-fillers like 'I Will Survive', 'Go West', 'It's Raining Men', 'Hot Stuff' and 'What's Love Got To Do With It?' - it's one you won't want to miss!

Phew! It looks like we're in for our biggest and most bonkers year yet, if all that is anything to go by!

We'll be back again soon with carnival updates, pantomime news and a few sneaky hints at how our planning for Priscilla is going...

...It's good to be back!

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Meet the Family Dimple!

We've already introduced Jack to you, so now it's time to introduce his family: Dame Dotty Dimple (his mother) and Simple Simon (his brother), who are as ridiculous as Jack is brave and as doolally as Jack is smart!

Dame Dotty will be played by John Woodford, a well-known face on the Island's theatrical scene, particularly for his legendary Island-wide performances as dame and numerous Isle of Wight Amateur Theatre Award wins.

John, who is also the chairman of the Island Savoyards and a long-standing member of Ventnor Theatre Group, started out with The Wight Strollers in 2014, when he joined the cast of Robinson Crusoe as Camilla Crusoe, whose flirtatious ways landed her a horde of pirate admirers and a husband in the charming Captain Perkins.

The following year, John returned to the Strollers stage as dame to play Widow Twankey in Aladdin, before taking a break from heels to play Smiley the Dwarf in our 2016 production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

This summer, he not only paraded the streets as part of our 'Dirty Dancing' carnival entry, he also played both Levi and Mr Potiphar in our July musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

John is infamous within the company for his infectious laugh, excellent comic timing and his sense of fun, and his turn as Dame Dotty Dimple will prove no exception to this rule...especially when he's paired with the incomparably silly Patrick Barry!

Patch will be playing Simple Simon, the latest in a string of comic roles for Patch within The Wight Strollers, and certainly one of his greatest!

Patch joined the Strollers as Prince Rupert for our 2013 pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, a performance for which he won an Isle of Wight Amateur Theatre Award. He made himself especially memorable for this win when, at the awards ceremony, he tripped up the stairs and flew onto the stage in the brilliantly comic way that only Patrick can!

Since then, he has taken numerous roles within the company, including Robinson Crusoe in the 2014 panto of the same name, Wishee Washee (Aladdin 2015) and Dozy the Dwarf (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 2016), as well as taking on the part of Napthali in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

An accomplished thespian, Patch's skills range from Shakespeare to swordplay, and he has been a member of numerous theatre groups over the years, including Ad Lib and the Isle of Wight Shakespeare Company, playing roles ranging from D'Artagnan to Lysander.

Patch's three daughters also perform in the Strollers as dancers, and he's often to be found having a 'proud Daddy' moment in the wings when he's not on stage himself!

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To see these two create comedy gold, you need to get your tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk on Saturday 18th, Sunday 19th and Saturday 25th February - you can get them online, by phoning 01983 823884 or by visiting Medina Theatre Box Office in person.

The Sweetest Fairy Of All

We are delighted to introduce Shannon Crouch in her debut speaking role with The Wight Strollers. 

She will be appearing in our February production of Jack and the Beanstalk as Fairy Sugardust, the sweet and magical fairy who watches over the village of Old Windy Bottom and saves the day when things turn sour!

So, Shannon, how did you feel when you were asked to play Fairy Sugardust?
Nervous but also very excited!

What's been the biggest challenge so far?
All the words rhyming - if you get something wrong, it's much scarier!

And what are you most looking forward to about the show?
Everything...and the sparkly dress!

Experience tells us that everyone has their own little ways to get into their roles - how have you been getting into character?
Channeling my inner girlies and finding random kitchen utensils to be me wand - a wooden spoon wrapped in Xmas paper with a tin foil star...and now a flowery spatula! It's Cath Kidston!

Well, that's the most important thing, obviously! Let's rewind for a second, Shannon - what was your first pantomime with us?
It was Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood in February 2012 - that feels like a long time ago now!

And what about before joining The Wight Strollers? Did you come to us bursting with stage experience or were you a relative newbie?
In Year 2, I was a Little Red Hen in a primary school production - but that's it! I was a newbie!

Wow! Well, you're not a newbie anymore - this is your seventh pantomime with us! Out of all the pantos you've done so far, which has been your favourite?
Ooh, that's hard! Probably Robinson Crusoe (2014)...apart from the mermaid wigs!

I have a picture of those (see right!)
Oh, good!

Blue hair suits you! So if it's not the wigs, then what is your favourite thing about being part of The Wight Strollers?
Being able to do something that I love with basically a massive group of friends.

And the big question: Why should people book tickets to Jack and the Beanstalk?
Because it's a family friendly fun show and supporting amazing Island charities

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You heard it here, from our very own Fairy Sugardust - tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk are worth every penny! And they're selling fast, so make sure you book in advance to ensure you have seats!

Tickets are available in person from the Medina Theatre Box Office (open weekdays 7am-9pm and weekends 9am-5pm) or by phone on 01983 823884 or online at www.medinatheatre.co.uk.

See you in the audience!