Last night saw the long awaited opening of one of Sedgefield’s favourite shows – The Melodrama – or ‘Melo-Mix’ as the 2016 edition has been billed.
Judging by the reaction of the audience on preview night (when the elderly residents from Sedgefield and Smutsville were treated to a sneak preview) ticket holders will be in for a grand show.
The enthusiastic cast of nineteen locals have certainly pulled out all the stops for director/producer Bev Fowler, and the months of rehearsing not only dance moves but lip syncing and some seriously rapid costume changes are finally ready for public enjoyment.
And the hard work has certainly not been limited to those on stage. The crew operating ‘behind the scenes’ have been equally busy, not to mention those responsible for ‘front of house’, ticket sales and everything else connected with running a successful show.
Since its inception in 2009 the Sedgefield Melodrama has always been such a win-win recipe for the community. Whilst audiences get to laugh at the antics of local folks (from teachers to hairdressers to estate agents to lifesavers) stepping so far out of their comfort zones that they probably get dizzy, the many thousands of Rands raised provide a huge boost to Sedgefield’s charities.
Indeed in the last seven years almost R800 000 has been raised – including last year’s ‘Melomania’ which hit the R115 000 mark!
This year the benefiting charities will include The Living Cornerstone Home for Alzheimer’s Patients, Masithandane Early Childhood Development Centre, Slow Town Mobile Meals, Laerskool Sedgefield Primary, LifeLine Sedgefield, NSRI Wilderness, Sedgefield Animal Matters and Fresh Start.
There are still tickets available at Sedgefield Tourism Offices (044 343 2007) Show dates left are Thursday 25, Friday 26 and Tuesday 30 August, as well as Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd September. It is run on a ‘bring your own picnic’ basis. Tickets are R90 per person and tables seat eight.
