Ilkley Upstagers' Theatre Group

, West Yorkshire.

Upstagers perform primarily at the Ilkley Kings Hall, Bradford Alhambra or Guiseley Theatre. The group is a registered charity (no. 1041989) and received substantial National Lottery funding in the late 1990s to acquire a purpose-built headquarters. The Upstagers Barn, as the premises are known, comprises two dance studios, a set and materials workshop and a large wardrobe department.

Reputation

Upstagers have been generally well-received by local and national press for over twenty years. The company's reputation was recognised in 2006 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, who hand-picked the group to be one of just 12 amateur companies in the UK to stage "The Witches of Eastwick" fresh from the West End.

Upstagers is renowned locally for producing energetic, spectacular musical theatre to large audiences. In the past, it has been suggested that the group placed an emphasis upon dance at the expense of strong singing. However, in the last few years Upstagers' vocal and musical output, bolstered by a strong regular orchestra, see it regarded as one of the all-round leading amateur groups in the north of England.

Alumini

Upstagers is known for having a high standard youth intake, and members of the company have gone to study at leading drama schools, including The Arts Educational Schools, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and Guildford School of Acting, as well as entering the mainstream entertainment industry.

Current members and alumni include:

Georgie Henley, who starred as Lucy in Walt Disney's film production of "" and the young Jane in the BBC's recent adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre"

Rebecca Louis, currently in the cast of "Mary Poppins" at the Prince Edward Theatre, London, who also appeared in the final cast of "Cats" at the New London Theatre

Wayne Perry, currently starring as DC Lateef in the BBC's "Dalziel and Pascoe", who also appeared in "Bombay Dreams" at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, London

Richard Lloyd, star of Carlton Television's "The Railway Children" and ITV's "Band of Gold"

Ellie Sager, lead in the BBC Radio 4's drama production of Charlotte Cory's "The Brave New World of Allaetitia"

Lois Taylor and Jack Hanson, stars of BBC Radio 4's drama production of Sharon Oakes' "Blind Eye"

Rob Micklethwaite, a teenage model who is signed to one of the largest modelling agencies in the U.K and currently models for fashion houses Vivienne Westwood & Balenciaga.

Official Shows

, running from January into February; the Junior Show in March/April, featuring a cast of 11-18 year olds; and Summer Show (or Senior Show) in June/July, featuring a cast of 18+ year olds. This is then followed by the low budget show in October finally followed by a Christmas Showcase in December, both of which are performed at smaller theatres. On top of this the group stage several other niche productions in the year, from workshop showcases to Festival Competitions. An complete list"' of shows performed are as follows:

2009: "Oliver!" (musical), "TBA", "Mother Goose" (pantomime)

2008: "Upstagers' Christmas Spectacular^" (variety), "The Full Monty" (musical), "Disney's High School Musical" (musical), "Sinbad" (pantomime)

2007: "An Upstagers Christmas!" (variety), "Biloxi Blues" (play), "The Wiz" (musical), "Les Miserables**" (musical), "Beauty and the Beast" (pantomime)

2006: "Xmas Showcase!" (variety), "Stepping Out" (play), "Billy Liar (musical)", "The Witches of Eastwick" (musical), "Babes in the Wood" (pantomime)

2005: "Rock Nativity" (musical), "Summertime Special" (variety), "Guys and Dolls" (musical), "Fame" (musical), "Robinson Crusoe" (pantomime)

2004: "The Boyfriend" (musical), "The Wiz" (musical), "Red Riding Hood" (pantomime)

2003: "Barnum" (musical), "Godspell*" (musical), "Sleeping Beauty" (pantomime)

2002: "42nd Street" (musical), "The Demon Headmaster" (musical), "Jack and the Beanstalk" (pantomime)

2001: "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" (musical), "Snow White" (pantomime)

2000: "Back and Forth" (variety), "Fame" (musical), "Mother Goose" (pantomime)

1999: "Grease" (musical), "Aladdin" (pantomime)

1998: "Guys and Dolls" (musical), "Dick Whittington" (pantomime)

1997: "Oklahoma!" (musical)

1996: "A Slice of Saturday Night" (musical)

1995: "Anything Goes" (musical)

1994: "Sinbad the Sailor" (pantomime)

1993: "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" (musical)

1992: "Little shop Of Horrors" (musical)

1991: "Grease" (musical)

1990: "Godspell" (musical)

1989: "The Wiz" (musical)

1988: "The Young Ones" (musical)

1987: "Tin Pan Ali" (musical)

*-* Due To the immaculate success of the 2003 adaption of "Godspell" a re-run of the production was done at a smaller theatre.
*-** Due to the popularity of "Les Misérables" in April, a re-run was planned at the Alambra Theatre in Bradford instead of putting on "The Wiz" but wasn't pulled through due to copyright.
*-^ Currently being Rehearsed.

Unofficial Shows

As well as performing shows on a large scale Upstagers also put on performances and shows which are rooted from Upstager's drama and singing classes. These include summer workshops and family performance. Here is a list of 'mini-performances' which have taken place over the years.

ummer Workshops:

2008: "Les Miserables"

2007: "The Boyfriend"

2006: "Guys and Dolls"

2005: "Grease"

2004: "Joseph and the Amazing Technicoloured Dreamcoat"

2003: "Seaspell"

2002: "Rats"

2001: "Oliver"what about our day out??

Wharfdale Festival Performances:

Every year Upstagers enter one or more group (s) into the 'Group (under 18's) adaptation and performance of a listed Musical' category. Upstagers have been entering groups since 2002. The first three annual entries won the category which achieved Upstagers their first three Wharfdale #1's (as listed) but were beaten to the top in 2005 by 'Performance' drama and there adaptation of 'Annie'. In 2006 they re-gained their title by achieving their 4th #1 performance then, in 2007 Upstagers reached their peek were they entered two groups into the same category and took the #1 and #2 positions in the category, this was then repeated again in 2008 with the addition of winning 3rd, making them the most successful theatre group in Wharfedale History. To date they have six #1 performances, three #2 performances and one #3 Performance.

2008: "High School Musical" (#1), "Billy Liar" (#2), "Our Day Out" (#3).

2007: "Les Misérables" (#1), "Annie" (#2)

2006: "Bugsey Malone" (#1)

2005: "Fiends Reunited" (#2)

2004: "Hoodwinked" (#1)

2003: "Godspell" (#1)

2002: "The Lemonade Kid" (#1)

Drama Classes:

2008: "Charlie And The Chocolate Factory"

2007: "The Christmas Carol"

2006: "Fiends Reunited", "Children of Eden"

2005: "Hoodwinked", "The Christmas Carol"

Controversies

Despite Upstagers being nationally a very successful theatre group, they have undergone some controversy in the past.

During the 2nd half of Upstagers' 2003 pantomime, the dame alongside dancers performed Christina Aguilera's 'Dirrty. The dancers were performing in black laced lingerie and received many complaints from the elderly on a basis that it was inappropriate and too sexually suggestive for young children.

The 2007 pantomime, received complaints for the amount of gay related material, including songs like, "Lancelot" from Monty Pythons Spamalot, 'Y.M.C.A', which was performed by young dancers and with the majority of the male dancers appearing near to naked in many of the dancing sequences.

In previous pantomimes dancers have "blacked" themselves up when a part of the show may be set up in the jungle, this causing stir amongst the ilkley community

External links

* [http://www.upstagers.co.uk/ Official website, featuring audition news and press releases]
* [http://www.myspace.com/upstagersilkley Official MySpace page, featuring rehearsal schedules and details of upcoming shows]