Cast Biogs

Gracie

Caroline Smith

Caroline is a member of Southwark based musical theatre group The Quay Players and it was with them, just over two years ago, that James Hay (writer/director of ‘Our Gracie’ and producer of Belmont Productions) spotted her in a production of ‘Billy’ (which is set in the North of England) and subsequently approached her about the prospect of playing the role of Gracie. Caroline has been performing in some capacity for most of her life but this has proved to be her biggest challenge to date! Now that the result of James’ vision, hard toil and creative talents has come to fruition she feels honoured, privileged and excited to be given the opportunity to bring Our Gracie to life!

Archie Pitt

Steve Arnold

Steve is no stranger to amateur dramatics having performed with The Quay Players, Phoenix Players, Dartford Amateurs and Kentish Opera in the last ten years. This is probably his ‘nastiest’ role as Gracie’s rotter of a first husband... so please don’t boo too loudly!

 

Monty Banks

Barry Pavey

Barry has been involved in amateur stage productions in one way or another since he was 19. By day an Office Manager in a Special Needs school, he has been a regular member of several of the more traditional amateur dramatic groups since 1998, where he has played many varied roles, including villains and comedy leads, but only once the romantic lead. He has also played the Dame in Panto a few times as well as numerous chorus parts. Basically he’ll do anything that will get him on stage again! He has accepted that it may be too late to take that romantic lead role again, unless someone knows a show that requires a ‘more mature’ romantic lead!

Mrs Stansfield

Amanda Stonham

Amanda has over 30 years professional and semi-professional experience encompassing dance, acting, design and directing for theatre and film. She has produced theatrical and corporate events, working also as a drama practitioner in youth theatre. Currently developing arts projects for Spain and the UK she is delighted to be part of Our Gracie.

 Mr Stansfield

Sam Leach

 

I suppose now that I am getting older I could not have imagined that when I was a teenager watching my mum and dad play the piano and sing the Gracie Fields Songs in the local pub on a Saturday night, that I would be playing Gracie's father in a show many years later. I have played many parts over the years, young, middle aged and old, but none as unusual as Gracie's father.

Enjoy the show and to coin a phrase from one of the songs 'wish me luck' and to the rest of the cast.

Sam






1st Man/Reporter/Soldier/Chorus

Mark Farlow

Mark is delighted to be part of 'Our Gracie' and has been an active member of Amateur Theatre for 10 years. This has included playing in several big summer shows and pantomimes with the Quay Players and more recently with the Phoenix Players. Mark's favourite roles have included ' Zangler ' in Crazy for you, 'Sean' in Love of the shelf and 'Mushnik' in Little shop of Horrors. Mark also directed 'Billy ' for the Quay players in 2011 which was one of his big ambitions and is currently busy working on the Addams Family again for the Quay Players. Mark is not quite old enough to remember Gracie Fields heyday but can confess to seeing Gracie on the telly when he was a boy, when she appeared in the 1978 Royal Variety Performance. Mark lives in East London and works for local government as a social worker.

Other Cast Members

Katie Underhill - Annie
Desni Hanford - Madame Tetrazini/Ensemble
Spencer Mitchell - Various Roles/Ensemble
Christine Birch - Ensemble
Dedge Kemster - Ensemble
Susie Lawrance - Ensemble
Liz Tyndall - Ensemble

 
Musical Director

Martin Cleave

Martin has been involved with local theatre since becoming rehearsal pianist for Bromley Operatic Society while still a student. Following graduation from the Royal College of Music he joined the music staff of the Royal Academy of Dance but still remained in contact with groups performing around South-East London. Credits as Musical Director include Anything Goes, Guys and Dolls, The Boy Friend, Mack and Mabel (Bromley Operatic Society), The Magic Flute (Opera Nova), Carousel, Crazy for You, Calamity Jane, Fiddler on the Roof, 42^nd Street, Pickwick, Copacabana (Eldorado Musical Productions). He is often in demand as an accompanist and has written arrangements for the award winning ladies a capella group Just Voices, as well as cabaret work with singer Melody-Jane Faulkner. He has recently been teaching himself the piano-accordion.

 Writer/Director

James Hay

James studied at Trinity College of Music, London and has worked in the fields of opera, musical theatre and on the concert platform.  National Tours of Mr P and Mr G, Something Wonderful and has worked for New Sadler's Wells Opera, Gemini Opera, Sevenoaks Opera and recently, Kentish Opera. Tour of Die Fledermaus with Nicholas Parsons. Vocal Tutor for Summer Schools and leading Drama Colleges. Appeared at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in The Magic of the Musicals. Appearances in Musicals include the title role in Hans Andersen, The Boyfriend, Pickwick, Bitter Sweet and Oliver. Appearances in Revue and Music Hall. Wrote and Directed Sixty Glorious Years to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee. Opera and Musicals as a Director include Dido and Aeneas, Suor Angelica, The Beggar's Opera, Jack the Ripper, The Boyfriend, The Matchgirls, Perchance to Dream, The Sound of Music and Patience. Concert versions of Chu Chin Chow, Showboat, Brigadoon and The Count of Luxembourg. Plays include, Firebird, Nightingale, Don't Dilly Dally — a tribute to Marie Lloyd and Understanding Susan. A tribute CD to Noel Coward entitled 'A Talent to Amuse' and several broadcasts for the BBC. His one-man show Hayfever had great success at the Lambeth and Camden Festivals. Future appearances on the concert platform include Dear Ivor and His Leading Ladies at Lauderdale House, Highgate and The Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon in the Autumn.