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A stellar line up
GLASGOW Music Theatre are back at Eastwood Park — and they’re transporting East Renfrewshire audiences to Broadway for the night.
The am dram group returns to the stage for A Chorus Line (just days before the show opens again in London’s west end, no less).
The northern production might not be quite as big budget, but for leading man Colin Johnston, it’s a break from the norm – his day job as a brewery engineer.
The 29-year-old from Crossmyloof plays Zach, an ambitious director and master of ceremonies for a cast of overworked, underpaid dancers trying to make it in showbiz.
The scene is set in an empty theatre, 1975, and the fate of those chosen few who have survived the first cut unfolds in real time, as Zach goads them into baring their souls.
Colin’s character may be the ringmaster, but it does pose a few unique challenges for the amateur actor.
He explained: “There’s significantly less dancing involved for me, but I think there’s a lot more to Zach than just a one-dimensional, manipulative character.
“He’s extremely complex and an utter perfectionist. The reason the show unfolds the way it does is because he chooses to do things in an unusual way – getting the dancers to talk about themselves, rather than just seeing them as human props.
“It’s not made clear why he does it, and there’s been a lot of chat in rehearsals about why he puts the characters through it all”.
A Chorus Line is Colin’s first production with the company, who have been an Eastwood Park regulars since 2009, with sell-out shows including West Side Story, Little Shop of Horrors and Fame.
After returning home from working in Japan, the southsider was eager to take up with a theatre group, and decided GMT was a cut above the rest.
He added: “It’s a big challenge, but it’s been too long since I was on stage and I’m relishing it.
“It’s been an amazing experience and I can’t wait to get in front of an audience. I have a lot of lines that are said from offstage, or facing away from the audience, so you’ll get to see a lot of my back – but I don’t mind, because it means I get a chance to watch all of the amazing dancing”.
n Anyone interested in catching some of that amazing dancing can do so January 29 – February 2. Performances are 7.30pm, with a 2.30pm Sat mat. Tickets are £13-£14.50, available from 577 4970 or www.glasgowmusictheatre.co.uk/acl.
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Tuesday 18 June 2013
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