MEMBERS of Heanor Operatic Society are in the final weeks of rehearsing for their 2004 show – Tim Rice's 'Chess' with music by former Abba stars Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus.
The society has in the past performed other Tim Rice shows such as 'Jesus Christ Superstar' and 'Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.'
'Chess' was first performed in the West End in 1986 and then on Broadway in 1988.
It tells the story of
Russian and American professional chess players who're taking part in a tournament in Merano, Northern Italy. Love develops between an American player (Florence Vassy) and the Russian champion (Anatoly Sergievsky) – he seeks political asylum. In Act Two the scene moves to Bangkok a year later where a chess tournament is underway – the plot then thickens!
Marlpool father and daughter, Kim and Emily Harris have leads in the show. Kim plays Molokov, the Russian KGB official and Emily (16) is Florence, the American.
Other principal characters: are Anatoly (Phil Simcox of Lower Hartshay); Freddie Trumper, the American champion (Paul Wilson of Ilkeston); the arbiter who oversees the matches (Adrian Robinson of South Normanton); Svetlana, Anatoly's wife (Michelle Richards of Marlpool); the diplomats (Brett Waller of Heanor and Sheila Warhurst of Selston); the reporter (Dorothy Platt of Tibshelf); Walter de Courcey, head of the American delegation (Paul Whitworth of Heanor).
The production team again consists of musical director Mandy Fogg (Heanor), producer Sharon Cooper (Somercotes) and choreographer Linda Hardy (Heanor).
The show will be at Heanor Gate Science College from Tuesday 17 to Saturday 21 February.Tickets are £8 each (£7 concessions) and are available from The Box Office - 01773 762042.
