ELAPs had an outstanding night at the Sixth Salute to Pantomime at Guthlaxton Community College in Wigston on 24th March, winning one award and being nominated in five categories overall, for last December's production of Aladdin. To cap it all, the company came joint second overall in the contest for the Blue Balloon Award, equal with Wycliffe Drama Group.
Mike Barclay won the award for best young actor, for his performance as the genie of the lamp.
Additional accolades went to Geri Wilson and Jason Billin for set design, Emma Heath for choreography, Hayley Masom for best supporting female role, and Larissa Oates for Principal Boy. Larissa had also been this year's winner of our own Nikki Dinnie award for on-stage achievement.
And this time, ELAPs was called upon to perform one of its numbers, Once in Every Show, with Gill Bowness and Jarrod Makin as the Empress and Emperor of Japan respectively, ably assisted and abetted by the antics of Celestine Stafford and Lesley Hesk as Ping and Pong in the background.
Hayley Masom, ELAPs chairperson, commented, "Very well done to everybody who helped to make Aladdin an award winning nomination show and a truly special well done to Sonya Oates, the director. It's a reflection on what a great leader and director she has been for the show which truly showcases the skills and ability of our little group. ELAPs undoubtedly has the smallest stage in the county, but has the biggest heart and the greatest bunch of people making it all happen!"
Don't forget that ELAPs' Spring production of Three One-Act Plays runs at East Leake Village Hall on Thursday 17th, Friday 18th and Saturday 19th May at 7.30 pm.
You can buy tickets at East Leake Post Office or The Olde Bakehouse, £5 or £3.50 for concessions. All tickets on Saturday are £5.
We're keeping our fingers crossed that ELAPs' Juniors will be displaying awards from the NANDA Youth Theatre Festival, since they will be repeating their performance of Tom Stoppard's abbreviated version of Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice' to start the evening off. The NANDA competition will have been held on the weekend of 27th-28th April.
Then we have Gill Bowness' one-act play called 'Hindsight', which has been entered into NANDA's play-writing competition scheduled for 7th July. And to round things off, enjoy the black comedy, 'Miss Glossop's Weekend Break.'
All for now. As ever, check out
www.elaps.co.uk for information and to drop us a line. You can come to meet us every Thursday in the Village Hall at 7.30 pm. Everyone is welcome.
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