At The Copa... Copacabana!

I’m sure everyone would agree that there is something amazingly feel-good about a great musical.  And in my humble opinion, the camper, showier and more extravagant the better! Imagine my complete delight then when I heard from Holly at Perth City Operatic Group earlier in the year, asking if I could help them search for men who could dance (alas I have been searching for years!) for this September's production of Barry Manilow’s ‘Copacabana’

***Cut to me shaking my imaginary tail feather and coconut maracas around my living room***

I had almost forgotten about it when these amazing pics dropped into my inbox just last week. The group have succeeded where many Scottish women have failed, and found themselves twelve new members at their auditions back in April, including a few dancing men!  They have been rehearsing tirelessly ever since and open next Tuesday 8^th September in the North Inch Community Campus Theatre.

The cast is made up entirely of amateur performers but don’t let this fool you into thinking this is one of those cringy-watch-behind-your-hands shows. The talent is oozing out of every fabulously sequinned costume and these wonderful people, who by day teach our children and answer phones in call centres, transform into showgirls, singers and dancers with the greatest of star-studded ease.

Perth City Operatic Group has been running since 1964 (many of you will remember their 50^th show last year) and they are usually big fans of Gilbert and Sullivan having brought us classics such as Kiss Me Kate and The Mikado.  This year, full of fresh blood and a renewed energy, they decided to break the mould and go for something entirely new to them, and Perth!

Enter, Copacabana. Well, that's gonna do it!

Featuring popular hits such as 'Dancin' Fool', 'Sweet Heaven' and the title song 'Copacabana' this amazing Barry Manilow classic came about after he created an hour long show of his favourite songs for the Vegas stage.  Such was the popularity, that it was transformed into a feature length story about a showgirl, lead man and crazy kidnapping fuelled by jealous club owners!  The characters are brilliantly funny, the tunes are joyous and so darn catchy that I have it on good authority from Holly she has been entertaining her co-workers by sub-consciously singing them out loud at her day job for weeks now!   

The never-been-seen-in-Perth-before show runs from Tuesday 8^th to Saturday 12^th September 2015. Shows are 7.30pm with an additional 2.30pm show on Saturday.

North Inch Community Campus
Gowans Terrace
Perth

Tickets are available from www.perthcog.co.uk or by contacting Ticket Source on 0333 666 3366 (please note calls cost £1.50 plus standard network charge. This charge covers postage of tickets).

Thanks to Louis Flood for the photographs.