Bute Amatuer Players Members

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BUTE AMATEUR PLAYERS
Bute's Community Theatre Group

John Blick; Geoffrey in "Stepping Out". John Blick, B. Ed., Dip. Mus., and Cert Music. Is an accomplished musician and plays the Flugelhorn, Trumpet, Cornet and Contemporary Keyboard. John moved to Bute in 2005 and says "He loves it--it's fantastic". Of course he may be a little biased as he met Caitlin when he joined us. John's debut appearance as a "Player" was BRIAN in "The Pipes, The Pipes" and his other interests are shortwave radio, C.B. and P.M.R., watching television and film musicals.

Susan Crawford; Mickey the Cop in "The Odd Couple" Susan worked as a special needs teacher in Glasgow for 35 years during which she played in Amateur Pantomimes. Susan says that she was usually cast as the "BADDIE" e.g Bad Fairy, Wicked Witch, Snow Queen. After seeing last year's production of "The Steamie", Susan decided to join us and is cast as MICKEY THE COP. Whilst we were having difficulties in sourcing an old Trivial Pursuit Game, Susan was passing a charity shop and saw one in the window, so she bought it and brought it along. She has now officially upgraded her status to Good Fairy.

Barbara Duff; Renee in "The Odd Couple" Barbara came to Bute 10 years ago and this is her first time acting. She first attended The Players rehearsals last year when she, along with her brother-in-law, committee member Jimmy Purvis, were brought along by members Rosemary Lonie and Ian Carmichael, to see what we actually did. Thankfully both of them enjoyed themselves and are now members. Barbara works in a residential home for the elderly and is looking forward to her acting debut as RENEE in "The Odd Couple".

Ursula Eames; Mrs. Fraser in "Stepping Out". Ursula is our very hard working, and dependable, Secretary. She moved to Rothesay in 2000, intending to retire after working for 35 years in a bank and for 12 years as a Local Councillor for Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. Her retirement was short lived as she fell in love with the ALAMEIN HOUSE PRIVATE HOTEL and has been running it as a "B&B" for the past nine years. Ursula joined the Bute Amateur Players in 2004 and has played a shop lifting nun in "None The Wiser", a disgruntled wife in "The Pipes, The Pipes" which was a WORLD PREMIER. She has also appeared as a ghost in "Oh Mother" and, this year, she is playing the part of the pianist, Mrs. Fraser. In "Stepping Out". Ursula says that she has enjoyed her time with The Players and would thoroughly recommend anyone to "COME AND JOIN US"

Anne Gillespie; Maxine in "Stepping Out" Anne appeared in a play when she was in Primary School, but hasn't done anything on stage since. Anne says that she enjoys dancing and has been trying to tap dance for the last 17 years, when she joined the Rothesay School of Dance. For many years Anne, along with her husband, Gordon, taught Line Dancing and they now run the Isle of Bute Line Dancing Festival every September, which is acclaimed as "Scotland's Premier Line Dance Event". She says that she finds the part of Maxine is a "Challenge" and her character is quite complex.

Fiona Hawke; SYLVIE in "The Odd Couple". Fiona stepped in last year to cover for one of the dancers in the "Pals" sequence, in fact, she was only asked at 10-00am on the morning of the show, and in true theatrical tradition was "Step Perfect" for the performance. Apart from that her only performances were with the Rothesay Academy Concert Band and is privileged to have played in front of the late Princess Diane when she appeared in Rothesay for the Highland Games. As a daughter of Anne and Gordon Gillespie, she is no stranger to the theatrical scene as both her parents run the acclaimed Bute Line Dancing Festival in the Pavilion and prior to that her father worked in the Winter Garden. She was also a regular visitor to the King's Theatre, Edinburgh, where her uncle (i.e. The President) was the Stage Manager. Fiona's hobby is in Craftwork and turns out a nifty line in cards for Christmas, birthdays etc. She also made the "Rinso" and "Oxydol" packets for "The Steamie".

Rosemary Lonie; Rosie in "Stepping Out". Rosemary has been a club stalwart since the Bute Amateur Players were founded and has appeared in a production every year. Playing the part of "Rosie" in this years production of "Stepping Out", Rosemary says the part is like herself "Small but perfectly formed and beautifully marked"????? HUH? Rosemary is a past Secretary and is still a Committee Member. Her acting C.V. for the Bute Amateur Players, according to herself; 2005 "None The Wiser" playing a drunken, thieving nun. 2006 "Alright On The Night" playing a mother waiting for her sailor son who is at sea during a raging gale. 2007 "Tea Dance" playing Agatha Chrystie (Incognito). 2008 "The Steamie" playing Magrit---wasn't it great to be a wumman Certainly not the most glamorous of parts but well played in every one of them Rosemary was also an Assistant Director to our Executive Director, Alison Gollings Clark, in "Victory Dance" which comemorated the end of the war and was attended by ex-servicemen from all over the world. A very special night indeed. Rosemary also co-wrote part of "Victory Dance" along with Alison and our Vice President, Liam Walsh.

Elizabeth MacMillan; Vera in "Stepping Out". Elizabeth only moved to Bute in August, 2008 as "Heidie" (Head Teacher) of North Bute Primary School but she says that this doesn't help her to keep this cast in order--unfortunately! Although she is an experienced Am. Dram. Actress, Elizabeth says that she definitely prefers playing the baddie and is having fun playing the part of VERA, a character who drives everybody else mad as she is such a pain. Elizabeth says that the dancing is completely new to her and warns her friends and fans, who attend the production in July, "Not to look too closely at her feet"

Julie Marchant; (Sylvia in "Stepping Out". Julie enjoys the whole entertainment scene and recently took part in a charity show, organised by the local "Yorkies Charity Group"which raised almost £3,000 for the Yorkhill Children's Hospital Apart from last year, Julie has appeared in at least one production every year for the Bute Amateur Players, but even then she helped by selling raffle tickets etc. Julie is a past Committee Member and has recently appeared as an extra in "RIVER CITY".

Irene McGregor; MAVIS in "Stepping Out". Irene moved to Bute in 1965 and was a pupil in Rothesay Primary School and then to Rothesay Academy. Irene was a regular in two Rothesay Theatrical institutions, namely, the Rothesay Revellers and Ella Wilson's Gang Show. After studying hotel Management for four years, Irene now owns and runs the Bayview Hotel along with her husband. Irene joined the Bute Amateur Players last year and played the part of DOLLY to perfection in our production of "The Steamie", and is now looking forward to the challenge of playing MAVIS in "Stepping Out"

Betty Norris-Smith; VERA in "The Odd Couple" Betty is a retired teacher who, after retirement moved back to her childhood home on Bute, six years ago. She says that Old Age is "Marvellous" as she can take part in so many activities which were impossible to fit into her busy schedule when she was bringing up a family and following a career. Betty took part in the "Tale Spinners" Radio Programme and is a School Governor. Locally she is an avid member of the W.R.I. and Speaker's Group. To cap it all, Betty is our Treasurer and because she is such a lovely person, nobody actually minds paying their dues.

Vicky O'Reilly; Flo' in "The Odd Couple" Vicky attended one of our rehearsals last year and took over the role of DOREEN in "The Steamie" a character she played with great success and, she says, she had such a great time that she decide to carry on with her membership This year, Vicky is playing FLO' in "The Odd Couple" and lists her hobbies as acting, running, painting and spending time with her family. When we were discussing the possibility of promoting "The Odd Couple", we were a bit dubious as, like most Amateur Companies, we were short of men, and even worse, short of young men, however, Vicky came to the rescue and convinced her husband and one of his pals to take over the parts of MANOLO and HAY-ZOO (JESUS), the two Spanish Brothers.

Johanna (Jo.) Russell; Lynne in "Stepping Out". Seventeen year old Jo is in her 6th year at Rothesay Academy and has appeared in two of the school productions, "Anything Goes" and "Me And My Gal". Jo has been attending the Royal Scottish Academy Of Music And Drama's Saturday classes for the last three years and is applying to the Academy, and also to other Universities for the B.A. in acting Course. This is Jo's first year with the Bute Amateur Players and says "that she is enjoying it very much. We wish you every success with your aspirations, Jo.

Caitlin Tily; Dorothy in "Stepping Out" Caitlin moved to Bute when she was 14 years old and has always enjoyed the acting/entertainment scene, indeed she has been taking part in Pantomimes from the age of 7. She has been involved with the Bute Amateur Players from it's beginning, and says that her favourite part to date is playing the ghost in "Victory Dance" in 2005. Caitlin's hobbies are (apart from acting) going to the Cinema and she is an avid reader and writes loads of novels, although she admits that she has still to finish a story properly. Caitlin is engaged to John Blick, whom she met as part of The Players and is, at present, running the shop part of Tilset Services, which is part of her family's business.

Avril Walker; Prompt-"Stepping Out". Avril lived in Edinburgh for 29 years before moving to Largs and from there to, as she says," Beautiful Bute". She has worked as a Social Worker (Adoption/Fostering) for 31 years and is now semi-retired, although she is currently doing a course to become an adult literacy tutor. Avril's interests are cinema, D.I.Y., sewing, travel, animals and despite of having no involvement with the the theatre, decided to join the Bute Amateur Players after seeing our production of "The Steamie" in 2008. Although Avril has no aspirations to be on the acting side she decided to offer her services in helping out behind the scenes and, in fact, is now doing the very important job of Prompter.

Nicky Whitelaw; Olive in "The Odd Couple" Nicky has been a member for three years and has appeared every year, indeed, last year she was pencilled in for the part of DOREEN in "The Steamie"but, unfortunately, due to ill health, she had to drop out, which was sad for her but was good luck for The Players as a newcomer, Vicky O'Reilly walked in the door and took over the part. However, as bad luck seems to balance out with good luck, Betty Norris Smith who played the part of Mrs. Culfeathers in the first production was unable to do the second performance in July and then Nicky stepped in. In spite of only having six weeks to learn the entire script and all the movements, she was inspirational on the evening. Nicky is a very exuberant character and just seems to bounce along at the rehearsals. Prior to moving to Bute, Nicky was a member of The Edinburgh Acting School for 12 years doing many varied aspects, acting, Stage Management and teacing drama to children. During that time she appeared in many productions including Men Should Weep. Nicky has participated in B.B.C. promotional films and also in videos for Sundance Film Productions, and, just to enhance her versatility, she appeared for a year doing "Stand Up Comedy" in the Comedy Club in Edinburgh. Two years ago, Nicky qualified as a playwrite after attending a course supported by Argyll College, and then wrote, and appeared in, "The Lady In Green" which was performed as part of the ButeLive Festival. She is looking forward to playing the part of OLIVE in "The Odd Couple" and says her hobbies include trips to the theatre, reading and writing poetry.

Allison Weir; ANDY in "Stepping Out" Allison joined us after appearing as a dancer for the "Pals" scene in "The Steamie" last year and says that although "acting is a completely new experience for me, I am enjoying it very much" She started dancing with the Ellen Carson School of Dancing, 17 years ago and her hobbies include swimming, dancing and looking after her grand children. She is, at present, employed as a darner with Bute Fabrics and is quoted as claiming "My character is a very shy bashful person, something like myself"--????--EH?