SPRING IS IN THE AIR FOR ISLE OF WIGHT THEATRE PRODUCTIONS THIS MARCH

The talented young singers and dancers of Curtain Call Creative have captured the Spring mood with their next show, the musical extravaganza ‘Mad About Musicals’ on 6th and 7th March, 19:30 at Shanklin Theatre. Following their immensely popular productions of ‘Les Miserables’ and ‘Nativity! The Musical’ last year, the Curtain Call Creative team are starting 2024 strong with unique performances of some of Broadway and the West End’s biggest hits, including ‘Les Misérables’, ‘Annie’, ‘Bring It On’, ‘Matilda’, ‘The Wedding Singer’, ‘Wicked’, and ‘Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’ – Mad About Musicals covers it all, including a sneak peek into their next show, ‘Legally Blonde’! Get your tickets now at shanklintheatre.com/events/mad_about_musicals/details.aspx or call the box office on 01983 868000. Meanwhile, a group we haven’t heard from for a while are back with a bang! Curtain Up returns to the Island stage with Cheryl May’s comedy Free For Hall, which will be staged at Freshwater Memorial Hall at 19:30 on 15th and 16th March. The local amateur dramatics group are rehearsing their pantomime in the village hall, but the venue has been triple booked and no one is prepared to budge. With a defiant Celeste chanting yoga mantras and conflict running high amongst the divas in the drama group, will the chaos that ensues be resolved? Tickets are available at The Cabin, Freshwater; Orchard Bros, Freshwater Bay and Totland Parish Office. The Apollo Players are taking us back in time for their next play, Lilies on the Land. Based on 150 letters and interviews with original Land Girls, along with songs from the period, the play charts the personal journeys of four land girls who left their homes to work on farms during World War 2 and gives us a wonderful, sometimes hilarious, sometimes poignant, insight into the hardship they endured and the friendships they found in this darkest of times. ‘Lilies on the Land’ will be at The Apollo Theatre from 22nd to 30th March (not Sunday or Monday), 19:30, with an additional 14:30 matinee on Saturday 23rd at the Apollo Theatre – tickets are available online here: Lilies on the Land | Apollo Theatre (apollo-theatre.org.uk) or call 01983 210010. For anyone who hasn’t seen their shows, First Act is an amazing theatre group: their shows are incredibly uplifting and delightful to see. This month brings us the musical Monster Mayhem, which they are bringing to Shanklin Theatre on 26th and 27th  March at 18:30. When 2 friends lose their way back to their campsite, they happen upon what they believe to be a monster-themed costume party. Unbeknown to them it’s the secret annual celebration of the creatures of the night, code name “Mayhem”. What will be the pair’s fate on meeting the Vampires, Werewolves and Zombies? A lighthearted show including a freakishly entertaining monster cabaret in the second half. Miss it at your peril! Tickets are available from shanklintheatre.com/events/first_act_present_monster_mayhem/details.aspx or call the box office on 01983 868000.