BaCStage are having an Open Day at the Old Day School, Bluntisham on Saturday 21st September.  All are welcome to come along and meet some of us, find out more about what we do both on-stage and behind the scenes and, if you like what you see, maybe even join the group.  There will be nibbles, too.

The flier at the end of this post gives you all the details.  Rather than repeat them here I thought I would say a few words about how I, as a relative newcomer, came to join BaCStage myself.

My other half and I moved to Bluntisham almost 11 years ago.  Not long after we got here we went to see our first BaCStage production.  I can’t remember the title, but I do remember it was “the circus one” (I’m sure one of the old timers in the group could tell you what it was called).  Back then the shiny new Village Hall was still a pipe dream and BaCStage performed at St Helen’s Primary School.

As well as being thoroughly entertained I was also surprised to see that I knew a couple of the cast already.  They worked at the company near Cambridge that I had recently joined.  Judging by their reaction when they saw me afterwards I think they were more surprised than I was…

We went to see many more productions after that, “Tiptoe Through the Tombstones” being a particular favourite.  I often came away from a show thinking “that does look like fun” or “I reckon I could do that”, but never quite got around to approaching the group.  There’s always a reason to put things off, isn’t there?  So my involvement remained strictly that of a paying punter, and no more.

That changed early one morning as I was walking my dogs around the village.  One of my acting work colleagues (no names, no pack drill) who was out jogging at the same time came up to me and announced that she needed a man.  I thought that was a bit forward for 7 in the morning, but she went on to explain that they were one man short for casting their next play, and would I like to have a go.  The play was Breezeblock Park, the character Tim, and the rest, as they say, is history.  That was three years ago and I’ve been involved in one way or another in every production since, as well as looking after this here website, and have thoroughly enjoyed it.

Do I have any regrets about getting involved with BaCStage?  Just one – that I didn’t get involved sooner.  So if you’re reading this, or looking at the flier, and thinking “that does look like fun” or “I reckon I could do that”, come along on the 21st and say hello…

… before you find yourself being accosted by some strange woman in need of a man in the early morning.