Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story is coming to Guernsey for three nights in October and several locals are being given the opportunity to take part in this exciting production.
Paul Morrissey is one of the producers of Milton Morrissey Ltd which has previously brought over CATS and LES MISERABLES in CONCERT. Paul has recently been back on the island to audition local actors for Buddy and having been at college with him, I recently got to interview my school 'buddy' to find out more about this brand new production:
1) This is your 3rd Milton Morrissey production to come to Guernsey, why did you choose the Buddy Story?
Les Miserables and Cats are undoubtedly two of the biggest musicals of all time and we were very aware that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to find any follow up shows as big as them.
We decided to only attempt to follow them if we could find a show with a strong title and a great pedigree and to be honest, it looked for a while at least, as though it wasn't going to happen.
As we were about to give up looking and concentrate on other projects, James (the Milton part of the operation) and I were invited to see Jersey Boys in the West End. The show was one of the best, most classy productions I have seen to date and it got me thinking of other big Rock 'n' Roll musicals. Obviously as soon as you start thinking along those lines, it isn't long before the father of them all comes to mind - Buddy.
Buddy played for over 15 years in the West End and gave birth to the Rock 'n' Roll / Jukebox musicals as we now know them. Indeed, without Buddy there would be no Jersey Boys or Mamma Mia come to that.
It has now played to over 20 million people across the world, picking up countless awards on its way. Throw into the mix the fact that everywhere it goes audiences jump to their feet and it seemed obvious to us that we'd found our show.
2) How long will this production take from start to finish to put on?
In terms of rehearsal, it will take three weeks with the London cast and then one week with the local cast to slot them in and get the technical elements of the show just right, of which there a-plenty! In terms of putting all the pieces together, we started the project officially in March 2010 and we haven't and won't stop until the final curtain comes down!!
3) How did you get the West End Cast involved?
We had submissions from just over 1000 professionals when the show was first announced to the theatre community in London. We then whittled these down to just over 200 and put them through their paces in front of our audition panel over the course of a week.
4) You have now undertaken the auditions for the local actors, how many are you going to invite to take part in the production?
Ten
5) What made you want to include local actors?
I started my theatre career as a performer here in Guernsey. In those days, and I know I sound old!, there were only limited opportunities to see professional theatre and even fewer opportunities to be involved in it! The chance to stand alongside some of the greatest West End performers in the world is one that I would have bitten someone's arm off for back then. It seems only right to now offer the many talented Islanders out there the chance to do so in my productions.
