Ron Drew's Music Page - Activities

Chapter 1.2 - SSAOS Juniors

The Junior Section was formed in 1979. It arose from the inspiration of the Society's then Chairman, the late Stewart (Stew) Blenkinsop (qv Personalities) together with the assistance of the Secretary at that time the late Irene (Rene) Dearden (qv Personalities). A schoolmaster by profession, Stew was in turn a performer, conductor and, during his period as their secretary, a great inotivator. He had previously started the Grosvenor Singers as a specialist group within the Amateurs and was forever looking for ways to encourage the members and maintain their interest.

In their first year the Juniors perfomed 'The Wizard of Oz' in the Theatre at the Marine and Technical College, South Shields. They moved to the Pier Pavilion in 1991 with 'The Boy Friend' and later moved to the Customs House in 1996 for a production of 'Peter Pan'. This show was a tremendous achievment for the performers and stage crew alike for it incorporated 'flying' characters - no mean feat on such a small stage.

Like the Senior Society the cost of staging the Junior Shows was such that the price of seats would need to be increased to avoid a financial deficit on the shows staged at the Customs House. However this could result in a reduction in the number of 'bums on seats' thus making it not being viable as a solution. The alternative, taken in 2001, was to transfer the production back to the Pier Pavilion.

The wisdom of the Society and the forsight of Stewart Blenkinsop(qv) and Rene Dearden has resulted in a continuity of young members joining the South Shields Amateur Society. It is therefore imperitive that the Juniors should be preserved as the excellent training ground and introduction to musical theatre.

Acknowledment is given for the research of Stewart Blenkinsop and Jim Grey in producing their programme notes for 1987 and 1992 extracts of which have been used in compiling this history.

A full list of shows presented over the years together with programme notes for many of them can be found in Chapter 2 [Shows]

A full list of Officers of the Society since 1917 can be found in Chapter 1.5 [Officers]

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Last revised: January 04, 2005.