Elicia follows in her family's footsteps

When nine-year-old Elicia Ramsden takes to the stage in the pantomime '˜Cinderella' this month, she will continue a tradition of family involvement in amateur theatre in Brighouse going back five generations.

Elicia, performing in her first pantomime, is a pupil at the PM Gibson School of Theatre Dance whose members will join Brighouse Theatre Production’s show ‘Cinderella’.

Shane Gough is the show’s director with musical direction by Jill Lambert and choreography by Philippa Gibson.

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‘Cinderella’ is at Brighouse Civic Hall from Thursday, January 19 to Sunday, January 22.

Elicia’s great grand grandfather, Bill Peaker, was treasurer of Brighouse Light Opera Society from 1948 to 1967.

Her great grandfather, Walter Ramsden, was secretary of the society from 1955 to 1978 and her grandfather, Mike Ramsden, was treasurer for 33 years from 1967 to 2000.

The wives of all three held various positions on musical society committees over the years and Mike’s wife Jean has appeared on stage in principal and chorus roles in more than 60 sixty musicals.

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Both Mike and Jean will be supporting Elicia from behind the scenes.

Elicia is excited at the prospect of making her onstage panto debut and extending her family’s involvement in musical theatre in Brighouse.

Publicity officer Margaret Hallett said: “The entire cast of the pantomime is looking forward to putting on another fun- filled production to entertain the people of Brighouse who will hopefully come along to support them in the aftermath of the Christmas festivities.

“Live theatre has that magical quality which even the best TV extravaganzas cannot match.”

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Brighouse Theatre Productions was established in 2005 by the merger of two long established musical theatre groups, Brighouse Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society and Brighouse Light Opera Society.

Past pantomime productions include ‘Mother Goose’, ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’.

‘Cinderella’ will be performed at 7.15pm on January 19, 20 and 21, at 2.15pm on Saturday, January 21 and at 1.15pm on Sunday, January 22.

lTickets can be bought at www.brighousetheatre.co.uk or in person at Fawcett’s card shop, Commercial Street, Brighouse. They cost £10 for adults and £7 for children and concessions. A family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) costs £30.

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