1
The Informer Comment & Debate 3 I’M looking for a man. The ideal candidate will preferably like music, have a good sense of humour and in general be up for a laugh. It would be a bonus if he could bust a few moves, but I won’t push my luck. Actually, I’m looking for numerous men of the above description, and no, I’m not trying to play matchmaker for friends and female relatives. No, my rationale for this manhunt stems from entirely more innocent and practical reasons. As winter descends upon us, so too does the beginning of the busi- est time in the amateur musical theatre season, and the recurring quandary of where to get men to fill the multitude of fantastic male roles in any given show. With some shows already rehearsing, and others conducting auditions for springtime productions, it may be wishful thinking to believe that Glee will have had a profound influ- ence on Irish men to get up off the sofa and spend two evenings a week singing and dancing. Incredible male roles As any female will tell you, men interested in musicals have it made. With the majority of musicals dominated by incredible male roles, but with most musical societies struggling to fill said roles, the girls are itching to explore their lower vocal range and become a man for the week of the show. Ladies who attended convent school and played males in the school musical look back on those roles as the best of their lives. Even I got to play several fabulous male characters during my years in a junior musical society that never had enough boys. So why should men reading this consider joining a musical society? Besides the chance to tread the boards, it is also one of the best ways to meet new people. The social scene is active, with most societies engaging in weekly drinks after rehearsals, fundraising activities, and legendary after-show parties. If being in the limelight really isn’t your thing, there is always a need for set builders, stage man- agers and backstage crew. If you are good with your hands and need a new project, creating a set could be right up your alley. A veritable babe magnet As if that wasn’t enough, the prospect of scantily clad girls on stage should be enough to tempt many red-blooded males. You will be surrounded by a crowd of gor- geous girls, probably getting to do love scenes, pick them up during dances and generally get to play manly and tough characters. Many a marriage has begun on the musical circuit – look at Lee Mead, the former winner of the BBC’s programme Any Dream Will Do. He went on to marry judge and musical star Denise Van Outen. A man who can sing, and dance (in a manly way) is a veritable babe mag- net. I do have a proposal that may solve the problem. When I was in school and we were short on guys for our produc- tion of Calamity Jane, our headmaster came up with a novel way of dealing out pun- ishments to troublemakers – Why I'm looking for a man he made them take part in the production instead of detention. Now I’m not sure if this would be a feasible alternative to prison for law offenders - but it may makes numbers such as ‘Jailhouse Rock’ in All Shook Up all that more authentic. Men of Dublin, if you find yourself with free evenings, if you are desperately on the hunt for Mrs Right, if you need to lose some weight without braving the winter elements, then get yourself down to your local musical society – you won’t regret it. But if you do, this dating agency does not come with a money back guarantee! For details on how to find your local musical society, check out the website of Amateur Irish Musical Societies (A.I.M.S.) at www.aims. ie. You can find a list of societies, contact,s upcoming auditions and shows. Kirstin Smith is a member of Portmarnock Musical and Dramatic Society Spring Awakening Competition Winner The winner of two tickets to see Spring Awakening at the Grand Canal Theatre was Emer Breen, Goatstown, Dublin 14. (or: how to dress up, make a lot of noise, indulge your ego, sing at the top of your voice and sweep gorgeous girls off their feet) n It's tough on the guys!
