As I’m sure you know, producers wear many hats when it comes to putting on shows. Logistical skills include: design, accountancy, transportation, accommodation booking, show structure, booking of personnel, marketing, budget control and general management. It quite often includes performing in the show too. If you also choose to add a 4 month baby to your tour, you will need a fairly large hat stand to keep everything in order.
With the arrival of little Ophelia before Christmas, we thought it might be lovely if she joined us on the tour bus for our first run of West End Magic dates. It WAS wonderful, if slightly exhausting. Maybe that sums up parenthood in a nutshell, right?!
The year’s first run of shows took us to the north of the country. First stop was the Muni Theatre in Lancashire, then on to the beautiful Darlington Hippodrome, further northward into Scotland to the Beacon Arts Theatre in Greenock, and finally back down to Barnsley at the Lamproom Theatre.
Ophelia seemed to enjoy all that comes with touring a magic show; travelling to different locations, the bright stage lights, the folk she met backstage at each theatre, plus members of the team who entertained her backstage during the shows. There were however, points where there wasn’t a pair of hands available to look after her, which meant she made her stage debut and joined the cast for the final bows at the end of the show!
It was a great experience having her with us, but not entirely sure she’ll become a full time cast member anytime soon. Instead, she can wear her own supervisor hat and be our liaison back home with grandma.
