People in Alyth will continue to enjoy, and gain valuable skills and experience in staging, high quality musical entertainment helped, in part, by a grant from Alyth Development Trust (ADT).
ADT has awarded £2000 from its Community Projects Fund to Alyth Musical Society (AMS) to assist with the increasing production costs of its annual musical, which has been enjoyed by generations of Alyth people.
AMS put on its first production over 70 years ago, but the increasing costs of venue hire, costuming and musical expertise in the last couple of years threatened the continuation of this much-loved fixture of the local calendar.
Albert Halliburton of AMS explained: “Our 2022 production of ‘Hello Dolly!’ incurred a significant loss, and this year we were facing increased costs for hiring rehearsal space and the performance venue. This year’s production of ‘Sister Act’ also required additional paid musicians, putting the costs up still more. Increasing ticket prices to cover the whole deficit would have made them very pricey for many in the community, so the grant from ADT is of immeasurable assistance.
“Our annual productions are about much more than giving local people a great night out with live entertainment. Our cast and crew – almost all local people themselves – get the opportunity to perform in, work backstage on props, lighting and staging, and front-of-house in ticketing and customer service. Learning the nuances of preparing and putting on a stage show are very fulfilling and, especially for the younger generation, can teach valuable skills and experience.”
George Hall, chair of ADT, said: “Alyth Musical Society is an important and established cultural asset for Alyth which has been delighting local audiences for decades. We’re pleased to be able to help it continue to deliver a great experience for cast, crew and audiences alike.”
ADT’s Community Projects Fund distributes the community benefit funds provided for Alyth by the operators of the Tullymurdoch Windfarm, some five miles north of the town. Applications to the fund are judged by an independent panel of volunteers drawn from across the community.