The Portsmouth Music Scene
The South Downe Musical Society

The South Downe Musical Society Shows 5 to 6 April 2019 Comedy Tonight Ferneham Hall, Fareham Wed 12 to Sat 15 June 2019 Sound of Music Ferneham Hall, Fareham Wed 6 to Sat 9 November 2019 Oklahoma Ferneham Hall, Fareham 7 to 10 November 2018 Thoroughly Modern Mille Ferneham Hall, Fareham 4 to7 July 2018 The Producers Ferneham Hall, Fareham 18 to 21 April 2018 Carousel Ferneham Hall, Fareham 2017 November 2017 9 to 11 DIAMOND SHOW STOPPERS Kings Theatre, Southsea 5 to 8 July 2017 Sister Act Ferneham Hall, Fareham 5 to 8 April 2017 Calamity Jane Ferneham Hall, Fareham 2016 November 10th, Made in Dagenham Kings Theatre Southsea 2016 July 6th, Grease Ferneham Hall in Fareham 2016 April 2016 Hot Mikado Ferneham Hall in Fareham 2015 November 6th Legally Blond Kings Theatre Southsea 2015 July 2015 Stage and Screen Showstoppers Ferneham Hall in Fareham 2015 April 2015 Sunshine on Leith Ferneham Hall in Fareham 2014 November 2014 Fiddler on the roof Kings Theatre Southsea 2014 July 2014 Avenue Q Ferneham Hall in Fareham 2014 April 2014 South Pacific Ferneham Hall in Fareham 2013 November 2013 White Christmas Kings Theatre Southsea 2013 July 2013 Evita Ferneham Hall in Fareham 2013 April 2013 Crazy for you Kings Theatre Southsea 2012 November 2012 West End Showstoppers Kings Theatre Southsea 2012 July 2012 Chess Ferneham Hall in Fareham 2012 April 26th Calamity Jane Kings Theatre Southsea 2011 November 2011 A Christmas Carol Kings Theatre Southsea 2011 July 2011 Jesus Christ Superstar Ferneham Hall in Fareham 2011 April 2011 Best of Showstoppers Kings Theatre Southsea 2010 November 2010 Guys and Dolls Kings Theatre Southsea 2010 July 2010 Showstoppers Ferneham Hall in Fareham 2010 April 2010 Half a sixpence Kings Theatre Southsea 2009 Nov 2009 42nd Street Kings Theatre Southsea 2009 July 2009 Jekyll and Hyde Ferneham Hall in Fareham 2009 April 2009 Annie, Kings Theatre Southsea 2008 November 4th My Fair Lady Kings Theatre Southsea 2008 May Singin' in the Rain 2007 Oklahoma 2007 November 7-11 Oliver! Kings Theatre Southsea 2006 July 20-22 Show Stoppers Ferneham Hall in Fareham 2006 March 14-18 Summer Holiday Kings Theatre Southsea 2005 November 8-11 Sweeney Todd Kings Theatre Southsea 2005 July 19-23 Hot Mikado Ferneham Hall in Fareham 2005 March 14-19 Fiddler On The Roof Kings Theatre Southsea 2004 November 15-20 George M Kings Theatre Southsea 2004 May 16-22 Godspell Ferneham Hall in Fareham 2004 March 8-13 My One & Only Kings Theatre Southsea 2003 November 3-8 Showboat Kings Theatre Southsea 2003 March 17-22 Carousel Kings Theatre Southsea 2002 July 8-13 Copacabana Kings Theatre Southsea 2002 March 18-23 Hello, Dolly! Kings Theatre Southsea 2002 November 11-16 Camelot Kings Theatre Southsea 2001 July 9-13 Sweet Charity Ferneham Hall Fareham 2001 March 19-24 Me and my Girl Kings Theatre Southsea 2001 November 12-17 Carmen Kings Theatre Southsea 2000 July 17-22 7 Brides for 7 Brothers Kings Theatre Southsea 2000 March Pirates of Penzance Kings Theatre Southsea 2000 November 6-11 Anything Goes Kings Theatre Southsea 1999 July Calamity Jane Kings Theatre Southsea 1999 March Die Fledermaus 1999 November 9-13 Singin' in the Rain Kings Theatre Southsea 1998 Red Hot and Cole March 23rd-28th Brigadoon Kings Theatre Southsea October 19th-24th Crazy For You Kings Theatre Southsea December 18th 1997 to January 3rd 1998 Mother Goose Kings, Alan Jenkins, Jane Peglar Kings Theatre 1997 Annie Get Your Gun -------- Half a Sixpence 1997 July 3rd-8th The Merry Widow Kings Theatre Southsea 1996 July 8th for six days Gypsy Kings Theatre Southsea -------- Oklahoma -------- My Fair Lady 1995 Carousel 1995 March 20th for six days Chicago 1995 November 6th for six days Hans Andersen 1994 West Side Story -------- South Pacific 1994 November 7th for six days Waltzes From Vienna 1993 July 12th Underneath the Arches Kings Theatre Southsea -March 22nd-27th - Guys and Dolls Kings Theatre Southsea -------- Showboat 1992 July 13th 7 Brides for 7 Brothers Kings Theatre Southsea April 27th -- Anything Goes Kings Theatre Southsea -------- George M! 1991 West Side Story April 22nd Kismet Kings Theatre Southsea -------- Mame 1990 The Boyfriend April 23rd Camelot Kings Theatre Southsea November 12th -- Fiddler on the Roof 1989 April 10th Half a Sixpence Kings Theatre Southsea November 13th-18th--- Annie Get Your Gun 1988 November 14th Song of Norway Kings Theatre Southsea April 25th-30th ---- Hello, Dolly! Kings Theatre Southsea 1987 Die Fledermaus -------- Brigadoon 1986 April Underneath The Arches -------- The Desert Song 1985 November Carmen 1985 April Irene 1984 My Fair Lady -------- Rose Marie 1983 April 18th for one week Kismet -------- The Gypsy Baron 1982 November 8th for one week The Merry Widow -May 11th--- Call Me Madam Kings Theatre Southsea 1981 White Horse Inn May 11th Guys and Dolls Kings Theatre Southsea 1980 April Waltzes from Vienna 1980 November Finian's Rainbow 1979 May Oklahoma -------- Die Fledermaus 1978 November 6th Carousel Kings Theatre Southsea May 19th Hello, Dolly! Kings Theatre Southsea 1977 May 16th Showboat Kings Theatre Southsea - November 7th------- Fiddler on the Roof Kings Theatre Southsea 1976 November Oliver 1976 May 3rd Summer Song Kings Theatre Southsea 1975November My Fair Lady 1975 May Annie Get Your Gun 1974 May Half a Sixpence -------- The Boyfriend -------- Passion Flower 1973 The Merry Widow -------- South Pacific 1972 November 6-11 Oklahoma Portchester Community Centre -------- Waltzes from Vienna 1971 November 8-13 Half a Sixpence Portchester Community Centre -------- Rose Marie 1970 Carousel -------- Showboat 1969 The Gipsy Princess -------- Carissima 1968 The Land of Smiles 1968 May Summer Song 1967 The New Moon 1967 November Good Night Vienna 1966 November Pyjama Game 1966 May Calamity Jane 1965 May The Gipsy Baron 1964 The Desert Song -------- King's Rhapsody 1963 Oklahoma -------- White Horse Inn 1962 Pink Champagne -------- Bless the Bride 1961 Veronique -------- The Quaker Girl 1960 The Maid of the Mountains -------- The Geisha 1959 The Vagabond King -------- Princess Charming 1958 Good Night Vienna 1958 May The Street Singer A Hall in Fareham Portsmouth Evening News report on the first ever SDMS Show, (South Downe Light Opera Company) The 1972 25th Anniversary Company photograph AUDREY PRING Audrey Pring has been with South Downe Musiacal Society since 1967 as choreographer then as producer 70s and retired from SDMS in 2016 in the year she received a Special Achievement Award at the NEWS WOW night at the Kings Theatre. Audrey started dancing back in 1932 age 2 and a half with Lily Barron’s School of Dancing. By ten a dancer and singer with Bert Hartfield’s Globetrotters concert party At fourteen toured the country with Madame Walker’s Victoria Girls taking the stage name of Susan Grey. She joined the famous John Tiller Girl dancers. Her son Alan Pring is Musical Director of SDMS and his two children are accomplished musicians. Noteable performers in the 1999 production of Singing in the rain. A MUSICAL director who has been a part of Portsmouth’s music scene for more than 40 years will retire this weekend. Alan Pring, 66 from Cosham, has been playing a part in musicals across the region since 1976. This weekend, he will hang up the baton at his final show, Oklahoma, being held at Ferneham Hall in Fareham. Starting with Solent Theatre Company, Alan is most well known as the musical director for South Downe Musical Society, where he has been since 1979. He said: ‘I’ve been around for a fair few years now but it's time for me to call it a day. ‘There have been a lot of memorable moments in that time, especially with the challenges – I’ve done West Side Story a few times and that’s always tricky for everyone involved. ‘But if you have good principles and a good chorus, your work is made so much easier and that is what I’ve been blessed with.’ Much of Alan’s life has revolved around musical theatre, with his mother Audrey being the president of SDMS for a few years and even meeting his wife Tricia through the group. The couple have since been together for 38 years, having two children, Anna and Peter, who are now also musical stalwarts. ‘I met my wife at an after-show party following a performance of Oliver,’ he said. ‘Now Peter plays the trumpet and Anna is leading the orchestra, so to have both of them and my wife at my final show is an incredible feeling.’ Alan’s retirement will give him more time to focus on his other hobbies, such as gardening and playing the trumpet. Following the birth of a grandson, he says he may also find himself on babysitting duty to fill up the now empty evenings. He said: ‘Tricia tells me it will be a bit of a culture shock, because I’ve done rehearsals of some sort every night for the past 40 years. ‘I’m still doing some singing rehearsals in Portsmouth but this will give me a lot more free time. ‘I’ve made some great memories and great friends through musical theatre.’ From the Portsmouth NEWS November 2019 Mother Goose Panto 1997 Copacabana 2002

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