Village set for a glamorous night as church welcomes stars of the stage

A member of the congregation, Wendy Davies, has devised and will direct the evening and our picture shows her, second from the right with some other stars of the evening.

Wendy herself under her stage name of Wendy Bowman, lists her West End roles including The Boys from Syracuse, Something’s Afoot, Death Trap and The Sound of Music. She also starred in major tours as Eliza in My Fair Lady and Greta in The Dancing Years, as well as appearing in the films Oliver and The Cool Mikado.

Her television career included presenting Today at Six for Tyne-Tees TV.

Rosemary Lyford also starred in The Boys from Syracuse in addition to Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Sing a Rude Song, The Merry Widow, Singing in the Rain and Robinson Crusoe, all at the London Palladium. She also toured with My Fair Lady, Robert and Elizabeth and Anything Goes.

Another star from the West End is Liza Westcott who played Charity Barnum opposite Michael Crawford and deputised for Petula Clark in The Sound of Music.

Gillian Arthur, also a member of St Mary’s congregation, made her debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1992. She sang in the London production of Die Meistersinger and travelled with this production to Turin.

Other roles have included The Queen of the Night at both Hever and Lulworth Castles and Gillian has also sung in Paris and with The London Voices. She continues to be an extra chorister with the Royal Opera House. Hermin Daly has played Mrs Peachum in a local production of The Beggar’s Opera, which Wendy directed. She is a member of a local Amateur Dramatic Society. The cast is complemented by members of local choirs and AmDrams.The narrator for the evening, Edwin Preece, is a local prize-winning playwright and his latest work, Rain Falling Upwards, will be part of the Arundel Festival opening on August 20.

The very experienced and talented musical director is Barry Wescott in a role he has experienced in such West End shows as Evita and The Sound of Music. He will supported by Liz Hewson Winning.

All money raised will go towards St Mary’s Church Restoration Fund. The event starts at 7.30pm and a £10 ticket includes an interval drink. Tickets available from King & Chasemore Estate Agents 01903 746289 and Fowlers Estate Agents on 01903 745844.