Maitland Gilbert and Sullivan Orchestra members need a place to stage their August concert as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations with fears one selected venue might be too small.
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Plans to hold the concert at St Peter’s Church in East Maitland could be stalled amid fears only 18 of the orchestra’s 26 members could fit into the area.
“There is concern about where the venue for our August concert will be,” committee member and past president Jeanette Massey said.
“We were told to start rehearsals soon, but we are not sure where our celebratory performance will take place now,” Ms Massey said.
“We are a little concerted this has not yet been sorted out and I hope this will be a key issue to be resolved soon.
“I understand only 18 of the 26 orchestra members can fit into the church at St Peter’s, where many of the members won’t be visible to the audience either.”
Ms Massey said the expense of hiring venues was always a big consideration for committee members.
“Maitland Town Hall is very expensive and we will be paying up to $5000 a week to stage our forthcoming October Beauty and the Beast production there – plus around $4000 for the rights to stage it,” Ms Massey said.
Orchestra member Caroline Gregg, from Woodberry, who has been a violinist for 61 years, said many members would have to sit on the floor at St Peter’s Church where the audience would be unable to see them.
“If we sit on the floor, people will only be able to see the tops of our heads,” Ms Gregg said.
“We also have to find a place that is big enough to take all of us, but our 25 members won’t fit into the space at St Peter’s Church.
“It must surely be possible to find a place big enough to accommodate our entire orchestra.