THREE members of Frome Musical Theatre Company have been presented with NODA (the National Operatic and Dramatic Association) long service medals, including Humphrey Barnes, who was recognised for his staggering 70 years of service to amateur theatre.
The medals were awarded at FMTC Star Awards evening earlier this month to Simon Plenty for 25 years service; Heather Singer for 50 years and Humphrey Barnes for 70 years.
“Simon joined the group in 1983 and has contributed over the years, notably backstage and operating the lighting desk for a number of years,” said a spokesperson for the group. “His first job was to lay on the stage without being seen turning the magic bridge in the Wizard of Oz!
“He also held the role of chairman of the bar committee at Scott Hall, where the group used to rehearse, helping to raise funds via profits from function hire and bar takings. Simon was also a member of the executive committee during this time. In recent years, as a Trustee of the Frome Memorial Theatre, part of his responsibilities is managing the FMTC contract and rehearsal schedules.
“Heather joined the group in 1967 for Chu Chin Chow; she began in the chorus and then went on to take many leading and supporting roles from the 1970s through to the 2000s, notably Fiona in Brigadoon, the title role in Gigi, Maria in Sound of Music, General Cartwright in Guys & Dolls, and Mrs Higgins in My Fair Lady, plus many more.
“Heather was also a member of the Opera group/ Showstoppers from its first performance until it sadly folded a couple of years ago. In addition to this, Heather was social committee chairman for a number of years, an executive committee member and a vice president for many years. She now organises everyone under stage, ensuring there are enough dressers, costumes and chaperones available.
“Humphrey joined Frome Amateur Operatic Society (FAOS) in 1951 to play a child’s role in Virginia when his sister Veronica persuaded him to come along to rehearsals, despite his protest that he didn’t want to do that ‘sissy stuff’ – the rest as they say is history.
“He got the bug and continued to play hundreds of roles over the past 70 years. He has also been on the executive committee for many years, helping to run Scott Hall in Palmer Street where FMTC used to rehearse, been on the social committee, chairman and currently president. He has played song and dance roles, comedy characters and leading roles and of course many comic panto roles including many dames. A fantastic character actor with a natural ability to sing any number of songs from ballads to patter songs.
“Having been in the society for 70 years, he has been in a number of shows more than once playing Will Parker and Curly in Oklahoma, The King and the Krahlahome in the King & I, Cornelius Hackle and Horace Vandergelder in Hello Dolly!, Arthur Kipps and Chitterlow in Half a Sixpence and some roles he’s played twice – Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guy & Dolls, Luther Billus in South Pacific, Fagin in Oliver, most recently Grandpa Potts in Chitty.
“But the part that he made his own is the role of Tevye which he has played in all three productions of Fiddler on the Roof in the 1970s, 1980s and the 1990s with his rendition of ‘If I Were a Rich Man’ being a highlight not only in each of the productions, but also in many a concert in more recent years.
“Humphrey has remained an active member of FMTC for 70 years and was instrumental in the saving of the Memorial Theatre in the 1980s when he and other members of the then ‘FAOS’ executive committee campaigned and took over the running of the theatre to save it from demolition, something that he was awarded the British Empire Medal by the Queen for a few years ago.”
