 Thursday afternoon. Now coming up next week, next Tuesday through to Friday, there is Calamity Jane, the musical and it's on in the Alley Theatre in Sturban and what is unique about this is it's students from two schools in Ruffaux that are in the cast. There's the Royal Empire and Deal College and it's a transition year students from both schools. The TY coordinator is Kathy Ann Gibson who is in the studio with us together with two of the cast, Ellie Carson and Ellie Rose Henry, the two Ellies. So you're all more than welcome to our studio. Thank you. Good afternoon. Thank you. Kathy I'll start with you. It's a big undertaking to put on a musical like this but to pull two schools together and put it on. I'm sure there was a lot of work involved. Yes absolutely John. We're so excited and so much looking forward to what's going to happen next week. As you say it's the first time that it has happened. We have the students merging together to bring their talents onto the stage in Sturban. So it's very exciting. It's the first time it's ever happened. It is happening in relation to piece four. So for the last number of years, six or seven years of two schools have worked very closely together, just really promoting positive relations between the schools and this kind of is our final year of piece four. So we thought let's push the boat out and do something extra exciting and really this is going to be brilliant. So plenty of rehearsals. Loads of rehearsals yeah. They've been rehearsing since September. Oh wow. And yeah been really busy and under the direction of Andrew Tenney who is directing the musical and Jade is choreographing. So we're really thankful for them as well. Plus staff and both schools are involved. So Ellie how has it been for you? Have you enjoyed the whole the rehearsals? Has it been a bit of a chore or do you look forward to them all? No it actually brightens my whole week you know. Like normally you think Monday and you're like Monday again but with like musical practice I think it's just it's just it literally flies on. Yeah good. That's always good to hear. And Ellie Rose you're I mean the way it works between the two of you is that you one of you is playing the part for well there's two different parts to Calamity Jane and then there's Katie Brown. So Ellie Rose you're doing Katie Brown for three out of the four nights and Ellie you're doing Calamity Jane for three out of the four nights. Is that how it's working? Yeah. Yeah okay. So everybody for like one night and then Katie for two nights. So what that means really is that the both of you you've got to learn two roles. Two lead roles. I'm only doing one but she's doing two. I'm doing two lead roles. Okay all right okay well that's that's a fair undertaking. It's hard enough to learn one without having to have to deal with the second one. Okay you're going to do one of the songs for us. Yes? Yes. Okay tell me the song. A woman's touch. A woman's touch and far in the musical is that? Katie. It's the start of act two. It's Katie's Calamity's Cabin. But she redesigns it. Very briefly in your own words for those that are not familiar with the musical what what is it about? Calamity's a cowgirl but the rest of them are like pretty ladies like but she's just not like that. She's more she acts like a man basically. And they kind of judge her for it. All right okay. But she she comes out on top. Yeah. Very much so. Okay then so you're going to do the song and we've got a backing track as well so in your own time can you can you hear it okay in the in the headphones? All right okay. Mine was an old rat's nest till you got working on it. Now it's real pretty it sure is. Nothing to it just a can of paint a few frills and a woman's touch. Woman's touch. The magic of Aladdin couldn't do as much. She's a wizard she's a champ and she doesn't need a lamp. We have a spell. The kind of hocus pocus that she does so well. With the magic of a broom she can mesmerize her room. A whisk here and a whisk there and a dustpan for the cinders. And a rub rub there she can polish up the windows. Presto chains you suddenly the sun comes peeping What does mister sunshine say it makes you blink to stop and think a woman woman's touch can quickly fill the empty flower boxes on a windowsill. Once my from her and soon little buds begin to bloom a touch of paint a magic nail can turn a kitchen chair into a chipping even make a lamp appear like a crystal chandelier. Fantastic girls brilliant yeah I can just hear you at our own stage doing you know I just flew in from the windy city or the black hills of Dakota and all the other songs and we got to be able to do a bit of dialogue there as well. So I guess you're both looking forward now to next week next when it's starting next Tuesday is it? Next Tuesday night yeah. Okay Brian and you run through until Saturday. Friday. Right it is okay. Oh well that's going to be plenty of excitement. Some tickets I think still available yeah tickets are still available so you can go on to the Alley Theatre and purchase them there. The Friday night is sold out and there are still seats available for the Tuesday Wednesday Thursday and we'd love to have a packed performance to really appreciate the work that all of these students have put in and it will be a tremendous night. Well it sounds like it's all coming together and I'd imagine there's still a rehearsal or two to go before yeah okay we'll probably have a listen. The best look to you. Ellie Carson and Ellie Rose Henry and Kathy thanks for coming in as well and the best look and just to remind people that it's Calamity Jane and it's all in the Alley Theatre Instagram from next Tuesday to Friday. Thank you. Thank you John. Thank you for having there's never been a better time to go full lethal. Let's hear it.