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Before Paul had reached the age of 10 he had persuaded his Dad to extent the garden shed and convert it into a theatre! The Little Hut Theatre had lights, a sound system and a full set of tabs! Shows would be rehearsed for weeks before everyone in the neighbourhood was dragged in to see it!
At the age of 10 Paul was asked by his teacher, Miss Kyte, to go with a group of class mates to sell programmes for Ripley and Alfreton Operatic Society’s production of Guys and Dolls. Anne Kyte was a brilliant pianist who could inspire even the most “tone deaf” person to sing! For RAOS she was MD. After watching the show every night for a week ~ Paul was hooked on Musical Theatre!
Having taken bit parts in school productions and sung in various choruses Paul turned his attention to working backstage for the Gateway Theatre Company at the Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfield as both ASM and DSM on “the book”.
However, it was at the Methodist Chapel in Shirland, Derbyshire that Paul honed his skills and MD and Conductor. From his early teens he played the organ and conducted the Choir.
With a lot of support and prayers from friends at Chapel, Paul eventually moved to King Alfred’s College, Winchester to study for a degree in Music and Education and conducted his first stage musical ~ Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Paul then worked as a Butlins’ Redcoat before entering the teaching profession in Nottingham.
In 2001 Paul moved to Durham, having accepted the call to the Methodist Ministry. He now serves as a Minister in Durham with pastoral care of North Road, Bear Park and Witton Gilbert Methodist Churches.
Since then Paul has MD-ed for South Shields Musical Productions and Sunderland AO Society.
Paul became Musical Director for DMTC following the retirement of George Hetherington in the spring of 2005 and has been putting us through our musical paces ever since! Singing rehearsals begin with warm up exercise and proceed at a pace in order that DMTC might be known for the quality of its music as well as its production values.
Paul is delighted to be working with some of the best free lance musicians in the North East, both in rehearsals and performing in the Orchestra.
Mack and Mabel will be Paul’s fourth show with DMTC following the successes of Titanic, Company, and Gigi “it’s looking as though it could be the best yet!” he says.
www.durhamdeernessmethodist.org.uk
