Showtime for Guys and Dolls at Holy Cross!

The final week in March saw a member of our staff involved in her 22nd College production, alongside more than 100 Holy Cross students. 

Bea Leatherbarrow as Adelaide with Max Chamberlain as Nathan Detroit in the Holy Cross College production of Guys and Dolls 

For Jennie Fairclough, Performing Arts Curriculum Leader and Director of Performance, this was the seventh production she has overseen as director, but the 22nd she has been a key part of since joining the College in 2002.  

This year, it was Guys and Dolls, and alongside Jennie were five members of staff and more than 100 students all working together to get this Broadway classic onto the Holy Cross stage. 

Carina Vitti, Principal of Holy Cross College, said: “The College Production is one of the highlights of our academic year, and something which I know a lot of staff and students look forward to from the minute the auditions start in September. 

“I’d like to congratulate every student and member of staff involved in bringing Guys and Dolls to life on our stage – there’s an incredible amount of time and effort that goes into bringing all the elements together to create a fantastic performance. 

“A special thank you to Jennie – she puts her heart and soul into every Holy Cross production.”   

Jennie added: “The team have been working on the show since September, with auditions starting pretty much as soon as the students start their year.  

“What makes me proud is that we have such a mixture of students involved – from those whose only previous stage experience was their primary school nativity, to those who are auditioning for specialist drama schools. The production is a vessel for students to build their confidence, find their voice, and make friends for life.  

“Every year, each cast amazes me in their determination and passion to create the best show they can for their audience. The students’ sense of pride and community is first and foremost; it transforms their experience. But above and beyond anything else, it’s a space for them to have fun. 

“It’s incredibly rewarding for them to hear feedback from the audience. We’ve definitely pulled out the stops this year!” 

Guys and Dolls in numbers

55 students in the cast, 25 in the crew and more than 30 in the orchestra 

100 hours of in-College rehearsal (approximately) 

Six members of staff:

Jennie Fairclough – Director
Abbie Lynn - Musical Director
Charlotte North – Choreographer
Lee Davies - Stage Manager & Lighting
Dom Tanner - Sound Design
Slava Sidorenko – Accompanist