THEATRE stalwart Alan Abbott has become the first president of Concordia Amateur Operatic Society on his retirement after 42 years as treasurer.
He announced his resignation at the annual meeting when chairman Will Hare announced the committee’s decision to create the post and presented Mr Abbott with a National Operatic and Drama Association president’s badge.
His successor is Jack Staniforth who had prepared the latest balance sheet.
A keen cricketer who played for Hinckley Grammar School, he was playing for the county at 19 and resisted all cajoling from his brother Derek and Roy Hewitt in favour of sport until the society staged Oklahoma!, a show he had enjoyed in the West End, and an appearance that led to many more as he became more involved.
He took over as treasurer in 1967 and was advised by a friend who worked at Sketchleys and kept the same system throughout, going back to it after a brief attempt at computerisation.
Now the last surviving trustee, Mr Abbott was one of the group of pioneers who first saw the former hosiery factory and were inspired by Fred Rowbottom’s dream and worked toward the establishment of the theatre there in 1972.
Married for 55 years to Jo, whom he has known since schooldays and met again when both worked at Sketchleys, they have two daughters, four grandchildren and one great grandson.
production of Anything Goes which opens on Tuesday and runs until November 15.
In the production Billy Crocker (Chris Collis) goes to see old pal Reno Sweeney (Anna Bowtell), who wishes they were more than friends, off on a cruise to Europe where the ex-evangelist now nightclub singer is to entertain.
But Billy becomes a stowaway when he sees his love, the girl he shared a taxi with a few months previously, Hope Harcourt (Abi Hunt) who along with her fiance Sir Evelyn Oakleigh (Tim Clay) are also passengers.
They share the liner with an assortment of reprobate clergymen, wisecracking criminals, detectives, chorus girls and fashionable society, but will it be a love boat or sail into stormy waters?
Four members of the cast Malcolm Whittle, Jane Bradley, Jack Young and Pauline Goode recreate the same roles they took when the society last staged the show in 1992.
Tickets (£9, £8.50 OAPs and children Tuesday and November 10, £9.50 Saturdays) are available from the box office on 01455 615005 on Saturday, 10am to noon, or Monday, 7pm to 8pm.