Rob Turner - Curly

Rob has been acting for the past 20 years, during which time he has played most of the leading male parts in musical theatre, including Tony in West Side Story, Tony in Copacabana, The Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, Oscar in Sweet Charity, and The Ringmaster in Barnum. Rob is pleased to be playing the part of Curly in his debut with BOS, and thanks everyone for their support.    

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Anita Gray - Laurey

Anita has been a member for Benfleet Operatic Society for about 10 years now, on and off, but she never tires of being on the stage. She has played the parts of Babe (The Pajama Game), Aline (The Sorcerer), Katie Brown (Calamity Jane) and Marsinah (Kismet). When Anita first saw Oklahoma she thought that Laurey was a bit of a drip but, she has to admit, over the last few months she's grown quite fond of her. Anita wishes everyone the best of luck and hopes that Bobo and Tickle-tuff (our official mascots) enjoy the show!

Jill Curd - Aunt Eller

Jill came along to a BOS rehearsal in 1994 and has been taking part in shows and concerts ever since. She also undertook the role of society Chair for several years. Roles have included: Carrie in Carousel, Pam in Tarot, the ghostly Frumah Sarah in Fiddler on the Roof, title role in Iolanthe, Counsel for the Defence in Trial By Jury, Ruth in Pirates of Penzance, Mrs Sowerberry in Oliver!, Lady Sangazure in The Sorcerer, Adelaide in Guys and Dolls (a particular favourite!), Dame Hannah in Ruddigore and Calamity Jane – her biggest challenge, and most fun, to date. Jill has also taken part in a number of Basildon Theatre Company projects (where she met her husband Tony) including the community musical premiere of ‘Jack in the Box’, ‘Chairs’ – a series of performed monologues, and played one of only four characters in a powerful play ‘Voices in the Dark’ written by local Basildon play-write Paul Nagle. Jill gets to fire a gun again in this production and feels Aunt Eller may really be Calamity Jane as an OAP! Bring on the rocking chair!

Mick has been with the Society for many years, starting as the Solicitor in Gilbert & Sullivan’s Patience. Since then he has been an ever present member enjoying the unique variety of music that BOS is known for. In addition to the many shows, he has also enjoyed the concerts and oratorios such as The Messiah and Elijah and even a pantomime! He has over the years held various positions within the Society including Chairman and Social Secretary. He has produced one show - Trial by Jury, but prefers to be on stage and has taken many parts including Moonface Martin in Anything Goes and Pooh Bah in The Mikado. In April this year, Mick played the Wazir in Kismet and this is his favourite part to date. Having “drowned” on stage as the Wazir Mick is once again killed in Oklahoma, but is certain to “come alive” again in time for the next show!

Emma was in her first BOS show at just 6 years old. She has enjoyed a number of roles in her many years with the society, as well as having produced Anything Goes in 2002 and also tried her hand at choreography(?). She has thoroughly enjoyed her role as Ado Annie in Oklahoma but insists that “Their ain’t no truth in them rumours about her bloomers”, coz she really very rarely wears them!

Rob Mitchell - Ali Hakim

Accents are not my strong point! So the opportunity to play a Persian Salesman in Oklahoma did not immediately make me jump up and down with excitement. However this part has proved to be good fun, even if Ali Hakim sounds like an Irish Jew at times !! I hope everyone enjoys the show, even if it is not for all the right reasons.

After first hearing ‘Kansas City’ over 15 years ago Peter had desperately wanted the chance to perform the song on stage, so he was very easily persuaded to return to BOS (having officially left them after Ruddigore last year) and audition for the part of Will Parker. He didn’t quite realise just how tangled up (both metaphorically and literally) the part would leave him, but he can honestly say it’s the fulfilment of a boyhood ambition being in the show! Peter hopes y’all in the cast and the audience have a fantastic show, OK? Yeow!

Dave Roberts - Andrew Carnes

Dave has played many principal roles in a long association with BOS. Many of these roles were in the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas and these remain amongst his favourites. ‘Jack Point’ in The Yeoman of the Guard was a particular challenge requiring dramatic portrayal of a tragic character. More recent roles include ‘Scrooge’ in Scrooge the Musical and Mr Bumble in Oliver!. He has now accepted that playing the young virile male lead is a thing of the past and was hoping to avoid having to dance too much in this production but sadly no – he will be the one just one move behind everybody else!