In The Spotlight - Sam Hutchinson

How long have you been performing in shows
Following on from time spent in bands and performing as a solo artist, I joined my first theatre group in Ashby in November 2007.

What got you interested in music / theatre
Having moved to Leicestershire following completion of my second degree, I had started a new job and was suffering from a distinct lack of social life. My aunt, who has been in several theatre groups over the years, suggested I join a local group. This idea seemed alien to me, having not really had any interest in musical theatre at any point in my life. However, I succeeded in the audition and my eyes were well and truly opened to the world of musical theatre.

What was your first show
My first show was Annie Get Your Gun, where I played the role of half-Irish, half-Native-America knife thrower Tommy Keeler. My fake knife-throwing abilities were equally as dubious as my accent (you try it!) and the less said about how PC the fake tan was, the better.

What has been your favourite show and/or character and why
My favourite role so far was playing Curly in Oklahoma! in 2010. As my first lead role, it was a massive step up for me and something I was thrilled to have the opportunity to do it. Curly gets to sing loads of big numbers and the contrast with his adversary Judd adds the character a bit of depth, especially in the second act. I still sing the songs today.

What has been your most embarassing or funniest moment in a show
As the opener of a revue show I did in Ashby in 2012, we performed a medley of big hits from the show Fiddler on the Roof. Unfortunately, one of the junior members of the cast broke her ankle the week before the show. As luck would have it, she was a more than competent violinist and so we had her play the “fiddler” on the balcony so she could still take part in the show, albeit in only one number. It was my job to make sure she got on and off the stage safely. As luck would have it, on opening night I managed to nail all the dances and harmonies and gave a pretty stellar performance as “generic Jewish chorus member #11". I was so dizzy with joy that I forgot my key role and left the poor fiddler stuck on the stage. I do feel that this series of unfortunate events may have been somewhat more embarrassing for her than it was for me, especially when the applause died down and the next number started and everyone realised some idiot hadn’t done his job properly. The important thing is that nobody in the audience realised that I was the idiot.

Describe the best and worst costumes you have had to wear
Easily the most embarrassing costume was in Seussical when I had to wear a generic fish costume for the song “It’s Possible”, which was extremely shiny and blue and left my carefully sculpted one-pack belly on show for the whole audience. Whilst I was on the back row (a mystifyingly common theme for me in dance numbers) and only on stage for a short period of time, it truly was 25 seconds of hell - especially for those unfortunate enough to see my pot belly from the audience.

I’ve had plenty of great costumes. I loved wearing the old-fashioned waistcoats and woollen trousers in The Hired Man in 2013 and I had some really dapper outfits when I performed as Cornelius in Hello Dolly! in 2012.

What has been your proudest moment
The run up to Oklahoma! was difficult for me. I gave a good performance in the audition despite travelling back on the day from the funeral of a good friend who had unexpectedly passed away, and it took a lot of strength to hold back the emotions. Soon after, my grandma also passed away. Oklahoma! was one of her favourite musicals and she was thrilled to find out I had been cast in the lead role. Unfortunately she didn’t make it to opening night but my ultimate goal was to make sure I gave a performance she would be proud of. Hopefully I did.

If you could choose any show to perform in, what would it be and why
Assuming there won’t be a stage version of Labyrinth and I therefore won’t be able to channel my inner-Bowie with a mind-blowing performance of Jareth the Goblin King (someone really should sort that out...), I would also love an opportunity to perform the lead male role in Once.

Do you have any plans to pursue theatre as a career
I am currently pursuing a career as an engineering consultant and technical advisor in the oil and gas industry, and the time I spend at rehearsals and on show week provides me with the perfect life balance. I love taking part in Greasepaint’s shows and have no plans to change that any time soon.