THE Forest Musical Society is dipping into its archives as it celebrates its silver jubilee.

Members are busy rehearsing for a special show that will relive some of the highlights of the last 25 years.

Chairman Elliott Burge said: “We started pulling it together about two years ago, knowing the anniversary was coming up.

“We’ve never worked on a show for so long – we started rehearsals back in February – and although it’s a look back, we are using it as a springboard for going forward.

“We’ve cherry-picked not just the best but our favourites and what we know went down well with audiences.”

The show, at the society’s usual venue of Lydney Town Hall, will feature favourites from previous productions stretching back to Extracts from Oliver in 1992.

The society can trace its roots back even further, to the mid-1980s and the Forest Youth Theatre which was formed by Carol Roderick and performed at the Forest Theatre at the college campus at Five Acres.

Among the members of the Forest Youth Theatre was Marion Whittaker who is still involved with the society.

She said: “There have been a lot of changes over the years – it started as the Forest Youth Theatre and progressed from there.

“We used to perform at the theatre at Five Acres and we did a lot of successful shows.”

The youth group became the Forest Theatre Musical Society in 1992 to accommodate the growing number of adults who wanted to take part.”

Marion added: “We did all the big shows such as Oklahoma and we did Chicago (in 1994) before it became famous.

Margaret Silsby, who joined in 2002, said: “We’ve put on some superb shows over the years and it’s been an absolute pleasure.

“It’s a lot of hard work but it’s also great fun and we all have some great memories.

“Some people get nervous but I say you just pretend you are somebody else.

“You put on a costume, stand on that stage and you are somebody else.”

Costumes are made by members and volunteers paint the sets – and local charity shops are hit hard in the run up to a production for other props.

The society has also been a springboard for professional careers including that of Emma Hatton who has been touring this year in the title role of Evita.

Marion said: “It’s a pleasure to say we have trodden the boards with someone who has a lead in a major show.”

As well as famous former members, the society also has a number of performers who are going through university or theatre school, said Elliott.

“We have younger ones from eight years and it’s great to see the youth section building.

“When they have been with us a few years you see how their confidence has grown.

“You’ll never find a better example of teamwork than theatre, whether its drama or musical, because you absolutely have to rely on the person next to you.

“You watch people of whatever age develop and grow in confidence and its wonderful to see.”

Elliott has been chairman for three years and during that time the society has expanded its activities beyond the two shows it runs each year in May and October.

“We do the Cinderford lights switch-on – and we’re hoping to expand to Lydney – and we’ve done Parkend Carnival and we’ve performed with other groups.

“We are already planning into 2019 and we will be bringing a traditional family panto back to Lydney.”

Vice-chairman James Gough will direct the panto Cinderella which will run in January 2019.

Planning is also well advanced for Broadway Nights in May which will be based on songs from long-running shows.

“We are the only musical theatre group in the Forest and we want to be here for another 25 years.

“Our aim is to get more into the community and bring musical theatre to the Forest.”

The 25th anniversary show runs at Lydney Town Hall from Thursday, October 12 until Saturday, October 14 with a Saturday matinée.

The society meets at Coleford Baptist Church in Newland Street every Tuesday from 7pm.

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The ­full list of shows

1992 Extracts from Oliver

1993 The Boyfriend

1994 Chicago

1995 Fiddler on the Roof

1996 Little Shop of Horrors

1998 Me and My Girl

1999 Calamity Jane

1999 Blue Remembered Hills

2000 Anything Goes

2000 Daisy Pulls it Off

2001 Oh What a Lovely War

2001 Cabaret

2003 Oklahoma!

2004 My Fair Lady

2005 The Importance of Being Earnest

2006 Wind in the Willows

2008 A Christmas Carol

2009 100 Years of Songs from the Musicals

2009 Cinderella

2010 Robin, Son of Crusoe

2010 Stone of Dreams

2011 Golden Bird

2011 Pirates of Penzance

2012 Fiddler On The Roof

2012 Oklahoma!

2013 The Wedding Singer

2013 Musical Magic

2014 Carousel

2014 Musical Magic Two

2015 Calamity Jane

2015 From Broadway to Hollywood

2016 Me and My Girl 2

2016 Evolution of Music

2017 A Night at the Movies