North Canterbury News: October 03, 2019
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
NEWS<br />
8 <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>October</strong> 3, <strong>2019</strong><br />
Gail’sdedication made her astar<br />
By ROBYN BRISTOW<br />
Gail Fox started in musical<br />
theatre as, in herown words,a<br />
budding prospect —achorus<br />
member with afew stars in her<br />
eyes.<br />
Now, after more than 25 years<br />
in show biz, she has been<br />
recognised by her theatrical<br />
colleagues.<br />
Thoseattending the recent<br />
AucklandconferenceofMusical<br />
Theatre New Zealand gaveher a<br />
MeritAward —atop honourfor<br />
thoseinher field.<br />
Gail has now framed the<br />
award, which takespride of place<br />
in her independent apartment in<br />
RymanHealthcare’s Charles<br />
Honoured ... Gail Fox holds the<br />
merit award, presented by <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> Musicals’ president,<br />
Michelle Hampton.<br />
UphamRetirement Village in<br />
Rangiora, where she lives with<br />
her husband, Bob.<br />
The awardswere introduced in<br />
1993 to honour those who have<br />
made an outstanding<br />
contributiontomusical theatre<br />
in communities.<br />
Gail’s society, <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> Musicals (NCM),<br />
applied on her behalffor the<br />
recognition and highlightedthe<br />
fact that she had been asociety<br />
member and practising<br />
stagecraft for 29 years.<br />
Before joining, she started in a<br />
singing group with the League of<br />
Mothers, and played piano from<br />
the age of 7.<br />
When she became ajunior cast<br />
member with the Rangiora<br />
Society, based in <strong>North</strong>brook<br />
Road,she was encouraged by a<br />
contemporary, JocelynJones.<br />
Her husband, Bob, soon joined<br />
and becameaproduction<br />
manager.<br />
Her early castwork included a<br />
chorus partinOklahoma,Mrs<br />
Harcourt in AnythingGoes,Mrs<br />
Pearce in My Fair Lady,Mother<br />
Superior in Nunsense,aswell as<br />
regular townhall based War<br />
Concerts.<br />
On the administrative side,<br />
Gail was soonpart of the NCM<br />
committee. She served atermof<br />
15 years, of which 13 wereasthe<br />
secretary.<br />
She attended the monthly<br />
meetingsaswell as doing<br />
paperworkfor the bigger shows.<br />
More recently,she has been a<br />
musical director for the NCM<br />
singers performing in classic<br />
showssuch as The Sound of<br />
Long service ... Gail Fox has given years of service to <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> Musicals.<br />
Music.‘‘I had to getall the music<br />
together, the chorus, the<br />
harmonies and conductthem all,<br />
put the orchestra together and<br />
conduct that,’’she says of the<br />
role.<br />
Separately, she has put on<br />
concertswith the singersin<br />
venues such as the Rangiora<br />
Town Hall and the <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> RSAs.<br />
She has also worked in a<br />
similar vein for the Hurunui<br />
Theatre Company and the<br />
Kaiapoi TheatreCompany,<br />
sometimes working alongside<br />
DougClark of the Riccarton<br />
Players.<br />
She hasalso assisted the <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong> Musical Society with<br />
its fundraisingefforts.She has<br />
raisedthe profileofthe society<br />
within the surrounding<br />
community.<br />
Everyone who knows Gail has<br />
no doubt at some point thanked<br />
her for her support.<br />
Bob and Gail havetwo<br />
PHOTOS: SUPPLIED<br />
children, Greg,who lives near<br />
Newcastle in Australia,and<br />
Bronwyn, who livesinKaiapoi,<br />
and four grandchildren.<br />
She and Bob moved to the<br />
Charles Uphamvillage three<br />
years ago.<br />
‘‘Wehave watchedthe village<br />
growand consider the movehere<br />
one of our best life decisions. The<br />
friendliness of people and staff,<br />
the choices of activities are great;<br />
it’sthe best place to live out our<br />
senior years,’’ Gail says.<br />
End of Season<br />
SALE<br />
RANGIORA<br />
Lifestyles and Fashionworks <strong>October</strong> Sale<br />
is moving from Labour Weekend to…<br />
The first weekend of <strong>October</strong><br />
4 th 5 th 6 th 7 th <strong>October</strong> (2 nd weekend of the school holidays)<br />
Opens Friday 3pm -6pm and Sat, Sun, Mon at 10am<br />
Hanmer Spring’s Memorial Hall<br />
The Courtyard<br />
Conical Hill Road, Hanmer Springs<br />
Ph <strong>03</strong> 315 7120<br />
NOT TO BE MISSED!<br />
Alpine Pacific Centre<br />
Conical Hill Road, Hanmer Springs<br />
Ph <strong>03</strong> 315 7126<br />
2208981<br />
FOR ENQUIRIES<br />
OR TO MAKE<br />
YOUR BOOKING<br />
rangiora@winniebagoes.co.nz<br />
CHILDREN GET TO MAKE THEIR OWNPIZZA,<br />
GET COVERED IN FLOUR ROLLING DOUGH, CHOOSE THEIR OWNTOPPINGS,<br />
EACH<br />
$15<br />
EACH CHILD GETS...<br />
TO MAKE AND EATAPIZZA,<br />
ONE SOFT DRINK OR JUICE,<br />
AND ONE ICE CREAM CONE<br />
THEIR CULINARYMASTERPIECE!<br />
EACH<br />
$10<br />
EACH CHILD GETS...<br />
TO MAKE AND<br />
EATAPIZZA<br />
SESSION TIMES ARE<br />
MON – WED 4PM<br />
THURS – SUN 11AM OR 3PM<br />
WINNIEBAGOESRANGIORA<br />
88 VICTORIA STREET<br />
Pizzaschoolisavailabletoall preschool and<br />
primary schools. Childrenmustbesupervised<br />
at alltimes whilethey areonthe premises.<br />
amaximum of 20.
Change language