Zug, 18.12.2019

Modern musical with local colour

The English Theatre Group of Zug is planning a musical project by authors from its own ranks. Singers are still being sought.

The plot of the musical, which is entitled "6300 Showtime", is as simple as it is timelessly true: two choirs take part in an audition. They are competitors, and regard each other with scepticism, and there are positive and negative encounters between the singers during the event. "Among other things, there is a little love story, a quarrel and a reconciliation," reveals Lizette Ewald, one of the two authors of the play and a member of the English Theatre Group of Zug (ETGZ) since 2016. In the end, the choir members realise that it would be best to sing together. "For the finale, everyone will sing a 20-minute medley from the new musical ‘Waitress’ by Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson, which is currently being performed in London."

Well-known musical numbers will also be sung in between, such as pieces from Hamilton, The Greatest Showman and medleys from Kiss me Kate, Chicago or Les Misérables. The musical "6300 Showtime" will be performed in the Burgbachsaal Zug in mid-November 2020, with live band accompaniment.

Choreographer Jennifer Schluchter (left) and author Lizette Ewald are members of the English Theatre Group of Zug.

“We wanted to create a story that is about Zug, but is enriched with contemporary musical compositions,” says Ewald. Together with her colleague Elaine McVey, she started writing the play two years ago. "The story, with all its side plots, was created over this period," says the 42-year-old housewife and mother. They rewrote the whole story about five times before they were completely satisfied.

    «Most musicals only have two or three leading roles. But we wanted to create many opportunities for solos and duets. »

The author, Lizette Ewald, is convinced that this will make the whole thing more interesting for the singers. She has been living in Zug with her family for five years, but has already had musical experience in her home town of Copenhagen, and received vocal training in Zurich. It is a passion for both of them. "I love singing and musicals, and I want to share this with others," she says enthusiastically.

Audition will be held in January, and are not only open to members of the group, but also to any interested outsiders. This is the usual procedure of the ETGZ, says Ewald. On the homepage (see note below) you can reserve a time for an audition on two days in January, during which one song from the musical “6300 Showtime” must be presented. The aim is to get about 30 singers excited about the production. The only professional in the team is the conductor, Artemi Ergorov, who originates from Russia. Jennifer Schluchter, President of the ETGZ, will be the choreographer.

"All members of the ETGZ are amateurs, but have had experience with singing and acting," explains Ewald. The group, which currently has around 90 active and passive members, has existed since 1986 and normally performs a larger musical every year, as well as some smaller performances. The shows are financed through membership and sponsorship fees, as well as ticket sales.

Interested parties can register for an audition on January 11th and 12th. Rehearsals will start from March 1st. All the dates and further information can be found on www.etgz.ch.