Rhonda Scott is warming up at the keyboard as she prepares for the latest in a long lines of performances at Aberdeen Arts Centre.
The musician has been taking part in productions at the theatre for decades, and has been part of the Ragamuffins kids troupe since it started 30 years ago.
This run of The Little Mermaid, a colourful spectacular based on the Disney film, will be a little different though.
It comes just days after it emerged this cherished “palace of dreams” on King Street is fighting for its future – with the musical coinciding with a major fundraising drive.
And as she gears up for the show, Rhonda can’t help but reflect on what this storied old building means to her.
Taking a break from tinkling away at Under The Sea, the keys fall silent as she tells me: “I don’t know what I would do if something happened to this place.”
Rhonda is just one of many people who tell me what Aberdeen Arts Centre means to them, as I go behind the scenes ahead of the dress rehearsal on Tuesday night.
My peek behind the curtain as kids prepare for the spotlight at Aberdeen Arts Centre
Earlier this month, venue bosses missed out on lifeline funding from the council.
They have now launched a desperate fundraising campaign to amass £660,000 and secure their future – which has already been backed by acting royalty Brian Cox.
The theatre’s plight has touched hearts across Aberdeen, with people digging deep to contribute about £10,000 already.
It’s against this backdrop that I turn up at the theatre at about 5pm on Tuesday night, as volunteers are just starting to arrive and the band is tuning up in the auditorium.
Over the next two hours, more performers file in and the buzz inside begins to grow.
Wednesday’s debut show will be the culmination of months of preparation, and hours spent memorising lines and lyrics with the help of mums and dads.
All the hard work and dedication comes down to this week. And the anticipation was high even before the show took on some added significance when the fight for the venue’s future began.
As it happens, this is the Ragamuffins’ 30th anniversary show – and they’re putting on their biggest musical spectacular yet…
I join 50 kids backstage (aged all the way from P2 to S1) as well as the volunteers, chatting to them to find out what this space means to them – and how they would feel if it closes.
Instantly I am greeted with warm smiles as Eoin Smith from the centre takes me to the auditorium.
Ragamuffins is a voluntary group run by best friends who also all performed when they were little.
‘It has been a huge part of my life’
As the band is busy warming up, I manage to borrow keyboard player Rhonda for a quick chat.
Rhonda is one of the directors of Ragamuffins and also one of the musical directors for The Little Mermaid.
She has been with the group since it started 30 years ago.
“We do it because we love it,” the volunteer tells me.
She has a very personal connection with the Aberdeen Arts Centre. Its doyen Annie Inglis was her drama lecturer when at Aberdeen University, and she used to come along to weekend workshops with her here.
“I have always been a part of the centre, it’s just always been a huge part of my life. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to this place.
“We couldn’t really put on our shows anywhere else because it’s the only venue that can host as many kids as we have. We always get so much support here.”
Telling me a bit about the 30th anniversary show, Rhonda says: “It’s going to be bright, theatrical, dramatic, and colourful. We wanted to go all out.”
It’s become a family tradition, with her 35-year-old son Matthew Walker – an original Ragamuffin – joining her to play bass.
‘To lose Aberdeen Arts Centre would be tragic’
With a bit of time to spare before all the youngsters arrive, I head backstage to meet some more volunteers…
Shona Smith is on the sewing machine making some final tweaks to the costumes. I can see just how much detail and care goes into making the outfits.
Her daughter Brooke, a former Ragamuffin, also volunteers and is helping out in hair and makeup tonight.
Just as we are chatting away, two youngsters come up to Shona. She tells me that they started off in “Minimuffins” and this is their first show in the arts centre.
They are pretty excited at making it to the big stage.
Shona tells me that she sees the kids grow in confidence as they form friendships.
“It’s just that difference you make to kids lives,” she grins.
“It gives them life skills when going into university and jobs. It helps them to do presentations and to stand up in front of people.”
Shona fights back tears as I ask her about the venue we are standing in.
“There is not another facility that meets our needs,” she says.
“His Majesty’s Theatre would be too big and we wouldn’t be able to afford it. Aberdeen Arts Centre is just such a great facility and to lose it would just be tragic.”
The props needed to bring magical underwater world to life
Looking across the room, I see a table neatly laid out with plastic fish, and a cardboard box stuffed with multi-coloured inflatable guitars.
Intrigued to find out more, I speak to Jennifer Brown.
Jennifer is in charge of organising these props, and making sure that all the kids have got what they need for when they are on stage.
It really is all the little touches that help to bring the show to life.
Jennifer has been volunteering with Ragamuffins since it started 30 years ago, when her three-year-old daughter joined.
“It would be really sad to lose the Arts Centre,” Jennifer tells me.
Emotional Alison reveals fears over venue
Alison Forsyth is the administrator and the treasurer for the organisation.
Alison has one daughter in Ragamuffins performing in The Little Mermaid and two granddaughters in the younger Minimuffins section.
She too has been part of the the team since it started in 1995, and finds herself a bit emotional speaking about the theatre.
“They are all such good friends and they are a lovely bunch of kids. The older ones who have been here a while even look after the little ones.
“I don’t know what we would do if this place wasn’t here,” Alison starts to tear up.
“This place is just everything to us really. We really would be lost if this place went.”
Time flies by and before I know it I can hear voices echoing down the corridor.
I am greeted with smile after smile, the excitement gleaming from their faces, as floods of kids come bundling through the doors.
Suddenly the bustling backstage area becomes even more alive.
Now it is full steam ahead to get the youngsters settled, warmed up, costumes on, makeup done and hair styled.
What do young actors and actresses think of closure risk?
As the warmup is under way on stage, I get a moment to chat to some of the cast.
Daniel tells me he is “really excited” at playing King Triton.
The 14-year-old tells me that he is “really glad” that he joined Ragamuffins and he has made many of his friends through the group.
Aberdeen Arts Centre also means a lot to him.
“I have always performed here and most of my friends perform here too,” Daniel tells me.
Ellie Mackenzie, 13, is playing Ariel. She tells me she has “a lot of fun” up on the stage.
The teenager joined Ragamuffins in 2019, when she prowled onto stage in Cats.
“Just being on stage and the whole atmosphere of the lights and everything, I just love it,” Ellie smiles.
“I also come here for my dance shows too, everything about it is so nice.”
Aiden Smith, 13, tells me that this is only his second show with Rags. He will also be playing King Triton in different performances.
He is busy getting into costume ahead of the dress rehearsal and chats with me as he is transformed into the Sea King.
Aiden “loves seeing everyone’s excitement” at times like these.
Have you seen Ragamuffins perform over the years? Let us know in our comments section below
‘I get quite emotional…’
Cath Munro is applying the makeup. She has been with Ragamuffins since the beginning and her 40 year-old daughter was even part of the original group.
Once she is finished with her brushes, we go for a chat.
Looking out onto the stage, Cath tells me that she was first up there in 1976, the year she left school.
“I don’t know where I would be without it, I get quite emotional, because honestly we are so passionate about what we do.
“I see these kids growing up and they just glow on the stage.”
Before I know it I am back in the auditorium, but this time all the kids are in character and ready for their final dress rehearsal.
As they said backstage “let’s get this show on the road”.
I hadn’t been planning to stay, but I can’t resist delaying my return to the office a tad. I grab a seat near the front of the empty auditorium, sit back and take it all in.
You can still grab tickets to see the show this week here. And you can donate to the crowd-funder HERE.
The Ragamuffins’ Little Mermaid show runs from May 21-24 at Aberdeen Arts Centre.
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