Simon takes the ice bucket challenge

People have been getting drenched, all for a good cause - to raise money for MND/ALS.

Councillors in Lisburn have been lining up to take the challenge, with Councillor John Palmer getting soaked by his wife, Councillor Jenny Palmer, and Councillor Scott Carson nominating the Mayor, Andrew Ewing, who has promised he will take up the challenge as soon as he gets back from holidays.

The cast of Lisnagarvey Youth Society’s production of the Wizard of Oz, which is running at the Island Hall this week, took watery revenge on their long suffering director, Simon Pyper.

Simon was nominated to take the Ice Bucket Challenge by Gillian McQuade, who helps to run Lisnagarvey Youth Society, and the cast kindly lent a hand on Monday night to make sure Simon lived up to expectations.

Before rehearsals got underway at Dalboyne Hall on the Belsize Road, several members of the cast, as well as choreographers Michelle Chambers and Rea Campbell, grabbed a bucket, or whatever they could find, and gave Simon not one soaking but several, making sure the director was well and truly drenched.

“I think the cast enjoyed getting their own back on me, although I don’t think I’m too strict a director,” said Simon. “I was absolutely freezing but it was all for a good cause.”

Once Simon had managed to dry off, the cast got back down to business and began putting the finishing touches to ‘The Wizard of Oz’, which opened in the Island Hall on Thursday evening (August 28) at 7.30pm.

Pippa Duggan will be stepping into the red shoes of Dorothy for this family adventure and she will be joined on stage by Anna Farrelly as Glinda, Katie Bowden as the Wicked Witch, Rhys Waterworth as Scarecrow, Alex Morrow as the Tin Man and Nicole Bell as the Lion. And not forgetting Tubbs, who stepped in at the last minute to become Toto, Dorothy’s faithful companion.

With a fabulous score and a strong chorus of singers and dancers, this show is set to be another family favourite from the local youth company.

The Wizard of Oz runs from August 28-30 and tickets, priced £10, are on sale from the Box Office on 92509254.