Tracey Harrison Lewis
Tracey fled to the village from an as yet undisclosed eastern European country. She enjoys vodka and not calling everybody 'Comradex' any more. As a cover for her new life, she adopted a husband and two children and, despite their best efforts, she's become quite attached to them. She is reported as saying "Any more questions and its a trip to the Gulags for you!"
Judith Houghton
Judith joined the group at the start and discovered her alter ego as Frau Lurker in Frankenstein's Guests. Having subjected her family to months of a German accent, she then switched to an Irish lilt for The Donahue Sisters and has had trouble switching off ever since. In her spare time she attempts to help people with psychological difficulties, despite having far too many of her own. She has recently started fiddle lessons.
Natasha Kerr
Natasha was recruited to be in On Unofficial Business, but, during first reading of the script, she was too shy to read her lines and Gayna came to her rescue. Soon she fitted in well with the eccentric bunch that she says made her cry with laughter during the rehearsals. Later, Natasha's partner Gary overheard members of the audience commenting on her character's excellent Russian accent which provided much amusement, given that Natasha is ...umm...Russian! After receiving the Auchenblae scar (mainly for a speech where she mentioned that Auchenblae was the centre of the world!) - she decided to come back for more.
Simon Leigh
Simon began his acting career aged seven with a starring role as Happy in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. He then moved on to a short performance as a ventriloquist's dummy performing the song "Daisy, Daisy". After taking a 30 year break in order to recharge his batteries, Simon has thrown himself into recent performances with renewed vigour and an uncanny ability to drag the rest of the family along to help out. In his spare time he likes to do as little as possible.
Kevin Newstead
Quiet and unassuming Kevin joined the group at the very beginning, treading the boards as Ygor in Frankenstein's Guests. This will be his second show with the Group, playing a part for which his usual demeanour at rehearsals made him the perfect choice. Kevin loves his wife, his motorbike and his wine... though perhaps not in that order.
Kris Newstead
Kris was recruited into this year's production after he turned up for an AA meeting at the village hall on the wrong night. He currently works (well, he turns up) as a design engineer for an Aberdeen-based company and has aspirations to join the Swedish womens' Olympic synchronised swimming team. In his spare time Kris enjoys playing bass guitar and baiting shrews.
April XJ Pressley
Having spent years making costumes for assorted divas as part of her work as a non-specific jobbing artist, April jumped at the chance to play at being a luvvie, having long thought it looked like way more fun. And it is. She is Liz Leigh's no. 1 fan, as Liz is the one who now stays up all night stitching and swearing. So far April has played mainly murderers which she finds deeply therapeutic. In her spare time she shovels sharn out of fields and talks to the animals. And the trees, but don't tell anyone.
Marianne Robson
Marianne joined the Group in October 2007, ostensibly to help behind the scenes. However, she was dragged kicking and screaming to the side of the stage for A Christmas Carol. Her last acting experience was as a dormouse in Toad of Toad Hall when still at school. She works in Aberdeen for an IT company and in her spare time likes nothing more than meeting up with mates.
Craig Sandeman
Craig joined the group at the outset in June 2006 and has starred in Frankenstein's Guests and On Unofficial Business. He wrote the latter production for the group and has (as he puts it) "had a go" at directing A Christmas Carol. In his spare time, Craig likes to design roads and drainage and has ambitions one day to be an old age pensioner.
Gayna Sandeman
Gayna has been involved with the drama group since the start, also persuading a not-so-sure Craig to support her (now look at him!). With great courage she donned a barely decent outfit to perform as Isabelle in Frankenstein's Guests (she loved the attention, really!) and in order to test herself played an Irish / American surgically enhanced murdering housewife in The Donahue Sisters, while at the same time enjoying her first attempt at directing with On Unofficial Business. When not directing her husband (at home!) Gayna is a voluntary citizen advocate and is learning to play the saxophone.
Gillian Siddons
Gillian is prone to having very good ideas, like (re)starting a drama group in the village and having a weekend drama festival (the highly successful Auchenfest). She has also been known to have a tipple too many ( Frankenstein's Guests). Conversely she cheerfully admits she sometimes loses the plot. "Who is this Scrooge guy? I thought we were doing Cinderella!"
Nick Targontsidis
A Christmas Carol is Nick's first show with the Drama Group, having been dragged proudly protesting along to one of the early read throughs by some of the more "mature" members. Happily he survived the early encounters and has been drawn into the generally convivial atmosphere at rehearsals. In the sixth year at Mearns Academy, Nick does a lot of performing and is a heck of a good singer!