Tour 1 - Sheffield

After what was for most of the cast, a normal week at work, we set off back on the road again for our last weekend of performances this year. With forecasts of heavy snow, we weren't sure what awaited us, but in the end it was just a bit of rain, even up in the pennines.

Our first performance of the weekend was in Sheffield at the Hillsborough Leisure Centre. This was a recent change to the Rock performance schedule. The Sheffield performance was previously going to be at the Victoria Hall right in the centre of the city, but the choir grew, and the tickets sold very quickly, and it was soon quite clear that a bigger venue was needed. As it turned out, extra chairs had to be brought in, and there were at least 800 in the audience. What a fantastic achievement.

Congratulations to the magnificent organising duo of Liz Tipple and Sally Rhodes. Liz and Sally also trained two of the four choirs that joined up for the occasion, the other were under the care of Muriel Stonehewer and John Mellor.

The Hillsborough Leisure Centre gave the touring party the biggest stage they will possibly every get - the performance was on the hall floor, with the audience mostly tiered. It did provide interesting issues for changing and getting ready however, with simply a gazebo at either side. The cast spent all the parts of the performance they were not on stage ducking down behind the choir as there was no corridoor behind stage, just a blank wall. It was quite fun really.

Another particularly memorable part of the Sheffield performance was Paul bringing a word in the prophetic section, which was really beautiful, and greatly appreciated by a lot of people. Thanks to all those who have 'risked it' during the first tour, singing out what they feel God is saying.

Another fantastic evening!