Arran

Arran Shoesmith - profile

Arran began her "Showbiz" career at Sunday School, when she was about 8 years old, by sneaking on stage during a rehearsal and joining in, even though she hadn't a clue what she was doing! "I just made it up!" she comments, "and no-one ever stopped me so I ended up with a costume even though I still didn't know the routine on the night of the performance! Since then, there's been no stopping me!"

At school, Arran enjoyed small roles in musicals such as "Joseph" and Noah's Ark", but her real acting career began in 1985 when she joined "The Spotlight Players" in Mirfield as prompy for "Shock Tactics. This was closely followed by a part as the roller skating German girl 'Ingrid' in "Darling Mr. London". "And I couldn't even roller-skate!" she says with a laugh!

Arran took numerous roles, including 'Lettuce Protheroe' in Agatha Christie's "Murder at the Vicarage", and the battered wife, 'Andy' in the tap-dancing comedy "Stepping Out".

In December 1987 a friend persuaded her to go to musical rehearsals with the Heckmondwike Players. "I never dreamt that later in life I'd be able to tell my son I'd met his Dad in "South Pacific" she mused, "Well, it sounds better than Heckmondwike, doesn't it?"

Arran's favourite role to date is that of 'Anybody's' in "West Side Story" as well as playing a tart in "Sweet Charity" (2006), both with the Players.

Other enjoyable roles include one of the seven merry murderesses in "Chicago" and a beggar (complete with black teeth and Rice Krispies for warts) in "A festival of Fools" - the musical story of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, written by two members of a society in Doncaster.

Arran has also had experience in directing plays, including "Move over Mrs Markham" and "A tomb with a View" (2006).

"As a stalwart of Hecky Players, I've no doubt I'll still be acting when I get my own tomb with a view", she added with a chuckle.