Kevin Hope
Cast & Crew
Acting/Directing/Producing
Personal Bio
From performing as part of the chorus in grammar school productions of The Bartered Bride, Oliver! and Orpheus in the Underworld, I was desperate to join my local Amateur Dramatic group in Lancashire, which I was able to when I was 15.
My first role as a choir boy had 2 words in the entire script! But that was enough and in the following 20 years, I was fortunate to land a number of wonderful parts – the most memorable of which was Chester Dreadnought, a character I originally played in the farce Wild Goose Chase by Derek Benfield, and then reprieved the role twice more in his sequels, Post Horn Gallop and Panic Stations.
My involvement with Hooky Players started with an acting role in 2002, closely followed by an opportunity to venture into the world of directing, which I really enjoyed – although in the 2003 production of Blithe Spirit I had the dubious honour of directing myself in the lead! After a stint as stage manager, I stepped away from the group due to work pressures, returning in 2023 as Associate Director and to direct, produce and appear in There Goes The Bride. A critical and box office success, a further two 2023 amazing productions has brought me to the role of King Arthur in our 2024 family show.
As much as I enjoy the behind the scenes work, it was such a joy to return to the stage – nothing compares with the camaraderie of the rehearsals, and to quote a well known saying, there’s nothing quite like the smell of the greasepaint and the roar of the crowd!
Credits
Find The Lady - Mark Anderson - 2002 June
Blithe Spirit - Charles - 2003 June
Blithe Spirit - Producer and Director - 2003 June
Old-Time Music Hall Review - Ensemble Cast - 2003 September
The Real Story of Puss in Boots - Producer and Director - 2003 January
The Pied Piper of Hamelin - Stage Manager - 2004 January
There Goes The Bride - Charles Babcock - 2023 June
There Goes The Bride - Directed by - 2023 June
AmDram is Murder! - Directed by - 2023 October
AmDram is Murder! - Eyewitnesses - 2023 October
We Will Remember Them - Directed by - 2023 November
We Will Remember Them - Ensemble Cast - 2023 November
The King Arthur Show - King Arthur - 2024 February
The Happiest Days of Your Life - Mr Sowter - 2024 November