ABOUT US
That's Entertainment Productions` was formed in 2004 by Michael Wooldridge and Chris Gidney, both
experienced producers and performers with more than sixty years of experience between them.
Mission Statement:
"That's Entertainment Productions exists to provide and present high quality, family based
productions for a very wide audience using the gifts of music and laughter."
The Partners:
Michael Wooldridge Chris Gidney
CHRIS GIDNEY
Chris Gidney, comes from a showbusiness family and at nine years old climbed on stage dressed as a schoolgirl to form a magic comedy double-act with his father. Since then he has spent a lifetime in the profession as entertainer, producer and author. Joining London's West-End in 1980 he enjoyed twelve consecutive productions before moving to BBC Television, working on such classic programmes as `Blue Peter` and `That's Life` with Esther Rantzen.
His first book, `In the Limelight` was published in 1993 by Harper Collins, and he has since authored more than twenty books. Chris's latest hardbacks include the best-selling `Celebrating Secombe` for Sir Harry Secombe, `Rock on Tommy` for Cannon & Ball, `Under No Illusion` for Paul Daniels; `Vicar to Dad's Army ` with Frank Williams, and `Flying High` & `Closer To Heaven` with Don Maclean. Chris`s `Long Hot Soak` series was reprinted before arriving on the shelves, and his current writing work includes books with Syd Little, Dora Bryan and Wendy Craig.
As a freelance Producer and Director Chris is responsible for a number of unique television, radio, video, audio and stage productions, including the nationwide tours of Night of a Thousand Laughs, Little Goes A Long Way (with Syd Little), An Audience with Cannon & Ball, More Tea Vicar?, Rick Wakeman`s Piano Tour, An Evening with Mary Millar, An Evening with Jimmy Cricket, The Cannon & Ball Gospel Show, Variety Showtime and A Night With The Stars. BBC Television specials include the documentary On Tour with Cannon & Ball; Songs of Praise at the Pantomime; West End Praise from London's Victoria Palace Theatre as well as The Cannon & Ball Radio Show for BBC Radio 2, and Closer To Heaven with Don Maclean for Premier. Chris formed the show business Charity `CIE` in 1982 which continues to provide support for professionals in the entertainment industry, and he remains the Director of this organisation.
MICHAEL WOOLDRIDGE
Michael won the UK Young Theatre Organist of the Year Competition in 1980 playing the Wurlitzer organ at the Granada Cinema, Kingston-upon-Thames and, in 1984, was honoured by the Cinema Organ Society with their prestigious Ian Sutherland Award. He has gone on to enjoy a successful career in music, playing for concerts, dances and special events throughout the United Kingdom. He has made playing tours of Holland, Germany and Australia. He has worked as a celebrity concert artiste for Yamaha, Hammond and Wersi organs, and is now pleased to be associated with the wonderful Roland Atelier series of instruments.
Michael is highly regarded for the excellence of his dance music and plays for a great many sequence and ballroom events. He is also much in demand to play for various parties and functions. Other work includes giving private music lessons and playing the classical organ for church services, weddings and funerals. He is at home at the piano keyboard and, as cocktail pianist, has worked at venues as diverse as Butlin's Holiday Centres and the Savoy Hotel in London.
Michael has always listened to lots of swing music and now occasionally plays piano in a full eighteen piece big band. He also enjoys performing in smaller jazz groups of which his Hammond Organ Trio, along with drums and saxophone or trumpet is perhaps the most enjoyable for him. THE MIKE WOOLDRIDGE 'ORGAN'ISATION is a small dance band, formed at the start of 2003, and which has already enjoyed success in Worthing and Bournemouth.
Always renowned for his versatility, Michael has become involved in many different musical spheres. This has even included a year or two as a key member of The Los Palmas 6, the leading Madness tribute band - remember their hits in the 80s - Our House, I Go Driving In My Car, Love Struck, House Of Fun etc, etc. With them he has worked throughout the UK, in Ireland and in Dubai.
A great lover of musical theatre, his most recent recording, SHOWTIME SPECTACULAR features over an hour of his favourites from the musicals, all recorded on a superb Wurlitzer organ. Over the years he has played 'in the pit' for over 30 different musicals including My Fair Lady, Carousel, Annie, Guys and Dolls, Half a Sixpence, Call Me Madam, Hans Anderson, Annie Get Your Gun, Fiddler on the Roof, A Christmas Carol, Babes in the Wood, The Boy Friend, Oklahoma, Kismet, The Minstrel Stars, The Wireless Years, As Happy as a Sandbag, Blitz, Melodytimes, We’ll Meet Again, Variety Startime, Variety Bandbox and The Wizard of Oz.
Well respected throughout the organ world, Michael has adjudicated at various events, including both the National Electronic Organ Competition and the Young Theatre Organist of the Year Competition. In the media, Michael can be heard on the popular BBC Radio 2 programme, The Organist Entertains, and he has also been featured on television, both playing and demonstrating the magnificent Compton organ at The Pavilion Theatre in Bournemouth. Over the years he has made many contributions and had regular columns in the trade magazines, including the Organ and Keyboard Cavalcade, Organ and Keyboard World and Keyboard Player.
STEVE FORTUNE - Assistant Director
Steve started his career as a dancer and singer performing in cabaret all over Europe and the Middle East. On his return to the UK he
worked in summer season and pantomime and in 1982 he appeared in the West-End in 'Underneath the Arches' as a member of the cast.
This was followed by numerous shows up and down the country including Sweet Charity at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, The Music Man at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth and Pirates of Penzance at the Opera House, Manchester, as well as Jesus Christ Superstar and Annie at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry. In 1997 role of Jaggers in the musical tour of Great Expectations.
In 1986 he was back in the West End in Annie Get Your Gun, and again in 1987 in the Abba, Tim Rice musical Chess. At the end of 1998 Steve was in the revival of Jesus Christ Superstar which re-opened the Lyceum Theatre after more than forty years of darkness. In 2000 he appeared in the ill fated Hard Times starring Roy Hudd and Brian Blessed and in 2002 in the acclaimed Noises Off at the Piccadilly. In 2004 he took over the role of the Sheriff in the national tour of Whistle Down the Wind and later that year was touring once again as Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar. Most recently he appeared alongside Sir Ian McKellen in Aladdin at the Old Vic Theatre.
Steve himself is an accomplished pantomime dame having played Nanny Nora in Sleeping Beauty, Dame Trot in Jack and the Beanstalk and the greatest dame of all Widow Twanky in Aladdin. In between musicals Steve has also played classical roles such as Horatio in Hamlet, Hortensio in The Taming of the Shrew and Montague in Romeo and Juliet at the Old Rep in Birmingham and the Lyric Hammersmith.
On television he has appeared in The Bill, Casualty, Eastenders, Only Fools and Horses, Birds of a Feather, Nelsons Column, Back Up and The Jump. He has also appeared in numerous commercials advertising everything from woodstain to bananas!