JAMES Tucker lives and breaths musicals.

The award winning director has been a guiding light at Bridgwater Operatic Society (BOS) for 30 years and is responsible for bringing the society’s latest production, My Fair Lady to life on the stage.

He stated on stage when he was 15-years-old appearing in various productions before he took on his first directing role with BOS which was Little Shop of Horrors.

James felt appearing in plays and musicals had given him a lot of confidence when it came to pubic speaking and dealing with people.

He said: “I cannot remember what it was like. I do recall thinking I could do that and I was a bit of a control freak.

Bridgwater Mercury:

But when you direct you have to look at the play from all angles.

"You have to be able to communicate with people, with management, with the people in the production.

"It is a very challenging process which has a lot of technical elements.

"You have to consume the script and the music score and know the book inside out.

“You need to be able to communicate to the 40 people in the company, the 35 on stage and those off stage.

"I have a vision in my mind of what I think the play will look like and have to create it on stage.

"With My Fair Lady we are taking on a challenge. It is very difficult technically as it is a big show and we have to recreate it on a smaller stage.”

James taken great pride in each of the productions he directs and watched each performance not just in rehearsals from different seats in the theatre but also each performance in the evening.

It allows him to give notes about each show and how they could all improve or tweak little things to make it better.

Looking ahead to My Fair Lady, James said: “I would expect they will get a lot of fun from it. Bridgwater Operatic Society’s production of My Fair Lady is at The McMillan Theatre May 1-5 at 7.30pm.

Matinee Sat., 5th May at 2.30pm.

Tickets are £17 with concessions available.

Buy online at bridgwateros.co.uk or call the Box Office: 01278 662181.