Bermudian To Perform In Olympic Ceremony

Bermuda residents tuning in to watch the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony this Friday July 27th will have one of their own to look out for on camera.

Bermudian performer Natalie Pereech is set to take the stage as part of the 10,000 strong cast for the Opening Ceremonies, for what will likely be her largest audience ever, before the Athletes’ Parade commences.

Having auditioned in the fall of 2011, those successful in the general auditions were recalled for role-specific auditions, Ms. Pereech landed a role with 999 others.

On July 27th, she will be making her drumming debut in what is one of the highlights of the entire show. “Without spoiling any surprises or giving away details of the evening’s events, I will be amongst one thousand drummers for the first 15-20 minutes of the one-hour show.

“The show is split into three sections, the first (which I am in) re-enacts history – you really don’t want to miss this part – the middle is a fun and charming tribute, and the last section will be a massive party scene, left in the very capable hands of some amazingly talented professionals, with a few celebrities sprinkled in for good fun.

“My friends keep asking me where they’ll be able to find me. There is a lot of action going on all at once, but I will be at the front of a hill in historical costume. That’s all I’m going to say!”

Ms. Pereech has been rehearsing since May for 150-plus hours, giving up all weekends and evenings, in most weather conditions. “When you have thousands of us out in the parking lot of the old Ford factory in Dagenham and out on the Stadium field dressed in winter woolies and Ceremony-provided ponchos in torrential downpours, with nothing but smiles on our faces because we know how truly spectacular this is going to be, it has been worth every shiver, every ache and every night of lost sleep.

“I’ve had the absolute pleasure of working with Welsh musical director Rick Smith from ‘Underworld’ (Trainspotting) who could not be more generous with his tutelage. He simply oozes love! Director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting; Slumdog Millionaire) is with us every day and his creative genius has once again exceeded expectations. There is never a time where you don’t see the wheels turning in his head and he constantly expresses his gratitude and appreciation for his cast. It has been such an honour to work with him”.

Ms. Pereech explained that the drummers (due to the luck of the draw) have a very quick costume change, as they are the only performers returning to the stage where they become Marshalls to entertain and keep the athletes safe on the field, as 204 countries are welcomed into the Stadium before the Olympic oaths are made, and the Olympic torch arrives.

“We are so fortunate to have been chosen to be with the athletes right in the middle of the action while they all enter the Stadium. A few hundred of us will still be drumming, but I will be right in the center doing lots of fun and crazy moves. I’m keeping fingers crossed that Team Bermuda passes by me up on the center of the stage so I can give them all a high-five and sneak in a hug with my friend, equestrian Jillian Terceira. And I will be there when the torch arrives and the cauldron is lit.”

60,000 Olympic volunteers and friends and family of performers were treated to the first of two technical dress rehearsals on Monday night, and another 80,000 are expected on Wednesday. According to the organizers, Mr. Boyle has embraced social media, not blind to the fact that everyone will be posting prior to the event.

He seems to have successfully mastered this, with the Twitter hashtag #savethesurprise displayed on all screens throughout the Stadium. Outpouring of praise and amazement could be seen on Twitter immediately following the dress rehearsal, with the majority seemingly vowing to save the surprise, expressing their British pride.

The three-hour event is scheduled for 5pm Bermuda time [9pm UK] this Friday July 27th. After the opening ceremonies, the Games get underway with some of Bermuda’s top athletes scheduled to take part.

Tyrone Smith and Arantxa King will compete in track and field, Tyler Butterfield and Flora Duffy in the triathlon, Jesse and Zander Kirkland in sailing, Jillian Terceria in equestrian, and Roy Allan Burch in swimming.

Bermudians are also expected to be cheering on the Great Britain Women’s Basketball Olympic squad, as Bermuda’s Jenaya Wade-Fray has been named to the team. In addition, Bermuda will field our first ever track and field athlete in the 2012 London Paralympic Games, with Jessica Lewis having qualified in the 100m, 200m and 400m.

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