THE country's oldest amateur drama group are to pay a tear-jerking tribute to the Leigh legend they lost a year ago.

St Joseph's Players are preparing for a March charity production of "On With The Show" in memory of their long-time principal, Dorothy Galvin,

And rehearsals have turned into a joyful reunion with many of the company's past players returning from all parts of the country to make their final bows on the Leigh stage.

The show promises to be a blend of all that Dorothy loved during her six decades of sustained achievement with the Players.

A child actress who went on to study music and drama to gold medal standard at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, she took over the production side of the Players from her mother and father who were cornerstones of the society. In 1942 she produced and acted in her first two plays,

During the next 53 years she controlled 160 major productions including pantomimes and full length plays.

After training as a teacher at Padgate, Dorothy spent four years with the famous Manchester Repertory Theatre where one of her contemporaries was Dora Bryan, now a regular face in TV's "Last of the Summer Wine".

Despite her ability she had no real interest in becoming a professional and put all her skills into making the Players a huge success.

Pantomime was Dorothy's forte, a tradition she started and thousands of fans flocked to see the annual extravaganza.

She started writing and acting in pantos from 1947 until she handed over the reigns to her successor, Doreen Johnson, in 1995. She also wrote many of the winning plays the group performed at drama festivals and her work collected many awards.

Now the am-dram stars she called her team are enjoying putting a show she would have loved together.

Doreen Johnson, June Lee and Josie Evans have combined to put together a show which will whisk audiences back to the good old days of musical and comedy theatre

Song and dance from around the world provide vivid contrast to the manic manners of old fashioned popular pantomime, and there will be another chance to laugh at a giddy extract from Dorothy's 1993 self penned comedy classic "This Demi Paradise".

Audiences will see double with two sets of dance troupes: Angela Williams and her 2005 version and Marjorie Morris with her fantastic Revuettes. Choreographer Marjorie has been putting her team through their intricate steps, including one on a video-link to her home in London. The one long-distance dancer will journey north for the week of the show.

Another former actor will travel from his Scottish home while many more will be making journeys from around the North.

There will be replays of many memorable moments from panto through the Golden Age including a congregation of dynamic dames and a frenzied Scottish soliloquy, in fact all the old favourites.

Doreen said: "It promises to be a very special occasion and we want to make it a huge success."

Mary Sutton, who gave the eulogy at Doreen's funeral, said: "Dorothy played a large part in many of our lives and we shall miss her, but as long as St Joseph's Players continue she will be part of the legend."

Tickets for the March 10, 11 and 12 show are available at £5, £3.50 for children from Boardman's, Bradshawgate, Leigh. Admission for the ticket-only gala night on Saturday, which includes wine and hot pot supper, is £10 (£8 for children). All proceeds will be given to Dorothy's family to donate to the charity of their choice.