Billy Liar Hello one and all and hope this newsletter finds you all hale & hearty and enjoying the spring weather. We at the ‘Players’ are just basking in the aftermath of a successful production of ‘Billy Liar’, in which audience numbers broke all records. We received some extremely nice comments from audience members, one lady having been to see it the first time, when she was 9 years old, with her grandmother. Peter Riley, the producer at that time, also came with his wife and sister, as did Ruth Rutter, who played Alice in that production. It was through Peter Riley and the committee that the ‘Players’ purchased 59 Church Street in the late 60’s when it was a conservative club.
A lot of hard work went into this production and thanks must go to all who made it such a success both on and off the stage with particular thanks to Arthur Jones and the team who made such a realistic set. A big thanks also to Paul Scott, Andrea’s husband, who installed the monitor in the ‘beige’ room. This made life so much easier for backstage crew to see what was happening on stage. This was first installed during ‘The Cemetery Club’ and facilitated actor’s cues. We now want to put a monitor in the bar area, also to help with actors’ cues and in addition to allow latecomers to see what is happening onstage.
New Members It was especially nice to welcome new members to this production, namely, Jacqui Campuzano, Millie Outen, Beth Anderson, and Matthew Darlow ; Graham Wright who has returned to us after a long absence and backstage, Denise Barry, Peter Lownds, and Carol Jopson.
Valentine’s Evening An enjoyable evening was had by us all on Feb 11th when we celebrated Valentine’s day with a selection of songs and readings, both romantic & comic. Thanks go to Barbara Crellin for organising the evening.
Tippin’s Talk Maggie Tippin, who moved recently to live in Liverpool, came back on 24th March to give us a very interesting talk about her life in the professional theatre. After training at The Guildhall Drama school, Maggie rose through the ranks and became stage manager at the Theatre Royal Windsor and had some very interesting stories to tell about her experiences.
Dornford-May at the Palace Don’t miss 5th May, when Stuart Dornford-May is giving us an insight into his experiences in the professional theatre. When Stuart was a member at Davenham, he produced some very successful plays; ‘Blood Brothers’ and ‘Mr What-Not’ to name but two. Stuart is now general manager at the Palace Theatre in Manchester.
Next Production - is a play written by member Clare Albinson. ‘Irene’s Friends’, will be produced by Ed Green in mid-October. Audition & performance dates to be arranged.
And after that - In late November/ early December – A play to be produced by Barbara Crellin. More details of both these later.
Work Parties - Due to the success of ‘A Christmas Carol’ & ‘Billy Liar’, our audience numbers have risen significantly and we have therefore been able carry out the much needed maintenance at the theatre and Bob and Arthur have been hard at work. The loft has been lagged and the floor in the ‘beige’ room’ repaired. Those of you who came to see ‘Billy’ will have, I hope, benefited from the comfort of the new chairs, which grace our auditorium with a certain elegance! Our old stacking chairs are on the market, should you know any organisation who would want them.
Club Nights - Finally, we are reinstating club nights which have already started with Maggie’s talk and a play reading led by Sheila Hetherington. These are a great way to get to know one another and to learn acting skills and ........ the bar will be open ! Please support them as a lot of work goes into their preparation. Until next time it only remains for me to say, here are some...........
Dates for your Diary
Wed 20th April - A talk in aid of charity by Adrian Sumner. My 60 favourite works of Art 7.30 for 8pm. Tickets £4.00 including glass of wine from Caroline Stevens on 01606 42920
Thurs 21st April - Club night – Improvisation – led by Paulette. 8pm
Thurs 5th May - Club night- Talk by Stuart Dornford-May. 8pm
Sat 7th May - Work party. 10 a.m. Many hands make light work!!!
Thurs 12th May – Committee meeting 8pm
Thurs 19th May - Club night – play reading led by Bob- 8pm.
Thurs 2nd June - Club night –Improvisation led by Phil. 8pm
Thurs 16th June – Quiz night by Jamie. £3 to include a light supper 8pm
Thurs 30th June - club night – cleaning & BBQ preparation. Yes, we will need you that night!!!
Sat 2nd July - BBQ 7.30pm Tickets £6 from Paulette. 01606 79779
3-9th Aug – Theatre being used for a local young peoples’ musical, details tbc
Thurs 14th July - AGM 8pm. A good chance for you to air your views and tell us what you want as a member
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU !
Phil Perry – Chairman - 01606 46382. Paulette Anderson - Secretary - 01606 79779. Bob Almquist – Treasurer - 01606 45186
URGENT REQUEST FROM MOULTON DRAMA GROUP
ACTORS WANTED FOR ‘DAWN OF THE CROWS’
Moulton Drama Group are looking for three actors to join an ensemble of 14 performers who are ‘in rehearsal’ for the play, to be performed in the week beginning Monday 23rd May up to and including Saturday 28th May. Rehearsals are on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. ‘Dawn of the Crows’ is semi-fictionalised history of a real Cheshire village, Moulton. It tells a number of stories about its past: life working in the rock salt mines, romances and rivalries, riots and rebels, wars in foreign fields and of the origins of the famous Crow Dance. Due to unfortunate circumstances, we need…
- Two male actors in their thirties who can multiple role play
- One female actor in her thirties
If you can help, please contact Robert Meadows on 01606 551453, Mobile 07733295435 or email: rgmeadows@talktalk.net
CHESHIRE THEATRE GUILD
www.ctguild.org.uk
Spring 2011 newsletter
FOUR IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY.
SUNDAY JULY 10TH
ACTING WORKSHOP
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at HARLEQUINS THEATRE.
This will be led by Stefan Escreet, associate director at Theatre by the Lake in Keswick. In 2010 Stefan led a directing workshop under the “Stage Further” banner. Feed-back from this workshop rated the day 100% “excellent” and I am sure this acting workshop will not disappoint. At this time I am awaiting details from Stefan of what we will be doing on the day and these will come to you shortly. What I can tell you is that the MAXIMUM number of places will be restricted to 15 and the fee for the day workshop will be in the region (and not exceeding) £15 per person. All this will be in a booking form that will follow. HOWEVER, to ensure you get one of the places you can register your interest NOW on john.powell485@btinternet.com. WEDNESDAY JULY 13th
CHESHIRE THEATRE GUILD AWARDS NIGHT
7.30 p.m. at CHESTER LITTLE THEATRE.
Full details will follow nearer the time but please note this will be entry by TICKET ONLY, paid for in advance. This is because the CLT auditorium has a seating capacity of 126 and unlike other venues we have used extra seating cannot be added.
SATURDAY JUNE 25th.
This is the CLOSING DATE for our POSTER COMPETITION.
These need to be with Maureen Melville at 24, Forest Close, Cuddington, Northwich, Cheshire, CW8 2EE no later than the above date: just a reminder that the maximum poster size is A4. There is no restriction on the number of posters you may enter and the play does not need to have been adjudicated, as long as it was performed after the date of the 2010 awards evening and before this year’s awards.
SUNDAY JULY 17th
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
12.30 p.m. at CUDDINGTON VILLAGE HALL.
Notice is hereby given that the 47th Annual General Meeting of Cheshire Theatre Guild will be held on the above date and venue. There will be a light buffet lunch followed by the AGM.
COMMITTEE.
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE HAVE NEW, YOUNGER MEMBERS TO JOIN THE COMMITTEE WHO WILL COME UP WITH NEW IDEAS TO RE-JUVENATE THE GUILD AND KEEP IT GOING FOR FUTURE YEARS. THE PRESENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE ALL ADVANCING IN YEARS, HAVE BUS-PASSES, RAIL CARDS OR B and Q DISCOUNT CARDS, ARE IN RECEIPT OF PENSIONS etc. etc., OR SUFFER FROM THOSE “SENIOR MOMENTS”, AND AT LEAST 2 WOULD LIKE TO STEP DOWN BUT WE MUST HAVE PEOPLE WAITING IN THE WINGS TO CARRY ON THOSE ROLES. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, COULD SPARE A MODEST AMOUNT OF TIME AND FEEL YOU COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE GUILD BY JOINING THE COMMITTEE, PLEASE TELEPHONE JOHN ON 01606 833645 OR MAUREEN ON 01606 888216. TO DISCUSS THE MATTER.
NEW GUILD MEMBERS.
THE NOMADS THEATRE COMPANY
(Not to be confused with SALE Nomads Theatre Club)
Nomads Theatre Company was formed in the summer of 2009 out of two passionate desires. Firstly, to put on a production of James Robson’s “Mr. Wonderful” and, secondly, for the four founding members to work together on a high quality production, during which everyone in the company could have a happy time in pursuit of a hobby. The original four of us were the cornerstones of a production – an experienced and award-winning director, and similarly qualified DSM, set builder/lights and sound engineer. We used our experience and knowledge to assemble, by invitation only, a top-notch cast and other personnel, hired the Daneside Theatre in Congleton and presented “Mr. Wonderful” in June 2010. We all had “the best time” and were thrilled to receive two NODA nominations (Best Production and Best Leading Actress). Every member of the team wished to remain, we have invited additional actors and support staff to join us and are now in rehearsal for “Nasty Neighbours” by Debbie Isitt to be performed at the Daneside on the 25th – 28th May 2011. We look forward to a future that will always be based on the dual foundation of the highest of production values and the happy enjoyment of a hobby for all in “NOMADS”. Marie Straker.
Note: If you would like to go and see “Nasty Neighbours” telephone Marie on 01260 290622 or Heather Smith on 01625 501319. You will also be able to see a short extract from the play at the CTG awards evening.
HIRE SERVICES.
We all have our favourite sources for costume/props/furniture hire – and many of these are CTG members but here are some more you may like to try:
- WILMSLOW GREEN ROOM SOCIETY.
Each Tuesday 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. tel 01625 525899 or 01625 251307.
Costume Supervisor Pat Blenkham 01782 381365
- THE LIBRARY THEATRE MANCHESTER
(No longer in the Library Building of course, pending a new home in the City, scheduled for 2014, and now using the Quays Theatre at the Lowry and other venues)
PERFORMING RIGHTS.
A WARNING – AGAIN !!
I have warned before of the importance of getting and paying for the licence to perform BEFORE rehearsals commence – and bear in mind that selling you the scripts does not guarantee a licence. Sadly, a CTG group were recently refused a licence well into rehearsals and with publicity about to commence. This is not the first time this has happened and I always hope it will be the last. To the great credit of the group concerned they were undaunted, dusted themselves off and found a different play – real “the show must go on” spirit. This time it was a Samuel French play and you may like to make a note of the telephone number that will get you straight through to amateur royalties - 020 7255 4302.
By the way: those of you with a large stock of doors in your scene dock can forget about using them for a production of “Boeing-Boeing” – the play is completely withdrawn.
SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
Producers of a pantomime in Glasgow have been forced to change one of the costumes because it violated the Geneva Convention. Nurse Poltis’s hat and tunic in the Pavilion Theatre’s ROBIN HOOD originally bore a red cross – an emblem declared sacrosanct by the 1957 convention. Following a complaint from the British Red Cross, it is now green. “Widespread misuse of the Red Cross emblem could dilute its neutrality” said a spokesman.
HOW TO CHAT UP AN ACTOR.
Brian Blessed caused a stir last year by storming out of a dinner because someone had described one of his films as “crap”. If you ever encounter a “luvvie” here is a guide to keeping them happy:
- Tell film actors you’d love to see them on stage and stage actors you’d love to see them on screen. This suggests you have spotted hidden talents that a hundred casting directors have missed.
- Furrow your brow and say,”I can’t think why it’s always directors that run theatres and not actors”. It goes down a treat.
- Never praise their peers. Limit your accolades to actors that are much older, much younger or, best of all, dead.
- On no account tell them how much smaller they look off screen.
AN UNHAPPY ACTOR.
Graham Seed is not a happy man. As Archers fans will know, his alter ego - Nigel Pargetter – plunged off the roof of his home, Lower Loxley Hall, to his death, and as a consequence, Seed, at 60, was suddenly unemployed. The decision to kill off the only toff in the village was made at Easter 2010 and yet it was November – three weeks before the 60th anniversary edition was due to be recorded – in a phone call from the Radio 4 show’s editor, Vanessa Whitburn, that Seed was given the news. “I was, shall we say, surprised” he says. “And, I don’t know if it’s my public school background but I immediately thought I’d done something wrong. I must be bad, I’ve been found out, I’m not a very good actor” that sort of thing. Vanessa said, “No, no, of course not. It’s just that it’s a very good story for me! It only takes 5 seconds to fall of a roof! Seed thinks the show will be worse off without the dim but amiable Nigel, listeners may agree. So why did Whitburn do it? “Because he’s much loved – that’s impact” Seed says, “it probably opens up very good stories in the future about the kids. But I mean, why couldn’t he have been very badly injured? Why was he killed? It didn’t need a death. There was a birth, that’s nice. No need to have a death as well”.
P.S: Nigel’s death scream was timed and some very clever mathematicians calculated that he must have fallen about 400ft – making Lower Loxley Hall quite some stately home!
P.P.S: You can now download Nigel’s death scream as a mobile phone ring-tone!
AND FINALLY...
from I Never Knew That About England.
The 14th century Tolethorpe Hall, 2 miles (3 km) north of Stamford, has been the home of the STAMFORD SHAKESPEARE COMPANY since 1977. They put on an annual season of plays in June, July and August in an open air theatre situated in the grounds. The auditorium is protected by a permanent high-tensile canopy, which is the only theatre structure of its type in Europe.
