Reps Theatre: Latest newsletter

Latest Reps Newsletter - January 2007

I hope you all had a wonderful festive season and I would like to extend to you best wishes for a successful and improved 2007. Another year has started and it is to be hoped that it will be another year of progress for Reps Theatre and The Repertory Players. 2006 ended with a successful pantomime, Jack And The Beanstalk, and a delightful double showing, on New Year's Eve only, of At The Drop Of A Hat. Well done to Gillian West and Linda Hyde respectively for these productions.

Reps Afdis Awards of Excellence

The panel of adjudicators had a meeting early in the new year to discuss the awards for 2006 and nominations have been made for the various categories, as well as decisions on winners in these and the other categories handed out on the awards night. Well done to all those people who have been nominated - and good luck for the big night! Here are the nominees:

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Mike Blackburn (The Drawer Boy), David Smith (The Drawer Boy), David Smith (A Streetcar Named Desire).
Best Actress in a Leading Role: Rita Billingsley (The Attic, The Pearls and Three Fine Girls), Chiyedza Nyahuye (Sister Action).
Best Supporting Actor: Martin Bolt (A Streetcar Named Desire), Warwick Broad (The Drawer Boy).
Best Supporting Actress: Rita Billingsley (A Streetcar Named Desire), Mavilee Goodall (Sister Action).
Best Performance in a Minor Role: Erin Cooper (Jack and the Beanstalk), Storm Evershed (Sister Action), Sheila Pickering (At The Drop Of A Hat).
Best Performance in a Comedy Role: Sue Evans (At The Drop Of A Hat), Marc Thomas (Jack and the Beanstalk), Michael and Stephane Thomas (Jack and the Beanstalk).
Best First Performance on the Reps Stage: Rita Billingsley (A Streetcar Named Desire), Warwick Broad (The Drawer Boy), Mavilee Goodall (Sister Action) Sindiso Mtetwa (Sister Action).
Most Outstanding Musical Performance: Josh Ansley (Do U Wanna Rock, Caroline dos Santos (Spirit of the West End Shows), Mark Hyde (At The Drop Of A Hat), Sheila Pickering (At The Drop Of A Hat), David Smith (Then & Now), Paul Smith (Do U Wanna Rock).
Best Technical Contribution: Richard Arkell (décor in Sister Action), Mike Blackburn (set design for A Streetcar Named Desire), Mike Blackburn (set design for Jack and the Beanstalk), Sue McLaren (décor for A Streetcar Named Desire), Colin Swinton (set design and décor for Sister Action).

The Reps African Distillers Awards of Excellence will be presented on the night of Saturday February 10, and all members are invited to attend. As we are expecting a heavy turnout of members and guests, we suggest that you make contact with the Reps office to get tickets in advance - and then you will not be disappointed on the night. You will need to advise the office of your intention to attend by January 26 and collect your tickets by February 2.

The awards presentations, hosted by MCs Mike Lanchester and Sue Bolt, will be complemented by a preview selection of numbers from the first Reps show of the year, Lucky Lips - A Tribute To Cliff Richard.

Afdis as sponsors have decided to have a theme for the night and it will be It's Showtime - and you are all invited to come dressed accordingly, from any part of show business you choose! There will be prizes for the best dressed people at the show. There will be drinks in the foyer at 7pm followed by the awards show at 7.30pm. Come along and support the people whose efforts are being recognised in this year's awards presentations.

An invitation to enjoy the music of Cliff Richard

Reps' first production of the year is Lucky Lips - A Tribute To Cliff Richard, directed by Stan Higgins and featuring in song and dance the music of pop's most enduring performer. He started his career in August 1958, which means this year he starts celebrating his 50th year in show business.

After a highly successful audition, the show has been cast and there will be more than 20 talented young people on stage for this show, headed by Alex Fairlie, seen last year in Reps' Do U Wanna Rock and The Music Man and the private hires Elvis Lives and Magic Movie Moments. The production will run for eight performances only - Monday February 12 to Sunday February 18 (7pm each night Mon to Sat with matinees at 2.30pm on Sat and Sun). Booking opens on January 29 at The Spotlight - ticket prices to be advised closer to the time. This will be a fun show and will appeal to all ages.

There'll be some of Mike Lanchester's Dirty Laundry on the line in February and March

Don't panic, though - it's only the overall name of his clever new set of one-act plays to be produced in Theatre Upstairs. There will be six one-act comedies running over four weeks (starting Tuesday February 20), all of them a delight to watch and with brand new directors at the helm. Booking will open in early February and everyone is encouraged to come along for a fun evening (or series of evenings, as all six will be well worth watching). More about the story lines in due course.

Subscriptions are due

2007 subscriptions should have been paid by January 15. If you have not yet paid and do not have the breakdown of subscription rates please call Lynn at the Reps office. We have offered members the opportunity of paying for the whole year or for a quarter at a time and we have tried to keep subs to as low a level as possible, to reward members for their loyalty and support and to encourage them to stay on board and to support Reps and all it offers. We are very competitive when compared to other clubs and societies so we hope that not only encourages current members to stay on but that it will attract new members, particularly from among the younger population. Speaking of membership, please encourage friends and family and colleagues to think about joining, especially if they are willing to get involved in activities on stage and backstage.

Planning ahead

The Executive Committee held a strategic planning session all day on Saturday January 6 and followed this up with a second session on Saturday January 13. The objective of the exercise was to develop a strategy for Reps in coming months and years, ensuring its continued success and to facilitate growth and development of all kinds. When this exercise is complete, information about the way forward will be disseminated to all members not only for their information but also for their action. As members, you are encouraged to take part in every aspect of Reps, including the management of its affairs. Please don't forget to diarise this year's AGM, which is scheduled for Sunday May 6 at 11am.

Taking part

It has been said many times before and will be said again ... Reps would like as many people as possible to be fully involved in its productions, either on stage as actors, actresses, singers and dancers, or as backstage people making the whole thing tick. If you are interested or would simply like to know more, why not contact the Reps office for information or get in touch with chairmen or heads of the various sub-committees or endeavours involved: John Bonney (Backstage), Gillian West (Production) and Chris Charnley (Repteens).

Database development

A major exercise is about to get under way to build up and improve our members' database, so that Reps has all relevant information about you to hand, and can satisfy your needs even better than in the past - as well as communicate with you more regularly and with greater ease for you and Reps. Please assist us with this exercise and don't forget that if your e-mail details change you should let us know so you can keep in e-contact with Reps at all times. The more we know about you, the better Reps can be of service to you now and in the future.

Until next month ...

Tim Garrard, Chairman

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