Latest Reps Newsletter - September 2008

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Things are pretty tough at the moment for all of us, so it's no surprise to hear that the Reps team is finding it difficult to do all the things it has to do for the society and its members. In the bar, we face huge challenges trying to source beverages at reasonable prices and, as everything has to be paid for in cash, we have to find cash to pay for what do locate. In the theatre, we are facing a balancing act trying to set ticket prices that are, on the one hand, affordable to patrons but, on the other hand, ensure we have funds to put on productions and keep the Reps complex up and running.

Please bear with us as we take each day as it comes and find what we believe the best way forward. As so many people have commented, the fact we are still there and still doing what we were created to do is a tribute to everyone - members, staff, patrons, suppliers and friends.

It's time get rock 'n' roll again!

Teri Grimmel's long-awaited revival of Grease opens on Thursday (preview Wednesday at half-price!) so I encourage everyone to go along and enjoy what promises to be a fun-filled musical escape from the problems of the day. The cast and band have been at it for ages and the crew is putting final touches to set, lights, sound and other technical aspects.

The show runs until Saturday September 20 and we encourage you to book early, as word of mouth will more than likely fill up this show very quickly after it opens. It stars two relatively recent Reps finds, Richard Sticklen as Danny and Desiree Mostert as Sandy, backed up by seasoned Erin Cooper and Josh Ansley as second leads, as well as a large cast of actors, singers and dancers and a hot band. What I have seen makes me feel this will be both critically well received as well as popular and with two performances already sold out for gala evenings it is heading the way of full houses.

Booking is open at The Spotlight (open Tuesday to Friday 9am to 4pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 12 noon). As always, there are discounts for members, HIFAmigos, members of Celebrity Subscription Concerts and for children and pensioners. Great news is that we have made Tuesday and Wednesday performances half price for all.

Audiences may come to blows in Theatre Upstairs

Kevin Hanssen is directing a full-length drama in Theatre Upstairs, starring himself and Rene Mostert. It's called Oleanna and it was written by the award-winning American writer David Mamet. Kevin writes: in the no-man's land between misunderstanding and sexual harassment, we watch with impotent dread as the relationship between professor and student breaks down entirely, as their mutual respect evaporates and unbridgeable divide opens that can only destroy one or both of them. It's a gender war and more than that. It's the generation gap and more than that. It's the class struggle and more than that. In America, audiences came to blows with each other ... but let's hope that won't happen here at Reps!

The production runs as follows: Thursday September 11 to Saturday September 20 (7pm each night and no shows on Monday September 15 or Thursday September 18, but, unusually, there is one on Sunday September 14 at 7pm). Booking is now open at The Spotlight and, always with Kevin, we expect an excellent dramatic production.

Well done the That's Absurd team!

Sue Bolt took That's Absurd to Kadoma for the one-act festival this past weekend and came back with a horde of trophies - for which well done to the whole cast and crew! Well done, Campbell Theatre Club, too, for hosting this festival, which attracted entries from Reps' Reprobates as well as Campbell Theatre Club and Masvingo Drama Circle. Here's a list of all the winners from this neat little festival, which we hope will continue in the future - and perhaps we can get more people from Harare going through to support it:

Looking for a copy

We had an e-mail from a longstanding member, 85-year-old Eric Skeet, now living in Scotland (he was made an HLM in 1969!). He is looking for a copy of the 1975 History of Reps (which we are now complementing with a second volume taking us from 1975 to the present day). If anyone can help, please mail him at erciskeet@aol.com, He also asks if he is the oldest Reps' member? We also heard from Gloria Prentice, now living in Australia, but who would love to come back to direct another play at Reps - especially in our 80th anniversary year in 2011! With regard to the second volume of the history, the marketing and Publicity Committee will announce soon how to book a copy of this special edition, due for publication in 2010, just head of the 80th year celebrations.

Audition for the panto!

Graham Crutchley is staging Mother Goose in December as the 2008 Reps panto and he is running auditions for the production on Sunday, September 14, at 10.30am in the Adrian Stanley Room. People who have been involved in panto before, as well as newcomers, are encouraged to come along and get into what is always a pleasant production. All you need is a measure of talent and a keenness to have fun and create fun. It needs people of all ages, too.

Did you know ...

... that you can get to see EVERY production for free! But HOW, I hear you cry! It's very simple - Reps is always on the look out for Front of House and Box Office volunteers, one of the easiest but most important aspects of every show.

Computer skills are needed to run the Box Office, but training is readily available and the whole system only takes about half an hour to learn. Front of House involves showing theatre patrons to their seats and requires a Front of House Manager and a team of 6-8 people to act as Ushers, not all of whom have to be members of Reps.

If you're interesting in getting involved, contact Stan Higgins on aquarius[at]mweb.co.zw or speak to Erin in the office.

Until next time, all the best

Regards

Tim Garrard, Chairman

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