Reps Theatre Maasdorp Ave / Sam Nujoma St, Harare, Zimbabwe

Latest Reps Newsletter - October 2008

All editions of the Reps Reporter:
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2008 is racing to its conclusion, but there's lots happening at Reps Theatre in the remaining two months of the year. Despite the very challenging environment, things are still going ahead and people are getting on with life, and Reps is determined to continue playing its role in the community.

October events

A number of events took place during October, including screenings of four Monty Python movies; the hosting of a two-night hypnotist show as a partnership with HIFA; being the venue of choice for a Spanish Embassy-Dance Trust show; and, last but not least, the running of a fun and successful Rocky Horror night.

All of these events showed that our theatre can be as versatile as we want it to be and when there are periods between major productions we can make use of both the Main Stage and Theatre Upstairs for different types of events.

Mention must be made of the Reps Social Events team, which ran the foyer bar very successfully for most of these events, providing a popular service and bringing in some much-needed income. Thanks must also go to Kevin Whaley for generously providing the stimulus, the DVDs and the equipment for the Monty Python and Rocky Horror screenings.

Kathy Keen's Social Events team has lined up a Halloween event in the Members' Bar on Friday October 31, with music and food and loads of fun - get dressed for it as there's a prize for worst dressed! Bar stocks have improved of late and we thank Mike Foster and team for achieving this against great odds. Costs of drinks (and costs of getting hold of them) have risen, of course, but we hope that the more competitive environment being created by 'going green' will help us bring prices down to our members.

November shows

November is traditionally a time of hire for Reps' Main Stage and chief among these are two weeks for the Dance Trust/National Ballet. As the National Ballet's annual mid-year show did not take place, this has been replaced with Encore, a fun dance show running on November 12, 13, 14 and 15, and Stars of Tomorrow, the traditional showcase for the youngest dancers in Harare - this will run from November 19 to 23. Booking is open at The Spotlight for these shows. Kevin Hanssen is staging a production called The Impro Show in Theatre Upstairs from November 11 to 15, details of which will be sent out soon.

Mother Goose is coming

Graham Crutchley has his cast well into rehearsals for this year's pantomime, Mother Goose, which will run from December 4 to 20 (preview night December 3). This will be great fun, as usual, with an excellent cast of well-known faces and newcomers and all the traditional things that make the panto a great night out for everyone. Booking will open at The Spotlight in mid-November and as this is such a popular production each year, advance booking is recommended.

Tomfoolery

Linda Hyde is staging a New Year production, following on the success of At The Drop Of A Hat two years ago. Called Tomfoolery, it will have the same mix of music and mirth and will run for only three nights - December 30, December 31 and January 1. Booking for this will open in early December.

Belgravia Shopping Centre

Reps has been instrumental in getting a committee together to stimulate upgrading of the shopping centre and surrounds, and progress is about to made regarding the potholes in the car park and surrounding roads, as well as in getting rid of the unwanted vendors and vagrants in the shopping centre. An appeal has gone out for a vehicle and driver to assist in the pothole-filling exercise and if you can lend a large vehicle for this purpose please let the Reps office know.

The office needs your input

No-one needs to be reminded that costs of everything are soaring and availability of things is decreasing, so it will come as no surprise that Reps needs help with some inputs. Of particular concern are cleaning materials for the whole complex (everything from dishwasher and cloths to brooms and mops), as well as ordinary items for the office, such as stationery. If you can help in any, this would be greatly appreciated and I would ask you to contact Lynn Buckingham or Erin Cooper at the office. Nestle Zimbabwe has kindly made a donation of coffee and milk powder, for which we are most grateful. If anyone can assist with upgrading the Reps garden areas, this would also be warmly welcomed.

Have A Go

As Production Committee chair, Teri Grimmel has come up with a super idea for aspiring directors in 2009 - she calls it the 'have-a-go show.' This will be a series of one-act plays in Theatre Upstairs and she is calling for all interested directors to contact her - full support and back-up will be given and it's a chance to test those talents on the stage. Contact her through the office. If anyone wishes to mount a Main Stage or Theatre Upstairs production during 2009 over and above this series, please also make application right away to the Production Committee, which has put in place a basic programme for the year ahead.

Website

Don't forget that Reps has its own website, which is run for us by Mark Hyde and hosted for free by MWEB Zimbabwe. It is www.reps.co.zw and we encourage you to visit it and provide feedback to Mark on any aspect of what is there or maybe what is not there.

The Story of Reps Volume Two

As you may have seen in a separate mailshot, work is now taking place on publication of a second volume on the Reps history, taking us from 1975 (when Bob Cary's first volume ended) right up to the present time. It is planned to have this published at the time of our 50th anniversary celebrations for the present theatre (20-10) and just before our 80th birthday celebrations (2011). Book your copy now by contacting the Reps office for a copy of the order form. People will be able to order a paperback, hard cover edition or special, limited-run leather bound edition.

Fond farewell to two gentlemen of the theatre

We said farewell in recent weeks to two real gentlemen in our midst - JP Bernard and Rod Broodryk. To the friends and families of both we send sincere condolences. They will both be greatly missed and at their funeral services people paid warm tribute to them and especially to the input into the theatrical life of Reps and the greater community.

Did you know ...

... that we have been upgrading the wiring in the foyer, after finding that (now 50 years old) it was in a parlous state? We are in the midst of this exercise and we hope to source income to do a major job of a new lighting system in the foyer - creating a warm and welcoming ambience to match the lovely carpeting there. Please bear with us while we carry out this exercise.

Until next time, keep well

Tim Garrard, Chairman

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