Chairmans report 2007
Culcheth Players 49th AGM, June 11th 2007
Welcome to the 49th Annual general meeting of The Culcheth Players and my first Chairman’s report.
I would firstly like to take the opportunity to thank all of you for making the effort to attend tonight’s meeting and for all your hard work over the last twelve months.
I would love to remain Chairman so I am willing to stand again and therefore put myself at your mercy.
We have managed to stage three splendid productions this year and have in the process attracted some promising new members.
First of all let me focus on our purpose, the performance of Dramatic Art. Here is a breakdown and some reminders of this years offering’s.
The Productions
The Cemetery Club (Ivan Menchell)
October 18th – October 21st 2006
A warmly received comedy presented by an experienced and talented cast. Despite losing the director at an early stage in the production (due to Colin Forster’s ill health) the cast rallied together, produced, directed and pulled off a brilliant piece of comedic drama.
Speaking to members of the audience I was struck by the way the play, touched people. It made them laugh, it made them sad, but most of all it made them care about the characters.
This is the sign of a truly successful production and I hope that this cast will join in with future productions to help others share in their experience, knowledge and talent, as well as entertaining our audience.
Many thanks to;
Ida - Margaret Wilkinson
Lucille - Margaret Fallon
Doris - Brenda Earl
Sam - David Hill
Mildred - Christine Boardman
Rehearsals began in July and very soon it was clear that a success was in the making!!
Cemetery Club kicked off the season with a really good production and made a healthy profit the behind the scenes people all pulled together and despite some misgivings about parts of the set the play received rave reviews and compliments galore for those on and off stage.
Thank you to, The Production team
Director - The Cast
Producer - Yvonne Brown
Set Design & Construction - Allun Lewis, Allan & Ann Witter, Paul Ewart
Stage Manager - Ian McCloughlin
Continuity - Brenda Forster
Props - Ken Proctor
Lighting - Ian Wright & Alex Urmston
Tickets - Yvonne Brown & Group Members
Publicity - David McManus & Group Members
Programme - Ian Wright
Poster Design - Alex Urmston
House Management - Mark taylor & David McManus
Teas - Phyllis Longson & Group members
Cinderella (Culcheth Players)
February 8th – February 10th 2007
A real departure for the group this one! “Never work with children or animals” goes the old showbiz adage, but no such trouble as the first ever Culcheth Players Panto launched itself onto large audiences including a baying mob of Saturday afternoon panto mad kiddies.
The production of the Panto had been murmured about for the last couple of years (at least) so we decided to run with it for February 07. Because of the scale of the production we started rehearsals in July running alongside the rehearsals for the October play (Cemetery Club). It was slow to get going and we suffered an early set back when we lost our director (Albert Sawyer – Artistic differences). Allan Witter stepped into the breach and with a great deal of blood sweat and tears (not to mention foul and abusive language) we got it all together and pulled off a real coup.
A massive profit, rave reviews and audience and club officials begging for more of the same (maybe in a couple of years!).
For me the highlight of the Panto was (No not dressing up as a woman and singing “It’s raining men”, though that comes a close second.) It was the new members that we attracted; we managed to snare the following unwitting souls into our group;
Kerry Chapman - Cinderella
Penny Kirby - Prince Charming (and half a panto cow)
Terry Higson – “Lou” (and set building)
Paul Ewart – Barron Hard-up (Has appeared previously)
Christine (Chris) Burke – Producer
David Thurston – Sound and musical director
Julie Lee – Continuity (and other half of panto cow)
Not a bad haul for one production.!!!!!!!
Great fun was had in the making of Cinderella, but it was hard work and a lot of lessons were learned including the need to keep a tight rein on third party performers.
Next time will be even better (did I say next time? We will see!).
A big thank you to all the cast and all the production team
Director - Allan Witter
Producer - Chris burke
Set Design & Construction - Ann & Allan Witter, Millie & Jack Beck
Stage Manager - Ann Witter
Continuity - Julie Lee
Props - Ken Proctor
Lighting - Ian Wright
Sound - Dave Thurston
Dancers - Natalie Heywood
Wardrobe - Chris Burke & Glenys Cook
Tickets - Brenda Forster
Publicity - David McManus & Group Members
Programme - Ian Wright
House Management - Colin Forster & Group members
Refreshments - Group members
Make up - The Three Towns Operatic Society
Nightwatch (Lucille Fletcher)
May16th – May 19th 2007
Following on from the Pantomime was never going to be easy but we wanted to keep the momentum going and keep the new members interested and so a “Thriller” was selected and once again the group rallied together and a good “solid” production was achieved. Audiences could have been better ( But we did clash with the Three Towns Operatic Societies production, which could have been a factor.) but the main thing was that all involved enjoyed the rehearsals and the performance. We also attracted another new member Mr Philip Ratcliffe, making his Culcheth Players debut in a supporting role as the somewhat eccentric neighbour Mr. Appleby. Julie Lee (who debuted as half a panto cow !!!!) made her full acting debut as Helga (a rather scary) German housemaid.
All the cast and crew worked hard and I was pleased with the performances of everyone involved.
Overall the last twelve months have been successful and we have extended our membership to a point were we can confidently look at staging larger productions rather than casts of 4 or 5.
The artwork for Nightwatch, was produced by Penny Kirby. Penny is a graphic designer and as well as the poster she has also started the construction of our own independent web site www.culchethplayers.co.uk please visit the site and any suggestions or photos you have from past productions please pass them to Penny or me and we will get them on our site.
The way forward
I would also like to take this opportunity to outline some ideas I have that may be beneficial to the group and I would like your feedback about them.
1.We need to raise the profile of the group. We now have the web site and I would like to look at more targeted advertising of us and our productions. I would like the group to be more involved with the local community and local organisations. (schools, Scouts and Guides, Churches, Lions etc.
2.Develop the social side of the group and see what other theatre groups are doing. Share ideas and resources with other groups and develop some mutual dependency. Possibly have some “nights out” that have nothing to do with drama, just a chance to get together with friends and partners.
3.Actively seek new members and have a strategy for keeping them busy and interested, readings, mini courses. (run by the more experienced members of the group) get out into the shopping centre in local towns to promote us, Leigh, CPS, Birchwood and Warrington.
4.An open evening. (as done a few years ago)
5.THE FRIENDS OF CULCHETH PLAYERS basically our audience. Let’s communicate with them, we ask people to register with us as then we send them info and updates about the group and what we are doing, maybe invite them to some social events?
50 years young
This is the 49th annual general meeting so as we enter our fiftieth year I thought we should make an extra effort to push the group forward. I would like us to plan out our performances for this season in advance and look at producing our publicity material NOW!!!!!! We need to be positive and bold.
It would also be fitting to mark the 50 year mark with some kind of celebration I am hoping to be flooded with suggestions
Another idea is to have “season tickets” so that our regular audience can make a small saving on the three plays that we produce?
Finally
Thank you all for your support and hard work over the last twelve months.
Mark Taylor
Chairman
Culcheth Players