CHIDEOCK PLAYERS
AMATEUR DRAMATIC GROUP
Chideock Players Committee Meeting held on 15 January 2009
Present: Hilary Baker: Chairman Val Cowell : Treasurer
Catherine Batten: Secretary
Nick Baker, Natalie Williams, Jane Tamone, Diana Swann, Di Dowle and Chris
Lambert
Apologies: Myrtle Cheeseman
Welcome
Hilary welcomed everyone to the meeting
Matters Arising
Only the play and which is to be discussed under its own heading.
Correspondence
We have received a Christmas card and letter from Gwenyth Winter and Sarah
Burge. They send their love to us all.
Treasurers Report
We have £1655.15 in the bank and £29.50 in petty cash.
The expenses for the last production ‘Winter Glory’ have
been paid.
Val will be giving a drama lesson at St. Mary’s school in lieu of
a payment for using the school for rehearsals.
Val has sent choccies for the staff. Val was thanked for her kindness.
Winter Glory
It was quite an expensive play mainly to the royalty costs and the hire
of the hall for rehearsals. The total income for the production was £1017.00
expenditure £821.45 leaving a profit of £195.55. The scaffolding
also increased the costs but we won’t have time to put anything
else in place for the next play. Our audience figures have also dropped.
Hay Fever
We have learnt that we must get photos sent to the press early –
even if the cast aren’t in their correct costumes. Natalie will
arrange photos with the ‘View from Bridport’ .Moira mentioned
how unhappy she was with the way the ‘Bridport News’ don’t
support us with reviews and editorials even though we have always advertised
in the paper. We have had better support from the ‘View from Bridport’
Catherine was asked to write to the ‘Bridport News’ to express
our dissatisfaction. Jane thought we should put a banner on the hall as
a lot of people from Chideock aren’t supporting us and say they
hadn’t heard we were putting on a production. Jane will enquire
how we get the banner and Nick and Moira were asked to ask the hall committee
if we could put it up.
We have lots of make up left over from the next production – costumes are in hand with Jane and Hilary – Moira will look at hair. Posters, programmes and tickets will be printed by Jane. The tickets will cost £5.00. Myrtle will do front of house and Hilary will do the box office.
Natalie put forward a proposal that we put on the play for only 2 nights as the audience figures especially for the Thursday are so low. After much debate it was decided that we would review the matter after the next play – we would really push the advertising and see if this made a difference. We aren’t up against so many other productions this time.
Nick Baker and Mark Williams would be making the set during half term. The back wall will be painted by Ian Dunn if he will do it or if not Moira knows of someone.
Di raised the concern that we are not having a front door, just a curtain. As we are going ‘all out’ on costumes she was concerned that not having a door would be odd. Natalie and Hilary will review this when the set has been built. The women in the play are to be encouraged to rehearse using cigarette holders so that they can get used to them. Chris Lambert will be giving the cast a master class in how to act in the 1920’s style. Di and Kris has got many of the props already. The lighting is straightforward and Val has offered to do this.
Any Other Business
Moira raised the point that if we are to do another pantomime we must
check out the laws regarding playing live and recorded music. Catherine
will try and find out. The dates for the pantomime will be the 3rd, 4t
and 5th December. They are now booked. Moira would like the dress rehearsal
to take place two weeks before the performances.
There being no other business the meeting closed at 9.20pm. Diana was thanked for her hospitality.
The next meeting will be at Val’s house on the 23rd April