MINUTES of a meeting of TADS held on 23 April 2008 at The Roses Theatre. Meeting started at 8.05 pm.
1. Present:
Geoff Guy, Richard Hughes, Oonagh Hughes, Liza Otter, Mike Babb, Brenda Read-Brown, John Williams, Geoff Matthews, Jim Ballard.
2. Apologies: Tony Guy, Kate Matthews.
3. The Minutes of the last meeting (included with the AGM) were read and approved.
4. Matters arising
The Annexe is available for use and Richard has booked it for rehearsals of A Ryght Evil Place, starting May 2nd.
The Roses has been booked for 30th / 31st January 2009 for our next main production, together with the preceding Sunday for the tech. rehearsal.
Richard and Oonagh have seen a DVD about the Severn project, and were unimpressed. Although peripatetic theatre and involving ordinary people in street theatre are fine ideas, it was felt that a strong storyline is required, and that the 10’ latex sturgeon did not provide a sound basis for this. If a different storyline were to be adopted in Tewkesbury (e.g. concerning the floods), we might want to be involved, although as Geoff pointed out, we must guard against overstretching our resources.
The Festival week will include another performance of Abbey by Candlelight, in the Abbey, on the Tuesday evening.
Oonagh has written to John Elliott.
Richard and Hannah have yet to meet Deborah to discuss our relationship; they need to meet together beforehand.
Actions:
Richard will speak to Deborah again about the Severn project.
Hannah will try to find out more information about the Severn project’s theme in Tewkesbury.
Richard and Hannah to arrange a pre-Deborah meeting meeting.
5. Treasurer's report
The financial position is sound:
Cash £25.55
Current account £383.77
Deposit account £4468.45
Total £4877.77
6. Previous productions
Nothing to report.
7. Present productions
Once this was a poet
OTWAP is fully cast, with the addition of Joe Durrant, talent-spotted by Martin. Pam’s loss of her mother has meant that she has not yet been able to attend rehearsals, and Ian’s house move meant that the last rehearsal was cancelled, but the rehearsals that have taken place have been excellent. The play will really start to take shape once rehearsals start at Liza’s on Sunday. Brenda has sent the entry in for the GDA one act play festival. A dress rehearsal to which TADS members will be invited will probably be on June 1st.
A Ryght Evil Place
AREP now has a cast of about 24, but some cast members are still required – in particular a young man to play the prince. Richard still has several possibilities to look into for this. Rehearsals will be once a week.
Richard has spoken to John Keynes, the head verger at the Abbey, and has decided not to perform the play in the choir because of the lack of space needed for such a large cast– the fighting knights will be present as well as the rest of the cast. The seats in the Abbey will be turned round and the play performed at the back, facing the west window. The Abbey have rostra and can build a stage about 1’ high. Volunteers will be needed on the day to move the chairs and replace them after the performance. The Abbey will provide stewards but we will need to have a couple of front-of-house staff present. Tickets will not be sold for the single performance, but there will be a retiring collection. Cast will be needed from 5 pm on the day (Thursday 17th) to allow time for a rehearsal with the knights.
Costumes will be managed by Amanda and Peggy Clatworthy. Hannah has seen a suitable dress in the Antiques Centre, but has not inquired about whether it would be available for loan.
Action:
Richard to ask about loan of dress from Antiques Centre.
8. Next productions
Given that some TADS members have doubts about Ghost Train, and Hannah herself is not completely sure, she has decided to put this idea on ice for the moment. Brenda suggested Three men and a dog as a possibility, but a far better idea was The Threepenny Opera. Richard would like to put on a musical because we have some fine singers in the company; he had thought of Cabaret, but the rights to this are not available at the moment. The Threepenny Opera might not be a great crowd-puller, but is a set text and might attract schools. Caroline Quinlan would be interested in providing the music; we would need to pay her, but this is usually the case with amateur musical productions nowadays.
Other possibilities to consider are: Pygmalion, Three Sisters, and The Doll’s House; Brenda would still like to direct Ring round the moon, or a Terry Pratchett adaptation.
It was agreed that a definite decision must be made by the next meeting, at which time we should also decide on whether or not to produce a play for the Tuckwell open air festival in July 2009 (possibly A Midsummer Night’s Dream?).
Actions:
Richard and Hannah to re-read The Threepenny Opera.
9. Any other business
The suggestion that TADS should change its name to omit the word “amateur” was discussed. Possibilities were to use just “TADS” (which would lead to queries about what it stood for), or to change the name to “Tewkesbury Arts and Drama Society” – appropriate as we include singers, writers, visual artists and musicians. A change of name such as this would mean changing the constitution, which can be done only at an AGM or EGM. It was agreed that Oonagh would call an EGM to vote on the name-change, to coincide with the next TADS meeting.
Oonagh has received a letter from a new Tewkesbury newspaper, The Observer, offering to print details of our activities. Oonagh will reply to say that at present there is nothing to report but that she will keep in touch.
Actions:
Oonagh to contact paid-up members re the EGM.
Oonagh to reply to The Observer.
10. Next meeting
The next meeting will be on 21st May, in the Morecambe Room, starting at 8 pm.
Action:
Oonagh to ensure that the next meeting is included in the Roses’ diary.
The meeting closed at 9.15 p.m.
…………………………………
Oonagh Hughes (Chairman)