Hello all,
This is a polite reminder that this is the time to pay your subs to the Davenham Players. Please send cheques  for £15 payable to 'The Davenham & Sandiway Players' to my address :-

Paulette Anderson
24 Queensgate
Castle
Northwich CW8 1DX      or pay at any of the meetings.

Also this is a request for help at our various up and coming events
We need 2 bar staff for  each of the following dates-

24th Jan,  22nd Feb, 28th Feb,28th March.  These are all jazz nights and you would need to be behind the bar 15 minutes before  the doors open at   7.30. The jazz starts at 8pm and there is usually an interval.

12-16th Feb Play week  'God of Carnage' each performance starts at  8pm and doors open at .7.30pm  so you would need to be there for 7.15 pm. For this week we also need  1/2 for  Front of House help to take the ticket money. There will be no interval so you would not have to stay after  the start of the performance at 8pm.

 We cannot run these events smoothly without help in these areas and are indebted to you who give your time. Please contact me with the job and date you can do .

Many thanks in advance.

Paulette.

Happy new year all,

 This is just to remind you all of the forthcoming events  in January at the 'Davenham Players'

 

 Wed 9th Jan at 7.30pm - Auditions for the April play, A Curious Savage. Play copies available from myself, Paulette 01606 79779. Click Audition for full details.

Thurs 10th Jan at 7.30pm New year's quiz  , Quizmaster , Jamie Morris . £1 per person. Bring along yourselves your friends and your team.

 Thurs Jan 24th - Jazz from the Neil Yates Quintet . More details from Ed Green. 01606 784442

 

Hope to see as many of you as possible .

Paulette.

 

 

 

 

Hello everyone,

After a very successful 'Playhouse Creatures' and a good Christmas party  the 'Players' are taking a short break over Christmas but we meet again on :-

 Wed Jan 9th for auditions for ' A Curious Savage' to be directed by Jerry Park from Nantwich w/b 8th April. And then, the following night

 Thurs Jan 10th we have a new year quiz led by Jamie Morris [ he of quiz master fame !!]
 Get your teams together and come along at 7.30p.m. only £1 a head. All welcome.

It only remains for me to wish you all a very happy Xmas and a healthy and prosperous new year.

 Paulette.

The Davenham Players newsletter Oct 2012

You might have thought that after winning 4 awards for ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ at the Cheshire Theatre Guild  in July – how do we follow that!...... but ......

The new season at ‘The Players’ started in a very different style with our Art and Craft/ Book launch day on 22^nd Sept. Mike Beddard, long time member and author of the children's book Lost In The Snow which you will have already heard about, asked way, way back last season if he could hold his book launch at the theatre. Beth Anderson had already suggested at our AGM this summer that we ask local artists to display their work at our theatre, so we thought this an ideal opportunity to combine the two events, especially as it was in our theatre that Mike was inspired  to write his story, now beautifully illustrated by Rebecca Yoxall.

So the two events were combined into this one day of all-round culture. It never ceases to amaze me how talented people are;  there were stalls with cakes, jewellery, felt work, cards, tea towels, plants and paintings. Together with selected extracts read by Vanessa, Don and Paulette, carefully staged by Ed, the whole day proved to be most successful with a steady stream of people throughout the day. 

We said a fond farewell to Andrea Scott at the AGM in July and wished her every success as manager of a lovely pub in Youlgreave in Derbyshire. We hear she is working very hard but hopes she will find time to visit us. Peter Lownds has taken over the running of the bar in her place. We are always on the lookout for people to help serve behind the bar, especially as there are now so many more events. If you feel you can offer help, please contact Pete direct on :  plownds26@aol.com

As always, there has been plenty to do at the theatre during the summer  and much work has been completed. Thanks go to Arthur for this, ably aided on several occasions by Bob. We now have a lovely tiled floor in the kitchen, and a newly donated cooker.  The foyer has been transformed with new lights and decorative boards advertising future concerts and productions. We have work parties from time to time and are very grateful for any help. Please do come along as your help is invaluable.

Since September we have held  several  play-reading evenings and hope to continue this as it is an excellent way of familiarising ourselves with plays  which could be produced in the future.

It is with great pleasure that we welcome new member George Ogazi who has joined us at play readings and I think enjoyed our company enough to sign up !

On the subject of plays and productions ..... we are always on the lookout for people who would like to direct a play. If you feel you would  like a go or have a burning desire to direct a particular play, then please contact any of our committee members who are :-

Bob Almquist – Chairman

Paulette Anderson- Secretary

Don Anderson- treasurer

Ed Green- Artistic director

Graham Hough – Lighting and Sound

Vanessa Duffy – Marketing

Denise Barry – Social

Arthur Jones – building -              ...and in Sept  we welcomed .........

Peter Lownds- Bar manger   

Lorraine Dunne- grants

The forthcoming Tin Shed production of  Playhouse  Creatures by April de Angelis and directed by Felicity Goodman is in rehearsal for performance from 28^th Nov-1^st Dec .. Booking: ed@tinshedtheatre.co.uk  or tel 01606 784442.

Barbara Crellin has cast her play God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza which will be produced at the beginning of Feb 2013. It is good to see Phil Perry back  in his acting shoes to take a role in this play. More details to come.

Visiting director Jerry Park from  Nantwich  players is set to produce our March play A Curious Savage. Auditions will take place in early January but there is a reading of the play on Nov 1^st at 7.30pm so do come along if you want to find out what it’s about. It’s a large cast -11, so we’ll need you all !!!

Felicity Goodman and Tom Barry are running evenings where you can hone your acting skills. ‘Act, Laugh, Move’ allows you to do just that for the small fee of £5 per evening. Next one is Fri 16^th Nov at 7pm. No need to book -  just turn up.

Local Art Historian Adrian Sumner is presenting an illustrated lecture on The Horse in Art at the theatre. Proceeds go to the charity Riding for the Disabled on Friday 9th Nov - Tickets £7 from Helen Sumner 07794 899 160 or hsu3913842@aol.com

Our Xmas party will take place on Dec 8^th at 7.30pm. We have music from Rockafellas, a close harmony group and one of Gill Gregory’s famous hotpot suppers- all for £8  tickets from Paulette 01606 79779

At all these events, Pam Molloy will be selling her calendars, this year with pictures of the ‘Players’ in action. These sell at a modest £2 and  Pam has kindly produced these to raise money for the theatre and is taking part in the Barclays  £ for £ scheme. Anything she raises with the sale of these calendars will be doubled by Barclays, so please support Pam (and of course the Players) in this venture. To order from Pam direct  e-mail : pamyollom@aol.com

Jazz is in full swing and there have already been two enjoyable events in September and October. Next music event is Friday 26^th Oct  with Junction 3  details  from Ed @tinshedtheatre.co.uk.

And lastly, an appeal from Altrincham for an actor

*DESPERATELY SEEKING A VICTORIAN BADDIE:

Altrincham Little Theatre is in urgent need of an actor to step in to play the role of Jack Manningham in Gaslight by Patrick Hamilton from November 11th to 17th 2012. Our Jack has had to drop out owing to serious health problems. Any offers of help should be made 1) by replying on the Altrincham Little Theatre facebook page or 2) by emailing clubtheatresecretary@hotmail.co.uk.*

As you can see there’s plenty going on. Now all it needs is YOU and YOUR FRIENDS . Spread the word and come along. It only leaves me now to remind you of ..............................................

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY.

 Oct 26^th- Junction 3 playing Blues, Swing and Jazz

Nov 1^st – Play reading of ‘A Curious Savage’  7.30pm

Nov 9^th – The Horse in Art –Lecture

Nov 16^th Laugh Act Move- 7pm

Nov 28^th-1^st Dec  ‘Playhouse Creatures’

Dec  8^th – Christmas Party

From Newsletter Editor-      Paulette Anderson - Hon Sec (and aspiring granny!)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHESHIRE WEST VOLUNTARY ARTS NETWORK (CWVAN)

Chester Mystery Plays 2013: Casting Workshops/Auditions
The casting workshops for the 2013 production of the Chester Mystery Plays will be held on the following  dates:
Saturday 27 October 2012 from 10am and 2pm
Sunday 28 October 2012 from 11am and 2.30pm
Saturday 3 November 2012 from 10am and 2pm
Sunday 4 November 2013 from 11am and 2.30pm

The workshops will all be held in the Cloister Room at Chester Cathedral.
To receive updates and details of how to register for the workshops (this will be
possible in September), go to

http://www.chestermysteryplays.com/getintouch/getinvolved.php and sign up!

There are also opportunities to volunteer in technical and backstage areas (including costume), front of house and management. Visit the website and Get Involved!

Davenham Needs YOU for our new Season's Drama !

This short newsletter is mainly to invite you to two play readings coming up this month. There will be more news about the forthcoming season of music, arts, and drama later this month.

Firstly, this Thursday 6^th September 7:30pm at the theatre, guest director Gerry Park will be leading a reading of the play The Curious Savage by John Patrick. There is a range of parts for both sexes in this comedy, so please come along and find out more about the play, due to be produced at Davenham in late Spring 2013. For more details, please contact Paulette Anderson by email (cc-ed above) or by phoning 01606 79779.

The second play reading is on Monday 24^th September 7:30pm at the theatre, when director Barbara Crellin will be leading a reading of the play God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, only just released for amateur performance. This play will be staged at Davenham week beginning Mon 4^th February 2013 and requires two male and two female actors who must look an age at which they could have a young family. For more details, please contact Barbara Crellin (cc-ed above).

Lastly, I must mention our Arts @ Davenham launch day coming up on Saturday 22^nd September 10am to 5pm. The main purpose of the day is the launch of a children’s book written by Davenham Player Mike Beddard and illustrated by local artist Rebecca Yoxall. Also on the same day there will be an Arts and Crafts exhibition by several local artists and also a Children’s art competition and Kids Art Zone. “Lost in the Snow” is about a family of mice who take shelter in the Players theatre, so the subject of the competition is mouse (or mice). Both the author and the illustrator will be on hand to talk to you and to sign a copy of the book for you – an ideal Christmas gift ! See http://dsp-davenham.blogspot.co.uk/p/arts-davenham.html for further details.

See the Players website http://www.davenhamplayers.co.uk/

and blog at http://dsp-davenham.blogspot.com/ 

Make it one of your favourites for the first news about our events or productions at neighbouring groups.

Hope to see you at one of our events,

Bob.

DAVENHAM SUCCESS AT CHESHIRE DRAMA AWARDS NIGHT

“What a difference a year makes!” said Bob Almquist, Chairman of Davenham and Sandiway Players in his Chairman’s report at last Thursday’s Annual General Meeting. “Just twelve months ago, almost to the day, Paulette Anderson (Hon Sec) and he returned from the 2011 Cheshire Theatre Guild awards night with not even a nomination for any of the drama festival categories and had to admit, were a little downhearted.” However, at last week’s 2012 AGM, Bob was able to report that the pace of performing arts at the Players Theatre had accelerated and that the 2012 season was one of the most successful ever. Over the season, visiting companies had staged eight productions at Davenham theatre – almost one a month. Only a few years ago, there would have been barely one or two.

Then there was the immensely successful series of professional Jazz concerts organised and financed by a small group of local enthusiasts who took over responsibility from the DAN (Development of Arts in Northwich) after withdrawal of a grant from a regional arts funder. The entrepreneurs put their own money at risk to fund the first three concerts, starting at the end of 2011, with no certainty of success. However, after the first couple of evenings, it was clear that effective marketing had worked and that the concerts would pay for themselves hopefully long into the future. Indeed, most of the evenings are sell-outs with waiting list for ticket returns. The jazz bands say that Davenham is an ideal venue for their type of music and audiences love the atmosphere and the real ale supplied by sponsors Tatton Brewery of Knutsford. Jazz returns in September – email jazz@davenham.co.uk for details.

Bob then asked the question “With all this going on at Davenham, was there any time for Davenham’s own drama productions?” Yes, there was. In November, Barbara Crellin directed Martin McDonagh’s dark comedy ‘Cripple of Inishmaan’ which attracted sell-out audiences following a successful preview night with an invited audience of local business people, councillors and the Northwich Mayor. In January, Paulette Anderson directed ‘Laugh Out Loud - Again’ – a miscellany of comedy readings and sketches involving a wide range of our membership. The most recent production was ‘The Farndale Macbeth’ (abbreviated title) directed by Graham Hough. This play is one of a series by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Jnr that dramatize attempts by the (imaginary) Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s to stage serious plays. In this script, the ladies try their hand at ‘The Scottish Play’ at a drama festival competition. Macbeth is played by a lady, Lady Macbeth by a man and one of the three witches is unlucky enough to have to have to complete the play in a wheelchair! Everything that can go wrong does go wrong, but the drama adjudicator makes the best of it at the end and the Farndale ladies go away with their heads held high. Congratulations to Graham Hough on a production enjoyed by all the cast and by the sell-out audiences!

The chairman handed over to Barbara Crellin, director of the November production, to describe what happened at the 2012 Cheshire Theatre Guild annual Drama Festival awards evening, held the day previous to the Davenham AGM. Hopes of awards were not high following the 2011 experience. But things were to change very soon. After seeing three excerpts of recent productions staged by Cheshire amateurs, the audience eagerly awaited the drama adjudicator Colin Snell, who had judged almost thirty plays by amateur groups all over Cheshire during the season. You have to compare this evening with the Olivier or Academy awards night – there is the same level of excitement, but with considerably less glitz and champagne !

The adjudicator announced the nominations for Best Supporting Actor and one of our members was in the list. Next thing we knew Jamie Morris had won the Geoffrey Croxford Cup for his portrayal of Bartley in ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ and went proudly onto the stage to collect his award – well done Jamie ! A little later, the nominations for Best Presentation came up and Davenham were nominated for the set built for ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’. Davenham won again and Barbara collected the Bramhall Cup on behalf of set designer Sheila Hetherington and Set Builder Arthur Jones.

Was there more to come? – indeed there was! Colin Snell announced the award for Best Actor. Ed Green had been nominated for the part of JohnnyPateenMike  in his Davenham Players debut, ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ – and Ed won the trophy! Unfortunately Ed could not be there because he was appearing on stage that night in Hertfordshire, so Barbara collected the David Lane cup on Ed’s behalf. The excitement was now building for the final few awards, including Best Director, for which Barbara had been nominated and Best Production for which ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ had been nominated. Barbara did not win Best Director award, but a nomination still recognizes success and she was pleased to have been in ‘Best of Class’. Any disappointment was short-lived because the penultimate award of the evening went to ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’ for runner-up in Best Overall Production and Barbara was overjoyed to collect the John F Blackburn award.

So, the Davenham committee could report on a year of hard work and recognition of a successful season’s activities. If you are interested in finding out more about what’s happening at Davenham and maybe becoming involved with our next season, you can phone our Hon Sec Paulette on 01606 79779, our Chairman Bob on 01606 45186 or visit our website http://www.davenhamplayers.co.uk/ which has a Contact Us form or Blog http://dsp-davenham.blogspot.co.uk/ which has news of coming activities for your diary. We also have a Facebook group page Davenham and Sandiway Players. In conclusion Bob said a warm “Thank You” for all who had helped in last season’s productions and asked for more help with next season, which looks like being even busier than last.