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.

Hello all,
 A gentle reminder of theAGM of the 'Players' is this week Thurs 19th at 7.30pm . Please come along and support your society and have your say. Apologies to me if you cannot attend.

 Jamie has kindly ageed to give us another quiz night on Thurs 26th July .  This one may have an Olympic flavour! Teams of 4/5 £1 a head 7.30 for 8pm . Bring along your friends.  Please let me know if you're coming so that we have an idea of numbers.

 Barbara Crellin is now going to produce 'God of Carnage' in  2013 w/b 4th. Feb
 Auditions for this will be 24th Sept  7.30pm . This  is a play with 2 couples aged between 30-40 who meet to discuss  a disagreement  which ocurred between 2 of  their children. Although the evening begins politely, it swiftly deteriorates and reveals an interesting insight into the relationships between the couples.

 Paulette.

Monday 2nd July at 8pm, there will be an audition at the theatre for a play that Barbara Crellin plans to produce w/b 8th Oct [so we will have 2 Autumn productions which is very exciting, the other being  'Playhouse Creatures' produced by Flic at the end of Nov] 

This play is ' God of Carnage' by Yasmin Reza.  There are 4 characters 
who are 2 couples, ages 30?-50?

The 2 couples meet to discuss the attack made by one of their children
on a chid from the other couple. The event begins in a polite manner
and then it all falls apart. There is a lot of humour as wellas
pathos.

Thursday 14th July 7.30pm  A wine tasting evening £7 per ticket from  
Vanessa Duffy 07884180295 or me 01606 79779

Thursday July 19th AGM 7.30 Please come and have your say.

Paulette's April Newsletter

 The last few months have been a very busy time for the Players. After the very successful autumn play, ‘The Cripple of Inishmaan’, came 3 productions from ‘Tin Shed’, one of which was a joint venture with Tom Barry’s company ‘Just Add Water’. This was ‘Couples’, for Valentine’s evening which successfully linked Shakespeare with modern pieces into a very entertaining evening. Then followed ‘Love Play’ by local playwright, Moira Buffini. Love Play is a series of 10 scenes about various aspects of love set in the same location but at different times in history. This proved to be quite challenging for both actors and director, to say nothing of the back-stage crew who never sat still all night!   Costumes and pieces of scenery were made and found by Chris and Tina Sproston, who miraculously turned the paint room next to the kitchen into a dressing room! All productions were well attended and received by audiences throughout the week.
Talking of back-stage crew, it was nice to have Mike Beddard back working with us. Mike is now the proud author of a childrens’ book entitled, ‘Lost in the Snow’. Mike had a double-page spread in ‘Cheshire Life’ before Christmas about his book which is, incidentally, set in the ‘Players’! Mike got his idea years ago when operating the lights for a play, he noticed a small mouse in the lighting box and wrote the story for his god-daughter. The story can be accessed on ‘Kindle’. Congrats Mike!
 Ed Green, our artistic director, made his new year’s resolution to raise public awareness of our lovely theatre and to use it more. This he certainly has done. When ‘Dan’ [the development of Arts in Northwich] withdrew their funding for the jazz events, Ed and 2 other jazz enthusiasts decided to go ahead with it themselves. There are now jazz events each month and the houses are full with waiting lists. Thanks go to Ed, Dave & Harry for all their hard work in reinstating the jazz nights.
 Our late Christmas ‘do’ earlier this year took the form of a quiz run by Jamie Morris with a scrummy hot-pot supper. It was a very enjoyable evening and Jamie makes an excellent quizmaster. Thanks Jamie and to Gill Gregory for the hot-pot.
 Pam Molloy, who works for Barclays, offered to run the raffle for us to apply for ‘Matched funding’. This is a scheme in which Barclays support their employees in any fund raising events they take part in and will match £ for £ any money raised. Our Christmas raffle raised £113 and Barclays doubled our money! A big thank you to Pam for doing this for us.  
  In January we held the 2nd ‘Laugh Out Loud’ event this being ‘Laugh Out Loud ...... Again’. This proved to be an entertaining and fun 2 evenings and it was nice to see returning member Lorraine Dunne taking part. The highlight of the evening was however, Barbara Crellin in a pink leotard doing a Victoria Wood sketch. Very brave Barbara and very funny!

 We are now deep in rehearsals for the next play in May: ‘The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s Production of Macbeth’  directed by Graham Hough. After seeing this, you may never look at some of us in the same light again! Needless to say, it’s a comedy and most of the acting membership is taking part. Graham wanted to produce ‘An Evening With Gary Lineker’ and after finalising his cast with Dan Crellin agreeing to take a part, another member  was  sadly taken ill and had to withdraw, so Graham very amiably chose another play and moved the date. Thanks to Graham for this and for being so amenable. We all hope that this is not the last we see of Dan Crellin. It would have been nice to have you on board, Dan.
 Work on the theatre has been going on apace. We have now decorated right through the building during the last 5 years [almost time to start again!]. Arthur has tiled the kitchen floor and is, as I write, doing more work on the bar, replacing the work-tops. Thanks go to Arthur, Andrea and husband Paul, who have worked so hard to make it more functional and smart. Thanks, also to Paul for placing the monitor in the kitchen, which means actors & crew backstage can see what’s on stage, a very useful piece of equipment. It does save a lot of arduous listening backstage and anxious whisperings such as ‘Where are we up to now?’ & ‘Has he missed a bit?’
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 That’s all our news up-to date except that we are still in need of a cooker, gas or electric in good working order.


Dates for your diary.
17th April - A lecture by Adrian Sumner on Leonardo da Vinci 7.30pm. Tickets  £6 to include a drink 01606 42920 or 784204
19th April - Jazz- Crème Anglais with John Helliwell. Doors open     7.30pm. Gig starts at 8pm.
Currently sold out! Reserve list 01606 74502
20th - Folk with George Papavgeris. An outstanding singer, songwriter & guitarist. Supported by Local singer, Jess Stenstrom. Tickets £7 [£4 for students] from Harry on 01606 74502 or online at  http:/www.danarts.org  Times as for jazz.
11th May - Music with Junction 3. An electric blend of Blues, Swing & Jazz favourites with an innovative flavour-led by vocalist Anja Moncrieff. This trio infuses its own lustre to original songs by the likes of Bonnie Raitt, BB King & Dusty Springfield.
Tickets £6 [£4 students] via ed@tinshedtheatre.co.uk or tel Harry 01606 74502  Times as jazz.
 15th-19th May –The Davenham Players presents ‘The Farndale Avenue Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s Production of Macbeth. 7.30. pm .Tickets £7 from Paulette 01606 79779
24th May - Jazz Amy Roberts quintet. Voted winner of the Rising Star Category in the British jazz awards 2009 & 2011. Amy is an accomplished performer on saxophone, clarinet & flute. Times as jazz.
25th-26th May - Tin Shed at Davenham. Modern short plays. Details later.
31st May – Quiz night run by Jamie Morris   £1 per head. Teams of 4/5   7.30pm for 8pm start.
14th July- Wine tasting evening. This is a new venture for us. Led by Vanessa Duffy. Book your taxi home!!! More details later.
19th July AGM 7.30pm Time for you all to air your views!
 Autumn dates to keep free– Barbara Crellin is producing a play the last week of Oct; more details later
 8th Dec is our Christmas ‘do’ with supper & entertainment from harmony singers, ‘The Rockafellas’.
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  That’s all folks for now but a BIG  thank you all for your support both as members and audiences  and remember you can keep up to date with further dates on our website :-
www.davenhamplayers.co.uk and blog
Paulette.

Next dsp Production "The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society's Production of Macbeth"

The production of An Evening With Gary Lineker has been postponed until a later date. 

Instead, Davenham Players will be presenting The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society's Production of Macbeth  in the week beginning Monday 14th May 2012.