September 2014

GTG NEWS
SEPTEMBER 2014
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Directed
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Welcome back to September’s GTG News after
our summer break! We hope you all enjoyed the
(mainly) lovely summer… This edition features a
selection of the audience feedback we received
on the 50th Anniversary Concert in July. We were
inundated with messages, mentions, emails and
letters of appreciation. The Concert was, by any
standards, a fabulous success. We applaud David
Dray in his new role as GTG’s Vice President and
we present a brief report of GTG’s Annual General
Meeting, with a list of those who were presented
with the annual Awards. We have an interview with
Chris Morley, GTG’s Stage Manager and recipient
of the new ‘Mike Payne Stage Production Award’
and news of our autumn play, ‘Allo ‘Allo, our
Christmas pantomime, Cinderella and our sparkling
2015 spring musical Thoroughly Modern Millie.
Affiliated
to the
National
Operatic
Dramatic
&
Associati
on
‘GTG Celebrates 50 Concert’! –
‘joy, laughter and tears…’
The plaudits for the 50th Anniversary Concert
have abounded. We had some very good reviews
in the Surrey Advertiser and in the magazine,
Sardines but what has been overwhelming has
been the sheer volume of positive feedback from
those who came to see us on 5 and 6 July and to
join with us in celebrating the historic occasion,
beginning with a letter from Cllr Liz Wheatley,
Mayor of Waverley (shown on next page):
Book your tickets for the concert | www.gtguk.com
www.gtguk.com
‘GTG Celebrates 50 Concert’! – ‘joy,
laughter and tears…’ Continued
This is from Jayne Gregory, Head of Client
Services, Haynes Watts (our sponsors):
I/Haines Watts feel so
honoured to be involved
with GTG and I would be
grateful if you could pass
on my best wishes to
everyone who contributed
on Sunday night.”
Jayne Gregory -
‘A quick note to congratulate you all on another
fantastic evening on Sunday - I wouldn’t have missed
it for the world. Loved it and seeing the extent of
your achievements was truly a privilege. Quite how
do you pick the highlights over 50 phenomenal
years? Too much choice as I have enjoyed every
single performance I have ever been to. I/Haines
Watts feel so honoured to be involved with GTG
and I would be grateful if you could pass on my
best wishes to everyone who contributed on Sunday
night and over the years. David – Congratulations
on becoming GTG’s Vice President! Truly well
deserved. By the way, I think my sides have just
about recovered from your Fan and Webster sketch!
See you all again soon!’
And here are some more accolades:
‘What a wonderful evening: a great celebration
of 50 years of Godalming Theatre Group and an
excellent showcase of what it has achieved. There
were some splendid performances from long-standing
members and talented youngsters in a programme
which was a well-planned mix of songs and scenes.‘
Head of Client Services, Haynes Watts
‘amazing talent, great performances, and you should
all be very proud of yourselves. Looking forward to the
next one!’
‘Congratulations on a fabulous show last night!’
‘Was in the audience last night, what a happy
way to spend Saturday evening and to see Colin
and David performing together again really put the
icing on the cake. Thank you and well done GTG!’
www.gtguk.com
Wow - what a
performance, what
a Show!... it was a
wonderful celebration
of 50 years of local live
theatre.”
‘Lots of the comments on the screen last night, and
David’s speech, talked about the GTG family. It’s so
true that this is one of the things that makes GTG so
special – [My daughter] really values the fact that
the adults involved in both the Youth Group and the
shows have been as welcoming and friendly as her
own age group.’
‘Wow - what a performance, what a Show!... it
was a wonderful celebration of 50 years of local
live theatre, a chance to travel down Memory Lane
and to remember those that are no longer with you.
The whole cast was just amazing;: the singing,
the youngsters, the musical direction, the soloists...
[Daniella’s] vitality is infectious - a star (but then we
always knew that) an inspiration to the youngsters
without a doubt. As for David D, well ...there are
no words, he is quite wonderful, a true star and he
deserves every accolade possible.’
Congratulations to you
all and may you all keep
going for another 50
years.”
Thanks for a lovely
evening to all. A big trip
down memory lane.”
‘It was a joyous evening - so glad we were part
of it!’
‘Thank you so much for encouraging me to come
this evening. I had such a good time and can’t
remember when I last wept with laughter at the
theatre with the wonderful Fan and Webster!’
‘It was great to be amidst the lovely people of
GTG again. It brought back happy memories of
past shows and I am delighted that the Group goes
from strength to strength. Thank you for making us
feel so welcome’
‘What a truly wonderful show we saw at the Ben
Travers last Sunday Evening. Congratulations to
you all and may you all keep going for another 50
years.’
‘Thanks for a lovely evening to all. A big trip down
memory lane and great to see so many old (in the
nicest possible way) faces!’
www.gtguk.com
An absolutely wonderful
show tonight... It
brought back such fond
memories.”
‘An absolutely wonderful show tonight... It brought
back such fond memories. Many congratulations to
you all. You should all be very proud of yourselves
especially those who put the whole show together.
Oh, and needless to say I wept.’
‘Well done everyone! Such a pleasure to sit and
watch so much local talent. You should be proud.
Here’s to the next 50 years!’
David Dray, Vice President
One of the highlights of the GTG is 50 Concert was
when David Dray, having performed his ‘Tevye’, his
‘Nicely Nicely Johnson’, his ‘Daddy Brubeck’ and,
with Colin Beattie, the hysterically funny parody of
1940s duettists Ann Zeigler and Webster Booth,
‘Fan and Webster’ found himself, unexpectedly, with
a brand new role, that of Vice President. The title
was conferred on David in recognition of all he has
achieved for GTG over 50 years.
David Dray
GTG’s AGM 7 July 2014
Members and friends of GTG who attended the
Annual General Meeting at the Wilfrid Noyce
Centre heard Chairman, Keith Thomas’s upbeat
‘state of the nation’ presentation. He described ‘a
very good year’ with the Group in ‘a financially
viable position‘. Keith reported that ‘Patrons’
scheme’ continued to provide ‘solid support’
while the new performer subscription and ‘Friends
scheme’ has been very successful in helping to
assure the future of the Group. This is, he said
‘an enviable position for our community theatre
group’. Keith paid tribute to the management
committee: he is ‘proud to be working with such
committed and energetic people’. Particularly
Keith wanted to emphasise the importance of
Haynes Watts’ sponsorship and ‘how lucky we
are to have a major sponsor. Keith said ‘GTG
is eternally grateful to Jane Gregory and her
colleagues at Haynes Watts. 2013 – 14, he
said, will be remembered for four ‘outstanding
productions’ with ‘huge audience appreciation’:
Calendar Girls, Robin Hood and the Babes
in the Wood, Jekyll and Hyde and the 50th
Anniversary Concert. The 50th Anniversary
Concert, of course was fresh in everyone’s
minds Keith paid tribute to those who made
the production possible and particularly to
Madeleine Gibb and her exceptional project
management, boundless enthusiasm - and
nagging! (Surely not, Mad…)
www.gtguk.com
Mike Payne Stage Production Award
The Awards
Youth Group Progress
Hugh Hedgecock
Under 21 Award
Megan Swaisland
Anniversary Cup
Joy Barnham
Millennium Award
Carol Gallacher
Pat Holt Cup (for dedication,
commitment and loyalty)
Geoff Embleton, Secretary
Nell Gwynn (Best Actress)
All Ladies of the ‘Knapely WI’ (the
Calendar Girls)
Nim White (Best Actor)
Jason McCann (Jekyll and Hyde)
Paul Furlong, GTG’s esteemed Treasurer presented
the Financial Report with his usual clarity and
humour. The Committee, Paul explained has kept
a ‘serious’ and highly effective ‘eye on GTG’s
finances’ and he was pleased to be able to report
a favourable position but (as you might expect a
Treasurer to do) he warned against complacency.
GTG has made considerable improvements
to its cash flow and now has a comfortable
working capital which should ensure the Group ‘s
longevity. The 2013 Autumn play, Calendar Girls
achieved an exceptional 98% capacity and also
donated a significant amount to charity (nearly
£4,000) which was excellent PR for the Group.
The Christmas Panto, Robin Hood also made a
good profit. The Spring Musical Jekyll and Hyde
proved an enormous critical success.
Looking ahead, Directors Mary Gallacher
and Jenny Mayor introduced the 2014 Panto
Cinderella with musical direction by Bob Good
and choreography by Jennifer Baxter. Mary told
the AGM that she hopes it will be a celebration
of all things GTG that will reference the pantos
produced over the previous 50 years! She hopes
it will include well known GTG faces. (More
about our Panto in the next editions. Put the dates
13 - 20 December in your diary!)
David Dray, our new Vice President and Director
of our Autumn play, ‘Allo ‘Allo updated the AGM
on progress thus far. (Rest assured there will be no
entendre un-doubled – but more of ‘Allo ‘Allo later
in this, and October’s, Newsletter).
The rest of the AGM was devoted to the happy
business of the presentation of the Annual Awards.
These were as Listed on the left.
And the new
Mike Payne Stage Production Award
Chris Morley
www.gtguk.com
Chris Morley, Stage Manager
Hilary Harwood interviews Chris Morley, GTG’s Stage Manager
Continuing the theme that GTG is most fortunate to number so many talented and committed
people among its members, GTG News is very pleased to interview our exceptional Stage
and Construction Manager, Chris Morley!
Chris says that it came as quite a shock to him to realise in
GTG’s 50th year that he has been involved with the Group
for ‘60% of that time!’. Chris’s involvement with the Group
began in the early 1980s during his gap year between A
Levels and University. He was approached by then Treasurer,
Graham Pullen, who asked if he was interested in ‘helping
back stage’. And, as he says, here he is nearly 30 years
later having stage managed our Spring Musical, Jekyll
and Hyde and our celebratory Concert GTG is 50!, and
currently working on the set construction for the Autumn play,
‘Allo ‘Allo.
Chris Morley
Chris has actually lost count of the number of GTG shows
he has worked over the years. He recalls crewing for show
during his University vacations and although there have been
some breaks along the way he has worked his way from
stage crew to Deputy Stage Manager, to Assistant Stage
Manager, to Construction Manager and latterly, since the
death of the much missed Mike Payne, Stage Manager.
In addition, in the last 6 years, he has been an invaluable
member of GTG’s management committee providing the
technical advice.
Chris says GTG has been particularly fortunate to have been
able to present its productions in the ‘professional theatre
space’ of the Ben Travers Theatre. He explains that crewing
on productions elsewhere, sometimes for other groups,
taught him how hard it can be to manage ‘less conducive’
spaces. He recalls that one of the hardest shows he has ever
worked on was for the ‘Upstagers’, the then Youth section
of GTG, at Shamley Green Village Hall. For many reasons
it proved particularly difficult and taught him ‘a great lesson
about the wonderful things people do putting on successful
shows in village halls’ – frankly a lot harder than being
able to work in ‘a big theatre space with all the technical
www.gtguk.com
advantages’ of the Ben Travers. Chris thinks GTG has
been ‘blessed to have had the Ben Travers, where the
Group can ‘expand to fill the space rather than being
constrained by the space’.
Stage crew, as Chris reminds us, have to be
particularly adept at managing all eventualities.
‘Things will always happen that are unprompted
and unscripted - but out of context never seem quite
as funny!’ Generally, he thinks actors are very good
at recovering situations when things go wrong on
stage but it can be tense for those watching in the
wings ‘when dialogue goes round and round until
the line is somehow found that moves it all on!’
Every production brings its challenges and there is
no doubt that Jekyll and Hyde was a challenging
production. Chris says that he crewed on the show
when it was perfomed in Guildford some 10 years
ago. He thought at the time ‘ this is a big show and I
wouldn’t necessarily want to do it again!’. However
10 years later he found himself stage managing
GTG’s wonderful production and thought. ‘Yes this IS
an awesomely big show!’ He says that he sometime
finds himself ‘doffing his cap to the professionals as
stage management is not for playing at!’. I asked
Chris about his favourite shows. His favourite piece
of musical theatre and one of the first shows he
crewed on was Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret, ‘I love
the show’. He explains that he has always been
interested in the history of Germany in the 1930s
and its contribution to culture and technology, despite
the political context. And a play? - For a number of
reasons he says that must be Thornton Wilder’s Our
Town. There are one or two lines that he has carried
through life with him. ‘A great piece of writing’.
It seems that Chris hasn’t always confined his talents
to backstage. There has been the odd ‘inadvertant’
appearance’ when someone has opened the tabs
too soon, but Chris has also trodden the boards
with GTG as an actor! As he puts it – there have
been three ‘official occasions. His first forray into the
limelight was as Orsino’s boy in Twelfth Night (which
GTG toured to Germany). Then after several years
Chris appeared in Hobson’s Choice in the part of
Tubby Wadlow. Chris explains, he was actually
‘thrown into the role’ at very short notice, thanks to
Martin Chapman! With about four weeks to go
Martin, the Director, had been unable to cast what
he described as ‘a very small part’. Chris agreed
and then, to his horror, discovered he had ‘a page
and a half of monologue!’. He found it very hard
to learn the lines, ‘if you are not in the habit of line
learning line then it’s a nightmare. He says he will
always be grateful to Helen Riddy, who was also in
the cast, for getting him through it. He followed this
triumph in the next production, The Lion The Witch
and The Wardrobe as Badger, a non-speaking
role. He says he had never really fully understood
what the deal was about going out on stage. So the
experience was very helpful – and besides ‘its good
to push yourself and feel uncomfortable from time to
time’. Chris reflects that by the same token it’s a good
experience for actors to work behind the scenes. He
believes that people should come and get a sense of
what it takes to produce and present a show.
Chris is keen to point out that he learned all he knows
about stage management from Mike Payne, GTG’s
former Stage Manager, who, sadly. died last year.
Chris, a Godalming boy, knew of Mike even before
joining GTG, describing him as ‘a constant in all
those 30 years’. Chris says he has found the last
couple of shows quite difficult with Mike no longer
there ‘to fall back on’ or ‘to seek counsel with’. ‘I have
everything to thank him for, really. And its not the
same without him’. Mike, as many will know, did a
lot of work for other organisations, as well as GTG.
Chris recently recieved ‘a panicky phone call’ from
the teacher directing the end of year production at a
local school. They had apparently suddenly realised
‘what a lot’ Mike used to do for them. Of course
Chris was happy to help ‘but it was clear that Mike’s
time and energy were sorely missed.’
www.gtguk.com
Sunflowers for Mike
GTG’s Calendar Girls was the last show Mike worked
on although he became very unwell during rehearsals
and had to step down. He was determined to come to
the Saturday matinee, which he did. He died not long
afterwards.
Karen Scull (Cora in GTG’s Calendar Girls, GTG
stalwart and professional gardener) writes:
Mike Paine
‘Last year at the end of the run of Calendar Girls, Helen
Riddy (Jessie) presented us all with a packet of sunflower
seeds. I decided to grow mine in memory of dear Mike
Payne and plant them at Marsh Farm [GTG’s scenery
and costume store]. I thought this was a fitting place
to display them, as Mike spent so much time there. I
nurtured them in the greenhouse through the spring and
then to my horror half of them got eaten during one
night - so mad!!! Luckily, Sue Barrett (Elaine) had also
grown sunflowers and came to my rescue by making up
the numbers. We needed 18 plants to fill the two large
troughs at the entrance to Marsh Farm. Chris Morley
and I planted them out at the end of May and I am
happy to say that they have all flowered beautifully and
are standing proud at the entrance to the Farm. Mike
would have loved them - so if you are passing, go and
have a look! They made me smile…’
www.gtguk.com
Announcing our Spring Musical 2015
GTG’s Spring Musical 2015 is
The show will perform from Tuesday 24 to Saturday 29 March 2015.
If you are interested in finding out more about this rib tickling, rip roaring, rom-com
of a show, simply send an email to [email protected]
Directed By: Mary Gallacher
Musical Direction by: Bob Good
Choreographer: Jennifer Baxter
www.gtguk.com
BECOME A FRIEND OF GODALMING THEATRE GROUP!
Godalming Theatre Group’s Friends and supporters are vital to its survival. Although we work
hard to ensure our productions break even, this is not always possible. In addition, we have
costume/prop storage and general running costs that can run into thousands of pounds every
year. Our future, therefore, depends on our ability to attract financial support from those who love
community theatre.
What is the Friends of GTG Scheme?
Friends of GTG pay £10 per month by standing order/direct debit/PayPal - or pay a one off
annual payment of £120. In return they can book two tickets free of charge for each show
booking on line, selecting their own performance and seats, and are given a personal phone
booking service if they prefer - offered by Lorna Embleton and Joy Barnham who are both longtime members of GTG. In addition, Friends of GTG are notified when the box office is about to
open so that they can get the very best seats - and we also acknowledge their generous support
in our programmes.
If you would like to become a Friend of GTG, please complete and send us the slip below,
together with your first month’s subscription of £10. We will then contact you to set up the
automatic monthly payment. OR, enclose a cheque for the £120 annual subscription. If you
would like to discuss the scheme further, please contact Joy Barnham on 01483 418536.
I would like to become a Friend of Godalming Theatre Group
enclose a cheque for £
or
please contact me for credit/debit card details
Name
Address
Post Code
Phone Number
SignedDate
Please send to: Joy Barnham, Flat 2 Normanhurst, Summerhouse Road, Godalming GU7 1PY
Hilary Harwood, GTG PR and Communications, welcomes any comments and suggestions
you may have for future editions of the newsletter.
Please go to the Contact Us section on our website www.gtguk.com