February - Everyman Theatre Association

FRIENDS OF THE EVERYMAN THEATRE
Number 261
B
February 2015
Acting Chairman’s Report
y the time this Newsletter reaches you with the latest Everyman brochure, you will have received the paperwork for our AGM on 15 March, together with some tickets for our Grand Draw. I hope that many of you will join us for the AGM and for lunch on stage afterwards.
Since the last Newsletter we have enjoyed a number of ETA events. The Panto Workshop on 1 November in the Studio was a great success. Joe Hackett gave the children a marvellous time and they enjoyed answering Joe’s questions about the story of Sleeping Beauty, dressing up as the various characters, and learning the pantomime song.
On 13 November members enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea in Matcham’s after the matinée of Jeeves and Wooster. Bertie Wooster (James Lance) and Seppings (Robert Goodale) joined us, and we appreciated their kindness in giving us their time between their two energetic performances that day.
Our Christmas Dinner on 5 December, at which Roger Hendry was our speaker, was a great success, as was the ETA Exclusive Studio Event on 16 December when we enjoyed Educating Rita, followed by mulled wine and mince pies.
Our last event was the Pantomime Tour and Talk by Hayley Spicer on 3 January. This gave us an insight into just what goes on behind the scenes at the pantomime, and during the tour two of our gentlemen members gamely dressed up in the Dame’s costume!
Geoffrey Rowe and Janet Limb at our Christmas Dinner with guest speaker, Roger Hendry. Members of our committee have been working hard to sell Draw tickets before some of the theatre performances since the pantomime. My thanks go to them for their enthusiasm and for giving their time. Please do help us to raise a substantial sum for the Everyman by purchasing tickets!
Caroline Hartley and I recently met up with Fiona Spiers, Development Manager at the Everyman. We thought you might be interested to read the attached article by Fiona about the Everyman’s community work. We look forward to seeing you at our future events.
Janet Limb
News on the Everyman’s community work
The Everyman’s Education and Community department delivers a range of creative projects, commissions and co-­‐productions within education and community settings, as well as in the Studio Theatre. Our provision is diverse and we work with a wide range of groups and organisations. Just some of our current initiatives are highlighted below: The Garage: The Everyman has been delivering a range of craft workshops to clients at The Garage, a drop-­‐in centre in Cheltenham for vulnerable and homeless people run by Trinity Church. The craft items are sold on a stall that the participants help run. This develops their life-­‐skills and con[idence. We hope to increase the range and number of participants as part of the project this year, subject to funding. Home Thoughts from Abroad: The Everyman tries to theme its education and community work over a three year period. Our current three-­‐year theme is Home Thoughts from Abroad, exploring themes of exile and being away from home. The theatre’s [irst year of work, commemorating the Great War, included the Everyman’s community production, Will Harvey’s War. We also have a community tour organised, Business As Usual, about women on the homefront. It will tour rural venues in Gloucestershire and plays at the Studio Theatre on the 5th and 6th May. Bandstand Park: This is a project to engage the under 5s. A newly commissioned play, written by Miranda Walker, it will introduce children to their local park and explore ways that they can protect and enjoy it. Piloted in early February, in the Studio Theatre, it will tour bandstands this summer, if further funding can be found. There are several other projects and ongoing initiatives that we’re involved with, most requiring some level of additional funding. If you’re interested in supporting any of our projects, or want to know more, please get in touch. Fiona Spiers Development Manager [email protected] Dates for your Diary
Tuesday, 24 February
MEET THE CAST PARTY
Alan Ayckbourn has created in Roundelay a confectionary assortment, a varied bouquet of four related short plays, each with differing [lavours and colours and written to be played in no particular order. Which order will you see? Nobody knows for certain; it won’t be decided till the night! Join us in Matcham’s after the [irst night to meet the cast.
Saturday, 28 February
BROCHURE LAUNCH
We hope you will join us for the new season’s brochure launch on 28 February at 11.15am in Matcham’s. Tea and coffee will be served from 10.45am. Please note change of time.
Tuesday, 10 March
MEET THE CAST PARTY
Set in 1950s’ New York and crackling with raw emotion, Arthur Miller’s dark and passionate tale simmers with tension. A View from the Bridge ranks as one of the great classics of our time. Jonathan Guy Lewis (Soldier, Soldier, London's Burning and Coronation Street) stars as Eddie. He is joined by Michael Brandon (Dempsey & Makepeace and Episodes). After the [irst night we would love you to join us in Matcham’s to meet the cast.
Sunday, 15 March
AGM & LUNCH ON STAGE
The Annual General Meeting of the Everyman Theatre Association will take place at 11.30am in the Main Auditorium of the Everyman Theatre. The AGM will be followed by a buffet lunch with guest speaker, Ray Price, former Chairman of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre Club. The cost of the buffet lunch is £24. If you would like to join us, please send your cheque, made payable to the Everyman Theatre Association, together with a stamped, self-­‐addressed envelope to: Lesley Whittal, 10 Suffolk House West, Suffolk Square, Cheltenham GL50 2HR by 8 March.
Friday, 19 June
MEET THE CAST PARTY
Join us in Matcham’s to meet the cast after the [irst night of George Bernard Shaw’s Mrs Warren’s Profession. The Everyman Theatre Production Company returns with another classic, debuting in Cheltenham prior to a national tour. Starring Sue Holderness (Only Fools and Horses, The Green Green Grass) and Christopher Timothy (All Creatures Great and Small, Doctors, Dial M for Murder), Bernard Shaw’s period drama is full of insight and humane understanding and ranks as one of his masterpieces.
Forthcoming shows
We know you welcome advanced notice of future productions at the Everyman. The following plays are coming to the theatre later in the year and will be open for booking in due course. Putting on the Ritz, A Murder is Announced, Shobana Jeyasingh Dance and An Inspector Calls in September; Dead Dog in a Suitcase, Brave New World and The Winter’s Tale in October; Handbagged in November and the pantomime Cinderella in December.
Our Panto Workshop and Wardrobe Tour
Your ETA Committee
President Roger Nicholls
Acting Chairman Janet Limb
01242 237 484
[email protected]
Secretary Marjorie Imlah
01242 526 311 [email protected]
Treasurer Caroline Hartley
01242 528 676
[email protected]
Social Secretary Newsletter Editor Hilary Jennings
01242 243 927
[email protected]
Outings Organiser Margaret Edwards
01242 581 187
[email protected]
Committee Members Helen Lee & Anne Roberts.
Membership enquiries Everyman Box OfMice
01242 572 573
[email protected]
Lesley Whittal
Website www.everymantheatreassociation.org.uk
01242 263 713 [email protected]
Facebook www.facebook.com/everymantheatreassociation
The Everyman Theatre Association is a registered charity (number 240237)