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Presidents AGM Message Feb/March 2011
PRESIDENT’S REPORT FOR YEAR ENDING 28th FEBRUARY 2011
We are now into our 41st year and we can say our 40th was a year of some celebration
in most respects.
Our first production, two episode of ‘Fawlty Towers’ was a ‘smash hit’; a show
enjoyed by the hundreds who saw it. With the exception of the first two nights, every
performance was ‘House Full!’. Very gratifying to hear so much laughter and to
count the takings!
As we were successful in obtaining a grant of $8,000. from the N.S.W. Government
Rural Halls Improvements Programme, we went ahead and had installed a fabulous
new kitchen – much to the delight of our patrons and our ‘Front of House’ staff.
We added some of our own money and put in a new dishwasher, lighting and re-painted
all that needed to be done.
Our second production was ‘Influence’, a powerful play by Australian author
David Williamson. Again, a great success but not enough people came through the door!
But we did end up with a surplus.
After two months of rehearsal and the building of a magnificent set, ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ was all set to go: advertising booked, posters, flyers and tickets printed
and then disaster! Our leading male actor fell and wrecked his leg and was unable
to go on. Three days before the opening, the show had to be cancelled, much to the
chagrin of the cast, crew and the disappointment to the members of our public (many
of whom had to be refunded). With the resultant costs (already paid for) and the loss
of the ticket income, we were looking at a very big hole in our bank account!
‘Slippery When Wet’, a fairy tale written by two of our talented members (the Claffs),
which was a most delightful comedy/musical, but again, although it did achieve
a reasonable surplus, it could have been better attended.
Our penultimate show of the year was a ‘new content’ ‘Occasional Course Language III’, which caused gales of laughter to emanate from the Rochdale and from two outside
venues.
Finally, 2010 closed with a very successful pantomime ‘Jacky and the Beanstalk’ written
and directed by our indefatigable Chrissi Claff, with two performances at the Rochdale
and two at the Lismore Workers’ Club, all of which contributed to improving our bank balance.
March 2011 started our new season with the Lismore Theatre Company performing
the Australian premiere of Melvyn Morrow’s ‘A TOUCH OF PARADISE’.
First night was Friday 4th March. It stars John Taylor as MARK, an applicant Jesuit Priest and his girlfriend SONYA (Natalie Havilah), who are both trying to resolve some
problems, whilst their next door neighbour Daphne (Fran Legge), a devout
‘traditional’ Catholic, is a ‘stickybeak’ who won’t leave them alone!
Regards, Brian Best, President
0412 9111 91.
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