Latest news from CADS
October 2021 newsletter
(October 22, 2021)It'll be Snow White on the night
After what seems like an eternity, we're delighted to announce the return of the Royston Town Pantomime! As previously advertised, we'll be bringing you our unique version of Snow White in January 2022.
Director Emma Daintrey and Musical Director Louise Atkins are staging this "in the round" with audience on all four sides of the acting area. Emma says, "We've been looking at ways to make the pantomime experience even more engaging and know that performance in the round will encourage lots more audience involvement for children and adults alike, as well as giving the production a fresh, new feel."
This year, there's another important difference - we've changed around the pattern of performance dates and times to allow for more matinee shows, including one on a Sunday morning. Emma adds, "We realise that many parents are reluctant to take young children to an evening performance so have decided to fit in an extra morning show."
Dates for the performances are therefore Saturday 22 January (2 p.m. and 7.30 p.m.), Sunday 23 January (11.30 a.m.), Friday 28 January (7.30 p.m.) and Saturday 29 January (2 p.m. and 7.30 p.m.)
The panto takes place once again at King James Academy, Senior Site (formerly Meridian School) and tickets will go on sale in early December. Watch this space (and/or our Facebook page).
Evening meetings
Our evening meetings - each hosted by a different person, usually at the Coombes Community Centre in Royston - continue with a varied programme for the end of this year and the start of next. Some plans are still being finalised, but the line-up so far looks like this:
- Tuesday 3 November - play reading [title tbc], hosted by Michael Young
- Wednesday 1 December - Christmas quiz, hosted by Jeffrey Cottis
- February 2022 [date tbc] - play reading: The Staycation by Claire Hogan, hosted by Emma Daintrey
Meetings start at 7.30 p.m. and generally run until about 9.00 p.m.. For the immediate future, we'll be making provision for anyone to join them via Zoom if they prefer to do so (please contact cads.secretary@gmail,com if that's the case). There's no need to book for any of our meetings if you're attending in person - just turn up on the night - and they're completely FREE! If you're lucky, we might even manage to provide some refreshments...
Martin Maynard Masterclass
Our very own former professional actor and award-winning Alfred Hitchcock impersonator, Martin Maynard is currently planning a short series of workshops next Spring focusing on duologues. These would take place over a number of evenings, probably at King James Academy, and would culminate in a presentation of the pieces that participants have been working on. Full details are still being put together, but we think it sounds like a really exciting idea and we'll bring you more information just as soon as we have it...
Drinkies?
With Christmas fast approaching (sorry!), we thought it would be nice if we all got together for another informal social event, so we've arranged an evening at the Old Bull Inn on Friday 10 December starting at 7.00 p.m. and you're all more than welcome to drop in for a drink and a chat and generally catch up with what's happening in CADS. There's no need to book for this - just turn up and find us in the bar (or outside in the courtyard if the weather's kind). We'd love to see as many of you there as possible.
Festival fun
As life returns to amateur drama groups throughout the realm, it's time to start thinking again about next year's local drama festivals. We did pretty well this year at Welwyn and at Cambridge and it'd be good to try and repeat our successes in 2022. First up is the Sawston Festival in March (you may recall that we were to have launched Strangers on a Film at their 2020 festival until that got cancelled with about four days to go!) There are one or two ideas knocking about but it would be brilliant if someone out there fancied directing a one-acter that could form our entry to Sawston and perhaps to other festivals during the year. New blood and fresh ideas are always more than welcome! If you do have an interest in submitting something, please contact us in one of the usual ways (Contact page of this website or e-mail cads.secretary@gmail,com)
Health and Safety gone sensible
The ever resourceful and hugely experienced Joe Daintrey has been working extremely hard for some while now to devise a document describing (or perhaps prescribing) best practice in technical stagecraft, so that we can be sure that any risks associated with stage management, set building, lighting and so on are mitigated. The document has now been finalised and signed off by the committee and will be required reading for anyone involved backstage or at set building weekends. A copy has been posted to the Backstage area of this website (ask us if you don't currently have access) and, if you're doing anything technical for the panto or any other show, you'll be expected to have read it...
Committee
Our next meeting is on 24 November so if there's anything you'd like us to consider or discuss, please feel free to contact any of us at any time via the Contact page of this website!