Latest news from CADS
March 2025 newsletter
(March 11, 2025)Panto - Thank you to you all
Goldilocks is all done now and it was a huge success thanks to the efforts of all of you, cast, crew and production team, and we’re already thinking ahead to Panto 2026 - more on that as the year progresses. Particular thanks are due to our Director Alison Bass and Musical Director Louise Atkins for their tireless efforts to bring this all together - they were both pivotal to the success of the production and to the fun we all had in putting it on.
Winners of awards
Please join the committee in congratulating our Award Winners for this year:
The 2025 Fred Sillence Award has been awarded to Zoe Nesteriuc. In the past 12 months Zoe has performed with both CADS and Stevenage Lytton Players. In Oct 2024 Zoe played the female lead in The Wedding Singer and was Jane Seymour in our production of Six Dead Queens and an Inflatable Henry, and earlier in the year she was Aqua in our 2024 panto The Little Mermaid. Alongside this throughout the year she has been an active committee member.
The 2025 Lizzie Houghton Award, for outstanding contribution to youth drama, was awarded to Alex Tanton (12). For the past three years Alex has performed with CADS in our annual pantomime in ever increasingly responsible roles - he has great comic timing, good voice projection and a lovely singing voice.
Monthly CADS Social
Many of us enjoyed a lovely evening last month in the Old Bull and so we’re going to make this a monthly social event - the third Thursday of each month, 8pm, in the Old Bull. No need to RSVP, just turn up, the next one is next week Thursday 20th Mar. And if you want to bring along a short act or party piece even better (but no moving the chairs around mind!)
Container Clearout
Our exit from KJAR and the required clearout continues at a pace with two of the containers now empty and likely to do a disappearing act very soon. We’re looking for help again please on Saturday 5th April, 9am->12pm, if you’re able to help with a biggish car and a few runs to the Recycling Centre please get in touch with cads[email protected].
Town Hall Site Visit
Our new home for our productions, including panto, will be Royston Town Hall, discussions with the team there have been very positive and we’re already booked in for Jan 2026. A few of us will be visiting the site in the next few weeks so we can see how front-of-house, backstage and technical areas will work - if you’re interested in joining this please get in touch with cads[email protected].
Royston Arts Festival
This year's festival will run from 20th to 28th September and the theme has been announced - “Then and Now” - we're looking for a one-act play to complete the billing alongside Virtual Reality which we announced in last month's newsletters. Again, any ideas, please get in touch or discuss with us next week at our social.
Little Mermaid nominated for Best Pantomime
Last year's pantomime, The Little Mermaid, has been nominated in the Best Pantomime category for the forthcoming Annual NODA East Awards. The awards lunch event will be held on 11th May in Stevenage and CADS will be sending a small group from those involved in the production. Please keep your fingers crossed and be sure to check for a CADS newsletter in mid-May....
Forthcoming Meetings
Lastly, our next Committee Meeting is on 27th March, if you have items you would like the committee to consider please get in touch with cads[email protected] . Following this our Annual General Meeting will be on Mon 7th Apr, 7.30pm, at Icknield Walk First School, all are welcome.