The Somborne Players

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Committee Minutes Minutes of committee meeting Wednesday 9^th February 2009 7.45pm Rebecca’s Minutes Present: Vicky Burden, Nigel Coleman, Melanie Haydon, Sue Holligan, Rebecca Rickard, Vanessa Sharpe Apologies: Alan Glynne Jones 1. Minutes of the meeting 13^th January 2009 and matters arising The minutes of the previous meeting were accepted. Actions completed – further actions detailed below. Ø Vanessa to email newsletter to committee for checking. To be distributed to all Players by Friday. Ø Proteus - David Haydon will send copy of his review of Proteus to them. Ø Panto – Vicky has spoken to John Vanderpump who is delighted that we are willing to consider performances for fundraising in the future. Ø Requests and contacts – We heard back from Richard at Hog the Limelight, Vanessa to respond asking to be put on the mailing list. Ø AOB – Jan Mein agreed to write review for panto – Melanie to give ticket. 2. Panto · Sue Spurling has organised a front of house rota. · Melanie has organised costumes. · Vicky has ensured scenery is ready. · Vanessa produced poster and tickets. · Committee agreed to Jo Finch putting an insert into programmes advertising the Changing Face of our Village exhibition. Ø Vanessa to produce programme (ask Sue Spurling for front of house details and Sue Jackson for cast list). Ø Vicky to organise stage hands and make-up helpers and then email Vanessa names for the programme. Ø Melanie to liaise with Jo Finch over makeup and co-ordinate replenishing stocks. Ø Chris Hall will go into Cross Stores to check on ticket sales. 3. Forum/Chris’s post The committee decided not to debate Chris’s points individually at the meeting, although Chris would appreciate responses made to him personally if anyone wishes to take the discussion further. The main question to arise from his comments is: How and when do we decide if a production is suitable/ready and what action do we take if it is not? The main answer was to try to stop a production reaching the point where it is not ready, by considering the following elements: Planning is key – especially planning before rehearsals begin. Therefore a director and script need to be chosen well in advance. The committee need to be involved in deciding whether a script is appropriate, in terms of casting, setting, appeal to audience, manageability, etc. Blocking should be completed in advance of rehearsals. There should be clear deadlines for lines to be learnt, for costume to be planned, for set to be designed, for technical elements to be in place. (It is acknowledged that many of these things are already being done, but that perhaps they should be monitored more closely by the committee.) Ø Vicky and Melanie to meet to produce a timeline for decisions to be made / actions to be taken for the next production – including that the end of April is the deadline for a decision to be made on director and script. · If a director and a script are not found by end of April, a full play will not be produced, instead we will consider a one act play or a series of sketches, possibly with a meal as part of a fundraising evening. · If points on the timeline are not met, the committee should step in with further conditions/deadlines to be met otherwise the production will be cancelled or postponed. · There was debate over whether the committee should cancel a production once dates have been advertised and tickets gone on sale – and suggestion that it should be raised at AGM whether members want the committee to have this power. · We also decided that more support should be made available where necessary – particularly for new directors and for line learning – perhaps advice sheets and workshops. 4. Evaluation The committee discussed ideas for a production evaluation form that can be completed after the panto by all those involved to get views and consider how to make improvements. Rebecca recommended surveymonkey.com for free survey creation with results analysis. Ø Vanessa to produce survey including: Ratings for auditions, rehearsal, performances, props/costume/makeup, backstage/technical, front of house, with space for comments. Comment on what was enjoyed most and what could be done differently next time. Participant information: role in production, membership details, communication preferences. 5. Costume Storage Costumes are to go back to Sophie Lyons after the panto. Ø Vicky to buy more storage boxes to replace suitcases. Ø Sunday 1^st March 10.30, meeting at the Village Hall to pack and move costumes. 6. Village Hall Development Ø Vicky to draft letter to Village Hall Committee. Ø Pass on our contacts for flexible staging with our preferences for their committee to take further. Vicky expressed that she welcomes Rebecca’s views as these will provide a different angle to many on the committee which would allow for more balanced debate. 7. Events Ø The Rickard boys have been requested to produce another puppet show for the Church Fair on 7^th June. Ø Rebecca to arrange a meal at the Crown on 12^th March, asking whether they can provide 2 courses for £10 per head for a minimum of 15 people. Ø Melanie to ask Pollyann Monk whether the April Fools evening can take place at her house on 2^nd April. Ø Vicky to book the Epworth Hall for the AGM on 7^th May. · Chris Hall and Catherine Cartwright have a plot for the Murder Mystery on 24^th April and will be asking Players to get involved in due course. · Vanessa will organise the Shakespeare evening on 11^th June in Margaret Burgess’s garden. · Sue will organise the Beetle Drive on 4^th July in her own garden. Ø The autumn play is likely to be at the end of September/beginning of October. Vicky to book bar licence. 8. AOB Ø Vanessa to look into the Test Valley Artists Database. Next meeting Thursday 19^th March 7.45pm at Vicky’s.