Hello to all our Members. We hope you are enjoying a lovely summer. This letter is to remind you about forthcoming events so that you can make sure the dates are in your diary. But first a request:

APPEAL – CAN YOU HELP? We are looking for a volunteer who can update the Group’s website. Do you have the time, skills and means to help? We will supply you with the information and ask you to keep a check on it so that new items are added and old items are removed. If you are able to assist and/or would like to discuss what is involved, please contact Sue Fouracre on 01297 552915. (note from web-master, it is not urgent but would be useful to have somebody to fall back on if I am away or busy).

The Summer School Production – Saturday, 29th August, Colyton Town Hall, Time to be decided
Don’t miss this opportunity to support our young talent in Colyton. Our junior members will have been working hard throughout a week of drama tuition and this production will be a great chance to see the fruits of their labours. The doors opening time is yet to be decided. Please call Sue Fouracre on 01297 552915 or see the notice board nearer the day.

Evenings with Shakespeare
In Colyton Library at 7.30pm on the second Monday of every month, there are evenings with Shakespeare. Come and get familiar with the great bard and with all the enjoyment his plays have to offer. For information please contact David Clarke. On 01297 552289.

The Carnival Theatre-Supper – Tuesday 8th September, Town Hall, Colyton. – DOORS OPEN 6.30pm CURTAIN UP 7.00pm
Don’t miss this amazing production in which our local talent will be performing Sailors Beware, a delightful Elizabethan improbability. As well as entertaining you, this period piece is giving our experienced wardrobe ladies the chance to display their impressive skills. The play, its costumes and the two course supper laid out in an ‘Elizabethan Tavern’ and presented by serving wenches, promises to bring the era to life. Tickets will be on sale at The Little Shop in Colyton from 18th August . Price £12. DO NOTE THE TIMES WHICH ARE SLIGHTY DIFFERENT FROM PREVIOUSLY ADVERTISED.

The Carnival Parade – ‘Stagestruck – 40 years of Entertainmnent – Walking Entry’ Saturday 12th September.
Meet in Govers Meadow by 6.30-6.45pm. Judging is at 7 pm, so we need to be in place before then.
Colyton Theatre Group will have a lively presence in the Carnival with around 30 members dressing up to show off some of the costumes we have at our disposal from previous productions. We will be following a vehicle with music and lighting as we wend our through the town handing out balloons and leaflets to promote our forthcoming productions and to illustrate the range and quality of those we have performed in the past. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase Colyton Theatre Group and to remind locals and visitors that we are a friendly drama group full of enthusiasm and a variety of talents, and to encourage new members with new skills.

There is still time to join in the fun if you haven’t signed up yet. Contact Elaine on 01297 552807 or 07971 597 338 or elaine.stratford@hotmail.com so that you don’t miss out on the fun.

An Afternoon of Revolting Revelry – Sunday, 6th December Town Hall, Colyton (More details to follow)
We are planning a scrumdiddlyumptious afternoon of flushbunking piggery-jokery where the plan is for our youth members to bring to life the wonderful words of Road Dahl. Anyone interested should contact Emily on 01297 551478.

An evening of two one act plays – Thursday 18th – Saturday 20th February 2016 Colyton Town Hall (More details to follow)
Margaret Smith will be happy to hear from budding actors and actresses, experienced or with no experience. Anyone with commitment and enthusiasm is welcome. Contact Margaret on 01297 23171

The Play Reading Club on the 4th Monday of every month in Colyton Library. This is a chance to take part in a dramatic experience from the comfort of a chair! Come and enjoy a social evening and a read through of some interesting and entertaining plays. Also, the Group would like to thank all the hosts and hostesses who were kind enough, in the past, to allow us to meet in their lovely homes. We will miss all those delicious refreshments!

As you may have seen in a previous newsletter, further plans are in the making for next year. We expect to be taking the stage at the Exmouth Festival, are planning a play around April and a musical entertainment late summer, as well as continuing to provide a summer school. There may be a ‘different’ event in carnival week in addition to the walking entry for the Carnival Parade.

Keep an eye on your newsletter and come along to meet new people and get involved in as many ways as you can.

If you have any general queries about anything in this letter, please contact Sue Fouracre on Colyton 01297 552915. Sue, as most of you know, is the Chair of the Theatre Group Committee and she will be pleased to hear from you.

Off we go!

We are sorry to have to inform you that unfortunately we will not be putting on a Pantomime in January.  This is because we were unable to cast it.  It is very sad as it will be the first time since 1999 that Colyton Theatre Group has not put on such an event.

please contact Lyn Henley for further information.

TOAD OF TOAD HALL, a dramatisation of Kenneth Grahame’s 1908 novel The Wind in the Willows. It was written by A. A. Milne, with incidental music by Harold Fraser-Simson.

However, we will be putting on a Show at the end of April, and this will be Toad of Toad Hall.  This will give plenty of scope for our Group as there are four main characters, six  roles  with no more than one page of dialogue and 13 with very little speaking.  However, there are no “small parts” as every part is important to the overall presentation.  There will be several parts for our Youth group and our under 10s.  Readings and auditions will take place on Tuesday 6^th and Thursday 8^th January 2015 in the Methodist Hall, Colyton.  We aim to rehearse in the downstairs room of the Reece Strawbridge Centre (see note below).  The Show will take place in the Town Hall, the dates of which are Wednesday 29^thApril to Saturday 2^nd May 2015.

As it will be a lengthy gap between now and the end of April, we are also considering doing an Evening Supper with entertainment, in February.  This will take the form of a radio play and we will provide “nibbles”.  Regretfully we cannot give a definite date as we hope to use the Reece Strawbridge Youth downstairs room.  This room will be undergoing soundproofing early in January and once this has been completed, we can let you have a date.

We are proposing that the Carnival Show next year will be wholly a Youth presentation and Alex Hall is to be approached again to lead the Group. This would probably entail a two week rehearsal period for the Youth Group. We have made this decision as we would like to put on a two Act play in October and our adult section would be free to rehearse the play without having to rehearse for the Carnival Show.  If anyone has an urge to direct, please would they let a member of the Committee know.

On a very positive note we had a wonderful 40^th Anniversary Celebration with over 50 people attending. This was a team effort but praise must go to Emily, who made very original tickets, provided the bunting, decorations for the tables and made some very well received food.  We have received much praise and thank you to all who attended. For those that couldn’t make it, this picture over should give you a flavour (and a delicious flavour it was too!)

THE FIRESIDE THEATRE which began in October, continues:
All CTG members are welcome to join us for any of our sessions, please contact Sandra Henson if you intend to come so that she can inform our generous hosts. We start promptly at 7.30pm. here is the list:
[table sort=”desc,asc”]
Date,Play,Author

10 December 2014,Nude with Violin,Noël Coward
14 January 2015,Waters of the Moon,N.C.Hunt
11 February 2015,The Best of Friends,Hugh Whitemore
11 March 2015,Before the Party,Rodney Ackland
[/table]

Everyone is welcome to just enjoy listening to a variety of plays or to have a go at reading a part.

Our next Committee meeting will be on 15^th December so if you have any comments relating to the above, please let us know and thanks for your patience! Have a fantastic Christmas and we look forward to seeing you all in the new year.

LYN HENLEY

[easingsliderlite]
Our 40th Anniversary was celebrated in style with a Champagne Tea Party. More than forty current members, ex-members and founder members came along to make this a very successful afternoon. The Town Hall was bedecked in the manner of a street party with memorabilia amply provided in the form of sumptuous and comic costumes, old photos, programmes and press cuttings.

The tea would not have disgraced any top London hotel. Finger sandwiches, scones – we didn’t monitor whether the Devon or Cornish method of cream & jam was most popular – and a vast array of cakes.

Judging from the atmosphere, everyone thoroughly enjoyed a chance of meeting up with old friends and reminiscing.

Many people were involved in making this day a success, but the main thanks must go to Emily Thomas, whose brainchild it was and who prepared all the food, made the table and hall decorations and so much more.

PS… Emily adds: And very special thanks to Wendy and Margot for their hard work on the fabulous costume display. It set the whole thing off superbly!

Come and celebrate 40 years of Colyton Theatre Group in style, with excellent sandwiches and cakes all washed down with tea and bubbly! “best value afternoon tea in East Devon”

Due to popular demand, tickets are available here on-line

After a long, but very productive rehearsal this Sunday (we like to make sure we give you our very best.. phew!), CTG is ready to go!

Not only will you get the chance to see the CTG Youth Summer School‘s amazing production of Professor Montague and the Secret Planet again, with fantastic sound and visuals,but you will get to see the rest of our motley crew in Movie Mayhem for the second half. Due to popular demand, tickets are available here on-line

Pantomime – Wednesday 28 to Saturday 31 January – we still need a director for the Pantomime. If you volunteer you will be ably assisted. We have a very good team. If you would like to give it a go, please contact Lyn Henley. Rehearsal rooms have been booked at the Pavilion, Memorial Field, Colyton – 7.30pm and the read through will be on Tuesday 16 September, auditions on Tuesday 23 September and the first rehearsal will be on Tuesday 7 October.

Carnival Show is on Tuesday 9 September 2014.  Part 1 with the Youth section performing their play Professor Montague and the Secret Planet for the first half. Rehearsals for the Youth Summer School’s participants will be held at the Reece Strawbridge Centre on Saturday 30 August from 10am to 4pm, with a technical rehearsal on Sunday 7 September at the Town Hall (times to be confirmed). There will also be a rehearsal at the Town Hall in the afternoon of the performance of Tuesday 9 September.

Carnival Show -Part 2 – the format this year will be slightly different from our usual song, dance and sketch. The more people we have taking part, the less we will have to learn.  At the moment we only plan to have two rehearsals. Intrigued? – then come along to the Reece Strawbridge Hall (downstairs) on Thursday 21 August and 28 August at 7.30pm.

Front of House – We require someone to run the bar and our usual helpers for tickets, programmes etc.  Again volunteers to contact Lyn.  If you are interested in taking part in the carnival walk on Saturday 13 September could you let anyone from the committee know. We will also require collectors for the night.

40^th Anniversary Party – Please keep Saturday 27 September free so you will be able to attend our Anniversary Champagne Tea.  I am afraid we will have to charge £8 per person (to pay towards the cost of the Town Hall) but  the refreshments will be funded by the Theatre Group.  All founder members and life members will be invited free of charge. We hope to have at least 50 people. Emily Thomas (who makes the most delicious cakes) is organising the event.  Please could you let her know if you will be attending so that she knows how many to cater for. This will be a time of reminiscences to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones.

Finally, we are making a plea for CTG memorabilia for the 40th Anniversary. If you have something that you are willing to loan for the day, please contact Emily.

NB  We have just found out that this date clashes with the Goose Fayre Show so we may have to make the date later.  We will inform you as soon as possible.

Richard Mangan Talk – For those of you who attended the talk in St. Andrew’s Church given by Richard Mangan, a joint venture by the Friends of St. Andrews, Colyton (FoStA) and the CTG, we have received a letter from Judy Green thanking us and FoStA for raising £170 for the charity “Bridge of Hope”.

THE FIRESIDE THEATRE begins on 8 October, 2014.
All CTG members are welcome to join us for any of our sessions, please contact Sandra Henson if you intend to come so that she can inform our generous hosts. We start promptly at 7.30pm. here is the list!
[table sort=”desc,asc”]
Date,Play,Author
8 October 2014,The History Boys,Alan Bennett
12 November 2014,Twelve Angry Men,Christopher Hayden
10 December 2014,Nude with Violin,Noël Coward
14 January 2015,Waters of the Moon,N.C.Hunt
11 February 2015,The Best of Friends,Hugh Whitemore
11 March 2015,Before the Party,Rodney Ackland
[/table]

Everyone is welcome to just enjoy listening to a variety of plays or to have a go at reading a part. Hope to see you in the Autumn.

Joan White (who has been with us for many years and is still a member) has written a book called Footsteps in the Sands of Time which deals with The George’s Meeting House which was the second oldest Unitarian Chapel in the Country and in 1942 was turned into the YMCA. She deals with its history and the people involved with it. Joan will be holding a book signing on September 18 in the Heritage Centre from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm.

LYN HENLEY

Rehearsals for the Youth Summer School’s will be held at the Reece Strawbridge Centre on:
Saturday 30 August from 10am to 4pm and
Sunday 7 September (times to be confirmed).
There will also be a rehearsal in the afternoon of the performance of Tuesday 9 September.