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Friday, April 13, 2012

Reps Reporter – April 2012

Greetings to members and friends of Reps as we leave the first quarter of the year behind and head towards HIFA 2012.

AGM elects new Executive Committee

The Repertory Players’ AGM was held on March 25, and for the first time in a while there was an election for places on the Executive Committee. Stan Higgins and Sue Bolt were nominated to stay in their posts of Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively, and with no other nominations for these posts were duly elected (and each will be chairing the sub-committee chaired during the past year – Marketing and Publicity for Stan and Production for Sue). There were 10 nominations for the eight remaining places and the following were either re-elected or elected for 2012-2013 (their specific areas of responsibility in parentheses): Marc Thomas (Training and Development), Tim Garrard (Membership), Ryan Lawrence (IT), Sue McMillan (Finance), Mike Southall (Office and Property Management), PJ Smyth (Stage Director, chairing the Backstage sub-committee), Mike Blackburn (Technical Management) and Jenni Ferguson (Bar Management and Social Events). They will be going through the 2011-2013 Strategic Plan with members of staff in the near future, ensuring the plan is on track and seeing where modifications and updating are needed.

Theatre Upstairs upgrading well under way

As members know, the Beit Trust has kindly provided funding to enable a substantial and much-needed upgrading of Theatre Upstairs and work is in progress. The air conditioning unit has been repaired and this is now working again for the first time in many years; seats are being replaced and should be in place for HIFA. Additional work will continue when these are complete, and the end result will be a much more comfortable and popular venue. Theatre Upstairs has gained a reputation for the excellence of productions staged there and the changes being made will overcome the obstacles to complete enjoyment on the part of audiences.

Members’ Bar gets a facelift

With the kind donation of paint from Rory White, we have repainted the Members’ Bar and Mike Blackburn is undertaking upgrading of electrics there. We shall soon be receiving a donation of carpeting from Meikles Hotel (thanks to their own refurbishment programme) and we shall then have a revamped bar that is all spruced up and clean. Thanks to the members who came along over the Easter weekend to help out with the clean-up prior to painting, and special thanks to Jenni Ferguson for spending hours and hours planning and overseeing the exercise. Also new in the bar are brand new speakers so that announcements from backstage will now be heard clearly. Come along and have a look at the changes well under way and enjoy a drink in the convivial atmosphere of the venue. Come along, too, to all or some of the many social events now taking place in the bar and on the Tada Terrace. Nearby, the garden area of the Reps north side is looking much better after a great deal of input from Sue Charnley and her staff.

Repteens on stage this week

Sue Bolt has directed the Repteens in a very funny show called The Hysterical History of the Trojan War, running from April 12 to 14 (four performances only!) on the Main Stage. Well worth seeing, this will be a good piece of fun in the holiday season, so come along to enjoy and to support the Repteens.

Two chances to see Move It

Two performances on Saturday April 21 (2.30pm and 7pm) are all you can catch if you want to see Move It, a musical show with a number of Reps regulars and new faces singing, dancing and making mirth. It’s a show for all the family and it is hoped good audience numbers will come along to enjoy and to help keep funds rolling in to run Reps. Names like Mande Snyman, Patrick Barrett (on holiday from the UK), Nigel Hopkins, David Bvumbe, Faith Ganyau and many more are in the line-up for this show.

HIFA comes calling

HIFA is back and from May 1 to 6 both stages at Reps will feature productions from this year’s festival, which has the theme A Show of Spirit. ZB Bank will be venue sponsor and various organisations are supporting the productions, which include the Repertory Players’ own staging of Danai Gurira’s acclaimed drama Eclipsed (Main Stage, but with a post-HIFA run in Theatre Upstairs in mid-May). Another highlight will be a show from Germany called Leo, very well received at the Edinburgh Festival last year and with a series of technical requirement that will make our techies’ heads’ spin!

Mario Ciampi gets us ready to rock

Mario Ciampi is directing a new musical show called The A-Z Of Rock … featuring a live band and a string of singers belting out some great songs from the world of rock. This show is to receive sponsorship from Mega, and will be a great piece of entertainment for people who like rock in all its shapes and forms. The show runs from May 24 to June 9.

National Ballet brings their HIFA dance show in May

After HIFA, the National Ballet will present On The Rise, a dance show inspired by the exercise to rebuild the Ballet Centre next door to Reps. This will run from May 9 to 12 and will, as always, be a wonderful show with Zimbabwe’s best dance talent giving of their best.

Did you know …

… that the Avondale Scouts run the confectionery and soft drinks bar in the Reps foyer through most of our productions? They do so to fundraise and because of their hard work they have been able over the years to send disadvantaged scouts to several world jamborees. They serve soft drinks, sweets, crisps and chocolates, and during the winter add tea and coffee to their sales list. This supplements the iWayAfrica Foyer Bar, which is run by Reps’ own bar staff and serves alcoholic beverages and soft drinks to the public.
Until next time, keep well and don’t miss out on any of the superb productions on or coming up at Reps!

Regards
Exco



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