Meeting minutes Monday 22nd August 2016
GUNNISLAKE AMATEUR DRAMATICS Minutes of meeting – Monday 22nd August 2016
At the Buccaneer
Present: Frank Goodman (Chair), Phil Green (Vice Chair) Jackie Coombs, Sue Goodman, Lesley Smith, Sally Hopkins, Jean Day, Colin Cocking, Helen Day-Cocking, Richard Baker
Apologies: Ross Hanley, Michele Berrie, Carol Banks
1. Approval of minutes of Committee Meeting of 26th July 2016. These were approved. (Helen, please place on website)
2. Matters arising: All actions complete or would be dealt with during the course of the meeting. Lesley still to approach Dorothy Kirk regarding her County Councillor’s fund. Post meeting note: email sent to Dorothy 23 August 2016
3. Trapped 2 – Update
Sue had contacted cast members, all of whom (except Ian P) were available for the September dates. Critter had also confirmed his availability. Ross would take Frank’s parts (Moses Bawden/Constable) and Frank would take Ian’s (Henry Davis/Miles Cavendish.) There would be three performances, on Thursday 22nd, Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th September with a full dress rehearsal on Wednesday 21st. There would be a full “refresher” rehearsal on Thursday 15th September. Sue felt there was no need to put up the black curtains until Sunday 18th and there would be no sound and light effects until the Dress Rehearsal/run. Jean would re-order 22 chairs from Ashley Events.
Gill had been approached and the dates were fine with her; availability/use of projector to be confirmed. Post meeting note: Jean checked with Gill and this is OK.
Tickets had already been produced and will be with the Premier Store for sale this week as soon as the posters were ready. Frank asked anyone who knew of people who were unable to get tickets to contact them.
4. Winter Show Discussion
Selection/Venue Options - This hinged on the availability of a venue suitable for a large show. There was considerable discussion about this. If we put on a large show (eg, Pirates) the audience would expect some glamour and pizzazz with the settings and costumes, which could only be produced in such a venue, with the (expensive) hired staging. Our current finances would allow us to put this on, but leave us with inadequate funds to do another. The options were “to go out with a bang” or not do a large show this year and concentrate on fund raising.
It was acknowledged that there were few other options available for a large show; St Anne’s Church Hall could be a compromise for a medium show; the Buccaneer studio was not large enough for a production using children and scenery.
After further discussion, Jackie’s suggestion of putting on a children’s show (in St Anne’s) with limited scenery was felt to be a good compromise. Smaller productions would also be held in the Buccaneer Studio and a large production put off until 2018, by which time we would hopefully have accrued more funds. Using St Anne’s would mean we were not tied to half term. The Easter holidays were considered a suitable time.
Framework - At the beginning of September the local schools would be visited by Committee members to drum up/assess support. A series of “workshops” – run by Sue would be held in St Anne’s on a few Saturdays to see how many young people were available/willing to commit. Jean would make contact with Gunnislake, Delaware and Gulworthy Schools (and post meeting she suggested contacting Callington School’s drama department). Some advertising by posters/FB would be required and the actual performance would depend on the take-up. Jackie suggested a Nursery Rhyme/children’s characters theme.
Other possibilities:
We could continue to put on studio performances in the Buccaneer. Frank had sent a short play along with the Pirates Script for consideration and is currently working on one based on the Battle of Newbridge (thanks to Critter!) He also has other options. Dates/finalisation for these were not discussed in detail.
5. Membership:
There was a disconnect between money coming in direct to the bank account (visible to Jean) and Sally’s awareness of who has joined, which needs addressing. Membership numbers are generally down, with people only joining when they participate in a show. There was some discussion about how to get more members and re-introducing benefits for membership for example in the form of reductions for ticket prices, social occasions and a revamped newsletter. This had been dropped when more and more information was shared on the Facebook group, but a small actual print run available in the Post Office might serve to raise awareness. Frank would look at how other local drama groups operate their memberships and report back. It was agreed that actual membership cards would need to be introduced if benefits were linked to membership.
6. Finance
Some financial discussion had already been covered under the Winter Show discussions.
Jean passed over various balances to Frank. The discrepancy reported at the last meeting was explained – Jean had handed the money directly to Ross for the pickaxes. A cheque for the costs of £114.00 was signed. Frank asked Jean for an actual breakdown of costs and profits on the production.
7. AOB:
Caradon Area Community Fund application
Mary Taylor had sent a CACF (Caradon Area Community Fund) application form and guidance notes to Frank and Lesley. Frank had looked into it and it was not a particularly difficult form. Our initial funding had come from this source, and funds had not had been applied for for several years, so it was agreed to submit another application. The majority of the paperwork requirements were in place. Lesley would check with Cornwall Council on the current status/necessity for Vetting & Barring. An independent referee was required; Lesley would approach Dorothy Kirk. The deadline for the application was 10th October. (Post meeting note: This had been done, along with a request for funding from her County Councillor’s Fund – Dorothy kindly & promptly agreed to both requests).
8. Date of Next Meeting – Monday 26th September at 1930 at the Buccaneer.
