Dear members and friends,

I hope you managed to keep warm in the recent freezing frosty weather.

Have you made a note of the dates of our long-awaited spring production?  Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders written by Derek Webb will be directed by Lesley Crowther-Smith, due to play at 8pm on 27^th, 28^th and 29^th April 2023 at the Riddell Hall in Walton on the Hill.  You will be intrigued by this comedy thriller which will keep you guessing ‘whodunnit’ right until the end!  Rehearsals will be starting very soon and we are excited to be back for a full-length production again, as Covid has prevented this for at least two years!

Our informal evenings of poetry and prose via Zoom, which started during lockdown, were reinstated on 18^th January.  It was a fun time with a huge variety of poems, some of which were hilarious!  It was good to see everyone at this sociable little gathering, and a relief to be at home during the bitter weather.  These evenings will continue after our spring production.

We’re always looking to welcome anyone who is keen to act, or to help backstage or front of house.  Also, we are urgently needing someone who is willing to take the minutes at our committee meetings, which are held monthly via Zoom – please help us out!  We are a friendly group and would welcome new committee members who could bring fresh ideas, interest and enthusiasm to our team.  Do mention this to any friends you think might be interested and please get in touch via friends@thegageplayers.co.uk  We shall be holding our Annual General Meeting at 8pm via Zoom on Tuesday, 21^st March – the link will be sent nearer the time.

It’s lovely to look ahead to May, when the Gage will be manning a bottle tombola at the Walton May Pageant on Saturday, 20^th May.  So please save and donate a bottle(s) to help us make as much money as we can.  There will also be a guessing game to know how many sweeties are in the sweetie jar, which should be popular with the children!

We have now confirmed Saturday, 16^th September for an evening of rehearsed readings.  This will begin at 7pm with a bring-your-own picnic supper plus drinks and snacks, followed by two one-act plays, with a coffee and raffle break between them.  It all makes for a friendly, relaxed evening which everyone enjoys.  These rehearsed readings are a good chance for anyone who’d like to get on-stage in a play, but is a bit nervous or shy about doing so, to take a small part with the script in their hand and see how they enjoy it.  I guarantee you will be hooked!  So keep an eye out for the auditions calls in the summer.

In November the Gage intends at last to produce Molly’s Calling written by Pip Rolls.  Covid has delayed it many times – on one occasion only a week before the first performance!  Many of the original cast are still keen to perform and I can confirm that the dates of the hoped-for production are 23^rd, 24^th and 25^th November.  However, the play needs a caretaker director to refresh it and bring it back to performance level.  A first time for everything and a chance to direct a play – is there anyone out there who would like to take the plunge and direct Molly’s Calling?

Forward planning – we have two possible plays in mind as main productions in 2024: The Nightingales by Peter Quilter and Death and the Maiden by Georgina Reid.

Our respected and capable secretary, Gill Gibbins, is stepping down after many dedicated years and we are thankful for all she has done for us.  We need a successor as secretary as soon as possible.  You will find the outline job description on our web site: https://thegageplayers.co.uk – look in the banner headline at the top of the home page and click on ‘Wanted – secretary’.

I hope you’ve made a note of these dates:

Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders by Derek Webb – at 8pm on 27^th, 28^th and 29^th April 2023

The Walton May Pageant from around 2pm on Saturday, 20^th May, 2023

Molly’s Calling by Pip Rolls – at 8pm on 23^rd, 24^th and 25^th November, 2023.

More news next month, but meanwhile keep warm and stay well.

Best wishes,

Gay

Gay Weeden,

Chair, Gage Committee

Dear members and friends,

Seasons greetings to you all.  The snowy landscape has been beautiful, but back to rain is safer.  Maybe there will be no white Christmas, but we hope it will be less cold and easier to keep warm.

I’ll begin this newsletter with an important request.  We will be needing a secretary in April 2023 as our present much-respected secretary will be leaving us at the end of March after many years on the committee in this role.  The person we require would need good organisational and administrative skills and would be responsible for the agendas and minutes of our committee meetings.  We meet about once a month via Zoom.  It is not necessary to have a great deal of theatrical knowledge or experience, as committee members will be able to advise when needed.  The Gage committee are enthusiastic for our continued success and are a friendly group.  The Gage aim to put on two full-length plays and two rehearsed readings each year.  We would also like to add members to our committee, so that ideas and tasks can be efficiently shared.  If you are interested in joining, please email friends@thegageplayers.co.uk

Congratulations to all involved on a resounding success in our rehearsed play reading with supper on 10^th December, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, adapted and directed by Pip Rolls (also taking acting parts due to cast illness).  This play required many scene changes, costume changes and lighting and sound atmospherics for scene changes.  Altogether a huge challenge for cast, crew, front of house and all those involved in creating this performance.  The feedback from the audience was very satisfying – all thoroughly enjoyed the evening, with many wanting to know when the next event will be.  We made a good amount of much-needed money to add to our funds.  A heartfelt thank you to all involved!

It has been agreed to resume our very popular informal Zoom evenings for poetry and prose for Gage members, families and friends.  We choose to read poems, prose, extracts from plays, or one-act plays.  Anything that appeals at the time.  You are welcome to join in the meeting, bring something you would like to read or simply join the meeting and enjoy listening.  We cover a variety of comedy, drama or even short plays written by a member.  The next Zoom meeting will be on Wednesday, 18^th January at 8pm.  Contact us via friends@thegageplayers.co.uk for the link.

Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall Murders written by Derek Webb and directed by Lesley Crowther-Smith is our next planned Spring production, due to play on 27^th, 28^th and 29^th April 2023, a comedy whodunit that will appeal to you all and keep you guessing until the end!  Please make a note of the dates in your diary, and we look forward to seeing you there.

Lesley Crowther-Smith will also be leading a drama lesson/theatre workshop in March with Walton School, where we hold our rehearsals.  It is also hoped that we can liaise with Walton School over a matinee performance some time next year to present poems written and read by the children, alongside some of our own members reading their own choices.

Looking ahead to our Winter production in November – due to Covid restrictions, this will be our fourth attempt to perform Molly’s Calling, written by Pip Rolls.  Please note the dates in your diaries – 23^rd, 24^th and 25^th November 2023.  We are again looking for a caretaker director, with most of the cast willing to remain in their roles after this three-year delay.  As the play was originally to be directed by the author and was at performance level, a caretaker director would just need to oversee the performers and bring the play back to life again.  Is anyone amongst you keen to volunteer and try your hand at directing with us?

It is hoped that we will perform a rehearsed reading with supper in September 2023.  Chris Slater usually finds the play and directs it – however we ask whether anyone knows a one-act play that they have enjoyed watching or performing in to please let us know.  It would be useful to have a few to choose from for rehearsed readings and also to use for our informal Zoom poetry and prose evenings.

Forward planning for Spring 2024 – possibly The Nightingales by Peter Quilter.

I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year.

Best wishes,

Gay

Gay Weeden,

Chair, Gage Committee