Constantiaberg Cue – October 2009

NEWS OF CONSTANTIABERG THEATRE PLAYERS

OCTOBER 2009

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Greetings all.

I hope that this finds you all in good health and enjoying the snippets of summer that are gradually making themselves evident! Well this is just a quick newsletter before I head off into the wilds of Namibia until November, where hopefully the sun will be more consistent than Cape Town in October!!! If I don’t come back………DON’T send out a search party

 

LAST MEMBERS EVENING

We went on our excursion to the Kalk Bay Theatre to see “Educating Rita” starring Anthea Thompson and David Dennis on Wednesday 23^rd September. What a fabulous performance by both actors! We ended up with a party of 10.

 

NEXT MEMBERS EVENING – PLEASE DIARISE – OUR NEXT PRODUCTION

Constantiaberg Theatre Players production of Abigail’s Party will be opening on Friday 30^th October. Written by Mike Leigh, and directed by Wesley Figaji with a positively stellar cast, I think it is shaping up to be one of the highlights of the Masque year. Once again, opening night will be our members evening. PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR SOCIETY by coming along on that evening with your sisters and your cousins and your aunts (yes – I went to see Pinafore!) the bar will remain open after the performance and we kindly ask that you bring along a plate of snacks to swell the nibble selection! It is lovely to get together after opening night so please make every effort to attend

 

GET WELL SOON

Terry Best has recently undergone a hip replacement operation and is still a bit under the weather. I am sure you will all join me in sending Terry our very best positive get well wishes and we hope to see him up and about again very soon.

CATA AWARDS 2009

This will held in March 2010 and Constantiaberg will be organising the entertainment for this event. Once we have put together a programme we will let you know and be “casting” our nets for volunteers. We have some good ideas up our sleeves (not that we are “fishing” for compliments!) They are big ideas but hopefully we won’t have to “scale” down too much. Once revealed we will have you “hook, line and sinker” By the way – our theme has nothing at all to do with fish – it is just a “red herring” ha ha ha! (Ok I will stop at once)

 

NEXT AT THE MASQUE

MOTHERS OF THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT Written and directed by Tom Byrne for MADS. Opens on Friday 9^th October until Saturday 17^th October. This zany comedy promises to be huge fun.

 

ABIGAIL’S PARTY written by Mike Leigh and directed by Wesley Figaji for Constantiaberg Theatre Players. Opens on Friday 30^th October until Saturday 7^th November. This cult play was first performed in 1977, when it was directed by Mike Leigh himself.  Described as a dark comedy, this very funny social satire is set firmly in the 1970’s when José Feliciano and Donna Summer competed with The Sex Pistols.  Smock dresses, three-piece suits, bell-bottoms, big hair and kitsch were in fashion. Not to be missed!!!!

Bookings: Monday to Friday 09:00 to 16:00, Saturdays 08:00 to 12:00 on 021–788 1898

 PLEASE NOTE NEW MASQUE STARTING TIMES WITH EFFECT FROM 01 JULY 2009 

Weekday now start at 8.00p.m

Matinees now start at 2.30p.m

Saturday evenings now start at 6.30p.m

Thought you might like to know that one of our members, Jane Baard, is currently driving through Africa to London on a journey that she estimates will take 9 months, If you would like to follow her on the Web you will find the journal of her journey is very insightful and entertaining. The web address is www.dizzydoesafrica.com

OTHER SOCIETIES NEWS

Date for your diary! The 2009 Inter-Society quiz is to be hosted by Claremont Dramatic Society on Sunday 22 November 2009.

FRINGE PEOPLE

False Bay Hospital would like to follow the successful example set by Groote Schuur Hospital whereby HIV people can be employed to do beadwork which will be sold on the overseas market. This positive beadwork project, needs funds to buy equipment to get it up and running, which can be done by buying a ticket to see a delightful South African play, set in the new South Africa, called  “Fringe People”. The play is staged by a talented cast from the “Off Road Players” and  directed by Sue Bolton. The Author is Ralph Kelly who also wrote “Murder in the Common Room”, which was staged at the Masque Theatre last year to full houses. By seeing this play you will not only be helping to alleviate unemployment , but you are guaranteed a delightful romp with South African characters you will all identify with as well as having a good few belly laughs as well! Hope to see you there!

Fringe People by Ralph Kelly on 10 October 2009 at 14:30 (matinee) and 18:30

at Paul Greyling School, Sunray Road, Fish Hoek. Tickets  available  at A. P. Jones Dept Store and the Methodist Church, First Ave, Fish Hoek. Ticket price R 35.

 

MADS AUDITION NOTICE (SEE BELOW)

 

(Email received by Di)

Dear Di,

I am the talent scout for The Collective, a casting agency in Cape Town and I was wondering if you could assist me in finding a few characters that I am short of?

I am looking for the following characters:

 

2

SEX	AGE	RACE	ROLE	FOR	NOTES	QUANTITY
Female	35 – 40	Caucasian	Mother	International TV Commercial	Actress must have acting experience and not be camera shy	1
Male	Late 30s – early 40s	Caucasian	Businessman	Photo Shoot		2
Female	Late 20s – early 30s	Caucasian	Woman	Photo Shoot		1
Male	25 – 35	Caucasian	Man	Photo Shoot		2
Female	26 – 36	Caucasian	Woman	Photo Shoot		1
Male	50 – 60	Caucasian	Elderly Man	Photo Shoot		1

 

I will be most grateful for any assistance that you can give me.

 

Please feel free to contact me at any time, my cell phone number is listed below or you can reach me on this email address or the one listed below.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

MANY HAPPY RETURNS TO THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WHO CELEBRATE THEIR BIRTHDAYS LAST MONTH, THIS MONTH & NEXT

 

Ralph Thornley     22nd September (only discovered after last newsletter)

Wesley Figaji       3^rd October (thanks to facebook – ha ha!)

Eve Carr            4^th October

Denise Dubber      14^th October

Pam Ross           5^th November (what a cracker!)

Till next time

Lotsa Luv

Fiona x

 

 

 

 

MUIZENBERG DRAMATIC SOCIETY

AUDITION NOTICE
‘IMPROBABLE FICTION’
BY ALAN AYCKBOURN
Directed By: Coleen Van Staden

 

AUDITION DATE:       Sunday 18^TH October 2009 at 14:00

PLACE:                     Rendezvous (Old Zandvlei Bowling Club), 57 Promenade Road, Muizenberg

CALLBACKS:            Sunday 25^TH October 14:00

ENQUIRIES:               June Edwards (Production Secretary) on sunshinedesign@intekom.co.za /

         0825577873 or Coleen Van Staden on coleenvs@vodamail.co.za / 072 1205645

DATES OF RUN:    5 to 13 February 2010 – Masque Theatre, Muizenberg

REHEARSALS:          Every Monday and Wednesday (19:30 – 21:30) and Saturday (14:00 – 17:00) commencing Mon 2 November 2009.  A Christmas break from Thurs 17 December 2009 to 5 January 2010.  Recommencing Wed 6 January 2010. The Rehearsal period is longer than normal to allow for the technical challenges of the costume/scene/character changes and the Christmas break.  Auditionees must be able to commit to these dates.

PLEASE NOTE:          Auditionees must prepare for the audition with prescribed readings which may be obtained from June or Coleen (as above).  Full scripts are also available.  Auditionees are welcome to read for more than one character.

SYNOPSIS:  6 aspiring authors meet at their last monthly “Writers Circle” Meeting of the year in the home of their host, Arnold.  It is Ayckbourn’s usual bunch of misfits!  Each is pursuing their own particular “style” of writing, but few are succeeding in even putting pen to paper! In an attempt to encourage and motivate them, Arnold suggests that they collaborate and write something together.  The suggestion is not at all popular as they cannot agree on subject matter or style! The meeting breaks up and it is at this point that the play takes a weird and wonderful turn!  The second act is Arnold’s suggestion played out with the actors taking on parts in a number of storylines in a number of genres, resulting in a comedy that is zany and very funny.  The play is set in a house in the English countryside.

THE CAST:

ARNOLD      40+    Mild Mannered, gentle man who lives with his dementia-suffering mother (unseen but heard!)   He writes Instruction Manuals.  He stays in the “real world” throughout the play. 

ILSA            18+    Uncomplicated, happy girl from the local village who comes in to look after Arnold’s mother while the meetings are held.  English regional accent.  Also plays a Victorian ward, a 1930’s housemaid and Doblin the Goblin. (All will be revealed!)

GRACE        35+    Insecure, “put upon” wife and mother who wants to write children’s books. Also plays a Victorian cook (regional accent)  a villain in the 1930’s Detective story, an Alien hunter in the Sci Fi story (American accent)

CLEM          25 +   Nerdy, city council worker writing science fiction. Also plays a Victorian fop, a poetry quoting Detective in the 1930’s Detective Story and an Alien hunter in the Sci Fi story (American accent)

VIVVI          25+    Outgoing, vivacious – a man pleaser.  Has a nervous laugh.  Is the most prolific writer in the group but has nothing published.  Writes 1930’s Detective Novels.  Also plays a Victorian Housekeeper, Detective in the 1930’s Detective Story,  an Alien hunter in the Sci Fi story (American accent)

JESS           40+    Butch lady farmer – straight talking, pragmatic and is pursuing the Victorian Romance genre.  Also plays a Victorian tutor and narrator, a mother in the 1930’s Detective story (regional accent) and Sid the Squirrel!

BREVIS       60+    Retired schoolteacher. Cranky and overbearing. Writing a musical based on the Pilgrim’s Progress.  Also plays a Victorian Doctor,  the leading Alien hunter in the Sci Fi story (American accent)  a father in 1930’s Detective story (regional accent).  This Actor should be able to play the piano, but could be taught!