April 2011 – Number 97
________________________________________
What a pleasure these longer weekends are, and what a disaster to some office productivity…
It does give me some time to work on my Macbeth lines though. It’s been very daunting and scary for me to attempt my first ever Shakespeare play. But I’m surrounded by very experienced Shakespearians, which helps with really getting to grips with The Bards words. I find it incredible that 405 years after Macbeth was first performed (four hundred and five!) it is still relevant – if not more so.
The members evening was also great fun in getting us all into the spirit of old Bill!
CDS – committee changes
There are 2 changes to the committee:
Anthony Storr Lister has taken over the portfolio of Treasurer
Sven Yaffe has asked to be relieved of his duties, as he is now living too far away.
Special General Meeting
There was some discussion about how to handle shows that want to travel (or are invited) to perform beyond their run at the Masque. This could apply to Artscape, the Baxter, schools or any multitude of venues.
The members agreed that the investigation and decision of the pros and cons would be left to the committee on a show by show basis. The committee would make this decision based on the ideals of keeping the spirit of theatre alive (i.e. encouraging opportunities for exposure and development), while considering the risks and rewards to CDS in each case.
Member news
We are happy to welcome our newest member: Julia Shields. A hearty welcome to you!
Auditions – I have attached 3 audition notices for you at the end of the newsletter 🙂
Members evening
Some feedback from our trusty Members Evening co-ordinator, Pam:
Our “Shakespeare Monologues” Members Evening had a pretty good turn out considering it is not always everyone’s favourite topic. Some very good readings came from it – and some new faces and new talent (I could almost see Brenda rubbing her hands together with delight 🙂
Thanks once again to Ruth Allsopp our Shakespearophile (yes there is such a word; Wendy looked it up) for adjudicating the Monologues and to the thespians who took the time to prepare the pieces for our enjoyment. Thank you to those Members who gave up a lazy Sunday evening to come support their fellow thesps. Their reward was good food, that didn’t even have time to touch sides. To add to the mood, genuine Mead was on sale – all kinds of flavours, some palatable and some that caused pulling of faces that made Mr. Bean look attractive. Gimme good ol’ cheap Cape plonk any day. All in all me thinks it was a well attended Member’s Evening!
Lost! & Found?
The committee has discovered that a few items in The Hok are missing. They’ve probably been borrowed, and not returned yet. Please can you have a quick squizz to see if you know where they are?
1. A 3-section wooden filigree screen
2. a thick black woollen trench-coat
Thanks very much for the return of the chaise lounge – much appreciated!
Member’s subs
Thanks to everyone that paid their subs at the Members evening.
If yours are still outstanding, please deposit the R40 annual membership fee into our account, so that we know you’re up to date.
If you want to check if you’re up to date or not, please drop one of us an e-mail, and we’ll let you know your status. If you no longer wish to be a member, please also let us know (although we’d hate to lose you!).
Production updates
Brief Lives – now going to Artscape!
I have attached a flyer about Brief Lives at Artscape – and ask that you please spread the word about this excellent production as far and wide as possible.
It is on from 07 to 14 May 2011 at the Arena – and well worth another visit!
Macbeth
Here’s an update from our director Clifford Graham:
I cannot but remember that such things were,
That were most precious to me.
Macbeth Act IV Scene 3
It never ceases to amaze me how the Bard’s words can be transported to any context and how one is never short of a quote from the works of Master Will.
Such is the way with taking on the great works. One becomes all consumed with the task and certainly at pains to find the true explanation of the text. The cast are hard at the task and in most cases enthusiasm and zeal have, as yet, not waned. So I find myself asking, what did I do before all this started? As we get deeper into the play, more questions are raised than are answered in the short time we have to explore.
To that end a weekend of rehearsal and exploration is planned for May where hopefully, many questions will be answered.
On the production front, despite some approaches, we are still in dire need of a costume co-ordinator. Props are taking care of themselves due to the good graces of Angela Pratten; and our new girl on the block – Leigh Mather is showing her undaunted mettle as Production Secretary.
Tomorrow and tomorrow,
Yours in Shakespeare
Clifford
Support Thee thy Theatre!
The Masque Theatre is holding their AGM on Monday 16 May 2011 at the theatre. The time is 19h00 for 1930, and as a (paid-up) member of the Claremont Dramatic Society you are entitled to attend.
The Masque has also advised that they are looking for volunteers to help with serving tea before the shows, and during the interval. Let us, or the Masque know if you’re interested or willing to help.
News from Hottentots Holland Dramatic Society
What’s on at the Playhouse …
“The Spare Room” directed by Molly Mohr 7-16 April
“The Power of Speech” directed by Philippe Pringiers (directors ticket) 18 June ONLY
“Driving Miss Daisy” directed by Norman McFarlane 19 – 31 July
Balletopia dance show15 Aug – 27 Aug
KADS production 28 Aug – 25 Sept
Lawrie West’s next production 24 Oct – 6 Nov
Ann Coetzee’s first full production 28 Nov – 11 Dec
Get Thee to the Masque!
Friday 13 to Saturday 21 May
Fish Hoek Dramatic Society presents a surprise Agatha Christie Mystery directed by Cecil Jakins.
Fri. 13 at 20:00, Sat. 14 at 14:30 and 18:30,
Thu. 19 and Fri. 20 at 20:00, Sat. 21 at 14:30 and 18:30
Tickets: Matinées, Thu. evening R50 (R40 Theatre Club) other evenings R60 (R50)
Sunday 22 May ONLY
“Euphony” (meaning beautiful sounds) is an exciting new Cape Town based trio featuring Russell Davies (euphonium), Shirley Sutherland (vocals) and John Walton (piano). Euphony brings together three gifted artists producing a unique blend of sounds across a broad range of musical genres from classical to ballad to sacred to stage and screen.
The rich, mellow, lyrical tone of Russell Davies on the euphonium offers a wonderful counterpoint to the soaring virtuosity of Shirley Sutherland’s soprano voice, all held together by the improvisational genius and musicality of John Walton on piano. All three artists have performed at a very high level over many years.
Euphony is extremely adaptable and available for a range of settings corporate events, festivals, restaurants, churches and weddings. At this event Euphony will be joined by Shirley’s friends and students.
Sun. 22 at 15:00 AND 18:00 Tickets: R60 (R50 Theatre Club)
Thursday 26 to Saturday 28 May
“Going Places” – a youngster’s tale for adults about becoming a budding teenager TOLD THROUGH SONG AND DANCE
An evening of joy and wonder. Adults are reminded of their teenage years and are relieved that they kept Going Places to get to adulthood.This performance will make you laugh, make you cry, make you think, make you sigh, make you nostalgic, make you wonder why and make you scared to be (or proud of being) a parent!
Take your seat, put on your teenage thinking cap, travel back in time and you will realise that; they have to go places, they are Going Places, we have to guide them about going places, in the end we have to let them go there on their own. Oh boy, does that hurt!
Booking details: Call Janine on 073 368 3069
Thu. 26 and Fri. 27 at 20:00, Sat. 28 at 15:00 and 19:00 Tickets: All shows R50
See you there!
AUDITION NOTICE
Sunday, 15 May 2011, 14:30
at the Masque Theatre, Main Road, Muizenberg
TRACY LETTS’
August: Osage County
A darkly comic drama
directed by birga Thomas
Rehearsals start during the first week of August,
three times a week
Production dates are 28 October to 05 November 2011
at the Masque Theatre
The play …
won its author the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2008 as well as the Tony Award for Best Play of that year. It is full of “rich compelling characters and scintillating criticism of the modern American family”. The story takes place on the excruciatingly hot plains of Oklahoma in the dog days of 2007. Osage County, where the middle-class residence of the Westons is situated, lies entirely within a Native American (Indian) reservation, home of the Osage Nation. Memories of the dark days of colonisation creep up at occasions. There are several layers to the story, and audience members can “dig” as deep as they prefer.
The Weston family gathers in their home after their patriarch goes mysteriously missing. They are mostly intelligent and sensitive people, but each harbours one or other dark secret. They have come to support each other, but soon it seems that everybody is attacking everyone else. Not only the weather but also the tensions in the Weston household soon reach boiling point … and some pots indeed boil over. There are more twists and turns than in the average Christie thriller.
Tracy Letts has been compared to Tennessee Williams and Eugene O’Neill. The play (first performed by the Steppenwolf company to which Letts belongs) has been performed all over the world, to audience as well as critical acclaim. Our production will be the South African première.
Characters (ages given are only approximate) (on stage: x pages out of 127)
Beverly Weston, 69 Patriarch of the family, father of three daughters, one-time world-class poet and now full-time alcoholic. Polite, soulful, melancholic … and ultimately suicidal. Although all the fuss is about him, he only appears on stage during the prologue (appr. 15 minutes). very small role
(7)
Violet Weston, 65 Devious matriarch of the family. Addicted to painkillers and any other pill she can pop. Suffers from cancer of the mouth, but that does not stop her sharp tongue and shrewd awareness of the many family secrets which she does not hesitate to reveal. very large role
(101)
Barbara Fordham, 46 Eldest of the three Weston daughters. Trying to control everything and everyone. Cynical college professor in Boulders/Colorado, separated from husband Bill very large role
(99)
Bill Fordham, 49 Barbara’s estranged husband. College professor who sleeps with one of his young students, but wants to be there for the family. medium to large role
(78)
Jean Fordham, 14 Barbara and Bill’s pot- and cigarette-smoking daughter, vegetarian, loves old movies and is bitter about parents’ split. medium to large role
(79)
Ivy Weston, 44 The middle daughter, known as “Mom’s favourite”, though Violet constantly tells her that she is plain and needs a man. She teaches at the local college (the only daughter not to have moved away, so mother’s sharp tongue gave her many more lashings than the others). She, too, has a dark secret or two. medium role
(64)
Karen Weston, 40 The youngest daughter “fled” to Florida where she plans to marry soon. She claims to have never been happy in her life, but is now happily engaged to businessman Steve, whom she considers the “perfect man”. small to medium role
(54)
Mattie Fay Aiken, 57 As jaded as her sister Violet. She is naïve but also controlling and belittles her husband Charlie and especially the son Little Charles. small-ish role
(42)
Charlie Aiken, 60 Mattie Fay’s husband of 40 years. A genial man who was a lifelong friend of Beverly’s. Struggles to get Mattie Fae to respect Little Charles. Hen-picked and timid … till he finally puts his foot down. smalli-ish role
(41)
Little Charles Aiken, 37 Mattie Fay and Charlie’s son. His mother calls him a “screw-up” … but with a dark secret of his own. small role
(38)
Johnna Monevata, 26 Native-American (Cheyenne Indian) woman, hired by Beverly as a live-in housekeeper shortly before his disappearance. Violet is prejudiced against her, but she wins over the others with her cooking skills, hard work and empathy. She may not have many lines, but is the most compassionate and morally grounded of all. Johnna claims to stay in the caustic household simply because she needs the job, yet there are times when she swoops in like a warrior-angel, saving characters from despair and destruction. Pivotal role. large, pivotal role though relatively few lines
(86)
Steve Heidebrecht, 50 Karen Weston’s fiancé, businessman in Florida. He turns out to be the most loathsome, psychopathic character (not the “perfect man” at all). small to medium role
(54)
Sheriff Deon Gilbeau, 47 High-school classmate and former boyfriend of Barbara’s, he investigates Beverly’s disappearance very small role
(12)
Audition notice for STEEL MAGNOLIAS
When: Saturday, 4 June 2011 at 14h00 with call backs on Wednesday, 8 June 2011 at 19h30
Where: Bergvliet Girl Guide Hall, Glen Alpine Way, Bergvliet (directions*)
Rehearsal Days: Rehearsals begin on 11 June and will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 19h30 and Saturdays from 14h00 (please note that some rehearsals during the week will start at 20h30) If you want to be in this cast, you need to commit to these dates. This is a small cast and all members are required at every rehearsal.
This highly acclaimed movie and play is based on a true incident of the playwright Harling’s mother and sister. The story is set in a small-town hair salon in Chinquapin Louisiana, and spans several years in the lives of the shop’s owner and her customers. There is a small cast of only six women, but they are all equally important. This play deals with the bond between women, especially in times of despair, and this really needs to come across on stage. I therefore need a cast of strong female actresses. The ages span across the spectrum and the characters are quite specific. I will be keeping the accents (Southern US).
Author’s Note: The women in this play are witty, intelligent, and above all, real characters. They in no way, shape or form are meant to be portrayed as cartoons or caricatures.
Character Breakdown
Truvy Jones (late 30’s to mid 40’s); owner of the beauty salon where the action of the play takes place; married with two college-age kids; friend and neighbour to her clientele. Very friendly, bubbly character. Will be required to do hair on stage.
Annelle Dupuy-Desoto (18 – 30); Truvy’s new assistant, new in town; married but separated from her outlaw husband; she’s naive, serious, full of apprehensions, but she truly loves and cares the people in her life. She also becomes quite religious. Will be required to do hair on stage.
Clairee Belcher (50 – 70); widow of the former mayor of Chinquapin, Louisiana; she is a true grande dame; very comfortable in her own skin; very wealthy; socially prominent but unpretentious.
Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie (20 – 30); a lovely, independent, adventurous young woman; knows whatshe wants in life and won’t let anything stop her, not even her well-meaning mother. She has quite a bad form of diabetes and has an ‘attack’ in the first scene.
M’Lynn Eatenton (late 40’s – mid 50’s); Shelby’s mother; married 30 years with three children, two boys and Shelby; very protective of Shelby but not smothering; she works as an administrator at the Mental Guidance Center.
Ouiser Boudreaux (50 – 70); a true character; a very wealthy woman who doesn’t look or play the part; she’s an eccentric and a curmudgeon; speaks her mind at all costs; she possesses a wicked tongue but a heart of gold.
Note: Please do not watch the movie before coming to audition. I don’t want replicas of the characters in the movie, I would like to see what you come up with.
*Directions to the Bergvliet Guide Hall
From Main Road turn into Ladies Mile Road.
Turn first left into Children’s Way and then immediately right into the Ladies Mile service road.
Follow that road around the left-hand bend and turn first right into Glen Alpine Way.
Down to public parking area on the left and the Guide Hall is directly opposite that parking area.
For audition pieces, or if you would like to be involved backstage, please contact the Production Secretary Di Thom on 0824109900 or email her at dianathom@mweb.co.za
Hope to see you all there! 🙂
And from our colleagues at Hottentots Holland Dramatic Society
Auditions for “Driving Miss Daisy” 8 May To be directed by Norman McFarlane
Driving Missy Daisy comes to The Playhouse in July this year
The much loved story of the feisty Miss Daisy Werthan and her driver, Hoke, will be transformed from a tale of growing friendship across the racial divide in the American Deep South, to the parallel universe of Somerset West, South Africa 20 odd years on.
Whilst Miss Daisy remains Miss Daisy, she lives in Somerset West in the Golden Acre, and her son Boolie becomes Benjamin, who lives in Spanish Farm, and owns a factory in Blackheath.
Hoke Colburn becomes Hough September, a retired coloured man who lives in Macassar with his daughter, and Idella the housekeeper becomes Fidelia Solomons, who lives in the next street to Hough.
The housekeeper did not appear in the original stage play, but she has been written into the script from the screenplay of the movie, to bring balance and greater depth to the story.
The story plays itself out against the fraught backdrop of South African politics and race relations during the period 1970 to 1995.
Auditions are planned for Sunday, May 8 with a possible call back on Monday May, 9.
The cast consists of four principals, two men and two women, three bit parts, and a number of non-speaking walk-ons. It is the director’s intention to cast an understudy for the role of Miss Daisy, and possibly for the role of Hough.
Dramatis personae
Miss Daisy Werthan, a 72 year old Jewish widow, fiercely independent, who lives on her own in the Golden Acre area of Somerset West. After a driving mishap in which she virtually destroys her car, her son Benjamin insists that she must have a chauffeur since no insurance company is prepared to insure her any longer. She refuses point blank, but Benjamin employs one anyway.
Hough September, a retired coloured man of about the same age as Miss Daisy, who drove for a Cape High Court Judge living in Somerset West, until he died. The judge’s wife moves to a local retirement home, and since she no longer has need of Hough’s services, he is without work. Benjamin employs him as Miss Daisy’s chauffeur.
Benjamin Werthan, Miss Daisy’s long-suffering son, in his mid-forties. He loves his mother dearly, but is often frustrated by her stubbornness and headstrong ways.
Fidelia Solomons, the middle-aged coloured housekeeper and cook who have a somewhat antagonistic relationship with Hough, but are quite close to Miss Daisy.
Two white policeman: white and preferably younger, who accost Hough when he is driving Miss Daisy to a function one day. A display of hostile racism with innuendo aimed at both Hough and Miss Daisy (because of her Jewish ness), is a key requirement in this scene.
Reverend Desmond Jansen, the Pentecostal minister who conducts Fidelio’s funeral service.
Extras, 6 to 9 coloured people, men and women, mid-thirties to mid-sixties as congregants during Fidelio’s funeral service. None of these are speaking parts.
Rehearsals will commence in the week following the audition, and the show will open for a two week season in the week commencing July 18.
The rehearsal schedule will include two sessions a week initially, typically Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and from mid-June, Sundays (morning or afternoon by agreement with the cast) as well.
For more info e-mail their secretary: hhdsinfo@gmail.com
