12 Homefield Road 22Nd April 2013 at 20:00
Wimbledon Light Opera Society Committee Meeting
12 Homefield Road
22nd April 2013 at 20:00
Minutes
Attendees:
John Huckle (Chairman)
Angela Daniel (Deputy Chairman)
Katie Lucy (Secretary)
Paul Sadler (Treasurer)
Naomi Fieldus (Business Manager)
Suzie Bailey (Publicity Officer)
Jon Mizler
Janet Huckle
Candice Newton
Nick Simpson
Greg Shaw
Apologies:
Emily McDonald (Social Secretary)
- Welcome and Apologies:
- Minutes of the Last Meeting:
Everyone agreed that all meeting notes should be added to the website, in the member’s only area.
Action: Angela to add minutes to website.
It was agreed that unemployed members pay the same fee as students for the show levy, which is £65.
Action: John to send Naomi ticket price list.
Action: All committee members must inform Katie whether they have completed their actions prior to the next committee meeting.
John confirmed that Lingfield hall had been booked for the next WLOSCARS on the 1st march.
ACTION:Katie to add to the WLOS Calendar.
Nick was asked to take the lead on the programme at the last meeting. He confirmed that he has now sent requesting emails to all principles.
Apart from the above comments the committee approved the minutes.
ACTION: Katie to send a hard copy to Barbara Fleming.
- Matters Arising:
John asked for someone to volunteer to book the Christmas carols slot for this year. Due to Paul having the contacts he agreed to lead.
Action: Paul to make contact with the relevant people regarding Christmas Carols.
- Correspondence:
Katie mentioned an email she had received regarding finding a character workshop, everyone thought it might be interesting. However, it all depended on the location.
Action: Katie to find out their location.
- Anything Goes:
Janet updated the committee on rehearsals. She stated that we were on target but everyone must still encourage chorus to learn their words and to put more light and shade into their singing. Janet confirmed that she will be doing the first run of act 1 on the 7th may.
Next Sunday rehearsal is for team building. Set the opening and a chance for groups to work separately on different sections. We will also run through Blow Gabriel, Anything Goes and the finale.
Naomi asked whether there were any areas of concerns. Janet commented by saying that she was feeling positive about everyone but just wants to reiterate that people need to be off the book. People need to promote that at this stage cast members cannot miss rehearsals, unless they have already informed Janet.
ACTION: Katie to keep Janet informed of cast members leave dates.
Nick asked if he could video Mithu and Catherine dancing Anything Goes and for it to be accessible on the website. However, Janet has requested for it not to be available online as we do not want to risk it ending up on you tube etc. However, if people want a copy of the video they will need to request it from Nick directly.
ACTION; Nick to video Anything Goes routine.
John confirmed that there is due to be a production meeting on Thursday. He also stated that the set, sound, lighting and props were all in hand- no current problems. John will require volunteers for the get in on the Sunday.
Action: Katie to make a list of people willing to help with the get in.
John also asked for people to help work on the follow spots.
Action; John to find someone willing to help.
John gave an update on ticket sales. Currently we have sold more than expected but we need to sell many more.
ACTION; Everyone to promote ticket sales.
Publicity:
John informed Suzie that we have 40 complimentary tickets for press.
Most of the committee noticed that our advert was in the Wimbledon Theatre booklet.
John informed everyone that we could get another 20,000 handbills. However, this would cost us £300. Therefore, it was agreed that we would have 10,000 handbills for free.
Suzie confirmed that the Time and Leisure article will cost us £230 and it will be out on the 24th May.
ACTION: Naomi to note for the budget
Suzie has updated all the relevant websites with the show details. Amdram have requested to do a piece on the show. Suzie will organise for them to attend a Tuesday rehearsal. She is still waiting to hear back from the Guardian and Centre Court. Once she has received a positive response form Centre Court she will look to organise for cast members to dress up and hand out flyers on the 18th May. Suzie also wants everyone to try and help get WLOS on the Elaine Page show (break a leg section). If possible, Suzie has offered to write a script for the people willing to help. Therefore, whoever gets through first reads the scripted lines regarding the production.
ACTION: Suzie to push for a response from Guardian and Centre Court and to draft a mini script for the Radio Show.
Suzie has also agreed to create a mock up telegram, which can be circulated around other Amdram Groups.
ACTION: Angela and Suzie to forward telegram to KVOS, Cygnets and PLOS and any other Amdram websites.
All agreed that the whole cast must try and put up 2 handbills per cast member per week in different areas. To make it easier certain committee members have been allocated a group so that they canensure that this was happening.
ACTION: Katie’s group: Dancers. Suzie’s group: Singing angels. Nick’s group; Sailors and Angela’s group: principles. Angela to create a WLOSCARS Award for the best placed poster for the next award ceremony.
The committee worked out that if each cast member sells 20 tickets (lowest price tickets) we would make at least £10,000.
- Future Shows:
Autumn show 2013:
Angela confirmed that the Theatre was booked, deposit paid and that she definitely has the rights for Honk.
Angela needs to confirm the MD for Honk, as soon as possible. Angela is waiting to hear back from Tom Theakston. If he is unable to do it then Jon Mizler has two MD’s in mind.
ACTION: Jon to email potential MD’s CV’s to the committee and to invite them to the next committee meeting.
The character descriptions are now available on the website. Angela needs to confirm the audition pieces so they can be distributed.
ACTION: Katie to send out the audition pieces at least a month before.
Angela requires a choreographer for the show. Suzie suggested advertising on Gumtree, however, it might be safer to have someone that we know or someone recommended by a WLOS member.
ACTION: Committee to look into searching for a choreographer.
Angela has looked at sets for the show. WLOS have enough sets in storage, however, a few pieces of scenery will need to be made, especially for the underwater and Blizzard Scene.
It has been confirmed that Jason will be the production manager for the show. The production team has already met to discuss the basics and the next meeting will be to talk about the image on the flyers. Angela knows what image she wants just needs to find someone to help her create it.
Angela and John need to speak to Amanda regarding the audition process and whether she is interested in helping. Jon agreed to spilt the job between the two of them.
ACTION: Angela and Jon to speak to Amanda.
Members are still unsure of the music for Honk and to keep people interested in staying with the Society the committee needs to promote how good it really is. Therefore, it was agreed that Nick, Jon and Candice will burn CD’s of the show and sell them for £2 per CD.
ACTION: Nick, Jon and Candice to burn CD’s.
Spring show 2014:
The Secombe Theatre has now been booked for ‘Fiddler on the Roof’. Show week will be the 11th May – 17TH May. Robin Clifford has shown an interest in directing the show.
ACTION: Katie to invite Robin Clifford to the next meeting to give him an opportunity to speak to the committee about his ideas.
The committee will discuss the MD’s for Fiddler once we have spoken to the short list for Honk.
Winter show 2014:
The committee is still thinking of ‘A Christmas Carol’ at Lingfield Hall. If possible, everyone agreed that the 1st week in December would be suitable.However, due to there being no dialogue there would be a lot of music for the cast to learn. Would this be a cause for concern?
ACTION: Jon and Paul to review the music and see if parts can be cut etc. Also speak to Trudi about this. Once the music has been looked over the committee can discuss what the difficulties might be.
The set would be easy as it can be just one backdrop and just use effective lighting for scene changes.
The committee agreed that it might be best to book Lingfield Hall anyway. If Christmas Carol is not a possibility then we can always do a Cabaret show.
ACTION: John and Janet to speak to Graham re 1st week in December 2014.
Spring show 2015:
The Oratory Theatre will be available again.
Angela mentioned going to The Minnack Open Air Theatre in Cornwall. However, after a short discussion about the size of the stage and the fact you need to be invited, it was agreed to revisit this later. However, if we invite them to Anything Goes, there is a possibility we could be invited.
ACTION: Katie to send an invitation to Minnack Theatre.
The committee had a brain-storming session for other show ideas:
Gilbert and Sullivan
Beauty and the Beast
Copacabana
Beggars Opera
Die Fledermaus
Witches of Eastwick
Merry Widow
Crazy for you
Acorn Antiques
Little of what you fancy
Jon mentioned that Laurie’s boyfriend could create an adaptation of Die Fledermaus.
ACTION: Jon and Paul to speak to Laurie’s boyfriend about the possibilities.
- WLOS Calendar:
Is now up and running thanks to Katie and Angela.
ACTION: Katie to keep it updated.
- Social Events;
Katie confirmed that the Ghost Trip was taking place on the 10th May and that Emily would be attending the 29th April rehearsal to collect the money. Katie also announced that Emily has started to make process with the after show party.
- Financial Update:
Paul stated that there were still several cast members that had not paid the show levy. Katie has sent an email to remind everyone that it must be paid by the end of May. It was also noted that a couple of cast members had not paid their membership fee.
ACTION: John to speak to the members who have an outstanding payment.
Paul also confirmed that the budget must be in by the end of the month and mentioned that WLOS needed to increase their storage.
ACTION: Paul to liaise with Laura regarding the contact for increasing WLOS’s storage.
Paul infirmed the committee that the sponsorship money for the last show had not been received. Paul had sent the invoices, however, will now need to chase before the next show.
ACTION: Paul to send the invoices to John.
- Dates of next meeting:
The next committee meeting will be held on Monday 20th May at 8pm at 12 Homefield Road.
ACTION: Katie to invite Barbara Fleming and Robin Clifford. Jon Mizler to speak to potential Honk MD’s to see if they can attend too.
MEETING MOVED TO 13TH MAY.
- AOB:
Nick was due to speak about the AuditionProcedure; however, this will be discussed at another time.
Angela asked for an email to be sent around to members regarding the WLOSCARS pictures and Honk details now being on the website.
ACTION: Katie to email the members.
Jon mentioned how best to circulate Spotlight. It was agreed that a monthly article should be created and emailed out rather than sending random emails when things pop up.
ACTION: Jon to create and Katie to send future events to Jon for the newsletter (including member’s birthdays, top ten poster pictures and photos of random nights out). Angela to draft a small piece on Honk for the newsletter and to add an interview with the new MD Tom.
John informed the committee that Diane Norton had agreed to be the new Associate Secretary.
ACTION: Jon to add this to the newsletter.
Angela wants all the committee members biogs online and for the old ones to be updated.
ACTION: For all committee to members to send biogs to Angela and for older members to update them.
It was agreed that we all wanted to change the main picture on the website. However, Angela is unable to do so. The website needs to be made more accessible for the users.
ACTION: Angela and Jon to try and contact Alison again about how to do this.
Nick is leading on the Anything Goes programme and needs to start collating the biographies. Once he has them he can put it all in order. Nick will need to liaise with the theatre regarding the programme contents.
ACTION: John to email Nick the contact details.
Katie mentioned about ordering Marcel Wave Clips for the ladies hair for Anything Goes.
ACTION: Katie to email the female members regarding the order.