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Volume 8, Issue 7 - March 2018

Herne Bay Little Theatre - 44 Bullers Avenue, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 8UHCompany Reg No. 1798525 Reg Charity No. 289287

Little Theatre NewsVolume 8, Issue 7 - March 2018

2 Herne Bay Little Theatre - 44 Bullers Avenue, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 8UHCompany Reg No. 1798525 Reg Charity No. 289287

View From The ChairWelcome to our new look newsletter which includes our new logo and which you will gradually be seeing on everything to do with the Herne Bay Little Theatre.

Our Marketing Director, Laina Freemanhas been pro-active with Jamie at [email protected] who will now be responsible for the design of, in liaison with Laina and Paul Lloyd for all publicity material including production programmes. At this point I would like to offer mysincere grateful thanks to our Secretary,Paul Bergman for all his hard work overthe last few years that he has given tothe presentation and distribution ofthe newsletter.

I hope you were lucky enough to be among the audiences at our recent production of ‘Gaslight’. It was very pleasing to knowthat all tickets were sold and I would liketo commiserate with the many people who were unable to get to see the play. Hopefully the trend will continue as we also had 100% ticket sales for our Pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, in December last year.

Gaslight was entered into this year’s Kent Drama Association’s Full Length Play Festival and adjudicated by Amanda Sharpe Conroy at the Wednesday performance. Let’s just say the adjudicator told me she had had a very enjoyable evening!

On a personal note, I would like the thank everybody involved in this production.The Set, The Costumes, The Props, The Lighting, The Sound and of course THE ACTORS – they were superb. It was allquite brilliant and very well received. Alright, I’m biased!

I feel I must report on the ever increasing numbers attending the Friday film nights which in some respects has helped the increasing numbers we see at productions. We shall soon have to book a seat! Thank you Philip and Wyn for organising thesefriendly evenings.

We look forward to seeing you at our next production ‘Ladies’ Day’. Book early!

Please don’t forget that you have untilMarch 31st to renew your membership.

With best wishes

Tony Jose


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Drama NewsOur first production this year was Gaslight by Patrick Hamilton. Full houses every night and audiences who enjoyed the drama and atmosphere immensely proved that this wasa successful start to this year’s programme. This production is entered into the Kent Drama Association Full Length Play Festival 2018 and was adjudicated during the week. Amanda Sharpe Conroy was very complimentary and constructive in her comments to the director and cast and about the lovely Victorian costumes. She also made enthusiastic remarks about the set, sound and lighting. So fingers crossed for a good result!

We had a good turnout for our Play Reading of This Happy Breed by Noel Coward. This is one of his best plays about a working class family living in London in the years between the First and Second World Wars. It is witty and poignant and has an array of brilliant characters comprising the extended family and their neighbours. Everyone enjoyed reading and we all had a great evening playing the different characters. If anyone has a suggestion for a play to read in the futuredo let me know.

Our next production is Ladies’ Day by Amanda Whittington directed by Shelagh Scarborough. This is a wonderful modern play set at the racecourse in York when the Royal Ascot meeting had to be moved to Yorkshire.

There are many lovely, lively male and female characters to enjoy, so don’t forget to book now for the week of 9 - 14 April! Ladies’ Day is also entered into the Festival and the adjudication will be on 11 April.

Auditions are to be (or will have been, depending when this newsletter goes out) on 4 March for Entertaining Angels by Richard Everett directed by Dick Langridge. Vicar’s widow, Grace, has suddenly decided that it is about time she stopped being ‘the vicar’s wife’ and has discovered a voice of her own, which she has no hesitation in sharing with the new vicar, her visiting sister, her daughter and a very unexpected visitor. This is a witty and sharp-edged comedy handling subjectsas controversial as marriage and God!Book your tickets soon. This production will be11 - 16 June, 2018.

We all look forward to seeing you in the audience for our plays. Don’t forget that if you would like to join in, directing, acting, backstage, front of house, do let us know.It is a wonderful theatre to be involved with and you will receive a very warm welcome.

Best wishes

Victoria Seager


Dates For Your Diary9 – 14 AprilLadies’ DayBy Amanda WhittingtonDirector Shelagh Scarborough

Work, love and life for four fish filleting ladies at Royal Ascot the year the event relocatedto York.

11 – 16 JuneEntertaining AngelsBy Richard EverettDirector Dick Langridge

A modern comedy twist on an old themeof a ghost story.

13 – 18 AugustOn Golden PondBy Ernest ThompsonDirector Marc Hamilton

Love and family joy and problems for Ethel and Norman Thayer, returning to their summer home on Golden Pond forthe forty-eighth year.

8 – 13 OctoberWorld War 1 CommemorationProduced and Directed by Victoria Seager Musical Director Tony Jose

6 – 15 DecemberDick Whittington And His CatBy Ben CrockerDirector Tony Jose


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Theatre Marketing NewsNow that our website has been given afresh coat of paint we’re on a roll to improve our other promotional material. You may notice our new-look posters which are now printed in 2 key colours for more stand-out appeal and designed around a standard template of theatre information for ease of reading. We are grateful for the new branding and designs produced for the theatre by Replacement Pictures.

Several future events are already published on our website to make it easier for advance booking. Programmes for our theatre productions also follow the new branding theme to complement the posters. ‘Gaslight’ was the first of these and we hope you agree the new style programme was in keeping with the atmosphere of this brilliant play.

Have you seen the captivating image on our Ladies’ Day poster? I’ll let you into a secret - Shelagh Scarborough, who is also directing this play, created the original drawing. We are lucky to have such talent among our members. If there are any other artists out there who would like to help with future designs,please do get in touch.

Tune in to Radio Cabin 94.6FM

Our thanks to Radio Cabin who are promoting our events. Have you tuned in?

Facebook - locals are unaware

Our Facebook site continues to be a greatway of staying in touch with both members and the public. Please keep putting your comments, reviews and importantly sharing our events onto other sites as it all helps to keep our name in front. It may surprisesome of you that we still receive comments that locals are unaware of our wonderful asset.

Our Little Theatre is such a treasure; if you have any other ideas for increasing our awareness in the town, please drop me a line.

Laina [email protected]


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Theatre Social - Quiz Night

Our Burns night themed quiz on 20th January was very well attended and a good time was had by all! We asked people to join in the spirit of the evening by dressing up and dressing their tables. An outstanding effort was made by Elaine Newman’s table who won the prize!! (photographed here). Taking a break from writing the questions on this occasion, Claire Greenhead and family’s table won the quiz.

We decided to support Hearing Dogs forthe deaf with our raffle. Our member Maggie Lee brought along a very well behaved“Jamie” who charmed everyone into buying lots of tickets and the raffle raised £89.On top of this Maggie received donationsof 15 pound, and she also arranged a ‘namethe dog’ competition which raised a further28 pound for the charity. I must say a huge thank you to everyone that donated prizes.

The “table” money raised 150 pounds for theatre funds.

Thank you to everyone that came along and supported the event, or who supported us with raffle prizes.

Sharon Acton

8 Herne Bay Little Theatre - 44 Bullers Avenue, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 8UHCompany Reg No. 1798525 Reg Charity No. 289287Herne Bay Little Theatre - 44 Bullers Avenue, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 8UH

Films At The TheatreFriday 2nd March- No fi lm

Friday 9th March- Cancelled due to weather.

Friday 16th March 2017 animated adventure comedy starring Paddington Bear, Ben Whishaw, Hugh Grant, Hugh Bonnerville and Sally Hawkins.

Paddington, now happily settled with the Brown family and a popular member of the local community, picks up a series of odd jobs to buy the perfect present for his Aunt Lucy’s 100th birthday, only for the gift tobe stolen.

Friday 23rd March1964 Kitchen-sink drama, starring Ian Hendry, June Ritchieand Vice Landone.

A bored housewife has an aff air with her mother’s lodger. When he dumps

her, she attempts suicide, which brings everyone to their senses.

Friday 20th April 1985 E.M. Forster romantic drama, starring Helena Bonham Carter, Maggie Smith and Denholm Elliott.

When Lucy Honeychurch and chaperone Charlotte

Bartlett fi nd themselves in Florence with rooms without views, fellow guests Mr Emerson and son George step in toremedy the situation.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Philip


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Murder Mystery NightSaturday 22nd September - 7.30 start

Come along and solve the mysteriousSudden Death at Thornbury Manor, a playby Chris Lewis. A modern mystery acted out as a 1950’s radio play.

Tables of 8, tickets £10 per head to include a Fish and Chip supper.

BYO drinks, Tea and Coff ee available.

Available to members and non-members. Booking essential.

All proceeds to the local branch of the RSPCA Canterbury and District Re-homing Centre.


Images from our production of Gaslight. Presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH LTD and directedby Tony Jose.


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By Amanda Whittington

Ladies Day


Herne Bay Little Theatre - 44 Bullers Avenue, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 8UHCompany Reg No. 1798525 Reg Charity No. 289287

9th – 14th April, 7:3opm - Tickets - £9

little theatre news · a modern mystery acted out as a 1950’s radio play. tables ... herne bay,...

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