Notes following AGM on Tuesday 15th May

Thanks to all those who attended the society's Annual General Meeting on Tuesday night. Here is a brief public summary of topics covered:

1. AOS Committee 2012-13 is -
• John Nye - Chairman
• Nigel Winter - Secretary
• Vaughan Billings - Treasurer
• Linda Harris - Minutes secretary
• Kerry Callaghan, Lesley Donovan, Barry Greenaway, Phil Hughes, Iain Launchbury and Joy Skeels
2. We need to be aware that our annual subscriptions are only just covering our outgoings
3. As ever, ticket sales remain an issue. Both Guys and Dolls and Hello, Dolly! made significant losses and it looks as though even Crazy For You will have made a very small loss. This means that we need the membership to continue to do everything they can to sell tickets for our shows, whether they are performing or not.
4. John Nye has received further detail about our part in the Jubilee bun-throwing and we'll be publishing more on this in the blog in the coming weeks.  To find out more click here.
5. Finally, the production team for our 2013 production of Oliver! was confirmed as:
• Edward Blagrove - Director
• John Nye - Musical Director
• TBC - Choreographer

Notes following Committee meeting on Wednesday 25 April

• More men needed for Calamity Jane. Please use any means at your disposal to persuade suitable new men to come along to the Talk-In
• A reminder that there are 3 vacancies for Committee members to be filled at the AGM on 15 May, also 2 casting committee membership representatives to be elected (for Spring & Autumn 2013 shows). Please think about putting your name forward. Nomination forms, duly seconded and with the agreement of the nominee, to be with me by the start of the meeting.
• Jane Maggs has now agreed to lead the Social Committee, and Lynne Winter & Di Bryan have agreed to help - many thanks to Jane, Lynne and Di.
• A reminder that the Garden Party is on Saturday 09 June - venue to be confirmed.

I hope the CFY team have enjoyed their lengthy break and look forward to seeing you and others at the Talk-in on Tuesday.

Nigel

Thanks and a reminder of key dates coming up!

To all those involved in ‘Crazy for You’ last week, both on and off stage, my grateful thanks for helping to make it such a fantastic week! I believe it was one of our best shows for some time and I personally found it one of the most enjoyable to perform in.

However the Society schedule moves on and I would like to remind you that the Talk-in for ‘Calamity Jane’ takes place next Tuesday 1^st May at Trinity Church Hall, 7.30pm start as usual. Pre-audition music rehearsals for ‘Calamity Jane’ will be on Tuesday 8^th May, Thursday 17^th May and Tuesday 22^nd May, and Auditions will be on Sunday 27^th May at Trinity Church Hall starting (subject to confirmation) at 2pm.

The AGM will be on Tuesday 15^th May at Trinity Church Hall commencing at 8pm.

I hope to see you at the 'Talk-in'!

Nigel

Tuesday 3rd April announcements

Not too much to report for this week, as the show gets nearer and our focus is very much on the next couple of weeks.

It's never my ticket...

1. Nominations for the charity that should benefit from the members' backstage raffle to John Nye by Tuesday 10th April please.
2. Tickets are still selling well, but we need to keep on telling everyone we know that this is not a show to be missed. Monday tickets in particular need to be pushed - c'mon, invite all your friends to the opening night. As of this evening, online bookings are at 97% of Hello, Dolly!,  which was our best selling show via online sales to date. So with more than a week to go we're certain to surpass this, and we can do the same for off-line sales. Let's make this show a sell-out success!
3. Of course, the world never stops revolving, so our thoughts will very soon turn to Calamity Jane. If you would like to reserve a lib and score for this show in advance, please contact Nigel Winter.
4. Just a quick recap on next week for those in the show:
1. Tuesday - running the whole show
2. Wednesday - band call for Bobby, Polly, the Fodors and Irene
3. Thursday - band call for whole cast - come and hear how good they sound!
4. Friday - setup from 7pm - please come along and help us make light work of it.

That's all I can remember from Tuesday - I have to admit I forgot to make a note as they happened...

Tuesday 27th March annoucements

Hello all

Here's my update on announcements at Tuesday rehearsal this week:

1. Suggestions for charities to benefit from our backstage raffle for Crazy For You need to be with John Nye by 10th April please.
2. Don't forget that Sunday's rehearsal is at the Amey Theatre, 2 to 5pm - won't it be nice to try it on the stage for the first time?
3. We're handing out leaflets from 12 - 2pm on Saturday at Waitrose, Abingdon - Phil would appreciate the help of anyone who could come along, even for a short time.
4. Props still needed are:



Hmmmm...

1. One pitchfork
2. Whisky bottles (as many as we can get - go on, knock yourself out!)
3. Champagne bottles (see above)
4. One feather duster
5. Shot glasses
6. Two small garden tables
7. Two canvas rucksacks
5. Show setup is Friday 13th (!!), so we'll be taking out the pit and setting up dressing rooms from 7pm - please let Barry Greenaway know if you're available.
6. Finally, ticket sales are still going well, but with a strong final push we can make this show a real financial success for the society and help to ensure we keep doing two shows a year.  Tickets still available for all nights, but special attention please to Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. C'mon, let's fill that theatre!

Tuesday 20th March announcements

1. Wow, only three weeks to go before the show opens, so I'm sure you now all realise your responsibility to learn the lib, lyrics and dance moves? By now you should be polishing.  To help, you'll find another of Nigel's infamous videos has been posted to YouTube - this one is the hats from the end of Stiff Upper Lip - enjoy...
2. You can see Nigel's mention of the traditional bun throwing event in Abingdon on the 3rd June below and the AOS involvement. You'll find more details published in the new Limelight for this show. Please do take part if you can.
3. Subs - well if you haven't already paid, they are now overdue, so please return to me asap if you want your membership to continue.  Also, please sign and return the Gift Aid form if you can.
4. Linda Harris is organising the tickets for the Crazy For You cheese & wine on the Monday night of the show - tickets are £5 each, so please speak to Linda if you want to be there with the rest of us.
5. Nominations for the CFY cast charity raffle to John Nye please.
6. We'll be painting the set from 9am Saturday 14th April, so if you're artistic, please contact Barry Greenaway for details and location.
7.  We still have a few posters left, so is there somewhere you haven't plastered?
8. To date we have sold approx. 1000 tickets for this show, which is great, but we have another 1700 to go before we sell out.  Please, if you are a member of AOS, let's go the extra mile to promote and sell tickets for this show. Our future as a society depends on ticket sales, so let's not give our audience an excuse to miss this brilliant show. And if you can sell some Monday tickets in particular, that would be great.

Monday 19th March announcements (following the Committee meeting which finished at 11.30pm !)

I am pleased to say we are now close to announcing the production team for Calamity Jane and a sign-up sheet will be on the board shortly to give us an indication of likely support for this show.

As you know Oliver! will be our spring show next year and, subject to confirmation by the school, the dates are likely to be 8^th to 13^th April 2012 2013 <oops, error corrected>

On the basis of a show of hands at a recent rehearsal we are now committed to the Town Council’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations on Sunday 3^rd June 2012.  We have been asked to lead the singing of the National Anthem (2 verses) at the bun-throwing ceremony in the Market Square at 5.50pm, and then lead the singing of the traditional proms songs in the Abbey Meadow from about 8pm the same evening. Microphones will be available for the proms concert but not for the bun-throwing. It is important that we put up a good show and an opportunity to promote AOS. A sign-up sheet will be going up shortly for people to confirm their commitment.

It is hoped to organise an AOS ‘dress-up’ fund-raising garden party on the 9^th June – more news in due course.

A reminder that the AGM will be on Tuesday 15^th May at 8pm at Trinity Church Hall – official notification to be issued in due course. There will be a number of vacancies on the Committee – this could be your opportunity to find out what goes on ‘behind the scenes’ (we don’t usually finish meetings at 11.30 by the way!)

And finally – TICKET SALES!

These are progressing reasonably well, but the message from the ‘box office’ is that the cast have yet to put in their big effort! It is vital that we make a profit on this show to offset the losses last year if we are going to remain a viable society performing two shows a year. So please get out there and sell!