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VOLUME 5, ISSUE 2  MARCH 2002IN THIS ISSUE The March edition of The Anchorage - from your new, inexperienced (judging from my professional foregoers and with thanks for their input!) editor Albert Lintvelt - wallows in AGM shame, wallops our members to action and gallops forth into our 2002 visions... not whopped but whoopee!
AGM/ANCHOR AWARDS - ACTION RePLAYS Our Annual General Meeting did not meet expectations because only a handful of members met on that ill-fated 15 February 2002! Where were you? The THREE TENORS bravely, musically and magnificently rendered a programme of opera arias and Neapolitan songs to the nevertheless enthusiastic few. Bravissimo to their courage and talent! Furthermore, Chairman Cole Cameron was unexpectedly indisposed by illness. Thus, due to the lack of support, the absence of a Chairman or Vice-Chairman (vacant position), the AGM and Awards Ceremony had to be cancelled. Sadly but surely no highlight or night to remember. Yet The Anchor Players' show must go on! Therefor the AGM has been rescheduled for Tuesday 19 March 2002 at 8.00 PM. Please diarise immediately as we desperately need your support in order to vote for the 2002 Committee without which we cannot function, as well as award our 2001 Directors and Actors for their fine contributions towards our mission: Anchor Theatre Excellence. Seeing that we seriously lack a social area and other facilities to further enhance our members' and the public's enjoyment of an evening with Anchor Players, our historical Victorian Simonsberg Theatre is presently being surveyed for possible upgrading. 35 Third year students in Architectural Technology at the Cape Technikon are involved on a competition basis in conceptual design studies for the refurbishment of certain areas. The 10 Best selected proposals will be on display as schematic diagrams at this AGM. Members will thus be able to make inputs in what we consider to be vitally important for an even brighter social and theatrical future. The current committee PLEADS to PLEASE attend this crucial AGM where voting forms for the 2001 Awards will be available (or at least complete and timeously post your previous form). If never before, now is the time for All hands on deck!
LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN Dear Members Having recovered from the "disaster" that was our 2002 AGM, the committee continues to be at work planning and executing productions for the future. We all remain in our elected positions until the recalled AGM which will be on Tuesday 19 March 2002. According to our constitution we cannot elect the following years committee without a quorum (15%) of membership or the chairman or vice-chairman being present. In this event we must call another AGM to take place within 60 days of the end of the financial year. I certainly hope we will have a greater turnout this time (Chairman included). As membership support, in spite of our ambitious productions, continues to dwindle, we ask: Do our members no longer find a place in their lives for Anchor Players? With the new AGM date set I feel it only fair to comment on some disturbing rumours that have found their way back to the committee: 1. "We are bankrupt!" Not so! I am happy to announce that financially we find ourselves at exactly the same figures as last year. This in spite of poor support in 2001, robberies, significant upgrades to our facilities, and three critically well received productions. Further, well intentioned requests for donations have been made to the membership. The committee has not sanctioned this. We are well aware of the financial challenges that face the next committee but feel that it is vastly premature to appeal for funds form our membership and the general public. We must simply use our funds carefully for the time being. Nobody may speak on behalf of the committee, elected by you the members, except the committee themselves. 2. "The Committee is collapsing?" Really? I have never seen such a hard working core group of people labour so thanklessly to bring culture to this corner of the world. Further, such a happy bunch who have continued with little technical assistance from any of the membership at large. At the start of a new committee year, more than half of the existing committee has chosen to make themselves available for another year and continue to work in their old portfolios as we await the new AGM. 3. We are currently reviewing plans for the development of a new entrance and bar area (and upgraded cloakrooms). This exciting project has been sanctioned by Admiral Louw to be developed at the Navy's expense! The proposed plans will be on view for the members at our next AGM. Remarkably stable work for a "collapsing" committee? In closing, I hope this assures our members of our ongoing efforts. We will always accede to the wishes of the majority of our members but will not be declaimed to by any individuals in that membership. We ask that the hysteria and rumour mongering that accompanied our failed AGM be laid to rest. Let's keep the drama for our boards!
We remain as always,
CAPE TIMES AWARDS - Hallelujah Sister! This prestigious annual event brought dazzling success to the joint Anchor Players/BATS/Hottentots Holland Dramatic Societies production of Nunsense which scooped the following awards: Best Actress in a Musical to nuns Sheila Inglis, Coleen van Staden, Linda Barrans, Amelia Bosman-Lowe and Tracey Petersen. Special Award for Choreography went to Kyla Thorburn and Special Award for Musical Direction to Wilna Viljoen. To top it all, director Heather MacLachlan was honoured when Nunsense took the Best Musical award. It was a fabulous evening of entertainment with excerpts from various shows of last year. Included was our own Jeff Batt showing his fancy footwork in Shall we Dance from The King and I, and Coleen van Staden singing a highlight from the highly acclaimed Nunsense. All in all it was a great tribute to last years successes.
WAIT UNTIL DARK Regretfully, due to staging difficulties at our theatre and current casting problems this production is unable to go ahead at The Theatre in the Dockyard. Director Sue Bolton now plans to stage it later in the year with Claremont Dramatic Society.
FULL SPEED AHEAD! Regardless of this sand bank (not waiting until dark but looking into the light!) we grab our binoculars and steer towards the future. With all the acting/singing/dancing talents gushing through our members' veins, we plan a romping show in the tradition of the tried and trusted good old Variety Concert. Curtailed by players currently rehearsing for 'Kiss Me Kate' and the early Easter Weekend, the audition date will be announced in our next issue. So please watch out, dust off and brush up those latent numbers all you aspirant artistes out there! Also note, our Mid-Year Production is to be announced soon. Finally, the festive season will herald a Pantomime from Jeff & Belinda Batt, always a family favourite that never fails to delight.
PEOPLE Cole Cameron is off to Johannesburg in April for family commitments and is unable to stand again as Chairman - which is another reason to attend the AGM and vote in a new Captain to guide our vessel through the shoals ahead! Our invaluable and 'stalwart backstage stars' sister pair Colette Gilbert & Claudine Johnson are relocating to be with their families in the Golden City - how dazzling their 24 carats did glitter here.
BIRTHDAYS
DATES TO DIARISE 05 - 16 March BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT directed by Terry Best for Constantiaberg Dramatic Society at the Masque Theatre
YOUR eMAIL ADDRESS If you are not on our email list then you could be missing out on our Newsflashes. Society members and non-members can be added to our list by simply emailing Jennifer infomo@infomotion.co.za GOT NEWS FOR US? If you have news to share, call Albert Lintvelt (785.2466) or eMail Lynn infomo@infomotion.co.za |
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