www.southenddrama.co.uk

Play it again, Sam

by Woody Allen

A mild mannered film critic finds himself alone when his wife leaves him, crushing his ego. His Hollywood idol is Humphrey Bogart, whose ghostly apparition begins showing up to give him advice.

With the encouragement of his two married friends the critic tries to get on with his life again, with less than satisfactory results.

Southend Drama Society return once again to the Dixon Studio this summer - book now to avoid disappointment!

Southend Drama Society has been told the lock-up it uses to store its sets has been sold and it must move out. The 61-year-old society now has until April 6 to find a new store.

Chairman Darran Lebeter said: “This has come as a complete shock after many years of storing our sets at Garrolds Farm in Hadleigh.

“As an amateur group, we try to find the best deal we can as any costs have to be paid from the ticket sales of our productions. Despite our best efforts, we’ve not been able to find a suitable place to store our sets. Now we have just 10 days to find somewhere secure and with enough space so we can prepare them for our shows.”

The sets, which have helped create the settings for performances of Blackadder and Alan Ayckbourn productions, include heavy-duty rostra and 20 wooden flats which are used to form walls on stage. Some of the flats measure 10ft high by 5ft wide. Darran added: “We really are desperate to find somewhere as we have just started rehearsals for our next show, Play It Again Sam, being performed at the Dixon Studio in July. The last thing we need on top of rehearsals is being left with nowhere to store our sets.”

Anyone who can help Southend Drama Society can call Darran Lebeter on 07810 872974.

Southend Drama Society are proud to announce that their next production will be Woody Allen's Play it again, Sam, being performed from the 16th to 19th July 2008 at the Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff.

In addition to performances each evening at 8pm, a matinee performance will start at 2pm on the Saturday.

Auditions will take place this week.

Last night saw the adjudicator deliver his final verdict on this year's Southend Drama Festival, and the results are in. A rather inebriated Charlie 'The Frog' Mellor reports:

We didn't win overall this year, but we did win:

• Best male performance: John Banks and Rick Fiore in Babysitting Calvin by Southend Drama Society
  
  

Southend Drama Society also received NOMINATIONS in the following categories:

• Best stage presentation for Babysitting Calvin;
  
• Best comedy for Babysitting Calvin;
  
• Best performance in a supporting role for Darran Lebeter as Private Ralph Underwood in Hero AND Samantha Lowe for Donna in Babysitting Calvin
  
• Best director for Danny Pavitt for Babysitting Calvin
  
• SDS member Sharon Williams also received nominations for her entry with Belfairs High School for: Best junior team and Best original play.

Photos from our productions can be found here. Congratulations to all involved and we'll look forward to building on our success again next year.

With the first round of the Festival now nearing it's end, we've uploaded our report on how Southend Drama Society's two entries were recieved by the adjudicator earlier this week.

Click here to see how things stand in advance of tomorrow's final verdict and the bestowing of awards.

With this year's festival now less than a week away, final preparations are being made for our two entries - Babysitting Calvin and Hero. Pictures from Hero's dress rehearsal can be found here.

Hero is being performed on the evening of Wednesday 12th March, while Babysitting Calvin can be seen the following evening on Thursday 13th March. Southend Drama Society member Sharon Goodman's entry, The Project or Antigone, the Modern Myth, can be seen on the 10th March.

We walked away with a number of awards at last year's Festival, so make sure you're there to support our teams!

Members are reminded that this year's AGM takes place at the Leigh Wesley tonight.

As surely as night follows day, a slap-up meal follows our AGM. This year, the venue will be The Contrada Restaurant, located at the Balmoral Hotel in Westcliff-on-Sea on Saturday 26th January.

See Danny for further details and payment.

The plays we are submitting to the first round of the All England Drama Festival this year have been announced. Old Society favourite Babysitting Calvin by John Newmeir and directed by Charlie Mellor, and Hero by Michael Lynch and directed by Mike Thompson.

Auditions for both plays will take place on 8th January.

Members are advised that the Southend Drama Society Annual General Meeting will take place on Tuesday 22nd January at 8.00pm at the Leigh Wesley. Relevant paperwork will be sent to all members in due course.

The AGM is an opportunity for all members to consider the Society's activities over the last year and what challenges lie ahead, so we would encourage all members to attend if at all possible.