October 2023 Newsletter
From the Vice President - Nick Price
Hello and welcome to our latest newsletter.
We are now in early October and only a month away from ATOMIC hitting the stage. I’ve been lucky enough to have a sneak peek and it is already looking amazing. Bec, Tahlia, and the creative team are working hard to ensure this will be another great CHMCC production so make sure you and all your friends grab a ticket. I can’t wait for opening night!
Our Annual General Meeting was held in August and we had a great turn out of members and guests. There were a number of nominations for each position and by now you will have seen the new committee names which were posted on our social media channels. I would like to thank the outgoing committee members, Peter Hodges, David Tune, Emily Cooper and Emily Dalton. These people volunteered their time to guide our company through the challenges of the past few years and to ensure we can keep doing what we love.
Prior to the AGM we had a Special General Meeting regarding the proposed appointment of a Member Protection Officer and policy. There was great discussion and many points of view put forward and those present approved the MPO appointment, with the policy to be held over pending further revision. More to come on this one soon.
As a committee we are all dedicated to protecting the interests of our company and it’s members. If you ever need to reach out please send us an email or speak to one of us personally. We are here for you and will do what we can to address your questions or concerns.
See you soon.
Nick
We are now in early October and only a month away from ATOMIC hitting the stage. I’ve been lucky enough to have a sneak peek and it is already looking amazing. Bec, Tahlia, and the creative team are working hard to ensure this will be another great CHMCC production so make sure you and all your friends grab a ticket. I can’t wait for opening night!
Our Annual General Meeting was held in August and we had a great turn out of members and guests. There were a number of nominations for each position and by now you will have seen the new committee names which were posted on our social media channels. I would like to thank the outgoing committee members, Peter Hodges, David Tune, Emily Cooper and Emily Dalton. These people volunteered their time to guide our company through the challenges of the past few years and to ensure we can keep doing what we love.
Prior to the AGM we had a Special General Meeting regarding the proposed appointment of a Member Protection Officer and policy. There was great discussion and many points of view put forward and those present approved the MPO appointment, with the policy to be held over pending further revision. More to come on this one soon.
As a committee we are all dedicated to protecting the interests of our company and it’s members. If you ever need to reach out please send us an email or speak to one of us personally. We are here for you and will do what we can to address your questions or concerns.
See you soon.
Nick
2023 Life Member appointment at the AGM
A massive congratulations to the Peter Hodges and Fay Castle for their appointment of Life Membership at the AGM in August. Thank you very much for your many years of service to community theatre.
Welcome to the 2023/2024 Committee
Head over to our 2023/2024 committee page to get to know YOUR 2023/2024 committee.
From the Treasurer - Annamarie Cohen
When I joined the committee last year, my project was to work with the committee to update all our policies and procedures. Although sounding very political, policies and procedures are important as they ensure that everyone knows their rights and responsibilities and each person is treated equally and fairly. Some of this work had been started by previous committees but seemed to have been forgotten as subsequent committees stepped in. Thank you to those before me who got the ball rolling.
At the Special General Meeting in August, we voted in theory, to have a Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO) - the first point of contact for any member who may have issues or concerns. The MPIO is someone who is not on the committee, to prevent any suggestion of bias, and is a person voted by the membership. The MPIO information is being updated to share and discuss with the membership.
We found that the current constitution is outdated, and a draft constitution was proposed at that meeting also. Since that time, further work has been done on this and we believe it is ready to go. Please come along to the Special General Meeting on Sunday, 15 October at 11am at the Pier Hotel to vote in regard to the new constitution, a draft of which can be found here.
Looking forward to seeing you on 15 October.
Annamarie
At the Special General Meeting in August, we voted in theory, to have a Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO) - the first point of contact for any member who may have issues or concerns. The MPIO is someone who is not on the committee, to prevent any suggestion of bias, and is a person voted by the membership. The MPIO information is being updated to share and discuss with the membership.
We found that the current constitution is outdated, and a draft constitution was proposed at that meeting also. Since that time, further work has been done on this and we believe it is ready to go. Please come along to the Special General Meeting on Sunday, 15 October at 11am at the Pier Hotel to vote in regard to the new constitution, a draft of which can be found here.
Looking forward to seeing you on 15 October.
Annamarie
From the ATOMIC team
From the Director and Assistant Director
Rebecca Riches and Tahlia Seaman
Hi all,
I’m Tahlia, and I could not be more excited to be the Assistant Director for the November production of ‘Atomic – The New Rock Musical'. This is my first time in a director type role, and it’s been a huge learning experience, and so much fun! Working alongside the beautiful Rebecca Riches has been an absolute dream.
Rehearsals are in full swing, with the show opening in just 4 weeks time. Eeeek! We have a beautiful cast made up of the BEST humans who are all working super hard, and we are so proud of the effort and energy they have poured into this production. The show is in great shape, and it’s so incredible to see it all coming together. We are very excited that our Production is the NSW Premiere of Atomic, and even more thrilled that the writers of the show - Danny Ginges and Philip Foxman - will be watching on Opening Night! They will also be holding a special Q&A session after the 2pm performance on November 5th.
We’re also excited to announce that our 2pm performance on November 11th will be Auslan interpreted. and that our performance on Thursday 16th November will be donating all profits to ‘Veteran Mentors’ – a group of ex-service men and women who help Australian families and communities by mentoring teenagers aged 12-17yrs and helping them develop resilience, self-esteem, and leadership qualities.
A big thankyou goes to our wonderful Production Team, including Teo Ross (Movement/Choreography and Projection Designer), Greg Wilson Jr (Sound and Set Builder/Designer), Finn Appleton (Lighting Designer), Annamarie Cohen (Production Manager), Matthew McGee (Production Assistant), Billie-Jo Dukes (Vocal Coach), Fiona Shaw (Backstage Manager), Craig Golding (Lighting), Jann Golding (Front of House), Vanessa Privitera (Graphic Designer), and everyone else who is involved with our production. You are all brilliant, and are all very appreciated!
Thankyou also to our wonderful band, led by our magnificent Musical Director, Rachel Crismale. We are so lucky to have Rachel (Keyboard and MD), Garth Harriman (Lead Guitar), Tommy Wainwright (Bass Guitar), Matt Turnbull (Drums), Thomas Madden (Keyboard and Rhythm Guitar), Tahlia Farag (Cello), and Annaleise Guerin (Violin).
We are so proud of this show and cannot wait to share it with our audiences.
We hope to see you there.
Tahlia Stagg
Assistant Director
I’m Tahlia, and I could not be more excited to be the Assistant Director for the November production of ‘Atomic – The New Rock Musical'. This is my first time in a director type role, and it’s been a huge learning experience, and so much fun! Working alongside the beautiful Rebecca Riches has been an absolute dream.
Rehearsals are in full swing, with the show opening in just 4 weeks time. Eeeek! We have a beautiful cast made up of the BEST humans who are all working super hard, and we are so proud of the effort and energy they have poured into this production. The show is in great shape, and it’s so incredible to see it all coming together. We are very excited that our Production is the NSW Premiere of Atomic, and even more thrilled that the writers of the show - Danny Ginges and Philip Foxman - will be watching on Opening Night! They will also be holding a special Q&A session after the 2pm performance on November 5th.
We’re also excited to announce that our 2pm performance on November 11th will be Auslan interpreted. and that our performance on Thursday 16th November will be donating all profits to ‘Veteran Mentors’ – a group of ex-service men and women who help Australian families and communities by mentoring teenagers aged 12-17yrs and helping them develop resilience, self-esteem, and leadership qualities.
A big thankyou goes to our wonderful Production Team, including Teo Ross (Movement/Choreography and Projection Designer), Greg Wilson Jr (Sound and Set Builder/Designer), Finn Appleton (Lighting Designer), Annamarie Cohen (Production Manager), Matthew McGee (Production Assistant), Billie-Jo Dukes (Vocal Coach), Fiona Shaw (Backstage Manager), Craig Golding (Lighting), Jann Golding (Front of House), Vanessa Privitera (Graphic Designer), and everyone else who is involved with our production. You are all brilliant, and are all very appreciated!
Thankyou also to our wonderful band, led by our magnificent Musical Director, Rachel Crismale. We are so lucky to have Rachel (Keyboard and MD), Garth Harriman (Lead Guitar), Tommy Wainwright (Bass Guitar), Matt Turnbull (Drums), Thomas Madden (Keyboard and Rhythm Guitar), Tahlia Farag (Cello), and Annaleise Guerin (Violin).
We are so proud of this show and cannot wait to share it with our audiences.
We hope to see you there.
Tahlia Stagg
Assistant Director
Exclusive first look at the ATOMIC Press release
Have you ever wanted to give ushering a go?
To usher for ATOMIC, please reach out to Jann Golding, who will be the Front of House Manager for the run of the show.
Shows are Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and the third Thursday of the run, 2pm and 7:30pm, however ushers will be required to be at the theatre 1 hour before each performance.
For further information on ushering for ATOMIC, please email Jann at [email protected]
Shows are Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and the third Thursday of the run, 2pm and 7:30pm, however ushers will be required to be at the theatre 1 hour before each performance.
For further information on ushering for ATOMIC, please email Jann at [email protected]
Local community theatre shows
Coffs Harbour Amateur Theatre Society (CHATs) - Coffs Harbour
The Brewster family of Brooklyn, New York, is descended from Mayflower settlers. Several illustrious forebears’ portraits line the walls of the ancestral home.
Mortimer Brewster, a writer who has repeatedly denounced marriage as “an old-fashioned superstition”, falls in love with Elaine Harper, his neighbor and the minister’s daughter. Mortimer returns to Abby and Martha, the aunts who raised him in the old family home. Mortimer’s brother, Teddy, who believes he is Theodore Roosevelt, resides with them.
Strange things happen in the household with villains , murder, mystery & two sweet old ladies who will keep you on the edge of your seat.
SEE INFORMATION IN THE SOCIAL CLUB SECTION BELOW
REGARDING A SPECIAL EVENT FOR ALL MEMBERS.
Mortimer Brewster, a writer who has repeatedly denounced marriage as “an old-fashioned superstition”, falls in love with Elaine Harper, his neighbor and the minister’s daughter. Mortimer returns to Abby and Martha, the aunts who raised him in the old family home. Mortimer’s brother, Teddy, who believes he is Theodore Roosevelt, resides with them.
Strange things happen in the household with villains , murder, mystery & two sweet old ladies who will keep you on the edge of your seat.
SEE INFORMATION IN THE SOCIAL CLUB SECTION BELOW
REGARDING A SPECIAL EVENT FOR ALL MEMBERS.
Dorrigo Dramatic Club - Dorrigo
4 One Act Plays
Lilith is commonly known as Adam's first wife. In patriarchal mythology, she's conveniently been cast as the Fallen Woman - banished from the Garden of Eden, replaced by Eve, and branded throughout his-story as being difficult. Her crime? She refused to be domesticated by Adam....and 'other things'. After thousands of years, Lilith has grown tiresome with this version of the story. Besides, she's come to the 'End of the Line' and insists it's time to 'set the record straight'. The adventurous Lilith need only reincarnate one last time - to fulfil a contract made long ago - and finally set herself free. An absurd story of the necessity for reinvention.
Sofia: Step into Sofia’s World. Sofia is a beautiful woman with a troubled past who also happens to be the owner of a local pub. Now in the twilight of her life, she reminisces with those who come to visit her after closing time about her regrets, lost hopes, and her greatest tragedy. This play will pluck at your heartstrings and invites you to watch Sofia find a way to be free at last.
The Bathroom Door is set around 1916 in London at the Victoria Palace OR is it the Heritage Hotel Dorrigo?? It's silly, fun, and bawdy with lots of opening and shutting of doors. See the Prima Donna with a pet tiger, old men needing to pee, old lady flitting around like a church mouse, young lady swishing herself along the corridor, and The Boots enters whistling...It's a long way to.....well you will need to come to the show to find out!!
Flowers for Mrs Hopkins could be set in the past, present, or future. Mrs Hopkins is aging and has plans....her daughter Jane is a fusser and does not have a lot of time for her mother’s antics .... The Postie loves gossip and keeps Mrs Hopkins updated with what's happening outside on the street......The Visitor (who is she really?) knocks on Mrs Hopkins door...3 times ...oohhoo !!
Lilith is commonly known as Adam's first wife. In patriarchal mythology, she's conveniently been cast as the Fallen Woman - banished from the Garden of Eden, replaced by Eve, and branded throughout his-story as being difficult. Her crime? She refused to be domesticated by Adam....and 'other things'. After thousands of years, Lilith has grown tiresome with this version of the story. Besides, she's come to the 'End of the Line' and insists it's time to 'set the record straight'. The adventurous Lilith need only reincarnate one last time - to fulfil a contract made long ago - and finally set herself free. An absurd story of the necessity for reinvention.
Sofia: Step into Sofia’s World. Sofia is a beautiful woman with a troubled past who also happens to be the owner of a local pub. Now in the twilight of her life, she reminisces with those who come to visit her after closing time about her regrets, lost hopes, and her greatest tragedy. This play will pluck at your heartstrings and invites you to watch Sofia find a way to be free at last.
The Bathroom Door is set around 1916 in London at the Victoria Palace OR is it the Heritage Hotel Dorrigo?? It's silly, fun, and bawdy with lots of opening and shutting of doors. See the Prima Donna with a pet tiger, old men needing to pee, old lady flitting around like a church mouse, young lady swishing herself along the corridor, and The Boots enters whistling...It's a long way to.....well you will need to come to the show to find out!!
Flowers for Mrs Hopkins could be set in the past, present, or future. Mrs Hopkins is aging and has plans....her daughter Jane is a fusser and does not have a lot of time for her mother’s antics .... The Postie loves gossip and keeps Mrs Hopkins updated with what's happening outside on the street......The Visitor (who is she really?) knocks on Mrs Hopkins door...3 times ...oohhoo !!
The Players Theatre - Port Macquarie
The show revolves around an unapologetically, unrefined cockney lad named Bill who learns that he is the 14th heir to the Earl of Hareford. However, he will only receive his inheritance if Sir John and the Duchess approve of him.
The Duchess feels that with a little grooming, Bill will be suitable to inherit the title – and the money. However, she insists that Bill break up with his cockney girlfriend, Sally.
Bill refuses to accept the title if he cannot keep Sally as his girl and so starts the comical conflict between the upper-class and the lower-class.
Stephen Fry’s revised book brings together this comical rags-to-riches in tight-breaches story supported by the nostalgic sound of Noel Gay’s music.
The Duchess feels that with a little grooming, Bill will be suitable to inherit the title – and the money. However, she insists that Bill break up with his cockney girlfriend, Sally.
Bill refuses to accept the title if he cannot keep Sally as his girl and so starts the comical conflict between the upper-class and the lower-class.
Stephen Fry’s revised book brings together this comical rags-to-riches in tight-breaches story supported by the nostalgic sound of Noel Gay’s music.
Bellingen Theatre Troupe
Based on Pedro Almodóvar’s film - Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown is a hilarious black comedy and musical that tells the tale of a group of women in 1980’s Madrid whose relationships with men lead to a tumultuous 48 hours of love, confusion and passion. Finding them, losing them, needing them and rejecting them!
The Criterion Theatre - Grafton
The Messiah by Patrick Barlow.
The funniest and most magical Nativity you will ever see.
A travelling troupe of two actors and an opera singer arrive by donkey to masterfully, movingly and miraculously enact the greatest story ever told.
The absurdly talented Maurice Rose, the alarmingly unpredictable Ronald Bream RAC, and the distinguished diva Mrs Leonora Fflyte play a cast of thousands in a Christmas comedy that conjures up the sublime, the ridiculous and the truly angelic.
(basically the Christmas story performed by 2 guys with a Diva thrown in the mix)
I should have a jpeg/pdf available in the next couple of days.
Like and follow The Criterion Theatre Facebook page to keep up-to-date about this productions tickets and information.
The funniest and most magical Nativity you will ever see.
A travelling troupe of two actors and an opera singer arrive by donkey to masterfully, movingly and miraculously enact the greatest story ever told.
The absurdly talented Maurice Rose, the alarmingly unpredictable Ronald Bream RAC, and the distinguished diva Mrs Leonora Fflyte play a cast of thousands in a Christmas comedy that conjures up the sublime, the ridiculous and the truly angelic.
(basically the Christmas story performed by 2 guys with a Diva thrown in the mix)
I should have a jpeg/pdf available in the next couple of days.
Like and follow The Criterion Theatre Facebook page to keep up-to-date about this productions tickets and information.
From the Secretary
It has been a crazy few months behind the scenes here at CHMCC. We said 'see you later' to the 2022/2023 committee, and welcomed in a new group at the AGM in August. A massive thank you to James Patterson who was our returning officer for the meeting. A special thank you to Pete, Dave, Emily C and Emily D for your work on the previous committee and a warm welcome to Nick, Bec, Ben and Jann who are all new committee this year. Thank you to all the members who came along to the meeting held at the Cavanbah Centre on August 19th. Your attendance at the meetings was so very appreciated, and we had an amazing turnout! Congratulations to Pete and Fay who became life members during this meeting.
Before the AGM we had a Special General Meeting (SGM) to discuss the Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO) and to update the constitution. Both were accepted in theory with some modifications needed. The MPIO procedure is still being worked on and will be delivered to the membership in due course. Additionally, since the SGM, the constitution had some further updates which were not included in the previous draft, therefore the committee decided another SGM was required. All 2023 financial members and life members would have received an email on September 24th with the draft constitution attached. We strongly encourage all financial and life members to attend the SGM on October 15th to support and ratify the constitutional update. The meeting will be held at 11am at the Pier Hotel, followed by our monthly meeting at the same location at 12 noon.
Speaking of monthly meetings, we have a page on this website which I update every month with information about the next meeting (date, time, location). If you have an issue which you would like for the committee to discuss at our meeting, please email the company at [email protected] with the subject line 'AGENDA ITEM' and it will be added to the meeting agenda. All members are welcome to attend our monthly meetings, however only financial and life members are permitted to participate in them.
A financial member is defined as a person who has paid for their membership within the current calendar year. If you were a member in 2022, you are not a financial member in 2023, so head over to our membership page to become a financial member for this year. At the start of 2024, I will email all 2023 members with information on updating their membership. If you have any questions about this process, please email the company at the above email address. If you are unsure if you are a financial member for 2023, please email the company to inquire.
Did you know you can also email the President, Dee Tune, directly? Her email is [email protected] . Additionally, you can also email our Treasurer, Annamarie Cohen, at [email protected], however this email is use specifically by Annamarie to process payments related to expanses to the company, so please be considerate.
Before I go, I want to remind you all to keep an eye out for out next newsletter which will (hopefully!) announce our 2024 shows! We are very excited to let you all know about them.
And lastly, make sure you look at the information below from our Social Club, to find out about our very exciting upcoming social events. You will want to be in the know for these ones! So make sure you like and follow our Facebook and Instagram pages to keep up-to-date with these events.
All the best,
Fiona Shaw
Secretary
Before the AGM we had a Special General Meeting (SGM) to discuss the Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO) and to update the constitution. Both were accepted in theory with some modifications needed. The MPIO procedure is still being worked on and will be delivered to the membership in due course. Additionally, since the SGM, the constitution had some further updates which were not included in the previous draft, therefore the committee decided another SGM was required. All 2023 financial members and life members would have received an email on September 24th with the draft constitution attached. We strongly encourage all financial and life members to attend the SGM on October 15th to support and ratify the constitutional update. The meeting will be held at 11am at the Pier Hotel, followed by our monthly meeting at the same location at 12 noon.
Speaking of monthly meetings, we have a page on this website which I update every month with information about the next meeting (date, time, location). If you have an issue which you would like for the committee to discuss at our meeting, please email the company at [email protected] with the subject line 'AGENDA ITEM' and it will be added to the meeting agenda. All members are welcome to attend our monthly meetings, however only financial and life members are permitted to participate in them.
A financial member is defined as a person who has paid for their membership within the current calendar year. If you were a member in 2022, you are not a financial member in 2023, so head over to our membership page to become a financial member for this year. At the start of 2024, I will email all 2023 members with information on updating their membership. If you have any questions about this process, please email the company at the above email address. If you are unsure if you are a financial member for 2023, please email the company to inquire.
Did you know you can also email the President, Dee Tune, directly? Her email is [email protected] . Additionally, you can also email our Treasurer, Annamarie Cohen, at [email protected], however this email is use specifically by Annamarie to process payments related to expanses to the company, so please be considerate.
Before I go, I want to remind you all to keep an eye out for out next newsletter which will (hopefully!) announce our 2024 shows! We are very excited to let you all know about them.
And lastly, make sure you look at the information below from our Social Club, to find out about our very exciting upcoming social events. You will want to be in the know for these ones! So make sure you like and follow our Facebook and Instagram pages to keep up-to-date with these events.
All the best,
Fiona Shaw
Secretary
From the social club!
Hello all our wonderful members!
We are very excited for our plans for Social Club this coming year!
We are currently planning our Christmas Party with CHATs. Our Social Club team has a fun filled evening planned for both Companies and its membership, and it’s looking to be a great night, so watch our Facebook page or your email for more details, coming soon (possibly even in this very newsletter!).
We also are planning some workshops to give back to our members! Our first will be hosted by Belinda Lemair and it will be focusing on theatre sports and movement. This day is also in the development stage so again watch our Facebook page or your email for upcoming details.
On Wednesday 18th October at 6:45-7:15pm we are having our first social get together called
‘Details with the Director’ and then we will view the production of Arsenic and Old Lace.
The Director, Beckley Vincent, will be hosting an exclusive talk for any members who would like to attend the social event. On the evening he will be giving us a synopsis of the play and his vision for bringing it all together as the Director. He will also be opening the discussion for any questions on the night, which is such a great way to pick a Directors brain if you have ever wanted to be one in the future
Tickets for the show can be purchased online here.
We are really looking forward to seeing you all, on and off the stage, in the coming year!
Cheers!
Mel Winkler
We are very excited for our plans for Social Club this coming year!
We are currently planning our Christmas Party with CHATs. Our Social Club team has a fun filled evening planned for both Companies and its membership, and it’s looking to be a great night, so watch our Facebook page or your email for more details, coming soon (possibly even in this very newsletter!).
We also are planning some workshops to give back to our members! Our first will be hosted by Belinda Lemair and it will be focusing on theatre sports and movement. This day is also in the development stage so again watch our Facebook page or your email for upcoming details.
On Wednesday 18th October at 6:45-7:15pm we are having our first social get together called
‘Details with the Director’ and then we will view the production of Arsenic and Old Lace.
The Director, Beckley Vincent, will be hosting an exclusive talk for any members who would like to attend the social event. On the evening he will be giving us a synopsis of the play and his vision for bringing it all together as the Director. He will also be opening the discussion for any questions on the night, which is such a great way to pick a Directors brain if you have ever wanted to be one in the future
Tickets for the show can be purchased online here.
We are really looking forward to seeing you all, on and off the stage, in the coming year!
Cheers!
Mel Winkler
2023 Christmas Party! Save the date!
Make sure to head over to our Facebook page and give it a like and follow, to keep up-to-date with information about the Christmas party! Its not to be missed!
An event page will be created over the coming weeks, and to assist us with numbers for the night, we would love you all to indicate if you are going, to assist with catering and organisation.
We cannot wait to see you all there! It is sure to be a great and fun night!
An event page will be created over the coming weeks, and to assist us with numbers for the night, we would love you all to indicate if you are going, to assist with catering and organisation.
We cannot wait to see you all there! It is sure to be a great and fun night!
In other news
Our very own rock god (and committee member) Thomas Madden shaved his hair to raise funds for blood cancer research in August. In total, Tom raised over $3500!!! And to top it off, shaved his head on his school assembly, and donated his locks to charity!! Outstanding work Tom!
Head to the Leukaemia foundation to donate.
