Committee & President's Report
Following our AGM held on Wednesday 11 November, 2009, our committee comprises the following:
President: Vicki Coughlan
Vice President: Nick Higginbotham
Secretary: Caroline Hill
Treasurer: Maree Dives
Committee: Tony Greedy, Tony Pieterse, Chris Maxfield
President's Report, 2009
The season of Patience or Hot Chocolate opened with the cloying fog of Topsy Turvey but closed to the clear strains of "O'Bliss, O'Rapture".
We wanted to stage Patience, but it desperately needed updating. Chris Maxfield kindly obliged and gave the world Bunthorne's Boutique Chocolatorium - the original BBC - with non-stop hilarity. Placing the action in a chocolate factory was a stroke of genius, setting off an explosion of possibilities for songs, gags, sets, characters, smells, tastes, movement and kitchenware.
When Chris became unwell, Jason King graciously agreed to direct the show despite just having finished a long season of Opera Hunter's Miss Saigon. As everyone knows, Jason is much more than a director. He solves problems; shares resources generously; attracts the right talent. Jason was joined by Musical Director Sue Hart, who claims Patience as one of her favourites having performed a lead role when last the company staged it. (As an aside, we're delighted that last night Sue was nominated for a CONDA for our musical direction.)
Our two directors created magic with Chris' libretto, although he probably never envisioned the Star Trek theme being woven into the fabric. After each show, standing at the exit, it was clear what the audiences thought of our creation. While biting into another chocolate truffle they mumbled, "I've never seen a funnier G&S." Watching from the back, Sue and I heard the same lines 100 times, but each time we burst out laughing, as if it were the first.
The cast was a rich blend of familiar G&S faces and newcomers; young and mature. We introduced some relatively new voices to the scene and were delighted. We relied on seasoned performers and they hit new levels. Sue's small but sweet orchestra delivered the notes with aplomb and precision. Josephine Tam was of immense value to us as repetiteur and became choral coach when Sue was overseas.
After a long series of sour knock backs from the queens of the sweets industry, when we went looking for sponsors, Hamilton TAFE head of baking Gary Sewell saved our bacon or rather our bon bons. He brought in celebrity chocolatier Dean Gibson who opened a treasure trove of ideas, people, chocolate making equipment and the 2.5 kilo bags of Belgium dark pellets to go with them. I was thoroughly proud to see the chocolate making finesse flower among our women's chorus. It was a first for any stage. Not to be outdone, the men's chorus sang with a flourish that could only have come from imbibing the essence of pure cocoa; not compound, but rather, couverture.
Our small G&S committee toiled bravely to complete the endless tasks of producing and promoting a contemporary musical, and I sincerely thank every committee member. Our poster, TV ad & program set new company standards, in my view. Writing and receiving a Newcastle grant for the Playhouse was heavenly. When called upon, we had ample strong hands to bump in and out. Frankly, however, our committee was too small and the work fell to too few. This is not sustainable for the company; it has to be improved as a matter of urgency, if we are to continue.
We are very pleased that Chris Maxfield has agreed to serve as director for 2010. We've asked him to select material for next year's production that he would enjoy re-writing. After the elections, Chris will share his ideas, and members will be asked to offer their views.
Again, thanks to every person who had anything to do with Patience or Hot Chocolate. You helped create something new, something that moved people, a success that made our company proud.
Faithfully yours
Nick Higginbotham, 2009