Welcome
Welcome everyone to the Elmwood Players’ AGM for 2025, a very successful year for our club.
Artistic
We staged four productions this year: Milly Jones, the Wizard’s Apprentice; Hold the Arsenic (both NZ written); Popcorn; and Jekyll and Hyde. Every play averaged more than 50 patrons per performance, a fantastic achievement, especially given the economic times. Every play also came with positive comments from audience members. Our varied play choices for this year have given our audiences reasons to come back season after season, a great validation for our more rigorous play-selection process and commitment to a diverse programme.
Our casts have also been excellent to work with, willing to pitch in and help set up and pack away set and props for every rehearsal in addition to learning their, often challenging, roles. Increased social time during and after rehearsals is helping to shape a friendly atmosphere, which leads to cast members helping each other out more.
Behind the Scenes
We decided not to stage a play during our traditional packaway slot in August, using that time to catch up on some maintenance instead.
At the beginning of each year we revisit our list of projects, prioritising things we want to achieve in the coming year. The extra maintenance time this year allowed us to complete a good number of projects. Our major behind-the-scenes achievements were:
In Memorium
This time last year we had our life member Doug Clarke with us. No-one knew at the time that it would be his last AGM with us. His sudden decline and passing just three weeks later was a shock to all of us who knew him and had worked with him, not just with Elmwood Players, but with Riccarton Players and other groups. Doug was a friend and mentor that several of us here today learned a lot of our theatre craft from. His contributions to Elmwood include set building, technicals, acting, writing, and of course, directing. Doug’s support of our club since the early 1970s is acknowledged with gratitude, and his memory will live on in the skills we pass on to newcomers, and the theatre we will produce for many years to come.
Wrap up
Looking ahead to 2026 there is a great deal of enthusiasm and optimism. We have another good lineup of plays, with a mix of new and experienced directors.
My thanks go to the casts, crews and supporters of 2025, and especially to the fantastic committee, all of whom have pitched in to make 2025 a very successful year, both artistically and financially, for Elmwood Players.
Sonya Cameron
President
Elmwood Players
Welcome everyone to the Elmwood Players’ AGM for 2025, a very successful year for our club.
Artistic
We staged four productions this year: Milly Jones, the Wizard’s Apprentice; Hold the Arsenic (both NZ written); Popcorn; and Jekyll and Hyde. Every play averaged more than 50 patrons per performance, a fantastic achievement, especially given the economic times. Every play also came with positive comments from audience members. Our varied play choices for this year have given our audiences reasons to come back season after season, a great validation for our more rigorous play-selection process and commitment to a diverse programme.
Our casts have also been excellent to work with, willing to pitch in and help set up and pack away set and props for every rehearsal in addition to learning their, often challenging, roles. Increased social time during and after rehearsals is helping to shape a friendly atmosphere, which leads to cast members helping each other out more.
Behind the Scenes
We decided not to stage a play during our traditional packaway slot in August, using that time to catch up on some maintenance instead.
At the beginning of each year we revisit our list of projects, prioritising things we want to achieve in the coming year. The extra maintenance time this year allowed us to complete a good number of projects. Our major behind-the-scenes achievements were:
- Reregistering as an incorporated society
- Cleaning out the containers and installing shelving in one of them, enabling us to move some items formerly stored in the props room to go out to the containers, which in turn gives us working space in the props room
- Buying and installing new technical equipment, especially dimmers and a lighting desk. Our thanks go to the Mainland Foundation for a grant towards buying the new lighting desk
- More improvements in storage of props and wardrobe, including the beginnings of a catalogue
- Doing a quality check of our drapes and planning how to improve our supply of shorts; this should be completed in early 2026
In Memorium
This time last year we had our life member Doug Clarke with us. No-one knew at the time that it would be his last AGM with us. His sudden decline and passing just three weeks later was a shock to all of us who knew him and had worked with him, not just with Elmwood Players, but with Riccarton Players and other groups. Doug was a friend and mentor that several of us here today learned a lot of our theatre craft from. His contributions to Elmwood include set building, technicals, acting, writing, and of course, directing. Doug’s support of our club since the early 1970s is acknowledged with gratitude, and his memory will live on in the skills we pass on to newcomers, and the theatre we will produce for many years to come.
Wrap up
Looking ahead to 2026 there is a great deal of enthusiasm and optimism. We have another good lineup of plays, with a mix of new and experienced directors.
My thanks go to the casts, crews and supporters of 2025, and especially to the fantastic committee, all of whom have pitched in to make 2025 a very successful year, both artistically and financially, for Elmwood Players.
Sonya Cameron
President
Elmwood Players
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