Archive Advice / Enquiries
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Post 66
Recent Post from one of our readers - 04/11/2019
Name: Sarah Flaherty
Would anyone be able to help with a contact number for Carol King who wrote the play "The Stations".
I can't seem to find a contact for her.
Any help would be appreciated
kind regards
Sarah Flaherty
Peter's response:
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for posting your question. I can't find any reference to Carol King the author I'm afraid. I shall make sure your question gets published in the #Advice section of the www.dramagroups.com website and its associated Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages within the next 24 hours. I shall ask people to contact you directly if they can help or advise.
Hi we are staging a comedy play written by one of our members. In it, we want, desperately, to use rain and have created a prototype rain machine which works but we have been told by the village hall insurers that they will not entertain any water on stage.
Have any other groups successfully used rain in the past? If so can you contact me to advise on how you did it and how you convinced the insurers it was safe?
OR how can we create the effect of rain?
Really looking forward to hearing from you.
Neale – Chairman Barns Green Players
Peter's response:
Hi Neale,
Thanks for posting your question. I shall make sure it gets published in the #Advice section of the www.dramagroups.com website and its associated Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages within the next 24 hours. I shall ask people to contact you directly if they can help or advise.
Personally I have no experience in this area other than to say I’ve seen Singin’ in The Rain performed with both water and a projected rain storm. The real water won hands down.
I am interested to know if any group has managed to succeed in getting performing rights for Victoria Wood's Dinner Ladies since her sad death, and if they managed to buy the stage scripts or just used the scripts in her books / can they be photocopied. Who they contacted to get performance rights because I read about four years ago that she granted the rights as long as payment went to her charity foundation.
Thanks for any help! I have googled like mad. Most responses take you to a David Graham who denies being the one who adapted the scripts for the professional touting company.
Peter's response:
Hi Madeline,
Thanks for posting your question. I shall make sure it gets published in the #Advice section of the www.dramagroups.com website and its associated Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages within the next 24 hours. I shall ask people to contact you directly if they can help or advise.
Thanks for posting your question. I shall make sure it gets published in the #Advice section of the www.dramagroups.com website and its associated Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages within the next 24 hours. I shall ask people to contact you if they can help or advise.
Post 62
Recent Post from one of our readers - 05/02/2019
Name: Gill Morgan
email address:
gillianmorgan@hotmail.com - Click here
Message:
From Stewkley Players
Advice on Projectors
Anyone got experience of using projection during play productions who could advise on a reasonable projector for us to buy. We have a budget of about £800. Our hall seats about 160 in 13 rows.
We generally project images to set scenes onto a screen mounted at the back of the stage but have also used backdrop cloths.
Looking for something that is robust, wont mind being suspended, upside down if need be, can project an image that will still be seen with stage lights on, ideally is wifi enabled so we dont have to hardwire to the computer and is within budget!
Thanks for posting your question. I shall make sure it gets published in the #Advice section of the www.dramagroups.com website and its associated Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages within the next 24 hours. I shall ask people to contact you if they can help or advise.
Post 61
Recent Post from one of our readers - 22/07/2018
Name: Kimi Carter
email address:
kim@flowitt.co.uk - Click here
Message:
Hi guys,
I’m looking for help regarding grants to help us get some new equipment any websites etc that I should be looking at?
We’re based in Kegworth in North West Leicester-Shire... we are a youth theatre 10-18 non profiting organisation...
Please contact me on my email which is kim@flowitt.co.uk or my mobile which is 07748272085 if you can help, thank you very much x
Peter's response:
Hi Kimi,
Thanks for posting your question. I shall make sure it gets published in the #Advice section of the www.dramagroups.com website and its associated Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages within the next 24 hours. I shall ask people to respond directly to you if they have advice to offer.
Post 60
Recent Post from one of our readers - 29/06/2018
Name: Zoe Avern
email address:
pr@godalmingoperatic.org - Click here
Message:
Hello everyone,
Zoe from Godalming Operatic Society here - I'm seeking some advice and opinion from other amateur theatre groups as to which online ticketing solution they use and which they would recommend.
We're finally coming out of the dark ages and wanting to add a digital method of purchasing tickets to our (already wonderful) but very manual process and are looking for the best value / quality interface out there.
Thanks for posting your question. I shall make sure it gets published in the #Advice section of the www.dramagroups.com website and its associated Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages within the next 24 hours. I shall ask people to respond directly to you if they have an opinion to offer.
Post 59
Recent Post from one of our readers - 21/03/2018
Name: Gwen Chaney
email address:
gwenchaney@btinternet.com - Click here
Message:
Do small AmDram groups need to register for GDRR?
Gwen Chaney
Peter's response:
Hi Gwen,
Do you mean GDPR the new EU General Data Protection Regulation?
If so then I believe that any organisation that has an on-line presence and that collects visitors personal data through whatever means need to ensure that they comply with this new regulation and this compliance has to be in place by 25th May 2018.
It is a very complicated area, however there are many organisations on the web who have advice and guidance to help you understand your responsibilities.
I will post your question in our #Advice section and ask others to provide additional help if they can.
Post 58
Recent Post from one of our readers - 21/03/2018
Name: Bronwen Davy
email address: markandbrondavy@gmail.com - Click here
Message:
setting up a local drama group
Hi
just wanting some information really. I am looking to set a up local drama group and wondered if you could advise me in terms of what is required re safeguarding or what I need to have in place in order to do so. I am in Liskeard, Cornwall.
best wishes
Bronwen Davy
Peter's response:
Hi Crystal,
First of all I'm no expert in this area, although several years ago I did go through this thought process and made some inroads into understanding the legislation that covers young people in 'Groups'. I shall post your question in the 'Advice' section of www.dramagroups.com and hope that someone with more recent experience will be able to give you better or more up-to-date advice. I have to put in a disclaimer here in that my advice is a personal opinion only. I am not a lawyer and do not have any more than a rudimentary knowledge gained from my own researches, please do not take my opinion as gospel check out any potential actions with a professional before deciding what you will do.
What I found was that the age restriction on young people under 16 years of age is:
- the Group must provide a chaperone during rehearsals and during performances.
- changing facilities must be separate from adults and of course separate between the genders.
- the young persons must be registered with the local council
- a Doctor's certificate must be provided for each child - presumably stating that they are fit - there is a cost involved here
- the Group's insurance must cover them during rehearsals and performances
- there are other rules applying by age to the number of hours they are allowed to work, etc. but I'm afraid I didn't get that far into the research.
Quite a few groups do declare themselves as taking people 16+ only and I guess that's because the process of including children is too onerous, certainly that's what my own group decided.
I hope that's of some use to you and I hope that others may provide a better view of current legislation.
Join NODA (National Operatic and Dramatic Association) - cheap and with loads of advice available. They have loads of fact sheets with all current information with regard to child performances, safeguarding, health and safety, etc etc as well as being able to provide cheaper insurance than generally available.
I am a registered chaperone with Devon, so can comment as follows:
1. You do not need a chaperone for reheasals - but ideally the Director of any play involving children should have a DBS (available through NODA or local education provider);
2. You do need a chaperone for any dress rehearsal and performances. They act 'in loco parentis'.
3. Children need separate (from adults and by gender) changing areas, and ideally a chaperone for each gender but this depends on how many children are performing.
4. Young persons do not need to be registered with the local council to participate in rehearsals or workshops; they do need a licence to perform if there are more than 4 performances in 6 months. Otherwise, there is no need to apply.
5. If a licence is required - which is applied for from the local authority and you need to state who is going to chaperone them during the period of the licence - they need permission from their school (not a doctor's certificate).
If you are thinking about setting up a group in Liskeard, be aware that there are a lot of drama groups around here! Launceston, Callington, Bodmin and Sterts to name but a few. And they are all struggling for performers.
Post 57
Recent Post from one of our readers - 04/09/2017
Name: Julia Galbraith
Facebook: juliagalbraith1967@gmail.com
Message:
Hi Im 50 is there a group for me?
Peter's response:
Hello Julia,
The answer is yes of course, age is no barrier to joining an amateur dramatics group.
You don’t say where you are located and I’m afraid I probably wouldn’t know the groups or schools in your area and so would be unable to make any recommendations. I suggest you take a look at the Groups section of the www.dramagroups.com website and check the groups and schools in your County/Region. There will be groups and societies listed with contact details. If in doubt click on the group name or logo and that will take you directly to the group’s own website. In my experience most groups and schools would welcome any new member with open arms.
Post 56
Recent Post from one of our readers - 17/04/2017
Name: Debbie Bell
Facebook: Cynthia Law
Message:
Play Script
Calvary greetings to Yuh all, please I need a drama script on this topic The Full Amour from Romans 13:12
Peter's response:
Hi Cynthia,
I'm afraid I can't help you directly as I'm not aware of any such play scripts.
I'll post your enquiry in the #Advice section of www.dramagroups.com and ask people to get in touch with you via your FB page if they can help.
Post 55
Recent Post from one of our readers - 01/02/2017
Name: Debbie Bell
email address: deborah.bell16@btinternet.com - Click here
Message:
Scenery Painting
Hi!
I have recently been involved in scenery painting with our local Am Dram group here in East Yorkshire. My friend and I ( we are amateur artists) think we made a decent job of it, but would like to undertake a course to improve, if one exists for the likes of us!
Regards,
Debbie
Peter's response:
Hi Debbie,
I'm afraid you've stumped me, I don't know of any such courses. I’ll place an entry for you in the #Advice section of the www.dramagroups.com website and on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages and ask people to contact you directly if they can help.
I hope you get some good advice. Do let me know how you get on.
