February edition of the Artful Dodger

February 1st, 2022

Warrandyte Festival

The festival is on again – March 18 and 19

The Association always has a presence and walks in the Festival Parade.

Please join us.

We need a commitment from as many as possible to stroll Yarra Street on Saturday morning in the parade. We will be assembling at the hall between 9.30 and 10 am, choosing a cozzie from the wardrobe if you wish, and then making our way to Stiggant’s Reserve with the throng.

Please contact Adrian for further info and to register your interest. chair@warrandytearts.org.au

Theatre News

One-Act Plays

In late 2021 we put out a call for original one-act plays. We received 15 from 14 different authors and sent them to 12 readers to judge. The readers were given a simple brief: score out of 10 and go with your gut.

They submitted their scores and six were closely read by the committee, including Directors: Adrian and Susan and Producer, Lisa Mac. Besides considering the readers’ scores we also took into consideration other variables such as ease of casting, staging, set, etc.

We chose five short plays to stage:

The Distance Between and The Replacement by Michael Fiddian

Women of the World by Emma Wood

Love, Death and that Three Letter Word by Suzy Wilds

Consideration by Damian Vuleta

Our cast includes some oldies and some newbies. We welcome Colette MacLaren, Elaine Macaway and Rebecca Rose to the company. They join Caroline Shaw, Tony Clayton, Jack Stringer, Adrian Rice and Simone Kiefer.

The plays run from March 18 - 26. See Trybooking or our web page for details.

Our plays for the rest of 2022 have now been decided…

Season Two - May 27 to June 11

Blackbird by David Harrower - a contemporary, challenging and confronting drama directed by Lisa MacGibbon

Una, a 27-year-old woman, comes to visit Ray, a 55-year-old man, at his office. They are clearly not comfortable in each other's company, and we soon find out why: 15 years before, when Una was only twelve, Ray seduced Una. Ray spent several years in prison for statutory rape, and Una was ostracized from her community after the incident. Now, she has found him by accident, and the play delves into their complex feelings for each other. Winner of the Olivier Award for Best Play, Blackbird is a deeply complex portrayal of two people whose ruined lives are inextricably intertwined.

Auditions Feb 27 and March 3. One male and one female actor required.

Performances May 27 to June 11

Contact Lisa MacGibbon for info: lisawarrandyte@gmail.com 0418327153

Season Three - July 29 to August 14

A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller - a classic drama. Directed by Grant Purdy

A classic play about toxic masculinity. Set in New York (Brooklyn) circa 1950s. A traditional Italian migrant family is headed by Eddie who tries to protect his niece from the attention of a young immigrant dock worker.

Auditions March 31 and April 3. Performances July 29 - August 14

A cast of between seven and 10 depending on doubling up of roles.

Contact Grant Purdy for info: secretary@warrandytearts.org.au 0412121631

Stop Press: You are invited to a reading of this play at no charge! You might even get a drink.

March 4, 7.30pm at the Hall.

Season Four - September 9 to 24

Calendar Girls by Tim Frith. A contemporary comedy with drama directed by Susan Rundle.

This play was cast and ready for staging in March 2020 and we know what happened next! The set is still built and props ready. Most of the cast is able to perform this year but it is expected there will be others needed.

Set in Yorkshire, UK, a Women’s Institute chapter’s fundraising effort for a local hospital, by posing nude for a calendar, becomes a media sensation.

Contact: Susan Rundle - theatre@psrundle.com 0416298136

Season Five - November 25 to December 10

The Follies Goes off the Rails - a variety show with sketches, dance and song

Directed by Matt Wallace and Lawrence Phelan

Our highly original and much anticipated show written by our community - and including Matt and Lawrence our directors. Auditions will be sometime in September or early October.

Info: Adrian Rice - aderice@tpg.com.au 0439 311 428

Responsible Service of Alcohol Training

We plan to restart bar service on play nights but have a limited number of RSA certified people on whom to call.

So, this is a call out for anyone who can help us to step forward. If you can help but have not completed the training, the WMIAA will pay for your RSA course.

It can now be done wholly online and there are various providers, including Access All Areas.

Whether already trained, or willing to train, we need you. For more information contact Hazel Rice at hazelrice17@gmail.com

Arts EXPO

In late 2020 WMIAA received grant funding from Manningham City Council to use towards staging open days and events to promote our activities and help “kick-start” activity in town.

Changes were forced upon us by restrictions and what was planned for Nov ’20 became March ’21, then Nov ’21 and March ’22.

Consequently we are now planning two or three separate events that will be held on separate weekends later in the year. Logic tells us that although there has been significant improvement, we cannot entirely ignore COVID for indoor events and we are best to delay these activities until after the middle of the year.

Stay tuned.

Life Drawing

Life Drawing is back. The first session was on 21 January and was a welcome return to all. All are happy to carry on wearing masks and be vaxxed to enable us to continue.

It was wonderful to be immersed in art again and not gardening and no virus in sight.

Cheers to those who returned; may we carry on making marks, smudging, painting and creating.

Marion

No Lights, No Lycra

The No Lights, No Lycra (NLNL) dance sessions, normally held Wednesday nights in the hall, have been taken outdoors to take advantage of the warm weather. And for added fun, it is a Silent Disco. Participants all wear headphones, pre-loaded with songs on 3 different channels. Everyone can flick between the playlists and dance to whatever they choose. Held on the oval at Warrandyte Primary School, as the sun sets and up amongst the gum trees, it’s proving to be a very popular mid-week exercise and fun hour of dancing.

No Lights, No Lycra Warrandyte in conjunction with Manningham Council and Vic Health will be running two FREE NLNL dance sessions in the Mechanics Hall in recognition of International Women’s Day and to promote exercise and activity for women. Come and give it a try. This will be a regular NLNL session (no headphones) with fantastic music, a darkened hall, and the freedom to dance how you choose.

No teacher, no steps, no mirrors, no judgement – it’s dancing YOUR way.

Free activity however bookings are essential via the link below :

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/no-lights-no-lycra-registration-266401813997

Pottery News

The Tuesday potters have returned to the Majorie Beecham Pottery Studio for a clean up day and a session of all new creations. The few sessions when we could visit the studio towards the end of 2021 became busy with unfinished work being completed, glazed and fired. There were extra days of loading and unstacking the kiln and thoughts of creating special Christmas decorations were shelved.

The Wednesday group returned early February and we hope to see some more of our regular Tuesday potters over the next few weeks. We are certainly missing Amanda, send her all our best wishes and hope for her return during Term 2.

Sheryl and technical advisor Ebony shared their expertise and organised a terrific hand building activity via Zoom during the 2021 lockdown that provided a fun, remote get together and resulted in some beautiful and unique fantasy castles.

Membership Renewal Reminder

Annual membership fees for WMIAA are due!

There has been no increase to fees for 2022 and they can be paid via Trybooking

The primary aim of membership is building and engaging an ongoing community of people interested in the arts and importantly it enables all those who enter the premises to be insured. It is a requirement that all active members be insured. It is also important that we maintain contact with our members and the simplest method is via this newsletter, which you receive because you are indeed a member.

If you are an actor or director planning to be involved this year – at any time, we would like to encourage you to join up now. It helps us enormously to have funds in advance.

It has been challenging to maintain the hall during the past two years and COVID still looms in the wings at the moment, so it cannot be ignored yet.

We are aiming to raise funds this year to complete important renovation of the hall roof (and therefore walls), the bio box and lighting rig. With funds in the bank early in the year we have greater chance of meeting our targets.

If anyone has queries or difficulty renewing their membership please don’t hesitate to contact Noelene on 0400 861 133 or email noelenecooper@bigpond.com

AGM 2022

The WMIAA Annual General Meeting is the forum for change.

If you have ideas and want to see change then this is the place and time, so put the date in your diary.

The AGM will be held on Monday, 11 April at the Hall commencing at 8.00 pm.

All members are encouraged to attend.