What we do - Drama and Social activities - GADS Gosforth

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What we do - Drama and Social activities

About GADS

Drama Activities
Each year, we try to stage two full-length plays - in the spring (May/June) and late autumn (October). These run for three nights, from Thursday to Saturday inclusive. We rehearse twice a week for about eight weeks. Rehearsal nights are ususally Tuesday and Thursday, with extra nights added if needed. Rehearsals and performances are in the Gosforth Public Hall.

Pantomime
Our January pantomime involves both adults and children and there is usually a part of some kind for anyone showing an interest. Rehearsals begin in early November, immediately after the autumn play, although we try to reduce the burden for the younger children until after Christmas. The pantomime is very popular, playing for four or five nights (with recent matinees) to packed houses.

 
 
 
 
 

Summer Youth Workshop
In most years since 2006, we have held a week long theatre school in August for our younger members aged 8 and upwards.  This is a series of workshop activities which usually leads to some kind of show on the Saturday night at the end of the week.  It is always amazing how eager and capable young minds can be - if only our adult members could get from zero to a decent show in 6 days.

Musical
In June 2022 we attempted our most ambitious project yet - our first ever musical - Lionel Bart's "Oliver!"  And it was so well received that we will be doing more - perhaps in alternate years, to give our many sponsors a break.

 
 
 

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Youth Theatre Group
Our Youth Theatre Group was initiated by former member Tom Morath in early 2016. Weekly sessions for 8 to 18 year olds develop all aspects of theatre production. Tom moved away in 2017 and the group continues under new Director Tosh McGregor. The sessions run from 7pm on Thursday evenings during term time. There is a small charge, although the first taster session is free. The sessions involve scene creation, improvisation, stage combat, make up and there are occasional showcase performances for parents and friends.

It's not just acting ..
None of this can go on without a massive army of support, so even if you don’t fancy acting or singing, you can still be very helpful to us, just by doing whatever you do best. We need set designers, scenery builders, property makers, scene painters, lighting enthusiasts, dressmakers, hair stylists, make up artists, programme designers, publicity people and, last but not least, front of house personnel to set out seats, sell tickets, run raffles, organise refreshments or just show people to their seats.

 
 
 

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Social Activities
GADS also attend local events like Seascale Fun Day and Gosforth Show - watch out for our gazebo.  And between shows the adults keep in touch with monthly Play Reading evenings (Plays for Pleasure), and the youngsters with the Youth Theatre Group.

Technical stuff
We modernised our sound and lighting equipment in 2016/17 and again in 2022. We have a 48 channel Zero88 Jester digital (dmx) lighting desk and a 22 channel Mackie mixer with a set of 12 wireless microphones. So we have plenty of opportunities for creativity in the sound and lighting department. We also have UV lighting and a UV scene has been a regular spectacle in recent pantomimes.

 
 
 

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Shows away from home
Until recently, we have entered a one-act play in the Cumbria Drama Festival, a preliminary round of the All-England Theatre Festival (AETF). Since we began competing in this festival in 1981 we have reached the next round (the North West Divisional Final) four times but no further. Nevertheless, we have won several awards along the way.
We have also performed occasionally at other locations, including "A Seat in the Park" at Egremont Castle, "The Monkey's Paw" at Dalegarth Ratty Station and "A Little Box of Oblivion" on the lawn at Muncaster Castle.

 
 

 

 


We have a multitude of uses for butchers, bakers and candlestick makers, although they need to apply our trades, not theirs.  If you can handle a saw, hammer, screwdriver, paintbrush, soldering iron, needle and thread, scissors, pen, musical instrument, operate a sound system or lighting console, bake a nice cake or make a decent cup of tea or coffee or almost anything else, then we’d like to meet you. And if you really can act (or would like to give it a try), then we’d be even more pleased to see you.

 
 
 
 

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