Drama Group

The Creakes Drama Group

Future shows for 2016

January 15th, 16th, 22nd, 23rd (Matinee) and 23rd

7.30pm ( 23rd Matinee 3pm ) at North Creake Village Hall. The Creakes Drama Group presents the traditional pantomime of “Beauty and Beast”. Booking details will be available closer to the date.

The Creakes Drama Group offers a warm welcome to everyone interested in theatre.

There are many ways of getting involved with the Group: by coming to see our shows, or by becoming a member when you will enjoy priority booking for productions.

However, if you feel you might like to be more ‘hands on’ why not consider joining the very active group of players and backstage staff? We also need people to take on those administrative responsibilities that underpin everything.

If acting is not your forte, then come along and learn about the technical aspects of staging productions – lighting and sound, set design and building, or props. Or why not help with scene shifting, costumes, or dressing and make up?

The list is endless, but whatever you choose you’ll be part of a team that ensures productions continue to achieve a high standard and attract enthusiastic audiences.

General details about membership, future productions and tickets can always be obtained from: Ann Dagless, Secretary, email ann.dagless@gmail.com

Tel: 01328 863187

How did it all start? A Short History of the Group

It all started, as do many things, with the WI. In 1997 the North Creake group decided to put on a revue-style entertainment that was delightful. Everyone had a part in the show – costumes, sets and props were homemade, and the performers enjoyed themselves as much as the audience – but very importantly a seed was sown in the Creakes.

A year later, as the number of people interested grew and expertise developed, members of the cast and other contributors decided it was time to put things on a more permanent basis, so The Creakes Drama Group was launched with performances of The Fair Maid of Creake written by Sheila Upjohn of North Creake, with Ben Honniball, a fairly new resident in North Creake directing – the rest is history!

It was an excellent decision as Ben, who trained at RADA, had both directorial and acting experience on both the professional and amateur stage, could not resist the challenge of setting up a new company from scratch. So it was that The Creakes Drama Group was co-founded in 1998 by Ben Honniball, Chairman, and Philip Quin, Treasurer.

Now, as CDG enters its 15th year, it has 60 members (and 3 Honorary Life Members) who mostly live in and around N & S Creake, and all can look back with considerable pride on what has been achieved.

The company’s first winter production, Cinderella, was followed by 13 summer plays, the musical My Fair Lady and A Chorus of Disapproval, a play with music. 16 pantomimes and Christmas entertainments have been produced all with children in the cast, plus a concert performance of Under Milk Wood.

Several Old Time Musicals and three Murder Mystery evenings accompanied by supper have been organised in the autumn months, dedicated to raising money for local charities.

To date the Group has worked with 6 directors each of whom has brought their own style and skills to productions, and year-on-year the number of actors ‘on the books’ has expanded as has the number of dedicated, talented people who work behind the scenes to ensure the each show is as good as can be.

Many of our backstage team have experience working on professional productions. For instance, Robert Hill, Musical Director, led a London opera group and was head of music for a large London comprehensive, Sarah Prince-White has designed shows and produced costumes for The Yorke Trust and The Maddermarket Theatre in Norwich, and Doug Beebe, worked for BBC TV as a sound engineer for many years.

With income from ticket sales and grants, in its North Creake Village Hall, the group has installed a professional lighting and sound system, bought a stage extension and state-of-the-art keyboard and is constantly striving to improve on what is offered to supporters. We appreciate the support given by North Creake Village Hall Committee to CDG’s endeavours.

Looking back, the Chairman says, ‘It’s difficult to select the best production from so many, but I have a soft spot for Oscar Wilde’s classic The Importance of Being Earnest (2002) when everything came together. The cast was just right for the play; they had an instinct for the period and performed to their best. The sets were perfect and the garden scene even got a special round of applause’.

Awards

The Group is a member of NODA – The National Operatic and Dramatic Association and CDG is in Area East, Region 5. Based on reviews by the local NODA representative, the Group has won 4 annual awards for ‘Best Play, Region 5’ for When we are Married (2004), Hobson’s Choice (2006), Ten Times Table (2008) and Separate Tables in 2011. (Area 5 covers most of North Norfolk)

Children’s Involvement

Week-long summer workshops, master-minded by Glynis Billett, have been held for children, all culminating in public performances, and it has been a great pleasure to see children blossom, gain confidence and enjoy being part of a caring and disciplined theatrical group where they are valued as part of the team.

For some, these early experiences gave them such a good grounding that they have progressed to Greshams in Holt with drama bursaries and a lasting interest in theatre. In fact, several of the Group’s leading actors started with the Group as young teenagers, gradually taking on more responsible roles, at their own rate.

Perhaps the best accolade of all is the support from our regular audiences and to hear people say – ‘I enjoyed that even more than when I saw it in London. What are you doing next and when can we buy tickets’.

The future belongs to all our members, so why not join us and be part of what makes it happen?