How we run

          Some history. Founded in 1945, the St. Austell Players (the "Players") led a successful if nomadic existence until the Sixties. Joining with other 'artistically-inclined' groups, they formed the St. Austell Society of Arts and had a base, at last, at 87, Truro Road with, soon after, a permanent theatre. So far, this has been the venue for about 300 Players' productions (see Previous Productions).
         Over the years, the Society of Arts evolved via the Arts Centre to the present charity, St. Austell Community Centre and Arts Theatre. It aims to encourage and provide such facilities as it is able in support of artistic and educational endeavour and recreation in the area. The Players are a member-group of the Centre and subject to the Centre's Constitution and its managing body, the Executive Committee. Anyone participating in Players' activities is required to become a Member of the Centre. Contact the Membership Secretary for information.
         Having a 'home' at the Centre, is an enormous advantage to the Players. There is space for costume (see also Costume Hire), property and scenery storage, ready access to the theatre, free car parking and, of course, Bar facilities. Being a Centre member-group, the Players are charged only for Theatre use; the costs of space for rehearsals, meetings and costume and props storage are met from members' subscriptions.
         The Players' Committee comprises about a dozen active members, including officers - Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity Officer - all elected at the AGM in April. A Vice-chairman is elected by the committee from the committee. Additional members are co-opted from time to time, usually for some special purpose. The committee is charged with safeguarding the interests of members and, as far as it is within its power, the well-being and future of the Players. It does this by upholding the Players' and Centre's Constitutions and seeking to provide the best-possible framework and support for Directors, actors and all other participants to give of their best and thus gain most enjoyment.
         There are usually four play productions each year, in March, May/June, August and November, and January 2005 saw the re-introduction of the annual Pantomime. The last few years have also seen an occasional musical in October. A single four-night run - Wednesday to Saturday - is usual, but the August play generally runs over two or three weeks. The Summer Plays are chosen with the idea of attracting as many holiday visitors as possible, in addition to our loyal local audience. Allowing for 8 to 10 weeks of rehearsal, involvement in the Summer play is no small commitment.
         How Plays are chosen. The Reading Committee is actually a sub-committee of five or so members, appointed, from time to time, by the Players' Committee. Some months before a play is due to 'go on', Directors put forward (at least two) plays they would like to direct. Having studied the scripts, the Reading Committee members give their views and recommendations to the Players' Committee on the suitability, in all its aspects, of those plays. Based on those views, the Players' Committee decides which plays may be performed. 'Suitability' covers a whole range of considerations: audience appeal, 'cast-ability', technical difficulty, costs of sets and costumes, etc., etc..
         Anyone who feels that they would like be a member of the Reading Committee should contact the Players' Secretary. Bear in mind that changes to this committee don't happen very frequently and there is an attempt to maintain a wide but balanced set of viewpoints.
         Directors. There are usually four or so 'resident' Directors, with occasional guest Directors. About half-way through each year, the Directors decide between themselves who will take which 'slot' in the following year, subject, of course, to Committee approval. At one time, new Directors were required to demonstrate their abilities with a 'probationary' one-act play, but that rule is no longer rigidly applied. If you would like to direct a play and have experience or feel that you have what it takes, contact the Players' Secretary.
         Castings traditionally take place as soon as possible after the preceding production, but over-lapping of productions is not uncommon. Casting meetings are arranged and run by the play's Director and are usually informal group readings. The Director may decide that more than one meeting is needed to arrive at the most appropriate cast for his or her production. Please don't be disheartened if you don't land the part or, perhaps, any part at all! There are many other jobs which are just as essential - if you really do want to be involved. Remember, if you do accept a part or any other job, the rest of the 'team' will be depending on you to do it. Help is always at hand if the going gets hard. Do ask - we are quite a friendly bunch!
         Rehearsals are arranged by the Director of the play. The rehearsal period is usually from 8 to 10 weeks long, with two or three rehearsals per week (or possibly more, depending on the degree of panic as the performance dates loom closer). The evenings chosen will be at the mutual convenience of Director and cast and according to the availability of space (negotiated with the Centre Booking Secretary).
         Rehearsals generally start at 7:30 and finish by 10:00. With any luck, the Bar will be open afterwards.
         Finances. The Players are self-supporting and rely entirely on box office takings to keep going. In recent years, thanks to the maintenance of good standards (we like to think!), prudent choices of plays and the facilities at the Arts Centre, the Players have managed to stay well in the black. Audience loyalty is much easier to lose than to earn and keep.
         A four-day production currently costs from around £1,700 to mount - considerably more if it is, for example, a period piece with lots of hired costumes. One of the Director's first tasks when starting a production is to discuss and agree a budget with the Players' Treasurer. Some budget items, such as royalties, theatre hire, publicity, are not difficult to cost. Others, perhaps special scenery or costumes, are necessarily estimates. Ultimately, the budget reduces to the number of tickets which needs to be sold to cover the sum of all the costs. If that is judged to be achievable, then the budget is usually approved in committee. However, estimating the size of audiences is notoriously difficult and the Treasurer and committee try to instil a sense of caution without cramping a Director's style.
         The Players are a member group of the Cornwall Drama Association (C.D.A.) which, as its name implies, is a county-wide organisation of amateur drama groups. In recent years, Players' productions have usually been entered in the C.D.A. Full-length Play Festival. Plays are constructively criticised by experienced adjudicators and judged against other productions across the county in that year. Whilst the idea of competitive drama is anathema to some members, the criticisms are generally helpful and the occasional winning of an award is most pleasing. In fact, as you may see in the Theatre Foyer, the Players have won quite a few! The awards are presented at the C.D.A. Theatre Day, held in November at Perranporth. The day is packed with events and entertainment and highly recommended by those who attend every year.
         How to join in. Contact the Arts Centre Membership Secretary. If you know someone who is a Players' member, get him or her to take you to the next event.
         Other than plays, the Players have occasional just-for-fun play-readings, quiz evenings and other social events. Every now and then, there are week-end workshops which may be of general interest but are sometimes arranged in the hope of learning special skills for a forthcoming production. These events are on an irregular basis. Keep an eye on your Players' Newletters, Diary of Events on this site or the Players' noticeboard for information.
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