BENCHPRESS: August 2001

Special AGM Issue

In this edition:

• Memory of Water - A Word From The Director
• Notes on changes to Bench Membership administration
• Company provisional diary for next season 2001/2002
• Details of proposed changes to the constitution to be debated at the AGM

Come back Mark – all is forgiven!  This issue of Bench Press was assembled by Robin as Mark has ventured off on holiday... thank you to everyone who contributed.  Mark has kindly offered to continue editing Bench Press next year, and he needs your input!  Send your letters, reviews and suggestions now!

Bench Theatre, PO Box 144, HAVANT, PO9 1XB

Memory of Water – A Word from the Director

Memory of Water will be counted as one of Bench's successes:  Good and enthusiastic audiences, appropriately blending responsive laughter and pin-drop silences; a dedicated and thoroughly professional cast whom it was a delight to work with -  rehearsals were a joy.
A small but efficient and responsible crew and a good support of other members for get-in and get-out. In all ways the Bench seen at its best, with a first-rate play which has won golden opinions.
The cast are particularly to be commended  for playing in a heat-wave a play set amid snow-drifts and freezing conditions. Sue was especially popular (whichever way you look at it/her)as she had the chance to strip down to her underwear.
Too early yet to say how it worked financially but the good-sized audiences makes one hopeful.
The only sadness was that this was Debbie's last performance with us. Many in the audience testified to her wonderful authority on stage, her impressive vocal range and her terrific capacity to engage the audience's feelings. She will be much missed. We wish her every happiness in her move back to Norfolk and she leaves knowing she will be assured of a warm welcome whenever she comes back to see us.

John Batstone

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IMPORTANT: Changes to Bench membership

For the last few years our membership has been run by the Arts Centre as part of our contact with them.  THIS HAS NOW CHANGED, read on to find out more....

The Bench as an organisation will from now on organise it's own membership.  We  will maintain a computer database to store the names and addresses of all Benchers and Backbenchers.  Rather than the Arts Centre sending out renewal forms and membership cards, we will be doing this ourselves.

Why?  There have been some problems in making sure that we have an up-to-date list of who is currently a member and who has not.  Some members have not been correctly receiving mailings, while others have continued to be sent mailings after their membership has lapsed, or to an old address.  The aim is for a list of all current memberships to be quickly and easily available.

Who will be doing this?
Our Secretary, Paul Millington, has bravely volunteered (well, sort of) to do the actual work.

What does it mean to me as a member?

1. Although we have been given the current data by the Arts Centre, we will be trying to check that everything that we have is correct.  Please bear with us if we make any mistakes, but do let us know!  If we have got your name or address wrong, we would love to put this right, but we probably will never know unless you tell us.  You can write to the Bench or to Paul directly, or telephone, or email, or let us know by coming along to the AGM, any club night or production.  (details below.)
2. Joining the Bench can no longer be done at Havant Arts Centre.  If you go into the arts centre, they should be able to give you a form to complete and send to us with a cheque.  (If you discover that they have run out, please let us know in case they have not had a chance to tell us.) Your cheque should be made payable to "Bench Theatre".

And that's it!    We'll try to make sure that everything runs as smoothly as possible, and most members should not notice a thing, but please let us know if you encounter any problems or have any suggestions.

Extra Information:

1. The committee will not be proposing any changes to the standard charges for membership at the AGM – these will remain at £24 for full members and £15 for Back Benchers for another year.
2. Coming soon....  The facility to pay for your membership directly from your bank account. Suitable for all those forgetful people who aren't very good at remembering to send off cheques.  (Me included!)
3. We will be letting the arts centre know who current members are so you should be able to purchase tickets (which are of course free for members) at the box office without any problems.  However, please take care of your membership card and try to remember to bring it to club nights – you might need it if there is a query.

One Last Important Point:

It has always been a rule that in order to act or work backstage during any production you must be a full member of the company.  It is very imporatant that this rule is enforced for insurance reasons – for people whose roles in a production are defined as 'working' our insurance is employers liability insurance and is not valid if the individual concerned is not a member at the time of any accident.  Since the trustees (i.e. ME!) could then be personally liable, I shall be keenly checking memberships!!
We will also be checking memberships at club nights – you don't have to be a member to come along (although we hope that people who regularly come will join) – but you DO have to be a member to vote in play selection and at the AGM.

Robin Hall

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Bench Diary for 2001 – 2001.

Some dates are provisional, please read your Bench Press carefully for details of any changes and confirmation of dates.  

CLUB NIGHTS are usually the first Thursday of every month, and Back Benchers are welcome to come along and take part – we try to do some drama and also to have some fun.  Ideas for club nights are always welcome, particularly from those brave enough to offer to help with the organisation!  (7:30 for a prompt 8pm start at the Arts Centre.)

THEATRE TRIP? since we are a theatre company, it has been suggested that we go to see a play.  Date and play to be confirmed, but suggestions are always welcome...

PRODUCTIONS: obviously any play requires a cast and crew but there are lots of other ways to get involved.  (In addition to coming to see the show!)  We always need volunteers for Front of House duties, which are not onerous and allow you to meet our audience and practice your sales skills with the programs.  (Backbenchers welcome).

Also not to be missed are the famous Bench get-ins and get-outs, open to full members, back benchers and anyone we can pull in off the streets.  Every pair of hands is very welcome and there are always a huge variety of jobs to be done, from construction work to distributing leaflets to painting to making coffee.  If destruction is more your thing, then come along the Sunday after a last night show to help take everything apart again.  

Both occasions are more than likely to turn into a social gathering, especially if Tim is prepared to offer the use of his garden, BBQ and croquet set again.  (However in November we're more likely to try Sunday lunch somewhere inside....)

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Proposed Changes to Bench Constitution

Summary Only - Full copy of constitution at Havant Arts Centre for inspection.

Proposed Changes to the Bench Constitution, 2001.

Paragraph 4:

To be inserted into section (b):

(b) Associate Members, known as Back Benchers, shall pay an …

To be inserted:

(d) A temporary membership shall be available which will  have the status of Full Membership but last for one production only.  This will be offered at the discretion of the Committee to those persons involved in their first production.  An individual may only take out one temporary membership; thereafter he or she must take out a full membership if he or she wishes to continue to be involved in the company’s productions.

Paragraph 6:

To be amended from:

6) The management of the Society shall be in the hands of an Executive Committee of full members, consisting of Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer (all acting ex-officio) and five other members.

To:

6) The management of the Society shall be in the hands of an Executive Committee of full members, consisting of Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer (all acting ex-officio) and up to three other members.

Paragraph 7:

To be amended from:

7) The Officers and two members one year (three members next year and so on in alternate years) shall retire annually but shall be eligible to offer themselves for re-election.

To:

7) The Officers shall retire annually but shall be eligible to offer themselves for re-election.  Other Committee members shall be elected for a two year period but may offer themselves for re-election when this period expires.

Paragraph 8:

To be amended from:

8) Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held monthly or more frequently at the request of six members of the Committee. The quorum for a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be five members.

To:

8) Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held at the request of four members of the Committee. The quorum for a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be four members.

Paragraph 10:

To be amended from:

(d) decide the programme of the Society's productions and other activities.

To:

(d) plan and organise the programme of the Society's productions and other activities including overseeing the selection of plays for production.

Paragraph 11:

To be amended from:

11) Subscriptions shall be due on the 1st September each year and persons whose subscriptions remain unpaid at 30th September will be deemed no longer to be members. The rate of subscriptions can be altered only at the Annual General Meeting.

To:

11) Subscriptions shall be paid annually and begin on the first day of a month.  Members whose subscriptions remain unpaid by the end of the month in which they are due shall be deemed no longer to be members. The rate of subscriptions can be altered only at the Annual General Meeting.

Paragraph 12:

To be amended from:

(a) To receive the Secretary's Report on the year's activities and the Statement of Accounts from the Treasurer for the previous financial year, ending 31st July;

To:

(a) To receive a Report on the year's activities from a member of the committee and the Statement of Accounts from the Treasurer for the previous financial year, ending after the 31st July;

To be amended from:

(b) To elect the Officers, members of the Executive Committee and Auditors for the ensuing year;

To:

(b) To elect the Officers and other members of the Executive Committee for the ensuing year;

Proposer:  Robin Hall

Seconder:  Paul Millington

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