---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Elaine Bannon <elaine.bannon@gmail.com> Date: Feb 20, 2006 10:56 AM Subject: please take some time to read this and discuss at the next meeting. To: dcudrama@gmail.com Hi Folks *warning: long email alert* Welcome back to second semester. I hope you were all reasonably happy with the exam results. I know that up until now you have all been very busy with various projects but there are a few things that I would like to bring to the committee for discussion. Before I do I would like to say well done so far with all your work in Semester One. Drama has been very visual on campus and compared to some societies and other "organised events on campus" your events have been very successful. The talent this year is very high and I'm very glad to see so many new faces. There are a couple of things though that I would like the committee to look into if you're not already doing so…. 1: No workshops for the general membership have taken place since everyone joined on clubs and socs day. Saying that a workshop in on and it's mainly for a particular cast but telling everyone else they can tag along is not exactly inviting. 2: Drama's president, Marie Louise O Donnell, who is now an examiner in the school of communications, wants to meet with the committee to discuss a project she would like drama to help her out with. She wants to start up a particular performance art form which has never been preformed in this country before and she would like the committee to give her support with it by being open and positive about the idea. She does not want funding, just for the committee to facilitate some workshops that she would like to give. I have volunteered my services to get this up and running but will need some help along the way namely a General Members Meeting sometime soon. 3: Where are the theatre trips? There have been none for the membership this year and musicals in Broadway don't count. There is a huge active membership who can organise simple trips and god knows there are enough of you on committee. 4: Events for the second semester that's not the Musical??? Ok, so there are shows that were auditioned for and rehearsed for that are being preformed early this semester but what is there for the membership to actually do if they have no interest in Musicals? If would be really nice if there could be a general members meeting to tell everyone the great stuff that's going on! I know that I have brought most of these points up with most of the committee on an individual basis but nothings being done about it so far and it's a bit frustrating. I know most of you are busy with some project or another but the vibes been given out aren't good. Committee members are most visual at the run up to an event when you're all running around like blue arsed flies and stressed out. You have to remember that you need to be approachable to the membership and angry, stressed people aren't approachable. You join a society in college not only to put your talents to good use but to try something new and to meet people who won't ridicule you for taking a stab at something you've never done before and you join so that you can learn new skills. I would like the committee to call a general members meeting so that the new members can meet the committee and also so that anyone who may not have taken part in first semester can feel like they still have the chance to take part, new semester, new productions. In addition to this I would like to propose weekly membership meetings starting up on Monday nights at 6pm(just before the committee meeting) so that members can get together and hash out ideas and feel like they have a bigger input into the society. Ideally, should this idea take off then this could be a big resource for the committee. This could be the opportunity some people are looking for to help out, especially if they are new to the campus, somewhere people can go for an hour or so to hang out with people they have common interest with and even to show up without knowing anyone and maybe make a few friends. Anyway, I realise I'm rambling a bit but not being on committee this year I am seeing things from a very new perspective. So much goes through committee that every year the committee gets saturated with work load. Its unfair to ask committee members not to participate in productions and to concentrate on their committee roles solely and one of the only ways forward for Drama is to see the members take a more active role in day to day running of the society and the society activity which drama is missing this year. Without workshops, theatre trips and weekly brain storming sessions drama is not catering for its members who don't get parts in shows or who don't want to perform on the stage. With 100 active members and 200 non active that leave 2/3 of the society not wanting to audition. I think it can only be healthy to have a more involved membership but in the long run it may even be necessary to see the number of people on Drama Committee extended. Adding more positions to the committee would mean an amendment to the constitution at the next AGM before the elections. Should the committee feel this is necessary I think that there is a need to have a brain storming session with some of the alumni members to discuss maybe a 5 year plan for drama and to let them help move drama that step forward its been missing for the past few years. On a side note….I'm sure your rep will tell you this but the SPC has some money this year that it can afford to spend on once off capital expenditures so hurry your asses up and get a quote in for a new set! If you are reading this line then you have a whole lot of patience and I thank you for your time. Feel free to contact me on any of the above points. You all have my number. Elaine 0857197033