So here it is! The completely unannounced and unexpected first edition of GAPA NEWS. Not so much of a newspaper but the Academy’s mid-term newsletter, issued to all of GAPA’s friends, to keep you informed of what we’re up to. It’s for parents, students, friends, family … anyone that wants to read it.
GAPA NEWS will hopefully keep everyone up to date on what we’ve been doing, what we’re about to do and any news or trivia we feel should be sent your way. But it’s not just for you to read, you can help write it too. If you have anything to contribute please submit it, by email, with the heading of GAPA NEWS, to our Editor-in-the hot-seat at academy@altrinchamgarrick.co.ukYou may not make the press but unless you try you’ll never know. Also between now and the next edition we want your ideas for our big…
That’s right! We want you to come up with a name for our newsletter. GAPA NEWS is nothing more than a working title for this first edition, so let’s work that grey matter and come up with something a bit more dynamic. Submissions again to the Editor and when you receive next terms edition the new name, and it’s originator, will be there for all to see.
So what’s the first edition all about? It’s an introduction to the idea of the newsletter and to tell you a bit more about the school, its plans for the future and to introduce you to some of the staff you may not have met. This term we’ll tell you a bit about the Tutors and the Assistant Tutors and next time we’ll give you some more detailed gossip on our staff and those important people behind the scenes that help GAPA put on it’s annual shows and our end-of-term showcase.
The End of Term Showcases will take place on Saturday the 1st of December in the Lauriston Studio Theatre.
From its humble beginnings four years ago the Academy has developed considerably from the sixty students it had and currently has 130 students on its register. There are also further auditions taking place so it is expected that the six classes we are currently running will be added to and by the start of next year we may be up to eight.
From January we will have enough students to be running seven classes as the 15-18’s split to work on their two plays, so, to cope with all this we now have six dedicated staff looking after the students. For photos of those varied individuals please check the programme at our summer show or take a peek on the Garrick website as they may well appear there soon.
| Peter Birch GAPA Principal BA (Hons) Theatre Arts Actor, writer, director, dad – not necessarily in that order. Peter set up the Garrick Academy with Dean four years ago, and has over twenty years of drama teaching experience. Currently pursuing a career as a professional actor he therefore is doing lots of DIY at home. |
Dean Sumner GAPA Principal BA (Hons), PGCE Dean trained at Middlesex then went on to tour with a series of small Theatre in Education companies, before gaining a postgraduate place at Mountview Theatre School in North London. He is currently a drama and music teacher, and Director of Arts and Performance at a Specialist Performing Arts school in Manchester. |
| Gordon Newell GAPA Tutor BA (Hons) Theatre Arts; MA in broadcast journalism Gordon is a broadcast journalist with Channel M News based in Manchester city centre. He's also worked on Granada Reports and broadcast for BBC Radio Five Live from Germany for the 2006 FIFA Football World Cup. Gordon has been teaching and directing at the Academy since 2003. He recently made the move to news reporting and presenting after completing a Masters in broadcast journalism. |
Jeanette Baxter GAPA Assistant Tutor Jeanette joined GAPA two years ago to replace Ashleigh as Assistant to the 8-11 year old classes. After qualifying with a LLB in Law from Wolverhampton University Jeanette practiced Law until she decided to pursue a career as a writer. In addition to this she also lectures in Law for the OU and runs a photography business. She is also the GAPA Photographer |
| John Keen GAPA Assistant Tutor John joined GAPA at the start of 2007 to help us cope with the expansion of the Academy. He has spent the best part of 20 years treading the boards, most notably at the Garrick where he has appeared in over 50 productions including Shakespeare, pantomimes, musicals, dramas and comedies. Over the years John and wife Paula have started and successfully run a number of businesses. Currently they run a cross-stitch and craft supply equipment business. |
Matt Stead GAPA Assistant Tutor Matt also joined GAPA at the start of 2007 to help us cope with the expansion of the Academy and he’s really enjoying being able to put into practice the skills and methods he is learning as part of his acting degree at Manchester Metropolitan School of Theatre. Matt has been a member of the Garrick Theatre for 4 years and in that time has appeared as a number of characters including an evil bumble bee and a bumbling baron. |
Which member of staff; Has a black belt in Aikido? Keeps hens? Recorded as part of The Buzzcocks? Is a qualified Solicitor? Served as a British Army Captain? Can eat and breath fire? Can you match the Staff to their secret? Answers next time!!
At the time of going to press planning is ongoing for our 2008 shows.
Following last years successes with the award winning A Midsummer Nights Dream and the equally outstanding An Inspector Calls two plays are being planned for the 15-18’s, to be staged in the Lauriston Studio.
Main stage productions are currently being finalized for the other age groups but at the moment it looks like the 12-16’s will have a choice of two musicals (probably Bugsy Malone and Fiddler on the Roof and it is planned for the 8-11 classes to come together to perform a Junior Broadway version of Guys and Dolls.
These productions help make a festival of productions which we hope you can give as much support to as possible.
Auditions for all productions will take place during the first two weeks of the Spring Term.
The next round of auditions for the school will be on Saturday the 1st of December
Now that the school has firmly established itself we think it’s time to raise the bar a little and add to our local audience by trying to attract a wider professional clientele. As many of you may know some of our students have appeared in a number of Garrick Theatre Productions and in professional environments and a few have also acquired agents during their time at the school.
As part of our efforts to expand interest in the school we plan to invite a number of professional contacts to view our productions and hopefully keep us in mind when they are casting in future. We are not planning to set up an agency but we want to raise our profile and hopefully one or two of the students might have the chance to audition and even perform at a higher level.
A few weeks ago Peter Birch was contacted by the Library Theatre to see if we had any suitable boys for a forthcoming production at their city centre theatre. Sarah Leung, Casting Assistant to Chris Honer, The Artistic Director of the Library Theatre, sat in on some of our Saturday classes, following which five boys were asked to attend auditions to appear in their 2008 production of Waiting for Godot. Since then two of the five were recalled for a second audition and as of going to print Daniel Shaw has been offered a part. Congratulations to all the boys on their achievements.
As many of you know the student dress code at GAPA is black and as unexciting as this is it’s ideal for drama. However, over the years numerous students have asked about a GAPA T-Shirt and so this year we have decided to get our act together and produce the said item. However, we have to bear a number of things in mind; (1) the t-shirts are black; (2) we have a standard design for the school and (3) we personalize them for each age group. So we are having a competition to (a) design the logo we are going to use for the school and (b) for each age group to design a motif for their age group. Unlike Blue Peter (and numerous other competitions) we will not be having a premium rate phone line to attract funds, nor will we be charging the earth for the finished item, nor will we insist students must buy and wear one.
The aim of the competition is for all pupils to submit their designs to their class tutor and a short list of designs will be drawn up and voted for by the students. When it comes to producing the t-shirts we will pull together a rough price, take orders and then hopefully our bulk buy will reduce the overall cost.
IF ANY PARENT HAS ANY CONTACT THAT CAN HELP REDUCE THE COST OF THE T-SHIRTS PLEASE CONTACT PETER BIRCH BY EMAIL AT academy@altrinchamgarrick.co.uk
Due to this months newsletter being our first there is no letter to the editor. Over to you!!
For the environmentally friendly amongst you that would prefer an email copy of the GAPA newsletter to reduce the workload on pigeon post please email our Editor at; academy@altrinchamgarrick.co.uk If the email seems familiar by now – Grrreat!!
Don’t forget the SHOWCASE!! on the 1st of December and we look forward to your input for next terms GAPA NEWS.
Copyright © 2008, Altrincham Garrick Playhouse