Not another boring AGM???????? #partytime #nobodydoesitbetter
The three letters that send most Am Dram society members screaming to the hills. That annual bore fest where you sit in a room full of half asleep thespians listening to drivel about the profit and loss account….I’d rather stay at home and stick pins in my eyes….sound familiar??
Not on our watch, because this wasn’t just an AGM..this was an NTPD AGM!
At 8pm on October 15th 48 of our fabulous members, yes you read it correctly 48, gathered in the theatre bar, for our annual night of fizz, food, pressies and of course profit and loss!
6.30pm…8 dedicated committee members were blowing up balloons and decorating the bar, ready for our guests. I mean seriously, how long does it take 8 grown adults to blow up 30 balloons between them? Having killed time for at least an hour, it was great to see the early birds arriving. To be fair they know they’ll get a free drink, and the best seat, so you can’t blame them.
The sea of happy chatty faces was a joy to watch, lots of very luvvie hugs and kisses were passed around (probably along with a few cold bugs) and our brilliant, now permanent fixture photographer Alan, was on hand to catch you all out with lots of embarrassing pictures. Check them out on the web!
I remember my first words were that there were more people there than the opening night of one of my obscure plays (thank God they all laughed, and my nerves calmed a bit!) Richard gave his memorable and poignant review of the past season, and yes, we had the accounts to go through!!
I didn’t spot anyone nod off, so well-done folks. It was made even more special by being able to hand over a cheque to the HCA Trustees for £15,000 as a donation to the theatre.
Ok…so truthfully, it was tempting to walk off with the cheque at that point, and book an all-inclusive month in the Maldives instead, but I’m a loyal sort of girl.
We talked our members through the coming season, and had to chance to demonstrate our sparkling new website on the big screen. It was a bit hit although it did involved 2 of us holding wires in the sockets and wiggling them around for 15 minutes, we are so high tech it’s not true!
Business out of the way in less than an hour, it left the night free for our members to decimate the buffet table, polish off the prosecco, and open their gift bags…yes we even give presents! Now do you see why the AGM is popular!!
This year we got everyone a rather nice boxed branded pen and torch, although to be fair they were last year’s gifts stored away, because they were late arriving for last year’s AGM! This meant one poor committee member having to check the torch batteries still worked a few days before the meeting following 12 months storage…such commitment Lyndon.
It was great to see people catching up and sharing their theatre memories, and filling themselves with sausage rolls and the obligatory cheese and olives, and chocolates……pure cholesterol overload……., and why not, it’s once a year.
Here’s to the next one lovely members….
PS….who nicked my glass of prosecco????
Jo xx
