Welcome to the Grapevine Catch up on Riccarton Players news
YVES DROPPER newsletter - October 2011 issue available by clicking here. (PDF format - approx 2.15MB)
The latest issue of our newsletter is available to all members via email (or post if you prefer).
Non-members can view the previous newsletter by clicking on the link above.
To get the latest information about Riccarton Players productions, auditions, social functions and updates on the state of The Mill Theatre building delivered to your Inbox (or mailbox), please consider joining our "family" by signing up for membership. We would love to have you along for the ride. Check out our membership options here.
Last Sunday of the Month "Catch Up" at The Miller Bar - 2pm to 4pm
One of the great attractions of being part of the Riccarton Players "family" is the fantastic social atmosphere of the theatre and the wonderful people.
With
our "home" currently inaccessible we have organised a regular gathering to give members the opportunity to catch up.
All members and "friends of Riccarton" are welcome to join us at the Miller Bar (308 Lincoln Rd) for a catch up and chat over a drink or two on the last Sunday of each month from 2pm to 4pm.
Help rebuild The Mill Theatre
The future of our beloved Mill Theatre remains uncertain while we wait for insurance and engineering assessments to be completed following the February 22nd earthquake.
The theatre may be battered and broken but the Riccarton Players family remains strong.
One thing that we do know for sure is that we will rebuild...someday, somewhere and somehow.
We are currently accepting donations towards the rebuild effort.
Some members have elected to make a one-off donation while others have organised small weekly or fortnightly deposits over a period of time.
We understand that many
members will be facing tough financial times as a result of the earthquake, however if you are in a position to help we would appreciate your support in rebuilding our home.
If you would like to contribute to the "REBUILD TMT" fund to assist us in rebuilding The Mill Theatre, in whatever form it may take, you my do so via the account listed below. Thank you.
Since our last earthquake update in October, much has happened, including a Special General Meeting in November and our Annual General Meeting on 29 January. Members at the SGM voted in favour of several motions in relation to the sale of the Mill Theatre to Woods Mill Ltd (WML) and purchase from WML of a block of land nearby.
At that time there was some urgency from Woods Mill Ltd for us to make those decisions, but subsequently, as is often the case, the urgency abated.
We have decided to henceforth name these updates “The New Mill Theatre” as that better conveys our preference to look at our future rather than our past and the earthquakes.
After the SGM had been held, the block of land we were to purchase was withdrawn from the market by the owners, but WML was able to offer us an alternative site nearby. Graeme Randle and the Theatre Redevelopment Group pushed ahead with negotiations for a deal in accordance with the SGM decisions, but now in relation to the alternative site.
Just before Christmas, the negotiations reached a key milestone with the signing by WML and Riccarton Players of a Deed of Sale Process which set out what would be sold to whom for what price and giving WML first option to buy the land back from Riccarton Players.
We are now waiting to receive from WML the formal Sale & Purchase Agreements for the two properties which we will have our lawyer review before we sign. Once that is done and any associated conditions are subsequently met, Woods Mill Ltd will own the Mill Theatre building and we will own a plot of land nearby.
The Committee has recognised the need to pursue some serious fund-raising activities for the money we will need to build a new theatre. Ours is not the only society needing to raise money following loss of a theatre to the earthquakes. Raising what we need will be a significant challenge. We have therefore decided to create a fund-raising sub-committee, as we did for the Theatre Redevelopment Group, whose sole task will be to find us the money to build the new Mill. We have approached a few suitably skilled people outside the committee and they are mulling over our request. If they accept, they will be joined by some of the committee members to form the FRG (fund-raising group).
Meanwhile, the shows go on! We hope to see you at Death & Taxe$.
