So what has your Committee got up to during the year:-

Let us start our journey in March.

• A small workforce decided to modernise the Panto Wardrobe. Over 71hrs of work was put into this project and it is still ongoing even now. I must say a special thank you to Margaret and Jeff Revell, Betty and Bruce Knight, Helen Grimes, Jean Littler, Bessie White, Sue and Amie Kilkenny and a variety of grandchildren for all their help.
• As a result of the resignation of our previous MD, the Committee had to find a substitute MD in a very short space of time. This was no easy task but they succeeded.
• Frodsham Panto's image was then looked at in detail and as a result we produced a new logo, a whole new set of stationery, a superb poster design which was used as the front cover of our greatly improved Show programme and a totally-redesigned Web Site. A special thank you here needs to go to Andrew Stanley, Jean Littler, Nigel Best and Jenny Best for their various contributions.
• Bessie White set up a much-more informative regime by making sure all people involved in the Panto Group were kept abreast of what was happening by the use of newsletters and other mailings. Thank you Bessie for all your work.
• By now it was June and the Auditions took place. We had a tremendous attendance at these and as usual the Casting Committee had a difficult task making their decisions. 11 members of Cast and 26 Chorus members were selected. However, many went home disappointed but Bessie sent them a very friendly letter saying not to be too disappointed as there would always be another chance next year.
• The summer arrived and, while the Cast relaxed in anticipation of the work to come, the Director, Bruce Wood, chewed over the nuances he was going to put into the script; the MD, Sheila Fletcher, got on with choosing the music; the Choreographer, Sharon Caffery, tackled the problem of putting her dance routines together; the Stage Manager, Dave Mullin, tried to get his backcloths and props organised; and the costume department, got underway with the huge number of costumes that had to be prepared.

I really can’t move on until I mention the tremendous work two people in particular, who don’t want the embarrassment of me mentioning their names, have put into the costumes, between them they made over 130 costumes plus innumerable hair bands, chokers, cummerbunds, etc.

• 31 Principal costumes were made
• 35 sets of Chorus costumes were made
• 68 sets of Dancer costumes were made

Thank you both. Of course other people were involved, and a big thank you goes to these also.

• As September arrived, the Committee were all ready to look after the smooth management of rehearsals, which they subsequently did, and Jean Littler switched on her well-oiled publicity machine. A task that would then run through to late December. Thank you Jean for all your work.
• As November approached Jenny Best dutifully “manned”—or should I say womaned? Or Personed? Who knows?—the phone for the myriad of phone calls she would get from then until early January. Thank you Jenny for all that hard work and effort.
• In Nov it was pleasing for me, as Chairman to make a donation of £588.19 to the Centre to help them buy a new scaffolding system—this represented half the cost. The Group has tried to make good use of the money it raises and over the years has paid towards the cost of the rubberised covering on the Centre stage, the enlargement of the doorways on the stage, the cost of fire-retarding the Stage curtains and lets not forget the £2500 or so we spend on bookings each year. The Group has also spent some of its monies on in-house items such as a number of rifle microphones, two pianos, wardrobe refurbishment and storage facilities. I must say a big thank you at this point to Sam Williams who continues to give us a storage facility on his land.

Nigel Best, our Financial Secretary, has kept our monies buoyant with his astute accountancy. Thank you also Nigel.

• Xmas and New Year tends to be a relatively quiet time for most people but not for us.
• The Cast were diligently learning their words, songs or dance routines.
• Our sound and lighting guys were in the Centre throughout most of this time. Rob Williams was laying the large number of cables that a show like ours requires for good sound quality and Phil Redman was stripping the Centre of its lights prior to hanging DSL’s own more up-to-date versions. Can I thank both Rob and Phil and all the members of their team.
• Similarly, post New Year Dave Mullin and his helpers set about their tasks of hanging backcloths, organising the props and generally renovating any items that had come from our storage facility. A big thank you to Dave and his helpers.

• And finally we come to Show week when all the hard work I have previously mentioned comes to fruition.

• I won’t steal Nigel’s thunder but suffice to say, we had a financially successful show but sadly, as a result of ongoing yearly expenses, there was an overall loss during the financial year.
• One pleasing aspect of this Show was the large number of door sales from Tuesday onwards—a sure reflection of the positive comments that had been passed around since the Show opened on the Sunday.
• The Show has received a number of plaudits.

Jean and I were both in the Centre for most of the early part of the week, following the Show, and we were continually complimented on the Show by people using the Centre. Items particularly commented upon were the stunning costumes, the variety of the music, the elegant choreography and the exhilarating finale. The performance of a number of Cast members was also mentioned.

• After the Show came the Dreaded De-Rig Sunday. This is when I pray that enough of you will crawl out of your beds on Sunday morning to come along and help clear up the Centre. It is the same few who turn up every year and once more it was the same this year. I am going to end my tour of the year by leaving that thought in your minds.