CURTAIN UP - LATEST NEWS

Module 2.5 of our Scenic Painting Workshop, Module 2: Colour, Layers & Design Transfer, will be tomorrow, Saturday 5th July. We didn't get through all the material last time, so there will be a quick recap and then we'll do colours and layers. This module will cover colour mixing, logistics of managing paint, scaling up a design to the size of a flat, and working in teams. As before, no prior experience is necessary, and yes, you can sign up to this one even if you haven't done any of the previous ones!

Details:

When: Saturday 5th July, 10h30. The workshop lasts between 2 and 2.5 hours.

Where: GAOS barn.

Who: Ages 13+ (no experience necessary)

What to bring: Clothes you don't mind getting messy, and a willingness to have fun, and a snack and/or drink and/or lunch (we ended up going well into the afternoon painting the first flat!)

Why: Because painting is awesome!

Workshops run alongside set construction, so there will be a great energy in the space as we build and paint together.

If you are interested in attending the session, please sign up u sing this google form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6H3UZxmbb9elU-BEpcfJuWyQqNgWMNXSIINga8o3Sg7EYdA/viewform?usp=header

The GAOS Choral Group invites you and your friends to an informal Summer Concert -- the results of a Weekend Workshop with UK (and formerly GE!) conductor Julian McNamara

WHEN:   Sunday 13th July, at 17h

WHERE:  Salle Communale de Commugny, rte de Coppet 3, 1291 Commugny (parking in the lot across the street)

WHAT:  Songs from various composers, some classic, some religious, some from My Fair Lady, and even a G&S!

Concert with a retiring collection for Mercy Ships Lausanne, and a friendly apéritif to follow   

WHO:   Come one, come all -- it will be fun!       

You can find a flyer here. Please share widely.

The final curtain has closed on another successful GAOS show. More than 1700 people came to spend part of their long weekend with us. They left impressed by the powerful performances, unconventional dancing and innovative staging.

Congratulations to first-time director Duncan and all the production team, cast and crew on an excellent show!

As one show closes, another begins. Rehearsals for this year's youth show, Les Misérables School Edition, begin on Saturday, and you can already buy your tickets from Sunday! There will be an early-bird discount for GAOS members during the first month of sales. Code is ONEDAYMORE. As usual, you can buy as many tickets as you need, as many times as you need, but please do not share the code with non-members.

You can also help us promote the show, by sharing the poster and flyer as widely as you can. Do you hear the people sing?

On its way to the Camdem Fringe (22nd-24th August), Anton Chekhov's The Proposal, previosly shown by The Village Players, is holding an open dress rehearsal.

Summary: A landowner comes to visit his neighbour in order to propose to his daughter. Unfortunately, all does not go according to plan when the attempted betrothal turns to an argument and the couple is unable to stay on the topic of wedded bliss. Still, champagne is called for.

Cast: Kate Bilverstone, Apostolos Lytras, David de Paiva

Director: Alexandra Shelest

Costumes: Liz Comstock-Smith

Date and time: 13th June, 19h30

Venue: Aula (auditorium), Collège Sismondi, Chemin Eugène-Rigot 3, 1202 Geneva

Come support this talented cast. Entry is free, donations towards Camdem Fringe costs are welcome.

LYMPA (the company co-founded by former GAOS member Ylan Assefy-Waterdrinker) is performing The Greatest Showman - Le Concert Spectaculaire on 5th-7th September at the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices. They are offering an exclusive 10% discount to GAOS members (promo code TGS10) on all ticket categories except the Carré d'Or. The code is valid until the 16th of July. All details can be found here.

Spring Concert: Firstly, many congratulations to all of the Choral Group for working so hard and bringing off a very successful concert last Saturday 10th of May in the Holy Trinity Church. Especial thanks of course to our wonderful director Chelsea for her perseverance and cheerfulness in getting us to this point, and to Joan, our ever-faithful accompanist. The audience seemed to enjoy the evening - wonderful to have a full house, thanks to all for coming!

And good news from Heather, our treasurer: We collected over CHF 1'100, enough to cover the hire of the church (750) plus piano tuning (230), so isn't that great! Yes, concerts do cost money 

New singers: We have been fortunate to welcome new singers to the group over the past months, and they played a key part in making our concert a success. The sops sounded especially good, so well done! However, we still need more new blood. We are sure Chelsea would agree - it doesn't matter how experienced you are, you will learn and gain it. Please think about coming along and have a few trial rehearsals (bring a friend too!). We need reinforcements in all sections, but especially men in the tenors and basses.

We hope to see many of you at the July Summer Workshop (details in a separate post), and of course rehearsals for our Christmas Carol evening will start in September. Meanwhile, enjoy the summer sunshine and keep singing!!

We know many of you singers would like to keep in voice over the summer, and we have good news! Julian McNamara has agreed to come over from the UK to direct us again in a Summer Workshop, dates Friday 11th-Sunday 13th July. Any and all interested are MOST WELCOME to join in! The schedule includes Friday evening, Saturday morning and afternoon for working on the music at GAOS HQ, and it will end with more rehearsal Sunday afternoon and an informal closing concert in the (to be confirmed) Salle Communale de Founex.

We are planning three preliminary (and not obligatory) rehearsals at GAOS HQ on Mondays 23rd and 30th June, and 6th July, so we can get a head-start on the music, you will be relieved to know! We are luck to have May Hofman help us learn the music - Thanks May!

The weekend will be good fun, a chance to learn some new songs and give you a summer event to look forward to, so don't miss this opportunity! Please sign up for this weekend by the 25th of June (by email to Carolyn Hornfeld). There will of course be some expenses involved - so we would ask you to contribute CHF 80. Thank you for your understanding. For more info, and if anyone has trouble meeting this fee, please contact Carolyn and help can be quietly arranged!

GEDS is welcoming Director Eva Sampson to teach a two-day acting workshop over the weekend of 24th-25th May. The workshop is all new material, so last year's attendees will find this year just as interesting.

The topics covered include working with a play-text, the best practice for rehearsals, and making detailed work quickly. Actors of all experience levels are encouraged to attend! The exercises might also be of interest to directors and anyone wondering how plays are put together.

What participants have said:

"It was great to stretch our creativity and see how many ways you can interpret the same thing."

"The workshop was an interesting opportunity to work on the craft of acting in an effective and almost scientific way... It helped me start thinking beyond the first instruct regarding a script or scene, and attacking it with different pace, tone and actions - finding the truth of the scene in a more methodical manner."

Dates: Saturday 24th - Sunday 25th May. Full days, from 10h to 18h. 

Venue: GAOS HQ

Prices:

Space is limited to 25 places.

About Eva: Eva Sampson trained on the National Theatre Studio Directors' Course and at the University of Birmingham. She is the Co-Artistic Director of How It Ended theatre company and is an Associate of National Youth Theatre. Eva was the Sky Arts Artistic Associate for Theatre Royal Stratford East 2022-2023.

How to register: Payment should be made at the time of registration, if possible. A reserved spot will be confirmed only upon receipt of payment. Keep in mind that places are limited, and will be open to GEDS and GAOS members as well as the public. Please confirm your registration through email to Lance at events@geds.ch and please send proof of payment.

Payment should be made to:

Name and address: Geneva English Drama Society, 1200 Geneva, Switzerland
IBAN: CH05 0900 0000 1201 0826 9
BIC: POFICHBEXXX
Please add the reference information "Acting Workshop"

Tune into WRS on Friday 23rd May at 9h15 to hear Joanita Kalibala and Duncan Lally speak about Jesus Christ Superstar. And don't wait until then to get your tickets, the best seats in the house are filling up!