Thetford Players in the Community

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The Thetford Players is proud of its home town, Thetford, which is reflected through its work in the community, not just with its annual panto and other productions, but where possible through other relevant ventures in between busy rehearsal schedules.

The annual Pantomime school poster competition, 2013/14

The 2013/14 annual pantomime school poster competition saw participants invited to design their own 'Sleeping Beauty' poster from which a winner from each school was selected and an overall winner chosen. The overall winning design went on to be printed and used as a poster to be displayed locally to promote the panto. Six schools participated – Queensway, Raleigh, Drake, Redcastle, Elveden and Barnham – making the judging by Jo Cooper (Thetford Players' Chairperson) and Kate Jones (Panto Producer) a difficult task as there were so many superb entries, all of which were displayed in the Carnegie Room for audiences to admire at each performance.   

All of the school winners received a certificate and a craft box prize, as did the overall winner - Libby Vooght, age 10, of Barnham CEVC Primary School. In addition, Libby was awarded a group ticket for four front row seats to the opening night of 'The Sleeping Beauty' panto performance held on the 16th January 2014. Libby is shown below receiving her prize. 

The Thetford Players would like to thank the six schools who participated and also to Shadwell Stud for sponsoring the prizes that each winner was awarded.

Scarecrow Festival, 20th - 22nd September 2013

The Thetford Players were delighted, as were other local organisations and schools, to join in with the Scarecrow Festival held at the United Reformed Church in Earls Street, proudly submitting their entry 'Drama Queen' - a very patriotic scarecrow in keeping with the theme of the Players' 'Backstage at the Proms' show held over the same weekend. Thank you to those members who made the scarecrow on behalf of the group.

Race at your Place, September 2013

A team of eight Thetford Players' ladies (and two dogs!) took part in 'Race at your Place' on the 1st September in aid of Cancer Research UK. The event, organised by Mark Robinson, himself a member of the Thetford Players, took place in Abbey Meadows, Thetford, and stretched over a 5km route. The Players' team wore costumes which included fairies, a panto dame, Snow White, Wishee Washee (from Aladdin) a 'flapper girl' and the Queen of Pantoland and, despite coming last after almost one hour had passed since the starting pistol had fired, remained in high spirit, entertaining cheering onlookers and other participants as they ran the final few metres to the finish line singing songs due to be performed at the forthcoming 'Backstage at the Proms' production. The team successfully raised around £200 for Cancer Research UK.

Massive Family Fun Day, August 2013

The Thetford Players enjoyed much 'fun'draising at the 'Massive Family Fun Day' on the 31st August, amidst a beautiful sunny day that saw many other local groups participating in this first time event in Thetford. 

Members of the group, dressed up in a variety of vibrant costumes, held two competitions; a 'Thetford Town Trail' and a 'Photograph Caption' competition, raising funds for The Riversdale Centre, the Thetford Players 'Charity of the Year for 2012-13. The 'Town Trail' competition involved visiting areas in the town, answering a series of questions and solving the resulting anagram whilst the 'Photograph Caption' competition was aimed at finding the wittiest caption for a photograph taken earlier this year of Stuart Wright, Mayor of Thetford, performing in the Aladdin panto.

One of the junior members of the Thetford Players also raised funds for The Riversdale Centre by selling / applying glitter tattoos and the group also had official merchandise for sale on its stall.  

Thetford Night Markets

The Thetford Players group is delighted to be supporting SoRT iT (School of Radical Thought in Thetford) – for which it is a corporate member – and Thetford Town Council with its new venture - the Thetford Night Markets.

Come and enjoy some of the gourmet foods on offer and browse the artisan stalls, all to the great sounds of talented local musicians. The Thetford Players stall has a range of locally-produced merchandise available, featuring our distinctive logo and scenes from past productions, including mugs, badges, keyrings, cloth bags, handbag mirrors, mouse mats, dvds and of course tickets for our next production (once available for sale).

Dates for 2014: To be confirmed
Time: 5.30pm until 9.30pm
Location: Market Square, Thetford

The Mayor's Civic Reception, June 2013

On the 7th June, the Thetford Players had the privilege of singing at the Mayor's Civic Reception in the Carnegie Room, Thetford. Charlotte Watson opened the performance with a beautiful version of “Memory” from the musical Cats, this was followed by the Players singing “Good Evening Thetford Town”, a song which Mayor Stuart Wright (also a member of the Thetford Players) specially wrote with other members of the group. The performance ended with “One Day More” from Les Miserables, which had recently been sung as the finale number in the Thetford Players “Musical Mania” production. The Players were well-received by the audience, many of who had not seen the group before and who passed on very positive and encouraging feedback about the performance.

 

The annual Pantomime colouring competition, 2012/13

Once again this year children from schools in and around Thetford (Norwich Road, Queensway, Rayleigh, Redcastle, Bishop's Road, Elveden and Barnham) participated in the Thetford Players annual pantomime colouring competition which was themed on the Aladdin pantomime. Children were provided with a line drawing to colour which depicted Aladdin surrounded by gems and treasure in the 'Caaaaaaaave of Wonder' which had been drawn by Bob Waple, writer/producer of this year's panto script (and 'dear old uncle' Abanazer).

The standard of submission was incredibly high as always and the judges – Pauline Quadling (Thetford Players' Honorary Vice Chairperson) and Pam Goveia (Administrator of the Jack Pilling Art Gallery, Guildhall, Thetford) – had a very unenviable task singling out a winner from each of the seven schools that took part.

Each winner was awarded a family ticket to a performance of their choice. A Winners Board in the Carnegie Room displayed each successful entry whilst all other entries decorated the walls of the Carnegie for all to see throughout the four performances. Thank you to the seven schools that agreed to participate and well done to every child that entered. Congratulations to our seven winners this year!