Newsletter April 2017
First set of LAMDA Exams are done!
Well done to all of you who did a LAMDA Exam on 15th April. We were lucky to have a really friendly examiner and
all of our students came out looking far happier than when they went in! LAMDA usually send results back within 6
weeks, so the best thing to do now is to forget the exam completely, until we call you with results! Our next set of
exams will take place at Oldham Hulme Grammar Schools on 10th/11th May for all those who weren’t able to make
the 15th April date. Good luck everyone!
Oscars 2017
Tickets will soon be available for our annual Oscars event and this year we are opening the event up to ALL
students, regardless of whether you have taken an exam or not. We’d like to celebrate all of our students’
individual successes throughout the year, whether it be simply plucking up the courage to speak in front of a large
group for the first time, passing a LAMDA exam or landing your first professional role! The event will take place in
September (venue t.b.c.) and there will be limited availability of tickets, so watch out for a message from us, then
book your tickets FAST! Last year’s event was an amazing success, with the red carpet on arrival (complete with our
very own personal paparazzi), a ComedySports workshop and show, performances from selected students and the
presentation of an Oscar award (one to keep!) for every student that attends! Tickets will be available at
www.wildthingsdrama.co.uk/students
Alice in Wonderland
We will now start working towards our next show, Alice in Wonderland. The dates for this year’s show are:
Oldham School
13-15 July (Dress/Tech rehearsal on 11th) at UCO Studios
Denshaw School
21-23 July (Dress/Tech rehearsal on 18th) at Denshaw Village Hall
Show Fees
A ‘Show Fee’ is payable in the run up to each of our shows. Show fees are £25 per child and are a contribution
towards; professional photography, set, props, costume hire (all costumes must be returned after the show) and
any other associated show costs. Please note that show fees are due with either the April or May fees for the
summer show.
Class Fees
Thank you to everyone who has now switched their payment of class fees to a monthly standing order. This has
meant that our drama staff can spend more time either with, or planning for the young people in our classes,
rather than collecting cash/cheques at classes and banking on regular occasions. Standing orders are due between
1st and 7th of the month. This is for two reasons; so that we only spend one week per month tracking fees and also
so that we can pay staff, venue hire costs and other associated overheads. Most of you have now set up/amended
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your payment dates to the first week of the month, but we still have a few that are coming in quite late and we are
having to chase. If you haven’t already set your standing order date to 1 st-7th, it would be great if you could do so
as soon as possible.
As a reminder, class fees are:
Drama £29pm/£20 siblings/£10 any further children
Dance £21pm
Singing £21pm
Bank details are:
Santander (Wild Things Drama)
09-01-27
77481115
There is also the option to pay your fees via our website, but we try and encourage you to only do this as a last
resort as there is a £2 charge to cover Paypal costs
Drama Kit
Most of our students are now wearing their black Wild Things T-shirts and hoodies to class. Wearing Wild Things
‘kit’ to classes encourages a sense of being part of a committed team and allows students to feel ownership of the
school they belong to. If you haven’t yet got yours, we have some stock available, or you can order from our
website at www.wildthingsdrama.co.uk/merchandise
We are now encouraging all our students to buy a pair of black jazz shoes (younger children can wear black pumps
if preferred) to wear to classes and performances. Jazz shoes are really versatile and fit with most character
costumes, they’re also great for movement and keeping the noise of clunky footsteps on a stage to a minimum.
Finally, with us now considering other venues in which to perform, jazz shoes will minimise the possibility of
scratching/scuffing flooring. You can find them easily online – an example of a website is www.dancedirect.com
The Lion King Summer School – 24-28 July 2017
Places have started to book up for our annual Summer School. Summer School is always a popular event and is
LOTS of fun! Young People between the ages of 3-16 come to Denshaw Village Hall from 10am-4pm Monday to
Friday and perform a show on the Friday night. We create props, paint set, act, dance and sing – and go out for a
picnic at lunch!
To book your place visit www.wildthingsdrama.co.uk/summerschool (please note we also offer additional early
drop off / late pick up for those parents who need to travel to and from work
Parent Volunteers
During show-time we encourage parents to get as involved as they can in helping with preparations and certain
aspects of the shows themselves. Attached is a table of areas we need volunteers for, for the forthcoming shows.
Please get in touch if you would like to volunteer during any of the shows. (We must stress that any help is totally
voluntary and that no payment/payment in kind can be offered)
Group Dancing and Singing Lessons
Our new Musical Theatre Dance lessons started a couple of months back and are proving to be extremely popular!
Students are currently working towards some public performances in June. Singing lessons with Julie at Denshaw
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have been going for a while now and there are some really great voices to be heard from those classes! Students in
our singing groups are working partly on examination pieces and partly on group songs. If you would like to
enquire about starting in at any of these classes, just get in touch to see if we can squeeze you in. Times and prices
are as follows:
Denshaw (Saturdays)
Musical Theatre Dance
9.15-10.00
‘Character’ Group Dance Lesson (8-11s)
(£21 per month)
10.00-10.45
‘Imagination’ Group Dance Lesson (3-7s)
(£21 per month)
10.30-11.30
Young Actors Group Singing Lesson
(£21 per month)
11.30-12.30
Character Group Singing Lesson
(£21 per month)
Singing
Oldham (Sundays)
Musical Theatre Dance
9.15-10.00
‘Character’ Group Dance Lesson (8-11s)
(£21 per month)
10.00-10.45
‘Imagination’ Group Dance Lesson (3-7s)
(£21 per month)
10.45-11.30
‘Young Actors’ Group Dance Lesson (11s-18s)
(£21 per month)
Summer Classes
Wild Things now runs continuously throughout the year, including throughout the summer holidays (at the usual
times). Classes throughout the summer will focus on a different drama skill each week, allowing students to drop
in and out if they have other commitments, or holidays.
Dates for the Diary
April 24th
Young Actors Group (Oldham) to perform in ‘The Dinner Table’ at Oldham Coliseum
April 30th
Oldham Classes to be held at UCO studios (University Way, Oldham, OL1 1BB – Behind Sainsburys)
May 24th
Young Actors Group (Denshaw) to perform at ‘Herding Cats’ at Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
June-July
Midweek rehearsals (confirmation of days after casting of shows)
June 22nd
Dress/Tech rehearsal for ALL Musical Theatre Dance students @ Gracie Fields Theatre (evening)
June 23rd
‘Can’t Dance Can’ Festival at Gracie Fields Theatre (ALL Musical Theatre Dance Students)
June 24th
Milnrow and Newhey Carnival (ALL students)
July 9th
Oldham Classes to be held at UCO studios (University Way, Oldham, OL1 1BB – Behind Sainsburys)
July 11th
Dress/Tech (Oldham School)
July 13/14/15 ‘Alice in Wonderland’ at UCO studios (Oldham School)
July 18th
Dress/Tech (Denshaw School)
July 21/22/23 ‘Alice in Wonderland’ at Denshaw Village Hall (Denshaw School)
July 24-28th
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‘Lion King’ Summer School (Denshaw Village Hall)
2017 Shows ‘Alice in Wonderland’ – Parent Volunteers
Can you help? (Please note any help is strictly voluntary)
(please complete and return or contact us by text at 07891908912 and let us know when you can
help):
Name…………………………………………………………………………..
Child’s name ……………………………………………………………….
Contact number …………………………………………………………
Child’s Drama School (Oldham / Denshaw)
Please let us know of any dates you are unavailable to help during your child’s show:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
I would like to help with the following:
(In the run-up to the show)
Set-making
Prop-making/sourcing
Costume
(During the show)
Chaperoning
Box Office
Bar
Raffle
Clearing up after the final show
I have a skill that could be useful:
(Please list any useful skills such as joinery, sewing, marketing – or anything we may not have
thought of!)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
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