C=O presents "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"

Excellent. Here's to next year's production.

Great news, as I'm sure your production will exceed expectations- they always do. I'm curious to know if your choice of Little Red Riding Hood was influenced by the fact that there's a movie coming out this summer adapting the LIttle Red Riding Hood story, and the wolf is, according to previews, a werewolf.

(Werewolves and vampires are suddenly really "in" with the cool kids these days.)

No influence whatsoever. Indeed I believe that the new Riding Hood movie is an *adult* take on the tale.The reasoning is as follows.

12 months ago I asked all cast and crew to consider whether they could write a panto script for 2012. In response one synopsis, for Sleeping Beauty, was received and I felt it good enough to commission with me "script editing" as it were.

Unfortunately the person who came up with it no longer feels able to commit the time required to produce the script. I knew this 2 or 3 months ago, but kept it very quiet. In these unfortunate circumstances, and with nothing else on the table, I therefore concluded that I would have to write one more new script.

One of the mitigating factors was that I've known from last Summer when I would be leaving CT, and was therefore aware that some *free time*, which admittedly I hoped to spend doing others things, was available.

So I sat down and went through various things in my head, and ultimately came up with Little Red Riding Hood for 2 main reasons.

1. The plot itself is very simple and thin, which allows for more"set pieces" - something I love.
2. Occasionally I have written with a specific person in mind. We have a young lady who has been with us for many years who is due a principal role. However she's still quite small, and therefore not necessarily suited to the traditional Princess or Principal Boy. However Riding Hood would suit her perfectly.

Adding those together, the idea is now going to become a reality. I will speak to the young lady in question this week to see if she wants the role. However, even if for some reason she doesn't, I'll still go ahead with the script - but it's much easier, IMO, to write knowing exactly who will says some of the lines.

Also, since I came round to the idea of a new script, some crazy ideas have entered my head that I really want to see on stage next January. So the plan is for writing to start on 1st March, with an optimistic date set of 30th June for completion of the first draft. I advised the Producer and Assistant Producer of my plans at our meeting last Thursday, and they are very happy with them. After a 3 year break, I also intend to direct Little Red Riding Hood.

So it was basically a confluence of happy circumstances which has lead to this happy outcome. Brilliant. I love it when a plan comes together.

*lights cigar*

That's all well and good, but now I have to write the bloody thing!

Oh go on...you know you love it really.

It's a classic love/hate, or can't live with/can't live without it situation. For reasons that are too long and complicated to go into I do, to a large extent, feel both duty bound and, at the same time, determined to carry on for a little while longer. But the day WILL come when I take a step back.

*nods*

Oh yes. I forgot. I've now uploaded another short clip from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. As before it's from the monitor at the back of the auditorium so the qualities not great, but it's OK.

This is the first entrance (through the audience) of the Prince and his mates. Act One Scene Four.

The Co=Ordinator wrote:It's a classic love/hate, or can't live with/can't live without it situation. For reasons that are too long and complicated to go into I do, to a large extent, feel both duty bound and, at the same time, determined to carry on for a little while longer. But the day WILL come when I take a step back.

*nods*

I know all too well how that feels. And you'll definitely recognise that steeping back day when it finally arrives.

The Co=Ordinator wrote:Oh yes. I forgot. I've now uploaded another short clip from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. As before it's from the monitor at the back of the auditorium so the qualities not great, but it's OK.

This is the first entrance (through the audience) of the Prince and his mates. Act One Scene Four.

Excellent!

Sid Seadevil wrote:I know all too well how that feels. And you'll definitely recognise that steeping back day when it finally arrives.

Oh indeed. I've done it from plenty of things in my life (CT being the latest example) so when the moment comes it will have been prepared for!

Panto is the biggest roller coaster ride you can imagine. And this year's show week was no exception!

Well certainly you've certainly communicated successful here just how much of a roller coaster it is. Just reading just how hectic it can be wears me out sometimes.

But at the end of the day it certainly is worth it.

One final upload to You Tube from this year's show. The movie maker montage of all sorts of photos from show week shown at the reunion on Sunday & culminating in the "reveal" of the plans for January 2012.