tracesits roots back to the UUCDC G&S Players of the 1970's. G&S, of course, refers to Sir William Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan, who wrote and composed 14 comic operas about a hundred years ago. After a hiatus of about four years, we produced "Princess Ida" in 1986, and have presented a G&S operetta every year since. The name was changed around 1990 when UUCDC G&S Players got too hard to say, and the name of the very first G&S operetta was adopted.
Thespis activities. During our two weekends of performances each February, we have played to as many as 700 people from the community. We publish a quarterly newsletter "Diddlesex Junction" and hold various social and fundraising activities throughout the year. This past February we held a seminar about Gilbert & Sullivan for gifted and talented students at Strath Haven Middle School which culminated in the participants attending a performance of our 1998 production "Yeomen of the Guard."
Relationship with UUCDC. All proceeds from Thespis,Etc. productions, other than those needed for maintenance of the organization, are given to the UUCDC's operating budget. From 1986 to the present, Thespis has donated in excess of $24,000 to the church, as well as contributing $560 for chairs. A gift was also made via Thespis to the church in memory of the late Rob Higgins, one of our most memorable performers. We estimate that because of their original Thespis affiliation, we have gained approximately 12-15 new church members in recent years.
Thespis
strongly encourages participation by UUCDC members and families
onstage,
backstage, in construction, hospitality, tickets, audience
you name it.
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