Below you will find answers to questions frequently asked about our group such as:
- About Our Group
- Auditioning with Our Group
- Rehearsing
- Performing
- Beyond
- Performances
- Membership
About Our Group
Q: Who are you?
A: CPP Community Theatre Inc, borne out of Croydon Parish Players, is an amateur theatre group in the Eastern Suburbs of Melbourne. While the group comes from an Uniting Church background, we welcome people of all faiths, cultural groups and backgrounds.
Q: What do you do with the money you make?
A: We are a not-for-profit group. We budget each year to ensure that we can fund the following year’s shows and honour our commitments and then distribute excess funds to charities / causes at the committees discretion.
Q: Does anyone in your group get paid to perform or play in the orchestra etc.?
A: No, all of our Directors, Musical Directors, Committee Members, orchestra and cast are volunteers. We are lucky that our group contains many skilled members who offer their services free of charge. We are proud that so many members offer their time and energy to support our group and that we are able, year after year, to present high quality shows to our loyal audiences while also supporting charities.
Q: What does it cost to join your group?
A: As a not-for-profit group, our membership fees are kept as low as possible. If you are accepted to perform in a show with our group or join our choir, you will be asked to pay this along with a Production Levy to cover costs. There may be other small expenses such as make up or shoes, or bringing a plate of food to share at a rehearsal. Or you may decide to purchase merchandise or clothing that is offered for sale as a memento during each show.
Auditioning with Our Group
Q: When are auditions?
A: Audition announcements are made on this website, via our social media pages – both Facebook and Instagram – and through our member newsletter, Adlib. We do not send individual invitations for auditions. If you would like to audition, come along to our Information nights (as advertised) and this is where you can sign up for an audition. Attending Information Nights is important for you to gain the information you need about our company, the show and to learn the audition pieces.
Q: My daughter/son/grandchild wants to be on stage with your group – can they join in?
A: We are pleased to welcome members of all ages, however some shows have children involved and some do not. Within our group, you can be a member of the adult cast at age 15. To find out more about the potential for participating in a show, please attend one of our Information Nights. These are advertised on the website and taking place in November and June each year.
Q: What shows are you presenting this year?
A: Shows for the following year are usually announced the second half of the year. Please go to the Productions page to find out more and be sure to like and follow our social pages, both Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date with what’s going on. Each year we present a play in the April / May and a musical in October.
Q: Do I need to audition?
A: Yes, we love welcoming new members but we need to have a fair and open process for all involved. We aim to make the audition process as enjoyable and purposeful as possible for all involved. See below.
Q: What is the audition process?
A: Attending our Information Nights will give you more specifics about auditioning for a particular show. Auditions are always closed with a panel of members made up of the creative team, usually including the Director, Director’s Assistant, Musical Director and one or two committee members. If there is dance involved the Choreographer will also attend.
You will be asked to prepare pre-arranged spoken and sung (for the musical) pieces for your audition. At the Information Nights you will be given the chance to learn these songs and music as well as more about the characters you might like to audition for.
Please come to your audition prepared to sing solo with a piano and to show the panel your portrayal of the character you are interested in playing. When a show calls for a lot of dancing, there may also be a short dance audition – this will also be taught during the Information Nights.
Rehearsing
Q: When are rehearsals? Where do they take place?
A: Rehearsals vary slightly with each show, depending on the length of the show and whether a children’s chorus is involved. Generally, we rehearse Tuesday and Thursday nights from 8pm -10.30pm, although as opening night approaches, rehearsals can go a little later or start a little earlier. Rehearsals are often on Sundays also to avoid too many late nights during the working week. We rehearse at our Factory (Unit 20 / 63-71 Bayfield Road East, Bayswater).
Performing
Q: Where do you perform?
A: We perform a play in April / May at usually at Boronia K-12 College, Boronia and we perform a musical in October each year usually at the Mahon Theatre at Aquinas College, Ringwood.
Q: How many shows do you perform?
A: For both the Play and the Musical we perform on average 6 shows. Each season begins with a technical rehearsal and 2 dress rehearsals on stage, at the theatre location.
Beyond Performances
Q: What else is involved in performing with your group?
A: We are a community-based group and as such we expect our members to join in other activities beyond rehearsals and performances.
The cast helps build the sets and make the costumes for the shows, (and sometimes props too). This involves up to 4 Saturdays (3 hour sessions) over the rehearsal period. The cast also ‘bump in’ and ‘bump out’ all of the set and equipment at the theatre (i.e. moving everything in trucks, building set at the theatre etc.) This takes place the week before opening night on a Sunday. We know full well how many people it takes to put on a show and we share the roles around!
We also perform extracts of the show at church services and aged care centres in our local area to promote our group, our shows and to add some enjoyment to the lives of those who may not be able to attend our performances.
Q: What else do I need to know about your group?
A: We are a family-friendly group that encourages people from all walks of life to come together to create something we can be proud of. We operate in a Christian and inclusive manner, nurturing friendship, support and care for our members and their families.
We are also proud that our group has up to 3 generations of families involved in the group at one time; husbands might help with Front of House duties or sons might work on set building. Daughters may have choreography skills or friends may have a flair for set design… when you join our group, you are welcome to involve your entire family in the experience!
Our family, Christian and inclusive focus means that we ask members to respectfully consider those around them at all times and to be a member of a team of people working towards a common goal. We think this makes our group particularly special in the community theatre world!
Membership FAQ
Question 1: When does membership expire?
Answer: At the end of the financial year (June 30th) as we operate in line with the financial year. This makes a lot of sense as it keeps with the model rules, and giving members plenty of time to organize their membership payments prior to the AGM in November.
Question 2: How am I eligible to vote at the AGM?
Answer: You must be 15 years and over and an active or life member of CPP Community Theatre in order to be eligble to vote at our AGM or any other special meetings that may be called. It is important to note that any new members, or those who are returning after resigning (see question 3) must have their membership officially recognized by the committee more than 10 days prior to the AGM. So, if you are new or returning after an absence to CPP please make sure you have your membership organized well in advance of the AGM if you wish to be able to vote. For the best time to renew membership see question 4.
Question 3: What happens if I decide not to renew my membership for this coming year?
Answer: At the end of the financial year (June 30th) your membership automatically becomes ‘suspended’ as per the constitution, awaiting renewal of your membership. Once paid your membership will become ‘active’ again for the remainder of that new financial year.
If you do not at any point renew your membership that following financial year, you will then automatically resign your membership the following financial year and you will need to re-register as a member when you wish to sign up again. This only really affects people who have been away from the group for a while and wish to vote at the AGM, as they need to make sure they do so with plenty of notice (see Question 2). Those who are returning to be part of the musical would have had their membership processed well prior to the AGM.
Question 4: So when is the best time to renew my membership?
Answer: At the start of the new financial year. This has many perks as it enables your membership to stay active seamlessly across the financial year and allows us, as an organization, to know generally how many people we have as regular members annually. Also, you will be well sorted for voting in the AGM coming later in the year.
Question 5: When is the AGM?
The AGM is generally held in the second week in November or there abouts. (SGMs – Special General Meetings or EGMs – Emergency General Meetings can be held at anytime, hence it pays to be prepared and an active member.
Question 6: I was cast in the musical in May and signed up as a member in June. Does this mean my membership expires on the 1st of July?
No it does not. Due to the timing of our musical, anyone who is cast in it and signs up as a member has their membership are counted towards the new financial year. This means these members have a whole 12 months before they need to renew their membership at the end of the following financial year (as it will expire June 30th the following year). This is the only is the only exception to the rule.
Want to become involved? Check out our Get Involved Page, come along to a show, check us out on Facebook or Instagram to see what we’re up to or contact us to get involved!
If you have more specific questions, please email chair@cppcommunitytheatre.com.au