There are many different ways in which a group can come into being. Some are to do with strategic bodies identifying a need and allocating money and other resources to it. Some happen when a group of friends or people with an interest in common decide to form one. Others seem to have been running for ever and people don’t know how they first started. Then there are those that happen by accident – and are still running – take Ripley Blues.

Ripley Blues

Ripley Blues was formed by accident in 1999 when organiser Andy Herrington wrote off for a Nine Below Zero CD and jokingly asked if they would play a gig at Ripley. When the reply came from Gerry McAvoy that they could do September 4th it was no longer so funny. Ripley Town Hall, the chosen venue for the ad hoc gig, was usually reserved for badminton, not professional musicians. Two days before the gig only 40 tickets had been sold and Andy faced embarrassment, but an excellent pre-gig review in the Yorkshire Post the day before ensured an audience of over 100 and the gig was a roaring success. Although there was a financial loss the organisers were delighted at their achievement and began to look into who else they could attract to the town. Ripley Blues was officially formed with the aim of bringing quality live music to the area, specialising in Blues, Rhythm & Blues and Blues/Rock.

Ripley Blues developed a great following, four years on gigs were selling out weeks in advance. Bar takings to bar takings generated at gigs have helped the club to restore and refurbish its historic venue which was built in 1854. These improvements have not only benefited the club but also the community as a whole which now has a decent centre for community activities. Ripley Blues won The Duke of York's Community Initiative Award, the Commended Award in the Community Benefit section of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Pro Yorkshire Awards and National Gold Award in the community section of the International Green Apple Awards 2007 for the Built Environment and Architectural Heritage.

Going into its 10th year, for a while the club incorporated a second venue at Coopers Bar in Guiseley which now they use for occasional gigs as the demand at Ripley is considerable. Historically both venues were created with the community in mind and organisers take pride in providing music for the community.

The club must generate significant revenue for running costs, as putting on a show could potentially result in losses of hundreds of pounds. They have tackled this two ways:

• securing a 3 year sponsorship from local brewery T & R Theakston of Masham.
• and by gaining the support of a strong membership. Ripley Blues members pay an annual subscription of £15, for which they receive priority booking, discounts on tickets and regular Newsletters. Joining and renewal services are offered on their website using PayPal and forms can also be downloaded and posted. This year they are also giving individuals and companies the opportunity to support the Ripley Blues Club by sponsoring tickets for a gig of their choice. The sponsor's name will be featured on the tickets and on their website and the sponsor will also receive two free tickets for the show - the cost is £100.

Full programmes and online ticket purchases for Ripley Blues events can be found at www.ripleyblues.com

Even though groups have been in existence for many years members are still able to find innovative ways of operating.

Richmond Operatic Society

Richmond Operatic Society have a large and enthusiastic membership. Everyone enjoys working on the shows and performing them in the Georgian Theatre Royal. But at the end of a show there’s always that feeling of ‘Is that it?’ No doubt a number of you have experienced a similar feeling? So much hard work goes into a putting a show on the stage – it seems a shame that more people don’t get to see it.

Earlier this year ROS did Gilbert & Sutherland’s Iolanthe. Not being restricted by performing rights and licences they decided to try an experiment. Take it on the road.

Lou Halliday went to talk to Nobby Dimon of the professional touring company North Country Theatre. He had directed the Richmondshire community play in 2004 which was performed outdoors at 6 different venues across the district. Of the 70 people involved in the production a number were from local amateur dramatic and operatic societies who were introduced to the concept of touring. In fact the venues used by North Country Theatre were too small for ROS who have a cast of 30 – rather than 4.

So when Lou was in Masham visiting the Black Sheep Brewery he popped in to take a look at the Town Hall – where the stage is big enough to take a large cast. Before doing anything else Lou got in touch with the local music society in Masham to see if they had anything coming up which might clash and also to see if they would mind. And Masham has no amateur operatic society there is an opportunity to fill this gap and meet a need.

So six weeks after doing Iolanthe at the Georgian they took it to Masham Town Hall for two nights where they had two reasonable audiences. There was lots learned and some people felt very stressed by the experience. But the committee saw it as a pilot and would certainly do it again. They are thinking how to extend the next show which will be an 85th birthday celebration called In Our Time which will reprise numbers from past productions.

Richmond Operatic Society – some more background

Richmond Operatic Society (ROS) is an amateur musical theatre group based in Richmond. Their first production was Gilbert & Sullivan's HMS Pinafore in 1923. They perform a variety of musicals, Gilbert & Sullivan operettas, pantomimes and concerts at the Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond. Two shows are usually performed each year in May and November, with rehearsals starting 3-4 months beforehand.

This year they are celebrating 85 years of shows with the production In Our Time in November, a concert featuring their favourite songs from the greats of musical theatre, rehearsals for which commence early September.

The society owns their own premises, the Richmond Operatic Hall, which features a hall, costume store, props cupboard and a kitchen. They also have their own pianist. Rehearsals take place twice weekly, with additional meetings held on the run up to the show.

They are keen to attract new members, stressing that the society is not just for performers. Members can participate in every aspect of the production, including directing, stage-management, building sets, designing costumes and publicity. They also host social events throughout the year.

They are affiliated with the National Operatic and Dramatic Society (NODA), which was set up in 1899 for the express purpose of bringing together members of amateur operatic and dramatic societies for their mutual assistance and combined benefit. NODA has over 2500 affiliated societies and over 3000 individual members, both in the UK and overseas. They offer support on a variety of issues, including information on starting an amateur theatre society. Their online website provides a comprehensive range of documents available for members to download, such as a model constitution and insurance information.

Keeping in touch with your members has never been easier thanks to the wonders of the internet. Some people find it really valuable.

Beryl Nairn is the Membership Secretary of York Settlement Community Players and she regularly sends out emails to her 100 members and information by post to another 20. Her emailing address list now includes another 200 related recipients who have some connection with YSCP. The emails vary in length from full information to gentle reminders or requests for help from other organisations.

York Settlement Community Players was formed in the 1920’s out of York Settlement which was concerned with community based education. The membership is about 100 – its past members have included Judi Dench and her family in the 1950’s, and Beryl since 1983. There is a charge for membership £15/£7.50 and £5 to be a Friend. YSCP do not have a permanent base – but being city based have various options.

As well as the two or three productions they do each year they have made some really useful links which provide members with a variety of experiences. For Script Yorkshire they give live readings of new scripts – which is useful for an author – to hear how the words sound off the page and also to gauge audience reaction. These happen at various venues including the City Screen and York’s Theatre Royal.

They also link with the University of York St John and provide film students with older actors for films, or perform some extracts of plays with workshops for the Health Studies Department.

Beryl’s emails offer information about YSCP plus other items of interest – plays that are on, auditioning opportunities from other groups, behind the scenes events, social gatherings. You really do feel part of the YSCP community with such chatty and informative emails. It’s a great way to keep in touch.