Theater Presentation.

We have a theater in town that has expressed interest in chartering a Venture Crew.

Our DE is new, with only two weeks on the job. I have said that I will take him along with me when I make a presentation to the Theater Board Of Directors next week. I kinda think that he thinks that I know what I'm doing!!

I have all the "Big Stuff" down pat. The Venturing Oath, age groups, methods and that good stuff. I know that there are a few pages in the Venturing Leader Manual, that cover theater type activities.

I really would like to baffle these guys with brilliance, and letting this young whipper-snapper of a DE, see the "Master at work" (He says chocking on his coffee!!) Wouldn't hurt.

Do you know of any other material that is out there that deals with Theater Crews?

A web site of one that is up and running would be great. I will talk to the guys at national and see what they have. But anything that I could use as a handout would really fit the bill.

Thanks.

Eamonn

I do like the idea of having a band of up and coming thespians in the district.

Check out the Learning for Life webpage. While the info may not apply in all areas to Venturing, they do have a section on drama.

You may be able to draw up a sample "Arts and Hobbies" calendar for them to see possibly activities....

Just some thoughts.

Kevin

Eamonn,

Here's one. An Arts and Hobbies Crew.

http://www.ellasharp.org/pages/venture.html

Here's the link to a list of posts and crews and their specialties.

http://www.exploring.org/

Eamonn,

I can tell you this. There is a theater crew in our district that is absolutely fabulous! I am not kidding! They are awesome! I can't give you contact to protect their privacy, but if they see your post, I am sure they will contact you. This crew provides most of our council shows and has done some local dinner theaters. You should agreesively persue this option and make it work. I was blown away when I first seen this crew perform. That was three years ago and they have only gotten great since then.

Best of Luck!

AMS1

Thanks for all the help and the encouragement.

I admit that when it comes to new units I am a born optimist.

While I have not seen a list that names the Exec. Board of this theater, the town is less then 5,000. So I feel sure that I have to know at least half of the members.

The story of how it came to be is a nice one.

People talk about the good old days when the town was buzzing with activity. Then along came the malls and some really bad town planning. The stores on the high street closed and the new ones that came didn't last very long. In fact there isn't many stores left. Both the small mini-markets are gone.We are blessed to have an old time hardware store, which some how manages to have everything. We did have a store that sold quilting supplies, but they moved to the museum. The theater had set empty for many years. It had at one time been changed into a cinema. Her That Must Be Obeyed, remembers going to see movies there and seems to recall that the last movie shown before it closed was "Whats Up Doc?" With Barbara Streisand, and Ryan O'Neil.

It looked sad sitting next to the closed down Chinese Restaurant and Vic's Flicks, the video rental store that is still trying to sell Memberships.

Our local bank is owned by a family. The mother was a real character. A chain smoker, Rye Whiskey drinking little lady who was involved every where and in everything. She was in the Garden Club, the Women in business. organist in her church and bell ringer in an other. Her son's were lucky to have my Mother-In-law as their Den Mother and my Father-In-law as their Scoutmaster.

I don't know how it came about but this Lady got a bug and decided that the theater needed to be saved. There were all sorts of meetings and it seemed that everybody had a different idea as to what role the theater would play in the community. There was a burst of enthusiasm pigeon were slaughtered by the hundred. Pigeon lovers united and complained. Money was raised. I even bought a seat. Then the seats were changed and seat buyers were up in arms. At last there was a show. I didn't attend as party that was after the show was to in my restaurant. We filled the restaurant to overflowing. Rye whiskey was flowing as were all sorts of adult beverages. The bill was growing at a great speed, but there was no end in sight. At 2:30 AM, we closed leaving on a few members of my staff and the Bank Lady. She had not been without a glass or a cigarette all night. She looked everyday of her eighty odd years. She pulled out her check book. I handed her the bill, thinking that she would have a heart attack. She asked me if it included the gratuity? I said that I had added 15%, she told me to change it to twenty. She wrote the check and on her way out she stopped to give all the wait staff a tip. Into each of their hands she pressed a folded $100.00 bill.

Sad to say she passed away a couple of years back. She was one heck of a Lady. She had more money then she could ever spend. But my Mother-In-law remembers when her kids went out to play that they had patches on their jeans.

I would love to see this Crew take off, as maybe my part in thanking her for being a game old bird -One that I really liked.

Eamonn.