From my desk as the Competition & Volunteer Officer To all our wonderful volunteers: where has the time gone? It is hard to believe another month has gone by. By the time you receive this newsletter, the RSSS Team will have been out of the office for 70 days. We are, however, still working from our homes to make this competition come alive. This is a fairly long newsletter this time, so grab a coffee and take some time to read through. I hope you are all staying safe during this crazy time. Since my last newsletter I have been keeping up with work of course, but I must admit that at times it is hard to keep motivated. I do miss being out and about with friends and family. On the home front I have been doing a few alterations to my kitchen, and of course spending time with my great niece Charlotte.
I do enjoy sharing what I have been up to through lock down in each newsletter. I thought it would be good for you all to share with me what you have all been up to as well. Next newsletter I will make a summary of everyone’s activities. If you can get these to me by Friday, July 25th, I would appreciate it.
Competition Update Most entries are now closed, and I can now confirm the following disciplines are going ahead. * ACU Speech & Drama, ~ Diocesan Centre – August 5th to 7th & August 10th to 12th * Vocal ~ Minerva Space ~ August 17th to August 23rd * Engertiks Dance ~ Founders Theatre ~ September 16th to October 3rd * Australian Calisthenic Competition ~ HMT ~ October 10th to October 25th Chopin has been postponed until later in the year. Bands & Strings are working towards having video submissions, which is something very different for RSSS, I will keep you posted on these. I have attached a form to this email in regards to volunteering this year, I would like it if you would return it to me asap, as this will help me in planning for this year.
Royal South Street Society Volunteer Newsletter
COVID Safe Course I have recently completed a very interesting course on COVID-19. I would encourage you all to do the course as well. It is free and only takes around 20 minutes to complete. Click on this link or copy it into your browser https://www.openlearning.com/courses/covid-safe-sport-coach-certification/ You will need to Join and then click on Officials as we come under the officials category. It is definitely worth doing and you will get a certificate at the end. Once completed, please send me your completed certificate.
Photography Policy The Board recently approved a new policy covering photography, videography, and streaming. This is available on our website under About Us and then Board. Please take the time to review this important document as it forms part of our Child Safe processes. Note I have attached a copy for those people who I mailed this newsletter to. If you want me to print it for you just let me know.
Tony’s Desk at Home According to the Royal South Street Constitution, we exist: a) To promote education in performance art and excellence in artistic endeavours through the conducting of an annual eisteddfod. b) To encourage a range of performers in a range of performance arts to benefit the general community. So, to that end, that is what the Board, the Discipline Chairs and the office staff are doing. We are working to run our annual eisteddfod. There are of course challenges, and there are no guarantees that we will be able to pull it off. The Government may be forced to again increase restrictions. But while we can, and while we believe that we can do so in a safe manner, we will continue to plan for this year’s eisteddfod. I am working closely with the Discipline chairs and the venues to ensure that we have comprehensive COVID Safe plans in place to ensure the safety of all. If you feel that you may like to volunteer to help again this year, then please talk to Julie. There may be opportunities for you to undertake a different role if you have concerns. There may be tasks we could get you to assist with in the office, or even in your own home. If you have reasons to not to want to volunteer of course we respect and understand your decision. On another note, it was with much regret that I handed in my resignation earlier this month and I will finish up on 16 July. Out of the blue a former colleague of mine contacted me and offered me a permanent job. While I am passionate about South Street, I just could not justify turning down a permanent position and so I have accepted that role. While I will miss working in the office, I won’t be far away. I nominated for, and was accepted by the Board, to be Chair of Freemasons Festival of Bands and Strings, and I also plan to volunteer myself this year when I get a chance. Thank-you all so much for your friendship and support over the last 12 months. I will cherish my time as a member of the office staff, with many hats. Most of all it has been the friendships and the fun that has made my time so wonderful. Thank-you all.
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Royal South Street Society Volunteer Newsletter
Volunteer Instead, of my normal segment of getting to know a volunteer, I would like to present the memories of our first female President of the Royal South Street Society, Barb Dunlop.
Barb and Ric Dunlop
My memories written by BARB DUNLOP When the Royal South Street Society was approaching 100 Years of Competitions, I was asked to direct the planned CENTARY CONCERT August 17th, 1991 My background in theatre, performance and other productions apparently was mentioned to the then Committee and I was asked to produce this event. It was such an honour and a wonderful experience. Sometime later I was invited to join the Committee. The days leading up to my first meeting will never be forgotten. The Honour Board, listing RSSS Presidents in Lucky’s Foyer says it all. ALL MEN- and such eminent gentlemen over the years. It is my understanding that the late Keith Allen and Ted Lewis proposed my nomination, and to them I will be eternally grateful. I cannot speak more warmly of the welcome I received from the Committee. Their experience was generously shared, their patience with the “new chum” was wonderful and I honestly felt that there was a new role for me to embrace. We wore special RSSS blazers, and to match the men, I invested in grey skirts and slacks. Soon after joining I was appointed to the Theatre Board and served for many years on the Programming Sub Committee. In those days the Committee was the driving force and decision makers for the Society. Nearly all Committee members were responsible for a Discipline and/ or a leader in other aspects of the Comps. When changes were mooted to improve the running or special conditions of a Discipline, it was presented to the entire Committee for discussion. The cost, management, feasibility, and viability were well considered by all and their long experience proved to be an excellent fine sieve for success. Believe me, changes were well researched and strongly debated. We were wonderfully supported by exceptional office staff.
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Royal South Street Society Volunteer Newsletter
Over time I too was entrusted with several Disciplines. When Pianoforte came into my hands, I researched the audience numbers at Her Maj, looked at the age groups and felt that there was a need to move this away from the Theatre. Why? A huge bare stage, a grand piano which must have been daunting in itself, the long walk to center stage and the few people in the audience. I well remember a very young student who, with tears in his wide eyes, tugged my jacket and stammered that “I won’t be able to find Middle C!” It was not uncommon for the very young ones to hurriedly sit at the piano and play their piece either an octave higher or lower than intended. That year I accompanied the students to the piano and made sure that they were seated in front of Middle C. and. on occasions pointed out the magic note! The upshot was that the Committee agreed to move this Discipline to the Diocesan Centre. Speech and Drama and Debating soon followed. It was a great honour to chair the start of the Chopin Section too. RSSS suppers were legendary! At the conclusion of every evening, Committee and wives entertained the visiting adjudicators, writers, and special guests in the Kittson Room. I realized early on that the table was presented in a particular manner and many ladies were fantastic cooks. Ric did not need to enter the cooking extravaganza but was always on hand to assist. It was the practice not to begin the washing up until our guests had left. I confess that having been in the Chair for hours I broke that rule and began when everyone had finished and were still chatting. Over the years it was fascinating to engage Adjudicators, learn from them and together sort out the day to day procedures with them and their writers. No two Adjudicators operated in the same manner. Each were different in need, focus and presentation and were honoured to be asked to Ballarat. RSSS regularly presented two Prize Winner Concerts at the conclusion of the Comps - Junior and Senior. Eventually I was asked to facilitate a combined event which we named SHOWCASE. We were able to present our artists in a manner befitting their talent. Lighting, staging and special effects all proved to be appreciated and worthy of each item. Yes, it was a lot of work for one performance, but we wanted to honour our artists. I admit that I have a passion for greenery, and for Chopin, and Aria the stage was well dressed for the occasion. I was rebuked one evening for presenting a “horticultural show” for the Aria. None the less the wonderful reaction from the audience and singers when the curtain rose was worth the effort! Being the first female and only female President has been an honour and I am sure that others will follow. One of my special activities was to be a guest speaker at many organizations in Ballarat, Melbourne and elsewhere. Sharing the fun, magic and wonderful stories of RSSS down the years has been a delight. Did you know that Dr Tony Cole not only ran the Dancing section with incredible attention to detail and love but frequently invented, produced and labored unstintingly to provide inventions that made our Comps so much better? It was not unusual to have a covered item on the table prior to a meeting. What was it? A gadget for improving some technical function,
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Royal South Street Society Volunteer Newsletter
a light, an extra TV screen in the Chairman’s desk, a list of names with phonetics to assist with pronunciation or an engineering masterpiece for backstage. An amazing man. My sincere focus at the beginning of a session was always to meet with the FOH staff. At the Theatre there is an invisible barrier between FOH, and Back stage and it must be eliminated. The session Chairperson, meeting out front prior to the start of a session makes that bond and establishes an understanding. Our systems have changed, improvements have been achieved but the Committee, as I knew it, was a truly wonderful group that encompassed the Comps at every level. After nearly 30 years I was thrilled to receive a LIFE MEMBERSHIP and both Ric and I have stepped away from involvement. Remember—ONE DOES NOT RETIRE- ONE CHANGES DIRECTION Barb D ~ June 2020
I wish both Barb and Ric all the best in whatever they do in their lives. I know they will always be wonderful friends of South Street. I remember many times that I sat as an audience member listening to Barbs stories about the theatre. They were always entertaining. I also remember during my first year as a staff member of South Street I having a lot of trouble with Bands & Strings as at the time they was no discipline chair. I asked Ric who was a previous chair for help, and in the true spirit of South Street Ric agreed to help me. He spent many hours and days with me going through everything. I now have a better understanding of the section because of Ric. So, from the bottom of my heart, I would like to say thank you to you both.
Until next time: Kind Regards, Julie
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