WHILE many small community clubs have fallen by the wayside award-winning am-dram group Rangeworthy Court Players has survived for 44 years - and keeps on growing. The thriving group meets twice a week, stages at least three productions a year and regularly raises money for charity.
Gazette feature writer KIRSTY RAMSDEN met the players' chairman, Aileen Bailey, to discover the secret of its success.
WICKWAR woman Aileen Bailey joined Rangeworthy Court Players almost 24 years ago with the encouragement of a work colleague.
In just her second production with the group she landed a lead role.
She said: "I'd always loved drama and done a lot at school but had never had the courage to join a group before."
Her husband, Pete, and three daughters were soon to follow her into the players.
Mrs Bailey believes the fact that the club is a family-orientated organisation is one of the secrets of its success - and this encourages younger members.
Rangeworthy Court Players was formed with just six or so members in 1959 by Joanna Shipp.
Two of the original members - Brian Quinlan and Alan Clark - are still with the players. Since its early days the group has grown to organisation which now boasts 40 active members and 128 patrons.
Most of the membership comes from Rangeworthy, Wickwar, Chipping Sodbury and Yate, but the group has had members from as far afield as Frenchay, Stoke Gifford and Thornbury.
Mrs Bailey said: "From time to time we run a youth group as well depending on whether we are going to do a youth production."
In its 44-year history the group has staged everything from panto to drama and from farce to musicals.
And its standards remain consistently high.
It was nominated for a Walter Hawkins Award for stage production for its most recent musical - Hello Dolly.
It is a previous winner of the award when it was given for technical achievement. A further feather in the group's cap is being invited to host Avon One Act Play Festival, which takes place this March.
The group has hosted the festival before.
Mrs Bailey said: "We do a pretty good job when we are hosting it."
The invitation to host is also a boon to the village of Rangeworthy.
Mrs Bailey said: "There will be two to three one-act plays on stage each night for a week." The club is a previous winner of the festival and its members have been nominated for and won best actor and best actress awards at the competition.
The festival action takes place at the group's regular base - the Memorial Hall, Rangeworthy.
The Memorial Hall is the venue for the club's productions and for its Tuesday evening meeting.
The players also meet on Friday evenings at Wickwar Village Hall.
Mrs Bailey agrees two nights a week can be quite a commitment but the players do stage three productions a year.
The players can also boast spawning a professional actor from its ranks.
Anthony Bartlett, who recently appeared at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, became a professional actor after treading the boards with Rangeworthy Court Players.
Prior to the one act festival, which opens on March 3, the club will be staging its annual panto.
Sing a Song of Sixpence runs from February 15 to 22.
Mrs Bailey displays no false modesty when it comes to the players' pantomimes.
She said: "We do incredibly well with our pantomimes. They are really pretty good, even though I say so myself."
Some of the group's thespians are particularly talented, explained Mrs Bailey, and have performed in outdoor productions with the cream of Bristol groups.
And, she added, not all the group's talent appeared on stage.
She named Ann Mettler and Sue Lear as particularly skillful stage designers.
The group has some wonderful costumes created by members.
They players rarely have to hire costumes for productions.
But despite the talent among members, the group does not suffer prima donnas.
"We are a happy group and have a fantastic social life," explained Mrs Bailey.
The players have weekend outings, skittles nights and boat trips.
Although Mrs Bailey will admit the players have staged the odd weaker show, there are many more productions of which she is immensely proud.
She said: "Considering we are a group in the sticks we get really good audiences.
"And we feel we give the audiences real value for money."
Me and My Girl was outstandingly successful in 2000.
Mrs Bailey's particular favourite was "Abigail's Party", in which she played the title role.
She said: "I just loved being in it and it went down well."
The farce Chase Me Comrade was also popular and the players were invited to stage it at The Playhouse, Wimbourne.
Mrs Bailey said: "We were ever so excited to perform in a professional theatre."
Of course all the group's success does not come without hard work.
As well as two meetings a week, members of the club's committee meet each month.
The week before a show, the cast rehearses three times in the week, does a technical and costume rehearsal on Saturday and two dress rehearsals on the Sunday.
On top of its productions the group likes to raise money for charities.
Fund-raising can include theme nights with a meal and entertainment by the members.
Mrs Bailey said: "We just feel its is the right thing to do and just because we are that kind of group."
For tickets for Sing A Song of Sixpence, which runs from February 15 to 22, call 01453 811066 and for the One Act Play Festival call 01454 294579.
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