The second production of the 2025 MMuDS years was The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon. I was not involved in an onstage role but I got to take photographs for “Front of House” and during a Tech / Dress Rehearsal. Taking photos during a show can be difficult because of quick changes in lighting and the movement of the cast. I am learning a lot taking these types of images. I don’t always get focus and exposure correct but I feel even those images can still give a feel for what was happening on stage. I also used for the first time my new Canon 24 to 70mm F2.9mm L series Lens. I still have much more to learn about using this lens and taking show images but I was happy with these. Some of my Images were used in a publicity review article in The Mansfield Courier.

During the hay days of radio, before television, radio was the main stay of entertainment at home. Traditionally, radio plays were performed in front of a live audience with an orchestra and a foley/soundman providing sound effects and guiding the audience reactions. 

MMuDS, for the first time, presents Radio Plays “LIVE” at the Mansfield Performing Art Centre, featuring works by local writers and performed by both well-known and emerging local actors. 

Three short Radio Plays, accompanied by The MAD Orchestra, will run over five shows. Each play offers different performers and stories ranging from humour to drama and mystery.

Performers and audience members are encouraged to dress up in evening wear. Prizes will be awarded for the best dressed, and the “Fashion Police” will be on the lookout in the foyer before the performances. So, dress to impress!

Putting your hand up to Direct a play can be the most rewarding nerve racking experience possible even for a person who has appeared on stage in many productions. This is particularly true when you are directing a play for community theatre. Community theatre has unique challenges but equally it can be the most rewarding. In directing you take a collective as well as a personal journey of discovery. You learn a lot about yourself as well as others. You need to build trust in those who you are directing because they are the ones who are on stage sometimes feeling very vulnerable in front of an audience. As I said community theatre throws up challenges not faced in the professional ranks and as director you need to be aware but not alarmed. you also need to be passionate about what you are doing because if you are not then how can you possible expect your cast and crew to be. This post should not be seen as an attempt to write a directing manual because frankly every production is different and requires the director to be nimble but more it is my experience interwoven with some principles that if you are considering directing may assist you in your theatrical and personal journey.

While I like the colour version of this image I really like the Black and White. it gives what is a dramatic exchange even more drama. As beautiful as the colour is sometimes it can overwhelm the image and you can loose some of the drama of what is going on. Anyway that's what I think. What do you think? Pictured below are Sandy Mackinnon and Rick Lindsay