Portal Players Dramatic Society members held their Annual General Meeting on Monday evening, September 19. The usual assortment of AGM business was undertaken, including presentation of the financial report and the election of officers for 2011-2012.

Member & Vice President Denis Levasseur was recognized for his significant work on, and contributions to, the Capitol Theatre sound system upgrade in 2010; and for his coordination of the massive seat-renewal project in 2011. Denis was presented with the prestigious Doreen Anderson Volunteer of the Year award (whose physical form is still taking shape under the direction of Chris Doman). Denis is retiring from his Vice President’s position on the board this year.

Also recognized by the board was member Elliot Drew, who until earlier this year had been on staff for Portal Players as theatre manager. The position was dissolved in July due to a lack of funds. PPDS members gave Elliot a standing ovation in thanks for all his hard work, and in recognition of his Best Actor award win (“The Importance of Being Earnest”) when Portal Players hosted the 2011 Theatre BC North Island Zone Drama Festival at The Capitol Theatre this past May.

President Brent Ronning presented a series of photographs chronicling the seat-renewal project, from taking out the old seats through to assembling/installing the new seats. Prominently featured in the photos were Denis Levasseur, Elliot Drew, Nick Barrett, Chris Doman and many of the other member volunteers who took part in helping with the project. One photo was particularly “riveting”. The scope & scale of the project was made very apparent as the photos were projected, and a hearty round of applause greeted the workers after the presentation.

Following the slide show, members were given a briefing by President Brent on what the future might look like for Portal Players, and how members can be more involved in the operations of the group. Committee sign-up sheets were circulated, and members were encouraged to take a greater ownership of the group’s biggest asset, The Capitol Theatre. Future meetings will feature more free-form discussions amongst the membership to allow for greater blue-sky thinking. Stay tuned . . .

AGM elections were all decided by acclamation. Congratulations to the executive committee for re-assuming their posts: President, Brent Ronning; Treasurer, Suzanne Levasseur; Secretary, Ann Cullen. Past President remains Peter Wienold. Two new board members joined incumbents Derek Burke, Chris Doman and Tanya Horne. New this term are Melanie Anderson and Chuck Shobe. The board meets in mid-October to review committee structures and how it will move forward. Outgoing board members Jessica Burns and Denis Levasseur were thanked for their several years of service on the board.

One of the projects in the coming year will be a review of the group’s bylaws. Pending that review, the 2012 AGM was tentatively slated for September, with a view to revising that date to November 2012 to allow sufficient time for audited financial statements to be prepared by the accountants.

Following a brief intermission after the AGM adjourned, the assembled members were treated to a lovely variety show featuring many members performing their specialities. Music, dance, poetry, story & bedtime recitations, improv, magical cross-dressing and comedy were all featured to round out the evening, which resulted in possibly the longest ever AGM held by Portal Players, with stragglers leaving around 11 p.m.

Keep an eye on our website for the latest updates and news about PPDS activities and events.