Meet the Membership Rep

For the latest in my series of posts about the people on the committee who manage the theatre as volunteers I spoke to Sayani Sur, known to everyone as Shi.

Her role on the committee is membership representative so I began by asking her to explain what that means. The membership rep acts as the means of communications between the committee, the trustees and the wider membership. This communication works both ways so Shi makes sure that committee minutes are sent out to members who want them and that anything that comes up at meetings that she thinks members may have particular views on is raised with the membership. Going the other way Shi is the first port of call for members who want to raise a particular issue with committee. This might range from questions about booking seats for shows to requests to get involved in fundraising and even raising concerns about the cost of painting a new container.

Shi was involved in theatre when she was at school but later drifted away to concentrate on her career. When she decided she needed some drama back in her life she threw herself into Progress activities. She has been involved in almost every show since she joined the theatre a bout eighteen months ago. She can usually be found wielding a paint brush or screw driver during set build weekends, she directed a play in WriteFest this year, played a beast in Neverwhere and is currently on stage as a dwarf with gender issues in The Fifth Elephant.

Shi backstage during The Fifth Elephant

When she realised the theatre was run by a management committee she decided she would like to get more involved and have some influence on the way the theatre was run. The position of member representative happened to be available and she took it over on a temporary basis before being formally elected at last year’s Annual General Meeting.

During the day Shi is a commercial media lawyer and is responsible for negotiating and managing contracts. She is a trained lawyer, a background that has occasionally proved useful when the committee needs someone to run an experienced eye over a legal document.

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The Fifth Elephant by Stephen Briggs based on the book by Terry Pratchett 17th - 26th January 2013, Progress Theatre

Auditions for Colder than Here by Laura Wade, Sunday 10th February 2pm, Wednesday 13th 7.30 pm, Progress Theatre

Auditions for Macbeth, the Summer Shakespeare production, Lord and Lady Macbeth only, Friday February 8th, 7pm Progress Theatre. Auditions for all other parts Sunday 3rd and 10th March 2.30pm.

Rumours by Neil Simon, Monday18th to Saturday 23rd February 2013, Progress Theatre