Sold-out plays raise 3,000TL for SOS, KAR
KYRENIA Amateur Dramatic Society (KADS) raised over 3,000TL for charity from three days of performances, that ended last Saturday, of the plays Stop and Run and The Villain of Glitter Gulch at The Black Olive Cafe in Alsancak.
Treasurer Sarah Garsed said that “everyone enjoyed” the open-air performances “which were hilarious in places”. A maximum of 40 guests per evening were allowed due to Covid-19 social distancing requirements.
Chair Beverley Westbrook said that KADs, as “the oldest performing arts group in North Cyprus”, will put the money raised in a pot that will be combined with any revenue gained from this year’s Christmas show.
The final amount will then be divided between the SOS Children’s Village and Kyrenia Animal Rescue (KAR).
This is so KADS can use the cash to buy New Year gifts for children and make a bulk purchase of medicines for KAR “so they know that their medicine cupboard is full of the drugs that they need”.
“This is better than giving them 1,000TL here and 1,000TL there,” Ms Westbrook explained.
She noted that Stop and Run was written by Diana Raffle while the The Villain of Glitter Gulch, a melodrama written by Tim Kelly.
The players in Stop and Run were Sandra Poole, Carole Dovey, Beverley Westbrook, Graham Paxton and James Gilroy; while the actors of The Villain of Glitter Gulch were Carol Abel, James Gilroy, Gabriele Stoppkotte, Khin Pyu Dere, Sandra Poole, Graham Paxton, Carole Dovey, Ralph Kratzer, and Stephen Everett.
The plays were directed by Stephen Everett and Beverley Westbrook respectively.
Both plays were performed in front of “sold-out houses” and were “very well received”.
“The audience enjoyed themselves, the cast enjoyed themselves,” Ms Westbrook said.
She praised the venue and its owner Vicki Karaca for hosting the event, adding that KADS are always looking for new members.
“We are a nice, friendly group and everybody gets on very well with each other,” she said.
“We are specifically looking for actors and actresses.”
KADS will record a play for Bayrak Radio and Television Corporation in August and will start rehearsals for this year’s Christmas play in October.