The Box tree Saplings

11/04/2019

I am still hopeful we can get this group up, and running again, but am currently without confirmation of a hall. I am also looking into changing sessions over 2 days, possibly Monday and Tuesday afternoons.
For the time being the group will remain closed until a new suitable premises can be found, and I know my own personal availability. (I am currently in the process of returning to my Childcare career and looking for a job.) I am hoping to get up and running again by September at the latest.
If you are interested in possibly joining this group please send me a PM.
I will be using this down time to my advantage in preparing new exciting opportunities for the children, and upgrading my pages, and website.
Many thanks for your interest!

12/10/2018

Wow! what an amazing presentation last night! The children all did really well, and I am really proud of them.
I am now working on Our Christmas performance, which will be scheduled around the weekend of the 20th Dec if I can get hall hire. If not the performance will be held on the Thursday night 20th December in our usual hall. I would prefer the Friday or sunday if I can get it, or maybe sat afternoon and evening, but would need to try and juggle my shift if I can. Would really like to get some public support for the group, and think this maybe tricky on a Thursday evening.
May I ask that if any children have been given a main part, can they please attend at least 8 regular rehearsals, this is so that they know what they are doing, and are completely confident with it. Extra rehearsals will be offered to children whom I think would benefit from the extra small group rehearsals at my home on a Monday evening, but this will not take place until the first week in December.

25/04/2018

I have 8 places available in this group now, as our numbers have dropped over the last few months due to moving some of my little ones down into their own group, whilst a couple have had to give up because of family commitments on a Thursday.
We are a small friendly group, who enjoy having fun, participating in drama, dance and performance activities, whilst playing games, and participating in craft activities for stage props and scenery. We are currently working towards a summer variety performance across all age groups.
I am looking for children who are enthusiastic about performing and learning new skills, can clown around, perform simple magic tricks that they have been taught by relatives or self taught, recite poetry, are able to participate in basic gymnastic skills, Singers, and more.
Weekly membership is £3.00 per child for the over 8's (this goes towards hall hire, and club stuff, such as craft materials, drinks and so on.)
There is no need to book, but it is helpful for me to have an idea of how many children I can expect in a session, so all children are catered for.

07/02/2018

Apologies there will be no Saplings this Thursday due to illness. We will hopefully return next Thursday 15th as normal.
Sorry for the inconvenience.

29/11/2017

3 more Thursday rehearsals until Maria and the Nutcracker goes live and public. Very exciting, but also slightly annerving. Come and see the children perform their very first show on Sunday 17th December. A truly festive family production with a combination of dance performance and drama. Tickets go on sale from tomorrow 1.30pm.

15/10/2017

I have some parts still available for The Nutcracker. (Acting and Dance)
and also Around The world with Santa (Mostly Singing, but also Poetry, and acting parts)

The Nutcracker (Mostly extras, but also a few understudies)

Toy soldiers (3-10 years)
Mice soldiers (3-10 Years)
Understudy for Anna (Mother) (10+ years)
Understudy for Juan (Father) (10+ years)
Understudy for Friedericka/Friederick can be girl or boy (4-7 yrs)
Child guests (4+ Years)
Parent guests (9+ years)
Little xmas tree Folk (3-11 Years)
The Nutcracker (B4 transformation) Not 100% necessary, but would ideally like a little boy of about 7-9 years to play this part, rather than going straight into The Larger nutcracker.
Snow Flakes (7-12 Years)
Candy Canes (4-9 years)

Around The world with Santa (Main, Understudies and Extras)

Narrator
News Reporter
Mother
Lucia (Older sister)
Benjamin (Twin 1)
Jonathan (Twin 2)
Abigail (Younger Sister)
Choir
Solo performers

08/10/2017

We are currently looking to enrol some new members, in our 5 friendly performance groups.

All Groups are held on a Thursday at The Empire Hall (see times below) I also run through the school holidays.

The Box Tree Pippen's (Pre-schoolers 18mths-4yrs) 8 permanent spaces, but could increase to 10+ if I gain enough interest. Meeting time: 1.30-2.30pm. Cost: £2.50 per child

The Box Tree Bud's (Infants 4-7 years) 10 Permanent spaces.
This group is currently being held with The Box Tree Saplings (see below) until I have enough members to run it independently. When I have enough members their meeting time will be 4.00-5.00p.m. Cost £2.50 per child.

The Box Tree Saplings (Juniors 7-12 years) 4 Permanent Spaces, but could increase to 6 if I get enough 4-7 year olds to open up their own group, and 7 If I get enough 12-15 year olds to open their own group. Meeting time: 5.00-6.30pm Cost £2.50 for the under 8's and £3.00 for the over 8's.

The Box Tree Youth Theatre (Seniors 12-15 years) 11 Permanent spaces. This group is also currently being held with The Box Tree Saplings (see above) . When this group becomes independent their meeting time will be 6.30-8pm. Cost: £3.50

The Box Tree Performers (Adults and Older Teens 16-100 yrs)
This group has not yet started, but when enough interest is gained their meeting time will be 8-10pm and the cost will be £4.00 due to increase in hall hire after 7pm.

All groups have a once yearly annual membership fee of £5.00pp, which goes towards public liability insurance, and Music licencing, and Royalty costs.

For more information phone Melanie on 023 80428927, or send an email to [email protected]. Alternatively check out the group pages listed with the above mentioned names, and feel free to leave me a pm. I will get back to you ASAP I also have a website, but it is in desperate need of updating the website address is https://melanie-cox1.wixsite.com/-box-tree-performers.

Home Page

02/10/2017

Wow! Just realised I havn't updated anything on this page for nearly a month.

This week will see the start of our xmas production rehearsals.

Sadly due to being a few characters down we had to cancel our production "Through the Eyes" of a child until later next year.

Our New Christmas production will be done in 2 parts.

Part 1 My own adaptation of The Nutcracker and The Mouse King, using the spoken word (Drama), Mime interpretation and dance.

We will be using a few pieces from the original Nutcracker ballet suite, but have thrown a couple of extra pieces in, that have never been part of The Nutcracker before.

Part 2 will be entitled Around the World with Santa.

This will include miniature drama sketches, Familiar Christmas songs, and some new ones, Dance and Music solo's from 2 of my current members and much much more.

I look forwards to meeting you and your children.

13/07/2017

The Box Tree Saplings is a Children's Amateur Dance, Drama and performance club for children in the 8-12 year age group.
My aim is to develop the children's interest in the performing arts, whilst helping them to build up self confidence using Dance, Drama and performance opportunities.
The club itself runs on a Thursday, and is jam packed with a selection of active games, basic dance classes, Drama activities and much more.
Children will be given the opportunity to perform in live stage productions up to 4 times a year. Twice as a standalone group, and twice with the rest of The Box Tree family.
It is ran by me Melanie a professionally qualified childcarer with over 25 years of experience working with children, and 35+ years of experience within The performing arts world (Non Professional). I hold a recently updated Enhanced DBS check, which I am happy to show parents on their request.

We are also currently taking The Box Tree Buds 4.5- 7year olds , until we have enough of them to open their group independently.

13/07/2017

Apologies for late updates, life has been somewhat hectic over the last few weeks, I have been juggling my children's school; events, housework, animal care, script writing, choreography etc so as you can see very busy.

We had a really good rehearsal last week, and the children were introduced to their 80's disco scene from the show, to say they loved it would be an understatement. We just need to get another disco light now, and the effects will be amazing.

Tonight we will continue with our rehearsals after playing a few warm up games. I am aiming to start from the the very beginning of the play, and am hoping to run through the whole of scene 1, as well as the dances and scenes we have already been working on, I will also be introducing the creatures of the night scene today, smoke machine included.

16/06/2017

Great night at Saplings tonight! despite being a couple of children down.

After a few crazy games with water, fishing nets and balls we moved onto the rehearsals for our new upcoming show which is yet to be given a title.

Our new show has been especially written by myself, based on my own innocent childhood, but incorporates the works of many others including Andrew Lloyd Webbers "Cats", The Glow by Shannon Saunders, "The Dragon" By Judith Nicolls, Tomorrow from Annie and many more.

The production itself focusses on the imagination, dreams, emotions and feelings we go through as children, and ends with an emotional life changing event that changed my world forever. This is one that will definitely require the Kleenex.

I am currently in the process of casting the children. Many roles have already been filled, but we still have parts available, including a team of understudies.
This performance is being staged by all sections of The Box Tree Performers.

We are currently looking for children to play The three little pigs, 14 year old Melanie, Cats and kittens, and understudies for all main parts

To join us send an email to [email protected]
or phone Melanie on 02380428927.

Casting will continue until Thursday 29th June, but in order to prevent disruption to rehearsals, after this date New members will be placed on the waiting list for September..