How do The Villagers choose their plays?

We don't have a chairman or a committee to choose plays, nor a program set by a clique of members.  What we do have is a process which is possibly unique among drama groups in its democratic approach.

Every year, we mark the end of our production with a meeting at the beginning of September, when we have our annual awards, The Grouchies.  During that meeting, we pick three or four plays as candidates for the next year's production.

Over the winter, we then read one play at each monthly meeting.  One Villager gives a brief exposition on the plot, characters and possibilities of the play, and organises the readthrough. The plays considered for 2015 were

• King Lear

• Measure for measure

• All's well that ends well
  

• The Tempest
  

At the end of the January meeting, we voted on which play we have enjoyed most.  Every member of the Villagers has an equal vote, whether they have been a member for ten years or three months. The winning play was .... The Tempest.

Casting is done in February and then we begin our rather relaxed rehearsal schedule.  It's as simple as that!