N.Z. DRAMA COUNCIL

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28237, 27 March 1957, Page 18

N.Z. DRAMA COUNCIL

Society Members Increase

There are now 101 member societies of the New Zealand Drama Council, an increase of nine for the year, states the council’s annual report. Since the council’s producersubsidy scheme “A” was begun in 1948, 56 societies have participated —nine in 1949, 10 in 1950, nine in 1951, eight in 1952, six in 1953, six in 1954, four in 1955 and four, in 1956, says the report. The reduction in recent years was deliberately brought about by the council’s changed policy of encouraging, through the “B” scheme, local producers to do more of the production themselves, as experience had shown that many societies were leaning unduly on the visiting producer. The cost of the scheme in 1956 was £413, including travelling expenses and fees of the producers. Levies on societies realised £173. The report says that an innovation in the scheme this year was the decision of the executive to permit a member-society in exceptional circumstances (such as the production of a play of undoubted merit which could be very expensive to produce or which would not have a good box office appeal) to engage a local producer and still benefit from t|ie subsidy. The council’s 15 day tutorial subsidy scheme “B” was launched in June, 1950, by Government grant, and provides tutorial or expert theatrical assistance of all sorts and on all branches of theatre, says the report. During 1956, 17 societies participated in the scheme. Expenditure on it was £ 809, against which was recovered £66 h from member societies