10/12/2024
Once upon a time.....
Two fearless adventurers went on a perilous journey, fraught with obstacles and bumpy paths, hoping to make some dreams come true. With the utmost gratitude to a whole bunch of supportive and encouraging people they met along the way, the dream of creating a successful amateur dramatics company in Ellon has now definitely been realised! In the last 18 months, YADA has performed three shows (2 pantomimes and 1 summer show) - all of which have been resounding successes! Hurrah!
YADA has become more than just an amateur dramatics group though - it has become an integral part of the community, supporting and being supported by other great community groups like Ellon Castle Gardens, Girlguiding Ellon District and Ellon Xmas Lights Day.
YADA has also become its own community. A community of creative, hard-working, talented and selfless people. One of our cast members summed it up recently by commenting on how โwelcoming, encouraging and downright easy it is to be around everyone. It's like a huge family with wide open arms". The family that has been created in YADA is one of the biggest joys of being a founder and leader of the group.
๐๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ.
๐๐จ ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ โ we have an incredibly diverse and talented group of individuals who all bring something unique to YADA. We can't express how much we appreciate the amount of time and effort you have spent attending rehearsals, practicing songs, learning lines/song lyrics and helping to create an amazing show. You all bring out the best in each other and the performances in Aladdin let you all shine like the stars you truly are.
๐๐จ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ง โ for managing all the front of house requirements and for being so diligent and responsible. Weโd also like to thank you for your assistance creating the costume profiles for Aladdin which were a great help to everyone.
๐๐จ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐, ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ, ๐๐จ๐ณ, ๐๐ฒ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง๐. Thank you for all your efforts welcoming our audiences and ensuring the safety and comfort of all our audience members.
๐๐จ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฒ โ for all time and effort you have spent sourcing and obtaining props for Aladdin and for providing an incredibly efficient service back-stage. Nobody gets to see you under the lights but you were very much an important part of the Aladdin production. Thank you also to Christine who provide some much-needed help on several occasions.
๐๐จ ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ โ for your tireless efforts with curtains, scenery and props. Also, for attending so many rehearsals and being supportive members of the team. Again, you donโt get seen much by the public at the performances, but all of us at YADA know and appreciate you both as integral parts of the production.
๐๐จ ๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ โ our scenery designer. Thank you for the great back-drops for the scenes in Aladdin.
๐๐จ ๐๐ฎ๐ - for all your efforts organising the ticket sales and liaising with the local community groups. The system is working, and it is thanks to your hard work!
๐๐จ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฅ โ what can we say? The creative and engaging social media posts have not only generated ticket sales but an incredible amount of public support, enthusiasm and positivity for YADA. The work that you both do โbehind the scenesโ is incredible and we are forever grateful for your efforts.
๐๐จ ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก โ for helping us with sponsorship and donations, which has been a massive help to YADA, helping us purchase new sound equipment, props and costumes.
๐๐จ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ โ our amazing Musical Director. Your talents have no bounds! The song choices and the lyrics you wrote for the songs in Aladdin were fantastic. Thank you for accompanying some of our singers on the piano and also for providing your singing voice for the chorus songs!
๐๐จ ๐๐จ๐ก๐ง โ we very much appreciate all your help with the lighting and hope to upgrade this aspect of the performance in the next few years. We hope you enjoyed watching all the performances!
๐๐จ ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ ๐๐ง โ the make-up this year was absolutely fantastic, even if it has resulted in a blue-tinged postman walking around Ellon for the next few weeksโฆ. Top marks for creating some wonderful characters, particularly Abanazaar, The Genie and Widow Twankey. Well done!
๐๐จ ๐๐ข๐ค๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐จ๐ง โ your support and help with setting up the sound system and ensuring a great listening performance for our audiences was very much appreciated. Thank you also to ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ (Hatton Amateur Theatrical Society) for the loan of equipment.
๐๐จ Ellon Parish Church โ for hosting our pantomime at Ellon Kirk Centre and for being so patient and helpful with our numerous queries and requests!
๐๐จ Roslyn Howard โ for teaching us some dance moves for our finale song! The show ended on such a great note and we were so glad to include some choreography this year.
๐๐จ 1990 Ellon Squadron Air Cadets - for your friendly smiles and great service providing a tuck shop to our audience members.
๐๐จ Old School Vintage - for the loan of props, accessories and more from their amazing โcave of wondersโ in Balmedie, which is full of interesting vintage bargains! Your support has been very much appreciated and we hope you all enjoyed the show!
๐๐จ Scott Cassie Documentary - for filming one of our shows. It means so much for the cast to have a keepsake of their performances in Aladdin โ they might just forgive us for โaccidentallyโ forgetting to tell them about the filming too!
๐๐จ Becky Metcalf Photography ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ซ - for taking some wonderful photos of our show โ we now have treasured memories to look back on in years to come!
๐๐จ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ.
Annie's Tearoom Limited
Bowes Hearing Care
Nightingale Massage Therapy
Moving Lights Drama School
Jazzercise Ellon
Your kind and generous donations have meant so much to us, enabling us to improve our performances and to be able to provide affordable entertainment to people of Ellon and surrounding areas.
๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌ: Our final thanks go to the person that created and directed this yearโs pantomime โ Mark Hamilton. Mark has an incredible talent for script-writing (and song writing). His creative vision was brought to life by our wonderful actors and singers. The reactions of our audiences to the clever storytelling, jokes, songs and references were the real proof of Markโs amazing abilities as script-writer and director. Thank you Mark for everything you do and have done for YADA.
๐๐ก๐๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฑ๐ญ?
In June 2025, YADA we will be performing a โTomb with a Viewโ โ a brilliant murder mystery set in a spooky old mansion house. In December 2025, we will be back (before the clock strikes midnight of course!) for another pantomime. Itโs been our pleasure to entertain you all. See you again soon!
Sheona and Sean (aka Sporty Spice and Ginger Spice)
