I'm delighted to announce Rhiannon as this weeks guest blogger...

So recently I’ve tried to involve myself in a number of different projects on top of my usual Yew Tree sessions...
This term at Yew Tree is possibly one of my favourite terms because for me, this term brings a number of my favourite performances such as Miners, Halloween and of course, Christmas shows. I have also recently been involved in the Castle of Dreams project performed at Sandal Castle.
Castle of Dreams was an exciting but also daunting project for me to sign up for. After being involved in a few little bits of writing for the script and knowing this project was very different to past projects I’ve been involved in – when the call for extra actors and actresses came about, I was more than happy to put myself forward. Walking into a room full of complete strangers on the first day knowing they had all been together for 2 hours already getting to know each other was probably the most nerve racking thing I have done, since my first day at Yew Tree. Only this time I didn’t have Libby by my side. However, the cast were all so welcoming and friendly from the second I walked through the door at the Orangery, that I’ve come away with some amazing, true friends in people of all age groups from a number of areas in Yorkshire. The cast, Director and Writer have all given me so many amazing tips and pointers that the experience as a whole has changed me and my opinion of myself as an actress and truly helped me so much for the future. After 4 or 5 rehearsals at the Orangery we changed location to Sandal Castle. This was a new experience for me, performing in the outdoors, with actors and singers of all ages. The performances took place on Sunday 28th September; three in total with twenty to twenty-five people attending each one. It was a really good day and a great experience for me, something I would like to be part of again. I’m going to miss them all extremely and cannot wait until next year!
I’ve now recently started rehearsals for The Miner’s Memorial Service. Miners means a lot to me for a few reasons, one of which being the straight forward point that it’s a close to home subject, but more for the reason that it means so much to the families and friends of the miners the memorial is in place for. Miners was also the first performance I did with Yew Tree two years ago, which introduced and brought me closer to a number of my closest friends today.  As far as rehearsals so far this year, we’ve met each other, some for the first time, due to the cast ranging in age and being from 3 different Yew Tree companies. Despite some people only just meeting, the progress made in just one rehearsal so far has been absolutely amazing! I’m so proud to be working with such a dedicated and impressive cast. I’m now looking forward to Oz taking charge for the weekend of the performance...
I am also taking part in my first ‘Christmas’ performance with black company. This year Black are performing on a separate night to the other Christmas shows as the performance is let’s say, darker than the rest. Joining Black has brought me back to a number of old friends for past years in Gold Company before they became too old and left. I have also met a few new members who are equally as lovely as the rest. I have to give credit where credit is due and say how well placed the casting has been (as usual Sarah). It’s so nice to be able to watch the scenes come on and improve week by week and I’m so excited for the end product! What’s really exciting for me is that this will be performed at the Orangery and is going to be a promenade performance travelling around a lot of the grounds at the Orangery. I’m really looking forward to performing Vampire Stories and I’m proud to be a part of it!
And finally, I couldn’t miss out my golden darlings in Gold Company! We’re currently working on a performance of ‘The 12 Dancing Princesses’ or ‘The Worn out Shoes’. What girl wouldn’t jump at the chance to dress up as a princess with some of her closest friends? For a number of us this is like a chance to re live our prom with the people we missed out on sharing the experience with the first, a chance to get the prom photos we never got. However, back to the actual rehearsals... my favourite parts have to be the opening scene and the ball scene. The opening scene is so simple but so intense at the same time, I LOVE IT! Then as far as the ball scene goes, well, WOW! We’re currently something like a 3rd of the way through the ball scene but it is already so amazing! We heard the music for the first time last week and it is such a fantastic piece of music and fits the performance so well. Although I must say, a few of us get a little too into in when the beat kicks in at the end of the intro... That is when Sarah actually allows us to listen to that part without hitting pause just as were all so giddy for it... We’re only something like 5 or 6 rehearsals in and I already cannot wait for the Christmas shows to perform this!!!
Just Halloween left to start rehearsals for now and the word excited doesn’t even cut it to explain my feelings.. 


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