Committee Meetings take place about once a month. Here are the Committee Members and a little bit of information about their roles within the Committee and the club as a whole.

Life President - Hugh Orchard

Hugh was elected a Full Member of the Club on April 1st 1962 and has trodden the boards on numerous occasions as well as directing many successful pantomimes, dramatic plays and Old Time Music Halls. Hugh was for many years the chairman of the Club's Old Time Music Halls. He particularly enjoys taking part in pantomimes - he says they bring out the small boy in him! Hugh is an inspiration to us all: in addition to receiving the NODA Long-Service medal, in 2006 he was awarded two further five-year bars. His other talents lie in lighting and sound.

Honorary Vice-President - Dr. Andrew Brockman

Honorary Vice-President - Mrs Shirley Rowe

Chair - John Northover

Unlike his Great Uncle Albert and Great Aunt Muriel, whom he has just recently discovered quite by chance were Wadhurst residents from 1933 to 1935, John himself has lived here only since November 2000. He became a Member of the Dramatic Club early the following year and his first appearance with the Club was in 'Breath of Spring'. This was followed by appearances in 'Pack of Lies', 'Sandcastles', 'Lettice & Lovage', 'Dinner Ladies' and most recently, 'Caramba's Revenge'.

He has served on the Club Committee for three out of the last four years and was pleased to be re-elected to the Committee at the AGM held on 30 August 2005. He has since been persuaded to assume the office of Chairman and with the able assistance and support of his fellow collaborators on the Committee, he hopes to be able to steer the Club through yet another successful and activity-filled year.

John and the Committee look forward to welcoming new members to the Club and take this opportunity to remind everyone that they are always more than happy to receive feedback and suggestions on any aspect of the Club's activities.

Secretary - Heather Lewis-Plant

Treasurer - Neil Rose

Maybe the Club's longest lapsed member. Neil first appeared on the Wadhurst stage as Frog in 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' in 1966. In the same year he played Wedgewood in 'Wild Goose Chase' and he was allowed to speak for first time in 'The Hollow Crown' a year later. A pantomime appearance as a Squire's henchman convinced him that his acting skills, especially singing, did not match WDC's demanding standards. After a year or so helping backstage, he forgot to renew his membership until 2003 when he was elected Treasurer, a position previously held by his father three decades earlier.

Membership Secretary - John Bush

Joined the Club in 1973. He was Club Secretary for many years and has appeared in many productions, including 'Tom Jones' and 'Aladdin', but his current love is electrics. He is our resident lighting and sound 'whizz' and spends many hours up ladders tinkering, but he's never happier than when he tries to 'blow us all up' with his special effects! John's ceaseless efforts were rewarded with a NODA Long-Service medal last year. He is also secretary of the local Probus Club and a member of the Commemoration Hall committee.

Sophy Dembowicz

Martin Elson

A recent arrival on the Wadhurst scene, Martin directed 'The Cemetery Club' earlier this year and hopes to direct the October show in 2006. In a much earlier life, he made acting his career, working in several Rep companies around the country. He and his wife Anthea owned and ran a Torquay Hotel (Basil Fawlty lives on!) for the past 14 years which required acting, but of a different sort. Having spent most of his spare time in Amateur Theatre, Martin's real interest lies in Directing and Stage Management, but he has been known to tickle the ivories when pushed!!

Barbara Liddle

Barbara began her amateur acting career as a chorus girl in panto with Edinburgh People's Theatre and distinguished herself during rehearsal one evening by kicking her standing leg out from underneath her and rolling under the piano! Since then she has played many different roles from charlady to Fairy Queen but has always avoided anything to do with dancing until recently when she learnt to tap-dance for her part in 'Stepping Out'. She was a member of The Service Players in the Isle of Man for eight years and has been happily linked with Wadhurst Dramatic Club since moving to the area ten years ago.

Anthea Penhallow

A newcomer to the Club, but have been involved backstage in several recent productions. Anthea has been in the Am Dram business for many years, combining this with a career in Teaching and more recently, with her husband, owning a family hotel in Torquay. Both these careers have benefited from a somewhat Theatrical approach! Always backstage, either as Stage Manager or scrounging various props, Anthea's son Will has maintained the family traditions as a Drama Teacher in Eastbourne.

Dot Smytherman

Dot is one of the Club's great character actresses. She first trod the boards for Wadhurst in 1975 and has been a very valuable committee member for many years. Dot's massive contributions to the Club over the years were rewarded with a NODA Long-Service medal last year. Dot has chalked up many productions, and is especially known for her portrayal of elderly or drunk ladies - most memorably Mrs Meadows in 'Steaming' and more recently as the inebriated Miss Furnival in 'Black Comedy'. Children and adults alike particularly enjoy 'BOOING' Dot as the wicked witch or wicked fairy in most of the Club's Pantomimes!

Catherine Whitehead

Catherine first joined the Wadhurst Dramatic Club with a small chorus part in the superb performance of 'South Pacific' in 1996 - deciding it might be more fun than doing an evening class. Prior to that her stage experience had been a few walk on parts (albeit at the Oxford Playhouse!) and applying stage make up to others. Since then she's branched out from musical shows (50 Golden Years and Sing a Song of Shows), Old Time Music Hall and Pantomime to a little straight acting (Pack of Lies) and comedy (How the Other Half Loves). She's also turned her hand to front of house and props.