2008 has been a busy year for Drama Workhouse. Earlier this year, we’ve re-branded the Drama Workhouse, developing a new logo, brand new promotional materials and a spanking new website which we are still perfecting and updating. If you’re in and around Brent, you may just see our new postcards, posters, as well as our new banner at the Dunhill Centre.

We’ve also been active in the community. In addition to supporting Brent’s RESPECT fest, which included a Drama Workhouse stand and customised performance, we’ve maintained our involvement in our prison programmes, bringing the world of drama to vulnerable teens and adults.

We’ve had our successes, but we’ve also had our challenges. With limited budget in today’s current climate, all our work has been completed with short staff and on tight budget. We’d love the opportunity to get more involved in the community to help bring drama to life among a wide range of children, teens and adults. For that to happen, we need your help spreading the word, helping us to encourage more students to get involved in the world of acting.

To help keep our charitable activities alive, we also have a new corporate sponsorship program, and are looking for active volunteers to help raise awareness for how local companies can give back. Click here for more information.

Join us on January 24th at St. Andrews Old Church in Neasden, where Drama Workhouse will be hosting a Community Open Day. This community-supported event will consist of an exhibition of local artists, a display of Drama Workhouse’s plans for 2009 and beyond, historic information about St. Andrews Church, and a discussion about our exciting plans for the Church.

Join special guests, local MPs and counsellors, and of course, the Drama Workhouse team. To keep things exciting, participate in our heritage trail treasure hunt, with a ‘Roman pot of gold’ up for grabs. For more information, contact us today.

The global credit crunch is starting to be felt by charities, as one in four charities that accepts donations has seen a fall in giving in the past year. A further one in 12 has had to make redundancies, a survey suggests.

The Charity Commission poll of about 500 charities said 38% of charities reported being hit by the economic downturn of the last year in some way. More than half - 54% - were affected by increased costs for basics such as energy, food and travel. Charity Commission chairman Dame Suzi Leather said charities were facing a great deal of uncertainty.

"Charities are really being squeezed by higher costs and higher demands for vital services," she said. "They will wonder how they are going to survive the current crisis while trying to continue meeting people's needs."

She also urged the public to carry on donating to charities during the current financial crisis. "They need our help more than ever," she said.

Each workshop you purchase goes into the support of charitable efforts offered by Drama Workhouse. Even if you don’t have time to act, a charitable donation can help keep our charity alive and thriving.

Acting is said to have found its origins in the religious rituals of the primitive times and the first performers were the religious leaders of the tribes. The development of theatre, as we see today, is largely attributed to the Greeks.

Acting began out of our need to express, emote and to tell stories. Drama dates back to 534 BC. Contests were held to determine who was the best actor. This person was called "Thespis" who was also one of the first actors. He played many roles to perfection that ranged from women to children. The term "thespian" is desrived from Thespis.

In those days, actors wore masks to portray different characters. The chorus usually ranged from 15 to 50 people. Acting in the beginning was largely about monologues. Actors acted out the thoughts going on in the mind of the characters. Aeschylus introduced a new paradigm to acting by introducing a second actor. This closely resembles the acting that we see today. The performances underwent a huge change. From simply stating the internal voice, thoughts and motivations of a single actor, the oncoming of the second actor brought in face-to-face conversations as well as dramatic conflict. Later, Sophocles added the third actor and extras.

Gradually, acting evolved to its present day form. Certain basics of acting never change, like what goes into making of an actor. The aptitude of the actor is chief determinant in the acting of the performers. Acting is all about the ability to visualize feelings. You can draw on your own experiences also to enact certain characters. Actors are born with an aptitude but a good acting school can help to hone this skill.

A misconception that people generally harbour is that acting is what they get to see on the screens, but that is just half the picture as you can find actors in theatre, television studio, circus, or comedy club. Acting might be a tough proposition for some, but the passionate ones endure the rigors to get a chance to show their histrionics.

Interested in seeing if you have what it takes to be an actor? Or just want to have a good time trying your hand at a new role? Contact us today.

Looking for the perfect gift this Christmas? Look no further. Give the gift of fun, self-confidence and expression by wrapping up a gift certificate towards a series of drama workshops.

The Drama Workhouse was developed in 1998 and has since grown into a well-respected resource in the community. For adults, teens and children, we offer a flexible format, sound theoretical base, and a 'hands on' approach to drama.

Courses are led by professional working actors and experienced facilitators who offer participants the opportunity to explore their creativity in a safe, fun and non-competitive environment.

The Drama Workhouse is available to children and adults and provides an affordable course of drama aiming to develop:

• Self Confidence
• Communication Skills
• Teamwork
• Self Expression

Every individual is encouraged by friendly accredited performers who provide constructive feedback in a pressure free environment. For yourself, a friend or a loved one, help start the New Year off right, with workshops for adults, teens and children commencing January 2009.

In addition to giving a unique gift, you will also be contributing to a worthy cause. The Drama Workshop is a charitable organisation that thrives on the opportunity to share the exciting world of drama with varied groups, many of whom have never had access to drama before. By supporting our charity through adult programs, you can help us to help people change their lives in prisons, schools and with our other valuable community programs.