WiSE Holds First Monthly Get-Together

Valentines evening 2011 saw 24 members of the UK-based organization WiSE (Women in Stage Entertainment), two grandMA consoles and some Martin Professional TW1s get together at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank, London.

Sarah Rushton-Read, co-founder of the organization, says: "This was our first WiSE Monthly. WiSE members are hugely grateful for the support we received from technical manager for the Southbank complex, Roger Hennigan; grandMA's Philip Norfolk and Chris West; and Martin Professional's Matthew Pittman, who provided a number of fixtures, a load of sandwiches and some delicious pizza. We would also like to thank Coral Cooper for furnishing us with a flask of gin and a huge box of chocolates.

"We have wanted to get a regular networking and education group for WiSE members going for some time. The event is open to any member of WiSE -- we now have over 350 -- interested in meeting other members, learning something new, and sharing news and views. In addition, our WiSE members are able to invite male colleagues along to selected events. This month's event will be at the Theatres Trust on March 23.

"We are also inviting WiSE members, who are not based in London to plan their own regional meetings. They can publicize it on the WiSE website and directly invite other local members. The hope is the industry will directly sponsor these events by providing venues, equipment, training, and time."

Caz Williamson, in charge of corporate sponsorship for WiSE says: "We aim to run the event every second Monday -- or thereabouts -- of each month for the South East! Our first meeting just happened to fall on --Valentine's Day -- so we weren't too sure how many members would turn up. In the end, it was a brilliant turn out and we had some fantastic feedback form the evening."