HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2018-08-02, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 2018. PAGE 19.
Entertainment & Leisure
Triemstra-Johnston to span generations for `Boot'
Capturing history
After she worked on Blyth Festival plays like Barndance
Live!, Billy Bishop Goes To War and Kitchen Radio, Jennifer
Triemstra-Johnston will now put her skills to work with Wing
Night at the Boot. To help bring the play to life, she has
scoured historical photos and archives so the play can span
as many generations of the Blyth Inn's 141 -year history as
possible. (Denny Scott photo)
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Since the last time Jennifer
Triemstra-Johnston worked at the
Blyth Festival, she has decided to
make the village her full-time home,
making her newest role at the
Festival all the more fitting.
Triemstra-Johnston, who has
worked on 10 productions at the
Festival in either wardrobe or design
capacities, has been chosen to put
together the costumes for the Blyth -
centric Wing Night at the Boot.
The play, which is being written
collectively by the company, was
still in development weeks before its
premiere. That means that
Triemstra-Johnston isn't completely
sure what the final product will look
like, though she has her starting
point.
"I went to the Huron County
Museum and started pulling
historical photos," she said.
"[Director Severn Thompson] said
to focus on the earlier part of Blyth's
last 140 years of history since there
are first-hand accounts of the
clothing from the 1960s and
onward"
Triemstra-Johnston struck gold in
her search at the museum, finding,
among other artifacts and
documents, a great photo from
Benmiller in 1871 showcasing a
picnic.
"People were wearing their
everyday dress, which really gives
you an idea of what a night at a local
bar might look like," she said. "I've
offered that research to the group
and that will show how the clothes
will make a character."
Triemstra-Johnston's to-do list
also included speaking to Brock and
the late Janis Vodden, local
historians, to further investigate the
dress of Blyth Inn visitors over the
ages.
Triemstra-Johnston started at the
Blyth Festival in 1996 working on
Barndance Live!, another collective
production, though under the
Bringing it home
The Walton Brewers posted a good showing over the weekend at the annual Brussels Tigers
fastball tournament. The team claimed the B -A Championship on Sunday afternoon with a 4-
1 win over the Goderich Grizzlies in their final game of the weekend. (Quinn Talbot photo)
For Tickets Call 519,523.930o Toll Free 1,877.862.5984 or visit blythfestivalrcom
Canadian Theatre
BLYTH
FESTIVAL
August 8 to September 15 I WORLD PREMIERE
WING NIGHT AT THE BOOT
Written by The Company
Directed by Severn Thompson
From the days when the rubber boots at the bar
were still "fresh" from the barn, to dollar draft
night, to snowmobilers, fiddlers, and karaoke
contests; Wing Night at the Boot celebrates and
lampoons 141 years of the Blyth Inn.
Season Sponsors
*sparlingsOEM
Season Media Sponsor Media Sponsor
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direction of Severn's father Paul
Thompson.
"Since then, Blyth has kind of felt
like my old stomping ground," she
said.
Triemstra-Johnston has become,
in her opinion, adept at working with
collectives since her first brush with
Paul Thompson, though she doesn't
exclusively work with them. Her
most recent efforts in Blyth, for
example, were Billy Bishop Goes to
War and Kitchen Radio in 2014.
As for the tight timeline with the
play being in development, she said
that's nothing new for her.
Triemstra-Johnston is excited to
be working with Severn Thompson,
saying that once things get
underway, she'll be able to see the
similarities and differences between
her and her father's way of handling
a collective creation.
Those looking to touch base with
the costume designer will be able to
find her at Pick-a-Posie costumes in
Blyth. The new storefront for the
shop is just steps away from
Memorial Hall.
Visitors can attend the store
throughout the season, providing a
chance to see Triemstra-Johnston at
work as well as a chance for people
to pick up some handmade
costumes. She will also be working
on some special tourist attractions,
including photo opportunities for
visitors, that are sure to make
theatre -goers' visits to the village
more exciting.
GODERICH 519 524 7811
FOR MOVIE INFORMATION...
www.movielinks.ca long distance?1-800-265-3438
• Brussels Fall Fair
Ambassador
of the Fair Competition
Saturday, August 11
Brussels Legion
7:00 p.m. Hall open to public
Admission by donation
7:30 p.m. Contestant Speeches
Crowning Ceremony to follow
Refreshments and Social Time to follow
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