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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2010-08-26, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2010.Alligator Tears will be making itsdebut on the Blyth Festival stage with the talent of the Blyth Festival Young Company on August 31. The show, which was penned by Stratford author and second-year University of Toronto student Britta Johnson represents a departure from the norm for Young Company, as the play was written for the group, when, in previous years, the group would collaboratively shape the pro- duction. Some members of the troupe have experienced both styles - the ‘organic’ composition as Johnson put it, and this year’s new approach, and say it was an adjust- ment. “It was weird,” Katey Bornath said. “It’s really different, we’re not used to fitting into charac- ters.” Nathanya Barnett of Goderich stated that it was a challenge, but enjoyable, to try and be someone else. “In other years we were our- selves,” she said. “But to have to fit into a role, fit into a character who had a name and a life, it was hard, but fun.” The script, which is a musical appearing at the Phillips Studio, was written by 19-year-old Johnson after Artistic Director Eric Coates asked her to work on it. “[Coates] has known me for a while and has been very supportive of my work,” she said, adding that she thought her success with Big Box Story, a play she wrote that was performed at Stratford’s Avon Theatre, really brought her skills to the forefront. Coates said, in a release from the Blyth Festival, that Young Company is a great starting point for young artists like Johnson. “[The Young Company’s show is a great opportunity] to see the next generation of artists and theatre pro- fessionals at work in Blyth,” he said. “Many of our Young Company alumni have gone on to succesful stage careers at the Shaw Festival or the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, just to name a few.” Coates added that programs like Young Company insure that per- forming arts remain strong in rural Ontario. Alligator Tears is about events that happened in New Hamburg in the 1950s, when a potential alligator in The Nith River lead to international recognition for the town on Highway 8. “People in the town perpetuated the lie to gain fame for New Hamburg,” she said. “And the play is about that, but its also about young people and the scandals they faced.” Johnson stumbled onto the idea when looking for a story about small town identity. “I was trying to write a story about growing up in a small town,” she said. “A friend in Stratford that lived around the corner from me told me she had a story. “Her great-grandfather was the chief of police in New Hamburg when all this happened,” she said. “She gave me all sorts of research information, a whole binder of paper clippings and a tape recording of a radio interview that was done at the time.” Johnson said that most of the play, however, is fictional. Musicals are nothing new for Johnson either - her breakt hrough play,Big Box Story was one, and it’s something she’s very fondof.“I like to write songs,” she said.“This is my fourth musical.”Johnson said that, being 19 years old, she enjoys the chance to work with people her own age. “It’s cool to work [for the Young Company and] work with young people,” she said. “They are creative and energetic, and they’re willing to take risks.” She added that everyone has become friends because of their common interests. The members of Young Company love the script but did admit that not everything has been easy about doing the musical play. Rachel Hearn and Bornath, both of Clinton said that the play will be funny. “The script is great,” Hearn said. “A lot of the lines are just hilarious.” “The songs are very funny,” Bornath agreed. The entire group agreed that singing and choreography were tough though, saying it was hard to Find enclosed $16.80 ($16.00 + .80 GST) for an 8 month subscription to The Citizen for: (Not vailid for out-of-country subscriptions) Young Company debuts‘Alligator Tears’ Aug. 31By Denny ScottThe Citizen Continued on page 20 Young Company The youthful members of Young Company will be putting on Alligator Tears, a play about a 1950s scandal in New Hamburg. Back row, from left: Taylor Watson of Clinton, Hellena Baechler of Seaforth, Katey and Liese Bornath of Clinton, Jillian Bjelan of Hensall, Beth Beardsley of Wingham, Curtis te Brinke of Clinton, Reuben Elliot-Fisher of Clinton and Britta Johnson of Stratford. Front row, from left: Nathanya Barnett of Goderich, Amy Thompson of Clinton, Rachel Hearn of Clinton, Olivia Wornham of Australia (on an exchange in Goderich) and Haley Hunt of Clinton. (Denny Scott photo)