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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-07-30, Page 14Last year, the Blyth Festival’s intrepid Young Company tore through Blyth, stealing stories, secrets, lies and laughs from the homes of bewildered (and delighted) residents. This year, the teenage home invasion turns the tables and invites the town into the teenagers’own lair in the Phillips Studio, totally devoted to teen life. And, although the teens will not literally live in the space, they will create spaces for living, working and playing while they explore freedom, responsibility and good government. Ultimately, the YoCo will fashion a story to be shared with an audience titled House Hold. Young people are a communities’ most valuable asset and arts programs are vital to engage youth, foster creativity and cultivate life skills. Continuing a long tradition and a commitment to Youth Development, the Festival introduces local young people to the arts in meaningful ways through workshops, outreach programs and theatre-for-young-audience performances. Youths between the ages of 13 and 19 are invited to join the 2009 Young Company. Members will work with professional director Rebecca Pickerack and dramaturg Gil Garratt for five weeks (Aug. 10-Sept. 12) culminating with public performances on Sept. 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 at 7 p.m. To register as a participant or to order tickets call the Blyth Festival Box Office at 519-523-9300. The audience will travel from room to room, hearing stories, songs and reflections on life in Huron County. Tickets for the performance are available at the Blyth Festival Box Office by calling 519-523-9300 (1-877-862-5984 toll free) or online at www.blythfestival.com PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2009. Young Company builds a home Blyth man channels his inner King for contest Last weekend in Collingwood there was, as there has been for the last 14 years around this time, a whole lot of shaking going on. This time, however, a Blyth man was there, taking it in and shaking right along with everyone else. Mike Lorentz, a local Elvis impersonator and A Channel employee, headed to Collingwood last weekend to compete in the Collingwood Elvis Festival 2009. This was Lorentz’s first ever competition, as he has only been working as an impersonator since late last year. While working for A Channel last year, Lorentz went to the festival to cover the proceedings. It was this year, however, when it rolled around again that he thought he might want to be a part of it, not just cover it. He says that he was surprised at the response he got from audiences in Collingwood. The whole town gets up for the competition and Elvis impersonators and fans from around the world are all there to take in the festivities, so when Lorentz took the stage, he wasn’t prepared for theresponse he would get.“I’m not Elvis and I don’t think Iam, but when I was performing,people were standing up andclapping. It was great,” he said. “After the set, I went to the back to get a drink and was going to leave, but I had to stay and sign autographs for 10 minutes afterwards.” Lorentz says he is happy with his performance for the first competition he has ever taken part in. After singing in the first round of the competition on Friday, he made it through to the second round, but eventually made it only as far as the quarter-finals. It wasn’t the finish, however, that will stay with Lorentz, he says, it’s the experience of the whole weekend. The weekend began on Friday afternoon with a free show featuring the majority of the weekend’s performers. There were also paid gigs throughout the weekend at over 15 different venues in and around Collingwood. And while not an official venue, the weekend ended as it always does, Lorentz says, at the local Tim Hortons in Collingwood, where all of the performers go and sing until the early morning hours (Lorentz was there until 3:30 a.m. Monday morning) raising money for a local children’s charity, which this year benefitted to the tune of $1,200 from the performers’Tim Hortons time. Lorentz says he found the competition daunting at first. The event is one of the biggest Elvis festivals in the world, so he found himself among competitors and fans from all over, who had travelled to Collingwood for the event. After making it to the second round in his division, Lorentz found himself among less than 10 fellow competitors in a class that began with 32. There were four categories: Pro, Non-Pro, early Elvis and Las VegasElvis.Lorentz was a non-pro, earlyElvis.And while Lorentz only recentlygrew the sideburns back out for gigs from Goderich to Kitchener starting last November, he says this is something he did back in high school, stopping, however, in 1977 when Elvis died. Over the weekend, in competition, Lorentz performed three Elvis songs, not including his sets, where he would sing the King’s songs for 30-40 minutes. In competition, however, Lorentz stuck to three of his strongest performances, Matter Of Time, Walk A Mile In My Shoes(originally a Joe South song andBurning Love B-side) and You Don’tHave To Say You Love Me,originally a Dusty Springfield song.At the competition, Lorentz says he was very surprised, despite the high level of competition, that many of the competitors were very down to earth and personable people. He said he couldn’t have had a better time. Lorentz’s next planned performance is on Oct. 10 at Blyth’s Memorial Hall, alongside Brussels native, Juno-nominated reggae artist Lyndon John for a fundraiser for the Blyth Festival’s bell project. 3 7 3 2 1 1 NOTICE MORRIS LANDFILL SITE Proposed Amendment to Certificate of Approval to Commence Operation in the Next Stage of the Landfill The Municipality of Morris-Turnberry is in the process of applying to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment to amend the Landfill Certificate of Approval to commence filling operation in the next stage of the landfill site within the currently approved landfill property. Hydrogeological studies were undertaken to confirm that filling in the next area will not impact the environment and a design was undertaken considering the site. The amendment will not increase the total approved site volume, size or landfill footprint. Supporting documentation and hydrogeological studies are now available for review during regular hours at the Municipal Office and on the Municipal website www.morris-turnberry.on.ca Comments will be received until Wednesday, August 26, 2009. All comments received will be considered when finalizing the application and supporting documentation and will also be included in the final submission to the Ministry of the Environment. Dated: July 24, 2009 Municipality of Morris-Turnberry 41342 Morris Road, RR 4, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0 Telephone: 519-887-6137 Email - morris@scsinternet.com John CONSTRUCTION LTD. 519-887-9061 • Excavating • Bulldozing • Loading & Hauling • Sand & Gravel • Screened & Regular Topsoil • Natural Mulch Crushed Asphalt now available R.R. #2 Bluevale Construction Ph.:519-523-9354 Cell:519-525-8615 Custom 5" seamless eavestrough in aluminum or steel N e w Thank you very much Mike Lorentz of Blyth had his hands full with autograph requests last weekend as he competed in the 2009 Collingwood Elvis Festival. It was Lorentz’s first competition and getting through to the second round, which saw his initial division of 32 participants shaved down to 10, was, he felt, a decent showing. (Photo submitted) By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen It is possible to enjoy healthy outdoor activities while in the sun. In order to reduce your risk of skin cancer,the Canadian Cancer Society recommends that you and your children practice the SunSense Guidelines. SunSense Guidelines SunSense Guidelines For more information call the Canadian Cancer Society at 1 888 939-3333 or take our SunSense quiz at www.cancer.ca.