The Brussels Post, 1980-07-02, Page 29New addition .means
• room • .backstage
There has been a great sigh of relief
from all of those who are involved with the
Blyth Summer Festival, mow that the new
[addition has been completed.
r Structurally completed in early May, last
Minute touches will continue until close to
lopening night July 4.
Hottalng a craft roomlfor community use,
Ihrand new washrooms, facilities, for the
disabled, an enlarged lritchen and about
4$30,000 in . fire proofing and safety
iMprovements to the original Blyth
".Memorial Hall, the addition has been a
growing necessity for the festival.,
Thee additidn, which has provided badly
needed back stage facilities and a fire
'escape which makes it possible to use the
hall's balcony.. was constructed 'by' Wayne
Stehle General Contractors Ltd. of
Kitchener. '
Cost of the addition and improvements is
$316,000. To date; private 'donations from
teh Richard Ivey Foundation,' the Samuel
and' Sadye Bronfman Foundatieht'the
Atkinson Charitable Feun4tion and a
large number of local donors are bringing
the ciimpaign towards its $95,000 goal.'
Additional funding from government
sources, already committed or, received
includes, $76,000 from the Secretary of
State; $50,000 from the capital support
'branch, Ministry. of Culture and Recration;
$53,640 from Wintario and $33,925 from
the Community Centres branch.
A premanent scroll will be installed in
(Blyth.Memorial 'Hall with the Names of
donors of $500 or more.
Janet Amos this year's artistic director
Ifor the festival said it is ,important for
people to realize how important even the
smaller donations are and how much they
can do. •
"People don't realize how much $25 is as
a donation," she said.
Any other donations will be welcome and
can .be left at the theatre's lbof office.
Blyth's Memorial Hall gained a
addition this winter.
$316,000
AS74.443'
THE BLYTH SUMMER FESTIVAL ISSUE —•
Bruce Sully, president of
Champion Road Machinery
Pinked of Goderich has
announced, that his company
will sponsor the Blyth
Sununer Festival production
of "John and the Missus" by
Gordon' Pinsent,
Sheila Richards, president
of the Festival, said that this
is a doubly important
donation on the part of the.
,company because_it also
represents the first time a
company 'has agreed to
sponsor a production at the
Festival.
•
The sponsorship helps
offset . the high costs of
production in -live theatre.
Private funding is essential
in theatre to make up the, gap
between the cost of mounting
a production and the moOies
raised through box office and
government grants.
"John and the Missus"
by well-know actor and
writer Gordon Pinsent, will
open the .1980 Festival on
July 4. The play tells: the
story , of John Munn, a miner
in a Newfoundland Village.
John's family and friends
want him' to Move away from
the village to, a larger
community to ,escaPe the
unhealthy life of the mine.
Bat John isn't sure he welds
to go and battles with his
own conscience and his self.:
respect. The show combines
music, humour and drama in
a way that will make
audiences grow to. love old
"John and the M iSSUS"
will have 15 petformances;
alternating with Ted, Johns'
"St.' Sanv z,f The Nuke Pile"
until August 2.
Bruce Sully of Champion Road Machinery Ltd., and Blyth Centre for the Arts president
Sheila Richards.
Hours
Monday thru Saturday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sunday 12 noon - 5 p.m.