HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1990-06-20, Page 30PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1990.
Entertainment Extra performances
added at Blyth Festival
Try some?
Severn Thompson, left, and Paulina Gillis, right, reluctantly examine Anne Anglin’s baking in this
scenefromtheplay‘LocalTalent’. Written by Colleen Curran, ‘Local Talent’ opened in Blyth Friday
night.
Theatre review
The Blyth Festival has added two
extra matinee performances of the
popular musical, “Firefly” by
Carol Sinclair and music by John
Alcorn - on Wednesday, August 1 -
2 p.m. and Wednesday, August 15
- 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at
the Blyth Festival Box Office -
$13.50 for each adult.
“We’re very pleased to add this
extra performance” says Joel Har
Seat sale
continues
“The Blyth Festival Great Cana
dian Seat Sale continues at the
Blyth Festival” says Lynda Lentz,
Development Co-ordinator of the
Blyth Festival.
“Two hundred and eighty seats
have been ‘purchased’ by our
generous patrons.” By opening
night on Friday, June 15, theatre
goers could see the names of
benefactors on half of the seats in
Blyth Memorial Hall. Blyth area
engraver, Ernie Phillips has been
working steadily, engraving up to
75 seats per day.
There are still 218 seats remain
ing with a tax deductible donation
of $159 per seat or $299 for two
seats or $387 for three seats. By
underwriting a portion of the
restoration costs, donors have
given the Festival a unique com
munity gift.
ris, General Manager, “since 11 of
our 23 matinee performances are
completely sold out.”
These performances are both
benefit performances and as a
result voucher coupons may not be
used and group discount prices are
not applicable. The August 1
performance of “Firefly” will be a
building benefit and the proceeds
from the performance on August 15
will go to the Actors’ Fund of
Canada and their special fund for
people with AIDS. Each member of
the company and crew have donat
ed their time and talents for this
special charity.
Matinee performances sold-out
at Blyth include “Local Talent” on
June 28, July 12, and August 18;
“A Field of Flowers” on June 21;
“Albertine, In Five Times” on July
28; “Firefly” on July 26, August 9
and August 23 and “The Perils of
Persephone” on August 30, Sep
tember 12, and 13. An excellent
selection of seats are available
during the first week of July. For
more information about perfor
mances at the Blyth Festival, call
the Box Office at (519) 523-9300/
9225.
‘Local Talent’ mindlessly relaxing
BY BONNIE GROPP
“Local Talent”, the third play in
a trilogy by Colleen Curran, which
opened in Blyth on Friday night is
not uproariously funny, nor is it
weighty literature with any hidden
meanings or profound symbolic
messages. What it is, is a pleasant
story with heart-warming humour -
a somewhat mindless venture, that
allows you to simply free the
thought processes, relax and for
the most part enjoy.
The story is a simple look at
women, what it’s like to be one,
and the insecurities and idiosyn
crasies that often accompany it. It
centres around the Mrs. Canada
Pageant, which is being held in the
Inn, the same setting for the first
two plays in the Bayview saga.
“Cake-Walk”, which appeared in
Blyth in 1984, and toured in 1986,
was set in the basement kitchen of
the Inn, while 1987’s “Miss Bal
moral of the Bayview” took place in
the lobby.
The Grand Salon of Fame is the
scene for Local Talent as four
women compete for the title of
Mrs. Canada, for reasons all their
own. Their foibles and failures are
brought to the fore as the story
around them and their characters
develop.
There was an air of nostalgia
surrounding the theatre (no air-
conditioning however) as it kicked
off its 16th season with Local
Talent. The cast of characters reads
like a who’s-been-here-before, and
therein lay the attraction for many
in the audience that night.
After six years away, former
Artistic Director of the Blyth Festi
val, Janet Amos returns to take on
the role of Astrid Kirshbaum, the
all-American Canadian. For those
in the audience familiar with Ms.
Amos’s work (and there were
many) just seeing her back on stage
at Blyth was enough. Her entrance
alone gained her a smattering of
applause.
Another familiar face in the
production is that of Anne Anglin
who appeared in Cake-Walk as
Ruby Able. In Local Talent she is
Corey Jo Cronyn Dempsey, a
woman who possesses a sarcastic
wit, and comedic talent but only
wants to be taken seriously. Ms.
Anglin’s daughter, Severn Thomp
son, who has appeared in produc
tions at Blyth through the years,
plays the young, wonderfully per
fect Lily Strathcona.
Paulina Gillis, who played Tif
fany in Cake-Walk is Ginny Bain,
the shrieking, annoying person in
charge of the pageant. Newcomer
Hazel Desbarats plays the delight
ful English woman, Elizabeth (my
mates call me Bessie) Kirk.
Interestingly enough, the charac
ter that stands out the most for
their performance is the only male
in the production. Buster Kelahear
played by another new face at Blyth
Festival is the local postman hired
to emcee the event. Fitzgerald
managed to get a great deal of the
chuckles without actually saying
anything funny. His delivery and
timing make him an excellent
comedic performer.
But, for a large group of people
at this opening night play the
magic of the evening was in the
feeling of family and familiarity
present. In celebration of the
capital expansion project at the
Festival many who attended were
as much a part of the history of the
theatre as the theatre itself. How
this play will fair with those less
familiar with the Bayview Inn or
with the cast associated with it
remains to be seen.
HOSSACK-PIPE
Jack and Ruth Pipe of Brus
sels are pleased to announce
the forthcoming marriage of
their daughter Shirley Ruth
Pipe, to Jack Hossack son of
the late Jack and Dorothy
Hossack of Hamilton. The
marriage to take place Satur
day, July 14 at Melville
Presbyterian Church in Brus
sels.
KERR-BROOKS
Mac and Brenda Brooks are
pleased to announce the
engagement and marriage of
their only daughter, Brenda
“Nicole” to “Paul” Allen,
oldest son of Gerald Kerr and
the late Annette [Dickson]
Kerr. The marriage will take
place Saturday, July 7,1990 at
3:00 p.m., Blyth United
Church. Open reception fol
lowing at 9:00 p.m. Blyth
Community Centre.
BRUSSELS LIONS
59^^^ 40t&
25t&
BILLS MARGUERITE
ELIMINATION DRAW
THAT'S HOW MANY
CANADIANS ARE
LAWN BOWLERS
DICK & MAXINE
MARKS
(S)
PdRTIClPdlTIOn,
“Love”-from yourfamily
Open House
Sunday, June24,3 -5p.m.
at their former Walton Res.
Your presence would be their
most treasured gift.
Christine
An Open Houseat the home of
Bill & Marguerite Hallahan
will be held Sunday, June 24,
1990 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Best Wishes Only Please.
OVER $5,000.
IN CASH TO BE DRAWN t
I
WINNERS OF EARLY BIRD DRAWS
June 2 - Mabel Willis
June 9 - Mary Lowe
June 16 - Jim Knight & Max McLellan
Saturday June 23rd
MEALSERVED
DANCE
AT B.M. & G.
COMMUNITY CENTRE -
TICKETS $30.00 EACH
For more information call 887-9676
6-8
9-1