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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1990-07-25, Page 23THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1990. PAGE 23. New play gives youngsters taste of theatre life BY BONNIE GROPP Three area youngsters have a chance this summer to experience a thrilling opportunity as members of the cast of Blyth Festival’s produc­ tion of Carol Sinclair’s “Firefly”. Ben Thomson, 10, of RR 1, Auburn is playing the role of Peter, whom he describes as “a little boy who runs around singing and telling everyone the news”. Ben is not a novice to the stage. He previously appeared in 1988 with his brother Earl in “Fires in the Night” a play about the historical Sloman family and their School on County reform study underway The first stage in the preparation of a report on the restructuring of Huron county is underway with a series of fact-finding meetings across the county. Meetings scheduled until August 3 will get information from PUC officials, fire and police chiefs, OPP personel telephone company offi­ cials and landfill board members. The purpose of the meetings, Jason Chu of the Huron County Planning and Development office said, is to identify “communities of inter­ est”. The result will be a series of • “overlays”. “What do we do with he overlay is see if there are any Seniors ’ centre gets new name The Board of Directors and staff of the Day Centre have been very busy with some new developments. First of all, the Day Centre is no longer known as the Wingham and Area Day Centre for the Home­ bound; the official title of the day centre is the Wingham and Area Seniors Day Centre. The clients felt that a name change would promote a more positive image for the role that the Day Centre plays in the commun­ ity. The Day Centre under its new name will continue to serve those in need of a Home Support Service by providing the opportunity to par­ ticipate in social, recreational pro­ grams outside the home, at least once a week. The Day Centre is fortunate to have an addition to the staff complement. Kate Keiffer, origi­ nally from the Teeswater area has been added to the staff as Recrea­ tion Activity Programmer. Because we serve clients from Bruce Coun­ ty, the Waterloo Office of the Ministry of Community and Social Services has contributed some operating dollars that have allowed the Day Centre to make this 'ddition to the staff.I Hopefully by October 1990, the Letter to the editor Continued from page 5 attitudes reflect a notion that governments and corporations are always right, that the masses are frequently wrong, and that the people eventually will accept what­ ever is handed to them, no matter how objectionable it might have seemed at first.” Mr. Keller goes on to explain in his July 4 editorial how Canada Post’s plan to install community mail boxes (CMB’S) in Shelburne showed a total lack of planning or sensitivity to local needs (not a surprise if you’ve dealt with Can­ ada Post). And he rightly points out that the ultimate aim of these cost-cutting measures is to make Canada Post even more profitable so it can be totally privatized, the Mulroney government’s acknow­ ledged plan. Then he asks: “Would the Shelburne post office be a Wheels. Ben was Billy Sloman. Working on Firefly has given Ben a chance to see some familiar faces as a number of the cast also appeared on or behind the scenes in Fires in the Night, including Ms. Sinclair, who played his mother in the latter. Maridale Bromley, a 13-year-old from Blyth will be on stage for the first time portraying Becky. Mari­ dale says she has always been interested in theatre and working here is a “thrill”. The third youngster in the cast is 10-year-old Erin Roulston of RR 3, patterns from different service providers.” Once the information is gathered it will be presented in stage two of the study in a series of public meetings to get comments from county residents. The meetings are tentatively scheduled for early autumn. The third stage of the study will take a closer look at the interaction between the municipal and county government. The study was prompted by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs which has indicated it wants to streamline municipal governments, Day Centre will occupy a new facility located on Josephine Street beside Cruickshank Park in Wing­ ham. The new facility will be owned and constructed by McDou­ gall Construction. The Ministry of Community and Social Services granted some dollars to assist in the construction of the new facility in exchange for a long term lease. The clients, staff, volunteers and Board Members are looking for­ ward to the move. Over the last years we have been fortunate to have had an agreement with the Town of Wingham by renting the armouries in exchange for a grant. The Day Centre Board appreciates everything that the town has done for the centre over the years. The Day Centre is moving to another location to allow for the expansion of staff and programs. A new program that will begin once we have moved into the new location, is a Day Away Program for those with Alzheimers or relat­ ed disorders. We are entering the planning stages that will outline the details for the program. More information will follow at a later date. Now it’s time to tell you about the programs planned for the rest necessity in a for-profit corpora­ tion, given that the Shelburne mail would be sorted in Mississauga and distributed through the unpopular CMB’s”. Very good question. The message is simple. It’s time rural Canadians took back what is rightfully ours: the power to control our own lives, including the ser­ vices which make our rural way of life worthwhile. Please let your Federal member of Parliament, your Provincial member of Parliament, and Mr. Harvie Andrew, Minister respon­ sible for Canada Post, know that rural Canadians will no longer tolerate such abuse. Write them today! Mary Anne Doyle, President, Ontario Branch, Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association, Finch, Ontario. K0C 1K0 Blyth, who plays Ella. Erin says that her favourite thing so far has been the songs they get to sing in the romantic musical. “We sing a bit in all of them and have some rhymes that we do ourselves,” she states. The budding thespians were invited to audition by the Festival’s Artistic Director Katherine Kaszas, who is also directing Firefly, and rehearsals began almost imme­ diately. Some might find the schedule gruelling with regular rehearsals slated daily except Sunday, but eliminating all municipalities with less than 4,000 population (all but one in Huron), amalgamating several municipalities to meet the minimum requirement. The pro­ vincial report also recommended a maximum of 20 people on county council. Huron County currently has 32 councillors. While the county last year rejected such recommendations it did agree to go ahead with its own study of restructuring. County council has indicated it wants to complete the process by the end of its current term in November 1991. of July. We are going to become involved in our craft program once again, in preparation for the Ann­ ual Craft and Bake Sale scheduled for November. The Water Exercise Program has had a great turnout. Due to all the developments at the centre the Water Exercise Program has been reduced to five weeks. If you would like some more informa­ tion, please give us a call. The plays at the Blyth Festival Theatre have been extremely popu­ lar this year. We are planning to see “Albertine, In Five Times” on August 2 and “Firefly” on August 23. We will also be taking in a play at the Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend. We will see “Annie Get Your Gun” on August 28. On July 24 we will be host to clients, staff and volunteers of the Huron Day Centre in Clinton. The staff are busy putting together some special entertainment and activities for the afternoon. Every­ one is looking forward to the visit. A Mystery Tour is scheduled for July 25. Sorry! I can’t tell you where the bus will take you. We have more people sign up for Bus Trips where they don’t know where they are going, than when they do. The next foot clinic is scheduled for July 26. The next hearing clinic is scheduled for August 13. LOVE K.K. & S. the enthusiastic performers say it’s been “lots of fun”. Ben remarked that he has had to miss a few ball games but was reminded by Erin that he gets paid better to do this. Maridale was surprised to dis­ cover rehearsals were different than she had expected them to be. “It’s really been fun,” she said. “I didn’t think it would be but it really is.” Learning their lines was no problem either, according to the three because of the time spent rehearsing. “You practise so often, saying the lines over and over, that you learn your lines without really trying,” Maridale explains. All eagerly anticipated dress rehearsal last Monday, when they would have the chance to wear the “neat” costumes. “I love the costumes,,” Maridale said. “I’d like to be able to wear them. Not all the time, but for a party or something special.” “Maridale and I are going to look alike on stage,” Erin said, “be­ cause we wear our hair the same and dress kind of alike.” Both girls remarked on their shoes that have “laces and heels and take a half hour to do up.” Ben says his favourite part is when he gets to be the boxer. “I don’t box with anyone, I just show off,” he said. He also gets a chance to show off his musical talent, playing “Greensleeves” on the violin. Only Maridale admits to any stage fright, though Erin remarked that she was glad the preview performance would give them two chances to do the play in costume before opening night. And what of their future? Has ISABEL & BRIAN the experience thus far put a love for acting in their blood? Are they all aspiring for a career on stage? Both Maridale and Ben are certain that it is something they would like to strive for. A more cautious Erin has reserved judgement. “It de­ pends how this play goes,” she said. the Blytb Iw 523-9381 WEEKEND SPECIALS PIZZA THURS..FRI.&SAT. 5:00P.M.-MIONIGHT BUY ONE & GET ONE FOR 1/2 PRICE . ... , *. *. 4. 4. *U4L*44*U. CHICKEN & CHIPS DINNER FRIDAY&SATURDAY 5:00P.M.-8:00P.M. BUY ONE & GET ONE FOR y2 PRICE 1/2 PRICE SPECIALS APPLY TO EAT-IN OR TAKE OUT ORDERS ENTERTAINMENT THIS WEEKEND Join us Friday and Saturday night 9-1:00a.m. NOMAD