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Home My WebLink AboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1987-02-18, Page 7Blyth Festival director announces 1987 season BLYTH - "I am thrilled with this year's line up," said Blyth Festival's Artistic Director, Katherine Kaszas. ''I really think it is our most exciting season ever." For the 1987 season, the Blyth Festival will be presenting an entire season of'home- grown plays - four completely new works and the return of a hit drama which was premiered last year. The season will open on June 19 and run through to September 12 with two season previews on June 17 and 18. To open the season on June 19, the au- dience will be treated to Girls in the Gang by Raymond Storey and John Roby. • "I think it will be quite a big hit - here and across the country. It has music from the '50s and focusses on the women, glamorous with lots of leg," said Katherine, adding, "It's a funny piece. The typical cops and robber stuff." The Boyd Gang were notorious bank rob- bers whose nefarious exploits thrilled the Canadian press and public alike. They lived the high life until one day a dramatic shoot- out turned them into public enemy number one. Raymond Storey's 'fast moving script, focussing on the gang's women, is punc- tuated by the hot jazz, mellow swing, and sweet harmonies of John ( Country Hearts ) Roby's score. This bright and lively musical captures the excitement and glamour of the '40s and '50s in Canada. The following week, on June 23, Border - town Cafe by Kelly Rebar, will open. This is the story of a young man's coming of age in the 1980s. Is he Canadian or American? He's pulled in all directions - by his feisty, patriotic American grandmother, his Cana- dian grandfather who's given him a deep love of the land, his harried mother who can't communicate with him; his high school teammates, and now his estranged truck driving father wants him to move to the States. Canada's national obession with our neighbors to the south is examined in this fresh, vibrant comedy. "The characters are funny and very ear- thy," Katherine commented. "The play turns into a team effort with the audience, as Canadians, rooting for the Canadian side." Miss Balmoral. Of Bayview by Colleen Curran, will open July 14. Coming hot on the heels of Cake -Walk and Moose County, this side-splitting comedy follows the adven- turous Beatrix Balmoral as she leaves her job at an exclusive girls' school ( under less than happy circumstances) and begins a new career in hotel management. The Bayview Inn, once a thriving hostlry, is now run-down, decrepit, and in the final stages of terminal wood rot - and peopled by a wild assortment of zany characters. "The humor in this play is addictive. You know you're going to laugh and in a few minutes you'll laugh again, and a few minutes later you'll laugh again," explained Katherine. The fourth play of the repertory season is Bush Fire by Laurie Fyffe, a spine -chilling tale of passion and destruction set in Lanark County in 1828. A fire claims the lives of Ann Easby and four of her children. A neighbor takes in the surviving boy, but his disturb- ing, incoherent ramblings prompt her to place a far mote sinister interpretation on the events which transpired that wintry night. The suspense builds as the true horror is revealed, a horror which would have been better left buried. "For those that want to sit on th ' edge of their seats all night, this is it," said Katherine. "It's a twisted tale of horror." These four plays will run in repertory through to August 22 with the exception of Miss Balmoral which closes one week later, on August 29. The final production of 1987, Another Season's Promise by Anne Chislett and Keith Roulston, will open on August 25 and will play through to September 12. Describ- ed by Doug Bale of the London free Press as "one of Blyth's most powerful plays ever," Promise is an entertaining, warm and humourous drama about the Purves' who have been farming their land for over a cen- tury. They're a close-knit, hard working family, but farming .in the '80s is an uphill struggle and the strain is beginning to show. A return of last year's compelling and powerful play about how four generations find renewal and joy in the face of adversity. This year's showing will see a new set and new actors, and because tickets were sold out so fast last year, Katherineadvises all to purchase their tickets early. "It is temendously rewarding that four of this season's plays are the fruit of our playwrites' workshops," stated Katherine. "Another Season's Promise was done in Blyth in 1985, Girls in the Gang and' Bush Fire were both workshopped here in 1986. Bordertown Cafe' was workshopped earlier this year, in conjucntion with Prairie Theatre. Exchange. The fifth play, Miss Balmoral Of The Bayview was done at the Playwright's Workshop in Montreal in January of this year, under my direction." Following the close of the Blyth Festival season on September 12, Another Season's Promise will go on tour. While final details are not yet available, this tour could be the most ambitious ever undertaken by the Festival, covering not only the small com- munities of western Ontario traditionally visted but also 'extending into other provinces. Ticket prices for the 1987 season are $8 and $10.50 for adults up to July 11 and $9 and $11 after that date. Children's tickets re- main at $3 for all performances, a figure which has not increased for several years and which indicates the Festival's commit- ment to encouraging young people t� attend more theatre. To take advantage of advance purchase saving, voucher packs. ($30 for four admis- sions) may be purchased any time up to May 31. Voucher holders will be able to ex.- change x-change vouchers for tickets from April 13. Tickets to the general public go on sale on May 4. The 1987 brochure will be available in late March. Please contact the Festival if you wish to have one sent to you: Blyth Festival, PO Box 10, Blyth, Ontario, NOM 1H0 or phone 523-9300. As for the overall season, Katherine says, "I'm proud of the diversity of the plays and the contrast between of the plays." Phone 357-1630 for 24 hour movie information PLAYING FROM FRIDAY TO THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 20th -26th Showtimes: Friday 8 Saturday at 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. Sunday to Thursday One Show Each Evening at 8:00 P.M. CHUCK LOU NORRIS GOSSETT $ PARENTAL m GUIDANCE r • . THE SQUARE • Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, February 18, 1987—Page 7 • . 1•• PARK TIIEATRE STALLON[ HELD OVER GODERICH • 524-7811 • . . • • • • 1 • Some fight for money... Some fight for glory... 2nd He's fighting for his son's love. WEEK 1 • • • • • • • • • • ••••••••• ••••••••••••••••••••••••• FRI.-SAT. 7&9 SUN.-THURS. 7:30 g PARENTAL m GUIDANCE ...,... ••i••••• • • •• i • • • When In Wingham Lunch At... n Good Taste" 0 259 Josephine Street (next to Maclntyre's Bakery) •FRESH Bright Atmosphere` •Friendly Fast Service •FRESH HOMEMADE FOOD Soups - Muffins - Sandwiches. Stuffed Baked Potatoes; Fresh Pies and Salads .7 HOURS: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM Saturday 8:00 Am - 5:00 PM Everybody is rushing to..., LUCKNOW LION'S CLUB Family Fun N Lucknow Community Centre Saturday, February 28, 1987 8:00 p.m. - 12:00 p.m. "BE THERE. OR BE SQUARE" Singing, ,Dancing, Skits (All Local Talent) Admission: $1.00 or $5.00 Per Family Ladies Please Bring Lunch ALL PARTICIPANTS WELCOME Please contact Barry McDonagh 528-3423 0',.