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Home My WebLink AboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1988-07-27, Page 15Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, July 27,1988—Page 15 Festival says "We can wait no longer - the physical facilities under which the Blyth Festival operates can be stretched no more!" Katherine Kaszas, Artistic Director of the Blyth Festival explained. "We urgently need ' to improve our building facilities or artistic development will be constrained. As a cultural institu- tion of local, regional and national impor- tance, we must provide decent workplaces for our actors and technicians and create a comfortable and safe environment for our ever faithful audience. Planned Blyth Memorial Hall improvements include pad- ded seating and more washrooms for our patrons, a larger box office and an elevator for our disabled patrons. These are all things our audiences have sug- gested over the years." It was October, 1987 that the Board of Directors of the Blyth Festival unanimous- ly endorsed a capital expansion project of $1.8 million to meet the current restrictive physical facilities under which the theatre operates. Another area for improvement highlighted in "A Capital Act" - the Blyth Festival's information booklet includes improved stage facilities such as set storage space, improved safety features and more dressing rooms. "If you attend the Blyth Festival on a regular basis, you'll notice that most of the actors enter and exit using stage left", ex- plained Katherine Kaszas. "That's because there's no way out. We have two dressing rooms and I can guarantee that for the play FIRES IN THE NIGHT, it will be very crowded with twenty-two people fitting into dressing rooms that were designed for five people in each. Someday we'll invite audience members to watch our "set changeover" when one show gets stored away and another put on stage for thatevening's performance. With five shows being staged in repertory at the Blyth Festival each summer - it's like a jigsaw puzzle fitting our delicate and bulky sets into the cramped storage space in the Hall. Our architect's designs will provide us with new areas to expand our backstage facilities." Looking back at its fourteen year history, the Blyth Festival has excelled in production standards, developed a remarkable record of discovering and presenting new Canadian plays (41 premieres) and presented innovative young people's programs. In addition, it operates a growing art gallery with ex- hibits ranging from local artists to the work of Robert Bateman. Its productions tour annually to small and large com- munities across Ontario and beyond. Dur- ing the fall and winter a Festival of Enter- ty inment series offers a wide range of per- formances for children and adults. "One of the areas our audience never Thank you for buying We put good taste into everything we make! Tom Andrew Fairview Dairy Lucknow 528-3725 Beatrice MEMORIALS OF DISTINCTION Many Oeelgne For friendly counsel without obligation, we invite you to see us about the selection of a family monument. Sam or Grant 881-0234 INDOOR SHOWROOM WALKERTON 44 we can wait no longer" - Kaszas sees, is our backstage production facilities," says Joel Harris, General Manager of the Blyth Festival. "They'd be shocked to see the tiny backstage produc- tion area (above the Blyth municipal of- fices) where .our intricate sets, props and costumes are made." The capital expansion program includes such improvements as ventillated con- struction shops and proper rehearsal space where workshops, Young Company and Festival rehearsals can take place. Architect Christopher Borgal in Consulta- tion with the Board, staff and members of the community has created a comprehen- sive building expansion plan that fully ad- dresses the needs of the theatre and our community for the next decade. The former bank building which now houses administrative offices on the ground floor will be modified to house rehearsals on the second floor above. A "new link" between the administration building and the Blyth Memorial Hall will be created to house the box office, art gallery and improved access for all patrons. The old garage on Dinsley Street is actively used as a rehearsal space but for the first time this year, it is being used by the Young Company for rehearsals and workshops. "In order to raise $1.8 million to pay for this urgent expansion project, we are look- ing to many sources," says Lynda Lentz, Development Co-ordinator at the Blyth Festival. "First of all, we look to our firmest allies - our audience and members who support us year after year. Fun -filled fund-raising events such as our popular Country Fair (July 23), Gourmet Dinner (August 13), Fashion Show, Medieval Feast, Auction (November 5) and Murder Mystery Dinner (October 1) - all raise nearly $30,000 on an annual basis. In 1988 and 1989 our 50 cent ticket levy from each single ticket sold at the Festival and $2 voucher levy from coupon pack buyers will raise over $50,000 towards our goal. Many businesses, corporations, foundations and generous individuals are contributing to the Festival's Capital Campaign. Special cultural building grants are currently be- ing considered by federal and provincial levels of government." "But even art needs fertilizer," says Lynda Lentz. "Without financial commit- ment on an annual basis to our operating budget from the federal and provincial government cultural agencies, we can not survive. Investment in the arts pays off in so many ways - the arts is the sixth biggest employer in Ontario, it brings in tourists and makes the community a happier, richer place to work. Our ticket revenue alone accounts for only 56% of our costs and any capital projects such as this building expansion plan must find funding over and above the current operational otl u con _Landscaping R.R. 2 Lucknow 529-7247 1/2 mile south of Lucknow, Huron Co. Rd. 1 Sale July 27 - Aug. 20 Cash & Carry, In -Stock Items Only 2 5% OFF - in -stock patio Furniture and Accessories 2 5 % OFF - Junipers - Flowering Cmbapples - Ornamental Standards - Blue Spruce - Fruit Trees 50 OFF - Golden Cedar - Selected Deciduous Shrubs - Clematis Vines Hours: Mon. -Sat. 8-5 Closed Sunday fund-raising goals. We have until mid- August to affirm federal government par- ticipation in this capital project, otherwise our provincial government request for. funds will be postponed another year." The Blyth Festival urges its supporters to pledge their support to the Capital ex- pansion project and to write their MP's and federal officials to urge them to act quickly on this important matter. Jamie Portman, a leading theatre critic from Southam News said "there is no other theatre quite like it in the country". Greg Burliuk, theatre critic for the Kingston Whig -Standard states, "the Blyth Festival is in the business of growing and discovering new Canadian plays. More than anything else... what has enabled this company to fit into the fabric of the com- ,munity are the plays themselves: homegrown, they reflect the lives of the audiences". "With the improvements put in motion by this capital campaign, we can, do so much more in the research and develop- ment area with workshops and playwrights and as well continue our work with the youth of the area by offering a wider variety of programming throughout the winter months," says Katherine Kaszas. "Our community, our audiences and Canada has benefitted immensely from the seeds planted at the Blyth Festival and its plays have flourished as they've toured the country and appeared in theatres everywhere." First place drumming Visiting with Willetta and Hugh McWhinney were her, sister, Mrs. Dorothy Gogo, Iva Blair, Rene Robinson and Deb- bie Blair and a girlfriend, Tanya, from In- gleside, Ontario. Earlier in the month, Colleen and Allison visited for two weeks with Grandpa and Grandma while Jim and Janice along with friends, toured to Denver, Colorada, USA. Dungannon Senior Citizens held their euchre party on Wednesday night. High lady, Louise Brindley; low lady, Dorothy Cuyler; high white card, Margaret Err- ington; low man, Harvey Sillib. On July 9, the C.M.L. 9th Annual Music Competitions were hey ' at Bingeman Park, Kitchener, Nath )urnin, s n of Wayne and Linda Durnin, entered in the Dby Bonnie Hodges UNGANNON Open Drum Solo and received a first prize trophy. Congratulations Nathan. Congratulations to Allister Nivins, R. R. Auburn, who celebrated his 40th birthday on Saturday night at Gary and Joanne Sproul's residence. Many friends and relatives attended. Birthday greetings to Colleen Caesar, Tammy Roberts, Diane Drennan, Wayne Durnin and Gary Sproul. If you have news to be shared with your community, please call Bonnie 529-7620. Classified advertising works hard...fill- ing the employment needs of area busi- ness firms, helping people to meet their prospective employers, helping people buy and sell all kinds of goods and services, and much more! Noth- ing works harder than the Classifieds. CLASSIFIEDS ARE FOR EVERYONE! 528-2822