Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1993-06-23, Page 31Open House The families of Allan and Mary McTaggart cordially Invite you to their 75th Birthday Celebration Saturday, July 3, 1993. Open House from 2 - 4 p.m. In the North Street United Church 56 North Street, Goderich SATURDAY NIGHT SINGLE BINGO AT THE GODERICH COLUMBUS CENTRE '4,250 TOTAL PRIZE MONEY Doors Open 5:30 p.m. BINGO 7:00 PM SHARP '1,500 JACKPOT MUST GO! 71" - -44Fir :AV • PARK THEATRE ..All :or. ,ffs&- GOOERICH 524-7811 —,-. Fri. - Tues June 25 - 29 7 p.m. NITELY "DRAGON' DEFINITELY DELIVERS!" • Ilrokr111111.wm,1,AVII,IT MAGVINE Il THE BRUCE LEE STORY 4141,11.11111111' *111/L4 011011/177NA1IL" Fri. - Tues TUOPIi4 -Brian Linehan. CFRB/STANDARD BROADCASTING WHOOPI GOLDBERG TED DANSON MERICA June 25 - 29 9:15 p.m. PARENTAL I GUIDANCE COMING SOON 5-3438 FOR TOLL FREE MOVIE INFO LONG DISTANCE? CALL 1-800- THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1993. PAGE 31. E ntertainment `A Word or Two from Christopher Plummer' at Stratford Festival `Gypsy' entertains you Eye catching Monique Lund as the infamous stripper Gypsy Rose Lee gives a new twist to the "Red, White and Blue" from this scene in the Stratford Festival production of Gypsy. By Bonnie Gropp And if you're real good, make you feel good. I want your spirits to climb. So let me entertain you, and we'll have a real good time, yes sir. We'll have a real good time. That was exactly what I expected when I attended the Stratford Festi- val production of Gypsy recently, and for the most part that's what I The costumes, lighting and set lesign were outstanding; produc- ion large and lavish. The cast was good, and with the book by Arthur Laments, music by Jules Styne and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim how could it miss? Unfortunately, perhaps I was too Continued from page 1 season it puts us on budget and on mark. Last year we didn't record a sell-out until August," says Mr. Peacock. Noting the high quality produc- tion for the remainder of the sea- son, Mr. Peacock says the task now is to "keep momentum going." Pete (Artistic Director Peter Smith) has put together unequivo- cally one of the best seasons ever. It fits together well. We are looking at the season on a week to week basis. We're being cautious in tired, but the spark just wasn't there for me, at least not in the first act. I perked up, however, in the sec- ond act when the play's focus shifts a little more to Gypsy than on her mother Rose. The deceptive thing about Gypsy is that the main char- acter is not the title role. "Mama" Rose Hovick, portrayed in the orig- inal by the inimitable Ethel Mer- man, is a backstage mom who pushes her girls, June and Louise, into the vaudeville circuit. June, the effervescent blonde, is eager for the bright lights, but eventually tires of Rose's manipula- tions. She elopes at the age of 13 with Tulsa, a hoofer in the family's act. Her older sister, Louise, is the ugly duckling, shy and pleased to terms of cost control." Looking at the financial woes the theatre experienced last year, Mr. Peacock says though the festival is "not out of the woods, yet", thanks to the success of Many Hands things are in good shape. "We couldn't have had a better start," he said. Give your old toys, clothes and furniture to charity instead of throwing them away. walk in her sister's shadow. How- ever, when June runs off, Rose focuses her suffocating energies on Louise. The road to success eventu- ally leads the introvert to become the infamous stripper Gypsy Rose Lee. When the word brazen comes to mind, it should be beside a picture of Rose. Brassy and brash, she is a woman who in her own words, "was born too soon." Confident and assertive, she would have been a natural on the stage, as natural as her portrayal must have been to Merman. In the Stratford production, San- dra O'Neill, with a voice that raises the roof, is a worthy successor, but its Monique Lund as Louise who demands attention. Ms Lund has a voice that is clear, pure and confi- dent. Her transformation from ingenue to burlesque queen was as smooth as a shot of Kentucky bour- bon. The rest of the cast, including tal- ented moppets Becky Shanks and Stacey Wheal, who played the young Louise and June, respective- ly, did an able job in the energetic production. Peter Donaldson, played the role of Herbie, the act's agent and Rose's long-suffering love interest, with a natural ease. Karen K. Edissi as Mazepa, Mary Pitt as Tessie Tura and Mari Train- or as Electra, were a trio of overblown strippers, whose gim- micks were the highlight of the show. Director Brian MacDonald's choreography was simple, yet ener- getic enough to keep the pace live- ly. Though the humour at times lacks sophistication, there was enough suggestion thrown in to please today's modern audiences. The music, with such gems as "Everything's Coming up Roses", "Small World" and Together, Wherever We Go", are familiar favourites that continue to lift spir- its on their own. Stratford's Gypsy is entertaining, visually and vocally, with few weak moments. Unfortunately, my high expectations buoyed perhaps by the mesmerizing examples of recent musical productions at Strat- ford such as Guys and Dolls in 1990, were flattened just a little. However, as I couldn't pinpoint anything in particular I'll blame my mood and assume that had it been a different evening my spirits would have climbed. The Stratford Festival is proud to announce that Christopher Plummer will return to the Stratford stage for the first time in 26 years in a benefit performance of his one-man show A Word or Two, Before You Go. The performance will take place on Tuesday, July 13, which is the 40th Anniversary of the first performance in the original Stratford Festival Tent on July 13, 1953. Since he began his professional career at the age of 17, Christopher Plummer has portrayed most of the great classic roles, on both sides of the Atlantic. He debuted at Stratford as Henry V in Michael Langham's 1956 production, and played the title role in Hamlet and Aguecheek in Twelfth Night in 1957, the first season in the permanent theatre. Tickets for this unique benefit performance are $150 for Gala seating, (which includes a post- performance reception and tax receipt for the maximum amount allowable), $75, $60 and $50, and can be purchased through the Stratford Festival Box Office. Happy 16th Dauph Love, your Best Buds BLYTH LIONS 50's & 60's DANCE Eddie & the Edsels SAT. JUNE 26TH 8:00 to 1:00 BLYTH COMMUNITY CENTRE LUNCH AVAILABLE BUCK & DOE for Dave Vantyghem and Darlene Buffinga Saturday June 26, 1993 Stanley Twp. Complex For more Information call 233-5022 Happy 18th Birthday Rob From the Gang Theatre review Community Play on budget