HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1994-12-21, Page 43E ntertainment
Festival turns it around
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1994. PAGE 43.
UCW hears Christmas story
In a turn-around of astounding
proportions Blyth Festival posted a
surplus of $146,000 on its 1994
season after a deficit of $196,000 in
1993, members learned at the orga
nization's annual meeting Thursday
night.
The surplus was accomplished by
cost cutting plus a 27 per cent
increase in the number of people
coming to plays in 1994, despite
the fact there had been one extra
main stage production and a pro
duction in the Festival's "garage"
second stage in 1993.
Key to the growth was one play,
He Won't Come In From The Barn,
said Artistic Director Janet Amos.
The play, about a farmer who
retreats to the sanity of his bam
from what he considers an insane
world, was held over for an extra
week of performances and filled
94.4 per cent of capacity. "It was
our neck-saver this year," Ms
Amos said.
The surplus allowed the Festival
to chop its accumulated deficit
from $229,000 to $83,000. The
Festival also cut $36,416 from its
mortgage on buildings renovated
and erected during the expansion of
the late 1980s and set up a reserve
fund for future capital needs of
$47,392.
London Museum visits the farm
From Nov. 28 until April, the
London Regional Children's
Museum is hosting the most down
to earth exhibit, The Farm.
Many children today don't get to
experience the thrill of the farm.
Milking cows, feeding the
chickens, riding tractors and
watching the com grow. Now they
can discover the farm at the
Children's Museum.
For preschoolers, The Farm
presents a play box full of toy
tractors, trucks and sand for kids to
Ron Burt of Takalo & Burt the
Festival's auditor, pointed out that
much of the difference from 1993
to 1994 came from severe cost cut
ting. Reduced staff wages con
tributed to cutting general
administration costs by more than
$100,000. Production costs were
cut by more than $300,000, includ
ing a reduction in $250,000 in
salaries for actors and stage techni
cians.
"It's definitely a turn-around
year," he said but he warned that
with a deficit of $83,000 "you're
not out of the woods yet".
In his welcoming remarks Festi
val President Don McCaffrey
thanked everyone present "for mak
ing this possible". A year ago there
was concern if the Festival had a
future, he said, but staff, volunteers
and friends of the Festival who
loaned more than $80,000 to help
pay the Festival's debts, helped
make the current brighter picture
possible.
He praised Ms Amos for mount
ing the kinds of plays that connect
ed with the local audience.
Elected to the board of directors
were: Keith Doherty, Goderich;
Helen Gowing, Blyth; Bev Grier
son, New Hamburg and St. Augus-
pretend that they are harvesting
crops or building barns. Farm
puppet shows, costumes and crafts
will also be a highlight with the
little farmers.
For older kids, there are lots of
farm trivia games, challenges,
demonstrations and ground and
water exhibits to keep them
thinking about The Farm. What do
pigs eat? What are mooshoes? How
does a farmer grade eggs? All this
and a whole lot more available at
The Farm exhibit.
tine; Mark Marquis, Blyth; Don
McCaffrey, Exeter; Joan
McCordic, Port Franks; Duncan
McGregor, Blyth; Carol Oriold,
Wroxeter; Diane Radford, Blyth;
Sheila Richards, Brussels; Keith
Roulston, Blyth; James Roy,
Toronto and Benmiller; Donna
Taylor, Clinton; Paul Thompson,
Toronto and Belgrave; Gayle
Waters, Bayfield; and Marg Web
ster, Wingham.
At the board meeting following
the annual general meeting Keith
Roulston was named president;
Don McCaffrey, vice-president;
Gayle Waters, past president; Keith
Doherty, treasurer; Donna Taylor,
secretary.
Take note of our
Holiday Hours
Season's
Greetings
from
The Blyth
Inn
Peter, Carol
&, Staff
Open Sat., Dec. 24
11:30 a.m. <5:00 p.m.
Closed December 25 - 26
Open Dec. 27,28,29 & 30
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Closed Dec. 31 - Jan. 2
Regular hours will resume
Tuesday, January 3, 1995
The ladies of Calvin Brick UCW
are enjoying a new tradition. The
December meeting served a double
purpose. In the evening, Wednes
day, Dec. 14, nine members
gathered at the church and dressed
it for Christmas. A lovely tree was
provided by Don and Gloria Dow.
Seasonal music and many hands
made light work, and it was a
happy time for all.
Minister, Mary Jane Hobden
enhanced the evening by joining.
The Christmas worship program
was presented by Yvonne Coulles
and began by singing Angels We
Have Heard on High. The story of
Christ's birth unfolded in music and
words with everyone participating.
The familiar verses in Luke and
Matthew were read in turn and
included the most loved carols.
A short business session was
conducted by President Joan
Pederson then came the fun and
fellowship of a small gift exchange
followed by a Christmas lunch
provided by Agnes McBurney's
group.
Children’s Museum has fakes
If you enjoy the theatre, you’ll
enjoy discovering the wizardry of
the propmaker. The Children's
Museum's newest travelling
exhibit, Fabulous Fakes: Props
from the Shaw Festival is on
location at The London Regional
Children's Museum until Jan. 4.
You can never be sure if you are
looking at the real thing or not.
Visitors are welcome to sit in
Captain Hook's chair, try on a
crown, discover how light or heavy
a fake can be. Virtually all of the
props can be touched or handled,
and, of course, you can get close
enough to see how the fakery was
created and how well the effect
works.
The London Regional Children's
Museum is open daily from 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m. and is located at 21
Whamcliffe Road South, London.
s-
■rd
y(h .Memorial Community Half
31 December 1994^-
Dancing 8 to 1 - DJ by Farquar _ -•
Tickets- SI 2 each Gfeh
• ■- ADVANCE TICKETS ONLY _
Limited to 120 tickets • available Irom: '•T/
Debbie Ansley • 523-4546 J/-
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• Age of Majority Only ■
Smith-Workman
A special thanks to family
and friends for helping
make our wedding day
October 14, 1994 a
memorable day for us.
Wishing you a Merry
Christmas and all the best
In the new year.
Don & Christine.
(Merry Christmas
and a JCappy ‘year
from your friends at j. l. McCutcheon motors ltd.
Robert Richmond, President.
John Exel, Vice President
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