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The Citizen-Blyth Festival, 1999-06-23, Page 30PAGE 10. BLYTH FEStlVAL SALUTE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE23, 1999. Festival founder returns to direct Big Box By Bonnie Gropp Citizen staff For Blyth Festival founder James Roy, it's nice to be back. Having last directed Primrose School District 1,09 in 1985, Roy is here for the silver season with Big Box. written by David Carley. And the ribbon around it very much ties Roy's past with his present. Carley had actually worked with Roy, now a producer for CBC Radio as a script editor at CBC. He took his idea about a play on smalltown main street and its fight to compete against the big chain stores to Roy. "I'm not as cognizant on the issue, but he crystallized it nicely and we did it for radio,” says Roy. Impressed by its message and humour, Roy sent it to Anne Chislett, who had just been named artistic director at Blyth. “I told her I thought this would interest her. She commissioned a stage version and I stayed on the project.” Directing Box for the stage is quite different than radio. It has been lengthened to basically twice its original time frame and a set of minor characters have been expanded to major players, "The scene structure hasn’t changed a lot, but there is quite a bit of sound with it now.” Carley believes in the power of comedy Continued from Pg. 9 organizations as well as by himself. "It made me wonder what the end result will be. Are we going to lose our sense of community?” However, when it came time to write the story, Carley says he didn’t want to be dreary. “I have gone completely opposite with an outrageous comedy. I believe -in the power of humour and good characters.” Carley says he wants people to have the most fun they have had in years, but still stop and think about where they will buy their socks next time. "A play can be thought­ provoking and still zany fun,” he says. "It is a good family show with a touch of romantic comedy.” Though it’s his first main stage play in Blyth, Carley workshopped a play here in the 1980s. He loves the community and is happy to see some of the great things the village has done, in particular the Greenway Trail. "The theatre people love this area and that makes a difference. This is one of the most successful theatres because it has always had the respect of the local audience.” not just because of the Festival that I’m planning this. I would have done it anyway. It’s a good show.” Set in the not-too-distant future, Box is described by Roy as being “pretty odd, quite outrageous.” “There is an entire set of characters set in this film noire style. One (played by Eric Coates) is very well-meaning, but not overly swift.” Coates plays a detective whose 13-year-old son is faster with the women than his father so the two end up chasing the same female. “It is quite comical,” says Roy. Also making an appearance are the founder of Wal-Mart as a ghost and God, too, is a major character. The larger-than-life production is not a big jump for Blyth audiences to make, says Roy. “It’s nice to do comedies based on style. The audience is going to find the issues in this play easy to recognize, even though it’s a comedy. They will see the message that these big stores are contributing to the decline of main streets, not just in reality James Roy, founder of the Blyth Festival, sits on the steps of Blyth before the first , opening night in 1975, |||g| . he sat and dreamed of what the future held. The same composer who worked on the radio version, Donald Quan, is refining and adding music to underscore the production. “The thing about radio is it’s so fast. You start with the read- through and that’s your rehearsal. Having the luxury of four weeks rehearsal time is nice.” While Roy admits this has meant a bit of an adjustment, he says, “I have done theatre so much I could do this in my sleep. It’s ingrained.” Also working on stage means having a stage manager, lights, sets, costumes, which Roy says he misses on radio. “It’s nice to have the whole nine yards.” Roy, who is the executive producer of CBC’s Sunday Showcase and Monday Night Playhouse is doing a repeat radio version of Big Box in July. “It's small town shut even the bigger cities.” And no one probably knows better than Roy what Blyth audiences will like. Having gotten hung up on theatre after seeing a production as a high school student, Roy eventually worked with Paul Thompson and Theatre Passe Muraille, first as designer, then as stage manager. Later with their support he tried his hand at writing then directing his own Play. When it closed, he got the idea of starting a summer festival, and with an enthusiastic board of directors things moved ahead. Though Roy left in the 1980s, the success of the theatre continued until the early 1990s when things slumped. Though now living in Toronto, Roy was one of several early supporters of the theatre, who returned to revive the excitement. “When I came back to the board, the theatre was going through some rough times, but I felt they could be solved,” said Roy. “It made more sense to try to make it work.” Though Roy says he didn't necessarily intend to stay on the board for long, he is still a member, though now on leave in order to direct this season. So well acquainted with the Festival and the people who have been involved with it over the years, it is perhaps ironic that only one member of Bog Box's cast, 12- year-old Noah Reid, has ever worked with Roy before, though he is familiar with the majority. “Noah did the radio version, and I must tell you he is quite brilliant, an amazing actor and a very sweet young man,” says Roy. Bringing this young thespian and this play to the attention of Blyth audiences is a two-fold pleasure for Roy. “It’s not just special because I’m here for the silver season.” he says. “It is great to be back for more than a visit, to be able to renew old acquaintances.” Of Blyth, Roy, who grew up in the area, says he doesn’t see many changes. “This town still has the same lovely feeling. As nice as small towns can be Blyth is the nicest. It's like coming home.” OLDE 25 seasons have brought lots of changes Like most people experiencing their 25th summer, the Blyth Festival has grown over the years. That first summer in 1975 there were 16 performances of two plays (plus a benefit performance of The Farm Show). In 1999 there will be 125 performances in two different theatres, Memorial Hall and The Garage, the smaller, second stage. That first summer, the Festival operated on a budget of just $10,000. Today the budget has grown to $1.2 million. In 1975 there was no year-round staff and there were two technicians, four paid actors (there were several local volunteers) and one writer/director/dramaturge. That didn't include James Roy and Anne Chislett who served as artistic director and administrator and drew no salary. Today staff during the season totals 72 with six staffers working year round. One of the greatest changes since 1975 is the facilities the Festival offers both audience members and staff. The July 9, 1975 opening night is legendary because of the oven-like heat in Memorial Hall. Since 1979 the Hall has been air- conditioned, as is The Garage. In the early years, lineups for the women’s washroom were longer than lineups for the refreshments at intermission. Today witji the art gallery, box office, lobby area and additional washrooms constructed in the 1990 addition, lineups are seldom a problem. For production staff, the changes are even more dramatic. That first year sets were built on stage because there were no workshops. Later workshops were on the second floor of the village clerk’s office and it would become so hot the staff would sometimes have to stop work at midday and work late into the night to catch up. - . Today the technical staff praises the Festival’s carpentry, scenic painting and costume departments as some of the best in Canadian theatre. 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