The Citizen, 2004-07-08, Page 19Murray & Audrey Johnston
May 30th
The families of Murray
and Audrey Johnston
would like to thank
everyone for attending
their 40th Anniversary
party, on June 19th, 2004.
Even though the weather
was cool, your friendships
warmed our hearts!! In
honour of their
anniversary almost $700
was generously donated to
,ses.1 the Canadian MPS Society.
4e16". Your kindne‘ s was greatly
appreciated.
Valerie, Debbie, Bruce, Ian
and families
eti
TITT1TVTYVVYTY
-.4
Buck 'n Doe -41
for -41
-4
Crystal Semple
and
Chad McCallum
SATURDAY, JULY 1U -41
BMG Arena 9:00-1:00 -.▪ 0
Music by DJ
Lunch provided -41 Age of majority required
-011
For tickets contact -4
Jodi 887-6669 or -41
Pete 887-9860
xxxxxxxxx
x Buck & Doe x
X for X
\X Mike Ward &
x Tricia Duskocy x
X July 10 x
X Age of Majority
Listowel Ag Hall 7`
XMusic by MCL SoundX
X Lunch provided X
X $6.00 in advance X
X $7.00 at the door X
XXXXXXXXX
Happy 80th
Birthday
Marie Glousher
(Herron)
"TN MN OHM
Tilt ORIGINAI IN
A WAY THAT ONIV
SPI0111-MAN COM:
BY IMPS ANY
BMW"
FiL V/145 0, ST WOAD
MIWF A SECRET
LONG DISTANCE? CALL 1-800-265-3438 FOR TOLL FREE MOVIE INFO
HA 'OVER 3(14-2%6
Come & Go
Saturday,
July 10, 2004
2 - 4 p.m.
Londesboro Hall
Best Wishes
Only
Fri, Sat, Sun & Tue
July 09 - 11 & 13
Showtime Approx. 9:30
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 8, 2004. PAGE 19.
Entertainment & Leisure
Theatre review •
Avon's 'Anything Goes' a high seas romp
What's it all about
Jimmy Spadola as Moonface Martin and Cynthia Dale
discuss the meaning of Friendship in this scene from
Stratford Avon Theatre's production of Anything Goes. (Photo
by David Hou)
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
Take to the high seas with
Stratford's Avon Theatre's
entertaining production of Anything
Goes.
Reno Sweeney. evangelist turned
nightclub singer is travelling with
her Angels on .board the ocean liner
the SS American. Her' friend Billy
Crocker, assistant to tycoon Elisha
Whitney, who is also a passenger.
stows away after seeing the woman
he loves, debutante Hope Harcourt
boarding ship. Unfortunately,
accompanying Harcourt is her
fiance, the wealthy English aristocrat
Lord Evelyn Oakleigh.
While trying to avoid the captain
and crew, Crocker befriends -gangster
Moonface Martin, who is travelling
as a minister, and his partner's
girlfriend Erma. The pair, along with
Sweeney. an old friend of Martin's.
help Billy continue his pursuit of
Hope.
Whitney, meanwhile attempts to
woo Hope's mother Evangeline,
while Oakleigh and Sweeney
discover a mutual attraction.
The story is silly, travelling along
on the strength of Cole Porter's
marvelous music and lyric. Its job is
not to deliver an inspirational plot,
but rather to carry us from one song
to another.
One also gets a sense for
director/choreographer Anne Allan
that it's primarily about the music
with the song and dance setting the
pace.
The set design by Patrick Clark
successfully places you on a luxury
liner in the 1930s, a place in that
time where only a select few could
be. With its broad staircases, it may,
however, have limited the originality
of the choreography. The costumes
are perfect for the backdrop, with
most of the flash coming from Reno.
While it may take awhile to see
Cynthia Dale as Sweeney, a role
synonymous with the incomporable
Ethel Merman, by the second act you
accept that what she lacks in brass
she makes up for in glitter. While she
doesn't appear as comfortable
playing the siren as roles such as
Sarah in this year's Guys and Dolls,
she's nonetheless a sultry Sweeney.
Michael Gruber, who plays
Billy, initially seems to lack the
charisma required to play the leading
man. But a wonderful voice
and engaging smile soon win you
over.
As ingenue Hope, Elizabeth
DeGrazia is fine, blending
innocence, grace and femininity. Her
beau, as played by Laird
crazy
A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline
has arrived at the Huron Country
Playhouse II Grand Bend. The show
features 21 of Cline's greatest hits.
Conceived and written by
Canadian Dean Regan, A Closer
Walk With Patsy Cline has enjoyed
major productions across the United
States and Canada, along with a
national tour in 1995. Drayton
Entertainment, which operates
Huron Country Playhouse. has
previously mounted the production
at the Schoolhouse Theatre in St.
Jacobs and King's Wharf Theatre in
Penetanguishene.
"Patsy Cline had- a truly
remarkable career," says Alex
Mustakas, artistic director.
"Audiences will identify with the
emotions in her music, especially
when they can catch a glimpse of the
events that inspired her."
Indeed, Cline's short life reads like
the heart-torn lyrics of many of the
ballads she recorded. Born in
Winchester, Virginia, in the midst of
the Depression, she demonstrated
musical inclination at an early age.
Cline directed herself toward a
career as a singer with unbending
single-mindedness, and was at the
top of her game when she died in a
plane crash in '1963.
MacKintosh gives an over the top
performance.
Sheila McCarthy, sadly underused
brings down the house with her
Buddie Beware, while Jimmy
Spadola is having a blast as
Moonface.
The dependable Douglas
Chamberlain as Whitney and Patricia
Collins as Evangeline round out the
lead cast.
Also worthy of mention are the
Sermonia brothers, Jason and Julius,
who play John and Luke, and whose
acrobatics put the spark in sparkle.
Her brief career produced the
number-one jukebox hit of all time,
Crazy, which set a new standard for
Nashville country. Also included in
her rich musical legacy are such
classics as I Fall to Pieces, Back in
Baby's Arms, Walkin' After
Midnight, Your Cheatin' Heart,
Faded Love, and Sweet Dreams.
A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline
plays until August 28. Tickets
can be ordered by calling the
Huron Country Playhouse Box
Office at 519-238-6000 or toll
free at 1-888-449-4463. Visit
www.huroncountryplayhouse.com
Check out
The Citizen's website
www.norhuron.on.ca
WEDDINGS
Performed - your location or our
iindoor or outdoor chapel
(non-denominational)
For brochure call.
REV. CHRIS MORGAN
ALL FAITHS PASTORAL CENTRE
BENMILLER, 524-5724
CHRISTENINGS
Despite the strong emphasis on
humour, the show seemed slow to
build. The first act crawled initially
but by the production number at its
end, the momentum picked up and
kept rolling.
Anything Goes in itself may not
have been the best job Stafford has
ever done with a musical, but its
enduring score, its light-hearted
approach, combined with eye-
catching sets and costumes make it
an inoffensive excursion.
Anything Goes runs at the Avon
Theatre until Oct. 31.
Huron Country Playhouse
or Patsy Cline OPP
AL.