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PAGE 6. BLYTH FESTIVAL SALUTE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28/29, 2006.
_Actor, musician both
/the a 10 on the road
Randy Hughson: starring in
The Ballad of Stompin' Tom
and Another Season's
Harvest.
By Carol Burns
Citizen staff
The Ballad of Stompin' Tom is the
fourth role for Randy Hughson in
five months.
Stompin' Tom is a unique role,
because Hughson will be portraying
a public figure who has his own fan
club.
"I spent a day with Stompin Tom,
and he was a real gentleman," stated
Hughson. "I played him songs I'd
written. I played his songs to him.
"Tom picked up his guitar and we
played his songs together.
"At one point Tom said 'I really
like this guy: He's going to be
alright."' Hughson said. "That time
together made a big impression on
Despite the hero worship,
Hughson is not backing away from
the task before him.
"It takes a lot of co-ordination to
sing while pounding with.your heel.
It is not just keeping time with your
foot. Tom makes the chips fly from
the plywood.
"This will not be a casino tribute.
will not be trying to imitate Tom.
"It is my job to play this like any
other play. It is a story of a man's
life and how he came to prominence.
"It is a story of what happens to an
abused child. I will tell the story as
best I can," Hughson stated as he
discussed what it is like playing
Randy Hughson
finds things in
common with
Stompin' Tom
Connors, the
man he'll portray
in The Ballad of
Stompin' Tom
Ste ,npin' Tom.
Hughson says that parts of his life
will permit him to identify with
Stompin' Tom.
He, too, has spent many years of life
on the road, although Hughson's
childhood was unlike Stompin' Tom's.
Hughson grew up in a stable home
in Kingston. As a young boy he sang
in choirs and his mother encouraged
Continued from page 4
toured Japan for more than 200
performances, and Quiet in the Land
was done in Tokyo last year.
Another Season's Promise is going
to be done in Japan's People's Art
Theatre (Mingei) in 2007."
"It is exciting to see a play that we
helped to create, have a life that
continues on." Gardner- shared,
"Schoolhouse is being played at the
4th Line Theatre in Peterborough
next summer, and. Heat Wave was
just done in Owen Sound."
Gardner also pointed out that
CBC's host Vicki Gabereau is
attending a brunch and doing a show
in the Memorial Hall on July 15.
Tickets are available at the box
office.
Gardner says that she is a fan of
him to try out for Oliver! when he was
14.
"Kingston had, and has, vibrant
theatre," Hughson stated. "During
high school, I played in Equs, a play
where I had to violently stab a horses'
eyes out on stage. I began taking a
pre-law degree at Queen's but found
myself neglecting my studies for the
theatre."
Eventually he moved on to a theatre
program at Ryerson where he was a
year ahead of Eric Coates, now Blyth
Festival's artistic director.
After graduation, Hughson
experienced difficulty finding work in
Toronto, so began working in western
Canada. Eventually he built up a
résumé that brought him acceptance at
the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto, and
then throughout eastern Canada. He is
now busy year round.
More recently he has tried his hand
at directing.
"The director's is the biggest voice
heard in the play," explains Hughson,
"The actor simply fills the director's
vision.
"The director has to conceptualize
the whole picture, while the actor only
works with his own role, with how it
fits into the whole. I prefer directing,
although there is nothing like making a
play come off. There is a wonderful-
rush
There have been invitations to work
in the U.S., but Hughson is determined
to stay in Canada.
"I have some security now. I have
worked over 20 years in Canadian
theatre. It has given back to me more
than I have given it.
"I love to tell Canadian stories," he
says. "The Blyth Festival has
the visual arts. She is very
impressed with the quality of work
shown in the Festival's Bainton
Gallery, and pleased to have the
gallery available to the community
and theatre patrons.
When not working for the
Festival, Gardner enjoys her golden
labrador pup, Emma, sings with the
Blyth Festival Singers, and when
time permits, writes.
spearheaded the reflecting of Canadian
stories back to Canadians.
"Doing a story like Stompin' Tom's
is one of the highlights of my career. I
am in awe of the man. I am in awe of
the task.
"I know that his wife Lena Connors
and his son are coming for sure. Tom
hopes to come, but he is on tour this
summer. I think he will come, I don't
see how he will be able to keep himself
away," Hughson concluded.
519-887-6856
1-888-351-9193
(Toll free)
Arrival of Japanese theatre
artists will be a highlight
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