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The Citizen, 2006-12-14, Page 27Mon. - Fri. 7-6:30; Sat. 8-6:30, Sunday Closed Fri & Sat 6:45 & 9:15 Sun -Thur 8:00 Sat & Sun Mat 2:00 $(41° 0141TAt 0 PARK THEATRE Dec GODERICH 524-7811 Give the gift of .. IotAk • Elite ,, inment -74,,e14.• .. Gift Certificates 15 -21 Certificates Available at the Theatre or All Around The House (next door) 'MAGNIFICEN eragon., www.movielinks.ca Fri & Sat 6:45 & 9:15 Sun - Thur 8:00 Sat & Sun Mat 2:00 --vielmo• 2 GB long distance?1 -800 -265-3438 . . • .• • • . . A VI-Rage Chtlistatas • An annual Christmas pageant in the Villa9e of Blyth. f;-uesday, • December 19,2006 - 7P'^' • • Blyth Memorial Community Hall • • • • Cash donations for Huron United Way Everyone is welcome to participate - • • • • Call Don Scrimgeour - 519-523.4551 or Karen Stewart 523-4328 to get your name on the program. • • • • • • This ad is generously sponsored by ELLIOTT NIXON INSURANCE BROKERS INC. Blyth Established 1910 519-523-4481 • ' . • • THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2006. PAGE 27. Artistic firsts mark Stratford's 54th season Artistic firsts and cutting edge productions marked the 2006 season of the Stratford Festival of Canada. These creative achievements included a Governor General's Award-winning play, a bilingual production of a classic and the world premiere of a modern Canadian work. Artistic director Richard Monette said the Festival takes tremendous pride in its artists who pushed the boundaries of theatrical art yet again. He pointed out that in its ongoing pursuit of artistic excellence, the Stratford Festival is committed to staging works rarely seen elsewhere, "Contemporary interpretations of The Duchess of Malfi, Coriolanus or London Assurance allowed Stratford Festival audiences to rediscover these timeless classics." Mr. Monette also said, "This season's unique collaboration with Montreal's Theatre du Nouveau Monde (TNM) was an historical first for this theatre. Moliere's Don Juan played in both official languages with the Stratford Festival acting company which included some of the finest actors from Quebec." Montreal audiences will get a chance to see the French language production of Don Juan when the show opens at the TNM in January 2007. The 2006 season also saw the world premiere of a Canadian work, Celebrate (MS) — The pressures of the holidays can take a toll even on the most seasoned host or hostess. Most people look forward to reconnecting with friends and loved ones, but the stress of cooking, cleaning, and preparing the home can be, well — overwhelming. This year, ease the anxiety and truly enjoy the company of your guests and the joy of the season. Here are some easy expert tips on just how to do it. It's Never to Early to Start Preparing "Start preparations at least a month in advance and don't forget to create a check list," advises home organiiation ' expert and HSN personality Joy Mangano. "Go room by room and create a festive, cozy atmosphere throughout the entire house." Start with your entry hall or foyer, often one of the most overlooked rooms in the house. This is where you first welcome guests .-.. and first impressions matter! Make it inviting by removing clutter and filling the The Brubachers of Ethel Restaurant & Bakery Fanny Kemble, written and directed by Peter Hinton at the Studio Theatre. Harlem Duet set another Stratford landmark at the Studio Theatre this season. It became the first play in the Festival's history to be written and directed by an African Canadian woman, Djanet Sears. "The successful staging of Harlem Duet is more than just a tribute to the Festival's commitment to celebrating the rich and varied Canadian voices on our stages and to our New Play Development program", said general director Antoni Cimolino. "It will go a long way in promoting diversity at the Festival. Our production of Harlem Duet received critical and popular acclaim. Night after night the Studio Theatre was filled with both traditional Stratford attendees and a new group of patrons, who discovered the Stratford Festival through Harlem Duet." Cimolino pointed out that Stratford audiences have come to expect such innovative productions on Stratford stages. He added, "The Liar at the Studio Theatre was another example of breaking new ground with an exciting and unorthodox production of a seminal work in the Western canon. In our other theatres we had important Shakespearean titles such as Coriolanus, Henry IV, Part 1, Much Ado About Nothing and Twelfth Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m: and Sunday 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. It is closed Dec, 24, 25 and 26; and Ian. 1. Friday, Dec. 29 is a special admission day with free admission for children ages 16 and under, when accompanied by an adult. Regular adult admission rates apply. The museum is decorated for the season. You can visit the special exhibits, search the museum for hidden surprises and space with holiday cheer. "A beautiful loop-hooked or braided area rug, especially one that is all- weather is an easy way to add warmth, and is perfect for this highly trafficked area," , adds Mangano. Plan Room by Room In the living room, create an open environment that is conducive to conversation and interaction. The living room is where most guests gather, so create a space that encourages guests to mingle, chat, and entertain themselves — without constant guidance from the ever- busy hostess, interior designer Marge Hobley recommends investing in a multi-purpose table. Night presented from unique and insightful viewpoints and then of course there was the family friendly Oliver!" The Festival welcomed some special guests from Ottawa this season. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his family came to see Oliver! After the performance the Harpers were greeted by the cast and crew. Later in the season, Governor General Michaelle Jean attended the opening of Don Juan in French. At the reception after the show Madame Jean raised a toast and congratulated the Festival for promoting the French language and Francophone culture in English speaking Canada. This season also saw members -of the media honouring Richard Monette's formidable list of achievements. - The Canadian -Theatre Critics Association presented Mr. Monette with its Herbert Whitaker Drama Bench Award for outstanding contribution to Canadian Theatre. The artistic achievements on stage were reflected in the account books. The Festival's budget of nearly $53 million was surpassed by $19,736, with 528,373 tickets sold. "We are delighted that for the 13th season running we've posted a surplus", said Cimolino, "We did face some challenges with our U.S. attendance but remarkably donations from our American patrons were at a make a craft to take home. Children ages six - 10 are invited to the special season- al children's programmes Christmas Crackers and Winter Wonders. Pre-registration is required for these programmes so book early since spaces are limited. Christmas Crackers takes place Sunday, Dec. 17 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Cost is $10 per child. Winter Wonders takes place Finally, focus on the dining room. An elegant, sophisticated dining room reminds guests that holidays are a special occasion. And after spending hours cooking in the kitchen, make sure the tabletop highlights your outstanding culinary efforts. "The dining room table should be the focal point and complete the look of elegance," says Mangano. "The table itself should be finely finished and timeless, and can also co-ordinate with changing •de'cor trends. And an easy tip: always set the table a day or so in advance and enlist the help of your children. This ensures one lest task to complete the day of your event. record high: This shows that though some of our casual American friends might be deterred by the soaring Canadian dollar, our core US audience is standing by us like never before." Board chair Kelly Meighen thanked Festival Members for the increased support, "Membership revenue was up 14 per cent from last year. The Playwright's Circle level of membership set a new record this year by crossing the $2 million mark." The Festival's educational activities also boasted significant achievements and Meighen congratulated the education department for creating engaging and informative modules for both students and teachers. "The Shakespeare School is hugely popular and over-subscribed and sadly we can't accept all the students who apply," said Meighen, "This year the school added two More weeks to its program since we had a record number of students who wanted to return along with the first timers." The Department also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Teachers' conference in 2006. Meighen said, "The hallmark of the conference was an inspiring keynote speech from Patrick Spottiswoode, Director of Education at the Globe Theatre, renowned for its innovative Shakespeare in schools programs:" Thursday, Jan. 4 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Investigate and explore winter for the early settler. Cost is $20 per child. For more information about upcoming events, holiday hours or to register for a programme contact Elizabeth at the Huron County Museum 519-524- 2686. The Huron County Museum is located at 110 North St., Goderich. Remember, an organized home prepared well in advance will help to reduce the • anxiety of holiday entertaining. When the holidays arrive and the family starts rolling in, you can relax and enjoy memorable evenings with cherished friends and family. This season the education department received $1 million from Richard Rooney and Laura Dinner. Acknowledging the donation, Meighen said, "Thanks to Richard and Laura's generosity the education department will not only be able to expand our popular Teaching Shakespeare School and provide 'additional training for teaching artists, but also allow us to bolster our ranks to promote school sales and development of school audiences." 2007 is a milestone season for the Stratford Festival of Canada. It will be Monette's 14th and final as artistic director. "Richard has delivered many extraordinary productions as Artistic Director", said Mr. Cimolino, "His final season is going to be as exciting and diverse as the 13 that came before it. We are looking forward to a year-long celebration of Richard's tenure and so are our patrons. In almost three weeks of ticket sales the response has been very positive. The figures are substantially higher over the same period last year. This bodes extremely well for an artistically and financially successful 55th season of the Stratford Festival." During their priority booking period Stratford Festival Members have already pushed ticket sales to over $6.6 million. There are many things to see and do at the Huron County Museum during the holiday season. Visit the Huron County Museum in Goderich to enjoy exhibits regarding the life and history of Huron County and its residents. Take time to view the special temporary exhibit Cultivating Ontario's West Coast celebrating the agricultural industry of Huron County. The museum is open Monday to Tips for stress-free the holidays at Museum entertaining