Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-06-29, Page 4PAGE 4, BLYTH FESTIVAL SALUTE, JUNE 29/30, 2005 Lee MacDougall: Art imitates real life. By Sarah Mann Special to The Citizen A play that was first work­ shopped in Blyth over five years ago will finally-be seen on the Festival’s stage. Written by Lee MacDougall, The Ginkgo Tree is the featured gala opening night presentation this season. Since the workshop and subsequent production in Vancouver, the play has gone through re-writes and edits with the help of artistic director Eric Coates. MacDougall and Coates are old friends, having worked together in Stratford as actors. When Coates took on the role of artistic director in Blyth, MacDougall says he’d mentioned The Ginkgo Tree to see if Coates was interested in doing a production. The two were talking last summer when Coates expressed interest in producing and directing Ginkgo Tree. Coates and MacDougall spent the winter going over the play to ensure every word mattered. MacDougall says the good thing about working with someone is for them to ask questions about what happens and why. “Hindsight is 20/20 when you actually get to go back to something and try to fix it. You see so clearly what to do. With Eric asking many questions about the characters and what dilemma they were facing, Seeing the funnv side Incompetent co-worker and Ehrhardt’s ginkgo inspire comedy things got clearer for me.” The pair also went through the play character by character to edit, clarify and focus the piece. MacDougall said they read all the parts out loud “to hear what sounded extraneous, what we didn’t need or how to focus things better.” And it didn’t hurt that they were buddies. “(Eric and 1) have a great short­ hand with each other. We know how to talk to each other and there’s no politeness, nerves or anxiety. We are very honest. We laugh a lot, and we can laugh at the work we’re doing, and at each other and at the ideas we have.” MacDougall says it's also easier when working with a friend to be able to say, “no, that’s garbage. 1 totally disagree with that.” "It’s much faster that way.” MacDougall’s idea for The Ginkgo Tree came from a couple of different sources. When he first started working as an actor, he also got a job as an office temp at a big trust company in Toronto. In the office, there was a woman employee who “couldn’t actually do anything.” “She couldn’t type, she couldn’t use a computer. She basically just looked at magazines and didn’t do much. But people took care of her and liked her. It always fascinated me the community in the office that just took care of her.” Years later, MacDougall says, he learned that company had been bought by a larger company. The supervisor and that woman were the only people who survived the takeover. “She had great work evaluations every year,” MacDougall said, “because everyone covered for her. She’s probably still working for the same company.” But that’s only part of it. Years later. MacDougall was at a Christmas party in Stratford talking with friends about the large trees people had. “There used to be a props man in Stratford whose name was Ehrhart and someone said, ‘Did you see Ehrhart's ginkgo?' I found it incredibly funny and I wrote it down when I got home. When MacDougall started to think about writing a play set in a gardening store, he wondered if there was some way he could work in that idea. He did. as there is a character named Ehrhart in the play and everyone is searching for his 272 Huron Street Clinton, Ontario N0M 1L0 519-482-1119 Fax: 519-482-5196 Reslaiinillt Roy, Barb &°Jeff Oesch Licensed by LLBO ’’Fresh Food Made To Order” |&| Accessible Opened May 1998, the Dinner Bell offers a wide variety of food including pasta, steak, burgers, sandwiches and more. Our in-house chef serves up different weekly & weekend specials, including Prime Rib every Saturday night and Sunday Brunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Our casual, licenced dining room is perfect for a nice evening out, or an afternoon Of freshly made dessert and coffee. Lunch specials Monday to Friday $4.95. Owned and operated by the Oesch family, we invite you to join us on Hwy. 8 west in Clinton. We also offer a private dining room for large parties, meetings or conferences. ginkgo. “It’s funny,” MacDougall says, “how you don’t realize at the lime when something is said that years later down the road it’s actually going to develop into a whole play.” MacDougall thinks the Blyth audience will love The Ginkgo Tree because they’ll recognize the community and the type of people. Set in a small town much like Blyth or Wingham. “where everybody knows everybody.” “(The audience) will have a great laugh at the story of a guy coming in from the city, the head of a bank, to find out what’s going on with the books with this store. He’s the odd man out because he knows no one and no one knows him." MacDougall says. “I think the audience will have a great laugh at recognizing that character of the city slicker who comes in thinking he knows everything and is better than the small-town people. In the end, the small-town people end up being right.” MacDougall is excited about having a so-called “second chance” at The Ginkgo Tree and is happy it's with the Blyth Festival. “They’re a great supporter of Canadian theatre and 1 think it’s a great start for this new version of the play,” he said. “Blyth has a great reputation and it’s very well respected. For me, as a writer, it’s great because a lot of people will take notice of this production and hopefully there will be more productions because it’s starting at Blyth.” Anniversary SALE Wrangler/Roper Shirts Buy 2 The 3rd is FREE Wrangler/Roper Jeans Up to 5% off Select Western Boots 25o/o off Look for other great in-store specials to celebrate ONE FANTASTIC YEAR AT THE LOFT Custom Chaps & Pads, Dunn by Degroot, Custom Show Apparel by Dorssers Brussels Agri Services Ltd. 1 km east of Brussels Next to Brussels Livestock 1-519-887-9391 - 1-877-887-9391 ©masterfeeds Congratulations to the Blyth Festival on providing 31 seasons of quality entertainment to Huron and Bruce Counties. Carol Mitchell, MPP for Huron-Bruce Clinton office is open Monday to Friday 482-5630 (1-800-668-9320) and Kincardine is open Tuesday and Thursday 396-3007 (1-866-396-3007) www.carolmitchell.ca Upgrade Installations Your local office product specialist Computers • Stationery • Photocopiers Cellular Phones • Furniture (Home & office design available) Phone Systems & Voice mail Network & IT Solutions • Fax Machines Service Dept, for printers, copiers, fax machines & computers A+ Certified Technicians Stoc*223 Huron Rd., Goderich Tel. (519) 524-9863 On-Site and Carry-In Services 214 Josephine St., Wingham Tel. (519) 357-1554 www.microagebasics.com electio