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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2005-06-29, Page 7t'‘� Tf-IE HURON EXPOSITOR, June 29, 2005-7 St. Columban far from lost in Yonkers Thomas Murray stars as a leading actor in the Pulitzer prize-winning play in Grand Bend By Ben Forrest Expositor Staff When it came time to cast the role of Arty for Drayton Entertainment's production of Lost in Yonkers, a Pulitzer prize-winning play that opens at the Huron Country Playhouse on July 6, St. Columban resident Thomas Murray was the first to audition. He was also the last. "We knew right away he was the guy we wanted," says Adam Furfaro, the play's director. "He prepared, he knew the play he had a lot of life, and he and Mitchell (Marcus, who plays Jay, one of the other lead characters) got along really well the first time they met. And a lot of times you just go by instinct. It felt right." was Murray says he has never had a role as big as this one, though he's quite nearly a veteran of local theatre, having been involved in four Drayton productions, beginning with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat in 2001. He also played Colin in last year's production of The Secret Garden and a 1 s o participated in Carousel - both at the Grand Bend theatre. He was also part of the cast of Annie Get Your Gun, which played at the • Drayton Festival Theatre. "The guy's an old pro," Furfaro says. Murray has two older sisters - 14 -year-old Janelle and 13 -year-old Carolyn - who have also been active in the theatre, even acting in the UulutE'd 'He was prepared, he knew the play. he had a lot of life, and he and Mitchell got along really well the first time they met. And a lot of times you just go by instinct. It felt right,'— Lost in Yonkers director Adam Furfaro Ben Forrest photo Eleven year-old St. Columban resident Thomas Murray took a break from his busy rehearsal schedule to chat with the Expositor about his new role as Arty, one of the male characters in Lost in Yonkers. The Pulitzer Prize award-winning play opens at the Grand Bend Country Playhouse on July 6. Students learn to play it safe under the sun during workshop By Cheryl Heath News -Record Editor Slip. Slap. Slop. And that's just the beginning. Dozens of senior level students from area elementary schools recently gathered at the Huron County Health Unit to learn the ABCs of playing it safe under the sun, One of the session's first lessons, as led by public health nurse Anne Haley, is to slip, slap and slop on the sunscreen while playing outdoors. Donning lotion and wearing protective apparel, like hats, greatly reduces the risk of sunburn. After all, says Haley, the effects of overexposure to the sun are accumulative and sun damage experienced by the age of 18 can lay the foundation for problems in later years. Most of all, says Haley, the workshop is designed as an educational day for county students to come out and learn about sun safety while also getting hands-on experience on how to manage a leadership role as well as how to relate to peers while providing sun safety messages. Participants are also given resources, like videos and activities, to present to students in younger grades. "They're geared up with all these resources," says Haley. "We want kids to cover up." As the axiom goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. "It's so important to create sun safety behaviour," she says, noting sun damage, like heart disease, takes many years to manifest itself in the form of bigger problems, Haley adds the Huron - Perth Catholic District school board deserves kudos for being among the first in Canada to develop a sun safe policy for its students. The Avon Maitland District school board also has plans in the works to develop a similar plan. Carla Nikitin, a 14 -year-old Grade 8 student at Clinton Public School, says the four hour-long workshop touched on issues ranging from the importance of using sunscreen, different types of skin cancers and the dangers of ultraviolet rays. She says the presentation on skin cancer was especially enlightening as she was not aware of the connection between overexposure to the sun and skin cancer. Brock Spencer, a 14 -year- old Grade 8 student at Clinton Public School, says he now plans to wear sunscreen every time he goes outside in the summertime. Brock notes that student participants were given care packages including informational brochures and a videotape to present to Crash near Harpurhey results in charges A 20 -year-old. Seaforth man has been charged with driving without a licence and failing to report an accident after a single vehicle crash on Hanna Line near Harpurhey on June 11 around 9 p.m. The man and a 14 -year-old girl from the Stratford area were taken to Seaforth Community Hospital, where they were treated and released for minor injuries. The girl had been thrown from the vehicle during the crash, which involved the vehicle rolling over several times and ending up in a field. A short time earlier that evening, the Huron OPP llnron received a call about the theft of a green 1987 Honda from Main Street, Seaforth. Police learned the owner had lent the vehicle to her son, who had visited friends in an apartment on Main Street that day. Sometime between 8 and 9 p.m., family friends took the vehicle. The investigation continues. Family dispute ends in charges A 43 -year-old Huron East woman was charged with assault after a dispute between a mother and daughter in Clinton in the early afternoon on June 19, reports the Huron OPP. During the investigation, a 27 -year-old Central Huron woman was also charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana. The two are scheduled to appear in court in Goderich on Aug. 15. Correction Rates at the Agriplex's 32 serviced camping sites are $20'night, not $15a night as was reported in last week's Huron Expositor. We have it all for Great Casual Living • Outdoors • Pools • Garden Areas • Sunroorns P.V.C. TUBULAR RESIN FURNITURE the ultimate in Elegant Outdoor ' Uvinq Aluminum Sling Comfortable lounges Call Aluminu Bar & Counter STOOLS also Hammocks, Benches, Shade Houses & accessories BiND 238-211 (4 y83 E. fa ed.tem 1.me. rbn • 15/00 90 FT • SD %TS ON OtSAAv webtaer www.gomsura.co . sew ATTA WE ALSO MANUFACTURE UMBRELLAS. REPLACEMENT CUSHIONS 8 FURNITURE COVERS younger students at their respective schools. Cutline: Fourteen -year-olds Brock Spencer and Carla Nikitin, of Clinton Public School, display some of the wares they received during a recent Sun Sense workshop presented by the Huron County Health Unit in Clinton. same productions as he has. But, it was a camp called Acting Out, held in Stratford that peaked his interest in the dramatic arts. "It's a summer camp," says Thomas, "and I always go there, and that's where I really got into (acting). I really liked it, so I decided, 'I'm going to try it." In Yonkers, Murray plays the younger of two brothers who have recently lost their mother to cancer. Their father borrowed money from a loan shark to pay for the hospital bills and for a reason neither Murray nor Furfalo disclosed, is absent from the family for 10 months while the boys go to live with their stern Grandma Kurnitz and what a press release describes as "an assortment of colourful relatives." Murray struggled to find words to describe his character, but Furfaro did not, calling him, among other things, "very precocious." "He asks a lot of questions, he's very insightful, in that he understands that his family's all a little off, but he loves them, and he's making the best of this rough situation," Furfalo says. "He's tough, he's caring, and he's smart," the director added later. "He's very, very smart." Murray enters Grade 7 at St. Columban School next year, and in many ways he appears to be much like any other kid his age, filling his spare time by playing hockey, soccer and guitar, among other things. Birt it's doubtful many of Murray's classmates have matched his success thus far as a thespian. Although there have been a few long days involved in preparing for opening night - Murray says they start at 9 a.m. and stop at 6 p.m. - the lad says the experience has been enjoyable and he hopes to someday make a career out of acting. Whether it's in the theatre, on T.V. or in movies is immaterial, Thomas says. "I'd like to do anything, as long as it's acting," he says. Lost in Yonkers runs until July 16 at the Playhouse and then plays from July 20 to Aug. 20 at the Drayton Festival Theatre. wigt DECADE. \ CE Interior Decorator Debby Somerville 'i' Prints and Artwork Quilts and Bedroom Accessories • Bathroom Fixtures and Accessories i Candles • Gift Cards Wall Coverings Pittsburgh Paints and Paint Supplies Draperies and Blinds 'i' Furnishings 'I Lamps Area Rugs Open Tues -Sun 10 am to 5:30 pm Located in the "little olde church' in Varna 75779 Parr Line, Varna 233-3232 CLOSING Saturday, July 9"'! HOURS: • Monday 11-5 p.m. • Tuesday -Friday 9-5 p.m. • Satunlay 9-4 p.m. Open Canada Day, Friday, July t 12-5 p.m. Extra Discounts on Selected Perenn & Cappucino Heuchera, Tiiare1 Cast William St, Sealbrth 519-345-2620 ic Anniversary Celebration aturday, July 9th 10 am-3pm M.G.M. TOWNSEND TIRE * Come see an actual Bridgestone/Firestone Indy League Car Formula 1 Car * Antique tractor display * Circle City Cruisers Free Draw for Bridgestone Tires Racing Simulator 'Enjoy... Huron County Beef Burgers, Hot Dogs & Refreshments 1 mile east of Londesboro 623-474 Inflatable Bouncer for kids Cotton Candy