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The Huron Expositor • November 30, 2005 Page 13
St. Columban's Thomas Murray an easy
choice for Stratford production of Starbright
Jeff Heuchert
When it came to casting performers for the
second production of StarBright, the
Christmas broadway musical held inside the
Stratford Festival Theatre, 12 -year-old
Thomas Murray of St. Columban was an obvi-
ous choice.
Producer for Starbright David Hogan says
Murray was an easy choice to cast again this
year, because his performance last year in
Starbright was "so earnest and angelic."
"He has such an endearing quality about
him," says Hogan.
So much so, Hogan has chosen Murray to
perform the title song, Starbright, at the
beginning and end of the show.
This will be Murray's second performance in
Starbright, and his ninth production in all,
having performed already in six productions
at the Drayton Festival Theatre.
Murray says he is eager for the December
performances to begin.
"It's a great production, it's so much fun,"
says Murray with excitement in his voice.
"It'll get you into the Christmas spirit," he
promises.
Murray will sing and dance alongside a list
of accomplished performers, with years of
experience with symphony orchestras, festival
theatres, and on Broadway.
The most notable star is David Rogers,
famous for starring as the phantom in the
Phantom of the Opera.
Murray has the opportunity to sing the
Christmas classic, Do You Hear what I Hear,
with Rogers, which Murray admits, is quite
the experience.
"It's pretty cool," he says. "I get to learn a
lot from his acting, but they're all really good
performers," he says.
Hogan says Murray has been very profes-
sional, and not the slightest bit nervous or
apprehensive around the bigger stars.
"He works very hard, he's a team player,
and a keener," he says.
In total, Murray gets to sing four songs and
recite one poem during Starbright.
Hogan describes the production as "a
Broadway Christmas about family, more than
anything else."
In addition to the individual performers,
Starbright will feature two choirs, a candlelit
stage, and even street singers in the lobby.
The program will include Christmas classics
White Christmas and Silent Night, along with
hits from the Sound of Music and the
Phantom of the Opera, to name a few.
Starbright will be performed at the
Stratford Festival Theatre Dec. 4 and 5, at 2
p.m.
Tickets vary in price from $35-40, and can
be purchased at the Festival Theatre box
office or at 1-800-567-1600.
Thomas Murray
$25,000 worth of repairs completed on railway crossing in Dublin
Randy Herman (front)
ing in Dublin Nov. 16.
Jeff Heuchert photo
gives a hand banging a panel into place on the railway cross -
The work was completed by Goderich Exeter Railway.
Jeff Heuchert
111011111.10
If you're driving and pass over the
railway crossing in. Dublin and hap-
pened to notice how smooth it feels,
that's because $25,000 worth of
repairs were completed on the
tracks and road last week.
The work was completed by the
Goderich Exeter Railway Company,
and included a list of repairs,
according to road master for the
company Ken Kelly.
He says while conducting regular
checks on the railways inspectors
noticed the road surface was getting
rough and the rails were due for an
upgrade.
He adds that most rails last 30 to
35 years, but that number can vary
based on a number of factors such
as the amount of traffic that goes
over them, how often the asphalt
gets salted during the winter
because the salt rusts the steel, the
number of trains that cross and the
number of transport trucks because
of their extensive weight.
The rails that were just removed .
lasted only 20 years, says Kelly.
Workers spent the better part of
12 hours digging up the old rails
and ties, and installing new ones.
Kelly says everything they
replaced was done so with better
quality materials including the
rails, which were upgraded from 100
to 115 -pounds.
They also installed rubber rail
seal on the inside and out of the
rails, which should add more cush-
ion to that patch when driving over
it.
"All you hear when you drive over
it now is a small bump," he says.
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