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Times -Advocate, August 9, 1989
Siames
•
Working on. he set - Aryan Ronezka is one of the skilled members of the production crew who are
creating the elaborate sets for the Rogers and Hammerstein musical.
Rehearsal - Chelsea Brintnell must observe the formalities when in the presence of her father, the Getting crowned - Wardrobe head Jo Zvonkin adjusts Sherry Cassell's glittering crown. Twin sisters
king of Siam (Jack Northmore). Looking on is the crown prince, Robert Creighton. Amy, Leslie Zvonkin and Emily Miller are already crowned and costumed.
Proper btiquette - Choreographer Pat Dawson teaches Andrew
Bannister the proper form to be observed when a young member
of the royal household is in the presence of the king.
Royal spectacle at Playhouse
includes volunteer'casting
By Yvonne Reynolds
GRAND BEND - The Huron
Country Playhouse is preparing for
a royal visit. An oriental potentate
and his entourage are coming. The
King and 1, Rogers and Hammer -
stein's spectacular and entertaining
musical, opens for a three-week run
at the local theatre on August 15.
Right now, the production is like
a giant jigsaw puzzle, with pieces
scattered all over the place awaiting
the touch of director Tony Lloyd to
fit everything together perfectly.
The 33 children who will play
the part of the Siamese king's
many progeny are at the theatre
from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. four
days a week, rehearsing with chore-
ographer Pat Adams, geuing fitted
for their costumes, or posing for
publicity stills.
Stage manager Gloria Day, who
is acting as den mother, was en-
thusiastic:in her praise.
"They try so hard, and are very
disciplined. When they first came,
they didn't know stage right from
stage left, or what a 45 degree an-
gle was, or anything about projec-
tion. They come here day after
day, spend a lot of time waiting,
are never late, never miss a rehear-
sal. They are attentive, bright
kids, and brighten the whole mood.
"They are very well-behaved, and
Tess trouble than my own family -
we had four children in six years,"
Lloyd commented. He pointed out
that the children are not being paid;
they are all volunteers. He is also
grateful to the mothers who drive
the children back and forth.,
Jack Northmore lost his locks to
a razor last week, in preparation for
the lead. Although the actual king
had a full head of hair, Yul Brynner
"established the residual image"
for his successors in the role that
became his second self.
"I don't look oriental until I get
my head shaved," Northmore said
philosophically. He will have
two months to grow afresh head of
hair before his next job.
Pcggy Mahon is back as Anna.
Her lovely voice was heard last year
in Mercer Beaucoup.
"This is a glorious part. The mu-
sic is great, and Anna is a marve-
lous character. She was a very
strong lady, very 1989, a liberated
woman before her time.
Wardrobe head Jo Zvonkin is
sewing furiously. A few costumes
have.been rented from another thea-
tre that staged the show previously,
but most are bcing made in the
Playhouse. At least two changes of
costume are required for each of the
32 children, the 13 wives, the 12
dancing girls, the four male dancers,
the interpreter, and Anna's son.
The young slave girl and the crown
prince will need three, the king four
or five, and Anna will have at least
five, inc!uding a beautiful off the
shoulder ballgown. All Anna's
dresses have hoop skins.
Jo has scwn since first being in-
troduced to the art at age five by her
grandmother. She has taken numer-
ous courses since, and has worked
at other theatres before corning to
the playhouse four years ago. She
has researched the clothing of Eng-
lish ladies and Siamese royalty of a
century ago to make the outfits
look as authentic as possible. She
will also act as.a dresser during per-
formances of The King and 1.
The versatile production crew are
putting together the elaborate set.
They have almost exhpusted the
area's supply of jigsaw blades as
they carve sheets of plywood into
intricate patterns. The set will glit-
ter with gold, and shine with mar-
ble (at least that is how it will
seem from the audience's view), by
the time they arc through.
Matinees for the musical were
"pretty well sold out months ago",
according to publicist Karcn Neale.
A few tickets arc still available.
Evening performances arc already
75 percent sold. Playhouse- staff are
confident The King and / will end
the 1989 season on a high and posi-
tive note.
1
1
Informal - Going over the script for The King and I are director
Tony Lloyd (left) and Peggy Mahon and Jack Northmore, who
have the leading roles. •
Graceful gestures -"Dance captain Eileen Farrell, (right) rehearses
with the dancers who have volunteered their talents as. part of
the musical The King and 1.
J