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Times-Advocate, 1999-02-03, Page 4Wednesday, Vebruary 3, 1999 Exeter Times -,Advocate Huron Country Playhouse artistic director resigns By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF GRAND SEND — The Huron Coun- try Playhouse and its artistic director Brian McKay "by mutual agreement have decided to part company,", after McKay expressed a desire to resign. McKay directed Playhouse hits such as The Wizard of Oz, Mass Ap- peal, Brigadoon and Steel Magnolias. Theatre president Shirley McIntyre said the decision for McKay's de- parture was met mutually between the Playhouse and McKay. She said she wishes McKay well in the future and said she thinks he will have a successful career. Instead of replacing McKay with another artistic director, McIntyre said the Playhouse has hired five di- rectors on a contract basis to direct the theatre's productions this year. The Playhouse has lost money in its last two seasons and has a total debt of $400,000, although much of that debt, McIntyre said, comes from ex- tensive renovatio,is the Playhouse began about foul years ago. Last year, the Playhouse lost about $50,000. The Playhouse now has 3,500 sub- scribers for the upcoming season, down from previous years. McIntyre said the Playhouse is trying to im- prove the situation by getting back to family-oriented productions, which are the most popular among Play- house patrons. .She said she hopes the Playhouse's • first production this year, Anything Goes, will appeal to a wide audience. McIntyre attributed the reduction in subscribers to the economy and to the age of Playhouse patrons. She said most patrons are over 55 and as they age it makes it more difficult for them to attend. To respond to this problem, the Playhouse is trying to set up a Subscribe and Ride program in which subscribers can get a bus ride to plays. Despite the debt and the at- tendance problems, McIntyre said she is "very optimistic about the fu- ture" because of the strength of the, Playhouse's personnel and the loy- alty of its customers. Meanwhile, the Playhouse's board for this year consists of chairwoman McIntyre, director of finance Bryan Beattie, executive director Jack Southcott, secretary Mary Burdon and members at large Peter Challen, Joan Cookson, Elia Douglas, Spencer Jeffrey, Patricia Venton, Bruce Woodley and Linda Steele. Newcom- ers include Greg Graham, Evan Whitehead, Gail Little and Ernie Mi- atello. The Huron Country Playhouse opens on June 15 with Cole Porter's Anything Goes. Other productions from the Play- house this summer include Dial 'M' For Murder, a female version of The Odd Couple, Cash on Delivery and Singin' in the Rain. Playhouse II will be showing Nunsense II. Tickets go on sale on March 8. Call 1-800-706- 6665 or (519) 238-6000 for more in- formation. up to 75%off Remaining fall and winter stock Selected 31 . up to 1/2 off r biziollit`i 114 lifilOn alto, i_cx)k!!Ig C9)N\a.*T 4NIL NS WEAR FINE Klein St. 1".\cit'r 23-7)-0-1 12 McGillivray decides to go own way McGILLIVRAY TWP. — Talk about sticker shock. McGillivray Township has opted out of� a Middlesex County -wide .policing contract with the London OPP and has cho- sen their own separate contract with the OPP. OPP service in '98 cost McGillivray $108,788 and will go up to $112,375 in '99 in the McGillivray -only quote. The county -wide OPP quote for McGillivray had the '99 cost at $175,317, a whopping dif- ference of $62,942. "With the amount of money it was going to cost us per year we couldn't win," Hodgson said. "For that $62,000 1 thought we were subsidizing the areas near London.". Hodgson explained the reason the county -wide and McGillivray -only quotes differed so drasti- cally was\,because the county -wide quote was based on the assessment of each municipality. McGillivray has only 613 households spread throughout .a large area while urban centres like Lucan have many more households contained in a much smaller area. The county -wide quote meant cheaper policing for some municipalities like Parkhill, but dramatic increases for rural ones like McGillivray. McGillivray is the only Middlesex municipality besides Strathroy and Carrodoc to stay out of the county -wide quote. The Strathroy Police took over Carrodoc in the fallout of amalgamation. Hodgson said there is still hope McGillivray will someday accept a county- wide quote. There will be 3 policing savings when McGillivray amalgamates with East Williams, West Williams, Parkhill and Ailsa Craig as the Township of North Middlesex in 2001.. But the county -wide sce- nario may work for McGillivray before the merger. Hodgson said the county will approach London OPP to try to get a cheaper quote for McGillivray. Draleries Gddk111mehrN'e! Speciskine in s s Drapelterations lass cushions. duvet covers. bedskirts Brenda Desjardine (519) 235-2960 Exeter pres sVii: Satellite Dish MacLeans dishout'More for LESS! LONDON PRICE MACLEANS PRICE $2700 Basic System $2700 Basic System $9.95 per month x 37 $399.99: $368.15 Installation $50.00 Less Programing Installation $70.00 Credit ($100.00) Programing Credit .00 $350.00 $438.15 SAVE $88.20 LOWER THAN LONDON! * $50 installation includes dish hook up to television and Ome 100 ft. of co ax and ends late Rada oSh.ac� Mac can's 110 Main St. N. Exeter 235-0800 237-3150 .