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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1975-03-13, Page 170 Crcssroad.s �1 Om ►es*ly !► !,.1�. 141stowei Bunaer. Vllidghum Adv*Ilee- Times and Mount Forest Confe- derate i,ls: resd by 3i,2.0 ale ha e "vo rtlaad .of Midwestern Outwit". ginned Qu 3.5 readers Of MOO homes.) Feature and Photos by B. Stinson All of a sudden fantasies are `in'. People are talking about them. Doctors are studying them. We're like children again . . "Admit it, you'd like to be a great romantic and you want to make people laugh until they cry. And you, I know it, you want to be a hero. You can think of nothing better than to pass from this life with hun- dreds toasting your victories. Well step right up! Here's your chance!" Amateur theatre groups are , sprouting up everywhere. They'- re just like worms in the ground after two straight days of rain. Where people are gathering to- gether, theatre groups are taking root. People are realizing the fun and satisfaction of theatre. It's not just the challenge or the thrill of a, third encore. Theatre is of- fering a medium for self-expres- sion—a chance to make fantasy into reality. Theatre groups are beginning to increase in numbers. Area groups include those in Listowel, Hanover, Walkerton, Kincardine, Palmerston, Port Elgin and Wingham. One such group is the newly - formed Grey Wellington Theatre Guild based in Mount Forest. GETTING READY—Bob Maginnis is stage manager of Plaza Suite. He and Patrick Smith designed the set and construction is now well underway. Approximately $500 Of the play's $1,000 budget will be used in this area. Published every .week in The Listowel Banner, The Wingham Advance -Times and The MOW Forest Confederate by Wenger Bros. Limited. g , --- :+ossrogds---Mareh , I Newly -formed guild presEnts. firs't mayor With one production to its credit and 22 members, the guild is moving ahead with sights held high. Grey Wellington was formed in August 1974, for the purpose of promoting live theatre in the community and to provide an op- portunity for area residents to participate in the reading, acting and staging of plays. The dynamite behind the guild is Patrick Smith, an enthusiastic Englishman, recently moved to Harriston and working at Morgan Adhesives in Mount Forest. Pat is artistic director of the guild and brings many years of experience in the theatre. Most recently he wassresident director of the Bramalea Little Theatre. During his nine ears there he di- rected plays such as Anne of a Thousand Days, Lion in Winter and the Odd Couple. His last pro- duction in Bramalea was Cactus Flower. In the program the cast paid him homage. "After eight years of constant involvement in Bramalea Little Theatre, directing, acting and working back stage ... Pat's em- ployer is taking him to Mount Forest. "He has brought a wealth of knowledge from the professional stage and . numerous other thea- trical groups to our club . . Cactus Flower involvement will be the 25th production since his association with our club." Pat attended the London School of Music and Drama in England in persuing a desire to become a director. "B$ut was told -1 was a better actor than director," he chuckles. • In 1955 he immigrated to Cana- da and was able to continue with theatre work both on and off the stage. He designed sets for the Confederation Life Insurance Company which, hires profession- als fo put on `shows'. He partici- pated in various groups. One of his high points was a nomination for Best Actor in Festival Circuit '72. Pat was the sole performer in the first production of the Grey Wellington Guild. In November • he became Mark Twain and en- %. LOCKED IN THE BATHROOM—Alex Adam plays Roy Hubley in Act III of Plaza Suite. He and his wife Norma, Lorena McGowan, attempt to get their daughter out of the locked bathroom before the awaiting wedding guests realize that the bride is late. production .. . tertained for a two -night per, formance of An Evening with,, Mark Twain. The production was enjoyed by its audience and won recognition for both Pat and the guild. And, as the saying goes, behind: every successful man is ,a woman. Behind Pat there is. Judy. While Pat was resident director of the Bramalea Little Theatre, Judy enlisted to assist behind the scenes and quickly became acquainted with the steps neces- sary to make a production go as smoothly back stage as it does in front of the curtain. "I've worked on and off with groups for a couple of years. I guess I got interested because of my husband, Pat. But I have too- desire to be on stage—I'm mainly a props person. Mrs. Smith also assisted with the reading committee in Brama- lea and was executive librarian. This she really enjoyed. Both Pat and 3udy are enthu- siastic and their interest in the theatre and making something the best proves contagious. If something is lacking—in expres-' sion or on the set—it is soon found or a supplement becomes even better. On Thursday, Friday, Satur- day, March 20, 21 and 22 the Grey. Wellington Theatre Guild will. present its first major produc- tion, Plaza Suite, by Neil Simon, will be staged at Mount Forest District High School. The three - act comedy, which begins at 8 (sharp! ), includes a' cast of el study off the part Stuart has sum- marized Sam as "a middle-aged work -at -it who resents it. He strives~ for eternal youth and blows it." Miss McCormack is played by MIRELLA VANIN and the waiter, equipped with 'anchovies and champagne, is RICHARD JAUNZEMIS. Before Sam leaves.Suite 719 to return to his office and computer, be and Karen are exposed . each other and realize the ho . ' ess- ess of being able to return to the ay things were. ACT II Visitor from Hollywood is an act with a simple plot. A famous Hollywood producer, Jesse Kip - linger, books into Suite 719 for business reasons. With time on his hands he calls a former child- hood sweetheart, Muriel Tate, and plans a romantic reunion. When Muriel, played by CHAR- LOTT GIBSON, arrives to see "the famous producer" who she still gets kidded about, Jesse, played by PATRICK SMITH, welcomes her with open arms .. and succeeds in his plans. As the producer attempts to re- kindle the fire of a relationship of 17 years ago, he realizes the meaninglessness of his existence and his unhappiness. His success has not made up for the pain of three terrible marriages which ended in divorce. Muriel, too, admits that her 61't' tiusbanad could • collie home at seven or five "if he comes home at all." She lets her excitement reveal the discontent she feels for her past and present being. Together Charlotte and Patrick make a very convincing Muriel and Jesse. She is self -conscience and he is self-confident. She is in need of being desired and found attractive afid he.experiences the compulsion to conquer. But do both get what they want? PLAZA SUITE The choice of a play for the first production of the Grey Welling- ton Theatre Guild was an impor- tant one. If it was ill -chosen the cast and audience would not re- spond and the future of the guild would be jeopardized. If it was successfully chosen the cast would do its best and the audience would support further efforts. That's why Patrick Smith - chose Plaza Suite. "It's basically three different stories," he explains. • "It has a cast of eleven. But when I chose Plaza 'Suite, I didn't know if we would have eleven in our guild. I knew that the entire play could be carried by five people with the two lead characters in each act being played by the same two people. It had to be a play suit- able for a large or small mem- bership. "Technically Plaza Suite is also the right play. The set is basic. It doesn't have to be changed for each act. It's easy, especially when you compare it to the work involved in something like Anne of a Thousand Days. "But Plaza Suite was also chosen because of its audience appeal," Pat continues. "It is a very funny play. Each . act has something which the audience can identify with. This I feel is important. Neil Simon, the author, can touch each member of the audience and make them laugh—not just at the characters but at themselves." ACT I Each of the acts takes place in Suite 719 of the ritzy Plaza Hotel in New York. Act I, Visitor from Mamaroneck, is about a wife and her husband who are spending a single night in Suite 719. Karen Nash, the wife, Idves the idea but Sam, her husband, thinks it's a waste of money and a terrible place 'to get .any work done. LORENA McGOWAN`plays the 48 -year-old housewife vO'ho has made the arrangements . for the suite. The painter has taken over their home for a day or two and it just happens to be their wedding anniversary -23 or 24 years to the day. Sam, portrayed by STUART FARLOW, has no time for hotels or memories as his. business and fear of growing old are far too important. He doesn't think Suite 719 was the room where he spent his honeymoon and he hates the thought of spending an "enjoy- able" evening away from the of- fice, and his secretary, the skinny Miss Jean McCormack. In his ACT III Visitor from Forest Hills is by far the funniest of all three acts and the `crowning glory' of Plaza Suite. .,, The mother of the bride sits in the elegance of Suite 719 pon- dering the problem of how to get her daughter, Mimsey, out of the locked bathroom, down to the groom and wedding guests six floors below. LORENA McGOWAN takes center stage for a second time, as Norma Hubley, the mother of the bride. -Her efforts to get her daughter out of the bathroom, to control her angered (!) husband and 'to examine her success -fail- ure as a mother, have her yelling one moment and crying the next. ALEX ADAM appears as Roy Hubley, the .father of the bride. As his anger grows, subsides to hurt and explodes again, Mimsey remains self -imprisoned. The bride, when she finally ap- pears, is played by NANCY FAR - LOW. Her awaiting groom is RICHARD JAUNZEMIS. As the groom leaves the suite after a short monologue with his bride (through the bathroom door) the door is unlocked and the bride leads the way to the wed- ding—halleluia ! HAVE WORKED The cast of Plaza Suite has worked very hard during recent weeks and these efforts have not gone unnoticed by their director. "I'm pleasantly surprised by Plaza Suite to date," says Pat- rick Smith. "It is far better than I ever thought it would be. It could even be better than the produc- tion of the Bramalea Theatre. The last? rehearsals have gone extremely well. I'm sure the people of Grey Wellington will be very surprised by the calibre of the performance." This praise is well received by the actors, as only one member of the cast, aside from Pat, has ever had experience other than in public or high school clubs. Lorena McGowan has credits to her name but admits that all of the experience was in the past. She has not been on stage for nine years. Prior to coming to Mount Forest, she acted with the Kemptville Players and the Brockville Theatre Guild. This experience, coupled with a defi- nite talent, has resulted in two major parts in Plaza Suite. In Act I she acts with Stuart Farlow. tie has been able to take the character of Sam Nash and masters the role of the 'physically fit businessman, suffering from male middle age. Stuart and Lorena take the act and make it a funny, yet moving train of events. Charlotte Gibson is another well cast to her role. With short cropped hair, an innocent , face and starry eyes, her portrayal of Plaza Muriel Tate in Act II remains out- standing. Her experience was gained as a member of a high school drama club• and its pro- duction of Shakespeare's A Mid Summer Night's Dream. Lorena's reappearance -as Nor- ma Hubley in.Act III reaffirms one's impression that she is, in- deed, a talented performer. Her ability to change the pace of the act is evident, as is her versati- lity. Alex Adam appears hand- picked for his role as the father of the bride. His physical appear- ance fits in well and his manner- isms, including arm -waving, come naturally. • Despite no theatrical experience since leav- ing secondary school, he takes the part of Roy with commend- able success. lVtirelia Vanua, R!icbaard mua- zemis and Nancy Farlow corGte to the stage with little . exPerience but all were active,.mbers - school drama clubs when an - dents. OFF STAGE While each actor learns hiss or her lines and tackles the charac- ter's individuality, a force of men and women is learnrng, i s *ties. One member' of thus; force is Karen Maginnis Who . i as.' it -- tended every rehearsal possible and will probably know most of the lines off by heart. As Wept girl she .has worked closely With Pat and the actors in a ready po- sition to give forgotten 'lines and cues. Under the direction of Please turn to Page 3 "BUT YOU'RE FAMOUS" --Muriel Tate, played by Charlotte Gibson, is flattered by. the attention which Jesse Kiplinger, played by Patrick Smith, pays to her. She is merely a housewife and he is a famous Hollywood producer. A scene from Act 11 of Plaza Suite. LET ME—Karen Nash begins to put her husband's "pupils back in" but her tenderness is soon rejected. Karen is played by Lorena McGowan and Sam Nash by Stuart Farlow.