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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-05-15, Page 11Dark drama in The Crucible' BY PATRICK RAMS; The word crucible, means "a severe test or trial," and the play of the same name, performed by the Goderich District Col- legiate Institute Drama Club over the weekend survived just such a test quite nice- ly. Director Philip .McMillan set the stage for a tough test of the club's talents when he chose Arthur Miller's heavy drama, "The Crucible" for their latest production. "The Crucible" is a mssage play, laden with so many intense m ents, that to attempt such a production th a cast of experienc- ed professionals wotpld be enough to give most directors a fit. So it was an exciting surprise to see McMillan's student cast pull it off with such panache. "The Crucible" deals with the Salem "Witch Trials" in the spring of 16i2, which led to the execution of 19 people. Paranoia strikes the town of Salem when a group of young girls, in an attempt to cover up, after being caught dancing naked in the woods ( A serious crime in that puritan society), pre- tend to see spirits which tell them which of the townspeople are in league with the Devil. _ _ ---... That the townspeople are simple enough to believe the ravings of these children would be hard to• believe„ were the play not based on an actual event in history. That the supposedly better educated members of the society, such as court officials, clergymen and even the deputy governor of the state, fall for the scam is even more astounding. As the author intended, the play reflects the attitudes which prevailed in old Salem, and; which later reared their head in more modern times, as in the "McCarthyism" of the 1950's. Kent Milburn -has one of the most deman- ding roles in the play. As John Proctor, an upright citizen who hesitates to speak out against the trials until his own wife (played by Sandy Lane) is accused, Milburn alter- nately emotes rage, sorrow and pathos, in well-controlled dosages. Anger abounds in this play, with nearly all the main characters getting a chance to scream arid rant at some point. Particulary good were Bob Barwick,as Deputy eputy Gover- nor . Danforth; Alistar Baker, as the materialistic Reverend Parris and John King, as decent landowner Giles Corey. Nisa Howe is Abigail Williams, the ice - hearted young woman who sets the trials in motion, by crying "witch" at anyone wno stands in her way. When she is unable to convince Proctor, with whom she has had an affair, to leave his wife for her, she has Elizabeth Proctor thrown in jail. • GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, WEDNESDAY, MAY 15.19815 --PAGE 11 THE SEAFORTH OPTI NIIST`1 present — continuous music — SATURDAY, MAY 25 o Kent Milburn, as John Proctor, encourages Lisa Adams, as Mary Warren' to tell the truth about the spirits she supposedley sees during the GDCI Drama Club production of "The Crucible". The club performed the play over a three night run, last Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the school's auditorium. (photo by Susan Hundertmark) Howe gives a spellbinding performance as the remorseless "Abby" and her confr» Ca- tion scene in , the woods with Milburn showcases the plentiful acting talents they both possess. Fine performances were also turned in by Mike Maurer as Rev. John Hale and Lisa Adams as Mary Warren. Pamela Losereit does well in a tough role,. speaking in a believeable Barbados accent, as Tituba, the bewildered slave. Losereit is made up in blackface for her role, one of several examples of fine make-up work in the production* King, Jim Beattie, as Fran, cis Nurse and Heidi Hoernig as his wife Rebekah, were also well disguised in their roles as the towns older residents. At first glance one had to wonder if some local senior citizens had not been elicited to play the parts. The set and props crew did a fine job and what must have been very difficult job in creating the setting for five acts, all in dif- ferent settings. The minimal wait between set changes with some dramatic 'mood music, which blended in perfectly with the serious tone of the play. There is no attempt in "The Crucible" to relieve the depressing nature of the subject matter and the play is all the stronger for the absence of any rose -coloring of a deplorable situation. The playprovides an t on. , absorbing look at a time when the weaker side of human nature prevailed over good sense. It also gives us an irritating reminder that many of the attitudes that caused the "Witch Htmts" still exist today and need to be avoided. The GDCI' Drama Club has dramatized the underlying message of "The Crucible" while providing rivetting entertainment at the same time. Council aids clukwith donation Beth Hazlitt;--secretary, Goderich Figure Skating Club, spoke to Colborne Council at its regular meeting May 7, asking their con- sideration of, a donation to the club. The organization has budgeted a deficit in their 1985 - 86 budget. Hazlitt• advised ct,ancil that of a total, enrollment of 144 persons during the 1984 - 85 sea§on, 27 persons were from Colborne Township, of which four were adults. In con- sidering this request, council .noted that its budget had already been struck for 1985 but also noted that the township did not have many recreation facilities of its own and de- pends, to a large extent, on, neighbouring municipalities for such facilities. A resolution was passed approving a grant of $300.00 to the Figure Skating Club and also a resolution referring the matter of annual grants for any recreation organiza- tion for study by the Colborne Township Recreation Committee for a recommenda- tion to council as to the manner of handling future similar requests. Bills and accounts in the total amount of $41,452.67 were approved and ordered paid and a resolution was -passed approving the write-off of taxes in the amount of $403.19 as recommended by the Assessment Commis- sioner. The write-offs resulted from reduced assessments caused by the destruction of a barn by fire, the property of Brad Vanstone, Part Lot 2, Conc. 2 E.D.; of a house destroyed by fire, property of James Bowie, Part Lot 2, Concession 7 E.D.; and the removal of commercial assessment from the property of Laverne Bean at Part Lot 1, Concession 7 E.D. The Road Superintendent is attending the C.S. Anderson Road School Guelph, Ontario, May 6 - 8, and therefore no road report was available. Building Permits have been issued to the following: Richard Storey, to enclose an ex- isting sundeck on t ailer home by installing windows at 59 Algonquin Road, Meneset Trailer Park, Richard Storey, 'contractor; V.J. Alexander, to construct a 16' x 19' addi- tion to existing single family residence on Lots 26 and 27, Plan 568, Menesetung, Jack H. Gerrits, contractor; John Hakkers, to construct a 32' x 48' equipment storage/garage shed on North Part Block D, Ray Lambers, contractor; Donald Treble, to construct a 50' x104' machine -storage sh- ed on Lot 4, Conc. 1 E.D., Pegg Con- struction, contractor; John Hopkinson, to construct a single family residence on Lot 36, Plan 578, D. Clare Sager, contractor; Robert Wheeler, to construct a car- port/breezeway to existing residence on Lot 18, Plan 576 (Proctor Subdivision), Robert Wheeler, contractor; Barbara Everett, c/o Mrs. Sally Rathwell, to construct a wood sundeck and rail on southwest front half of existing recreational residence on Part Lots 43 - 46, Plan 570, Peter Herring, contractor. A request by Agrican Developments Limited that they be allowed to continue the culvert in a short length of open ditch between the driveways in Lots 1 and 2, Plan 578, was refused by council. Their reason be- ing that the drainage•in the subdivision had been designed and approved as a rural residential drain system using an open ditch concept and that any change in that plan now would require an engineered pre -design and approval and be completed in the entire NA, AN, I -r L_...461/4/4\/ 0 NOW OPEN... FOR LUNCH & DINNER if you're looking fore quick, satisfying, and inexpensive lunch or dinner... it's waiting for you at the Maitland. Lunch served from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm Dinner served from pm to 8:30 pm agius AI r u SOUcoosell fir, OwsNaaa.. imare 1i gr=in sir (Salads and Snacks served ail day) or try our delectable SUNDAY BRUNCH Featuring our own buffet MENU CONSISTS OF Eggs Benedict or Seafood Quiche or... Roast of the day Book your reservations for parties, weddings, etc. Golf Fees & Court Fees available daily the Maitland j Court�v Club524-9641 0 z rn North Harbour Rd., G©derielz® subdivision as a single project. Council approved a change in the township logo to show the date of incorpora- ''tion as 1836 instead of 1850 as originally shown. The change results from research which shows that the first form of municipal government in, Colborne Township took place on January 4, 1836, at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, with the election of two commissioners, a clerk and assessor and a collector. The . date of 1850 had been previously useddue to this corresponding to the date when the first Ontario Municipal Act gave status to all existing municipalities. A pictorial history to honour 150 years of progress in Colborne Township is being planned. A committee, composed of Gerald and Shirley Dustow, Phyllis Pitblado, Gerald Lamb, Jean Prest, Mrs. B. Homan, Madeline Bean and Shirley Hazlitt have been preparing to start ;the 'coffee table' type book. It is hoped that the Colborne Picture History will be ready .for unveiling at Col- borne's Sesquicentennial Celebrations July 18 - 20, 1986. We are fortunate in Colborne Township to have a wealth of history to draw from. R. Sallow's photographs, school pictures, individual collections and especially those long forgotten boxes of 'junk' in everyone's attic will help us to create a unique treasure. Information sheets are available from any book committee member or at the township office. Pick up an information sheet and submit a picture, a postcard, sale bill, or anything that you feel would be of in- terest to people. • U 0. $225 BAR CASINO RALLY Leaving Community Centres • ret 2 p 00 in DANCE cflf flV nr, 13 PRIZES I,mnn. mty irr•IIIre1 u I. ,. SW 1,u r. from Noon • Supper (.;u,i. nun.ly Centres Lerue Hull BLACK JACK, CROWN AND ANCHOR, OVER/UNDER •7" HORSE RACING BEACH PARTY 10 00 P.,n BUSTIN' LOOSE WET T-SHIRT CONTEST AV contestants supplied with FREE T•SHIRT $50000 in PRIZES w CHICKEN SERVED AT ALL TIMES 00 'Y PGI Person DANCING FROM 8.1 9.b Jiia tlaorite good times band TICKETS: $ 700rl• $600 Proceeds to Support Community Prolec1s 410 v cn z -oo z • z • z z SNA P TO N tional Iwtoliressff FREE I SECOND SETOPPR/NTS 0 2 u) Bring your next roll of 110, 126, 135 or Disc co/our print film for developing andprinting and ask fora FREE second set of prints, Applies to 32// or 4" size prints: Not avai/ab/e on `economy" service or with any other special. Offer ends Friday, May 31st. Remember with Pictures! We use AVA/LABL EAT PAPER ...for the Good Look CAMPBELL'S ROYAL BANK BLOCK, SHOPPERS SQUARE GODERICH ... 524-7537 We use _ BENJAMIN Ir_,_ rte►_ i_ ri ,, IMI Am FILM DEVELOP/NG 1: _ y�Is:�+y► AIPy An AVP . Barn Burner Weekend 3 Days Only Saturday May 18 Sunday May 19 Monday May 20 1 O0 Discount on all regular stock In the Loft Drastically reduced prices u0.,75%off r° the Kitchen Each Day 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m. Recipe Demonstrations In the Centre of the Barn each day at 2:00 p•m• Stenciling Demonstrations in the loft during the afternoon Quilting Tool Demonstrations A few restaurant supplies being sold eg. table cloths, coffee hoddle, etc. f; t. 1 Located on Hwy. 83, just west of Hwy 23 229-6429