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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-10-31, Page 15ieiwe, fe.at.i,re' and entertainment f x�� any l'%r Hing fun clow bets have seen PAC" --cast mem ve Frank ve fun clowning Skin "SOUTH rehearsal breaks. ° from n looks around during to attract attention Jack Brow here faking illness Bea Noble. er, Peg Richardsonand n enjoying their nonsense.. 'THAT'S MY LITTLE HONEYBUN"—sings Nellie the ;fa (pori Nelsona"SputPacificsceenin Hammond) rmittes native beauty, as she Kathy Harrnitonhi hly. ) gloodY Mary she prizes 9 N+o_screams the shrunken head «is eEAStewp°ATed Smith) With frightens •erre rnMMM,IMI IMO � _ NRIMNINIMP () Serving over 24,000 homes in Ustowel, Wingham, Mount Forest, Milverton, Ariss, Arthur, Drayton, Harriston, Moorefield, Palmerston, Bloomingdale, Breslau, Conestogo, Elmira, Heidelberg, Unwood, Maryhill, St. Clements, St. Jacobs, Wallenstein, Wellesley and West Montrose. Crossroads, Wednesday, October 31, 1984 Live Theatre iri Listowel By Jalna Colquhoun Music Alive Productions off Listowel has, for three years now, been provid- ing area residents with music, drama and comedy — family entertainment of a professional quality usually found only in larger centres. "South Pacific" is this year's show, to be presented November 14-17 at Listowel District High School Auditor- ium with all proceeds goipg to the service work done by the Listowel Rotary Club. Tickets are available at 291-3820, from Rotarians, cast members and a Amber of Listowel stores. All of the performers, artists, stage and technical crew live in or close to Listowel. Most of them are area natives, having grown up in Kitchener, Lucknow, Listowel, Millbank, Palmerston, Atwood and Moorefield. In the fall of 1981, Peter Dekker, a local businessman with a long-standing interest in musical theatre, approached the Rotary Club of Listowel about financing a musical stage production. Their answer was "Yes, but you pro- duce it," recounted Mr. Dekker. The first show, "Brigadoon", presented in November 1982, was a re- sounding success, attracting an audience of 2,700 over a three -night run. Working together to produce "Brigadoon" drew the cast of entirely local talent into a close, enthusiastic group that decided to form a permanent organization and Music Alive Produc- tions of Listowel was born. In addition to an annual Broadway musical production, presenting Can- tatas in local churches at Easter and Christmas carolling for hospital patients and Senior Citizens, have become traditions with the group. "Carousel",` the company's 1983 pro- duction was reviewed by the media as "impressive, expertly stage entertain- ment . Even before the curtain closed on the four night run "Carousel", plans for the next three theatre season were enthusiastically being discussed., , By the end of February, 1984, "South Pacific" had been chosen as the up- coming show with performance dates set for November 14-17. The Listowel Rotary Club once more agreed to sponsorship, Earl Riener of Kitchener was again hired as professional music director, Stratford Festival Orchestra engaged to accompany, and auditions set for the end of May. The third season for Music Alive Productions of Listowel was underway. "South Pacific" is a Rodgers„ and Hammerstein musical, based on James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "Tales of the South Pacific". The play is set in the New Hebrides Islands occupied by the American Navy, during World War II. When sailors and nurses invent diversions to break the boredom of base life, mingle with the natives and socialize with a local French planter, the islands' really jump with music, humor and romance. Beginning with 2 nights a week through September, the rehearsal schedule will intensify to 4 or 5 prac- tices a week as. Opening Night November 14, approaches. Vivacious Naval Nurse Nellie For- bush, "South Pacific's" leading lady, will be played by Lori Nelson. Miss Nelson comes from RR 2, Palmerston, is a graduate of Listowel District High School and teaches music at Wallace Township Public School. Portraying French Planter, Emile DeBecque, will be Peter Dekker, known for his work with the Kitchener Musical Society as well as for his contribution to music in Listowel. Mr. Dekker is also the show's producer. Providing a lot of laughs but also singing the hauntingly beautiful "Bali Ha'i'", • will be Kathy McIntosh Hamilton as Bloody Mary. Kathy is a Listowel girl who studied music at University and is presently living in Palmerston where she leads a junior church choir. Jim Newman, who comes from Millbank and has a background of family, school and university music, will play Marine Lieut. Joseph Cable. Moorefield area native Brian Hammond, a teacher at Listowel Central Public School, gained acting and music experience from Norwell District High School productions, and Kitchener -Waterloo Octoberfest shows. Brian will appear in "South Pacific".as the hilarous wheeler-dealer, Luther Billis. Adding to the comedy are Billis' side- kicks: (Stewpot) is really the well- known Listowel merchant; Ted Smith of Smiths Market Square and Dr. Dennis Nuhn, (Professor) a Palmer- ston dentist. Kitchener -Waterloo Symphony and Stratford Festival Orchestra veteran, Earl Riener, is directing Music Alive Productions of Listowel's presentation of "South Pacific" and an ensemble of the Stratford Festival Orchestra will provide accompaniment. Well-known Atwood musician, Mary Chapman is Music Alive's tireless re- hearsal pianist. In addition to the ef- forts of the cast, countless hours are given by local artists, carpenters and stage crew to provide spectacular scenery, special effects, props, costumes and make-up. To produce high quality entertain- ment requires a sizeable budget and a figure of $11,500 has been set for "South Pacific". Even though time and talent are donated, cost for materials, rehearsal halls, advertising etc. must be met and royalties, at $2,500 take the largest bite from the budget. The Listowel Rotary Club and Music Alive Productions of Listowel will present "South Pacific" at Listowel District High School Auditorium Wednesday, November 14 to Saturday November 17. Get your tickets frons Listowel Rotarians, Music Alive mem- bers, at Smith's Market Square, Tur- bitt's Pharmacy Brown's Pharmacy, Marg's New To You, Trend Interiors, Conway Furniture, or Bowen Printing, in Listowel, or phone 291-3820. `YOUNGER THAN SPRINGTIME"—is how Liet. Joe Cable (Jim Newman) feels when he gazes into the eyes of lovey Liat (Lisa Uptigrove). GWTG's presentation of On Golden Pond A story of love & conflicts From a fast -paced musical classic, to an emotion -laden play about family life. That is the direction the Grey Wel- lington Theatre Guild (GWTG) is tak- ing, as they move into production for their next performance. The guild will be staging "On Golden Pond", for a six -night run, on Nov. 15, 16, 17, 22, 23 and 24, at the Harriston Town Hall Theatre. Curtain time 8:30 p.m. sharp. Following on the heels of a successful second run of "Oliver" in September, this play confronts the troupe with a whole new set of chal- lenges. The stage ver ,on of "On Golden Pond" was recently popularized when a film adaptation, starring Katherine Hepburn, Henry Fonda and Jane Fonda, became a box office smash„ The story involves an elderly, but young -at - heart couple, their life at a lakeside suppmer home and their relationship with their daughter and her urban boy- friend. Throw in a young boy, a street- wise city youth and you have a char- acter mix that results in emotion - charged theatre. Director Richard Jaunzemis is going with an experienced cast for this pro- duction. All six of the actors cast for the play have appeared in previous guild productions. Patrick 5�,uLi,, of Har- riston, will portray Norman Thayer; Christina Brookes, of Harriston, will play his wife, Ethel and 'Coleen Ander- son, of Mount Forest, is featured as their daughter, Chelsea. The play also stars Bryden Cofell, of Harriston, as Billy Ray Jr.; his real-life father Bev Cofell, as postman Charlie Posh and Paul Rank, of Harriston, as Bill Ray Sr. "On Golden Pond is Jaunzemis' sec- ond production in the director's chair, although he has' been on stage countless times. His first shot at directing came when he took over the reins midway through the production of the comedy "There goes the Bride". Jaunzemis said he expects this play to be well received because, "it has something for everyone." "It's a story about family life, about conflicts within the family," he said. "It's about two people who are very much in love." "It's not an action play. It's a play of feelings and emotions," he said, adding that richness of characters is integral to the production. "There is not one part that doesn't have depth," said Jaunzemis. The cast has been rehearsing three nights a week, a pace they will keep up until showtime. It's a more rigid schedule than most guild productions adhere to, but Jaunzemis expects the extra work to result in "more con- sistency," in the production. The GWTG recently hosted a lighting seminar, conducted by Toronto lighting specialist Peter MacKinnon, who has worked with theatre companies in Toronto, Stratford, New York and other major centres. MacKinnon demon- strated to guild members, how to ef- fectively use lighting to enhance the realism of their productions. Jaunzem- is said much of what MacKinnon taught the group will be put to use in the up- coming production. Tickets for "On Golden Pond" can be obtained from: Acheson Pharmacy Harriston; Sears, Harriston; Moran Pharmacy, Mount Forest; Stedmans, Mount Forest; Ron Owers Office Out- fitters, Hanover; Browns Guardian Drugs, Walkerton; Stewarts Phar- macy, Palmerston and Brown's Family Pharmacy, Listowel; or call D. Seip, 338-3481. Record albums and cassettes with the music from "Oliver", featuring the voices of the original GWTG cast are still available. They can be purchased at Sears, Harriston or Stedmans, Mount Forest.