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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1985-10-30, Page 19Crossroads—Oct. 30, 1985 eisures fe tures an e 'tcrtri ment Serving over 20,000 homes in Ontario's heartland "A good old-fashioned smash" '41,1111=1/1 r Irving Berlin said it when his play "Annie Get Your Gun" opened on broadway in 1946, starring Ethel Merman as Annie Oakley and Ray Middledton as Frank Butler. Forty years and countless thousands of per- formances later "Annie" is still "a good old-fashioned sntash",and will be again when Music Alive Productions of Listowel, under the sponsorship of the Listowel Rotary Club present this fast-moving show about the glamor- ous Wild West shows of a century ago, at Listowel District High School Audi- torium November 13-16. Now in its fourth season, Listowel's very own musical theatre company has performed "Brigadoon", "Carousel", and "South Pacific". Local live theatre has been a very successful venture. All proceeds this year as in the past will be used for the community projects and international service work of the Listowel Rotary Club. Local businessman and popular en- tertainer, Peter Dekker was instru- mental in founding the group in 1981 and has been the producer of all four shows. Kitchener area professional musician, Earl Riener, who has been the group's director since its inception is back with his musical expertisp and artistic talent to direct "Annie',. An • ensemble of the Stratford Festival Orchestra will also be returning for its fourth season of providing profes- sional accompaniment for the Music Alive productions. . For Atwood musician, Mary Chap- _ man, four seasons as rehearsal accompanist have been a labour of love but now she will get a well-de- served reward. Mary feels it quite an honour to be invited to play keyboard with the Festival ensemble this year. Starring in Sthe title role of Annie Oakley who, history tells us, catapult- ed from simple, backward, gan- shootin' hillbilly girl to international celebrity "athriat' overttight, is- .Lynn ( Hamilton) Kerr. A lifelong Listowel resident, Lynn, a former soloist with the LDSS chorus and Miss Paddyfest 1980, works at the Ontario. Chiroprac- tic Centre in her home town. Playing suave, man -of -the -world • Frank Butler, the.show's leading man • who is Annie's rival sharpshooter and her hero, is Jim Newman. Originally from Millbank, Jim got his musical training at LDSS and Western Uni- versity and is a Bell Canada em- ployee. ' Cast in the supporting roles as Dolly and Charlie, stage assistant and manager of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show are Anne -Marie Senek and Dr. Dennis Nuhn. Other principal parts are played by Father Jim Higgins' as -Buffalo Cody; -Ted Smith- as rival show -owner, Pawnee Bill; Harry, Hicks portraying Big Chief Sitting Bull; and Jack Brown in the role .of hotel proprietor, Foster Wilson. "There's No Business Like Show Business" is perhaps the best known and most loved' broadway tune of all time. Joyful, rousing choruses of the, showbusiness song keep bubbling up throughout "Annie GetYour Gnn" from overture tifinale, Other songs to set the audience .swaying and toe - tapping to the music are "I'm .a Bad Bad Man", "My Defenses Are Down" and "I Got the Sun In The Morning". The lyrics of "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly" and "You Can't Get A Man With. A Gun" are sure-fire laugh- . getters. "Moonshine Lullaby" is de- lightful with its touch of barbershop style harmony and while "They Say It's Wonderful" is a very persuasive promotiofi for falling in love "Any- thing You Can Do I Can Do Better" may foster a bit of strife in theatre- going, couples. "Annie Get Your Gun" is a rootin'- tootin', shootitc cowboys and Indians racy vaudeville style show presented with professionalism, color, flare and pizzaz by Listowel area singers, actors, stage technicians and artists. Indeed "a good old-fashioned smash". See it at Listowel District Secondary School November 13-16. Tickets are avaiable from all Listowel Rotary Club and Music Alive members, at a number of area stores and businesses or by calling 291-3820. 0 • • r •95‘t"' S *OW Top - Lynn Kerr Middle - Ann Marie Senek Bottom - Dr. Dennis Nuhn (TOP LEFT) GUN -SHOOTER MEETS BULL-SHOOTER—when marksman Frank Butler (Jim Newman) meets Wild West show -owner Col. Buffalo Bill Cody (Jim Higgins) in "Annie Get Your Gun" to open November 13 et L.D.S.S. Auditorium. (MIDDLE LEFT) OVERNIGHT CELEBRITY world championship sharpshooter Annie (Lynn Kerr) is really still an unrefined hillbilly girl who creates quite a stir at a society ball. Lynn is pictured third from !eft among ballroom guests Jalna,Calguhoun, Jack Brown and Keith Moore. (BOTTOM LEFT) THE CAST includes a number of children. Posing for this are Mae Helene Trainor, Ryan McLean and Kent Trainor.