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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2004-05-05, Page 1212 Exeter Times–Advocate Wednesday, May 5, 2004 Tickets for Huron Country Playhouse 2004 season on sale now GRAND BEND — In its illustrious 32 - year history, the Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend has firmly established itself as one of the region's premiere professional theatre organiza- tions. Last year more than 65,000 theatrego- ers were entertained by a winning com- bination of charming musicals and come- dies on the main stage and intimate Playhouse II venue. Overall, Drayton Entertainment enter- tained more than 190,000 theatregoers in 2003 at its five locations (the other venues include the Drayton Festival Theatre in Drayton, King's Wharf Theatre in Penetanguishene, and Schoolhouse Theatre in St. Jacobs.) The company is now recognized as the third largest summer theatre festival in the province, just after the Stratford and Shaw festivals. Artistic Director Alex Mustakas looks forward to building on this success and further enhancing the theatre experience in 2004. To that end, he has unveiled a truly unique and diverse playbill that will appeal to theatregoers of all ages. "Our audience can expect an exciting lineup of musicals, dramas, comedies and farces," he says. "The 2004 season will definitely have something for everyone." To date, over 85,000 tickets have already been snatched up by members, subscribers and groups. Tickets are now on sale to the public, and early Box Office sales indicate Drayton Entertainment will continue its reputation for sold -out per- formances. "We are extremely excited about the overwhelming response for tickets," says Mustakas. "I encourage everyone to book their seats as soon as possible to avoid disappointment." 2004 Playbill The 13 -week season begins with 'The Secret Garden.' Based on the children's literature classic, 'The Secret Garden' is an emotional tour de force production that poignantly captures the healing power of love. It runs June 2 to June 26. "`The Secret Garden' is a great way to kick off the season," says Mustakas. "It is absolutely captivating — a beautiful, thrilling musical score within a story that is at once uplifting and extremely power- ful. Set on the grand stage at the Huron Country Playhouse, it's a moving musical production that our patrons will never forget." Jump and jive through the golden age of swing with `Swing!,' a delightful tribute to the music of the 30s and 40s. This was a time when big bands like Count Basic, Glenn Miller and Duke Ellington ruled the charts, songs were full of snap and zip, Fred Astaire tapped, and everyone danced to the Lindy Hop. `Swing!' also features a well-timed mix of dance tunes and comic songs, sophisti- cated ballroom sequences, tap dance numbers and ridiculous antics. The pro- duction runs June 29 to July 17. Three Jewish widows learn to live and love again in 'The Cemetery Club,' a life - affirming comedy about bravely facing the future and all of its uncertainties. Funny yet poignant, 'The Cemetery Club' honours the bonds of friendship —held together by traditions, values and the understanding of a shared past. The pro- duction runs July 20 to August 7. After playing to packed houses last sea- son at the Drayton Festival Theatre and King's Wharf Theatre, audiences still can't get enough of 'The Mantini Sisters' — so they are making their way to Grand Bend for one week only. Take a senti- mental journey from the 1940s to the 1970s with Sandra, Barbara and Ann Mantini in `Moments to Remember.' Wander down memory lane and recall the outstanding female singers and groups that played a pivotal role in the development of today's modern music — pioneers such as Doris Day, Dinah Shore, Connie Francis, Petula Clark, Karen Carpenter, Dionne Warwick and many more. Discover for yourself why everyone loves this charming, funny musical revue Aug. 10 to Aug. 14. The season ends with 'Man of La Mancha;' a breathtaking tale of epic pro- portions that will thrill audiences of all ages. With its timely message of courage and idealism in the face of despair, 'Man of La Mancha' will inspire you to keep reaching for the stars with its unforget- table anthem, 'The Impossible Dream.' This powerful and riveting theatrical experience will touch the heart, stir the soul and unleash the imagination. It runs from Aug. 17 to Sept. 4. At the intimate Playhouse II, Huron Country Playhouse pays tribute to one of the greatest names in music history. 'A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline' celebrates the tumultuous life and career of beloved music icon Patsy Cline and will take audi- ences on a remarkable journey through her triumphs and tragedies. It features 21 of her greatest hits, including `Watkin' After Midnight,' `I Fall To Pieces' and `Crazy,' just to name a few. The produc- tion runs for eight weeks, July 6 to August 28. Special student matinees Huron Country Playhouse will offer spe- cial performances of 'The Secret Garden' exclusively to school groups in the latter part of May. The program is designed to complement the drama and music requirements of the school curriculum. Details are available by contacting the Box Office. Summer School for the Performing Arts Plans are well underway for the Huron Country Playhouse Summer School for the Performing Arts. Youth between the ages of eight and 15 will once again be able to register for a week of classes and workshops designed to create and enhance performing arts skills. The sum- mer school has been a popular program for the past 15 years and draws talent from Southwestern Ontario as well as Northern Michigan. Call the Box Office for further information. Ticket information Huron Country Playhouse offers flexible subscription packages that enable the- atregoers to book tickets to any perfor- mance, at any theatre, for any date. When theatregoers buy tickets to all five productions, they save more than 36 per cent off the regular ticket price. "We are extremely excited about the upcoming season and look forward to entertaining everyone with a fantastic summer filled with captivating music, colourful characters and engaging sto- ries," says Mustakas. Tickets can be ordered now by calling the Box Office at (519) 238-6000 or toll free at 1-888-449-4463. The 2004 season is proudly sponsored by Lavis Contracting and The New PL. Visit www.huroncoun- tryplayhouse.com for more information. Avon Maitland School Board creates Finance Committee By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE SEAFORTH — Three members of the community, hopefully possessing some financial expertise, will be sought by the Avon Maitland District School Board to serve on a revamped version of the board's Audit Committee. The search for applicants, to be conducted through advertisements in area newspapers followed by inter- views, is part of a plan to create a Finance Committee for the board, approved by trustees at a regular meeting April 27. Until now, there has been no Avon Maitland Finance Committee, while the Audit Committee has consisted solely of trustees. Once the new plan is enacted, mem- bership in the Audit Committee will transfer into the Finance Committee, while membership in the new Audit Committee — to conduct "at least" two meetings per year as a sub -committee of the Finance Committee — will consist of all Finance Committee members, along with the three outside contributors. The plan "came out of a request for greater trustee involvement in the development of the (board's) bud- get," explained director of education Geoff Williams, after the April 27 meeting. The mandate of an Audit Committee is narrow, explained Williams, limited strictly to overseeing the auditing of financial statements by an outside agency and questioning that agency about any concerns. To fulfill that role, he suggested, there's sometimes the need for "financial expertise that, at any given time, the board (of trustees) might not have." But that mandate doesn't allow for trustee participa- tion in the formation of the budget. As a result, the board's Policy Committee decided to Catholic board and MO work together By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE DUBLIN — The relationship between the Huron -Perth Catholic District School Board and the University of Western Ontarios King's College, largely brought to and fostered within the Dublin - based board by education superin- tendent Martha Dutrizac since she arrived over a year ago, should become much more prominent in May. During that single month, three separate events are being held with Huron -Perth involvement at the King's College campus: two for students and one for Religion pro- gram heads. Perhaps the most notable, since it was designed solely for Huron - Perth students and marks a first for both the board and the King's College faculty, is a three-day series of seminars titled Summer Writing at King's. According to Dutrizac, seven students from each of the board's two secondary schools have decided to follow through on the recommendations of their teachers, and take part in the May 16-18 event. They'll stay in the campus dormitory, partici- pate in creative writing work- shops, and attend university -style lectures dealing with such topics as "the relationships between media, music, videos, fashion, style and corporate intent," and "an insightful, informative look at the Buffy series" of television shows. The board will pay $110 of the $130 per student cost of the event, with students expected to cover the remaining $20. That includes meals and dormitory accommoda- tion. Promotional material for the event, while describing Summer Writing at King's as a "pilot pro- ject," also provides a strong hint that organizers hope this isn't just a one-year phenomenon. It notes that "this year's focus" is Writing and Popular Culture: Identity and Appearance," thereby suggesting other themes might be tried in future versions. Dutrizac agrees its a new con- cept for both the board and King's College. But she expresses hope it could be expanded in the future, if the college's experience with the Huron -Perth students — and vice versa — leads to positive feedback. "There's a hope that, like any- thing that starts small, people will like it and spread the word about it, and that it will grow," the edu- cation superintendent said. Participants from the Huron - Perth board will also attend two other King's College -based events in May: the first annual Catholic Youth Leadership Conference from May 7-8 will welcome about a half dozen Huron -Perth Grades 10 and 11 students to discuss individual and communal spiritu- ality as well as leadership within communities; and department heads for religious studies will gather later in the month at the London learning institution. At both of these events, Huron - Perth participants will be joined by representatives of the St. Clair region and London District Catholic school boards, which also have partnerships with King's College. recommend the creation of a Finance Committee. "The Finance Committee shall meet at least five times a year; once in November or December to review the revised estimates, once in January to review the budget planning, and once each in the months of April, May and June to review progress on developing the budget," states a report from the Policy Committee provided at the April 27 meeting. According to Williams, there will be no need for out- side financial expertise on the Finance Committee because members won't be required to actually create the budgets; their main function will be to ensure the budget adheres to the board's goals and priorities. "The Finance Committee will recommend the annual draft estimate budget to the board for board approval," the Policy Committee report states. Meetings of all committees of the Avon Maitland District School Board are open to the public. Director receives award By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE DUBLIN — Huron -Perth Catholic District School Board director of education Larry Langan was one of two recipients of a new award handed out for the first time April 22 in Hamilton by a province - wide group called the Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officers Association. Langan, along with a superintendent from a Catholic school board in Ottawa, shared the inau- gural Distinguished Leadership Award in Catholic Education. Huron -Perth chairperson Ron Marcy informed other trustees of the award at the board's regular meeting April 26, noting Langan has now "set the bar" for subsequent award -win- ners. According to Huron -Perth education superinten- dent Martha Dutrizac, who described the award presentation and nomination procedure to trustees, Langan and the Ottawa award -winner "exceeded, in the nominating committees eyes, all of the criteria for the award." Criteria included involvement in the religious and educational com- munities, commitment to Catholic education and various other aspects. After the April 26 meeting, Langan explained he had been nominated by his colleagues in the edu- cational administration field, and expressed thanks for "support from a lot of people who worked very hard for that nomination."