The Times Advocate, 2008-04-02, Page 16TIMES -ADVOCATE
Crossroads
16 Times -Advocate 16
Exeter performer takes Stratford stage
By Pat Bolen
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
EXETER - Ten -year-
old Aveleigh Keller's
interests in singing, danc-
ing and acting are coming
together this year on stage
in Stratford after she has
been picked for a part in
the production of "The
Music Man," which opens
May 28 for its run until
Nov. 1.
Keller is the daughter of
Jeff and Keltie Keller of
Exeter and says she has
always been interested in
performing. The first play
she saw was "The Lion
King" at the age of two
and Keltie says at the end
of the play Aveleigh was
standing on her chair say-
ing she wanted more.
"The Music Man" is
described as "A warm,
zany and gloriously tune-
ful musical comedy, set at
the height of America's
golden age of innocence.
When charming huckster
Harold Hill arrives in
River City, Iowa, with a
promise to teach the
town's youth to play in a
marching band, librarian
Marian Paroo rightly sus-
pects that he's a fraud.
But Harold's silver-
tongued gift for selling
dreams may be more
potent than he realizes."
Also appearing in the
play, which is directed by
Susan Schulman, is Fiona
Reid from "King of
Kensington."
Aveleigh, who has
performed in sev-
eral productions
locally, includ-
ing "Beauty and
the Beast" in
Exeter, takes piano
and singing lessons
and last fall her
teacher suggested trying
out for the part of piano
student Amaryllis in "The
Music Man."
After sending in a
Live on stage -Aveleigh Keller of Exeter will perform at the Stratford Festival this year in a production of "The Music Man"(photo/Pat
Bolen)
resume and doing an
audition, Aveleigh
received callbacks for two
more auditions before
being selected for the
part.
After being picked,
Aveleigh received
a contract to sign,
and Jeff and Keltie
said they considered
it carefully and spoke
to parents of other chil-
dren who have performed
at Stratford before decid-
ing to accept the part.
"It's a lot of work and a
huge commitment," says
Jeff who added Aveleigh is
required to give up sports
for the duration of the
contract to prevent any
injuries. She was also
only allowed to watch a
movie of "The Music Man"
once, so she doesn't copy
the characters' perfor-
mance.
Aveleigh is in Stratford
for six days a week from 9
or 10 a.m. until around 6
p.m. and the Kellers don't
know until the night
before what time she is
required at the theatre.
Aveleigh is looked after
by a childminder during
the day and she is con-
stantly busy with costume
fittings as well as singing
and acting lessons.
She has been fitted for
four period children's cos-
tumes and has learned to
play the glockenspiel for
the show. "The best part
is meeting everyone and
seeing what the scenes
will be like," says
Aveleigh.
The toughest part of the
year, say the Kellers, will
be when previews start
April 26 and run through
in May and rehearsals are
also being done.
After an 8 p.m. show,
Jeff says a rehearsal may
be called right after at 11
p.m. if the show hasn't
gone well.
But after opening night
there will rarely be
rehearsals and the sched-
ule will get easier,
although Aveleigh will do
five or six shows a week.
"It's pretty surreal," says
Keltie of the production
schedule which is making
everything from scratch in
eight weeks. She adds the
family has already
received requests from
the Festival for Aveleigh
to appear at fundraisers.
The Kellers says they
have received a lot of sup-
port from both friends and
Aveleigh's school to help
her keep up.
"It's a once in a lifetime
opportunity," says Jeff.
"They push kids hard to
be their best."
Aveleigh will also be
performing in front of her
fellow students from
Precious Blood, with
Grades 4-8 booked to see
the show. But Aveleigh
says she won't be nervous
in front of her classmates.
Aveleigh says she is
looking forward to open-
ing night and that she
might be a drama teacher
someday. "Anything with
singing and dancing in it."
Lucan Bowling league scores
March 24 - 27:
MONDAY LADIES: Cindy Graff 214
609, Joan Goddard 241 579, Judy
Hodgins 198 564, Joyce Sovereign
212 541, Jean Hickson 212 540,
Miranda Mines 197 534, Linda
Benedetti 217 517, Joan Finkbeiner
208 514, Jenn Ankers 186 507,
Penne MacLeod 178 502, Heather
Smith 207 500, Tanya Barfett 173
466.
MEDWAY: David Elston 245 605,
Jon Bradshaw 238 581, Roy Irwin
208 577, Nico Gillis 207 552, Penny
Turner 227 546, Bob Burnett 176
502, Laura Hudson 180 498, Bruce
Nixon 211 491, Clarke RoRings 176
479, Don Foster 162 477, Niels
Gillis 156 456, Eileen Clark 172
452.
SENIOR CITIZENS: Ruth Butler
221 583, Alex Hyde 201 578, Hugo
Vandaele 191 553, Don Leitch 217
541, Bill Butler 233 534, Helen
Kennes 221 521, Gus
Vanmassenhoven 188 488, Ross
McEwen 195 479, Bob Altenburg
190 476, Elmer Mosurinjohn 191
459, Jack Vangaal 184 458, Marion
Barr 169 448, Peter
Vandenboomen 159 443.
Y.B.C.: Luke McKay 240 139,
Darcy Jones 192 150, Justin
Hutchings 184 118, Craig Mutter
149 129, Connor Brown 149 124,
Kevin McLean 145 102, Christian
Cornelis 132 97, Ryan Regier 105
96, Logan Cotton 100, Leah
Cornelis 96.
WEDNESDAY MIXED: Jim Dixon
305 709, Hi Thompson 247 652,
Doug Beaudoin 244 648, Debbie
Thompson 234 608, Kevin Rollings
243 605, Kevin Lundy 196 577,
Harvey Rollings 221 569, Larry
Bice 300 567, Dave Masfrankc 212
556, Julie Bieber 215 549, Donna
Dixon 235 538, Clarence Carter 249
519, Mallory Foster 187 516, John
Willemse 182 396.
THURSDAY MEN: Chris Smith 317
772, Jim Dixon 327 755, Paul Smith
Jr. 267 719, Woody Smith 266 716,
Don Cunningham 338 717, Gord
Brewer 257 705, Bob Smith 265
702, Earl Allison 260 692, Doug
Smith 278 687, Pete Smith 263 675,
Warren Kellestine 233 669, Kevin
Rollings 252 668, Dave Johnston
273 666, Mark MacLean 250 665,
Rod Willert 234 660, Mike Dow 232
652, Mike Apps 326 647, Mike
Ankers 276 646, Doug Beaudoin
250 644, Doug Lee 231 639, Don
Watt 224 624, Reg Gristey 214 622,
Allen Rollings 215 618.
T J's pool league scores
Men's league
John Hayter -2125, Chris MacDonald -1816,
Terry Haugh -1758, Tyler Scot -1639, Ken
Kadey-1618, Bob Jones -1605, John
Burdon -1600, Bill Crump -1454, Gary
Deichert-1404, Ben Hoogenboom-1313, Derek
Tiller -1271, Stephan McGee -1227, Lee
Seymour -1164, Jim Hayter -1135, Jim
Scott -908, Phil Turner -859, Mark Hunt -702,
Tom Triebner-537, Jerry Elmquist-501, Jason
Tower -317, Matt Muller -228, Bob Wilsmith-
218, Jerry Marshall -117
Ladies League
Vicki Scott -1043, Melanie MacDonald -1038,
Shannon Green -745, Audrey Haugh -753, Kim
Southcott-645, Karen Vincent -513, Tammy
Patterson - 458, Karen Foran -338, Michelle
Northcott -304, Vicki Dawe -279,
Junior league
Zack Kadey-1235, Wayne Drake -1154, Jeff
McNutt -853, Adam Foran -Costain -821, Jess
Foran -Costain -593, Kayla Foran -Costain -551