The Brussels Post, 1978-07-05, Page 19Best of Luck
to the
BLYTH SUMMER FESTIVAL
ON YOUR TRAVELS ...with friends
or relatives make it a point. to VISIT
THE DUTCH STORE IN CLINTON
SOUVENIRS & EXCLUSIVE GIFTS
Knitting yarns
Imported DUTCH CHEESE &
DELICATESSEN items at very
competitive PRICES
- And rernernber.,.A trip to Clinton is
not complete without a' visit to
THE DUTCH STORE
.55 Albert„St. •
4.81,730.1,
Clinton. Ont.
NOM ILO
Everything under the sun....
Aprons
Books
Cards and Invitations
Cannisters
Dansk Cookware
Fieldcrest Towels
Franciscan Dinnerware
Flowers
Glassware
Ice Buckets
Knives
Kitchen Gadgets
Lamps
Monogrammed Towels
Napkins
Oven Mitts
Placemats
Quilts
Quiche Pans
Ribbons
Soaps
Souffle Dishes
Tumblers and Trays
Wicker
and many more unique gifts
for your summer fun !
THE BLYTH SUMMER FesTivio. ISSUE, JULY 5, 1978-4-
The play's the thing with Ted Johns
still lives in. Clinton, • He has
taught elementary school, high
school, university and also
worked as a supply teacher.
He has performed in Blyth
before in "Naked on the North
Shore''' and has contributed to
several other productions that
Paul Thompson has done in Blyth
including the Horsburgh Scandal,
Shakespeare for Fan and Profit
and probably a lot of audiences
\wwld remember him as the
central character in "He Won't
Come in From the Barn."
Of his play Ted says. "l think
schools are an essential part of
life and I think that what happens
Once the show starts, the stage
manager's job is far from being
over. In fact, the a stage manager
practically runs the show, ac-,,
cording to Ron. He has direct
communication with the lighting
board operator, calling all the
cues and he 'also has a PA system
to the actors dressing room so he
can cue them as to their entrance.
He also makes notes about
technical things that. aren't
working or if an actor's timing is
off he also makes notes.
"You have to take this project
that the director has created and
you have to maintain it" Ron
says.
Of a script he says, "You have
to be aware enough to allow it to
grow in potential. In the rehearsal
you have to be involved in the
whole process,"
He explained that the. actors
had certain motivations and if
they lose that he tries to put them
back on the right track.
Ron got his. training at the
Theatre Department in Ryerson
POlytechnical Institute. After
Ryerson, Ron worked at the
Ontario Youth Theatre for a
summer as a technician, then
worked with Theatre London as
an apprentice in administration,
before coming to Blyth.
The first year he was, at Blyth,
Ron had to be a jack-of-all-trades
He had to be the lighting designer
and the costume designer as well
as stage manager. In fact he was
the entire design and technical
department.
"The play's the thing." Or at
least it is with. Ted Johns who
when asked about himself will
.give you a. rundown of his play
first.
Ted who so successfully
captured the audienee's
imagination last year in "He
won't Come in From the Barn" is
at it again this time acting out a
real-life drama--the tea0er's
strike in Huron County.
As for the play itself it is
entitled, The School Show, it is
written by Ted Johns and
developed from a scenario worked
art with Paul Thompson of
As stage manager for the Blyth
Summer Festival, a lot of re-
sponsibility for making sure the
shows run smoothly rests on the
shoulders of Ron Ferguson.
Ron who will have been here
four years with this season, has to
organize schedules as far as
rehearsal times, organize re-
hearsals for space, organize the
schedules so they fit in with
actors fittings and look after
things the actors and directors
need.
He is also responsible for a
production book which is the
script with all the stage blocking
in it. Eventually the production
book also has to have in it all the
lighting cues, all the actors
entrances and exits, and prop
movements--who uses what,
where, and set changes.
A Standard Classified will pay
you dividends. . Have you tried
one Dial S23A646,
Theatre Passe Muraille who is
known around Blyth for his work
in The Farm. Show. and the
Horsburgh Scandal.
"It's an extremely difficult
project dealing with something as
complex as education in Huron
County. One person has to
execute all these hopes and
dreams." Ted says.
The play is being directed by
Clark Rogers who has worked in
major theatres across the country
including the Stratford Festival
Theatre.
Ted Johns himself was born
outside of Clinton and his father
How Ron actually came to the
Blyth Summer Festival is an
interesting story in itself. Artisitic
director James Roy had ad-
vertised the stage managing
position in a show business trade
paper. A friend of Ron's applied
for the position but was unable to
take it so when James Roy
phoned he told him about Ron.
James Roy did a quickie interview
over the'phone and told Ron the
job was his if he wanted it. That
was on a Monday and Ron came
up to. Blyth the next day.
"It was a fluke," Ron says.
After his first year -at Blyth,
Ron worked with the University of
Toronto opera department as an
assistant stage manager. Then he
stage managed Harry's Back in
Town in Toronto, then went to
Theatre New Brunswick and
stage managed , two shows, came
back to Blyth then went back' to
Theatre New Brunswick again.
Ron has no desire to act on the
stage at all. In fact he thinks
many people have the mis-
conception that behind the scenes
theatre 'people are really
frustrated actors.
"Most people in production are
trained for that, because- that's
what they want to do. When I
worked at the opera, that's, when I
really got into it. I'm quite happy
doing it right now," he says.
Ron isn't sure yet what he'll be
doing when the Blyth theatre
season ends. So far he has just
been freelancing going from place
to place.
to them and what bappeiiS. in
them concerns all of us,"
"I think that the recent
teacher's strike in Huron drew
attention to the schools. The point
is co that event aroused really
stronf , passions in a lot of people
and I guess the simplest way to
put it is I hope my play not orrly
gives credit to the different points.
of view, but allows people to see,
some element of humor in it."
After he was in, He Won't
Come in From the Barn,. in B.lyth.
last year he did another play in
Toronto, then did Naked on the
North Shore in Saskatoon, and
then 'the opportunity came to
work in Blyth again.
And he is still in the course of
working on the play, "I'm-(fairly
confident at this point that it will
he of interest to a number of
people,"
"I really enjoyed working on it.
If the people learn half as much
from the who as I did trying to
make it, I think it'll really be
worthwhile. It certainly has been
an education for me:"
He wrote the script after the
teacher's strikes in Perth and
Huron Counties and elsewhere. •
"I found it an interestingly
complex thing. Eventually I felt. I
had to choose a side. I guess what
side, is something they'll have to
come and see for themselves."
RON FERGUSON
Tigger wants
to raise goats
in Greece
Tigger Joutard, otie Of the
stage managers for the Blyth
Summer Festival has an in-
teresting ambition for her life.
She thinks she'll go to Greece and
raise goats.
She attended Moira Secondary
School in Belleville, the
University of Waterloo and the
National Theatre Scheel in
Montreal.
She has worked at the National
Theatre School ; the Toronto Free
Theatre and -the Peterborough
Pestival of Canadian Theatre.
Because 'Viggo Was ill at the
time of the interviews, more
information and a picture of her
were not available.
Ron Ferguson makes sure
Shows run smoothly