Village Squire, 1978-12, Page 471
UPDATE
Big changes
for local theatres
The face of local professional theatre in
Western Ontario will be greatly changed in
the upcoming year.
First there was the announcement that
Robin Phillips was to take a year's
sabbatical and guest directors would be
brought in for the 1979 season. Now comes
word That both of the region's other
professional summer theatres will be
seeing changes in the top rules of artistic
directors.
James Roy, artistic director of the Blyth
Summer Festival announced to members of
the Festival's board of directors at their
October meeting that 1979 would be his
last season. It will make the fifth
anniversary of the founding of the Blyth
theatre which specializes in Canadian plays
with a particular interest to rural and small
town audiences.
James Murphy announced in early
November that he too would be leaving his
post as artistic director of the Huron
Country Playhouse in Grand Bend at the
end of the 1979 season. Both men said they
did not have any definite future plans.
Mr. Roy said that he felt that if an
artistic director stays too long with one
theatre both he and the theatre may suffer
from staleness. Fresh new ideas and
challenges are needed to keep theatre
lively, he said.
Search committees are looking for
candidates for both positions.
VAN EGMOND HOUSE RESTORATION
CONTINUES
Work will be underway this winter to
de -modernize Van Egmond House in
Egmondville near Seaforth. The home was
built by a descendent of Col. Anthony Van
Egmond one of the earliest settlers in the
Huron Tract and commander of the rebel)
armies in the ill-fated 1837 Rebellion.
The house is now owned by the Van
Egnund Foundation and is being restored
to its mid -nineteenth century condition.
The present phase calls for reconstruction
of the roof and parapet walls. Cedar
shingles will be installed on the roof and
the present chimneys removed. Chimneys
of the original design along with the
original gables and parapet walls will be
installed.
The contract for the work, valued at
$14,720 was awarded to the Stratford firm
of Moffatt and White. It is part of the
master plan for the restoration of the
building prepared by Goderich architect
Nick Hill. Paul Carroll, vice-chairman of
the Van Egmond Foundation said that the
master plan has been approved by
government agencies and the red tape has
finally been cut. The foundation is hoping
to qualify for Wintario and Ontario
Heritage grants. It is hoped that $40,000
can be raised locally to guarantee the
renovation program's elegibility for grants,
HISTORIC BUILDING SAVED
It was a case of saving something old and
perhaps starting something new in early
November when a group of interested
citizens bought an old livery stable in
Goderich to save it from demolition.
Dorothy Wallace was the person who
eventually put her name on the cheque
which bought the 110 -year-old stone
building only days before it was scheduled
for demolition. The building had been
owned by Goderich developer Ken
Hutchins who had used it for a building
supply centre until he decided to leave
Goderich and dispose of his assets there.
Mr. Hutchins sold off adjoining land and
had stripped the old building in
preparation for demolition. Town Council
had delayed his request for a demolition
permit for 90 days after he made his first
request in August but had refused to delay
the decision past Monday Nov. 13. The
saving cheque was signed on the weekend
before.
Mrs. Wallace has been a member of the
Local Architectural Conservation Advisory
Council which has been concerned with
saving historic buildings in the town. The
company formed to buy the building is
presently looking into new uses. One early
suggestion for the building is a possible
arts centre of the type dreamed about by
some local residents for several years.
However there is a building and there is a
need but the two may not be suitable for a
marriage. Architects will study possible
uses for the building.
KINCARDINE GETS ART GALLERY
Artists in the Kincardine area now have
a place to exhibit their work.
The Kincardine Theatre Guild recently
received a loan of the main foyer of the
Huron Ridge Ltd. building next to the next
post office in the town as a display space
for local works of art. The first exhibition
Nov. 22 featured the work of 10 area artists
showing both paintings and photographs.
The Guild plans to mount a new show
every two months in the display area which
will be open for viewing every day. Area
artists interested in displaying work are
invited to contact The Theatre Guild,
Marilyn Fell or Susan Moore.
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11.4
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December 1978, Village Squire 45