The Citizen, 2003-06-25, Page 31PAGE 6. BLYTH FESTIVAL SALUTE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2003.
Gil Garrat loves Blyth’s ‘best audience in the country’
New challenge
Gil Garratt is excited by the prospects of his new job as
associate artistic director for the Blyth Festival. But he’ll still
be acting in Perilous Pirate’s Daughter and hippie.
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
Gil Garratt, Blyth Festival’s
associate artistic director, is nothing
if not enthusiastic.
However, in his five years with the
company, that enthusiasm has
evolved from sunspots bursting in
every direction to a warm glow that
fills the room with comfort,
friendliness and an eagerness to
teach young minds.
“This is fantastic,” he grins, in
reference to his new position. “I am
really proud of it and excited by it. I
love coming here and working
here.”
Garratt sees his role as a great
opportunity to play a larger part in
creating and facilitating productions
for this audience. “As Paul
Thompson (a Festival veteran) says,
it’s the best audience in the country,”
added Garratt.
He is also pleased to be working
with Eric Coates, who assumed the
artistic director job this season. “He
has wonderful ideas and he has been
very vocal about my role.”
Garratt has big things in mind for
Blyth. He would like to see the
company creating works all year.
“We have access to great actors and
great writers and there is space to get
away from things.”
Aside from his administrative
tasks, Garratt will be performing in
two productions this year.
In The Perilous Pirate’s Daughter,
he plays the youngest and most loyal
son of the pirate.
“It is a great show and the
audience will love it,” he said.
“There are great songs, a fantastic
story and a Canadian story.”
“In reality, he was a Canadian
hero,” said Garratt. “he had a fleet of
rowboats that patrolled the Great
lakes” when there was hostilities
with the Americans. “He took out
American steamers then the British
in 1837.”
“It is a wonderful piece of
Canadian history that few people
Saturday matinee days promise extra
excitement with main street activities
Those attending Saturday matinee
performances at the Blyth Festival
this summer will find a buzz of
activity around Memorial Hall and
the village’s main street.
The Blyth Business Association
has organized a series of “Saturday
Celebrations” to add excitement to a
visit to Blyth. A number of events
have been initiated that, if they prove
successful, could possibly grow into
bigger events in future.
The Saturday Celebrations begin
June 28 with a plant sale when three
local greenhouses (Blyth is centre
for greenhouse activity) will offer
bargains from booths on main street.
The Legion Ladies Auxiliary will
hold a craft show and sale on July 5.
Check out the
reviews of
Festival plays
on the internet
www.northhuron.on.ca
110 North St., Goderich 524-2686
Monday to Friday 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Sunday 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
OPEN SATURDAYS 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. until August 30, 2003
SUMMER HOLIDAY PROGRAMS
For further information and flyers
contact the Huron County Museum 524-2686
HURON ART SHOW & SALE
__ April 27th to July 7th, 2003
know about.”
From a swashbuckling pirate to a
beatnik, Garratt make the
transformation when he portrays the
leader of a group of 1960’s rebels in
hippie.
Though still in development,
Garratt said hippie looks at the time
where the Black Swan in Stratford
was ground zero for the hippie
movement in Perth County and the
events of the “Perth County
Conspiracy”.
On July 12 local groups and
individual bakers will offer the best
of their kitchens at a pie fair along
main street.
Local artists have been invited to
display their work at an art in the
park show and sale at Memorial Hall
July 26.
The talented members of the Blyth
Festival Young Company will raise
money for the group’s activities with
a buskers’ festival on July 26.
Aug. 9 will sec local farmers
offering their products at a farmers’
market.
The tasty delight of farm-fresh
com on the cob is planned for Aug.
16.
The summer’s activities will wrap
McKILLOP MUTUAL
INSURANCE COMPANY
Best Wishes for another great season!
___________________________________
Box 819, 91 Main Street S.
Seaforth, Ontario NOK 1W0
Office: (519) 527-0400
1-800-463-9204
Fax: (519) 527-2777
Huron County Museum
It was a period in rural Ontario
history when farmers who still held
true to traditional family values were
faced with an influx of beatniks
looking io set up farms and
communes.
Garratt said there are still
remnants of that time though the
hippies eventually worked into the
local society and were accepted.
The Perilous Pirate’s Daughter
runs from June 16 to Aug. 9 and
hippie plays from July 3 to Aug. 23.
up on Aug. 23 when members of the
Festival’s board of directors and
friends will revive their Country
Fair, once a highlight of the summer
at the festival.
..
BOOKS ON RURAL
THEMES
• Ron Brown’s books
on rural history
• Gardening, cooking,
hobbies
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