The Citizen, 2004-06-16, Page 22OO 1 P9
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CONGRATULATIONS!
BRUSSELS
Congratulations on 30 seasons of Canadian talent
Trudy Pawchier-Krahn
(519) 482-9331
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Clinton, Ontario
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Congratulations
Blyth Festival on the
opening of your 30th Season
Whenever you're looking
for a new or used
car or truck, repairs or leasing -
See the people at
115 Josephine Street, Wingham, Ont.
357-2323 1 Hours: Monday - Friday 9-6;
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CHEVROLET
JOHN CULLEN
OLDSMOBILE
PAGE 22. BLYTH FESTIVAL SALUTE, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2004.
Previews of future seasons
two people from opposite ends of a
small town's social spectrum
brought together when Edward
Powers, the town's richest and most
influential man is struck by illness
and receives care from Gloria, a
young single mother.
On Aug. 27, at a time yet to be
announced, -Kelly McIntosh will
show the development of her
Passion.
The star of The Outdoor Donnellys
and the Festival's artist-in-residence,
McIntosh has been working, first
with local residents and then with
actors, to understand what would
bring a rural - Ontario farming
community to decide to stage a
passion play. They settled on a 1914
time period for the play and will
show their work in progress at the
readings.
The readings are very informal
event's and require no admission but
check with the box office to find out
the exact time and location of each
reading because details can change.
The way they were
The 1982 Young Company, back row, from left: Patrick Cull,
Thomas Bailey, Ken Patterson, Chris Royal, Joe Holmes
and Peter Cook. Second row: youth director Lisa Webster,
youth director Trudy Passchier, Jennifer Sottiaux, Julie
(Helen Gowing's granddaughter). Front: Severn
Thompson. !Harvey McDowell pholr)
New leader for Young Company
By Sarah Mann
Citizen staff
After being under the direction of
now-associate artistic director Gil
Garratt for three years. the Blyth
Festival Young Company will be
taken on by someone new.,
Marie Beath Badian, who worked
with the Young Company for two
weeks last summer as a guest artist
will be taking over as director this
season.
Badian. a graduate of the acting
program at Ryerson Theatre School.
has been involved in theatre for the
past 15 years and professionally for
the past six years.
Last year Badian was • the
Associate Artistic Director for
Theatre Direct Canada, apprenticing
under the guidance of Lynda Hill.
Theatre Direct has been creating and
producing provocative theatre for
young addiences for the past 29
years.
Badian says. "the year I spent
there was priceless education and
experience for me-"
Badian is no stranger to working
with young people. For the past 10
years. the majority of her work in
theatre has been with youth.
"My most recent project [with
Theatre Direct Canada] was their
inaugural youth outreach project
called The Democracy Project. I was
Associate Artistic Director and
Project Coordinator, working with a
group of high school students from
across the greater Toronto area. For
.the past two months they have been
exploring theatrically the theme of
democracy, citizenship and
freedom."
Badian says she fell in love with
the Young Company after her two
weeks with them last year..
"Their level of skill and dedication
rivals that of many ensembles I've
seen in professional post-secondary
theatre programs. Because of this
level of skill, the range of theatrical
exploration is larger. They are
equipped with the tools and
vocabulary to go the distance and
take risks. The two weeks I spent
with them was invaluable exposure
to the approach of teaching Gil had
developed over the past three years.
In my planning for this season, • it
was integral that the work honoured
what [Gill had established."
Is Badian nervous to take on
where Garratt left off?
"Gil is an incredible, wise,
passionate and compassionate
teacher. His work with the Young
programming. Well maybe.
Festival fans who like to get a
sneak preview of scripts in
development for the future can sit in
on free public readings later in the
summer.
The playwrights have been
working on scripts for months or
even years, but once the current
season is on the boards, actors are
free to help the writers discover
problems in the script that can be
solved in future drafts. The
workshops also help artistic director
Eric Coates to determine if the plays
might fit into an upcoming season.
In three cases, the scripts will also
be read for_ public consumption in
August.
Reunion, by Shena Wilson. will be
read Aug. 15 at 11:30 a.m.
The play tells of a family of
Romanian descent celebrating its
100th year in Canada. The family is
widespread, with the western
contingent still steeped in Romanian .
culture while the Ontario contingent
is comprised of three cosmopolitan
daughters and their divorced parents.
All are conflicted over attending the
reunion. Enter spirits of both the
Romanian and Scottish ancestors of
the daughters. It's about family,
roots; strife and it's funny.
On Aug. 25 at 2:30 p.m. Powers
and Gloria by Keith Roulston will
he read. The play tells the .story of
Memories Loves excitement
Dave Scott of Seaforth is a board
member at the Blyth Festival and
has written a few plays including
one in 1997 called There's Nothing
in the Paper. He is currently
working on a new play for the
theatre.
Scott said he tries to catch all the
shows -each season, time
permitting.
His favourite plays from the
Festival are the Barn Dance. Lice!
because "everything about it is
exciting," When the Reaper Calls
written by Peter Colley because
"it's very suspenseful and a great
edge-of-your-seat thriller," and The
Outdoor . Donnelly's by Paul
Thompson, Janet Amos and the
Company, because "it's a different
play involving the whole
community."
Company inspires me just as much
as it inspires them. I'm
tremendously honoured to be
continuing the work he established
with the Young Company. With
every artist [they] encounter — Gil,
Anne Lederman, Andrea Donaldson.
Lisa Codrington and myself — they
are exposed to new ideas, new tools
and new ways of approaching
theatre."
Badian says the title of this year's
production is not final because she
hasn't had a chance to discuss it with
the company members but, the show
will be a collection of "fantastic,
tragic, unique, heart-warming and
surprising" personal and family
stories that revolve around growing
up in Huron County.
Badian can't pick one thing that
excites her the most about this
season saying that there is just so
much.
"Their energy. enthusiasm, and
humour. The project is an
opportunity to theatrically explore
and embrace their unique stories:"
Badian says teaching the Young
Company is reciprocal. "I learn from
the Young Company too.",
Call the Festival box •office for
dates and performance venue
information.
And now for previews of future
FA
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3est Wishes to the
Blyth Festival on
30 Seasons
of great entertainment
from the
Municipality of Huron East
527-0160 Yoe Seth - Mayor