The Huron Expositor, 1996-07-10, Page 1414-TNE HURON EXPOS/TOR, July 10, 1
eele
Entertainment
Fireworks offers message on past
BY DAVID SCOTT
Expositor Editor
A play that sat in a pile of
Scripts waiting to be read for
four years will have its world
premiere at the Blyth Festival
on July 31.
Fireworks, a two -act drama
written by Gordon John
Portman, of Edmonton, is a
story of three generations of
one family and bow they are
brought together by the death
of Wynn (played by Janet
Amos) - wife, mother and
grandmother of the three
male characters.
The playwright dedicates
Fireworks to "the wonderful
women who have shaped his
life and career."
"Some of my fondest and
earliest memories are grow-
ing up with .the older women
in my life - my great aunts
and grandmothers."
Various aspects of these
women make up the female
character in this play, said
Portman. "It's my tribute to
them, their wisdom and love.
And to the other women in
my life. I've been fortunate
to be working with extremely
talented female actors and
become friends with them.
Their influence helped me a
- lot. They're grateful to be
because I write' good
women's roles_"
The play takes place after
the death of Wynn but she's
. seen often in flashbacks.
Although the play is not
specifically set in any town
or city, the immediate setting
is based on Portman's great
aunt's house in Manitoba.
He admits the play is auto-
biographical in some aspects.
"I pull (character) traits out
of those around me. There
arc some elements of one of
my uncles in Frank. Elements
of my father arc in Franklin."
Portman .talked about the
central theme of the play -
the past.
"While .the past and events
1 the past are incredibly
portant, you can't live in
the past. You can't let what
happened in the past damage
or inhibit or colour the pre-
sent or future. Living in the
past isn't necessary to living
your life."
His real life situation.
echoes the lesson of the play.
"It's something I've been
going through myself -
putting the past in its place."
Portman has roots in
Dungannon. His grandmoth-
er's mother was a Pentland
and there's still a farm being
run by Pentlands in that area.
He grew up in the farming
communities of Avontea and
Weyburn, Saskatchewan.
One reviewer who won't be
writing a review of Portman's
play is his uncle Jamie
Portman, who works for
Southam News. "He thought
it would he difficult to be
No kids for
recreation program
Recreation officials in
Walkerton can't figure out
where all the kids went.
Only nine children regis-
tered for all the 24 summer
programs offered in town so
. far this summer.
So some sessions have been
cancelled and the recreation
director says others may have
to follow.
He says rates arc the same
and programs arc similar to
those in surrounding commu-
nities, so he can't figure out
what the problem is.
PHOTO BY DAVID SCOTT
BUSY PLAYWRIGHT - Gordon John Portman took a break
from his busy rehearsal at the Blyth Festival recently for an
interview on his upcoming play Fireworks. The Edmonton
playwright is on a break from his regular job.
objective."
Although this is his first
play at Blyth it's not like
Portman is unfamiliar with
plays. He is chief script ana-
lyst and story editor for
Edmonton's television and
film institute. In 1990 he won
a national playwriting com-
petition• with his play
"Grace." He won the provin-
cial competition in Alberta
the same year. Another one
of his plays, "Thought, Word
and .Deed" was the Alberta
provincial winner two years
ago.
In television, Portman
placed second in an Alberta
screen -writing competition
this year with a half-hour'
tele -play. As well he has
written a couple of episodes
of the TV show "Puttman's
Prairie Emporium" and is
working on a series in devel-
opment at an Edmonton pro-
duction house called "The
Beat" about a community
police station in a run-down
Edmonton neighbourhood.
This is Portman's first play
at Blyth and first time work-
ing with director Paul
Lampert and Blyth's Artistic
Director Janet Amos who
stars as the only female cast.
Also starring in Fireworks is
Blyth regular John Wright (as
Frank), and Blyth newcomers
Rustcy Davenport as. Jamie
and Ron Hastings as
Franklin. As well, John Roby
Grad photo
missed last week
KELLY RAU
Kelly is a St. Michael OAC
graduate, previously granted
OSSD. She will be attending
McMaster University in the
fall in the Natural Sciences
program. She is an Ontario
Scholar and five-year hon-
our student and was award-
ed the Ontario Ministry of
Education Scholarship and
City of Stratford Scroll.
Watson hosts 54 guests
BY JEAN ROSS
The Royal Canadian
Legion serves many purposes
and one of those purposes is
to remember our veterans
who served. Comrade Jim
Watson once again remem-
bered them and their spouses,
and hosted 54 guests on two
buses to Kincardine and
Lucknow on Sat. July 6. An
enjoyable social time was
had at Kincardine Br. 183,
and Herb Travis "brought
home the bacon" from their
meat draw.
The group received a royal
welcome at Lucknow
Branch, greeted by Comrades
Ed and lune Pycttc assisted
by the colour guard and
pipers.' After a delicious beef
dinner and entertainment,
they were homeward bound.
Everyone secrn'ed to have a
"jolly good time" and appre-
ciated Comrade Watson's
efforts. We must not forget, it
is because of our veterans,
we enjoy thc freedom we
have today.
Last chance to sign up for
Branch Golf, on July 20. You
must sign and pay fees at thc
bar 'or to Linda Gridzak by
July 13.
The executive meeting is on
Thurs. July 11 at 8 p.m.
"At he going down of the
sun and in thc morning we
will remember them." •
is back for his twelfth season
at thc Blyth Festival as corn -
poser.
"I'm very fortunate to have
the calibre of people and
experience level (working on
Fireworks)," said the, play-
wright.
Although this play features
four main characters it had 12
characters in the first draft.
"It had four more plots than
this. I was working on it
myself and cut it down to
four characters."
Wright (Safe Haven. The
Old Man's Band, The
Glorious 12th) was involved
in the very first reading of the
play six years ago in
Edmonton. The script was
developed at the city s
Theatre Network under the
artistic direction of Stephen
Heatley and with the input. Of
a large number of actors,
designers and support person-
nel. Fireworks was a finalist
in Theatre RC's national new
play competition in which
scripts are evaluated.
This will be the first staging
of the play and Portman says
there's a good feeling
amongst the cast and crew in
rehearsals which began last
Monday.
"There's a lot of excitement
in the people working on it -
the actors, directors, design-
. ers. It's a wonderful, positive
feeling. People arc commit-
ted. It's very gratifying."
STEWART — DE VRIES
You are invited to an
OPEN HOUSE
in honour of
William Kenneth Stewart
Melissa Jesse deVries
who were united in marriage on
• June 22. 1996 at the
Elora Road Christian Fellowship.
The Open House will take place ort
Saturday, July 20, 1996
from 2-4and 7-?
at the home of Joan Stewart, R.R. #4, Seaforth
BUCK & DOE
for
Terry McGregor
Carol Axtmann
Saturday,
July 13, 1996
9:00 pm to 1:00 am
Music by D.J.
Lunch Provided
Age of Majority
Tickets $5.00 ea.
For more info
call...
527-2821
Willy & Ann
Preszcator
invite you to their
,25th
Wedding
Anniversary
OPEN
HOUSE
SUNDAY, JULY 14
at the
Van Egmo,nd Reserve
2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Best Wishes Only.
BUCK & DOE
for
Tim Fritz
and
Lisa Pennington
Fri. July 12
9pm-1am
Age of Majority
Tickets $5.00
For more info.
887-6715
Lunch Provided
CONGRATULATIONS!
Harold Hugill son of Wayne &
Joyce Hugill, brother of Jennifer
and Jodie graduated from
Fanshawe College, London on
June 12, 1996 as a • Air
Conditioning, Refrigeration
Engineering Technician. He is
employed by Dave Davies
Heating and Air Conditioning
in Stratford.
BUCK AND DOE
for
Tracy Bosman
and
Paul McLennan
Saturday, July 20, 1996
9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
$5.00 per ticket
Music by D.J. Lunch provided.
ABSOLUTELY NO MINORS
For intonation call 527.1247, 887.9558
M.C.L. SOUND
FULL D.J. SERVICE
Book Your Receptions, -:
•k Buck & Does early! ::
*• .. For more info. call -•
evenings
482-9984
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Happy Birthday
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July 15th
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