Times-Advocate, 1985-06-26, Page 13•
COSTUME DESIGNS Costume designer David Juby shows off his
designs fore schoolgirls in "Anne of Green Gables". The musical
is the first play of the seasc at the Huron Country Playhouse, and
opens on Friday.
Family musical opens Playhouse season
Anne of Green Gables", the first
play of the season at the Huron Coun-
try Playhouse, opens on June 29, with
a preview on June 281
The well-known Canadian musical
is an adaptation of the novel by Lucy
M. Montgomery, written by Don Har-
ron and Norman Campbell. It was
written in 1965. and has been in pro-
duction almost continuously ever
since. "Anne" is in its 21st season at
the Charlottetown Festival in Prince
Edward Island.
Forty performers are involved in
this production, including Jack Nor-
thmore and Nonnie Griffin, who have
appeared in previous productions of
the Playhouse. They are starring as
the doting parents of the orphtgc tom-
boy. Anne.
Anne Shirley is played by Lesley
Ballantyne. /ler best friend, Diana
-Barry is played by Andrea Nevitt.
Gilbert Blythe is played by Shane
MacPherson. .
Students from Exeter, Ailsa Craig.
Grand.Bend. Corunna and Strathroy
appear as -the "Children of Avonlea"
•
in the production at the Playhouse in
Grand Bend.
Norman Campbell and his wife'
Elaine were at the Playhouse on Fri-
day to take a look at the latest produc-
tions of the play, which has been on
five Canadian tours and has been
translated into Swedish and
Japanese.
"In 1970 the Canadian cast flew
over to Osaka, Japan for Expo '70. On
the opening night of the play, we
noticed that while they were enjoying
the play, the audience was laughing
a minute after the jokes had gone by.
We later found out that they had lit-
tle translating devices in their ears,
and there was a time lag while the
lines were translated into Japanese,"
Campbell said...
Ten years later the Cambells were
in Tokyo, Japan for the first
Japanese -language production of
"Anne". which was done with the
Tokyo Philharmonic. The play went
on tour of 13 cities in Japan in 1980 and
in 1984.
"Anne" has also played in London's
West End. and won an award as best
musical of 1969 in London. The poster
of Anne kicking up her heels that is
still often used to promote the play
was created for the London produc-
tion. There have been two cast
albums of "Anne", one from the year
in London in 1969, and one of the Cana-
dian cast in 1984. •
Campbell has written a musical
more recently that has also been very
successful. Based on the life of
painter Emily Carr, "The Wonder of
it All" played in 1980, '81 and '82.
The Playhouse's production of
"Anne of Green Gables" is also their
first production using a revolving set.
The set was designed by Andrew
Stearn, using a base provided by
Theatre London. It serves at the
basis for many of the play's 23 scenes,
and is on two levels.
At various times the set becomes a
railway station, a house, and a
schoolyard. To keep the play's action
moving, the set is turned by the ac-
tors, rather than having blackouts
and stagehands, using such devices as
a kid pulling a bicycle along. As few
•
REVOLVING SET .Set Designer Andrew Stearn poses with his
model of the set for "Anne of Green Gables", while seated on the
actual revolving set built from his design, at the Huron Country
Playhouse.
Polderlcind opens
Blyth Festival
l'olderland opened the 1985 Blyt
Festival season on .lune 21. mark in
the beginning of the Theatre'
eleventh year presenting origina
('anadian plays to an ever expandin
and appreciative audience. Thoug
the play is well produced and vel
acted. it -is not the li sl advertisemen
for a'1'heatre with a hard-won reputa
tion for shunning safe old chestnut
and taking a chance on new
playwrights and imaginative story
lines.
Polder land. set in German
occupied Holland on New Years Eve
1944. contains the basic ingredients of
every war movie ever cranked out.
"There is the lough, taciturn Canadian
sergeant. the wise -cracking, insubor-
dinate corporal. and the wounded
young green recruit fresh off a farm
near Zurich..
The three have become lost 00
patrol. and taken refuge in a Dutch
Farmhouse. They soon roust from
their hiding places a warm-hearted.
sensitive earth mother and her ice
maiden daughter.
While the I' 0 ve tera ns are absent
on a SC4 iilg mission. a young green
recruit fresh oft a German farm
enters the picture.
The German soldier proves his
decency by paying for the part pack
of cigarettes he takes from his Cana-
dian captlye, The Nwu prove they have
much in common. 1Chal separates
there is their opposing allegiance to
Iwo countries on opposite sides in a
world u a r
h The play holds inexorably to the in -
g evitable tragierlimax, with all the in-
s hereat cliches. War is hell. All men
I could be brothers. Each side is
g capable of brutality. Man. who can
h create something from nothing .
1 wresting land from a grasping -sea,
t can also inflict boundless destruction
on his creation.
s The talented .cas`t skillfully
• embellished the trite plot:
•
C
0 the
') co -open for
A\(1 SIRVK'Is
• Life
• Home
• Auto
• Farm
• Commercial
Call
Verna Gingerich
374 Main St., Exeter
Clinton Community Credit
Union Office
Residence 235- 1 109 Business
Theatre regulars await the remain-
ing plays. hopeful the rest of the 1985
playbill will meet the high standards
on • which the Blyth Festival has
. established its well-deserved fame.
POLDERLAND SCENE Neil
Foster and Laurel Poetz pose for
a vignette from Polderland, the
opening play for the 1985 Blyth
Festival.
White Sliced. 24 oz
Fresh
Bread loaf 79C
Hamburg Rolls
8* 69C
Roden XXX
Colby Cheese
Ib $3.09
Delicious Butter, Lemon,
Raspberry
Tarts
6/$1.49
Danish
Havarti Cheese
$3.49 lb.
Over 40 varieties of Donuts
Open doily 9 to 6.
Fri. night till 9:00.
Closed Holiday Monday,
July 1
ery ( Cheese House
Exeter 235-0332
AUTHOR AND DIRECTOR — These creative people brought "Anne of Green Gables" to life at the Huron
Country Playhouse. From left: Elaine Campbell, who wrote some of the lyrics; Norman Campbell, who
co-authored the musical adaptation; Heather Redick, general manager of the theatre; and Ron Ulrich,
Playhouse artistic director.
,. *-.„:.:.�
imes -
vO
Serving South Huron, North Middlesex •8r North Lambton Since 1873
/tine 26 ' t985- •
e PagetA
Foodland Hydro given $1,000
Ha helps halt -hydro group
Members of Hay council voted dations were dealt with. Bedard vole- Troyer.
unanimously to make a grant of $1,000 ed his objections to a notice from Ex- Road superintendent Ross Fisher
io the Foodland Hydro ('ommittee eter changing the designation from
developmental to industrial on a
parcel of land south of Walper SI.
i part of • the old Bieirling farni i
because of the controversy which led
to an OMB hearing over the zoning
designation of nearby iluron Farris.
ile was outvoted by the other
councillors.
Hay accepted the land severance
application of Theresa de Gr(xit, N.11.
concession, lot 29, severing off a house
and barn, as the township's secondary
plan allows such severances for
retirement purposes.
A severance application for lot 23.
concession 4. was approved to give
the severed lot to Sandra Funk and
the retained portion 10 GeorW'
after a - personal appeal. by Hay
representative Jim Love at the coun-
cil's second regular June meeting.
Reeve Lionel Wilder and Deputy
Reeve Tony Bedard informed their
fellow councillors of a discussion at
County Council about a new M7 route
proposed by Ontario Hydro which
would bring one line from the Bruce
plant to London through 1 heron and on
to Nanticoke, while another leg would
go from Bruce to Barrie. The recent
tornado in the Barrie area has made
011 officials -aware of the security pro-
vided by a back-up line in case
something happened to a primary
power line.
"it looks like we're in the large)
area. The $I,000 will be money well
spent on behalf of Hay township
residents", Wilder commented.
Jim McGregor, publicity chairman
for the Tuckersmith Sesquicenten
nial. dropped in 10 invite councillors
to come and enjoy the full weekend of
activities planned for this Saturday
and Sunday 'in Kgmondville and
Sea fort h. -
Councillors are optimistic that a
change of government will mean a
change of policy concerning a hoped-
for water system along I lighway 21
Wilder suggested that "when the ditsl
setting in Toronto, maybe it will lo'
time to get in touch with Mr. Riddell
and see what we can expect''. Ile add-
ed that the new government would
have difficulty saying no. after
criticizing the former regime for
refusing financial backing for the
project.
"it seems priorities are all mixed
up, and human .resources are not as
important as butterflies or golf
courses", Wilder remarked, referring
Iola rge grants by the former ('unser
natives to study a rare butterfly in the
Pinery, and improve a golf course at
a luxury resort in the Muskoka
region. •
All accounts were passed, with the
exception of W. G. Bartlett and
Associates engineering fees for a
report on the repair of the Forrest
Thompson drain, which was just put
in councillors' hands Monday night
members of council want t0 look over
reported That Burns Ross consulting
engineers found the McDonald steel
bridge over Black ('reek in Ilay
swamp structurally sound, but
recommended posting 01 a 15 -tonne
limit. A 14 -tonne limit was recom-
mended for the bridge at Henry
Stasik's, as well as some repair work.
F'ishei•.was given Ix•rmission to put
some vel on the I1hadiamond
Peoplegraparking on td%whe lirollper it are
tracking mud out onto the highway
Council adjourned al 11 p.m. The
next regular meeting will be on July 8.
as two people can turn the set.
Stearn and director Icon Ulrich
have greatly simplified the ::..6ing of
the show, cutting out many of the
things that brought the action to a
halt. The new version is smooth and
flows quickly, quite an accomplish-
ment with so many scenes and
lighting cues.
Stearn said about his design, "I sort
of avoid the stage directions for a play
when I'm reading it. That's someone
else's design. I want to see what I find
in the play." Stearn is designing all
the Playhouse offerings this season.
Lesley Ballantyne, who plays the ti-
tle role, says "the set is technically
quite complicated but it's a lot of fun
to work on. The set turns. 'ery slowly
ill some scenes and remains sta-
tionary in others." The revolving part
of the set measures 24 feet in
diameter.
David Juby is the costume designer
for the show, the first time he's work-
ed as head designer, although he's
been an assistant .designer for two
_years at the PI$house. Juby has two
assistants,Leslie .Rogerson and
Joanne Venart, and he needs them.
"There are about .85 costumes
altogether," Juby said, "It's a good
thing this is the first show of the
season, or we'd never get it done."
The Playhouse hires professional
actors from all over Canada, and this
play is no exception.
Lesley Ballantyne, who plays Anne,
is a musical theatre performer who
recently starred in a Toronto
workshop production of "On Tap".
She appeared in the gala variety per-
formance for Queen Elizabeth at Roy
Thompson Hall, which was directed
by Norm Campbell. She's also ap-
peared in pantomimes ("Dick Whit-
tington" and "Alladin") at the Royal
Alexandra Theatre, and in
"Goldilocks" at the O'Keefe Centre.
Ballantyne spent three seasons with
the National Tap Dance Company as
a principal dancer, and played the
role of June in "Gypsy" at the Nep-
tune Theatre in Halifax.
Nonnie Griffin, who plays Marilla
Cuthbert, has twice received the
Toronto Star citation for best actress,
once for her portrayal of Mrs. Raffi
in the St. Lawrence Centre production
of "The Sea", and for the role of Janet
in "Waiting for the Parade" at the
Tarragon Theatre. She was the
original host of the "Polka Dot Door"
TV program, and has appeared in
"Jalna", "The Collaborators", and
"King of Kensington".
Jack Northmore plays Matthew
Cuthbert. He has performed in vir-
tually every regional theatre in
Canada, including five years at Strat-
ford and five years at the Charlot-
tetown
harlottetown Festival. While in the cast of
"Anne" he toured to New York and to
Osaka Japan in 1117.14Thi8 is Nor-
thmore's third season at the
Playhouse, having appeared in "On
Golden Pond", "How the Other Half
Loves", and his own review, "Once
More With Fooling". After "Anne",
he's off the Sudbury to play Daddy
Warbucks in a production of "Annie".
Diana Barry is played by
newcomer Andrea Nevitt. Nevitt
played Lucy in "You're a Good Man,
('harfie Brown" and in "West Side
Story" al the Kingston Summer
Theatre. She toured across Ontario in
the children's play "The Sky's the
Limit" For Theatre on the Mover.
Shane MacPherson appeared in the
Charlottetown Festival production of
"Anne of (;r('en Gables". and in the
Festival tours of "Singin' and Dancin'
Tonight" and "Johnny Belinda "Mac-
Pherson was in the •The Boyfriend"
and "Love in the Backseat" at the
citadel 'Theatre in Edmonton.
"Anne of Green Gables" is a
musical the whole family will love.
It's on al the Iluron Country
Playhouse from June 28 to July 20.
A direct relative of the famour
novelist. I,. M. Montgomery, will hi
appearing at Huron ('ountr'
Playhouse this summer in "Anne o
Green Gables".
Renee Lynn Bouthol appears a
Mrs. 1'ne in this family musical whirl'
opens on .lune 29th. Renee's grea
grandmother was a second cousin n
Lucy Maude Montgomery %who wrot
a popular series of childrens books
The classic children's novel. Anne o
Green Gables. published in 1908,
was used as the basis of the musica
"Anne of Green Gables". Renee'
great grandmother and I.. M. Mor
tgomery were raised as children i
Prince Edward Island and later th
Marshall fancily moved lo Toronl
where she became one of the firs
piano students al the Royal ('onser
vatory of Music.
"Asa child, I read every one o
Lucy Maude Montgomery's books"
says Renee Lynn Bouthol. "1'm s.
pleased to be performing again at th.
Playhouse. f performed here tw'
years ago in South Pacific"
Miss Bouthot is a classically train
ed singer who has been a member o
The Tapestry Singers for the las
three gars and has loured across Or
tario with their production of "Dome
the report first A public reading of ni0n ('hatauqua': and "Pandora'
the report is scheduled for councils Bachs" She has also appearec
regular session on July 22 recently with the Canadians Open
Although Hai has not yet heard of ('ompany in "I )ea th of Venice". "Th•
ficially from 1ashwcxxl, ('ounc•illor Barber of Seville" at Hamilton Plac•.
John Elder reported that Steve and al the Stratford Festival it
Schroeder submitted the lowest of "iI %1!S Pinafore"
three lenders for repairing the roof of Renee is a graduate of the Oper.
the Dashwood Community ('entre School al the University of Toronto
Hay and Stephen's share will be ap She also teaches music at McMaste
proximate)• $1.5no each. t'niversity She will also appear late
A number of planning recornmen this season in "The Sound of Music"
Montgomery relative
in famous play
Everyone Welcome
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Every Friday evening we feature a Targe
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