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Clinton News-Record, 1984-03-21, Page 24leader and hardware store est Di9tanee Between -a wo-]t ousts, -Scott eAleKey, the village (played by Brian Kaulback) and Mildred, the village newspaper editor (played by Linda Bolen) discuss village matters. The play was written by Keith Roulston and performed by The Theatre Circle last week at Blyth. (Photo by Theatre Circle) The circle Concept The Theatre Circle concept is designed to bring professional theatre to as wide an au- dience as possible. In recent years the amount of touring theatre has died to a trickle. Most theatres are concerned enough about their home au- diences that they do not want to take the ex- tra risks, and the heavy work load of touring theatre. In addition there are many communities large enough they should have more than one -night -stand theatre but cannot afford to have a. full-time resident company. The Theatre Circle is a company designed specifically for touring to these cities. Using the facilities of the Blyth Summer.. Festival which go unused in the winter months, The Theatre Circle mounts its productions in Blyth, then moves onto a touring circuit that includes Chatham, Sarnia and Owen Sound, staying a week in each location. The economics of live theatre are such that nearly all costs are incurred before opening night. Actors must be paid during three weeks of rehearsal, director's and designer's fees paid, sets built and publicity paid for. The more performances a play can get, the more chance there is to pay back these costs. By travelling to more than one city, The Theatre Circle hopes to be able to put on enough performances, to enough peo- ple, to be able to meet these costs without having to lean heavily on government grants and fund raising. By shouldering on- ly a small part of the burden of a profes- sional company, each community should be able to `have "theatre as inexpensively as possible. While in each community, .the company members will try to be as much a part of the community as possible, making themselves available for speaking in schools or to ser- vice clubs, interviews with the media, .or other theatre related activities that help the community have greater exposure to the arts. The concept is made possible by having a local committee in each community to sell subscriptions, help with publicity and fund raising. Work to put. together the organization began in October. carfroNNEw. ;:, tete makes ;larch beorable By Shelley McPhe8 MYTH, - Few thenp.a, st 10 years Centrefor- the Art has brought the 115 -chiBlythns summer productions. But at summer's en the festival: cloaca and theatre patrons must face a long winter before next season. That's changed now, with the opening of a new cleprofessional company, The Theatre . " The new touring theatre, headed by Keith Roulston of Blyth, will take top plays to southwestern Ontario centres. Reginninl with openings at Blyth, the productions will move onto a touring circuit that includes Chatham, Sarnia and Owen Sound, staying a week in each location. For theatre lovers, the additional winter productions are a warm. treat. How easy it was to forget March's biting winds on Friday night when The Theatre Circle's first production Shortest Distance Between Two Points was staged. The empty seats in the theatre only proved that many people were missing a good evening out and a quality play. For its first production, Theatre Circle is touring a sure winner. Shortest Distance was written by Roulston and was first performed at the Blyth Summer Festival in 1977. The -play -was- a success -then and dill undoubtesily-givee TheatzeCireletouring_ company a sureLfooted beginning. Shortest Distance is one of those plays that everyone can relate to. It focusses on local humor, familiar characters, down home appeal, rural troubles and triumphs. The play tells the story of a typical small town Elmtree Valley, population 300. The village has its share- of problems, from parking meters rto lack of industry, the recent closure of the turnip factory to the need for more tourism. In depicting his imaginary village, it appears that Roulston has taken a direct look toward our own municipalities. Roulston has also excelled in creating believeable characters. There's the reeve Elmira Festival around the corner Once again the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival will include an outstanding selec- tion of antiques and collectibles at the Anti- que Show and Sale. . Visitors are encouraged to take advan- tage of an _Early_"Bird Night and attend the Eighth Annual Antique Show and Sale the evening of Friday, April 6. The evening preview, from six to 10 p.m. will allow serious collectors,a chance to at- tend the show prior to thousands who will at- tend the community's Maple Syrup Festival the next day, Saturday, April 7. This year will be the 20th Annual Maple Syrup Festival with the Antique Show and Sale open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Festival Day. and honest hardware store merchant, Scottie McKay (Brian Baulback). There's Jim Young (Robert Desrosiers) the industriouscar dealership owner. There's Mildred (Linda Bolen) the newspaper editor, Charlie (Thom Allen Bell) the retired, good humored know-it-all and Hector (Michael Kelly) the town drunk. In Shortest Distance, Elmtree Valley residensee a dream turn into a nightmare. Up the highway a new amusement park, Mother Goose Mountain, is proposed by an electioning politician Smiley (Mike McManus). Enterprising Elmtree residents see Mother Goose Mountain as a sure money maker, a way to put the village on the map. The government has another idea, one that will take Elmtree off the map. When local residents learn that the village will be swallowed by the superhighway from the city to Mother Goose Mountain, the fight begins. Talk around the hardware store and the Commercial Hotel turns fiery and Elmtree declares independence from Canada. The story gets wilder and funnier with this proposal as President Scottie and his people deal with a variety of national and international problems, from flag design to Soviet support. Dissention and revolution -come- when "HectorTthe self -appointed -head of_ -the army and 'some:-desserrersoppose Elmtree's leader. The plot twists and turns when the Canadian politician and the young civil servant Malcolm (Michael O'Hara) enter the scene. Fast moving action, one-liners and satirical humor make Shortest Distance a Plan to attend: THE ANNUAL MEETING of the HURON MIDDLESEX (PRO".) LIBERAL ASSOCIATION AT THE EXETER LEGION HALL WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4TH GUEST SPEAKER SHEILA COPPS MPP OPPOSITION HEALTH CRITIC RECEPTION DINNER 6PM 7PM TICKETS '10. PER PERSON AVAILABLE FROM YOUR LOCAL LIBERAL ASSOCIATION CHAIRMAN BERNARD BENN PRESIDENT R CO fun look ata small town and its battle against the rest of the world. F`rneht's aienee may have been small, butlaughs were big and the finale applause showed the audience's enjoyment and support of the play.. Shortest Distance Between Two Points played ,three nights in Blyth and is now on the road. The Blyth opening indicated a promising start for Theatre Circle. Blyth theatre supporters will have a chance to see another early production when The Theatre Circle opens its second production The Vaudevillians on April 19, 20 and 21. This play will bring to life the old time music of vaudeville and the old routines inspired and corny as three vaudevillians recall the good old days. The Vaudevillians promises to be a show full of music and laughter as Peter Colley (author of the international smash hit I'll Be Back Before Midnight) and Heinar Piller (former artistic directpr of Theatre London) capsulize the history and spirit of vaudeville with help from David Warrick, one of Canada's top theatrical composers. Since it was originally produced in London, The Vaudevillians has played for an extended run in Toronto and at theatres across Canada : For .southwestern Ontarintowns,.Theatte-- Circle is introducing extra quality performances that Blyth theatre patrons have enjoyed for the past 10 years. For Blyth's devoted audiences, the additional productions will shorten the time between summer seasons and will help make Huron County winters a little more bearable. HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY ,,Foss,, Love Janice & Rob ...this is the day he got his curls cut! ce to onour ie.. or Service to 114 t Comm%dni municipalities, Indian Bands and local service boards will be asked to nominate anywhere from one to 13 non -elected individuals (dependent on population). Beryondthis, some 200 medals will be awarded to citizens whose names have been ptlt forward by their fellow"citizens or by volunteer organizations. 49 aNTpmo They are the bedrock of society, quietly, selflessly devot- ed to those who need help. The are the people who, with no thought of compensation, voluntarildevote part of their lives to the bettering of the lives of others — the disabled, the disadvantaged, the sick and the lonely. Some contribute their time and talents to helping others achieve - in culture, arts, sports and recreation. Bicentennial Medals To commemorate Ontario's Bicentennial, a special medal has been struck. Made from Ontario gold -and nickel and minted in Ottawa,__ the medal features Ontario's coat of arms and the Bicentennial symbol. Nominate a Special Person In this Bicentennial year, 1,984 medals will be awarded to volunteers who have made a valuable contribution to their communities. Every community across the province including ntario's Bicentennial It's an occasion for communities to join together. and celebrate our rich diversity. The Bicen- tennial Medals Program is, one way we can honour those special values we all hold in common, and those special individuals who've made our life together better. We need your nomination by June 30,1984. Nomination forms are available by writing: Executive Secretary, Bicentennial Awards Committee; Box1984, Queen's Park, Toronto, .Ontario M7A 1N3 William G. Davis Margaret Birch, M.PP Premier Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier 8 Ontario