Clinton News-Record, 1985-08-07, Page 6THIS
ORIGINAL DOCUMENT IS IN VERY POOR CONDITION
Fuge
+1' +` -pocoRD, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1985
th
Stand rd
JAMES ROY, AIAN,,ECHISLETT
Theatre's devoted: patriots
By Shelley McPhee
BLYTH - James Roy, Anne Chislett - their
names stand out amongst a generation
of young artists who have helped to create a
distinctive, and successful, theatrical com-
munity across the nation.
And it all started in Blyth.
Eleven years ago' the Blyth Festival was
born and James was the first artistic direc-
tor.
"I had a vision and a goal to be as big and
successful as possible, but I thought our
chances were slim that we'd be here today."
James diligently and patiently worked
towards his goal, and his ambitions and vi-
sions continue to be the foundation of the
Blyth Festival today.
The theatre was built on a mandate to pro-
duce Canadian plays and a strong sense of
community involvement. These features
have made the Blyth Festival unique among
theatres in Canada, as well as one of the
most successful in the nation.
James credits much of the success of the
Blyth Festival to its board of directors - a
devoted group of volunteers who keep the
wheels of the theatre running smoothly. Title
board of directors are ordinary people from
the community, with little or no previous ex-
perience ,
xperience, in the theatre world, but James
says it's the good common sense, hard work
and practical thinking philosophy of life that
makes the board members excel at their
work. It'sl a basic philosophy that's central
to people in this farming community, he
says.
"This board is unique in this country. If
other theatre boardswere like this, all
, theatres in Canada would be' successful,"
James praises.
James. Roy, the Blyth Festival and the
board of directors grew together. Their
ideas were developed, molded and blended
jq/jgjIinTheie
Car:
1983 FORD CROWN VICTORIA
,1983 CHEV MALIBU 4 dr,
1981 BUICK LeSABRE, 4 dr.
1981 AMC CONCORD
1981 DODGE DIPLOMAT, 4 dr.
1981 CHEV SUBURBAN
1981 CHEV MALIBU, 6 cyl., air
1981 PONTIAC, 2 dr.
1980 CHEV '/2 TON, VB, P.S., P.B.
1980 BUICK LeSABRE, 2 dr.
•HAMMS
CAR SALES LTD.
BLYTH•
5;3-4342
SALES DEPT. _
SERVICE DEPT..... 523.9581
until that clear vision for the theatre was
established.
"I worked hard to establish a board and
over the five years that I was here we ended
up with a strong group."
The foundation that James Roy built still
provides the solid base for the Blyth
Festival.
"The theatre has a specific mandate and
the board knows how to go after it."
James Roy fathered the Blyth Festival 11
years•,ago. It all began when he and Paul
Thomson of Toronto's Theatre Passe
Muraille met Keith Roulston of Blyth. They
shared a dream, to turn the old Blyth
Memorial Hall into a theatre stage.
In the summer of 1974 two plays were
staged, Agatha Christie's hit play The
Mousetrap and an untested production,
Mostly in Clover by Harry J. Boyle. To the
surprise of the artistic director, it was Most-
ly in Clover that became the box office hit of
the season. ' •
Thus Blyth's mandate to stage new Cana-
dian works was firmly established.
James remembers the second year as ar-
tistic director as the most difficult time for
the festival. The season increased from two
productions to four. The budget increased
four times. And for the tiny theatre the rapid
spurt of growth was an uphill climb.
James Roy left the Blyth Festival after
five years to take on a new position as ar-
tistic director of the Belfrey Theatre in Vic-
toria, B.C. Today he manages the large
Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg.
It's a nomadic life of sorts, but James
lives for the challenge and the motivation
that a new job brings.
This summer ,Tames has returned to his
roots, the Blyth Festival, to direct the pro-.
duction Primrose School District 109.
The Blyth visit is not a holiday time. He's
juggling his Blyth work with one hand and
the demands of the Winnipeg theatre with
. the other. Still, James is excited about the
prospects of working at the Festival again.
"It's amazing, the audience is still the
same. There are still people I know in the
audience and the audience still has the same
character."
And like the proud father, James has
nothing but words of praise for the Blyth
Festival today.
"I'm proud of it and I'm proud of the
board of directors. They've made very wise
choices in artistic directors. I'mproud of
what the town has done and what those ar-
tistic directors have done."
As the popularity of the Blyth Festival
continues to spiral upwards, so too do the
careers of James Royand his playwright
wife Anne Chislett.
James is tackling a new career challenge
with his work at the Manitoba Theatre Cen-
tre. The large Winnipeg based theatre is a
world apart from the character off the Blyth
Festival.
The Manitoba Theatre Centre features 800
and 250 seat theatres. It stages a dozen
shows a year and takes in a three month pro-
vincial tour. The theatre stages a wide
variety of plays, from Shakespeare to new
Canadian productions. Jaynes explains,
"It's the only game in a town of 600;000 and
it needs to offer variety."
While James developed a very specific
mandate for the Blyth Festival, he says that
at the Manitoba Theatre, "it's harder to
keep a sense of direction. The mandate is
more sprawling."
He is working to focus in on a mandate by
trying to produce plays that relate a mean-
ingful message to the community.
And Anne Chislett. Her career too con-
tinues to flourish. Her name as a playwright
gained national recognition with her ac-
claimed play Quiet In The Land. The play
which was first staged in Blyth went on to
play in theatres across Canada and won the
Governor General's Literary Award. Today
Appe is preparing the story about life in a
Mennonite community for a full-length film.
Another of Anne's plays, The Tomorrow
Box, has, also received international
recognition. It'sbeen translated into Latin
and French and this year played in Japan.
Anne simply explains, "There's
something in that play that strikes a nerve."
The Blyth Festival awaits Anne Chislett's
next script, She and Keith Roulston are col-
laborating their talents on a show for Blyth
about the farming situation.
"The research is fascinating," Anne says.
"Keith has turned up stories that are quite
astonishing."
Anne says that they. have come up with
enough material to write 10 plays, but' this
particular production will focus on the lives
of one family, the -modern problems of farm-
ing and the effects on the family.
James and Anne are adamant about their
concerns for the future of the farming in-
dustry, and readily vocalize their criticisms
of the bankers.
Anne says that the money controllers on
Toronto's Bay Street have . "no sense of
reality. Beans, have a different reality than
a piece of paper from Bay ' Street. The
. bankers end up okay and the food industry
suffers.
It's a basic love of the land, the people and
this country that give James Roy and Anne
Chislett their motivation, their creativity
and their devotion to Canadian theatre.
James and Anne have travelled Canada,
coast to coast, and Anne notes, "We're real •
lucky, we've got a real sense ,of the coun-
try."
"Being back here '(in Huron County) has
reminded us how wonderful this part of the
country is. It's so lush, so beautiful to look
at," James adds.
,Vith a patriotic vision of Canada, James
Roy and Anne Chislett work to bring the
country to the people.
"Theatre gives people a strong sense of
themselves and their culture," James ex=
plains.
BLIEVE
BULK troop
Watch for our Instore Specials
OPEN Monday -Wednesday 10 am -6 pm
Thursday -Saturday 10 and -8 pm
Main Street, Blyth
523-4789
BLYTH
CHRISTIAN REFORMED
CHURCH
Rev. Roger Gelwicks
Service 10 a,m.
8 p.m.
Sunday School 11 a.m.
It all, began here a decade ago. Playwright Anne Chislett and husband James Roy were
the driving forces behind the birth of the Blyth Festival. They're back in Blyth this sum-
mer where James is directing Primrose School District 109 and Anne is working on a new
script for the Blyth stage. (Shelley McPhee photo)
THE BLYTH STANDARD
iftvansmas DIRVCT
OPTOMETRY
David Longstaff Ltd.
Optician
87 Man tit. South, SE/WORTH
Optometrist's and Ophthalmologist's
Prescriptions Filled Promptly
SUMMER HOURS: Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri.
9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
•
Closed Wednesday & Saturdays
COMPLETE OPTICAL SERVICE 527-1303
ACCOUNTANT
WARD
UPT1GROVE
CHARTERED,
ACCOUNTANTS
LIStOWEL, ONT.
291-3040
INSURANCE
GENERAL
J. Richard Elliott
• 15191523-9725
LIFE
R. John Elliott
519-523-4323
ELLIOTT INSURANCE BROKERS LTD.
INSURANCE IN ALL BRANCHES
Established 191(1
BLYTH, ONTARIO NOM 1H0 519-523-4481
LIVESTOCK MORTALITY INSURANCE
REPAIR
Cal BURKE
ELECTRIC Ltd.
Electrical Contractors
Appliance Sales 8
Service to all makes
' Refrigeration Service ,1)
Open 6 days a week
38 Years Built by Quality & Service
Wingham, Ontario 357-2450
Long distance
mu. FREE 1.800-265-3025
4,
PLUMBING SERVICE
Robert
Worsell
Plumbing
Heating
Sales B Service
Box 68, Auburn
526-7597
H.T. DALE
SEPTIC TANK
PUMPING
• SERVICE
CLINTON
PHONE 482-3320
or 527-0284
ELECTRICAL
FRED LAWRENCE
Electrical
Contractor'
HOME, FARM AND
COMMERCIAL
WIRING
PHONE AUBURN
"d526-7505
EXCAVATION
•BACKHOE EXCAVATION
•SNOW REMOVAL
•SEPTIC INSTALLATIONS
•TRENCHING
Backhoe will remain In Blyth
for snow removal.' Equipped,
with 2 way radio for fast
service.
RANDY BABCOCK.
MR. 1, Clinton (319) 412.3373
HEATING
LYLE
YOUNGBLUT
PLUMBING
and
HEATING
BLYTH, ONTARIO
PHONE 523-95a5
Anne Chislett's The Tomorrow Box was first staged at the Blyth ' estival in 1981 and
again in 1983. It has since been translated into French and Latin and this year was per-
formed in Japan. (Shelley McPhee photo)
BLYTH LIONS -
BUS TOURS
Sunday, August 18,
1985
invites you and
your family to
$27.95 each
o ,;°" ""._,....
adryh
Includes — Bus seat and °15.95 Day Pass to
Wonderland. Please advise by August 10, 1985.
APPLICATION FORM:
Nome 006066'0600006006 e e e e m e e e. e. a•• e a
Address 00000.06em ••emeeemeemaa.•.•o
0000 • • • • • • m • e
m e e a• e••• 0000
. m. m e a a e e a a• m• a m a m. 0 a. e e a e e• 0• e Postal C®deo e e e•• m 0 0 o
Phone e e o. e e e m m a a. m a e a m. a 0 • o e•
Number of Ticketse.om•m..enea•mae..at'27."ankh Totai°masa
Send Cheque orMoney Order to: Blyth Lions Bus Tours
c/o Robert Walker
R.P. 3
Walton, Ont. NOK 1X0
or phone: 8e7-6643
ts