Local author engages young minds at library
THE BIRD IS THE WORD Children’s author and former St. Teresa school student Nan Forler reads from her first picture book, Bird Child, at an event for Grade 1 students Thursday afternoon at the Elmira Public Library.
A Christmas tale for kids, by kids
If Christmas is for kids, then a Christmas story about kids performed by kids is just the thing for the holiday season.
Just such a production – Happy Holidays From Me, Eloise – is now on stage at the Church Theatre in St. Jacobs.
Presented by If The Shoe Fits Productions, the play introduces us to a little girl who lives with her nanny at the Plaza …Read more
Friendships aren’t always what they seem
Norm Foster specializes in sifting through relationships to find comedic nuggets, often the kind steeped in awkwardness. His plays make us laugh while we relate with the characters, seeing parts of ourselves revealed on stage. It’s one of the reasons he’s the most produced of all Canadian playwrights …Read more
Chilling tales just right for Halloween
The gooseflesh and chills running up your spine will have nothing to do with the weather if you choose to spend All Hallows’ Eve at The Registry Theatre: it’s precisely the reaction storyteller Mary-Eileen McClear and singer Michael Kelly Cavan are aiming for.
The two will combine their talents in a Halloween performance called Ghosts, Ghouls & Spectres …Read more
Eclectic is the order of the day
Billed as eclectic, there’s more than a little truth in the advertising for The Registry Theatre’s “One Night Only” series, which kicks off Friday night with L’Accordéoniste.
Take a much-travelled mezzo-soprano, a celebrated pianist and a young accordion player, add music from a variety of periods and styles, throw in a mixture of languages, and you definitely have something worthy …Read more
Generations clash this time around
Long before the term sandwich generation came to be, playwright Henry Denker touched on the dynamic between three generations – parents, kids and grand parents – in a comedic way. Written in the ‘70s, The Second Time Around explores the generation gap more than any other facet of that relationship …Read more
A sound as changeable as the weather
If you happen to catch The Bad Bongwater Boys in action more than once, chances are you’ll see a different show each time.
From country to bluegrass to old school rock ’n’ roll, the local band, primarily a six-man unit with a rotating cast of guest stars, plays anything its individual members are into.
“We can play for any type of crowd,” said Dave Soehner, guitarist, vocalist and one of the leaders of the band …Read more
This musical’s got a (razor’s) edge
There’s no truth to the rumour ponchos will be necessary for audience members in the first three rows taking in the JM Drama production of Sweeney Todd, says the director.
Nor, for that matter, is anyone likely to be asked to volunteer his neck to The Demon Barber: there’ll be enough blood already …Read more
Elmira plays host to WODL Minifest
A GROUP EFFORT In one of their rare moments of downtime, the Elmira Theatre Company volunteers behind the Minifest efforts gather for a photo. Front row: Paul Dietrich, Sue Rose, Bev Dietrich and Sandy Weiler. Back row: Pam Webb, Debbie Deckert, Gord Grose, Lorna Wittman and Tom Fahey.
Just as no two snowflakes are alike – although it’s July, a snowy analogy seems apropos this “summer” – no two interpretations of the same play are the same. Make that no six interpretations, because that’s exactly what’s in store next week as the Elmira Theatre Company hosts the Western Ontario Drama League (WODL) Minifest.
Six theatrical groups will be performing Return to Sender by Stratford playwright Joan Veldman, an exercise in creativity, skills development and having a whole lot of fun.
“The idea is to help new directors, new actors and new tech people – sets, lights and such – get some experience in a friendly, non-competitive manner,” said Bev Dietrich, who’s spearheading the ETC effort.
Over two days, the participants – Galt Little Theatre, Kincardine Theatre Guild, London Community Players, Theatre Kent (Chatham), Theatre Sarnia and Thistle Theatre (Embro) – will take part in a workshop-format event led by Brian Van Norman.
Van Norman brings more than three decades of theatre experience to the role. He has worked with schools, universities, amateur and professional theatre companies, serving as a teacher, director, writer, adjudicator and producer.
He’ll be providing feedback to the participants, as will the playwright, who’ll be in attendance.
Audience members can expect to see six distinct takes on Veldman’s one-act play, with each performance running about 35 minutes, said Dietrich.
“You wonder how you can watch the same one-act play six times, but you can. You’re going to see six different versions of the play – everyone has their own take on it,” she said, noting that at past Minifests, groups have performed varied versions of the featured play, from operatic to completely off the wall.
This year’s offering, Return to Sender, tells the story of a young woman who gets angry at her boyfriend and decides to take out a personal ad to meet other men. A naïve soul, she is unaware of what all the short-forms and acronyms in the ads really mean, and so ends up conversing with some “interesting” characters. Comedic episodes ensue.
Complications arise when the boyfriend, realizing that he really does love her and wants her back, enters the café where she works in a variety of disguises as her would-be suitors.
As a happily-ever-after story, reconciliation is soon in the air.
Short and sweet, each presentation of Return to Sender will require a great deal of behind-the-scenes work for the ETC crew. As host, Elmira will not be entering the festival, but is responsible for organizing all the details.
Unlike a full competition where each theatre company brings its own sets, props and lighting, everything will be provided by the host company, putting some 30 local volunteers to work, Dietrich explained.
This marks the first time Elmira will host any of the WODL events. While the group is too small to run the large competition held in March, its new facility on Howard Avenue is just right for the Minifest, she added.
A grant of $2,000 from the Region of Waterloo Arts Fund helped seal the deal, allowing ETC to go ahead with its plans. With some 80 overnight visitors – the Best Western Hotel in St. Jacobs is the official accommodation spot – and some 100 daytrippers expected July 24-25, Minifest should be a boon to the local economy, Dietrich argued in seeking the funding.
With the festival now ready to go, performances by Galt and Embro, the two closest groups, will open the event on Friday night. The other four groups take the stage on Saturday. All shows are open to the public.
“We’re hoping Elmira people will come to check it out … along with the groups that will be attending.”
Tickets are $10 for the two plays July 24, and $20 for the four plays on Saturday, including a lunch. Weekend passes are $25 for all six plays and Saturday’s lunch. Tickets are available at the door or by calling (519) 669-3230.
CITS’ new season reflects economic times
Recognizing the economic realities, the Centre In The Square has pared back its offerings in the 2009-2010 season, details of which were announced this week.
Having expanded into double-digits, this coming year’s series have been reduced to seven, billed as The Magnificent 7 …Read more
