Oh oh!

  A little something I came across from the BBC website:

7 January 2011 Last updated at 05:35 ET

Glasgow pantomime dress broke Geneva Convention

Dean Park who plays Nurse Poltis:"I can't believe it, I just can't believe it"

A Glasgow theatre has had to change a pantomime costume after being told it was breaking the Geneva Convention.

The dress worn by Nurse Poltis in the Pavilion Theatre production of Robin Hood originally had red crosses on the hat and tunic.
These were changed to green crosses after the British Red Cross informed the theatre it was breaking the law and could face prosecution.
Unauthorised use of the emblem violates the Geneva Conventions Act 1957.
The British Red Cross said it had contacted the Pavilion Theatre over the use of a red cross on a nurse's costume in the pantomime, The Magical Adventures of Robin Hood.

The previous Nurse Poltis costume violated the Geneva Convention

A spokesman for the humanitarian organisation said: "We have no desire to be the villains of the pantomime or to appear heavy handed, but we do have a very serious obligation to protect the Red Cross emblem.
"The emblem is a special sign of neutrality and protection recognised by all sides during armed conflicts.
"Misuse of that emblem - even when done in an innocent and light-hearted manner - has to be addressed. Repeated and widespread misuse of the Red Cross emblem could dilute its neutrality and its ability to protect.
"When we contacted the theatre management, they quickly changed the cross on the nurse's costume to green and we applaud them for that."

  Does this mean I have to change the design for my 'naughty nurse' in Norm Foster's Skin Flick?

A Teeny Bit Off the Mark...

Not sure which night the reviewer was actually there, perhaps a preview night? Because on Opening Night, the role of Randy was played by Tyler Simpson. And if he caught the show a bit early, then yes, there were still some line problems, which hadn't been helped by losing actors to H1N1 during the rehearsal period, a Q to Q rehearsal that went forever, and a school matinee instead of a dress rehearsal... But he did get it right abour our Ralphie, who *is* a marvel!

From the Orangeville Banner.

Young actors play roles brilliantly
Thursday December 3 2009 IN THE SPOTLIGHT with Adam Martin-Robbins

Adam Bartley (left) shines as Ralphie Parker in Theatre Orangeville's production of the holiday classic A Christmas Story, while Terry V. Hart has struggled with his lines in the demanding role of the narrator. The show runs until Sunday, Dec. 20 at the Orangeville Opera House.

A Christmas Story plays until Dec. 20

I’m a big fan of A Christmas Story, the movie. I watch it every year, often while wrapping presents, to help put me in a festive mood. So I went into Theatre Orangeville’s production of the holiday classic with pretty high expectations. But after the show, I walked out feeling a little let down.

It wasn’t the script that left me wanting — the play, adapted for the stage by Philip Grecian, captures all the best moments from the movie. And it wasn’t the child actors either — their performances were solid. Where it fell short — on opening night — was due to some major flubs by some of the professional, adult cast members.

The local production opens with three songs by the Theatre Orangeville Youth Singers. While the choreography was a little off Nov. 26, their voices were spot on and helped put the audience in the holiday spirit.

Then, it launches into the story with Terry V. Hart, as a grown-up Ralph, serving as narrator. He recounts the story of when, as a nine-year-old growing up in Indiana during the 1940s, he sought to obtain the one thing he desired more than anything else for Christmas, a Red Ryder BB gun. But, his desire is squelched by those around him insisting he’ll shoot his eye out.

Like their singing counterparts, the youngest cast members in the play nailed their lines and delivered the most enjoyable performances of the show.

It’s tough, at least for me, to imagine anyone but the film’s Peter Billingsley as Ralphie, but Adam Bartley comes very close to replacing him in my mind.

Bartley, who’s making his debut on the Theatre Orangeville stage, has taken the character and made it his own.

He’s a joy to watch during the tire-changing scene when he lets fly the Queen Mother of dirty words and when he dukes it out with bully Scut Farkas. And Bartley’s hilarious during the dream sequences when he imagines himself defending his family from harm with his BB gun or going blind from having his mouth washed out with soap as a youngster.

Christopher DuBois, who shares the role of Ralphie’s little brother Randy with Tyler Simpson, was also a pleasure to watch. He truly captures the character with his leaping excitement at hearing Santa’s voice in the shopping mall and expressing his need to go “wee-wee,” at the most inopportune times.

Alexander Newall is equally impressive as Ralphie’s pal Flick. He nails the “triple dog dare scene” where he winds up with his tongue frozen to a flagpole. And his encounters with Samuel Grant, who embodies the menacing Farkas, are as unforgettable as his sore arm.

The other young actors — Daniel Reale (Schwartz), Jayde Lavoie (Esther Jane), and Jacqueline Vandervaart (Helen) — are also deserving of praise for their rock solid performances.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Hart or Cathy Elliot, who plays the teacher Miss Shields.

Hart, who was a scream in last season’s I’ll Be Back Before Midnight, has arguably the hardest role in the play. As the narrator, he appears in almost every scene, takes on other characters and has at least three times as many lines to remember as any one else on stage.

That also means it’s crucial for him to know all his lines. And on opening night, he didn’t. This led Hart to utter repeated, distracting “ums.”

That being said, when Hart was on, he was dead on — it just wasn’t the whole time.

He wasn’t alone. Elliot had a few line drops too and she wasn’t able to overcome them gracefully, leading to some uncomfortable moments for those on stage at the time.

The other adult characters did not disappoint.

In fact, Jamie Williams was a treat as The Old Man. He had the audience laughing hysterically every time he burst out with a bevy of “swear words.” His exchanges with Susie Burnett, who plays Ralphie’s mom, provide some of the high points in this production, which runs a little more than two hours.

Burnett — who starred in last season’s smash hit Kiss the Moon, Kiss the Sun and in I’ll Be Back Before Midnight — has brought something new and fresh to each role.

Beyond the acting, the detailed set, costumes, lighting and sound effects — including the Bumpus hounds and the blazing BB gun — add to the pleasure of this production.

All things considered, while the show wasn’t up to par on opening night, I’d still recommend it — especially if you’re not familiar with this timeless holiday story. As I see it, the problems with this production can, and should be, ironed out after a few performances as these professional actors spend more time in their roles and get to know their lines better.

A Christmas Story runs until Sunday, Dec. 20. Tickets for the show are available by calling 519-942-3423, 1-800-424-1295 or online at www.theatreorangeville.ca.

Look Quick!

Before they destroy it....
It's the poor set for I'll Be Back Before Midnight, by Peter Colley. And it's having a rough go. Our antique end table was shattered into component splinters in a blackout, the 'contraption' has had varying decorative bits smashed off, the curtain rings have all had to be replaced, and the fight choreography, perhaps more vehement than prudent, has gouged the antique couch, destructed the coffee table, and taken divots out of the desk chair.

Note to self: Don't let the actors touch things!

The Dickens, You Say...

So, the Theatre Orangeville Christmas production came along again. Another one of those madness-inducing enterprises! Dickens' A Christmas Carol. All stops out. Two costume designers again, the third time we've done this, which means a costume staff of two whole people! Woo woo! And a mainstage cast of eleven actors, playing how many characters? and an accompanying choir of 75, broken into three rotating choirs of 25.
(Mmmmm... why do we do this we wonder?)

There had been a theory (thin at both ends...) which was that maybe we'd rent most of the show. But it turned out that pretty near every theatre in the province had decided that this was the year to do A Christmas Carol, or Oliver! So, the pickings were slim.





Some of the TOYS choir.


Scrooge and Cratchit.


Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim and the carollers, while Scrooge looks on.


The ghost of Jacob Marley.



The Spirit of Christmas Past.


Christmas Eve at the Fezziwigs, in Ebenezer Scrooge's past.





The Spirit of Christmas Present.


"A sailor at his watch far on the open sea. He hopes to reach his loved ones this Christmas Eve."





Scrooge's nephew Fred, his wife, and friend, party on Christmas Eve.


The Cratchits at their Christmas feast.



The Spirit of Christmas Yet To Come...



So, in the long run, despite my blurry photos, it looks like something. We rented some bits, built some bits, emptied my re-enactors' wardrobe, dug some strange pieces out of costume stock, and did stranger things with them, and even got mentioned in the review!

Wash Day in Wareham

Now Where Was I Before Life Interrupted?

So, way back in mid-July, I dived in to this year's version of Young Company; 22 young teenagers ranging from 11 to 16 or 17, in a brand new play written just for them.

For all that I have no natural affinity at all with kids of any age, I actually enjoy the Young Company shows. Often they're a bit fantastical, and there's nothing like costuming a fantasy to make your brain bounce! And the whole process is spread over a little more time, so you can take a moment or two to see what's going on, unlike the mainstage shows that kind of smack you in the head with a two-by-four, and then are gone!

So the inspiration for this show was a pop-up book of FairyTales, and that's what Beckie had to build for the set:
In this 'faeryland in a book' was a theatre, stage managed by Wilf Bounty, a wolf:

When the Once Upon A Time Players came to town, they brought with them every fairy tale character ever mentioned. Witches:

Mother Goose:
Peter Pan and The Good Fairy:
Little Red Riding Hood:

There was an Evil Queen and her mirror:

Prince Charming, and some not-so-ugly Step Sisters:
A whole passel of princesses. Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White, and their protector, Ned the Huntsman:



And Captain Hook. (But his good twin Chas...)

When we lost one of our young actresses just before the whole thing was started up, we retooled some characterizations and created Hansel-und-Gretel as one person:



Of course, as in all good fairy tales, magical things had to happen. And eventually, without a doubt, a happy ending. The play even says a number of times, Whatever starts with a Once Upon A Time, must end with a Happily Ever After. So, of course, there was never any doubt!



Of course, many apologies, photographing kids, especially kids who act, is very much like trying to photograph cats. Even the fast-moving object setting can only help so much!

anti-v

Welcome to the Freakshow!

And I don't just mean Step Right Up! by Eric Woolfe...

No, this is more of a placeholder, so I can expound more thoroughly (at some point) on all the craziness that has been my life for the last few months.

There was Young Company and Just This Once Upon A Time. And I may actually have a picture or two, either somewhere on the computer, or still on the camera... (I think I uploaded them.)
Then a few seconds, it seemed, of going away for a weekend of historical re-enactment, except it involved remembering what gear we needed, and where it was, or even what it looked like, and food for people, not just us...
And rushing back to make a whole passle (passel?) of red satin shoe bows for The Rockettes.

And trying to design this new show, with four actors and twenty-two characters, and no-one ever leaving the stage...

And being reminded right now, by the sound of wagons rattling past, how we discovered last Sunday, when FORTY of them didn't even slow down at the stopsign at our crossroads, that apparently they're exempt from the Highways Safety Act, or whatever you call the laws about traffic and the rules of the road! So no, they're not required to stop at stop signs. (Gee, wish someone had mentioned that to me when they were explaining things...) I suppose this 'exemption' may also explain: no lights, no turn signals, using cellphones while driving, no underage limit on driving a vehicle, no 'your side, my side'... and a whole bunch of stuff I'm seeing more and more of as the density increases...

So, it was all craziness anyway. Rush, rush, rush, and trying to think even faster than that. And then we had a little too much 'smoke and mirrors', shall we say... so life is even a bit crazier.

Anyway, still alive.
But this was my two minute break, and now I'm back at it!

anti-v, still crazy after all these years.

Can You Say....

Ohmigod!

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc7XAawJ94E

Because...

Because some people get grumpy when I don't post updates, and don't feel that my sewing costumes for two dozen fairy tale characters for Theatre Orangeville's Young Company qualifies as an excuse...

Well, for those people, a really hasty little array of snaps:

Lily's morning preening.



Morning spider webs
My woad seed harvest. No idea if that's lots, or anything.
And in some sort of context, so you can gauge the size of the container, next to my big black cat.

At last....

From the Orangeville Banner, a little slow to be written and posted to their online edition:



George Masswohl and Sharron Matthews shine in Rope's End.

Hope, humour key to play's success
Tuesday February 19 2008
BY Ashley Goodfellow



ROPE'S END

THEATRE ORANGEVILLE

As I exited Rope's End, Theatre Orangeville's current production, I overheard one person objecting to the "unrealistic" nature of the play, and how this particular story would never unfold in real life as it did on stage.

Perhaps that's true; however, these grievances were the exact reasons I peg it a success -- it's a story that drops its guard and moves blindly on hope: romantic hope, desperate hope, and even neurotic hope.

Writer Douglas Bowie navigates the "you never know" factor with charm, comedy and a loveable lead character -- Toby Boone (played by George Masswohl).

Toby, a middle-aged film critic, is the kind of guy who can't catch a break. He's lonely, forlorn and contemplating what life has left to offer when he discovers a photo of his first love, Marisa.

For 31 years he's been cursed with his memories of this teenage love affair -- and with nothing else to lose, he sets out to see her.

What Toby isn't prepared for is the emotional upheaval when reality and fantasy overlap.

Toby is easy to like; he has an awkward charm about him. He's desperate, uncomfortable and lacking in social skills. (He often turns to quotes and catch phrases from films to express himself.) But you can see glimpses of a lovesick optimist beneath his sometimes-gloomy demeanor -- and this is what keeps you rooting for him.

Masswohl (who appeared in Theatre Orangeville's production of One Moment) embodies Toby with ease, lumbering and bumbling on stage, maintaining a permanent air of defeat about him. He's a pleasure to watch -- and he's remarkable at delivering the lyrical, stream of consciousness type script he's been given.

The play is a two-hander, and Masswohl's real life spouse, Sharron Matthews, takes on the opposite role of Marisa. Matthews is creative and resourceful as Marisa, and she carries herself expertly through the demanding aspects of the role.

An exciting feature of the set for Rope's End is the use of a projection screen -- it facilitates the plot by effectively setting up Toby's fantasies and memories.

Despite the sometimes-serious nature of the story, there are several laugh-out-loud moments and a twist or two that will take the audience by surprise. And while the final outcome may be a tad neat and tidy, I think it reinforces the moral of the story: a shred of hope goes a long way, when you're at the end of your rope.

Rope's End runs at Theatre Orangeville until March 2. For tickets, call Theatre Orangeville at 519-942-3423.

Tonight's the night!

Yup, it's Opening Night tonight.
The culmination of another whirlwind trip at Theatre Orangeville.

I think it's a delightful show, and the pair of actors, George Masswohl and Sharron Matthews, have been a hoot to work with.
But it all goes by so fast, and at such breakneck speed. There's no time to think during the process. And then after, the brain is really used up.

But maybe I'll manage a post or two, now that I'm almost 'at leisure' again.

v

Rope's End

stolen from the Orangeville Banner.


George Masswohl, David Nairn and Sharron Matthews take a break from preparations for Theatre Orangeville's upcoming production Rope's End at the theatre's rehearsal space in Zehr's plaza.


Rope's End a story of second chances
Friday February 8 2008
ERIC SPARLING




Otto is the official greeter at Theatre Orangeville's rehearsal space. The drama company is practicing for the upcoming production of Rope's End, which opens Feb. 14. (There are charity shows the day before, too.) Otto, an elderly standard schnauzer and the real-life companion of the husband-wife acting duo cast in the show, offers a quiet but energetic welcome, considering his advanced age.

The atmosphere may be casual, but the talent is serious. George Masswohl, who plays lead Toby Boone -- it's a two-person show -- has performed for the Neptune Theatre, Theatre Aquarius, the Stratford Festival and, upcoming, the Shaw Festival. His partner, Sharron Matthews, performed in Les Miserables in Toronto and as part of the North American tour; has appeared in films such as Cinderella Man, Mean Girls, Take the Lead and, most recently, Hairspray; and she has a one-woman cabaret show, Sharron's Party, that's been warmly received by the National Post, the Globe and Mail and Now.

Toby Boone is a down-on-his-luck film critic who's recently lost his job because the only movie he likes is Citizen Kane. Masswohl says his character is bright but just not good at much. He's contemplating suicide, noose in hand, when he sees a photo of Marisa (played by Matthews). She was his first love, back at summer camp, when Toby was just 13. His current path in life having dead-ended, he decides to embark on a quest to contact Marisa and discover what-might-have-been.

David Nairn, the director, wanted to run the show last year but, for various reasons, it didn't come together -- fitting, perhaps, for a show "about second chances." According to Masswohl, Toby "hides out in a fake world -- he lives vicariously [through movies.]" The performers and director seem to concur that the idealistic world of film -- the onscreen fantasy -- plays a role in Toby's development, as well as the journey the play follows.

Matthews wanted to challenge herself by starring in a two-person, full-length production, with the added obstacle of having to play three characters: Marisa as an adult, at 45, Marisa as a 13-year-old, and Marisa's 25-year-old daughter Zoe. The actor thought playing a youngster would be a bigger challenge than it's been, but she's discovered that the perspective of youth is "so close to the surface" that tapping into it has been relatively easy. Of the script, Matthews says, "I really, really enjoy how heartfelt it is."

Masswohl says the play is about a man's search for authenticity. The finale fits that thesis. When Matthews says it's a happy ending, but not a "perfect" one, Nairn agrees and adds to the point, saying the resolution is positive but "real."

Rope's End opens Feb. 14 and runs until March 2. Tickets can be purchased at the Theatre Orangeville box office, on Broadway, or by calling 519-942-9321

Wow!

Stage transformed into magical garden
Friday December 7 2007
Ashley Goodfellow






Blythe Wilson as Winter (right) is one of the standouts in a phenomenal cast, which includes Leisa Way as Summer.


THE GIANT'S GARDEN

THEATRE ORANGEVILLE

Any successful fairy tale will adhere to a familiar structure -- a story built on fictitious characters and fanciful events intended for a younger audience.

In Theatre Orangeville's world premiere of The Giant's Garden, a musical fairy tale drawn from the Oscar Wilde story The Selfish Giant, it's an adventure that sheds light on a lesson we could all use reminding of.

The production presents an array of situations that stem from an act of "selfish" behaviour, which lays the groundwork for the moral lesson of this particular story.

Oscar, a young boy, enters the Giant's garden without invitation, sparking unrest with the other runaway children, and trouble stirs when the grouchy, child-eating Giant returns to his home.

But when the ferocious and ominous Winter makes her entrance, the winds of conflict blow icy cold and thrust her sister, Summer, from her seven-year reign over the Giant's garden.

All the while, garden residents Flower and Bird work together on a strategy to restore their happy home.

While the story works, and is effectively entertaining, the script is a little dilute in areas; it would serve the writers well to embellish the plot a little further -- particularly in developing the Giant's character. Although we can suppose we understand the Giant, we really know very little about this creature and his garden.

That's not to say the writing is weak -- the script is really quite consistently funny and translates easily to an audience of younger or older patrons.

However, there are two elements that separate this production from your run-of-the-mill fairy tale: the set and the music.

The garden itself is worth the price of admission. Set designers Steve Lucas and Lindsay Anne Black transport viewers to a whimsical, fantastical setting with a number of capricious applications that are charming and clever.

As well, the costumes by Vandy Simpson are brilliant in design and effect.

The music, written and composed by Peter Fenton and Scott White, is as unexpected as some of the hidden gems in the set.

Covering several genres -- with music ranging in style from show tune to bebop jazz -- the songs give the production additional depth and colour.

It also enables the young participants in the production to showcase their talents, as the TOYS choir and as soloists.

A phenomenal cast supports The Giant's Garden, and particularly outstanding were Blythe Wilson as Winter and Elisabeth DuBois as Constance.

Wilson is graceful and polished in her performance. She brings a delightful charisma to the role of Winter, and uses a delicate prowess to embody the fiercest of seasons. You can't ignore Winter's presence, once she arrives, nor will you want to.

As Constance, leader of the runaway kids, DuBois strikes a balance between tough and tender, giving her character depth. A natural on stage, she delivers a clean, sharp performance.

This production is recommended for anyone who wants to find their inner store of mirthful glee, and for those that just love a good, fantastical family adventure.

The Giant's Garden runs until Dec. 23 at Theatre Orangeville. For tickets, call the box office at 519-942-3423.

Ashley GOODFELLOW

Stolen from the Orangeville Banner:
http://www.orangevillebanner.com/article/39467

He's almost here!

The Giant has Arrived!

The Giant’s Garden book & lyrics by Peter Fenton & Scott White, music by Scott White



Bring your friends, bring your family, bring your co-workers to enjoy this Great Big Musical that will warm the hearts of the entire family!



The Giant is bringing Giant Savings to Theatre Orangeville patrons!

Special admission for The Giant's Garden include:

Youth (under 16 years old) - $10.00

Students 16 years and older - $15.00

Groups of 4 pay only $60.00 - Wednesday and Thursday evenings only.

Group size has been reduced to 10 people to accommodate smaller parties.



Why not book your Christmas parties with us? Combine a meal at one of Orangeville’s fine restaurants with an evening of theatre for a truly memorable holiday party.



Giving the gift of Theatre always impresses. Purchase gift certificates to upcoming shows at Theatre Orangeville’s Box Office.



Come and celebrate the holiday season with Theatre Orangeville 519-942-3423



www.theatreorangeville.ca

Update #3

Behind The Scenes Report #3

In just 60 days,the World Premiere of The Giant's Garden will be onstage at Theatre Orangeville. Don't be disappointed. Get your tickets before it's too late!

In this week's update you will find out about the source of the show, a little bit about Oscar Wilde, and hear about the first 3 evenings of auditions for our child leads.

Where Do Giant Musicals Come From?

The Giant's Garden was inspired by a famous children's story written by Oscar Wilde entitled The Selfish Giant. This 6 page story is beautifully written and tells the tale of a selfish giant who chases the children out of his garden and the result is that Summer goes away and Winter comes to stay. This story was written during a period of Oscar Wilde's life where he was fascinated with Christian themes and the story is quite religious. Our story is not so centrally focussed on the religious aspect of the story, but certainly has a GIANT and WINTER and SUMMER. The storyline is more focussed on the children and how their change from selfish behaviour to sharing and friendship helps save the day. What started as an adaptation, quickly veered away from the original story line and took on a life of its own.

The two child leads in the play are called Oscar (named in honour of Oscar Wilde) and Constance (which was the name of Oscar Wilde's wife).

A Little Bit About Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin, Ireland on October 16, 1854. He was an early leader of what was called the "Aesthetic Movement" which advanced the concept of "Art for Art's Sake." In adult circles, Oscar Wilde is best know for his plays Lady Windermere's Fan and The Importance Of Being Earnest. Amongst children, his best known fairy tales include The Happy Prince, The Selfish Giant and The Nightengale And The Rose.

Oscar Wilde died on November 30, 1900.

So how are we finding our Oscar and Constance?

General auditions for children from Orangeville and surrounding area were held in the evening on September 25, 26, 27 and continue on October 1st and 2nd. We will see over 50 children through this process and the final call-back process will take place on October 9th and 10th.

The children we saw last week ranged in age from 8 up to 14 years of age. Each child was asked to bring in a story, or a monologue less than two minutes in length fully memorized. They were also asked to prepare a song from memory that they could sing to show their ability to interpret music and hold pitch.

Aside from suitability for the role, we are looking for other factors that aren't usual with adult performers. The characters of Oscar and Constance are leads, which means that they will be in full time rehearsal with the adult actors beginning on November 13th and will work 6 days a week. During the run of the show, they will be doing 8 shows a week, 3 of which fall during daytime school hours. So as well as being talented, we are also looking for children who are bright, have the permission of their school teacher and principle to miss a certain amount of school, and have a support structure in terms of parents and teachers that can ensure that their studies can be structured around their work on the show.

The child leads are treated as professionals. They are paid for their services as actors and as such are called for similar hours to the grown-ups. It is a BIG commitment on behalf of the child, their parents and the school, but it is also a HUGE opportunity for them to learn from experienced actors and get a chance to be on stage in a professional production.

One might think that a community the size of Orangeville wouldn't have a huge pool of talent. Think again. Many of the children have participated in youth theatre programs (one of them run by Anne Reid, who has been sitting in on the auditions as an advisor). A large percentage have sung in the Theatre Orangeville Youth Singers and some even have professional stage credits. Indeed one of our young auditionees was in RAGTIME at the Ford Centre as a young child. The hardest part is deciding how to choose from so many talented young individuals.

The 15 minute audition slot consists of 4 parts.

First is an interview with the child to get a sense of their personality, why they want to be in the play, how they feel when they are on stage. This is very similar to a job interview.

We want to get a sense of who the person behind the performer is. Some of them come out with the most amazing answers.

The second component is generally their monologue. This allows us to see how well they project sound, support volume and how well they act. Generally each auditionee is asked to try doing a section of their monologue a second time in a slightly different way to see how well they take direction.

The third part of the audition involves having them sing their song. Then the musical director steps in and works with each child to ensure that they have a suitable vocal range for the role and can hold pitch and possibly harmonies.

The final segment is where the director, musical director and advisor decide if the auditionee is suitable for a call-back. If the candidate is a strong actor and strong singer, then they will be given a call-back for a lead. If the candidate is not strong in both acting and singing, it is possible they may not receive a call-back. If they sing well, but are weaker actors, they may get a chance to perform in the back-up vocal chorus of ICICLES.

Those that receive call-backs are given a small segment of music from the show to learn and memorize. If they are called back for CONSTANCE or OSCAR, they also have to take away a section of script and learn it. At their call-back they will be asked to sing the song section and also read from the script opposite a reader to see how well they can embody the character. It is a challenge for even experienced actors.

When a call-back is given, Mom and/or Dad are called into the room and it is explained that their child will move onto the next step of the process. At this stage it is important to make sure that the parents understand the level of commitment a professional show will require. We find that most parents are EXTREMELY supportive. They are so proud of their children, and when someone is given a call-back, they feel like they have done something grand!

Even those who don't get a call-back get an opportunity to work with the director and musical director and are given encouragement to continue pursuing what they love to do. Some may wind up with a line or two if they are already part of the children's chorus that sings in the show. The idea is to provide encouragement, a positive audition experience and at the same time find our CONSTANCE and OSCAR.

What happens after October 10th?

One girl will be offered the role of Constance. One boy will be offered the role of Oscar. 6 others will be offered a chance to work in the Icicle Chorus singing back-ups behind WINTER. Within this chorus will be one boy and one girl who can cover the lead role should there be an emergency situation where the lead can't go on.

It is important to rank all of the audition candidates who get call-backs, as sometimes the first person offered a role is unavailable for reasons that have come up since their audition (perhaps they got another job!). It is a long and careful process to ensure that there is a suitable match for the show and for the young actor!

Upcoming in the next newsletter

We have delayed the launch of our website for one week, but next week, we will reveal the website address where you can get more information on the show, as well as information on the writers, the creative team, snippets of songs and information on casting. Slowly but surely we will reveal the inside secrets of building our show.

Watch next week for information on the director, set designer and choreographer of the show.

We will also focus on one of the characters in the show and reveal more about their story.

Warmest Regards,

Scott White and Peter Fenton

Look what I found!

(and stole from a website...) http://www.stage-door.org/reviews/misc2006d.htm

‘Twas

written by Eric Woolfe, directed by David Nairn
Theatre Orangeville, Opera House, Orangeville December 1-23, 2006
Review by Christopher Hoile, Principal Reviewer for Stage Door

‘Twas the Life Before Santa

As Gregory Maguire did for the Wicked Witch of the West, so Eric Woolfe does for Santa Claus. Maguire’s 1995 novel, since turned into the hit musical “Wicked”, tells the story of Elphaba, the Witch of
the West, from her birth until after Dorothy’s departure from Oz.
Woolfe’s play, now receiving its world premiere at Theatre Orangeville, charts the life of little Nicky from when he’s sent to an orphanage until he finds his true love, sets up home at the North Pole and begins the traditions portrayed in Clement Moore’s famous poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (1823). Woolfe’s play has the potential to become a popular seasonal entertainment. It has a clever story line, vivid characters and, when it finally gets going, it is exciting and funny. The main problem is that the show seems to take forever to get going, indeed, almost the entire first act.

By the end the question seemed to be why the second act was so good and the first frequently bordered on tedium. The most obvious answer is that by Act 2 all the exposition is over and Woolfe can focus on the action. The second answer is that in Act 2 Woolfe makes far less use of a narrator than in Act 1. While the narrator himself is a problem so is the narrator’s voice. The play begins with Knecht Ruprecht (played by Mike Nadajewski) entering dressed in Victorian garb but speaking in the colourful slang of American gangsters in 1930s and ‘40s pulp novels and Hollywood films. Immediately we are disoriented concerning the play’s time and place. Woolfe may have intended this effect but for a play meant for parents and children it starts the play off on the wrong foot. Much as I, too, am a fan of Hollywood gangster lingo, it has now become so archaic that few adults in the audience and none of the children are likely to know precisely what Ruprecht is talking about--rather a liability in a narrator. Since Act 2 shows that Woolfe doesn’t really need a narrator, it would be a help if he managed to do without one in Act 1.

After Ruprecht’s introduction, when Nicky and the girl Lucy are handed over to orphanage of St. John the Dwarf, we are treated to a long scene of the orphans singing Christmas carols. While it is nice for the community to incorporate the Theatre Orangeville Youth Singers directed by Joy Bell and Joan Borden into the production, the interlude means the show comes to a halt just when it should be building momentum. Before we have a chance to applaud the fine singers, Woolfe has the presiding nun Sister Pomeranski enter and berate the young people for their poor singing. This completely spoils the mood and it takes time for the show to recover. Woolfe obviously enjoys the figure of a misanthropic nun, but he dwells too long on a character unimportant in the overall story. Only when we move ten years ahead to see what has happened to Nicky and Lucy does it seem the action is finally under way.

Lucy has been adopted by a kindly old toymaker, Pop Hoffman, who has magical book, the Arthuricon, that holds the secrets of how to make all toys ever made or to be made. Nicky, meanwhile has taken up a life of crime and is now the world’s greatest cat burglar, Crimson Nick. Nick plans to steal Hofmann’s latest creation and the Arthuricon. In flashbacks we learn that at the orphanage Nick became acquainted with the Julenisser, the elves that live in the walls of buildings and steal anything that lies unattended. Nick learns their magic although the dying Julenisser queen thinks that her folk should give things to people rather than take them. Back in the present, the evil Ice Queen, who lives in a castle at the North Pole, has just learned of the Arthuricon and also plans to steal it and kidnap Hoffman in hopes that at least one of his toys can shake her out of her misery.

Eventually, Nick, Lucy and Ruprecht set out on a quest to the North Pole rescue Hoffman and the book. Along the way they meet such creatures as the Ice Queen’s minions, the squawking Gargravens, a set of argumentative conjoined trolls, a Dogman and the Bodach that guards chimneys. This highly entertaining quest takes up all of Act 2. If only Woolfe could tighten up Act 1, we could meet Act 2 with high hopes instead of apprehension.

The cast is uniformly strong and cleverly deployed in multiple roles. Darren Keay makes a dashing Crimson Nick, a suave 1940s-style criminal mastermind and poles apart from the repellant Dr. Kraus he plays at the start of the action. Douglas Chamberlain plays two endearing, elderly characters but manages to make them quite distinct. His Pop Hoffman is kindly and filled with enthusiasm. His Julebukk, the King of the Elves has a majesty tinged with melancholy. Mike Nadajewski is good as Knecht Ruprecht despite the accent and is very funny as one half of the conjoined trolls even though he confusingly uses the same accent. He is best as the strange Dogman the travellers encounter in the Mistletoe Forest through his hilariously accurate mimicry of our canine friends’
habits and ways of paying attention.

Among the women Janet Porter is an engaging Lucy, a plucky old- fashioned girl and such an extreme contrast with the child-hating
Sister Pomeranki you’d never guess the same actor played both roles.
Burgandy Code sharply differentiates her five roles lending grace to the dying elf queen Rikkenisser, making the evil Ice Queen into a comical cross between the young Judi Dench and Cruella De Vil. She uses an entirely different voice as the Bodach, a puppet creation so effective one wishes there were more of them in the show.

Among the young people Cameron Kennedy is quite remarkable as Rupie (the young Knecht Ruprecht). He speaks the convoluted 1940s gangster slang with understanding and has real presence as an actor. Aidan O’Brien and Hannah Manzi are well matched as the Young Nicky and Young Lucy, among other roles, and Elisabeth DuBois and Carleigh Knudson lend fine support in many small parts.

Steve Lucas’s clever, whimsical set allows for rapid changes of scene among such varied settings as the orphanage, the Mistletoe Forest, Ice Queen’s castle at the North Pole and the World In-Between where the Julenisser live. Vandy Simpson and Nancy Turner’s costumes are like storybook illustrations come to life especially for the more fantastic beings and Simon Day’s lighting enhances the mood of every scene. David Nairn’s pacing seems slow in Act 1 but reaches an exciting clip in Act 2. In one of the most memorable scenes, Nick holding Lucy and Rupie lays a finger aside of his nose and the cast’s miming plus Day’s tumbling lighting effects create an unexpected sensation of the three suddenly shooting upwards in the air.

On the whole, “’Twas” is an imaginative and enjoyable show. It has so much going for it as it is that I hope Woolfe will undertake revisions to tighten the action, make the language more accessible and thus realize the story’s full potential. Then “’Twas” may soon become a regular holiday treat.

©Christopher Hoile

Update #2

The Giant’s Garden

A Great Big Musical For The Whole Family

Behind The Scenes Report #2

PREPARE YOURSELF!

THE GIANT IS GETTING CLOSER!

In just 67 days, audiences will get their first glimpse at the Giant. In this newsletter is a little information about Giants, and a sample of script and lyrics from the show so you can get a sense of our Giant and his familial issues! Also get your first glimpse at the authors of the show and find out about the process of going into studio to record the demo CD for future producers.

GIANTS IN GENERAL

According to the dictionary a GIANT is defined as a man (or woman) of very great height and size. They are known to have superhuman strength and physical proportions, a long lifespan, and thus a great deal of knowledge. Our modern perception of giants often see them as stupid and violent monsters, frequently said to eat humans, and especially children. However not all giants are alike! Indeed some are merely misunderstood creatures who if treated kindly can be helpful and friendly.

The Giant in our tale is indeed a man of large size, but his problems with his relatives (particularly his cousin the Cornish Ogre) could certainly be found in even normal sized families.

The following excerpt from the script has Giant singing his tale of woe. For those of you who have ever had company that overstayed their welcome, you may recognize some of their traits in our loveable, but highly confused giant.

SUMMER

Well then - tell me. How was your vacation?

GIANT

Wonderful. It was wonder … No; wait a minute. Wonderful? Is that the word? No, not wonderful. TERRIBLE. That's it. It was terrible. I went all that way and what do I have to show for it? Hurt feelin's and a BROKEN TEACUP!

GIANT SINGS IN A ROBUST VOICE

You think he'd be happy

That I'd come to see

The damp little cave

Where he'd come to be

After all these years

He'd never come to me.

So …

I wents

To visit

The Ogre.

(While GIANT sings, the children begin to sneak out of the garden behind his back.)

My dear-est cousin

So I thought of he

As I traveled miles

Over hill to sea

Stubbing toe on stone

Scraping shin on tree

I suffered

To gets to

The Ogre.

And what did I find

When I got to he?

A grateful beast

Who was pleased to see

That I'd put me out

Just to visit he?

No!

I found

An Ogre.

He sits in his cave

All littered with bone

With a body gone to rubble

And a heart of stone

So I says to the Ogre

"You sure have grown!"

"Go Away!"

Says

That Ogre.

(Spoken) Go Away! Says that Ogre?

We're flesh and blood

The Ogre and me

So I sats me down

On a stump of tree

And I says to him

"You're family."

"You'll put me up

You Ogre!"

So I stayed for a year

Or maybe it was four

I used his bed

He got to sleep on the floor

But the thing about the Ogre

He's a terrible bore

I started

To hates

The Ogre

He didn't want to take me

To where I'd like to be

High upon the mountain

Or down beside the sea

With my pail and shovel

And my cuppa tea

No, he didn't want to come along with me.

No he didn't want to come along with me.

Because he was my cousin

I stayed a few more years

True I ate up all his jellies

And I drank up all his beers

But it seemed he needed cheering

Cause he was constantly in tears

"Go Back Home!"

Says

The Ogre

Well I ain't no fool

I could see right thru

What the Ogre meant

He wanted me to do

Was to stick around

Another year or two

So I says

"I'll stays with ya

Ogre"

(GIANT now gets up and moves in front of the gate blocking any possible escape by OSCAR and CONSTANCE who are still hidden in the bushes.)

(Spoken) His reverse psycho-whatsits wasn't foolin' me. He was lonely!

Another year went by

And suddenly one day

The Ogre he got angry

Slammed his fist upon my tray

And my tea cup it got busted

Nothin' left but bits o' clay

Well, I'd had it

With

That Ogre.

So I packed up my bags

And my shovel and my pail

And I turned my back

And I headed down the trail

Oh I heard him cry

But to no avail

I won'ts

Go back

To see that Ogre.

My finest years

Did I give to he

Then he broke the only teacup

My granny gave to me

So back to my garden

I does flee

Nevermore

To see

The Ogre.

SUMMER

Did it ever occur to you that maybe he didn't want a visitor? And for seven years - don't you think you were being a bit … selfish?

GIANT

Me? Selfish? Ya've missed the whole point, Summer. It's the Ogre who was bein' selfish. I'm certain of it, just as I'm certain that my red bag's sittin' right there. (pause) Wait a minute, I don't have a red bag. That's not my bag. Summer: what's "not-my-bag" doin' in my garden where only "my-bag" - if I had one, which I don't - should be? And where "not-my-bag" is means "not-me" has been here; and by the looks of this pretty red bag, I'd have to say this "not-me" IS A CHILD! SUMMER … has children been in my garden?

About The Authors

Peter Fenton (book and lyrics) is a scientist by day and an artist by night. He has written poetry his entire life. He has always been interested in theatre and wrote his first play Relatively Speaking in 2000. It was produced at the Toronto Fringe Festival.

Peter's full time profession is as a paleontologist at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto (where he has worked for the past 25 years). He completes his work on artistic projects on weekends, evenings and days off. This is Peter's first collaboration on a musical.

Scott White (book, lyrics, music) has been involved in the arts since he was a small child. He began taking popular organ at the age of 10, moved on to piano studies with the Royal Conservatory of Music in high school and continued on to The University Of Calgary where he completed a Bachelor Of Music Degree. Scott moved to Toronto in 1991 and has been working full time in the arts since that time. He has worked as an actor, a musical director and a writer. His work has allowed him to travel all over the world. For full information, check out his website at www.geocities.com/scottwhite40

Recording A Demo CD

A critical part of allowing potential producers to get a sense of the show prior to seeing it live is a developed script, a piano score, vocal charts and a demo CD. Producing a quality CD can take time. Just last week, all of the bed tracks for the demo CD were recorded at Studio '92 in Toronto with head technician Norm Barker at the control panel.

The show is comprised of 16 songs, and some of them have as many as 16 different instrumental tracks.

A good demo CD clearly demonstrates the potential of the music to grow into full orchestrations. Due to time and budget constraints, all of the arrangements were done in a Korg Workstation keyboard which uses recorded samples of live instruments and reproduces their sound through an 88 key keyboard.

Scott spent 6 weeks shopping through the thousands of instrumental banks to create a sound for the demo that matched the tone of the show. Then each track was hand played in to the sequencer in the keyboard. When the tracks are layered over top of one another and mixed in studio it sounds like a full group of musicians playing. It is our secret that in truth, it was all a one man band! Instrumentation includes string sections, piano, xylophones, harps, flute lines, french horns, trumpets and a wide range of percussion instruments.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, vocalists will go in and layer all of the vocal tracks over top of the bed tracks. We look forward to sharing small samples of that work on the website in the near future. but more about that in the next newsletter.

Next week

Next week watch for updates as we launch the first segment of The Giant's Garden website. There will be a section on the first three days of auditions in Orangeville held to find our child leads in the show, and also some further information about the show.

Is there something YOU would like to know about the show? Send us an email by pressing the “contact us” button on this website and your questions will be answered personally.

Ticket sales are going well, so if you plan to attend (particularly on weekends) call sooner than later. It is a terrific opportunity to be the very first to see a new musical in its first production. Tell all your friends. Forward this email on and encourage them to join this behind the scenes newsletter, and remember, if you are attending and want to visit with us after the show, drop us a note, and we will come into the lobby and say hello!

BE A PART OF OUR GIANT ADVENTURE!!!!

Want more information?

If you have questions, feel free to contact us.

If you want to book tickets for the production contact Theatre Orangeville at

1-800-424-1295

www.theatreorangeville.ca

If you want to make an afternoon or an evening out of your trip to Orangeville, take

advantage of the many fine restaurants, bed and breakfasts and hotels.

For more information try:

1-800-332-9744

www.thehillsofheadwaters.com

Warmest Regards,

Scott White and Peter Fenton