Sport of curling is theme of Theatre Woodstock's next production
By
Mark Schadenberg
It
takes a brilliant mind to have a brilliant decision, but what happens when you
have dozens of brilliant minds?
Theatre
Woodstock (TW) retired the youth acting program known as CAST when Jason and
Jennifer Paquette decided to retire after 30 years from operating the youth musical theatre
program.
Jason and Jennifer Paquette in front with son Jacob behind them.
Picture was from Woodstock production of Soldier's Heart written by David French.
In the show Jason played the dad, and appropriately Jacob was the son,
while Jennifer was the director.
I believe this is a Sentinel-Review photo
Theatre
Woodstock (@TW_Cast on Twitter) then grabbed the milky white cow by the horns
and decided to continue this tremendous program, but they needed a new name as:
young people ‘Creating And Staging Theatre’ was CAST, so it was time to re-cast with a new title.
The
50 or so brilliant minds who are (under-the-age of 20) actors and singers, plus
adult choreographers, producers, set builders and directors, recently decided on the
perfect new moniker: Stages.
A
play or musical is obviously discovered on a stage, but as the pre-teens become
teens and then adults they rise through the stages of junior to sophomore to senior
groups (ages 7 to 19) to adult productions at Theatre Woodstock.
Congratulations
to Mike Crabbe (TW general manager) and the entire crew at TW on
their new focus and title. I’m guessing they have borrowed Stages from another youth acting
troupe somewhere, but maybe it’s an original idea. Either way . . . Bravo!
TW recently completed the run of two youth productions, including Peter Pan Junior.
My
family was able to enjoy the final CAST production last summer of Into The
Woods, which was created by a group of alumni and it was a terrific Stephen
Sondheim show from the milky white cow to the seeds that grew into a giant
beanstalk, a found slipper, to the girl with the red hood, to the baker and his
wife, and their rendition of the great songs – Your Fault, Children Will
Listen, It Takes Two, Agony, Stay With Me, Last Midnight and No One Is Alone.
Describing the show as exceptional would actually lack the proper description
as it was 'utterly' exceptional.
Note:
Both of my children were in Little Mermaid Junior last summer, which was a
summer camp program where Jacob Paquette (Jennifer and Jason's son) was among the play's and camp directors. Jacob
would take on the role of Big Bad Wolf in Into The Woods as a CAST grad. Jacob's sisters were also in the show, including the important part of Little Red Riding Hood. It can be added that one of the
Unfortunate Souls (pun in words from Little Mermaid) in Into The Woods was TW GM Mike Crabbe as he truly had no lines in depicting a rooster, but did flap his wings across the stage.
CURLING
ON STAGE
I’m
not sure if Theatre Woodstock is bringing a sheet of ice indoors or simply
painting some circles on the stage floor, but Woodstock’s amateur theatrical
group is staging The Black Bonspiel of Wullie MacCrimmon next month (Feb 10 - 18).
Written
by WO Mitchell (1914 – 1998) from Saskatchewan, who according to his on-line
bio is best known for the 1947 published novel Who Has Seen The Wind, the
Bonspiel comedy is about a shoe maker in the 1930’s who also considers
himself quite an avid curler, but should he make a deal with the devil (Similar to Doctor
Faustus or even the musical Damn Yankees) to compete at an important national curling
championship?
One
online source indicates that this play was written in 1951 to be acted on radio.
Be
sure to bring your sense of humour with you as one of the competitors on the
Devil’s team is Judas.
With
a cast including Dave Butcher (The Devil), Tony Harding (Wullie), Andrew
Norris, Don Hastie, Steve Young and Tracey Price the stage will be full of
veteran local actors.
I’ve
included many links here and the play’s poster, so if you have never attended a
Theatre Woodstock production now would be a good time. . . for an entertaining good
time.
Upcoming 2017 Shows:
Posters borrowed from subscription information on the theatre's website.
LINKS:
2016 stories:
Plays
Call me today if you seek information
about real estate in Oxford County
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Representative
Senior Real Estate Specialist
(SRES designation)
Royal LePage Triland Realty
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757 Dundas St, Woodstock
(519) 537-1553, cell or text
Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com
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Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . .
Destination
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