Drama Beat

LMT has more fun with nuns in Nunsense 2

Wednesday, 06 June 2018 10:04 Richard Amery

What’s more fun than nunsense? More nunsense. Christina Peterson and Jan Jelli rehearse for Nunsense 2. Photo by Richard Amery
Lethbridge Musical Theatre continues the story of Sister Mary Amnesia, Sister Robert Anne, Sister Mary Leo and the Mother Superior, who were forced to hold a fundraising concert to bury their dearly departed sisters who died from eating poisoned soup and who they couldn‘t afford to bury otherwise in the musical Nunsense.

Lethbridge Musical Theatre put on the original production in 2016 and return with the sequel Nunsense 2, June 14-16 at the McNally Community Centre.
The sequel is a thank you concert for everybody who supported the nuns the first time, like in the original, everything that can go wrong does go wrong in the sequel — particularly revitalized Sister Amnesia, whose lottery winnings saved the day in the original, whose memory is slowly returning. This time she may be a Franciscan, she just forgot about it.
Stephanie Savage is excited to make her musical debut in Nunsense 2 as novice nun Sister Mary Leo.

“I took drama in high school. I’ve never done a musical before, but I’ve always wanted to be in a musical. It’s interesting, but three of the five of us have never really done anything like this before. It’s been a lot to learn, but it is a lot of fun. We have a really dedicated cast,” said Savage, who is also stage managing Shakespeare in the Park’s production of The Tempest, which opens June 28.

“Luckily I have a great assistant stage manager, Shelby Reed, for the Tempest. And Kate (Connelly, Shakespeare in the Park‘s artistic director,) has been really wonderful and amazing,” she continued, noting Nunsense 2 is a fundraiser for a bigger Lethbridge Musical production in the fall.
She is enjoying playing Sister Mary Leo.
“It’s been a lot of work but a lot of fun. Sister Leo is the novice. She’s young and sweet and definitely wants to be a star,” she said. She is joined by Hannah Lawson as Sister Robert Anne, Jan Jelli as Sister Hubert, Christina Peterson as the Reverend Mother and Monica Baczuk, the last nun standing from the last production, who played the Reverend Mother in the last production on Nunsense, but plays Sister Mary Amnesia in this production.

SOAR festival trimmed down, but features We Are All Treaty People

Wednesday, 23 May 2018 22:45 Richard Amery

A trimmed down SOAR festival kicks off a busy weekend of dance, magic and music at Casa, May 30 and 31.

W.I.T.S Play the SOAR festival this year. photo by Richard Amery
There have been a few changes for the fourth year of the event, the biggest changes being there are only two cabaret nights this year and the professional development seminars which used to be part of SOAR have been spread throughout the year instead just for one weekend.
“It’s difficult for people to book off an entire weekend,” said Allied Arts Council communications manager Kelaine Devine.

“SOAR started because of the Lt. Governor‘s celebrations in 2015 on the condition that there would be a legacy project. So that’s what this is,” added Allied Arts Council projects/membership coordinator Muffy McKay.

“It has evolved into what it is— two cabaret nights,” McKay continued, adding art exhibits at Casa continue to be part of SOAR.

“I always look forward to seeing what Darcy Logan has done,” added Devine noting a community Gif display showing on the screen outside CASA is part of SOAR.
There will be dance, music and magic on both nights of SOAR.

Claire Lint and Sidney Murdoch will be performing a modern dance number “When Two Lines Meet” beginning at 7 p.m. on both nights, May 30 and 31.

The cabarets feature new magic show from local magicians. Ben Price’s new show Rabbit Stew is at the SOAR Cabaret, May 30. Jeff Newman Mentalism presents his new show Trickster, May 31.

The music this year will be provided by Mercedes Fawns on May 30 and local alternative electronica band W.I.T.S , who have been prominent faces at various FLIPfest fundraisers throughout the year, on May 31.

Ben Price Magic returns to the SOAR festival. Photo by Richard Amery
Devine noted the events are family friendly.

“All of these performers have performed at previous SOAR cabarets, though Ben Price’s “Rabbit Stew” contains some adult content.
SOAR is designed for developing up and coming artists.

“Some previous performers like Jeff Charlton wanted to come back, but couldn’t because he got a job in film. Griffin Cork wanted to come back too, but he got a job in Vancouver on a TV show,” said Devine, adding she is pleased to see previous SOAR performers moving on to bigger things in the arts, as developing up and coming artists by giving them opportunities to perform is what SOAR is all about.
“It’s been stripped down this year, but we’ve kept the same format,” Devine said.

Hatrix revisits familiar faces in A Comedy of Tenors

Sunday, 20 May 2018 19:27 Richard Amery

It’s fun to revisit familiar characters. Hatrix Theatre is doing just that with their production of Ken Ludwig’s 2015 comedy A Comedy of Tenors, which runs May 24-26 at the Eagles Hall. The Three Tenors Clive Abbott, Greg VanDeurzen and Colin Bluekens are ready for a Comedy of Tenors, May 24-26. Photo by Richard Amery
The play is an unofficial sequel to Ludwig’s 1986 comedy Lend Me A Tenor, picks up shortly after the antics of “Lend Me A Tenor, ” in 1930’s Paris, where apoplectic producer Henry Saunders is ready to put on the concert of the century, if his cast doesn’t either quit or kill each other first.

Several familiar characters return in this production including constantly quarrelling couple Maria (played by Vicki Gibson) and Italian tenor star Tito Merelli (played by Clive Abbott), Saunders, ( played by Stephen Graham), who also played Saunders in Hatrix’s 2014 production of Lend me A Tenor,) and Saunders’ ever faithful dogsbody Max (played by Colin Bluekens) who has not only become an opera star in his own right, but also is worried about his pregnant wife, Saunders’ daughter Maggie, back home in America.

Add in Merelli’s daughter Mimi (Emilie Kidd), her new beau, up and coming opera star and Merelli’s rival Carlo Nucci (played by Greg VanDeurzen) and sultry Russian soprano Racon (Carrie-Ann Worden), slamming doors, plenty of misunderstandings, misidentifications, sexual innuendos and operatic references and you have a good time.

Clive Abbott wears multiple hats in the show, as he is not only playing Tito, but Tito’s bellhop twin Beppo, plus a talking tongue and is also building the set.
“I like the idea of playing dual roles and using different voices for each of them,” said Abbott, a veteran of many Hatrix productions including last November’s “12 Angry Jurors.“
“I really like this cast and being directed by Karolyn Harker,” Abbott continued.

Vicki Gibson, who was also in 12 Angry Jurors got the acting bug from Karolyn Harker.

May the Fourth be with you for this year’s Children’s festival

Wednesday, 25 April 2018 09:10 Richard Amery

Star Wars soars for the seventh annual Lethbridge Children’s Festival which celebrates Star Wars weekend with a variety of Star Wars related activities d May 4 and 5. Darth Vader and Chewbacca hanging out with robot Yoda. Photo by Richard Amery.
There will be several Star Wars themed activities happening during the popular annual family event, including a meet and greet and photo opportunities with Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Kylo Ren and the Star Wars van.

“There’s a slew of stuff. We have a lot going on for this children’s festival,” said Exhibition park marketing manager Doug Kryzanowski.
The hours are Friday, May 4 from 3-8 p.m. and Saturday May 5, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

There will be over 21 entertainment and interactive events happening this year , plus a trade show, special guests and much more.
While in previous years, some events were pay as you go, this year everything is free of charge with your $5 admission.

“We have a lot of great entertainment lined up this year for children’s festival, not only Star Wars things, but it is May 4 and Star Wars weekend, so we wanted to do a little bit of stuff based around that. But we have a lot of great children’s entertainment this year and a lot of new things this year,” said entertainment co-ordinator Jackie French.

“One of our main acts this year is a motivational educational guy name Steve Harmer who does a motivational magic show. He’s toured western Canada he’s gone to a lot of schools, he has chosen to combine his skills as an educator and an entertainer to present motivational magic to communicate all across Western Canada. Though the use of his magic, juggling, comedy, music and storytelling, Steve delivers meaningful message that inspire educate and motivate children and adults,” she described.

Harmer will be performing a couple shows a day on the Movie Mill Stage, located in the South Pavilion at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day. Doug Kryzanowski announces the highlights of this year’s Children’s Festival. Photo by Richard Amery
“We also have Princess story-time. The princesses attending will be Rapunzel, Cinderella and Beauty. They will be doing an awesome stage show and storytelling show in full costumes as well as doing a singalong with the kids,” French continued.

After each show, twice a day they will be doing meet and greets in the enchanted forest at 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m..
“In our Star Wars interactive area we’ll be doing photo ops with Chewbacca, Darth Vader and Kylo Ren and the Star Wars van will be there. We encourage adults as well as kids to come dressed as your favourite Star Wars Character and have a chat with robotic Yoda. We will also have the Black Shadow Clone trooper mini-car in that Star Wars interactive areas,” French said.

There will be more Star Wars photo ops with 501 first Legion Vader’s Fist.
“They come dressed in costume and they accept donations, which are going straight to BACA (Bikers against Child abuse.).”
Back by popular demand, VRKADE virtual reality games returns and the main pavilion will be dedicated to inflatable jumps. Wendy and the Frosty will be visiting including visits from Frosty Cup and the red heady Wendy girl herself.

In addition to Star Wars, the Ghostbusters, Stay Puft and Ectro Truck will be on hand throughout the festival for photo opportunities.
There are several new features this year including laser tag from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. each day in the South Pavilion.
“New this year there will be a big area in South Pavilion for laser tag. So all the kids can come play laser tag,” she said.

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