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Commentary_More_Nancy_White

Feature Article August 15

Feature Article August 15, 2001

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Commentaryby David BrisonMore Nancy White and a contest (with a prize)

My rather weak-kneed review of Nancy White at Blue Skies has garnered more comment than most things I write (the notable exceptions of course are the infamous restaurant review and the April Fools amalgamation story). Most people seem to be amused and said they liked it. Linda Rush (whose picture at that concert appeared in one of our photo inserts) asked me if I had enjoyed Nancys performance she wasnt sure from the general tone of the article if I had. Yes I did with no qualifications. She is great and the opportunity to get that close to the stage and see her perform is one I wouldnt miss. I do have one suggestion for her group Bob Johnson would have a more receptive audience at these folk festivals if he could learn to imitate a purring Volvo rather than an old John Deere tractor.

Linda pointed out one error its Take me away to an institute (not instant toot), where I dont have to deal with stickers on a fruit.

My dressing room encounter with Nancy White reminds me of an experience I had years ago with Andrea Martin. At the time, Andrea was appearing with the newly-formed Toronto Second City improvisation theatre group. Since that time, she has become an accomplished actor appearing at Stratford and the Shaw festival and on the London stage. Anyway, Andrea was going with a fellow named Claude Tessier who danced and sang in musicals. Claude rented a downstairs apartment in a Toronto house in which I lived. He had decided to move, but was on the road on the moving day, so Andrea came over to meet the movers. She came to the bottom of the stairs and called up to me at the top, The movers were supposed to be here at 9:00 oclock, it is 11:30 now and I have to leave what should I do? All I could take in was this beautiful woman in the hallway, with imploring dark eyes, and what I interpreted as theatrical gestures, and I instantly thought I had been called up on the stage at Second City and had to say something witty. Needless to say, I wasnt up to it just like I wasnt with Nancy White. I managed to mumble, Well I guess that happens sometimes, and make a fast off-stage exit.

The contest. There were three entertainers who lived in that apartment in Toronto the aforementioned Claude Tessier, Peter Leach, and Ginny Grant. One of them has gone on to great things in his or her field, and I dont know what has happened to the others. If a reader can provide identifying notes on all three and some indication of what happened to them, The News will buy them a dinner for two at The Phnom-Penh restaurant in Kingston.

Now some clues: 25 years ago they were all an active part of the Toronto entertainment scene; my best guess is that one is teaching now, one (a great talent) is performing at senior citizens homes in Toronto, and Im not going to tell you what the well- established one is doing. Tessier was, I believe, from Cornwall. Peter from Ompah can certainly fill you in on one, but he might be able to get all three, so probably he wont tell you what he knows.

The dinners will go to whoever comes closest, even if they cant fill in all the blanks. Ask people who were around Toronto 25 years ago (remember you are only 6 people contacts removed from anyone in North America); use the Internet (not likely to help); consult references on Canadian entertainment. I dont think anyone is likely to have the answer off the top of their head (I dont).
With the participation of the Government of Canada