Feature Article - April 17, 2008

Back toHome

Feature Article -April 17, 2008 Going out with a big role – Emily Dickinson tackles Dorothyby Susan StopfordOn May 1, 2, 3, and 4, the North Frontenac Little Theatre group is presenting the musical "The Wizard of OZ". The lead role, that of Dorothy, will be played by Emily Dickinson from Mountain Grove. Emily is not a housebound, poetic recluse like her accidental namesake. Instead she is a bubbly, chatty, thoughtful and exuberant young woman with a slight 'Valley-Girl' lilt, who has just turned 18 and has a hard time being without her cell phone!

Keeping busy is important to Emily, who describes herself as someone who gets "bored easily". Emily's busy schedule certainly precludes boredom. She is in her last semester of grade 12 at St. John Catholic High School in Perth where she maintains a strong A-average. She is on the executive of the student council and is the co-editor of the school paper “The Spartanews”. She is also the co-chair for her school's “Relay for Life” event. In addition to all of this, she also rides a school bus for 15 hours a week and maintains a busy social life!

Emily spent the first 13 years of her life in the Richmond Hill/Newmarket area. Her parents, mum- Andrea Dickinson and stepfather Steve Duggan moved their blended family to a house near Mountain Grove after having bought Sunsets Restaurant in Sharbot Lake. Emily was definitely not interested in leaving her friends, her urban existence and especially her jazz, hip-hop, ballet and musical theatre dance lessons, to move to the country. Though she felt some culture shock on entering grade 8 in Land O' Lakes Public School, one of her favorite sayings is "Things happen for a reason" and it was while at LOLPS that she was cast as Jamal in Brian Robertson's school production of "Aladdin's Magic Lantern". Emily discovered right away that she loved theatre and loved performing! "A live audience gives me energy and I feel calm and happy when I'm onstage" laughs Emily as she admits to having always liked a lot of attention even as a child, when she, as the only child in her parents’ circle, loved to entertain the adults around her.

Emily was encouraged by both her mother and Brian Robertson to audition for parts in NFLT productions and she has had roles in five different plays over the past few years, including that of Liat in "South Pacific". Renny Stopford, who has performed with Emily in various NFLT plays over the years, describes her as being "very professional, quick to learn, easy to get along with and fun, definitely fun!"

Emily auditioned for the part of Dorothy because she wanted a large role to mark the end of her years with NFLT. "One of the biggest benefits of moving to this area for me has been my involvement with community theatre. It has been a great experience for me and I've learned a lot about myself and met people that I really like." says Emily. Even though she is very happy with her part, Emily admits that it's a big role. She's on stage almost all the time, has many songs to sing and hundreds of lines to learn. Luckily she also gets to indulge in her old love, dance.

Next year Emily will be attending Carleton University where she will pursue a degree in Journalism. She looks forward to walking to her classes and is excited to be entering this new phase of her life. She would love to be working in New York as an arts and entertainment, broadcast journalist in 10 years time.

Tickets are available at Gray's Grocery and the Sharbot Lake Pharmacy as well as Verona Rona Hardware. Adults are $12, students $10 and on the Sunday matinee there is a special $5 rate to encourage families with children to attend. Don't wait to get your tickets at the door; they may be sold out. Check www.nflt.ca for more information or call John at 613-279-2662.

Feature Article - May 1, 2008

Back toHome

Feature Article - May 1, 2008Off to See the Wizard

Jordon Wallace (Tin Man), Duncan McCalland (Scarecrow), Claire Millard (Dorothy) and Chelsey Dickinson (Lion) in the upcoming Harrowsmith Public Scool production of The Wizard of Oz.

North Frontenac Little Theatre presents The Wizardof Oz May 1-4 at Sharbot Lake High School. Visit www.nflt.ca for more information. Then, Harrowsmith Public School presents their version May 7-8, 6:30 PM at the school.

Feature Article - May 22, 2008

Back toHome

Feature Article - May 22, 2008 Sydenham student stars in Shakespeare on Kingston stageBy Julie Druker

Ana Mattisse Donefer-Hickie sparkled as Viola in Shakespeare’s well-known comedy Twelfth Night this past Saturday night at the Wellington Street Theatre. The “Bottle Tree Production” was polished, professional, very funny and played to a nearly sold out crowd.

Ana plays the main character Viola, a demanding role that requires not only the memorization of a huge number of lines, but also extreme versatility. You see, Viola is forced to disguise herself as a man, Cesario, who must shun the lovely Olivia, while she (Viola) falls in love with Orsino who is himself in love with the Olivia.

Sound complicated. It is. A typical Shakespeare comedy of errors, the play includes some very funny drunk fellows, a foolish wise guy who likes to sing, a grinning madmen who fancies yellow leotards, some extremely meddling and love-struck women, eunuchs, a fabulous violin player, a silly sword fighting knight and a few fiendish rogues.

Ana's role is a meaty, complex one and requires her to display not only a huge range of emotions, but physical flexibility and agility, intellectual acuteness and pure stamina. She manages to achieve all of it. We believe Viola's frustration, anxiety, discomfort, love, awkwardness, innocence, ferocity and anger. Her spectrum of emotions is acted with conviction. Ana's face is incredibly expressive and she uses her body to great comic effect in many scenes. She exudes confidence in the role and speaks her lines with an assuredness and naturalness that greatly belies her age. But this is no wonder.

Ana is no stranger to the stage. She has been acting for over 10 years and has some major roles under her belt, including Elinor in "Sense and Sensibility" and Maria in Sydenham High School's recent production of "Lend me a Tenor". She has even played Lady MacBeth.

Her training is as varied as her roles have been. This summer will be her fifth studying at "Artstrek", an acting program at Theatre Alberta in Red Deer. She has taken master acting classes in Sheldrake, New York and has studied in Stratford as well. For many years she has worked with Charles Robertson in Kingston with Theatre Five. At Sydenham High School she participates in the drama program with teacher Daniel Raponi, who she says "has managed to make the theatre program blossom there this year."

Rehearsals for Twelfth Night began mid-March, took place three or four evenings a week, and coincided with the rehearsals for "Tenor" at Sydenham High School. Ana admits, "It did get confusing at times with the two shows in rehearsals at the same time...I had to work very hard." No doubt. She pauses and adds, "But when I'm not doing a show I feel somehow deprived."

Ana's passion for acting is obvious. She has "always connected acting with having fun." She recalls her first foray into acting at six years old. "It got in me and I didn't want to stop." She has no plans of stopping now. After high school she may consider auditioning for the National Theatre School in Montreal whose program "is amazing and turns out high quality actors." Or she may apply to the University of Alberta's Acting Program which has "a great campus" and where some of her friends are currently enrolled. With another year of school ahead she admits that she intends to leave her options open.

Ana says that her family has been a great support to her throughout the year. Her mom helped her with her lines and drove her back and forth to Kingston to rehearsals. Mom, dad, one aunt and three cousins were all in attendance on Saturday night cheering her on.

Ana's advice to other young budding actors and actresses out there is: "Do as much as you can...do everything you can get your hands on...and never think that you can stop learning more." Great advice from a young actress who has already accomplished so much.

Ana will play Viola from May 20 to May 24 at the Wellington Street Theatre in Kingston at 126 Wellington Street. Show time is 8:00 pm with an additional Saturday matinee at 2:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased at the door at 7:30 p.m. the night of the show. It's a great chance to support our own local talent and to experience Shakespeare as it was meant to be - live, on the stage.

Oct 30/08 - North Frontenac Little Theatre

Back toHome

Feature Article - October 30, 2008 Busy Season for NF Little Theatre

Kelsea Babcock as Peter Pan, leading the Lost Boys in a scene during dress rehearsal for the NFLT youth production of Peter Pan. The One Hour show is being perfomed at Sharbot Lake High School on October 30 and November 2nd.

North Frontenac Little Theatre is having a busy fall season with two shows being performed. Don't forget that many children from the surrounding area are performing in Peter Pan on September 29 and 30 at 7PM and November 2 at 2PM.

As well, NFLT is doing a show for adults, a comedy by Norm Foster entitled Opening Night, directed by Doug MacIntyre. Rehearsals are nicely underway with a cast of eight and they are having a great time with the lines. Many of the cast members are no strangers to our audiences as they have been in a number of our previous shows. Craig Godfrey and Karen Steele both appeared in Noises Off; John Stephen, Dylan McConkey and Kelli Bell were all in the 2008 spring show The Wizard of Oz and John Pariselli, who has been with NFLT since the beginning, has directed many shows and played numerous roles. For this show we welcome two newcomers to our group: Linda Jack from Hartington and Dick Miller from Verona. Both have had previous acting experience.

Opening Night will be performed at Sharbot Lake High School on Nov. 27 and 28 at 7:30PM with a Dinner Theatre on Sat. Nov. 29 at 6PM. Look for further articles and ads for this up-coming show.

Oct 16/08 - Little Theatre Breaks New Ground

Back toHome

Feature Article - October 16, 2008 Little Theatre breaks new groundBy Jeff Greenr

Just like any other 30-year-old not-for-profit institution, the North Frontenac Little Theatre has seen some ups and downs, but the group has always managed to put on a couple of productions each year, and a musical just about every second year.

The last few years have been good ones as new people have come in to take on major roles. Last spring’s production of The Wizard of Oz was well attended and well received, and featured one of the largest casts in the troupe’s history.

The coming fall and winter shows will break new ground for the Little Theatre.

Later this month, on October 29, 30, and November 2 (Sunday Matinee) the first ever Little Theatre Youth Production, Peter Pan, will be presented at Sharbot Lake High School.

Later in November (27, 28 and 29) a production of “Opening Night” by Norm Foster will go up.

Next spring, the Little Theatre will take on Shakespeare for the first time, presenting “A Midsummer Night's Dream” in late April.

Right now it is Peter Pan that is attracting all the attention.

A cast of 60 young actors, who attend all of the local schools in the area, along with a crew of volunteers and supportive parents, led by Producer Sally Angle, and Director Danielle Harding, have been working diligently together since the beginning of September.

“In this version of the play, which was adapted by Kathryn Shultz-Miller, the language is scaled down and most of the lines are a lot shorter. It is ideal for a children’s production,” said Danielle Harding.

Harding has been bringing theatre to the Sharbot Lake Public School for the past few years, with a spring production, and it hadn’t been her plan to add directing a community theatre production, particularly a youth production, to her busy schedule.

“During the production of the Wizard of Oz last spring there was so much interest from the youth in the play and their families that John Pariselli [the Little Theatre President] wanted to do the first ever youth production, and he asked me to direct. I’ll admit I was reluctant, partly because I was doing a play at my school at the time. But I am enjoying it,” Danielle Harding said.

When auditions were held in September there was a tremendous response, leading to a large cast that has been working in an intensive way to get the production ready for the end of October.

Among the changes that have been made to the play were some revisions to the characters of the “Indians” in the original production. Marcie Webster from the Child Centre wrote the changes and people viewing the play will notice some Algonquin language and traditions in place of the stereotypical 1940s American Indian language and dancing from the original Peter Pan production.

Nov 6/08 - Flying High With Peter Pan

Back toHome

Feature Article - November 6, 2008 North Frontenac little Theatre Flies High with Peter PanBy Jeff Green

One of the easiest ways to measure the success of a public performance is in the number of “bums in seats”. From opera companies to symphony orchestras to theatre companies it is not the only criteria but it is one that cannot be ignored.

The North Frontenac Little Theatre's experiment with a youth production, Peter Pan, put a lot of bums in seats last week, and if there were room there would have been dozens standing at the back of the Sharbot Lake High School cafetorium at the sold out Sunday afternoon matinee.

The success of the matinee was set up by a free performance the previous Wednesday morning for area schoolchildren, many of whom went home and told their parents to buy tickets for Sunday.

The production was designed for a large ensemble cast and for a young audience. Since Peter Pan is such a well-known story, this version is able to fly through the plot at breakneck speed, finishing in well under 60 minutes, before the fidget factor sets in for younger, and older, audiences.

This in spite of the need to ferry a cast of lost boys, mermaids, pirates, and First Nations children on and off stage through 8 scene changes. This was accomplished by using easily removed props (fabric to represent water for example), and a pirate ship that could be pushed on and off stage by two children, as well as through the hard work of a seasoned NFLT backstage crew (stage manager Mary Lou Quenneville and assistant stage manager Kelli Bell in particular) to keep things moving.

Although it was quick, this production was not short on spectacle.

It all started with an exuberant rooster crow from Kelsea Babcock as the first of two actors portraying Peter Pan (the other was Dustin Kelly). Babcock established Pan’s boundless energy and enthusiasm and Dustin Kelly carried that through to the end of the production. The seamless transition between the two actors was one of the play’s strengths.

Other standouts were Tilda Bron and Claire Willis as Tinkerbell, and Dayna Stone and Holly Dickinson as Wendy. Ainsley MacDonald and Johnny Ray Skuce as Michelle and John, and Hilary and Joel Howes as Mother and Father, made the most of the family scenes.

The First Nations scenes, which were adapted to local Algonquin traditions by Marcie Webster from the generic JM Barrie original staging, were woven into the play perfectly, and the drumming and singing of the First Nations children, with support from Webster and Alison Farrant (who has a remarkable voice) added a real richness to the play.

Young Amber Asselstine used body and facial expressions as much as words to convey the defiance of Tiger Lily, and Cody Steeves played Smee with the right amount of humour and bewilderment. The scene of Smee tying up and untying Tiger Lily on the conflicting orders of Captain Hook and Pan (in a disguised vote) was one of the best in the play.

Paddy O'Connor, the only adult in the production who had a speaking role, and he capped the light-hearted tone of the production by playing Hook as bumbling, and tired, unable to keep up with Pan and full of fear of the dreaded crocodile.

If I have one quibble with the production, it was with Captain Hook, not because of Paddy O'Connor's performance but because I think in the end it was not necessary to cast an adult in the role. There was enough of an age gap between the youngest mermaids who were 4 and 5 years old and the 15 and 16-year-old actors who played pirates that a suitable Captain Hook could have been found.

Finally there was the crocodile, played by Surah Field Green who slithered and floated from the back of the theatre down the aisles to the stage four different times. The bright green crocodile costume was created by Jocelyn and Mike Steeves, and a secret trick behind the entire effect was a hidden skateboard.

Credit for the entire production goes to Director Danielle Harding and Producer Sally Angle, who brought theatre to over 60 young actors and an audience of over 600 people.

Dec 4/08 - NFLT's Opening Night

Back toHome

Feature Article - December 4, 2008 It was all in the performances on Opening NightBy Jeff Green

Kelli Bell, as Libby Husniak, and Dick Miller was Clayton Fry in Opening Night

The North Frontenac Little Theatre presented Opening Night, by the popular Canadian playwright Norman Foster, in Sharbot Lake last weekend.

Opening Night is about a disastrous performance of a fictional Canadian play, “Whisper in the Wind”, a not so obscure reference to the W.O. Mitchell classic “Who Has Seen The Wind.”

All of the problems with “Whisper in the Wind” are set against the turmoil in the lives of the actors, director, audience members, and stage hands, making “Opening Night” a comedic commentary on the lives of middle-aged, middle-class Canadians in an unnamed mid-sized city.

“Opening Night” was a platform for the Little Theatre to serve up some very disciplined, strong performances by an eight-member cast.

John Pariselli led the cast as Richard Hyde-Finch, the self-important director of “Whisper in the Wind”, whose less than stellar directing career could be entirely derailed by the disastrous production, just as his five-year relationship to Cilla Frazer (Linda Jack) is headed towards a crisis. Hyde-Finch is not a nice man. His humour is bitter, his tone is frosty and superior, and when things go badly for him the audience has little reason to feel sympathy.

Pariselli caught all of nuances, and was quick with Hyde-Finch’s barbs, proving he could be very much at home with satire. The audience on the night I attended seemed to catch every line.

Linda Jack, as the long-suffering Cilla, had to wait a while for her opportunity to get a few lines in against Hyde-Finch, but when she did in the latter parts of the play, she demonstrated excellent comedic timing.

Jack and Ruth Tisdale, (Craig Godfrey and Karen Steele) are a couple attending their first theatrical performance together on the night of their 25th wedding anniversary. She is naive and star-struck in face of theatre people, and he would rather be at a ball game or selling varnish. Karen Steele gave Ruth Tisdale, who is perhaps the most sympathetic character in the play, the right combination of good-heartedness, naivetand humour. When Craig Godfrey hunched onto the stage in Jack Tisdale's plaid jacket, it was immediately obvious this guy didn’t belong in the theatre and that he was bound to cause more than a bit of discomfort for his wife, and Godfrey carried that same attitude right through the play.

John Stephens played Michael Craig, an over the hill actor who is being thrown over by Hyde-Finch, in a sufficiently earnest and needy way, setting up his transformation into a mad man who takes over the second act of “Whisper in the Wind” and begins to deliver a soliloquy from The Tempest. It was a nice touch when he makes his curtain call wearing a straight jacket.

Kelli Bell, as the eager but not so accomplished actress Libby Husniak, did a fine job in playing the object of Hyde-Finch’s sublimated desire, and as the daughter in “Whisper in the Wind” she was very funny, especially on the two occasions when she went catatonic.

Dick Miller was Clayton Fry, a British actor and ladies man hopelessly miscast as a southern farmer in “Whisper in the Wind”. Miller played well with that, stretching out the farmer's drawl only to lose the accent completely every once in a while.

Finally, Dylan McConkey, as Tom Delaney, the waiter/aspiring actor, had a number of opportunities for physical comedy. The best took place when he took the stage to play the farmer's daughter after Libby Husniak fainted opposite Michael Craig, who was by then in the midst of his Shakespearian rant. (I guess you had to be there).

Doug MacIntyre did a good job directing this excellent cast, whose quick wits brought out all the laughs in “Opening Night”.

Back to HomeFeature Article - December 10, 2009 Celebrating the arts at Harrowsmith PSBy Julie Druker

Grade 8 students Julianne DeBruyn, Kristopher Burke and Dustin Stufko with their Canadian mammal paintings

Principal Jim Horan at Harrowsmith Public School is a self-confessed lover and consumer of the arts and regularly attends local theatre productions, concerts and other arts events.

He has brought that love to HPS because he strongly believes that by promoting Canadian arts and by exposing young people to them, his students will benefit and grow as individuals.

Horan explained, “We want students to have a lifelong interest and commitment to the arts, one that can be developed and sustained throughout their lives. I also believe that the arts offer an opportunity to students to enhance their personal lives.”

To facilitate this exposure to the Canadians arts and artists, Horan introduced the “Hats off to the Arts program” which is now in its second year at HPS.

The program promotes and profiles Canadian arts by inviting theatre and musical groups, as well as art teachers into the school, and exposing students to their works, thereby giving the students an opportunity to create their own.

The cost of the program is provided three ways: school fundraising events throughout the year, support from the HPS Parent Council, and support from individual donors in the community.

Last week the program included a performance of the Canadian play “All for Beaver Hats” by the Limestone Teachers Theatre Company, a rollicking, slapstick play written by David S. Craig, which covers the history of the fur trade in Canada from the early 1600s until the mid-1800s. The play was presented to students in grades 6 through 8. The unique theatrical experience engaged the students and exposed them to an important part of our Canadian heritage.

Other performances planned throughout the year at HPS include a concert by Kingston musicians Brassworks, and productions by the Purple Dragon Puppet Troupe of Kingston, and The Thousand Islands Playhouse.

Hands-on art workshops are another element of the Hats Off program whereby students create works of art commonly with specific Canadian themes, which are usually included as part of their curriculum. Retired art teacher Wolfgang Piribauer of Kingston presented six half-day art workshops at the school this year to various age groups.

Grade 8 students in Mrs. Bly’s class were exposed to an art process called "segmentation" and created paintings of Canadian mammals in their winter habitats. Wolfgang explained the process to me over the phone. "Students take a design, in this case an animal, and break it up into different areas and using five complementary colours paint it. The students learn about layout, composition, positive and negative space, and how to create colour schemes, tones and blends."

The student works are striking and when the students showed them to me, their pride was apparent.

Wolfgang’s other workshops this year included projects such as northwest coast native and Inuit art, Canadian winter birds, and Canadian landscape painting in the style of the Group of Seven.

He is currently planning a workshop on the work of Canadian artist Ted Harrison, which he plans to present to students later this year.

While many schools are seeing a decline in art programs due to a change of focus in curriculum and the tightening of school budgets, it’s encouraging to see that efforts are being made to expose and engage students in Canadian art and art history. Thanks to the passion and efforts of Jim Horan and a very supportive school community, “Hats off to the Arts” is ensuring the health and wealth of the Canadian arts at HPS.

You won’t want to miss “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”, written by Barbara Robinson, being presented next weekend by the North Frontenac Little Theatre.

If you were ever in a Christmas pageant as a child, forced to wear your father's bathrobe as a shepherd, stood around with angel wings and a halo, or were the lucky ones who got to play Mary and Joseph, you'll enjoy this play. If you directed a Sunday school pageant, taught Sunday school or worked with children, you'll want to see this play. People of all ages who like to laugh will want to see this play and some more sensitive types may even find themselves shedding a tear near the end. This delightful story takes a comical yet poignant look at a church congregation putting on what is anything but a typical pageant!

Perennial pageant director Mrs. Armstrong breaks her leg and someone needs to take over the pageant this year. Reluctantly giving in to the pressures of the church ladies, young mother and wife Grace Bradley agrees to take the pageant on. Grace (played by Janet Revell of Verona) is not aware that Mrs. Armstrong (Martina Field) does not intend to relinquish control of the casting, nor is she aware of, let alone ready for, the infamous HERDMAN FAMILY!

The Herdman children are a street-wise family of six young thugs who apparently have no parents or curfew. They are led by 12-year-old, cigar smoking Imogene, (Kelsea Babcock). When they learn that there is free food and drinks at Sunday school, Imogene and her siblings take over the pageant. The Herdman boys think that a hit should be put out on King Herod and wonder why they were going to pay their taxes in a hotel anyway!

Grace Bradley sets out on a mission, with husband Bob (Barry Harding), not only to teach the Herdmans the story of Christmas, but allow for the whole congregation to revisit the true meaning of the story and by doing so. make this "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!" You'll agree that it is when young Gladys Herdman (Violet Skuce) shoves her fist at you and bellows out, "Hey you, a child was born, now git in there and see him!"

The cast of over 36 children and 10 adults comes from Verona to MacDonalds Corners, Sharbot Lake to Clarendon and Arden. It includes a gossipy group of church ladies played by Sandy Robertson, Angela Sproule, Cathy Ryan and Samantha Lusk; the Reverend Hopkins by Leslie Pickard; and the Herdman boys by Cody Steeves, Devon Clarke and Johnny Skuce.

Strong performances come from Dayna Stone as Alice, Joelle Parr as Beth Bradley, Cody Matson playing Charlie Bradley and Sydney Teal as Maxine. The whole show is narrated by Kaitlyn Hannah. There are children in a choir, angels and even a sheep!

Tickets are selling fast, so don't miss what will be an enjoyable start to this Christmas season.

The show runs December 3 through 6 at Sharbot Lake High School. Check out our season at nflt.ca.

 

As rehearsals for NFLT’s production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” head into their final weeks, “things are coming together beautifully,” according to stage manager Karin Reynold.  

The six shepherds are experimenting with their crooks, the boy playing the lamb has learned to go “b-aa” loudly, and the baby angels are practicing Christmas carols.

White sheets and bathrobes are being transformed into costumes for angels, shepherds and wise men by a hard-working backstage crew. At first glance, these could be rehearsals for any Christmas pageant from the past hundred years.

But this Christmas Pageant, adapted from a beloved children’s book by Barbara Robinson, has a twist or two. For instance, one of the wise men is carrying an unusual gift.

In addition, many of the children acting in the pageant are encouraged by director Sarah Hale to be on their worst behaviour! It is hoped that by performance time they won’t forget how to be bad, because after all, they are very good kids in real life. They’ve worked hard to learn their lines and movements on and off the stage. It’s a big commitment of time and energy, especially this year when so many families have been down with colds and flu. Just in case - important characters, from Mary and Joseph to little Gladys Herdman, the terror of the town, have understudies. For many young actors, that means learning two parts.

One thing is certain; if “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is as lively as the rehearsals, it’s a treat not to be missed on the first weekend in December, the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th!