Bellrock Schoolhouse Theatre Serving Up Delicious Melodrama.

Bellrock Schoolhouse Theatre | May 29, 2013

The Great Ice Cream Scheme, a play written by Billy St. John, tells the comedic tale of hero Robin Baskins and cold-hearted villain I.C. Custard and the attempts to steal the coveted ice cream recipe.

Custard's devious plan to steal the recipe involves hiring an accomplice, Parfait Deluxe, an ex-chorus girl and total klutz. Parfait is instructed to entice the recipe from Robin, but Robin has been smitten by Marsha Mallow, the sweet young waitress. The action is fast and furious...and hilarious. Employees getting trapped in a faulty freezer, a stage struck prop man, a rainbow of colourful characters and a funny fight sequence all make The Great Ice Cream Scheme a delicious show to sink your teeth into!

Audience members won’t be in any doubt of whom to boo or cheer for. There is interaction with the audience as I.C.Custard explains his evil intentions. The audience is encouraged to actively participate with their boos, hisses and hoorays.

Doug MacIntyre is directing this production. "I got hooked on melodramas about a year ago. I co-directed one in Arizona and wanted to try one on my own. The results were amazing. The best compliment came from the audience as they left the theatre saying "When is the next one?"

Doug is looking forward to having the play in Bellrock Schoolhouse Theatre. "The Bellrock Schoolhouse Theatre seats about 80 regular seats or about 50 dinner theatre seats, making it an intimate space. This is ideal for melodramas, which require audience participation and interaction."

The cast is a mix of newcomers and veterans. Connie Shibley and Dick Miller take on the roles of Parfait Deluxe, the villain’s klutzy sidekick and the villain I.C. Custard. The young lovers Marsha Mallow and Robin Baskins are played by Joelle Parr and Cody Steeves. Brian Robertson plays kind-hearted Pop Sicle and John Stephen plays Ernie, the misguided stagehand. Husband and wife team Jane and Ian MacKay play Etta Lotta Spumon and Alex de Spoon (patrons of the parlour). Rounding out the cast are Kathy King as Candy Sprinkles, Michel Alarcon as Walt Nutz (waitress and waiter) and Debbie Lingen as Nana Peel.

There will be three "Dinner Theatre" performances on Friday, June 7; Saturday, June 8; and Saturday, June 15 starting at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20. The meal will be a delicious ham dinner with all the fixings. Dessert, of course, is ice cream. There will also be a "Dessert" Matinee on Sunday, June 16. 2:30 pm. Tickets $12. Tickets are available at Verona Drug Mart, Local Family Farms, Verona Hardware and Asselstine Hardware.

The play will be held in the Bellrock Theatre, 6034 Leveque Rd., Bellrock. For ticket information, call 613-374-2344.
All proceeds from the play will go to support the Bellrock Hall.