Mid-October to mid-December, Woodford Hall will be a hub of community theatre when the Meaford Theatre Company (MTC) presents four productions, starting with Rob Bundy’s poignant comedy Guys in the Garage, then a Remembrance Day concert, followed by the company’s youth theatre troupe performing HMS Pinafore, and finally a Christmas in the Country concert.
MTC director Kim Ransom describes the dialogue in Guys in the Garage as “humorous guy banter, the stupid stuff you might hear in a garage. It is just good guy fun,” he said, “with some interesting twists in Act 2. Guys in the Garage is a fabulous heartwarming story that has brought tears to people’s eyes over the years. It can be quite poignant. Each male character brings something unique to the play. With Mike (Graham Banville), it’s his youth, innocence, and energy. Then we have Tommy (Brian Fray), who is the guru of the garage, getting on in age, not in good health, and his wife Marjery (Dianne Thompson), who is a ball of energy. She is a go-getter and she pesters the heck out of Tommy. She is trying to motivate Tommy. And Charlie (Jason Whaley), the stereotypical male, brash, ready to crack a joke or a beer. Don (Chris Sanderson) is a bit of flake and the brunt of the jokes. Then there is Dave (Matt Webb-Smith), the know-it-all who does little or nothing; and Walt (Tim Oleksinski), a total family man who is being misrepresented throughout the play.”
A powerful dynamic among male actors has been evolving over the eight weeks of rehearsals, and with it a camaraderie, according to Banville.
“The script is challenging and has required a great amount of cooperation and support among actors to keep dialogue going, and that has translated into camaraderie among actors,” he said.
Chris Sanderson is the newbie to the stage. The rest of the cast are seasoned actors with stage experience and formal training ranging from university degrees, 20 years in community theatre, commercial TV careers, and/or past MTC productions.
Ransom directed a production of HMS Pinafore during his career as a school principal. His biggest challenge this time around was finding a music director. As luck would have it, he found a concert pianist living in Mexico who was willing to play the score, tape it, and send a recording. “He recorded the complete score on piano for our use,” Ransom said. The MTC youth troupe is the result of a successful 12-week instruction workshop this spring at Woodford Hall for youth 12-18 years. The youth were introduced to many methodologies and staging techniques, they played with voice, tableaus, and staging. There are 21 cast members, in HMS Pinafore, we are hoping that parents and other adults will be available to help with the production.”
The Youth in MTC will accompany the Shoreline Chorus in both the Remembrance Day concerts on November 4 and 5 and the Christmas in the Country concert on December 17. Shoreline Chorus is a community choir with upwards of 40 members from Owen Sound, Meaford, Thornbury, Chatsworth, Chesley, Hepworth, and the surrounding areas. The choir is known for its performances locally, nationally, and internationally. Its repertoire includes Broadway, movie, gospel, jazz, folk, spiritual, classical, and world music.
For more information and tickets, contact Kim Ransom at lkransom@rogers.com, 226-662-0214. Tickets for Guys in the Garage are available at Craig’s Gallery and Sheardown’s and online at eventbrite.com, and are $25. In Remembrance and Christmas in the Country concert tickets are available for $10 at the door or by donation. General admission for HMS Pinafore tickets, $15, with elementary school children free.
Mark your calendars:
Guys in the Garage, October 20, 21, and October 27, 28, 29, 7:30 p.m.
In Remembrance, with songs featuring the Shoreline Chorus and readings by the Youth of MTC, November 4, 7 p.m. and November 5, 2 p.m.
HMS Pinafore, December 11, 7:30 p.m. and tentatively two school performances on December 12 and 13
Christmas in the Country, featuring the Shoreline Chorus and readings by the Youth of MTC, December 17, 2 p.m.
