Posted in: Concerts & Events, Local Talent, News | No Comments | September 24, 2021
Theatre Sarnia: Snippets from the Upcoming 2014 — 2015 Season
by Brian Hay
Before the show started MC Andrew Hiltz mentioned that some of the actors appearing wouldn’t be in those shows because the productions actually hadn’t been cast yet. It turns out the only reason the statement was needed was so people won’t be disappointed when different actors appear in the shows. For people working without much preparation time, and in many cases in more than one of the excerpts, the calibre of the performances they gave was outstanding. That shouldn’t be much of a surprise in view of the superb level of talent in this area.
In the hands of Directors Anthony Fracalanza and John L’Heureux the musical version of ‘A Christmas Carol is going to receive the sensitive treatment the story deserves. Their ‘Scrooge’, portrayed by Joe Agocs tonight, was an individual out of touch with his generosity, not devoid of it. That internal conflict and the natures of the people around him should provide dramatic impetus while the endearing music draws audiences into the narrative.w Hiltz mentioned that some of the actors appearing wouldn’t be in those shows because the productions actually hadn’t been cast yet. It turns out the only reason the statement was needed was so people won’t be disappointed when different actors appear in the shows. For people working without much preparation time, and in many cases in more than one of the excerpts, the calibre of the performances they gave was outstanding. That shouldn’t be much of a surprise in view of the superb level of talent in this area.
Based on what was shown tonight, the musical ‘Catch Me If You Can’, has a brilliant score. With a true story that makes the most bizarre fiction seem common place at it’s root , the light touch shown by Director Andrew Colborne and Musical Director Dan Sonier will serve this production well. Cian Poore, playing the role of ‘Frank Abagnale Jr. in this excerpt, gave the part just enough devil-may-care swagger to endear the character to audiences. It promises great things.
‘Clean House’, which is being Directed by Holly Wenning, is going to be right off the wall but in all the right ways. Megan Hadley, Henri Canino and Julie Cushman staged this clip, obviously had a criminal amount of fun doing it and quickly made the audience into guilty parties along with them. The full scale production will be a knockout. Listening to Julie talk about what they did after the show gave a huge insight into the amount of their hearts the people involved put into the productions. The amount they care cannot be measured.
The illegal hijinks escalated with the preview of ‘The Dixie Swim Club’. The clip used by Director Jan Holt featured Holly Wenning, Liz Walton and a few ladies whose names I’m not sure enough of to write here in a totally outrageous scene that the ladies made completely believable with stellar delivery and excellent timing. It’s safe to say they also managed the most bizarrely hilarious facial expressions comic performers can come up with. The aisles will need to be kept open for the people who’ll be rolling in them when this one plays.
The scene that can only be described as the most “out there” came from the excerpt of Monty Python’s ‘Spamalot’. Ian Alexander and Shawn Chapman were among the players Director Dan White had for this clip and they milked it in ways that would make the Python troupe smile. The sheer zaniness of the Pythons’ work makes overlooking how astute the people involved with that were easy to do but their knowledge of what they satirized was one of the things that made their comedy work. The obvious respect White has for that carried through with the result being the finale, ‘Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life’ coming off as the magnificent send up its supposed to be.
It’s going to be a great season.
Snippets took place at The Imperial Theatre in Sarnia Ontario on Tuesday September 23, 2014. The article was written to convey impressions of what it was like to be there watching.
