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36 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday May 18, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com www.oakvillebeaver.com One hundred shows and counting at Stage West The Full Monty is latest crowd pleaser By Chris Clay SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER IQUIDATION L E FURNITUR YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS EVENT! VICTORIA DAY MONDAY, MAY 21, 2007 OTELLO'S BANQUET HALL 2273 ROYAL WINDSOR DRIVE OAKVILLE, ONTARIO PREVIEW: 12 NOON AUCTION: 1 PM · 3 Piece Sofa Sets and Sectionals in many designer colours, Italian Leathers to Designer Fabrics · Oak, Mahogany and Cherrywood 9 piece Dining Room Suites, some with matching Buffets and Hutches · 8 Piece Bedroom Suites, including European Designs · Hand Carved Fern Stands · Huge selection of Classical Style Hall Mirrors · Bathroom vanities with Sink · Quality Mattress and Box Springs Sets in double, queen or king, from the highest quality Memory Foam and Pillow Top to Economical Sets · Limited Edition Artworks including Bateman & The Group of Seven · Top quality 72 Pc. Flatware Sets · 10 pce. counter height dinette set (variety of finishes) · Bombay Chest · Wall Clocks · Curio Stands · Bronze · Electronics · Lamps · Limoges · Figural Pieces · Grandfather Clocks · 4 Poster Bed Sets · Stainless Cookware Sets · Sports Memorabilia And Still much more! Subject to additions and deletions. MOVERS ON SITE HOME THEATRE 10% Buyers Premium FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 1-888-211-7690 It was a memorable occasion when The Full Monty recently opened at Stage West Theatre. It's not the plot -- blue-collar workers shedding their clothes in an all-male nude review -- that had people taking notice. What captured most of the attention was the fact the 21year-old theatre has now hosted 100 shows. Brampton residents Ann Baker and Moira Lumley have attended all the productions and have secured tickets for this show as well. It's a remarkable accomplishment, and the women said they fell in love with the theatre after taking in the first show in Mississauga, Social Security. "We just loved our first experience," Baker said. "For me, it had such a different feel to it, almost a Las Vegastype atmosphere. I loved the buffet and it feels for about two hours that I'm taken to a completely different world." Such reasons are strikingly similar to what Stage West Theatre Restaurants board chair and executive producer Howard Pechet points to when speaking about the success of the theatre. In an interview, Pechet said a pleasant meal can cover up audience annoyance if the actors' performances are lacklustre or the show's plot is weak. "The cardinal rule is to give people a great meal every time," said Pechet. "It's always a hit or miss with the plays; maybe seven out of 10 go over well with the audience, but if people enjoy the meal and ambience, chances are they're coming back." The theatre targets people in their late 20s and early 30s as well as the baby-boomer generation, according to Pechet. When selecting shows, theatre officials carefully consider picking a play that will appeal to the core audience. Arguably the most popular, said Pechet, are the musical reviews. Shows such as California Dreamin' and British Invasion, co-written by Pechet and his creative team, have been some of the theatre's most popular. "We know the audience and we know what they want. After 900-plus plays, I think we know what a stinker is," said Pechet. "We're looking for comedies or musicals that are doing well in New York City or London and are a few years behind Broadway. We learned quickly about having lighthearted shows. Our first play (at the Edmonton Stage West in 1975) was The Gingerbread Lady. It's about an alcoholic who has fallen off the wagon and I think the audience was crying about half way through the first act." The numbers seem to confirm Pechet's assertions. During a show's approximately 12-week run, the theatre averages about 40,000 people and it currently boasts a season ticket base of 18,000. Pechet said he specifically chose to open up in Mississauga as opposed to Toronto. "The first thing we did when we decided to move into Ontario was make the conscious decision to stay out of the downtown area," said Pechet. "We didn't want to have to compete for (major) shows and we wanted to be part of a community. We've never regretted the decision." ANNIVERSARY SALE Ankara REG. Ladybelle REG. MENS Crouch Equinox Simeon WOMENS 119.95 89.95 149.95 REG. Urstan Samara REG. REG. Daring REG. Yazz REG. Stafford REG. REG. 139.95 NOW 249.95 124.95 NOW 129.95 159.95 NOW 119.95 $ 9999 $ 7999 $ 5999 NOW $ 9999 NOW $ 7999 ONE WEEK O N LY SALE STARTS MAY 18TH ENDS MAY 24TH NOW OPEN OAKVILLE PL ACE W W W. F R E E D M A N S H O E S . C O M 240 Leighland Ave. Telephone: 905-842-3418