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PAGE'16, WH1TY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 989 Clowning round evolvesrlntoph1 iiKE"àN BOND (left) is Ratso, who torments a character played by Lamie Anderson in the Durham Shoestring Performers' upcoming play 'Wooster Without Wednes- day,' written by Bond. VneOpol-rePe ht 'Red lot' entertam ment at local dinner theatre By Dehbie Luchuk With its first play the Magic Car Restaurant in ôshawa bas revived the tradition of dinner theatre in Durham Region. :WeTreat You :0 Like AStar Atj HoIIyvooc1 Hàirj *-an Kae euiaè 5b ei o nw a ae 9 *~U Frn aen& uia0 e eno-T e teto * V ou DKnow? e 25 *Wko MdeN9M e * (cosfo y e lany) .4 30 - .214 0 ' 'Last of the Red Hot Loyers,' an early Neil Simon play, was a smootb running production for the first dramatic effort at the Ma gcCar. Rd Hot Loyers' is the stery of Barney Casbman, aged 47, wbo wants to' join the sexual revolu- tion before it's too late, and bis inability te, stray from bis wife of 23 years, despite three oppor- tunities to do so. Roz Micbaels of Whitby plays Jeannette Fisber, the third, and sexiest, of the women witb wbom Barne attempts an affair. Pau Saunders, as Barney, main character of tbe play, is convincing, as the middle-aged man wbo tbinks be wants an affair but does not know how to go about it. Louise Lupo, as Bobbi Michele, is tborougbly enjoyable as a neurotic airbead, tborougbly frigbtening Barney out of an affair. Betsy Stanley plays EMaine Navazio, the first of Bamney's encounters. 'Last of the Red Hot Lovers'is directed *by veteran D'Arcy Smith, and is produced by Kerr Productions by special arrange- ment witb Samuel Frencb Ltd. The cornedy migbt be botter served with more enthusiastic delivery and timing in certain instances. But such instances were few in the one-on-one scenes that evoked constant laughter from an enthusiastic audience last week. Moreover, this initial effort holds tbe promise of further fine dinner theatre entertainment at tbe Magic Car. The play runs until May 6, witb productions Thursdays, Fni- days and Saturdays. By Debbie Luchuk A sketch of a clown in a toy box led to the creation of a fantasy play by a local actor that will entertain aduits and chil- dren alike. Whitby actor Ken Bond has written the pay <Wooster With- out WednesSday," the last produc- tion of the Durham Sboestring Performers' lSth anniversary season. In brief, "Wooster Without Wedneday"is a musical fantasy about a family's discovery of an old storybook, and a niagical way of making stuffed animals and toys corne te life. They defend themselves from a vilain who wants to thwart the animaIs' real life existence. «It's a mu sical fantasy for chil- dren. I wrote the script and the lyrics, and Ellen Emery com- posed the. original music for the "Bco~nd said. Theig play was intended as entertainment for his own chul- dren who are, flot so coinciden- tally, the same age and saine namne as the children in the production. "This is my f»irst play. My daughter started the process by asking me to draw a picture of a clown, and I drew a toy box around it, a cou ple of years ago. "Then she askced me to draw a bear in the toy box, and from there I just added more things to it. This went on for three or four weeks, until I filled the page and added dialogue. It stayed on the fridge for several months," hie sai d. From there, Bon d wrote a story based on the illustration and notes, and read it to bis children. "My son listened to the wbole story, and said be liked it." Bond had written lyrics for one song, then gave iý te bis sister. She suggested that he make the play a musical. "(then) gave it to Jeannine Butler of DSP (Durham Sboe- s tring Players), and they said tbey would like to produce it as tbe final play for the l5th anni- versary season. She (and others) saw the potential in it, and this means a fair bit to me," Bond said. Bond's sister knew that hie was lookmng for someone to compose music for bis lyrics, and knew Emery from ber job. His sister gave Emery a. copy of the script. and 'eshe said she was interested in writing music if I wanted to work together. «"Tings really feli into place, and I certainly don't tbink I could bave found a botter person (for the musical score) than Ellen Emery. She bas kids as well." In some aspects, Bond feels bis first play bas come out of reading to bis kids, and that the play is .ust an extension of this storytel- 1'hsplay is an extension, takes on another dimension of tbe stery." Bond bimielf plays Ratso, the villain who tries te end the teys' fun with the children. Bond bas been involved in acting for DSP for three years. He is a sales manager for C'ame- toid hIc. of Whitby. "If I hadn't been involved in tbeatre, I doubt I would bave tbought of this ( writing the play). If I had tbought of it, I wouldn't bave taken up the chal- lenge, I wouldn't know what was involved.» He credits wife Irene and chil- dren Donovan and Stefanie as the main source of encourage- ment, as well as the Sboestring Performers. Bond is now considering further plays, but bas adopted, a wait-andt-see attitude until the conclusion of the production of 'Wooster.' "I arn thinking of continuing KEN BOND writing plays,I have some ideas. lIn some respects, I bave almost a wait-and-see attitude te see how this one goes over. I really enjoyed this, and it may give me more insiight into improving ( for further productions). «The music tbat Ellen has- written really brings the play to life, and the number of people involved is to the betterment of the play. Witb the creativity of D Sp, it should resuit in a presen- tation that the whole fanxilv would enjoy," said Bond. "This is not 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Tur- tles.'» Tapestries on. display at McLaughlin Seventeen major tapestry works and related preparatory studies by Saskatoon artist Mn Newdigate Milîs are featured in an exhibition opening April 13 at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery. The exhibition bas been organized and circulated by the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. This eiglt-year survey will higbligbt the broad range of achievement of this accomplisbed tapestry artist. Newdigate Mill's work,- beginning from preparatory sketches and drawings, integrates the materials and techniques of contemporary painting and tapestry witbin an elaborate system of signs, 'symbols and A4 *b * 16 6 4 ê" images which comment on a sense of place and the relationship of women to that place. The resulting imagery is concerned witb both personal reference and overt psychological and political- intentions. Newdigate Mill's current interests, while acknowledging the tracitional craft aspect of weaving, explore areas not associated with this tradition. In a series. of seven tapestry panels titled 'Look at it rFIàs Way,' she addresses the way in whicb painting is usually a reference point for how viewers bring their own preconceptions to the manner in which tbey view tapestry. The exhibition which bas reviewed financial assistance from the Canada Council and the Saskatchewan Arts Board is on a national tour. A catalogue of the exhibition is available. Entertainers wanted Entertainers are wanted for the Whitby Courthouse Theatre special gala fundraising evening Saturday, May 27. Those inter- ested in volunteering will be invited to a preliminary perfor- miance îat thie theatre April 15. For more information call 683- 9683. b h ~ ~ ~ &~s&'.~i Shoestring pkay in May 'Wooster Without Wednesday' will be presented by the Durham Shoestring Performers on May 5, 6 and 7 at the arts resource centre, Oshawa. Pefrmanres- will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, il a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, and 2 p.rn. on Sunday. Ken Bond of Whitby, who wrote the play, is 'Ratso, the miscll3vious rat who torments bis toy companions 'Winston' the bear, 'Reba' the doll, 'Finnigan' the clown and 'Courtney' the rabbit 1laed by Peter Derry, Lanie Anderson, Rhonda Davies anâ Jennifer Maybe The toys' home is a magical toybox in "an oid, old very old house" in the small town of Wooster. The home now belongs to the town's new mayor, played by Mike King, the mayor's wife, played by Vivian Lee, and their two children, played by Robbie Coutie and Tanya Read. Carolyn Wilson directs, Rhonda Davies is choreographer and the original score was composed by Ellen Irnrie. Tickets are now available at nÏboý'Iation Oshawa and Merle Norman Cosmeties at the Oshawa Centre. Tickets are $5 in advance, $4 on performance date. For more information cali producer Jeannine H. Butler at 576-6099. 9 9,6#46,4 l'là*& b é 'i # s # Î,i.* b 4 "e à à - à, * à & à à à î A i ýý jý '-- ý i ý ". g . ýi .