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The Brooklin Town Crier 7 Brooklin's Community Newspaper Brooklin Expats Host "Street Party" for the Queen's 90th Birthday Brooklin's British Expats Club is just what it sounds like. A group of Expats who come together to be, well, British. The group has a facebook page that they use to help bring social events together, share British news, or new British finds (such as shops carrying their favourite jam or other British events happening in the surrounding community). They have done high tea, Christmas dinners, and celebrated Bonfire Night for a few years running. Some of the group's members have been here 20 plus years, and some just arrived last year. They come from all over the UK. On Sunday, June 12th, the same day as the Queen's Patron's lunch on The Mall to Buckingham Palace, in honour of her Official 90th birthday, the Brooklin Expats celebrated the Queens 90th birthday in festive British street party style. They mixed and mingled in their finest dress and Royal Ascot hats (and even a kilt) and enjoyed all the delights of home. The venue was the Ashburn Community Hall because it reminded group members of the village halls in England. And, it already had two framed photos of The Queen on the wall, so it was an easy choice. With a selection of pot luck British delicacies and, of course, a good cup of tea, the Queen's birthday was celebrated in style. Tea, coffee, Ribena and Squash were served. British savouries and sweets were brought, including Coronation Chicken, sausage rolls, cucumber sarnies, and Scotch eggs. Trifle, scones, biscuits and Victoria Sponge cake followed. There was a good old- fashioned tombola prize table too! Items were all either from the UK or British themed; some were donat- ed from local businesses that are owned by some of the expats, like Inkpen Studios, Danica's Scarves, and Sweet Pea Clips and Bows. The children did crafts - a London bus, a magnet Buckingham Palace Guard, and decorated crowns - followed by a quick round of Pass the Parcel. In April, the Brooklin Expats wrote to the Queen to wish her a Happy Birthday (as April 21 is her actual birthday) and to inform her of their plans to celebrate in Canada. While the group didn't expect her to accept the invitation, they did want to her to know that she was being honoured overseas. All of the guests at the street party signed a card which will be sent to Her Majesty. Brooklin Takes Centre Stage - Confidential Musical Theatre Project By Cady Dreger "Can YOU keep a secret…? "Be IN on the secret…" These are the slogans for the Confidential Musical Theatre Project, a venture that has gained far-reaching popularity since its debut in Toronto on July 22, 2014. Basically, daring audience members pay to watch a show that has never been rehearsed, performed by a cast that has never even met. Sound like a train wreck? Actually, you'd be pleasantly surprised! The mandate of Confidential is to choose a musical with a fun plot and a small set, cast the show via online submissions, give the selected cast six weeks to prepare (alone) while sworn to secrecy about the show and their role, and perform the musical to live accompaniment. The only rule? Don't stop, no matter what happens. The project also promotes inclusivity - a director is not allowed to cast the same actor in back-to-back shows, and as any Confidential director will tell you, if you keep auditioning, you will be cast eventually! I recently had the opportunity to participate in Whitby's first Confidential Musical Theatre Project as we performed Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical on May 7 at Heydenshore Pavilion. The experience was completely surreal. Everyone in the room was experiencing the show for the first time, and, for the performers, the pressure was on to make sure it was a positive first impression! Another exciting element about Confidential is that it is open to both professional and amateur actors. In Hair, I had the privilege of performing with Peter Deiwick, best known for playing Stacee Jaxx in Toronto's run of Rock of Ages. With this calibre of talent on stage, it is bound to be entertaining. The Creator/Executive Director of the project is Marion Abbott, a Sheridan graduate (Musical Theatre Performance) with over 25 years of experience in the business. She is thrilled with how Confidential has taken off. In less than two years, it has expanded to Vancouver, Ottawa, Hamilton, Halifax, Montreal, Kitchener-Waterloo, Windsor, Cape Breton, Port Perry, Whitby-Ajax, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Pittsburgh. July 10 will mark the debut of Confidential JR. - for actors 18 and under - at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. The Whitby-Ajax chapter of the project is planning to offer a similar opportunity in our region next season. So, if you are talented, and brave, you too can "be IN on the secret." Once they are available, details about the show will be posted on confidentialmusictheatreproject.com. Editor's Note: Cady Dreger is a Grade 11 student in the Performing Arts Program at O'Neill C.V.I. Her love of theatre is infectious, and we're delighted to share her thoughts about the offerings of local theatre companies with our readers.