St. Anthony’s presents ‘A Down Home Christmas’
Annual dinner theatre fundraiser now in its seventh year
Six years ago, the congregation of St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church in Berwick came up with the idea of a dinner theatre as a fundraiser. The project is now in its seventh year and still going strong.
“We were trying to think of a way to raise money for the church,” said directors Debbie Gillis and Gisela Currie. “Our congregation isn’t large, but we have a lot of talent for our size.”
And with a project like this, “everybody’s talents can be used, in one way or another.”
Gillis and Currie, who have both been involved in the dinner theatre from the start, first approached the congregation with the idea, and got an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
“It takes the whole parish to put on something like this, and they were all in favour, big-time.”
The scripts, which are “all Christian-based,” are purchased through a company called Christian Publishers.
“We usually buy the script in the early spring,” Gillis said. “We choose the people for the parts and in June, get together for a run-through. Regular rehearsals begin in September, Sundays and Tuesdays, two hours per rehearsal.” The majority of the cast of the St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church’s seventh annual dinner theatre were on hand, in costume, for an Oct. 31 sound check. Tickets are going fast for this year’s production, ‘A Down Home Christmas,’ which runs Nov. 17, 18, 24 and 25 at the church hall in Berwick.
Those who aren’t acting “have other jobs to do,” including ticket sales and promotion, preparing and cooking food, hall preparation, set construction and decoration, props, costumes, and anything else that needs doing. “It’s a real team effort.”
This year’s production, which runs Nov. 17 and 18, 24 and 25 – the doors will be open by 6 p.m., with the evening’s entertainment getting underway at 6:30 – is entitled “AVR Radio Presents ‘A Down Home Christmas’.”
Gillis said the use of AVR’S name is deliberate, and part of the work by Halifax composer Fiona Ryan. The performance is part of the Concert and Lecture Series. Admission is free. Batt is also nominated for Classical Recording of the Year at the Nova Scotia Music Awards.
Scrooge! The Musical Until Dec. 8
Scrooge! The Musical by Leslie Bricusse is being presented at Centrestage Theatre in Kentville.
Tickets are: adults $15; seniors/ students $12; children 12 and under $5. Centrestage takes cash or cheques only. Reservations are held until 15 minutes before show time.
The show, directed by Thea Burton, will be on stage Fridays and Saturdays until Dec. 8. There will be no performance on Nov. 11, Remembrance Day. Front of House opens at 6:45 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Matinees are on Sundays – Nov. 12 and 26, and Dec. 3. Front of House opens at 1:15 p.m. and the show starts at 2 p.m. Call 902-6788040 for reservations.
Soldiers of Song at Evergreen Nov. 10, Festival Theatre Nov. 11
Soldiers of Song, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m., is a live performance involving theatre, music, and storytelling based on the original works of the Dumbells, a Canadian concert party that entertained the troops on the front line in the First World War.
If nationhood was won on the crest of Vimy Ridge, it was the Dumbells who provided the country with its earliest soundtrack. The soldier-entertainers’ journey from Vimy to vaudeville is now celebrated in the musical play Soldiers of Song, written and directed by award-winning author and two-time Juno Award-nominee Jason Wilson.
play. “This year,” she said, “we’re collaborating with the radio station. AVR has allowed us to use their name, and has provided us with props as well as prizes.”
She made it clear that “no actual AVR employees are part of the cast – though there are probably a few who might like to be.”
As in past years, the cast members are from the St. Anthony’s congregation, as are all the ‘behind the scenes’ players. “We always hold auditions,” Currie said.
“After six years, it’s getting easier (to cast the parts), because we have a better idea of what we have to work with. The actors who have
Contact Evergreen Theatre at 902-825-6834. Tickets can be purchased online.
Go To: www.evergreentheatre. ca
Also: This slice of Canadian history is onstage in Wolfville on Nov. 11 at Festival Theatre as part of the Acadia Performing Arts Series. Tickets are $26 for adults, $20 for students. For more information or to buy tickets, visit the Acadia University Box Office in person, by phone at 902-542-5500 or 1-800-542-TICK(8425), or online at http://boxoffice.acadiau.ca .
Horton’s Chantal Peng performs
Horton High School grade 12 student Chantal Peng will be performing with the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Acadia University Convocation Hall in Wolfville. She is the 2017 province-wide Concerto Competition winner.
Tickets for the Wolfville concert are $12 (kids/students) and $30 (full waged) and are available at the Convocation Hall box office. There will be another concert performance the following day on at St. Andrew’s Church in Halifax at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the Halifax concert are $15 (kids/students) and $30 (full waged).
In the Galleries
Big Art opened Oct.28 at Lucky Rabbit & Co., just off Market Square in Annapolis Royal and runs until the end of November. The art is an eclectic mix of work from six local artists: Painter Wayne Boucher, sculptor Brad Hall, glass artist Jay Leblanc, Painter Ted Lind, textile artist Rachel Ryan, and Ray Mackie who shows a single stoneware vase in the exhibition. View the exhibition on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when Lucky Rabbit is always open, or by chance on other days when one of the studios in the building is open, or by appointment.
Introduction to Printmaking
Introduction to Printmaking is a two-day lesson Nov. 18 and 19 at the Printmaker Studio, North Mountain. Students will be introduced to techniques of woodblock, collagraph, and mono prints. All materials and lunches supplied. Students will finish with minimum 5 to 10 prints. Limited class size. Transport available. Cost $210. Call Acadia Art Gallery at 902-585-1373, or The Printmaker at 902-582-3656.
The Rink at Al Whittle Theatre
Mike Butler tells us there’s a new show hitting the Al Whittle Theatre stage in late November -a perfect little comedy-drama to been in previous shows are used to it, actually look forward to it.”
In fact, the majority of this year’s cast has all been in one or more previous productions.
“There’s a job for everyone,” Gillis says. “The actors have to commit to all of it. The ‘behind the scenes’ people have a bit more flexibility, and have some choice in when they get to work.”
The music is provided by a group of congregation members, including Dave Hasler, Rick Coulombe, Tatyana Currie and Vern Fraser. Usually, three of the group performs every night. Otherwise, the cast is the same for the entire run.
Gillis pointed out, “we’ve found over the years that what the audiences really enjoy is music and interactive games. A lot of people like being interactive, or if they don’t really like it themselves, they enjoy watching other people.”
The dinner theatre has become “our biggest fundraiser of the year,” Currie said. “We seat 480 people for the four shows, 120 per show, 12 tables of 10 people each. People really look forward to it, and so do we. It’s become a highlight of our year.”
She added, “we always get great comments. People come year after year, and will often purchase an entire table. We get people attending from around the province, and as far away as New
share with your friends and family. The Lighthouse Theatre Company, that brought you Creely Mountain Law and Marion Bridge, presents their fall offering, The Rink, a comedy, written by local playwright Allen D. Hume and directed by Brenda Ley.
The Rink begins with three former citizens of this small town returning for the funeral of an old childhood friend. They try to combine their talents to build an outdoor rink to help rejuvenate the town and give some energy and excitement to the citizens with a common goal (No pun intended!).
Tickets are $15 each and available at the door or in advance at The Box of Delights Bookshop in Wolfville. The Rink plays at the Al Whittle Theatre in Wolfville on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. and on Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. Mike says if that time and location doesn’t work for you, then head to Margaretsville the next Saturday as The Rink plays at Evergreen Theatre on Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Brunswick.”
For Mary Ellen Lonergan, this will be her fifth time as part of the dinner theatre cast. “I got involved because it was a unique fundraiser, and it sounded like fun. It’s still fun, even after this many years.
“People ask me each fall if I’m going to be in the dinner theatre this year,” she said. “When you’ve done it before, they expect you to be part of it, and look for you each time. I don’t sing, but they always manage to find a part for me, even in a musical.”
To Lonergan, “it’s like we’re a big family, and we end up seeing a lot of each other before this is done. It’s like hanging out with your church family and having a lot of fun.
“You don’t realize the amount of talent we have here,” she said, “with not that big a congregation to draw from. There’s no pressure to perform, and you’re already enjoying it before you start doing it.”
Tickets for the St. Anthony’s dinner theatre are $25. To purchase a ticket, or for more information, contact Dorothy or Graeme at 902-538-7407 or graeme.king@bellaliant.net.
As of Oct. 31, more than 300 of the 480 tickets were already spoken for. According to Gillis, “we’re about 75 per cent sold out, and the third night (Nov. 24) is already sold out.”
Choral Concert in Annapolis Royal
Attend the festive choral concert And Bells Do Ring with Annapolis Voices and Annapolis Treblemakers, under the musical direction of Deirdre Morrellormerod and accompanist Elizabeth Harwood on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m., St. George and St. Andrew United Church in Annapolis Royal.
Tickets are available by calling Donna Cummings 902-532-5200 or from choir members. Adults $15, Children $5.
Scrooge’s Tale on Dec. 8 and 9
Scrooge’s Tale a play written by Rev. John Moses with music by William F. Treadgold will be jointly presented by Aylesford and Kingston United Churches on Dec. 8 and 9 at Aylesford United Church, 2414 Hwy 1. Free-will admission for this musical evening with proceeds to the Berwick and Kingston foodbanks. Show time is 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:45 p.m.