Players hit the stage
Port Morien dinner theatre marks anniversary with ‘Drinking Habits’
The year was 1998 and the Port Morien Legion was in serious financial distress. There was even talk of permanent closure.
Legion members and other community members were eager to find ways to get it back on its financial feet. Enter Ed MacLeod.
MacLeod and his family lived in the Round Island area, just a few kilometres outside the community, and he had an extensive background in drama.
He had already directed “The Token,” a historical play staged as part of the Morien Memories homecoming in 1995.
He was now making an offer to direct a play to be performed at the legion and suggested it could be part of a dinner theatre.
The idea was enthusiastically embraced by the legion.
One of the first to sign on was Paulette MacDougall, who volunteered to manage the production.
The first play “His Name Man Was Aunt Nellie,” put on by the newly formed Port Morien Players, was a huge success. An annual community tradition was born.
Here we are approaching the 20th anniversary of the first Port Morien dinner theatre and it is still a going concern.
MacLeod and his family moved away a number of years ago, but volunteers have kept it going and have come back every year for the last two decades to stage the highly successful production.
The commitment of the legion (pardon the pun) of volunteers is remarkable, but not unusual for our small village. Cast members begin rehearsals in January and continue twice a week until late April, when the play is first performed.
Not only do actors dutifully rehearse their lines; they select their own costumes and design and help to set up the stage.
Crew members act as prompters and operate sound and lights.
MacDougall, who has been the manager since the beginning, has many tasks. These include (but are not limited to) helping select the play, recruitment of cast members and selling tickets.
Then there are legion and community members who start well ahead of the production to purchase food and supplies and then set up the hall and prepare enough meals to feed the 700 or more audience members who attend over four nights.
Expenses of the Port Morien Players include almost $1,000 for royalties and scripts, as well as many hundreds of dollars in props and costumes.
The net proceeds of the dinner theatre are shared between the Players and the Port Morien Legion.
The play this year is called “Drinking Habits,” written by Tom Smith.
As in past years, it is a comedy that promises laughs by the dozen.
The internet is rife with positive reviews of the theatrical farce.
One quote from the Worcester, Massachusetts Telegram is that the play “ripples out into an endless cavalcade of mistaken identities and outlandish impersonations.
The “Drinking Habits” website describes the storyline:
“Two nuns at the Sisters of Perpetual Sewing have been secretly making wine to keep the convent’s doors open, but Paul and Sally, reporters and former fiancées, are hot on their trail.
They go undercover as a nun and priest, but their presence, combined with the addition of a new nun, spurs paranoia throughout the convent that spies have been sent from Rome to shut them down.”
The dinner theatre will be staged on April 27-28 and May 4-5.
The hot roast beef supper will be served at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $30 per ticket. There is reserved seating and tickets can be purchased by calling MacDougall at 902737-2286.
For those who wish to only attend the play, dress rehearsal night will be April 25. Admission is $10 at the door. Hope to see you there.
OUT AND ABOUT
• There will be a codfish dinner at the legion on Sunday, March 25 from 3-5 p.m., sponsored by the Port Morien Wildlife Association. Tickets can be obtained from any member of the association.
• To celebrate the completion of recent renovations, the legion is planning a dinner and dance for Saturday, April 7 starting at 6:30 p.m. A turkey dinner with dessert is being served. The cost is $15.
•A Lenten ecumenical service for Glace Bay and area churches will be held on Wednesday, March 21 at St. John’s United Church in Port Morien at noon.