WODL

  
   Newsletter March 2018

In this issue:
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 WODL website   WODL on Facebook  WODL on Twitter  WODL board

WODL Festival 2018  Adjudications schedule

Festival 2018 hotel booking  Festival 2018 tickets

Theatre Ontario Festival 2018  Theatre Ontario hotel booking

Theatre Ontario Festival single tickets  Theatre Ontario Festival package tickets
 

Get the Latest News on Festival 2018
WODL Festival 2018 - Sarnia - Schedule


Monday March 12, 2018

11:00 am - 5:00 pm 
Hospitality,Registration, Information and Displays
Venetian A Ballroom, Holiday Inn 

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm 
Opening Reception (by invitation) 
Nova Room, Imperial Theatre

8:00 pm Curtain 
Gloria's Guy - Guelph Little Theatre
Imperial Theatre 
...followed by 
Public Adjudication - Carey Nicholson
Imperial Theatre 
10:30 pm (approx) 
Encore Party in the R.W. Lawton Gallery
Imperial Theatre 
...followed by 
After Hours Party 
Holiday Inn 

















Tuesday March 13, 2018

10:00 am - 11:30 am 
Detailed Adjudication - Carey Nicholson
Center Hall, Holiday Inn 

11:00 am - 5:00 pm 
Hospitality,Registration, Information and Displays
Venetian A Ballroom, Holiday Inn 

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Carolyn Smith - Play Reading
Center Hall, Holiday Inn 

8:00 pm Curtain 
Venus in Fur - Kitchener Waterloo Little Theatre
Imperial Theatre 
...followed by 
Public Adjudication - Carey Nicholson
Imperial Theatre 
10:30 pm (approx) 
Encore Party in the R.W. Lawton Gallery
Imperial Theatre 
...followed by 
After Hours Party 
Holiday Inn 





















Wednesday March 14, 2018

10:00 am - 11:30 am 
Detailed Adjudication - Carey Nicholson
Center Hall, Holiday Inn 

11:00 am - 5:00 pm 
Hospitality,Registration, Information and Displays
Venetian A Ballroom, Holiday Inn 

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Adjudicators Workshop -Carey Nicholson - Keeping the Play in the PLAY

Center Hall, Holiday Inn 
8:00 pm Curtain 
The Dining Room - Alymer Community Theatre
Imperial Theatre 
...followed by 
Public Adjudication - Carey Nicholson
Imperial Theatre 
10:30 pm (approx) 
Encore Party in the R.W. Lawton Gallery
Imperial Theatre 
...followed by 
After Hours Party 
Holiday Inn 





















T hursday March 15, 2018

10:00 am - 11:30 am 
Detailed Adjudication - Carey Nicholson
Center Hall, Holiday Inn 

11:00 am - 5:00 pm 
Hospitality,Registration, Information and Displays
Venetian A Ballroom, Holiday Inn 

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Peter Fenton & Scott White, Play Reading
Center Hall, Holiday Inn 

8:00 pm Curtain 
On a First Name Basis -Elmira Theatre Company
Imperial Theatre 
...followed by 
Public Adjudication - Carey Nicholson
Imperial Theatre 
10:30 pm (approx) 
Encore Party in the R.W. Lawton Gallery
Imperial Theatre 
...followed by 
After Hours Party 
Holiday Inn 





















Friday March 16, 2018

10:00 am - 11:30 am 
Detailed Adjudication - Carey Nicholson
Center Hall, Holiday Inn 

11:00 am - 4:00 pm 
Hospitality,Registration, Information and Displays

Venetian A Ballroom, Holiday Inn 

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Travelling Adjudicator's Workshop - Carolee Mason - Stage Manager's Prompt Book - Building an Effective Resource for Calling your Show

Center Hall, Holiday Inn 
8:00 pm Curtain 
Twelve Angry Men - Paris Performers' Theatre
Imperial Theatre 
...followed by 
Public Adjudication - Carey Nicholson
Imperial Theatre 
10:30 pm (approx) 
Encore Party in the R.W. Lawton Gallery
Imperial Theatre 
...followed by 
After Hours Party 
Holiday Inn 






















Saturday March 17, 2018

10:00 am - 11:30 am 
Detailed Adjudication - Carey Nicholson
Center Hall, Holiday Inn 

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Workshop- John Hobbs -  Set Building & New Materials and Techniques

Campbell Street 
6:00 pm - Midnight
Awards Gala
Maximum 200 tickets are available.
No Gala sales after Tuesday March 13, 2018.
Contact Imperial Theatre Box Office for your tickets.

Center/East Hall,
Holiday Inn 












Monday 12 March - Gloria's Guy - Guelph Little Theatre



Synopsis

Autumn breezes induce a nostalgic mood when four former high school friends return to their hometown for a wedding. 

Now 40, they seize the opportunity for a boisterous reunion, in a boat house apartment where they partied in the past. 

Absurd antics and mistaken assumptions may suggest light domestic comedy, but a closer look unearths darker shades. 



Director's Notes

Marnie Jutzi

Welcome to the boathouse suite, to witness the shenanigans of Joan Burrows' madcap characters.

A hometown wedding reunites four high school friends, Peggy, Gloria, Eva, and Leslie, providing an excuse to resurrect the good times in a boisterous 40th birthday celebration. But this is real life, which is always punctuated by secrets, tensions, surprises and private pain. Old wounds are opened with the arrival of Guy, the former beau who broke Gloria's heart on prom night.

Leslie appears with a show-stopping revelation, and Peggy's scheming mother, Jessie, wreaks havoc while "fixing" things. Meanwhile, we shake our heads, fingers crossed for a happy ending.

We are pleased to submit this newly published Canadian work to the Western Ontario Drama League Festival. If you laugh only half as much as we did in rehearsals, our work is done.


Alison Jutzi
 
What a joy as a first-time director to be blessed with a cast that came to every rehearsal ready to play. Each of our actors always had an answer to "Why do you say this?" and "How do you feel about that?" and "Can someone please remind us where Jessie's purse is supposed to be in this scene?"

I feel a personal connection to this play. I too am turning 40 this year, I have recently returned to my home town and reconnected with high school friends, and my mom often calls me by my sister's name.

Speaking of my mom, a special thank you to Marnie Jutzi for asking me to co-direct. I think we made a good team. Enjoy!


Review from The Ontarion:



Photographs Courtesy of Dean Palmer Photography:











Tuesday 13 March - Venus in Fur - Kitchener-Waterloo Little Theatre

Director's Notes - Ryan Bassett

Thomas Novachek is a playwright. His latest play is an adaptation of the 19th century erotic German novel, Venus In Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. He has spent the day auditioning actresses for the role of Vanda von Dunayev, to, as he feels, little success. He opens the play bemoaning the pool of auditioners, deriding their intelligence, their ability, their looks, their 'femininity', or (by his approximation) lack thereof.

Vanda Jordan is an aspiring actress. Due to an impossible string of bad luck, she is running late to her audition. She is determined to get the part, and presses on, even though her audition was hours ago. Vanda appears to Thomas as the epitome of all of his frustration; she's crass, she's loud. She lacks the grace and dignity Thomas feels his character possesses.

Wanting to get home, Thomas tries desperately to get her to leave, but perhaps out of pity, or because she simply won't let up, he agrees to let her audition for the part, remaining confident in his assessment that she is no different from the other women he has seen. Until she begins to read.

I first encountered Venus In Fur in the Autumn of 2013. I was mesmerized. It was funny, it was poignant, and the themes to which it was speaking were, and remain to be, very important. I knew I'd love to direct this show someday.

A few years later, a friend asks me to help her with preparation for an audition. The piece she's preparing? Venus In Fur. After a multi-year hiatus from directing, diving back into this material was all it took.

I unfortunately don't believe there is ever a time when the themes of this play are not applicable, but right now it feels as timely as ever. In this play, a man is brought to task for his treatment of women, just as men in Hollywood and around the world are now finally being held accountable, and this play aims to challenge those structures that allowed this behaviour to fester. This play, being only 100 minutes long, written, and in this case directed, by a man, is perhaps not able to address the enormity of this problem, but it is far too important of an issue to be left unacknowledged.

Through the lens of dark comedy, and metadrama, David Ives' Venus In Fur seeks to examine dynamics of dominance and submission, and specifically that of men and women, and challenges and exposes the fallacies of the preconceived notions therein. It dances along the line between fantasy and reality, and reveals the consequences of when that line is blurred.


Rehearsal Photographs






More Links:
Wednesday 14 March - The Dining Room - Aylmer Community Theatre



Synopsis

The play is set in the dining room of a typical well-to-do household, the place where the family assembled daily for breakfast and dinner and for any and all special occasions.

The action is a mosaic of interrelated scenes-some funny, some touching, some rueful-which, taken together, create an in-depth portrait of a vanishing species: the upper-middle-class WASP. The actors change roles, personalities and ages with virtuoso skill as they portray a wide variety of characters, from little boys to stern grandfathers, and from giggling teenage girls to  Irish   housemaids .

Each  vignette  introduces a new set of people and events; a father lectures his son on grammar and politics; a boy returns from boarding school to discover his mother's infidelity; a senile grandmother doesn't recognize her own sons at  Thanksgiving  dinner; a daughter, her marriage a shambles, pleads futilely to return home, etc.

Dovetailing swiftly and smoothly, the varied scenes coalesce, ultimately, into a theatrical experience of exceptional range, compassionate humour and abundant humanity.

Director's Notes - Ron Sawyer

Last October, Colleen and I travelled to New York City, where we had honeymooned 32 years earlier. Our modern, trendy hotel (read: tiny room) was located literally around the corner from the Off-Broadway theatre, Playwrights Horizons, on 42nd Street. We stood in front of it every day while waiting for the crosstown bus, and I eventually realized that this was the very theatre where A.R. Gurney's The Dining Room had its first production in 1981.
 
ACT has performed two of his shows before now, Sylvia and Love Letters. Gurney, who passed away last June aged 86, left us a challenging but very rewarding play. Fifty-seven characters? Woo, boy! I'm pleased to see that our company has met with challenge as I watch their inner chameleons come out to play. We are particularly pleased to have a newcomer in the cast, 17-year-old Lauren Tiersma, in her first appearance beyond the East Elgin Secondary School stage. Kudos, Lauren. Our first use of original music, something we have yearned do do for years, has been furnished by Aylmer's own Evan Thompson, and I'm sure  you will agree that it is superb. The daunting requirements of costumes and props were deftly coordinated by Barbara Warnock and Colleen Sawyer. Our Ruler of the Booth, Mary Morin, and our estimable backstage crew, knitted the whole production together in their usual efficient way. Thanks to you all.
 
The decline of White Anglo-Saxon Protestant culture depicted in the play should not be mourned, but seen as a natural transformation due to the increase diversity and economic optimism that progressed from the thirties through the seventies. The play culminates in the realization that the good old days, no matter how fondly reminisced, are in fact....now.


The Dining Room a complex but intriguing tale of families - Rob Perry - The Aylmer Express

The Dining Room isn't your average Aylmer Community Theatre play.
It opened with a preview at the Old Town Hall Theatre Thursday night, followed by a premiere Friday night, Feb. 9, that didn't draw nearly as many spectators as it deserved, but that might have been partly due to the winter weather.

Hopefully, more seats were filled on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. The play concludes its run this week, with shows Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at 8 p.m.

If you haven't seen it already, you should, but be forewarned, The Dining Room is an unconventional play-though that is one of its strengths, as is the more than capable direction of ACT stalwart Ron Sawyer.

The first clue as to the play's eccentricity comes in the program, where the cast names are listed not alongside their fictional names, but instead they are only identified as First Actress, First Actor, and so on.

While the stage set isn't the star of the show-that praise goes to the actors-it is the pivot for what is essentially a series of short sketches of the occupants of a home, to whom the dining room of the title is central to their lives, as well as their friends and relatives.

Each of the actors takes on a multitude of roles, a total of 57 for the six of them.

At first, the viewer wonders if the people in the sketches are somehow connected, perhaps generationally, perhaps by succeeding occupants of the same stately home.

But gradually realization creeps in that the central character of The Dining Room is the dining room, and that no connection exists beyond that for the sketches, except the themes of family and relationships.

The actors not only take on multiple roles, but portray characters of different ages (it might have been interesting to see them occasionally switch genders as well), and do a great job of it.

The play also involves split-second timing, with characters from one sketch often exiting as others come in through the same swinging door, and sometimes the characters from two different vignettes overlapping on stage simultaneously.

This is the second time in a row ACT has strayed from its conventional but crowd-pleasing comedies, and seeing ACT veterans like Peter Leack, Barbara Warnock, James Wybrow, Stephen Flindall and Julianna Goertzen having the opportunity to stretch their talents to new heights was greatly rewarding.

And the sole ACT newcomer, Lauren Tiersma, 17, a student at East Elgin Secondary School, more than held her own against the troupe's older warhorses, playing as capably her many roles from youngster to old woman.

She starred as Kira in EESS's production of the musical Xanadu last year, and the program notes say she hoped to pursue a post-secondary education in theatre arts, which would be a natural choice for her.

Mr. Wybrow, however, gets the gold star for the best single portrayal of the night, in a sketch that might have been inspired by the British comedy troupe Monty Python.

He played a hysterical caricature of a stuffed-shirt of a man who, outraged by a slight against his bachelor brother at the club they both belong to, determines that honour demands he go there to fight the originator of the insult, despite being half his size and weight, and over the frantic opposition of his family.

The Dining Room, by A.R. Gurney, was originally performed off-Broadway in 1981, but despite its age is not dated or stale, and the ACT version of it deserves the support of what will hopefully be larger audiences this week.


Photographs - Chris Button

L to R: Lauren Tiersma as Winkie, James Wybrow as Billy, Julianna Goertzen as Peggy, Barbara Warnock as Sandra, Peter Leack as Brewster
Stephen Flindall as Paul and Barbara Warnock as Marjery
Lauren Tiersma, recipient of the Theatre Kent award for Most Promising Newcomer.



Thursday 15 March - On A First Name Basis - Elmira Theatre Company



Synopsis

This is the story of a successful but egocentric novelist with writer's block and his witty housekeeper of twenty-eight years.

David has received some devastating news and Lucy has her own secret. In a ploy to avoid being alone David invites Lucy to stay and have a drink.

With revelations that are surprising, funny and extremely moving David comes to the realization that he knows nothing about Lucy, while she knows absolutely everything about him!


Director's Notes - Rita Huschka

When Norm Foster writes well, the result is  On a First Name Basis . One of Foster's best recent offerings, this play is simply a conversation between two people who have lived around each other for a very long time.

It tells the story of 2 lives and how, or not, they have intersected. We all want our life story told, we all want to be remembered and we all want to believe our brief stay here means something....to someone, to anyone.

The challenge of this lovely play is also its strength - only two actors on stage and no "action". I consider myself incredibly lucky to have 2 of the best actors I know in this production. Actually, I could have cast this show 5 times over, each time with amazingly talented actors and I am very grateful to everyone who auditioned.

The unsung heroes, better known as the "Crew", have made this production a delight for all of us from start to finish - they give their time, efforts and advice freely and are so important to the outcome you see on stage - Thank you!

To you, our audience, remember the joy of conversation, the joy of connection and to leave your footprints where they'll be seen; you too will be remembered.

Enjoy the show.


Review - The Observer, Woolich and Wellesley Townships


Review - Sharon Grose - Ontario Farmer

Comedy with heart comes just in time for Valentines; 'On a First Name Basis'runs till February 17 in Elmira

Debbie Deckert is a familiar face to the students of Linwood Public School - she knows each of the students by name. She probably knows each of their parents - if they attended the country school - and maybe a few of their grandparents because she's the school secretary. She worked at the school for over 40 years.

But
Sharon Grose Photography
Photo: Sharon Grose photography
that's not the case when you switch from her day job to her hobby. Debbie Deckert is on stage for the next three weeks in Elmira Community Theatre's latest production 'On a First Name Basis' by Norm Foster.

She is playing the role of a housekeeper named Miss Hopperstaad who has worked for David Kilbride for the past 28 years. Unlike her day job where everybody knows her, her on-stage boss doesn't even know her first name! We farm near the small rural village of Alma, everybody knows everybody, so it's hard for me to imagine that someone could actually employ someone for 28 years and not even know their first name. But that's where Norm Foster's play begins.

David Kilbride (played by Elmira Theatre veteran Gord Cameron) suddenly comes to the realization that he knows nothing about his employee - he doesn't know her first name. He has employed her for over 28 years as his housekeeper but he knows her only as Miss Hopperstaad. He decides to remedy that by inviting her to share a scotch and have a bit of a chat. He ends up asking her to share her life story. Two or three drinks later, the liquor loosens their tongues and they really begin to talk. That's when the audience realizes that both characters have a secret.

"The two characters are very familiar with each other as Lucy has been David's housekeeper for 28 years. And yet, we learn pretty quickly that the depth of that knowledge varies considerably," states Gordon Cameron who plays Kilbride. "David senses a real need to know Lucy better, and Lucy (who knows a lot already about him) has wishes and needs of her own, of course. There is a lot of push and pull as they 'dance' around each other looking for truth."

This play gets you thinking about your own life story - reflecting on your past and wondering what your life story really is. By the time the play comes to an end, you come to the realization that everybody needs someone to tell their story to and track their journey.

"I think the play illustrates that we all have our own stories and that story telling is one of the most basic ways of discovering who we are and what we want, fear, and love," noted Cameron. "I think this play would appeal to a fairly widespread audience. Certainly there are issues that would resonate with people who are more concerned with reflecting on their past and wondering about their "story", but there are also very basic issues concerning relationships, hardships, hope, and love that would appeal to most people," added Cameron.

With only two characters on stage, it takes skilled and talented actors to pull it off. "Gord and Deb work well together but I was incredibly lucky," notes director Rita Huschka, "I could have cast the show five times over with many talented actors. I went with Gord and Deb because they're both Elmira Theatre Company veterans and can play challenging roles."

Deckert auditioned for this play because she liked the challenge of just two actors on stage. "You have to keep the energy up and keep the audience engaged because you can't count on anyone else to bail you out or help switch the focus."

On a First Name Basis runs till February17 in Elmira. Tickets are $20 and available at 519-578-1570 or 1-800-265-8977 or www.elmiratheatre. com.


Photographs of the Production



Friday 16 March - Twelve Angry Men - Paris Performers' Theatre


Synopsis


A 19-year-old man has just stood trial for the fatal stabbing of his father. "He doesn't stand a chance," mutters the guard as the 12 jurors are taken into the bleak jury room. 

It looks like an open-and-shut case-until one of the jurors begins opening the others' eyes to the facts. "This is a remarkable thing about democracy," says the foreign-born juror, "that we are notified by mail to come down to this place-and decide on the guilt or innocence of a person; of a man or woman we have not known before. We have nothing to gain or lose by our verdict. We should not make it a personal thing."

But personal it is, with each juror revealing his own character as the various testimonies are re-examined, the murder is re-enacted and a new murder threat is born before their eyes! Tempers get short, arguments grow heated, and the jurors become 12 angry men.

Director's Notes - Matt Willson

For me, theatre is a place where I can temporarily retreat from daily life into a world that is distinctly "other". Here we create - and for a time live in - an alternate reality. How fortunate we are to present that reality as entertainment to friends and family who fill our audiences. 

The hardworking volunteers that make up the Paris Performers' Theatre group are champions of this escape. They work remarkably hard to sustain a place where designers, actors, and technicians can come together to build something unique - and present the results to you. Our common goal is that for a few hours of your time, you too can transcend to that "other" place where life is enchanting, obstacles seem impossible, and life is both heartbreaking and heroic.


As the director, the greatest challenge with 12 Angry Men is to present it as being relevant in today's world by finding a way that is honest to the script and yet finds new elements in the story to keep it fresh. A second challenge is blocking this play to be seen "in the thrust" (audience on three sides of the stage). One such element we added is a revolving set; it brings the production closer to the audience in that the stage can be seen from all sides, and adds movement to what is typically a quite static production.


Tonight, please allow yourself to be transported into a stiflingly hot late 1950's New York City deliberation room where 12 members of a jury must decide the fate of an inner-city teen. A guilty verdict means death for the accused ... it all seems pretty clear cut until one juror casts considerable doubt on elements of the case.  Personal issues soon rise to the surface, and conflict threatens to derail the delicate process that will decide one boy's fate.

 Black or white vs. shades of grey? Only they can decide.


Dressing 12 Angry Men...and one Guard! - Lynn McNeilly

Dressing 12 Angry Men (and one Guard) has been an enjoyable and interesting undertaking. Having 45 years' experience in the menswear industry as well as dressmaking and design has proven beneficial.

We started last July with getting the men measured for size then began the search for era-appropriate clothing. Being a child of the 50's, I relied on my memories and photos of my Dad and Grandpas to give me a look into style during those years. And Google. Google is my friend. Amazon supplied me with the 1954 black and white version of the play, which I watched several times, taking notes.

It proved a little challenging outfitting 13 men of various sizes, from a 40 regular to....Andre the Giant! We pulled what was available from our theatre's wardrobe department, borrowed what we could, then raided our Dads' and Grandpas' closets. I had a wonderful time exploring many thrift stores (and found a lot of good books in the process!).

I made all the necessary alterations and repairs and anything I couldn't find, I made. I enjoyed watching the rehearsals and seeing the men in action as it gave me a sense of who their character is. Then I was able to select their 'style' and appropriate accessories. It was a lot of fun creating their images. But I didn't do it alone. All the guys were great, with ideas, suggestions and even bringing in items they found for wardrobe or props. It's been a great experience and I've learned a lot.


Reviews



Festival 2018 - Tickets

By Charmaine Jacklin, Chair WODL Festival 2018 Committee, charmaine@wodl.on.ca 
Buying series tickets online:
  1. Navigate to www.imperialtheatre.net.
     
  2. Click the Buy Tickets button.
    The Calendar page opens.
     
  3. On the left side of the screen, click Buy WODL 2018.
     
    The Buy Subscription page opens.
     
  4. Enter the number of series tickets that you want to buy.
     
  5. Click the Buy Now button.
     
    The Select Seats page opens.
     
  6. Select your seats.
     
  7. Click Add to Cart.
     
    Note: The series tickets do not include banquet tickets.
     
  8.  On the Login/Signup page, enter:
    • your ID, if you have bought tickets at the Imperial Theatre before, or
    • your personal information to create a new ID.
       
  9. Click Next.
     
  10. If you want to buy tickets for individual performances or banquet tickets, click Continue Shopping.
     
  11.  If you have finished, click Check out.

Buying tickets to individual performances online:
  1. Navigate to www.imperialtheatre.net.
     
  2. Click the Buy Tickets button.
    The Calendar page opens.
     
  3. Scroll down to the five individual performances.
     
  4. Select a performance.
    The Buy Tickets page opens.
     
  5. Click the Next button.
     
  6. Enter the number of tickets that you need for the performance.
     
  7. Click Next.
    The Select Seats page opens.
     
  8. Select your seats.
     
  9. Click Add to Cart.
     
  10. Click Click here to go to the Shopping Cart.
     
  11. If you want to buy more individual, or series, tickets, or banquet tickets click Continue Shopping.
     
  12. If you have finished click Check Out.

Buying Banquet tickets:

For the banquet you have three meal options:
  • Regular
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
Banquet tickets are sold on an individual basis and unfortunately, you do not have the online option of letting us know for seating purposes what theatre group you are with. However; if you call the box office, the box office volunteers can enter that information into your account profile.

Buying banquet tickets online:
  1. Navigate to www.imperialtheatre.net.
     
  2. Click the Buy Tickets button.
    The Calendar page opens.
     
  3. Scroll down to the three banquet options.
     
  4. Select your meal type.
    The Buy Tickets page opens.
     
  5. Click the Next button.
     
  6. Enter the number of banquet tickets that you need.
     
  7. Click Next.
    The Price Codes page opens.
     
  8. Click Click here to go to the Shopping Cart.
     
  9. If you want to buy individual, or series, tickets click Continue Shopping.
     
  10. If you have finished click Check Out.

Buying tickets through the box office:

When you buy tickets through the box office, you do not have to pay any extra fees for online transactions.

You can always check out what seats are available before you call by following the instructions above without clicking on the seats that you want.

The box office is open Monday - Friday 11 am to 5 pm; Saturday 10 am - 2 pm.
Phone (519) 344-7469.  If you do not get an answer, please leave a message and we will get back with you.
Check our Festival Facebook page regularly to find out how you can be a part of the fun! 
Festival 2018 - Hotel Room Booking

By Charmaine Jacklin, Chair WODL Festival 2018 Committee, charmaine@wodl.on.ca 




If you haven't already done so, you should book your rooms, so you don't miss a minute of the excitement! Here is what you need to know to book your rooms ASAP!!
 
Holiday Inn Sarnia/Point Edward
1498 Venetian Blvd., Point Edward On N7T 7W6 Directions
 
Discounted group rate: $99.00 + taxes
Continental Breakfast for up to 2 people per room included in rate
 
Reservation cut-off date: March 2, 2018
 
To make your reservations do one of the following:
  • Phone Holiday Inn Direct Line at 519-336-8667 or 1-888-212-2252
  • Email Holiday Inn at hi-sarnia@whg.com
  • Visit the Holiday Inn Website www.hisarnia.ca and enter the group code WOD
Printable 2018 WODL Pre-Festival Results

To get  the printable version of the full 2018 pre-Festival results, click here.
2018 WODL In-Festival Finalists


Finalist Company (in performance order)
Production

1.            GuelpLittlTheatre

Gloria'Guy

2.            Kitchener-WaterloLittlTheatre

VenuiFur

3.            AylmeCommunity Theatre

ThDininRoom

4.            ElmirTheatrCompany

On A FirsNamBasis

5.            PariPerformersTheatre

TwelvAngrMen
2018 WODL Pre-Festival Awards



Award


Achievement


Nominees


Winner

The Audrey Vale Memorial Award

Sponsor:
Cambridge Community Players
Outstanding actress in a major role
  • Chloe Weir, Man of La Mancha, St Mary's Community Players
  • Jesslyn Hodgson, Dancing in Poppies, Paris Performers
  • Kristen Wison, Jenny's House of Joy. Paris Performers' Theatre
  • Melissa Metler, Nurse Jane Goes to Hawaii, London Community Players
Kristen Wilson, Jenny's House of Joy. Paris Performers' Theatre

The Theatre Sarnia Memorial Award

Sponsor:
Theatre Sarnia
Outstanding actor in a major role
  • Bart Penwarden, Becky's New Car, Cambridge Community Players
  • Joe Agocs, Strangers Among Us, Theatre Sarnia
  • Bill Murphy, Monty Python's Spamalot, Owen Sound Little Theatre
  • Landon Hoare, Man of La Mancha, St. Mary's Community Players
Landon Hoare, Man of La Mancha, St. Mary;s Community Players
The Repuski Award

Sponsor:
Liz Repuski
Outstanding performance by an actor in a supporting role
  • David Redfearn, Skin Flick, Peninsula Players
  • William Brezden, A Christmas Carol, Elora Community Theatre
  • John Butcher, Queen Milli of Galt, Thistle Theatre
  • Dave Deelen, The Games Afoot or Holmes for the Holidays, Theatre Tillsonburg
David Redfearn,  Skin Flick, Peninsula Players

The London Community Players Award

Sponsor:
London Community Players
Outstanding Supporting Actress
  • Stephanie Hickey, Becky's New Car, Cambridge Community  Players
  • Ann Jackson, Man of La Mancha, St. Mary's Community Players
  • Lacy Mooney, Monty Python's Spamalot, Owen Sound Little Theatre
  • Brittany Marlatt, Jenny's House of Joy, Paris Performers' Theatre
Stephanie Hickey, Becky's New Car, Cambridge Community  Players
The Richard Howard Memorial Award

Sponsor:
Mark & Anne Mooney
Outstanding Direction
  • Mark Mooney, Man of La Mancha, St. Mary's Community Players
  • Jeffrey Bastien, OKNO:, Ghostlight Players
  • Kathleen Cassidy, Monty Python's Spamalot, Owen Sound Little Theatre,
Mark Mooney, Man of La Mancha, St. Mary's Community Players

The Inez Hayes Memorial Award

Sponsor:
Theatre Burlington
Outstanding ensemble work
  • Becky's New Car, Cambridge Community Players
  • Monty Python's Spamalot, Owen Sound Little Theatre
  • Robin Hood and the Heroes of Sherwood Forrest, Hanover Community Players
  • The Giant's Garden, Kincardine Theatre Guild
The Giant's Garden, Kincardine Theatre Guild

Elmira Theatre Company Award

Sponsor:
Elmira Theatre Company
Best visual production
  • Man of La Mancha, St. Mary's Theatre Company
  • Monty Python's Spamalot, Owen Sound Little Theatre
  • A Christmas Carol, Elora Community Theatre
  • The Games Afoot or Holmes for the Holidays, Theatre Tillsonburg
The Games Afoot or Holmes for the Holidays, Theatre Tillsonburg

Special Adjudicator Award

Sponsor:
John Snowdon
Choreography
Kathryn Forristal, Strangers Among Us, Theatre Sarnia
Special Adjudicator Award

Sponsor:
John Swowdon
Playwright
Michael J Krym, OKNO:, Ghostlight Players
Special Adjudicator Award

Sponsor:
Owen Sound Little Theatre
The essence of community theatre
The Company, Robin Hood and the Heroes of Sherwood Forrest, Hanover Community Players
Special Adjudicator Award

Sponsor:
Owen Sound Little Theatre
Special effects
Michael Hannigan, I'll be Back Before Midnight, Theatre Burlington
Special Adjudicator Award

Sponsor:
Jim & Leise Peddie
Director, Musical Director, Rehearsal Pianist
Joanna Sweete, Vistoria Thompson, & Betty Ford, Dracula The Musical, Theatre Woodstock
Special Adjudicator Award

Sponsor:
Jim & Leise Peddie
A most striking and memorable visual scene of the "Prince of Wales' Ball"
Carol Harrison & Phyllis Marlowe, Queen Milli of Galt, Thistle Theatre
The Kay McKie Memorial Award

Sponsor:
Sarah Jane Burton
Best production out-of-Festival
  • Monty Python's Spamalot, Owen Sound Little Theatre
  • Man of La Mancha, St. Mary's Community Players
  • Dancing in Poppies, London Community Players

Monty Python's Spamalot, Owen Sound Little Theatre

 








2018 WODL In- and Out-of-Festival  Awards


Award
Achievement
Nominees
Winner
The Hadley Award In Memory of Val and Fred Hadley
 
Sponsor:
Megan and Diane Hadley
Outstanding Performance by a Juvenile
 
 
  • KathryLowThGiant'GardenKincardinTheatrGuild
  • EvaGrahamThGiant'GardenKincardinTheatre
     Guild
  • KatHeeremaRobiHooanthHeroeoSherwood ForestHanoveCommunity Players
  • LiaHillChristmaCarolElorCommunity Theatre
Ka t h r y LowThGiant's GardenKincardine
 Theatre Guild
The Theatre Kent Award
 
Sponsor:
Theatre Kent
Most Promising Newcomer
 
  • LaureTiersmaThDininRoomAylmer Community Theatre
  • AleEdeDraculthMusicalTheatrWoodstock
  • SaravadeHeideRobin Hood and the Heroes of Sherwood Forest, Hanover Community Players
Lau r e Tiersma, The Dining Room, Aylmer Community Theatre

The Christopher Covert Memorial Award
 
Sponsor:
Audrey Hummelen and Marie Prout
Outstanding Cameo Performance
  • KareTrippThGameAfoooHolmefothHolidays, Theatre Tillsonburg
  • MindForresterJenny'HousoJoyParis Performers' Theatre
  • LeigGriggMontPython'Spamalo"NoDeaFred", Owen SounLittlTheatre
Le i g Grigg, Monty Python's Spamalot "Not Dead Fred", Owen Sound Little Theatre
The Molly Yearham Memorial Award
 
Sponsor:
Dundas Little Theatre
 
Best Visual coordinated Costumes of a non-rental Nature
  • HollMcAdamThGiantGarden, Kincardine Theatre Guild
  • MargareBildyDanciniPoppiesLondoCommunity Players
  • MarHaasnootVenuiFurKitchener-WaterloLittlTheatre
  • LynMcNeillyTwelvAngrMenPariPerformersTheatre
Lyn McNeillyTwelvAngr
Men,
Paris performers' Theatre
The Palace Theatre Award in memory of Angus McKenzie
 
Sponsor:
Rick Verrette
 
Outstanding Lighting Design and Execution
  • FraseNormand & JoannSweeteDraculthMusical, Theatre Woodstock
  • RoColesDanciniPoppiesLondoCommunity Players
  • YvonnKorince & André PetitjeanMonty Python's Spamalot, Owen Sound Little Theatre
  • ChucLearnI'lBBacBeforMidnight, TheatrBurlington
Ro ColesDancinin 
Poppie
sLondon Communit
Players
The Harmony Award
 
Sponsor:
Marion Smith
Outstanding Set Design
  • PauNicholsonMontPython'SpamalotOwen Sound Little Theatre
  • ReeNeedlesMaoLMancha, St. Marys Community Players
  • WilliaUnserGloria'GuyGuelpLittlTheatre
  • AnCorcoranThGameAfoooHolmefothHolidays, Theatre Tillsonburg
W illi a UnserGloria'Guy
GuelpLittlTheatre
The Kincardine Theatre Guild Award
 
 
Sponsor:
Kincardine Theatre Guild
Outstanding Sound Design
  • AndFrenchThGiant'GardenKincardinTheatrGuild
  • GorHardcastlanMikKayMaof  La Mancha, St. Marys Community Players
  • JamiBeemer, Venus in Fur, Kitchener-Waterloo Little Theatre
  • BriaNettlefold, I'lBBack Before Midnight, Theatre Burlington
Jamie Beemer, Venus in Fur, Kitchener-Waterloo Little Theatre
The Catharine Brickenden Award
 
Sponsor: Sue and Dave Perkins
Best Production of a Canadian Play
  • Gloria'GuyGuelpLittlTheatre
  • On A FirsNamBasisElmirTheatrCompany
  • StrangerAmonUs, TheatrSarnia
O n A FirsNamBasis, E l m ir TheatrCompany
The Catharine Brickenden Trophy
 
Sponsor:
Playwrights Canada Press
Presented to the winner of Best Production of a Canadian Play
To be presented annually and kept by the winning group for one year.
O n A FirsNamBasis, E l m ir TheatrCompany

News from Around the WODL Region

By Janice Lundy, member WODL Communications Committee, janice@wodl.on.ca 
Not much aside from Festival this month, but Kincardine Theatre Guild's show Suburban Standoff continues to March 10, and  Thistle Theatre's  Kai the Barbarian - The George Leslie Mackay story runs from March 21-31. This is a story about a local man who is still a national hero in Taiwan!
Meanwhile, Kitchener-Waterloo Little Theatre's March Madness is on March 10. They call it "a night of theatrical mayhem." 
Once again, please let me know if there's anything  special you'd like me to include in upcoming months.
WODL now on Twitter

WODL now has a Twitter account, @WODLtheatre.

If you do not have a twitter account, you can view the WODL tweets by clicking the Twitter button on the main page of the WODL website, or by clicking here.
If you are Producing Canadian Plays this Season - Check This Out

The Playwrights Guild of Canada publicises productions of Canadian-written plays through its website, www.playwrightsguild.ca.

PGC also publishes a list of theatre companies that have an all-Canadian season. Click here to obtain a nomination form for this list.

If you want to perform a Canadian play but cannot figure out where to obtain the amateur performance rights, view this presentation from PGC.
ONstage Theatre Listings

Theatre Ontario publishes an online list of current and upcoming productions by its member groups. To see what is on  click here.
Is your WODL Membership Information Up-to-date?

Are you on the board of a theatre group that belongs to WODL? If your group has:
  • A new President
  • New WODL delegates
  • A new Treasurer
Please let our membership chair, Sue Perkins, know at  membership@wodl.on.ca
Dates for your Diary


12 to 17 March 2018 WODL Festival 2018, Sarnia
16  to 20 May 2018 Theatre Ontario Festival 2018, London
22 July 2018 WODL AGM
This newsletter was prepared by:  

Tricia Ward
Communications Coordinator
WODL

Western Ontario Drama League | communications@wodl.on.ca | http://www.wodl.on.ca