January 2014 - Langham Court Theatre

NEWS
Langham Court has been the home of the Victoria Theatre Guild since 1935. Its Mission Statement:
“To foster and celebrate the art and practice of sustainable community theatre.”
January 2014
Put down the knitting, the book and the broom. Time for a holiday.
Life is a Cabaret, old chum, come to the . . .
Kyle Kushnir (the Emcee) cuddles up to his furry friend (David Brillinger’s stand-in for the day,
David Hardwick) at the Kit-Kat Club
Photo by David Lowes
1
Art Show
From January 16th to February 1st, during the run of Cabaret the Art Show will feature the works of Brenda Binnie. If you wish
to meet the artist, she will be in the Lounge on Sunday, January 18th from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Brenda Binnie
Brenda is a Canadian Artist, who is gaining rapid recognition for her colourful, vibrant paintings. She began honing her craft
after spending many years raising her family and being a local government politician. Initially an exercise in stress reduction,
Brenda finds continuous joy in what has become a passion. She is inspired by the gardens she keeps, the people in her life, and
the places she has travelled. These pictures are brought to life with the explosion of her artistic ability. Brenda makes her home
in Victoria, British Columbia, and believes in living your dream.
Solo Performance Workshop
conducted by Lina de Guevara.
At Royal Roads University, Continuing Studies
When: Saturday & Sunday, February 1st & 2nd, 2014, from10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. both days
Course No.TAEA3359
Choose a beloved poem, story or song, and be guided to create a short solo movement/voice scene with it. Learn how to study
a text, find its theatrical elements, put them together, rehearse them and bring them to performance level. Participants will
present their scene in a sharing circle at the end of the workshop.
For information and registration, contact Royal Roads University, Continuing Studies.
http://cstudies.royalroads.ca/courses/TAEA3359-Y13.htm or go to Lina’s website www.linadeguevara.ca
2
Editor’s Notes . . .
To each and every one, I wish you a happy, healthy and creative 2014. Certainly our theatre promises to be a happy place with
the music from Cabaret echoing through the corridors, in the Green Room and up into the rafters.
Once again, your editor has a number of people to thank for their assistance in bringing you this edition. First and foremost,
Danda Humphreys who, armed only with her red ballpoint pen, attacks the misplaced commas and misspelt words with grim
determination each and every issue. I also want to thank Denise Brown and Dick Newson, who take the newsletter and
squeeze it onto the Langham Court Theatre website. I am also grateful to this month’s contributors including: Jon Scheer,
Angela Henry, Lina de Guevara, David Lowes, Terry Rowsell, Lorene Cammiade and Gil Henry.
I also want to thank Vinnie Chadwick and her band of helpers, who were responsible for the decorations and food at the
Christmas party, and what a remarkable feast it was, and how cosy and welcoming the theatre looked. Also, kudos to Angela
Henry and Stephen Beugeling, who hosted a delightful evening’s entertainment, the highlight of which was a performance of
“Send in the Clowns” by Ginny Carter. Ginny celebrated her 89th Birthday by demonstrating that she is still a performer to be
reckoned with – what a trouper!!!
I had a closer look at the recent publication From Playbills to Programs, and while I admire the creative effort and hard work of
our archivist, Marilyn Kuss, I am somewhat surprised and disappointed that there is no acknowledgement of the decades of
effort and energy put in to the archival research by John Gilliland. Without John’s contribution, I would venture to say that
this publication could not have happened. If there is a second printing, I hope that John’s name will be added to the names of
those Board members listed in the preface and to whom thanks were given.
Although the production following Cabaret is The Graduate directed by Judy Treloar, we already have the cast and most of the
crew for The Penelopiad even before auditions for The Graduate have taken place. This is due, in part, to the need for Penelopiad
performers to learn complicated songs and dance routines as well as lines and blocking. However, you’ll have to be patient.
The full company list will be available in the February edition of the Newsletter, along with the cast and crew list for The
Graduate.
Congratulations to Angela Henry and her production team for giving us the 2014-2015 Season in record time. You all must
have been reading far into the night to get through so many plays in such a short time. And it looks as though it will be yet
another great season at Langham Court Theatre.
Watch this space in the February Newsletter for the winner of the One-act Play Contest. There were four great entries and the
judges are having a hard time coming to a decision.
On a sad note, Jane French, a valiant, hardworking member of the Langham Court Theatre family is seriously ill. Please join
me in sending positive thoughts and prayers in her direction and let us hope that she will soon be back among us.
We’ve had a great year, both artistically and financially, and it looks like 2014 will also bring us artistic and financial gains,
thanks to all those involved in productions both last year and this.
Once again I wish you all
Annual General Meeting
The 2014 Annual General Meeting will be held at Langham Court Theatre on Sunday, January 26th, 2014 beginning at
7:00 pm. The main items on the agenda will be the reports and the election of the following board members: treasurer,
secretary, and two members-at-large all of whose terms end at this AGM. Please come out and vote!
3
The 2 014 – 2015 Season
Pride and Prejudice adapted by Janet Munsil and directed by Judy Treloar
The Small Room at the Top of the Stairs by Carol Fréchete translated by John Murrell and
directed by Naomi Simpson
People by Alan Bennett and directed by Tony Cain
The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Rupert Holmes adapted from the last unfinished novel by
Charles Dickens and directed by Roger Carr
August: Osage County by Tracy Letts and directed by Keith Digby and Cynthia Pronick
Humble Boy by Charlotte Jones and directed by Angela Henry
_________________________________________________
Your 2014 -15 Season has been approved by the board. The committee is very excited to bring you a slate of interesting,
charming and challenging theatre. An enormous thank-you to all who submitted plays and suggestions. The committee
considered well over a hundred plays to find just the right balance of comedy and drama, of new and classic, of intimate and
spectacle, of local and international. As you can imagine, hours of research goes into planning a good season. There are many
people who contributed to the vigorous but creative process. Many thanks go out to the following:
my very diligent and brilliant committee, Roger Carr, Wendy Magahay, Odile Nelson and Pearl Arden;
everyone who submitted plays for consideration;
Michael Chadwick for his very valuable statistical data of Langham’s Court Theatre’s past seasons;
Marilyn Kuss for archival data;
Phil and Lesley Gibbs for being available for reading;
and, as always, Denise Brown for facilitating.
Angela Henry
Production Chair 2014-2015
4
Requirements for Treasurer
List of Responsibilities From the VTG Bylaws.
(5) The Treasurer:
(a) is directly responsible to the Board for administering the financial affairs of the Society;
(b) is responsible for the maintenance of proper accounting records in respect of all financial and other transactions of
the Society;
(c) is responsible for the collection of all monies payable to the Society;
(d) is responsible for the banking of the Society’s funds;
(e) is responsible for the payment of the Society’s accounts;
(f) is responsible for rendering financial statements and other financial information to the Society or the Board, as
required, and for the preparation of the Society’s financial records for its annual examination;
(g) may, as the Treasurer deems appropriate, delegate the specific performance of the duties set out in bylaws 6.3(5) (a)
to (f) above to the Manager, but the Treasurer remains ultimately responsible for the execution of those duties;
(h) is ex officio a member (normally the chairperson) of the Finance Committee;
(i) is a signing officer of the Society, as set out in bylaw 10.1(3); and
(j) may sign, with the President as a witness, an instrument to which the Seal of the Society is affixed, as set out in
bylaw 12.3.
Useful Characteristics:
be capable of handling figures and cash;
have experience in dealing with money and budgets; have an eye for detail;
be available to be contacted for ad hoc advice;
have a financial qualification or relevant experience; good communication and interpersonal skills; ability to ensure decisions
are taken and followed up.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Ability to read and explain financial reports;
Strong communication skills;
Basic computer knowledge (such as MS Office, Quickbooks);
Former Langham Court Theatre board or other non-profit experience a plus but not required.
Jon Scheer
Outgoing Treasurer
Do you have something to say?
This is your newsletter, and we welcome your news, comments, letters and ideas. The deadline for each monthly issue is
the 20th of the preceding month, i.e. the deadline for the February 2014 issue will be January 20th 2014, and so on. Please
send your information by e-mail to Corinna Gilliland catfael@telus.net. Langham Court News welcomes news from other
groups too. Let’s support each others’ endeavours in our theatre community.
5
Christmas Party 2013
We arrived and found a theatre festooned with Christmas decorations, food laid out in great profusion, all thanks to Father
Christmas’s chief cook and decorator, Vinnie Chadwick and her band of elves.
Vinnie Chadwick and two of her elves, Toshik and Mike, who helped to serve a sumptuous feast to a horde of hungry courtiers.
After we ate, drank and made small talk, we all settled down to an evening’s entertainment MC’d by Angela Henry and
Stephen Beugeling, along with several bottles of vintage wine. The entertainment kicked off with a song from Spamalot by Alf
Small and Colleen Mares. This was followed by Kevin Stinson and Gloria Snider’s “Svetlana’s Xmas Survival Seminar.”
Stephen and Angela.
The opening number: Alf, Colleen
“The Song that Goes Like This.”
Kevin and Gloria
Kathy and Luke
After Kevin and Gloria’s seminar, we heard Kathy Macovichuk and Luke Krayenhoff singing and dancing “It Happened in
Sun Valley.” This was followed by the highlight of the evening. Ginny Carter, celebrating her 89th birthday and accompanied
by her daughter, Angie, gave us a tuneful medley culminating in a show-stopping rendition of “Send in the Clowns.”
Following Ginny’s medley and Angie’s solo performance Linda Billings and Alf Small sang a duet from Call Me Madam.
Next, Sylvia Rhodes read a letter from mother to son. Ariel Boughen and Sunny Sheffman, accompanied by Elizabeth
Wagner, performed a brilliantly, beautiful 1880s Spanish love song. Next came Fran Patterson and an excerpt from Shirley
Valentine, then a song from Cabaret performed by Chelsea Kutyn and Griffin Lea. Then came the finale with all the
performers wishing us a Merry Christmas, accompanied by Angie Carter.
Ginny and Angie Carter
Alf and Linda
Fran
6
Notes from the Costume Workshop
Thank You!
Thanks to John Wigmore for bringing in a donation from the late Maureen Laing of a very vintage, very fragile silk gown that
is heavily and gorgeously beaded. The gown itself is no longer usable, but the beadwork and design are wonderful examples of
early 20th-century work, very evocative of Downton Abbey. We will photograph this donation in detail – a great addition to our
reference materials on handwork from decades ago.
Thanks also to Di Madill and her talented team on Cabaret for adding
so much to our pattern collection for the 1920s and 1930s (and the
results, to the Loft!).
Pattern Inventory Database
We have purchased the Pattern Inventory Database from the same
company that supplied our Costume Inventory Database software and
labels for the Loft inventory project. This new database will hold two
images of each pattern, along with the name of the pattern company, the
year of issue, sizing, notes, etc. The nearly 800 scans already done of our
pattern collection will go into this database, which will hopefully
eventually be available at the theatre and/or via the web for our
designers to browse.
Costume Guild Workshops
On December 15th, the Costume Workshop was abubble with basins of
soapy water as Chris Stusek led a group of Costume Guild members
through wet felting woolly soaps. With beautiful wool in a variety of
colours donated by Chris (purchased at Knotty by Nature), Ann-Marie
Arneson, Lynn Cadrain, Rose Henry, Karen Harper, Leyla Mitchell
and Hope Campbell turned plain bars of soap into colourful, longlasting felted scrubbers for the tub or shower. A cheerful and extremely
clean time was had by all.
Our January workshop is about grading (resizing) commercial patterns
and is recommended for intermediate to advanced sewers. If you would like to attend on Saturday, January 18th (12:00 noon
until 4:00 p.m. in the Costume Workshop), please RSVP before Monday, January 13th.
Another thank you ...
Thanks to everyone who has supported the Costume Workshop, the Costume Guild and the Costume Database Inventory
project throughout 2013. We continue to grow a very robust, interesting and increasingly sophisticated costume department at
Langham, thanks to the ongoing interest and efforts of so many people. Happy New Year!
Lisa Leighton
for the Costume Workshop
250-595-5523 leighton@islandnet.com
Are you receiving us??
If you do not have an e-mail address, could you please arrange to pick up your copy of the Newsletter from the theatre
during Box Office Hours. If there are any concerns about this please, contact Denise at
theatremanager@langhamtheatre.ca.
We will have Newsletters available in the theatre lobby on the first of the month in a limited amount. Because we are
trying to be ‘green,’ please ask someone in the Box Office if you need a hard copy. We thank you for your understanding.
7
Auditions
(Langham Court Theatre auditions are posted on our web site at: www.langhamtheatre.ca/support/auditions/)
The Graduate
Adapted by Terry Johnson from the novel by Charles Webb. Screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry
Directed by Judy Treloar
The setting is California in 1964. The Graduate is the iconic coming-of-age movie of the 1960s, and Terry Johnson’s
adaptation expertly brings the film’s sense of humour and longing to the stage.
Audition Dates: Saturday, January 4th, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, January 5th, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Callbacks, Tuesday,
January 7th from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m..
Production Dates: March 6th to 22nd
Cast Requirements:
Males:
Benjamin Braddock: 20s
Mr. Braddock: 40s
Mr. Robinson: 40s
Hotel Clerk (can double as the Priest and the Psychiatrist): 30s
Wedding guests: (40s)
Females:
**The Stripper and Mrs. Robinson will be asked to disrobe
**Mrs. Robinson: 40s
Elaine: 20s
Mrs. Braddock: 40s
**Stripper: 20s
Wedding guests: (40s)
Please read the play before you audition. Scripts are available at the theatre.
8
Four Seasons Auditions for Anne of Green Gables
Following our very successful run of the full-length Seussical the Musical, which wound up seeing sell-out audiences, Four Seasons
Musical Theatre Society is gearing up to produce the full-length Anne of Green Gables for this musical’s 50th anniversary! Audition Dates: Friday January 10th, 2014, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday January 11th, 12:00 to 8:00 p.m. It is not too
late to book your audition!
Where: Isabelle Reader Theatre, Spencer Middle School, 1026 Goldstream Avenue, Langford.
How: email info@fourseasonsmusicaltheatre.com to book a specific audition time, inform us of which role(s) you are going
for and have us send you the short bits you will need to prepare. If you are only interested in the Chorus, please tell us, and
we’ll send you some music specifically for chorus.
General Information:
Anne of Green Gables is set in the relatively innocent years before World War I.
Performers can audition for a role that is not in their actual age range. You will be considered if you can pull those ages off.
There is a wealth of information to be found online about this show and its characters.
Rehearsal Times:
Rehearsals are Monday and Wednesday evenings (6:30 to 9:30 p.m. - could be 10:00 closer to production) and Saturday noon
until 4:00 p.m..
Performance Dates: May 22nd to June 1st.
Remember that cast will be required during all of production week. Production week precedes the preview show and includes
technical rehearsals and dress rehearsal. The exact dates will be determined later.
Female Roles:
Anne Shirley, Soprano. This character ages from 11/12 to 16/17 during the show. A strong-willed, stubborn, bright girl with
red hair and a strong imagination.
Diana Barry, Soprano.This character ages from 11/12 to 16/17 during the show.
Josie Pye, Mezzo-Soprano.This character ages from 11/12 to 16/17 during the show.
Marilla Cuthbert, Mezzo-Soprano.50s/60s. An imminently practical spinster. Matthew's sister. She takes in Anne.
Mrs. Rachel Lynde, Mezzo-Soprano.50s/60s. She is a busy body and Marilla's oldest friend.
Miss Stacy, Mezzo-Soprano. 20s. A wonderful, joyous and enlightened school teacher. Mrs. Barry, Soprano.30s/40s.
Mrs. Pye, Mezzo-Soprano. 30s/40s. She is Josie's not-too-nice mother. Mrs. MacPherson, Mezzo-Soprano.30s/40s.
Mrs. Sloane, Soprano.30s/40s. Mrs. Blewett, Soprano .30s/40s. A nasty crone.
Mrs. Spencer, Mezzo-Soprano.40s/50s. Lucilla, Mezzo-Soprano.Teens/20s. General store clerk.
Prissy Andrews, Mezzo-Soprano.16-18. Ruby Gillis, Mezzo-Soprano.7-16. A student at Anne's school.
Tillie Boulter, Mezzo-Soprano..7-16. A student at Anne's school. Gertie Pye, Alto.7-16. A student at Anne's school.
Male Roles:
Matthew Cuthbert, Baritone. About 60. A shy but very kind bachelor. Marilla's brother. He takes in Anne.
Gilbert Blythe, Tenor .This character ages from 11/12 to 16/17 during the show.
Mr. Phillips, Tenor.20s/30s. An awful school teacher. Moody MacPherson, Baritone.7-16. A student at Anne's school.
Charlie Sloane, Tenor. 7-16. A student at Anne's school. Tommy Sloane, Baritone. 7-16. A student at Anne's school.
Gerry Boute, Tenor. 7-16. A student at Anne's school. Malcolm Andrews, Baritone. 7-16. A student at Anne's school.
Earl, Baritone. 20s/30s/40s. A mailman (can be doubled/combined with The Station Master).
Cecil, High Baritone.20s/30s. A farmer. The Minister, Baritone. 20s/30s/40s. The Stationmaster, Tenor. 20s/30s/40s.
Other townsfolk, town children and school children.
9
What’s On
Presents
Book by Joe Masteroff. Play by John Van Druten. Stories by Christopher Isherwood. Music by John Kander, Lyrics by
Fred Ebb. Broadway Production Produced and Directed by Harold Prince.
Directed by Roger Carr
JJaannuuaarryy 1166ttthhh ttoo FFeebbrruuaarryy 11sssttt,, 22001144
“There was a cabaret… and it was the end of the world and I was dancing with Sally Bowles – and we were both fast
asleep.” In 1931 Hitler was forcing his way into power and Berlin was awash with the frenetic exhilaration of the doomed.
This classic of modern theatre is provocative, sexy, and chilling. Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome to Cabaret! Audience
Advisory: Sexuality and Mature Themes. Recommended for ages 15+.
th
Cabaret previews Wednesday, January15 and runs to Saturday, February 1st. To purchase your tickets, call our Box Office at
250-384-2142, 805 Langham Court, Victoria, or go to www.langhamtheatre.ca
10
Presents
The Graduate
Adapted by Terry Johnson based on the novel by Charles Webb, Screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry
Directed by Judy Treloar
The Graduate is the iconic coming-of-age movie of the 1960,s and Terry Johnson’s adaptation expertly brings the film’s
sense of humour and longing to the stage. A must-see!
Audience Advisory: Nudity, Coarse Language, Mature Themes. Recommended for ages 15+.
th
The Graduate previews Wednesday, March 5 and runs to Saturday, March 22nd. To purchase your tickets, call our Box
Office at 250-384-2142, 805 Langham Court, Victoria, or go to www.langhamtheatre.ca .
Presents Welfarewell
Be sure to mark your calendars from March 12th to 23rd for St Luke's Players first play in the New Year, Welfarewell, written by
Cat Delaney and Directed by Michael King. It is a wonderful comedy/drama about an eighty-year old lady who want to be in
jail. Imagine!!!
Dragon Monkey Theatre Company Presents
The Smell of the Kill
Dragon Monkey is remounting their recent successful Fringe production of Michelle Lowe's The Smell of the Kill, directed by
Wendy Merk, stage managed by Alex Carroll and featuring Langham Court Theatre alumni Brayden Reger, Caroline
MacKenzie, Michael King, Paul Gillan and Lorene Cammiade. The show will run January 31st, February 1st, February 7th
and February 8th, 2014 at the Oddfellows Hall on Douglas Street at 8:00 p.m. each of those four evenings. Tickets will be
available at the door for $16/$14 with partial proceeds going to the Women's Transition House. For more information, please
contact Lorene Cammiade at fluevoggirl@gmail.com or 250-727-8341.
11
Mark Your Calendar
Saturday, January 4
1:00—4:00 p.m. Auditions for The Graduate
Sunday, January 5
1:00—4:00 p.m. Auditions for The Graduate
Monday, January 6
6:30 p.m. Langham Court Theatre Board Meeting.
Open to all Members.
Friday, January 10
6:00—9:00 p.m. Auditions for Four Seasons’ Anne
of Green Gables
Saturday, January 11
12:00—8:00 p.m. Auditions for Four Seasons’ Anne
of Green Gables
Wednesday, January 15
Preview of Cabaret
Sunday, January 26
7:00 p.m. Langham Court Theatre’s Annual General
Meeting
Thursday, January 16 – Saturday, February 1
Cabaret
Saturday, February 1 & Sunday, February 2
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Solo Performance Workshop
Saturday, January 18
12:00—4:00 p.m. Grading – Costume Workshop
Saturday, February 15
12:00-–4:00 p.m. Identifying Fitting Issues –
Costume Workshop
Wednesday, March 5
Preview of The Graduate
Thursday, March 6 – Saturday, March 22
The Graduate
Saturday, March 8
12:00—4:00 p.m. The Lutterloh System – Costume
Workshop
Wednesday, March 12
Opening Night for St. Luke’s Production Welfarewell
12
2013/2014 Board of Directors
President:
Vice-President:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
2013-14 Production Chair
2014-15 Production Chair
Past President:
Members-at-Large to 2014:
Members-at-Large to 2015
Luke Krayenhoff
Karrie Ayotte
Andrea Pite
Jon Scheer
Odile Nelson
Angela Henry
Toshik Bukowiecki
Michael Kuss, TBA
Vinnie Chadwick, Rosemary Henry
Membership and Volunteer Co-ordinators:
House Manager:
Technical Director:
Facilities Maintenance:
Head Scenic Carpenter:
Vinnie Chadwick, Vinniechad@hotmail.com
Emma Morgan-Thorp, volunteers@langhamtheatre.ca
Alan MacKenzie, petabob@shaw.ca
Dick Newson, dicknewson@telus.net
Doug Anderson, dra1149@telus.net.
Webmaster:
Archivist:
Archival Assistant:
Art Co-ordinator:
Programme Co-ordinator
Contact Denise Brown, theatremanager@langhamtheatre.ca
Marilyn Kuss, marilynjk@gmail.com
Paul Bertorelli, berto8@telus.net
Jeani Reynolds, jeani-renoir@shaw.ca
Linda Billings, lindabillings@shaw.ca
Costume Co-ordinator:
Small Props Co-ordinators:
Ned Lemley, 250-384-2025, l.n.lemley@gmail.com
Jean de Cartier, 250-384-8944 jadc@telus.net
Sheila McKenzie, 250-595-1788, s.g.mckenzie@telus.net
Sally Crickman, 250-598-1706, sjcrickman@telus.net
Tanya Towns and Angela Winteler - T & A Cleaning
Large Props Co-ordinator:
Custodians:
Theatre Manager:
Box Office Supervisor
Denise Brown, 250-384-2142,
theatremanager@langhamtheatre.ca
Dick Newson, boxoffice@langhamtheatre.ca
Langham Court News is published 11 times a year
Editor: Corinna Gilliland. Proof-reader and Editorial Consultant: Danda Humphreys
Deadline for submissions is no later than the 20 th day of the month preceding the month of publication, e.g. the deadline for the
February 1 st issue is January 20 th. Please send submissions by e-mail to Corinna Gilliland (catfael@telus.net) or by mail to the Victoria
Theatre Guild.
Newsletter address changes or deletions: please contact Denise Brown, theatremanager@langhamtheatre.ca
Theatre Mailing Address: Victoria Theatre Guild, 805 Langham Court, Victoria, B.C., V8V 4J3
Web Site: www.langhamtheatre.ca
13