Committee soaking up splash pad information

 

 Last year they were caught by surprise.

This year, however, Upper Canada Playhouse artistic director, Donnie Bowes, and his staff were prepared to cope with the rush of people taking advantage of their pre-season tickets and flex pass sales. The new season of musicals and plays at the Playhouse was officially announced on Monday, November 4.

“Just like last year, people were lined up outside the theatre door by 8:15 a.m.,” Bowes said, “and our box office didn’t even open until 10 a.m. It is simply amazing.”

Judging by the response to the launch of the new season last year, staff at the Playhouse will probably be swamped for at least two days, and the phone calls and walk-ins will be strong for a good two weeks. Bowes indicated that as many as 50 per cent of the tickets for the season are often sold before December. And the Playhouse Flex Pass continues to be very popular with purchasers.

This year Bill Halman, of Variety 104.5 and CJSS, was on air live, broadcasting from the box office of the Playhouse.

“Shows here at the Playhouse are fantastic,” Halman said. “It’s great for Corus Entertainment to sponsor some of them.”

Audiences have an exciting, hilarious and star-studded line-up to look forward to in the new season.

“I like to announce our new season before the old one is completely over,” Bowes said. “Our audiences like to ‘look at life through a comic lens,’ so two of our summer shows will be very popular farces, A Bedfull of Foreigners and Lend Me A Tenor, which feature jam-packed hilarity on stage.

And Norm Foster, Canada’s most popular and renowned playwright is bringing The Ladies’ Foursome to the Playhouse for our second show.”

Foster’s hugely successful play, The Foursome, has left audiences asking for a sequel for 20 years. 

“Norm called us this summer, said he was currently writing the sequel, and asked if we would like to premier the production,” Bowes laughed. “Well, did we ever! We are thrilled to be staging the debut of an original, exciting Norm Foster comedy.”

Foster himself will be starring in the fourth production of the 2014 season, On A First Name Basis, a spectacular show which has played to sold out tours in Canada and Florida.

And that’s just the main summer season at the Playhouse!

Coming in April will be the musical revue, Memories of Summer Love, by Chris McHarge and Colin Stewart, a blockbuster homage to the music of the 1960s, and, in October, their Memories of Rock & Roll is sure to have Playhouse crowds cheering.

And for the final show of the 2014 season, the theatre is offering actor/playwright Jesse Collins’ new play, Lights, Camera, Christmas!, an hilarious and heart-warming musical story  set around the making of a 1970’s Christmas Variety Show. 

“Hopefully this will be a season audiences will really enjoy. A real balance of plays and different types of comedy,” said Bowes. “We feel we have a good idea what our audiences want to see.”

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The general meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 12, at 7:30 p.m. in Fraser Hall. Please put this on your to-do list for this week. There are some very important decisions to be made. 

Keith Johnston will entertain in the pub on Friday, October 14, making a good ending to T.G.I.F. day. 

Sunday euchre will begin on October 16 at 1 p.m. Bingo on October 6 saw our regulars once again with players in the 70s. 

Our meat draw on the 9th was for a fresh turkey and was won by our own Lee Kelley. 

Memberships for 2012 are available at the bar. The early-bird draw will take place up to November 30, with prizes of $35, $20 and $15, possibly the price of your membership.

On October 3, D. Dillabough, M. Praine and G. Houze attended a seminar at the Rideau-Perley Veterans’ Home in Ottawa. Branch #48 has supported them with donations for several years. We were presented with a wish list for the veterans who reside there, and we are considering several items. This will come before the general meeting on Wednesday night. 

Six bursaries have been awarded this year, each for $500, to students furthering their education. The Poppy Campaign will be starting shortly and as usual, at this busy time, help is always needed. Please leave your name at the bar if you can spare a few hours. 

Many thank yous were read, among them ones from the SD&G Highlanders, the Children’s Treatment Centre, Scott Robertson for the Terry Fox committee, the Old Home Week committee and the Cornwall Hospice. Yes, this is where the money goes, as well as for repairs to this great building that we are so fortunate to have.  Others before us worked hard to accomplish this and we have to work hard to keep it in good repair. 

On the fun side, a pub crawl is being planned for October 22 and there will be a sign up sheet in the pub. 

Our next steak night is on the 28th with John Mason providing the entertainment, so yes, we do have fun too. 

Live well, love much, laugh often.

[…]

All three fire stations in the South Dundas Fire Department held open houses on Saturday, October 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. complete with tours, free souvenirs and barbecue munchies. Fire Chief Chris McDonough said the open houses were a a great success and that he’s “looking forward to doing it again next year.” At the Williamsburg location the local children were having fun climbing into, out of, and on the fire trucks. From all appearances, they were loving every minute of it. 

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