Eat like the Malagasy, a local fundraising effort for Madagascar School Project

 Ida, Doris and Lucille share one strong bond.

They are all widows who visit the graves of their late husbands once a month.

However, do not let that rather melancholy fact keep you from attending the wonderful Ivan Menchell play, The Cemetery Club, which opens at Upper Canada Playhouse on Thursday, September 5. To do so would result in your failing to meet three of the most colourful, funny and lovable characters ever to grace the Playhouse stage.

Director Donnie Bowes has said that The Cemetery Club will be an evening of “pure pleasure that will make you glad that you went to the theatre.” 

He likens the women in this production a little to The Golden Girls, an enormously popular television show of the 1980s and early 1990s. This is not surprising in that the author of the play, Ivan Menchell, wrote for situation comedies, and uses the almost episodic approach common to sitcoms with The Cemetery Club.

“The play develops over a series of events,” Bowes said, at a recent press conference. “There is a strong story line which draws audiences in as they share the widows’ journey toward life changes during the play. There are plot surprizes, some touching, some hilarious, and certainly the punchy lines and dialogue very common to the best sitcoms.” 

Audiences can be assured that this will be an outstanding production simply on the basis of the talented and distinguished cast Bowes has brought together for this show.

Returning to the Playhouse Stage are Linda Goranson, Patti Kazner and AnnaMarie Lea (with a special appearance by Brenda Quesnel). 

Joining these veteran stage actors is Doug Tangney, well known to Playhouse audiences.  Tangney’s widowed Sam, according to Bowes, “stirs the pot a bit,” when he makes the acquaintance of Ida, Lucille and Doris.

AnnaMarie Lea, who now hales from Alberta, has impressed and entertained Playhouse audiences in several past productions. Her Lucille is “very shy – NOT! Lucille lost her husband 18 months earlier, but she is determined to get out there, to move on,” Lea laughed, hinting that her rather flamboyant character has “money, so she’s had some work done. She’s gives the impression of a ‘merry widow’, but perhaps, in the end, that is something of a facade.”

Linda Goranson, as Ida, has just completed the enormously successful run of No Sex Please, We’re British. “Ida is two years a widow,” Goranson explains. “She has only recently begun to toy with the idea of moving on in her life, not simply closing herself off. Ida, Lucille and Doris have been friends, oh forever, despite being in this slightly horrible ‘club.’ 

We laugh a lot, we do things together, we actually all love each other a lot despite our differences.”

As Doris, Patti Kazner, known to UCP audiences for her performances in On Golden Pond and Maggie’s Getting Married, among others, “lost her husband, Abe, nearly four years ago. Probably Doris is the one who is ‘most addicted’ to these graveside visits, to the idea that by going to his grave she can still somehow be with Abe. Their late husbands still remain part of each woman’s life.” 

“Sam is a catalyst,” Doug Tangney said. “The play is about the journey of the ladies, but meeting Sam changes the direction of that journey. The group balance is upset by this widower of two years.”

Sean Free has designed the very versatile, very unique set for this production. Because it is such a key part of the play, Free has developed a set where the cemetery can “be incorporated as a surrounding element to the main living room set. Lighting (also designed by Free) is very important in this show,”  he explained, “to contrast between the inside and the outside scenes.” 

“Yes,” added Bowes, laughing, “Sean and I have been negotiating lighting and set placements. Friendly negotiations mostly.”

The cast of The Cemetery Club clearly love the characters they portray in this classic production. 

Audiences will soon share that love.

For tickets to the final production of the Playhouse summer season, contact the UCP box office at 613-543-3713 or toll free at 1-877-550-365

[…]

 Red and white were definitely the colours of choice for the hundreds of people enjoying Canada’s 145th birthday, July 1, 2012, in South Dundas.

Sunny skies and great temperatures ensured big turnouts in Iroquois and Morrisburg. Or, as MP Guy Lauzon jokingly told the Morrisburg crowd, “I just want you to know that the Federal government is responsible for this beautiful weather. If it rains, that’s the provincial government’s fault.” 

Canada Day organizers for both communities were pleased with the great support they received from volunteers and area businesses and from the public. MPP Jim McDonnell and mayor Steven Byvelds joined Lauzon in thanking the committees for the hours and months of work they put in to make this Canada Day a success. 

There was plenty to see and to do at area celebrations. Rides and games, petting zoos and bike decorating contests, giant inflatable slides and paddle boats entertained the smaller partiers. Adults could relax and take in some of the outstanding performers on stage in Earl Baker Park or at the Point. 

As well as conventional hot dogs, hamburgers, cotton candy, strawberry short cake and candy apples, Morrisburg held an evening lobster feast and Iroquois-Matilda Lions hosted their annual chicken barbecue. 

Vendors at the Morrisburg Market offered something interesting for every shopping taste. Visitors could also enjoy a chat with John Carruthers, who had a display of 1812 weapons and musket balls at his table, in keeping with the 200th anniversary of the War. 

The ecumenical service held outside in Iroquois in the early morning drew many worshippers.

Morrisburg’s K9 Agility events were crowd pleasers as was the TimBits soccer tournament held at the Point. The Car Show in Iroquois also proved popular, with 210 entrants coming out to talk about and show their cars.

Spectacular fireworks rounded out a full day of celebration in South Dundas. The word used most often to describe those shows at both Iroquois and Morrisburg was “awesome.”

Happy birthday, Canada. You’re looking mighty good for 145 years. 

[…]

The tenders for the rehabilitation of the Morrisburg Collegiate Institute building left municipal officials with  sticker shock when the bids came in about a million dollars higher than they had expected, so much so that have not yet decided how they will proceed with the project.

Since the bids to convert the historic building into a new clinic and administrative facility were opened about a month ago, municipal staff, project managers and the design team have undertaken much analysis and research to prepare a report for council which was presented at the Aug. 14 meeting.

Municipal officials had expected to see bids in the range of $3 million, but instead the prices submitted by the pre-qualified contractors were in the $4 million range, with the lowest coming it at almost $3.9 million.

“It became apparent, as the project evolved, that it was a very complex project – maintaining the heritage aspects of the building while upgrading it to current standards,” reported Stephen McDonald, South Dundas chief administrative officer. “And, it can be assumed that the complexity of the project is reflected in the prices.”

The renovation project will consist of removing everything but the shell and will cost about $150 per square foot. The 20 year borrowing costs to finance the large scale project are equivalent to a tax increase of 2 to 3.5 percent, depending on the success of South Dundas’ Community Infrastructure Improvement Fund application. 

“The township has applied for $1 million funding under the CIIF,” reported McDonald. “This program is for existing infrastructure only and a new building would not be eligible to receive funding.”

According to the report presented to council the financial cost to construct a new building will be at least $6 million, not to mention the cost of lost time in getting such a project underway. 

South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds asked council to state their preferred direction for staff offering up the options of; doing nothing, going with the project as presented, starting over with a new building or deferring the decision until September to allow them time to gauge the public’s reaction. 

“I don’t think doing nothing is a good option,” said the mayor.

Only South Dundas councillor Jim Graham was willing to make a decision to get the project moving. 

“Everybody was surprised by the cost, that’s for sure,” he said. “But if we don’t go ahead there’s a ripple effect to a lot of other plans. I think the time has come that we have to present an image that we are open for business. I am ready to support this, as is.”

“Going to the public, we won’t get a consensus,” said Graham. “This is a decision we, as a council will have to make. That’s what we’re here for.”

“We obviously can’t afford a new building, so it’s the old building or nothing. I definitely don’t think doing nothing is an option,” said Graham.

Every member of council agreed that doing nothing is not an option. 

South Dundas councillor Evonne Delegarde is supporting starting over and pursuing a new building. “With the rehabilitation, we’ll still have an old building,” she said. “It’s hard to believe it will cost that much more to build a new building.”

CAO McDonald pointed out that a similar new building project now taking place in Winchester shows that  the numbers presented in the report are accurate and valid.

Delegarde also suggested going back to the doctors of the St. Lawrence Medical Clinic to contribute more money to the project, now that the actual costs have come in higher than anticipated.

“It is a tough decision,” said South Dundas deputy mayor Jim Locke, who was not yet willing to make a final decision. However he did say, “If we do nothing with that building, I feel it will have to come down. We can’t leave it sit there with snow fence around it.”

South Dundas councillor Archie Mellan, like Locke, was not willing to make a decision. “I’m not prepared tonight to say one way or another,” he said, later adding that he will be prepared to make a decision at the next council meeting. “I’ll tell you then, which side of the fence I’m jumping to.”

Mayor Byvelds said, “My leaning is to go ahead and bring this project to fruition.” However, he was willing to respect his fellow councillors who have not yet decided and support deferral until the next meeting.

“We’ll let this settle out within the public sphere,” he said. “As a council, it’s our responsibility to listen. Listen well, but filter through it,” he told council. 

The decision will be made at the September 4 council meeting.

[…]