Home & Trade Show ready for this Friday and Saturday

He’s an easy man to talk to.

Despite being forced to stand outside his car, struggling to keep decent local cell phone reception, despite having just pulled into town after a long drive down from Port Dover, Norm Foster handled yet another interview with grace, and with the trademark sense of humour for which he is known.

Foster, one of Canada’s most produced and most beloved playwrights, is in Morrisburg to star in Upper Canada Playhouse’s fourth summer production, On A First Name Basis, opening September 4 and running until the 28th of September.

Foster also wrote the play.

“Actually, I find it easier to act in my own plays than in someone else’s. I know the material well, and I can certainly interpret my character the way the ‘author’ sees him,” Foster laughed. “But I will say that I set high standards for myself as an actor because I want the show to be the best it can be for the audience.”

On A First Name Basis is a ‘two-hander’, staged with a cast of only two. Foster’s character, David Kilbride, is a very successful, well-to-do author – and a rather less successful human being. 

“It’s not so much that (David) means to be a jerk,” Foster explained. “The reality is that he has no social skills whatsoever. He speaks his mind without any regard to anyone else’s feelings.”

Enter Lucy Hopperstaad, Kilbride’s housekeeper of two decades, performed by noted actress of stage and television, Patricia Vanstone. Her Lucy has been with this man for more than 20 years, Yet, in the course of an evening, it becomes very clear that David knows absolutely nothing about the woman who has, for all intents and purposes, been closer to him than any other human being. 

“I’ve know Patricia since 1984, when she played in my Melville Boys,” Foster said. “We have done a lot of projects together over the years. When I asked Patricia to  take on the role of Lucy, it was because I thought she was perfect to play the wise-cracking, clever maid. Lucy has to show David that he can’t say the things he says, act the way he does. She helps him work on being a ‘human being’.”

As in all Foster plays, there is witty, hilarious, unexpected dialogue in On A First Name Basis. But, as is also a characteristic of Foster’s work, there are “tender moments” between these two very unique individuals as well. 

Foster is acclaimed for his ability to create ‘people’ on the stage that audiences understand.

“My characters are based on people I know, real, everyday people. Audiences may know someone like them, may even see themselves up there,” Foster explained. “I have a certain comfort level writing about those people because I feel that I understand them.”

Where do his ideas for plays come from?

“A lot of times a piece of music will put me in the mood to write. I may even be in the middle of writing one play when another play idea springs out at me. On very rare occasions, people may make suggestions to me that intrigue me, and I may develop a play from those conversations. And,” he added laughing, “those people get absolutely no credit whatever for the finished play!”

Foster often speaks his lines aloud as he writes them. 

“I want a natural flow of words  in my dialogues. Basically, I like to make an audience feel as though they are eaves-dropping on a conversation between two people. This is particularly true with On A First Name Basis, where audiences share two hours, in real time, of the exchanges between David and Lucy.”

Norm Foster also staged the premiere of The Ladies Foursome this summer at Upper Canada Playhouse, where it proved to be  an enormous success.

“I like the Playhouse,” Foster said, “It’s great to have the big crowds, and to have audiences which appreciate theatre. Donnie (Bowes) is also an old friend, and I enjoy bringing a show to him.The Playhouse is simply a great place to work.”

On A First Name Basis is directed by David Nairn, “who is the only director Patricia and I have had since we began touring this production three years ago,” Foster said. The set for the show has been designed by the Playhouse’s John Thompson, to adapt the blocking to the wider stage area at the Playhouse.

Audiences can look forward to a wonderful production as Upper Canada Playhouse welcomes Norm Foster and Patricia Vanstone, starring in Foster’s On A First Name Basis running from September 4-28. Contact the Playhouse at 1-613-543-3713.

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On March 21, Brian Porter of Brockville will again delight the Canadian Club audience with his presentation of the Brockville Infantry. 

An amazing actor, this is Porter’s third time presenting to the Canadian Club. He has written a book on the Brockville Infantry Company, and will perform in full period costume.

Porter is replacing the previously booked speaker, Dave Phillips, who had to withdraw his speaking engagement. 

The doors for the March 21 evening will open by 6:30 p.m. at the Legion in Morrisburg, and the Canadian Club executive will great members and visitors with a reception of juice, crackers and cheese. As well, the Legion bar will be open. 

Canadian Club, president Dave Black will begin the formalities at 7 p.m. A full pork dinner will be followed by guest speaker, Brian Porter.

Charlotte Grey, one of Canada’s best known authors will speak to the club on April 18. Her topic of “Gold Diggers Striking it Rich in the Klondike” is the eighth and most recent of her best sellers. A turkey dinner will precede her presentation.

The final meeting for the Canadian Club season will be on May 16, and will bring Adrian Harwood as guest speaker. 

Adrian is news anchor at CBC TV, Ottawa. He has a special interest in volunteers and the work they do in society. 

This will follow a prime rib dinner – a perfect night out – all for $20.

The Canadian Club averages just over 100 members/visitors at each meeting. Visitors and new members are always welcome. Visitors can attend, simply by reserving a ticket.

Prior to each dinner, a member sells tickets on a Canadian Flag. The proceeds (approximately $150 ) go to a different local charity from each meeting.

Tickets are $20 and are available by reservation by calling Clara at 613-774-2407 or 613-447-8167 (cell).

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B. McNairn-Leader Staff

IROQUOIS–For two weeks, Williamsburg-area native Carl Van Allen went about his daily business, unaware that he was a millionaire.

On October 9, Van Allen purchased his regular weekly 6/49 Lottery ticket at Mustard’s Variety in Iroquois. On October 23, after having driven around for two weeks with the ticket in the console of his truck, he had  the numbers checked, and that’s when he got the surprise of his life, the win in the Lotto 6/49 Guaranteed $1 Million prize draw.

Although a cruise may be in the works this winter,  neither Van Allen, 62, nor his wife Ruby have plans to retire nor to make any big purchases. Carl is a longtime employee at Craig Packaging Ltd. in Iroquois, while Ruby works in retail in Morrisburg. Married 42 years, they have two children and five grandchildren.

Jim Mustard, owner of Mustard’s Variety, says “since day one, it’s been my dream to make someone’s dream come true and now it has.” It is also a great way for Jim to complete 24 years in business and to celebrate the upcoming 25th anniversary of Mustard’s Variety on January 3, 2014.

Mustard says he was present when Carl came in to have his tickets validated. “It was the same as usual. Erica [Mustard employee Erica Scott] always says, ‘how are you doing today’ and Carl always answers ‘I’ll know as soon as you check my tickets’.”

The next thing Mustard recalls is looking up and seeing a big printout coming out of the Lottery terminal. A message to Erica indicated she was to tell the customer not to leave the store. So, while they all knew Carl had won something big, at this point they didn’t know just how much. 

“It felt like an hour, but it was probably only four or five minutes later that the phone rang and it was the Ontario Lottery Association,” says Jim.  

After Jim and Carl answered the Lottery official’s questions, the ticket was run again and the $1 million result was officially revealed. 

“I was numb,” says Carl. “Once I talked to the girl in Toronto, it kind of sunk in. That’s when I got exited.”

But not too excited as he headed home to give Ruby the news. “I bought a scratch ticket and gave that to her when I got home. After about 20 minutes, she finally sat down to the scratch ticket and won $12. When she let me know she had won the $12, I said ‘that’s great. $12 is good’. How would you like to win $1 million. She wouldn’t believe me at first.”

“I had goose bumps from it,” says Jim, with Erica adding, “ I was  very excited. It was pure joy to watch his [Carl’s] face. It was amazing.”

Carl and Ruby are well-remembered for their hard work and their commitment to the Volley for Cancer event which they and a committee of volunteers ran for over 10 years on their farm (and eventually in Morrisburg). Over the years, Volley for Cancer raised thousands of dollars for cancer in memory of Carl’s mother.

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