A Seaway Mystery more than a whodunit

Thespians from the Iroquois-Matilda Lions Club and the South Dundas Anglican Parish paid tribute to long-time volunteer director Wendy Gibb with a fundraising show, including a bursary award at Seaway District High School in her memory April 25 at the Upper Canada Playhouse. Pictured above in this cast photo surrounding the vacant Director’s Chair are (l-r) Nick Lee, Dani Shae Barkley, Margaret Whisselle, Brain Speer, Barry Fawcett, Ron Whythe, Margaret Swerdfeger, Doug Jarvis, Wally Baker, Mark Lewis, David Lapier, Jim Mustard, Steve Wilson, Doug Millard, Jack Barkley, Elizabeth Irwin, Pat Martin, Joanne Baker, Sue Bradley and Chris Jarvis. Absent from the photo was Jim Millard. (The Leader/Blancher photo)

MORRISBURG – It was a team effort that got A Seaway Mystery to the stage at the Upper Canada Playhouse Saturday afternoon and the community came out in force to support that effort.

The original script, inspired by Fay Donnelly, was written by Pat Martin, Wendy Gibb and Dani Shae Barkley, with input from the whole cast of characters.

The late Wendy Gibb was working on this project at the time of her death.

While they had to finish it without her, Martin was able to find some joy in seeing this production take to the stage.

“It was the joy in watching things come together and the energy flow as the cast became a team working together for the good of the whole,” she said.

While tradition is to fill this space with a review of the show and memorable performances delivered by the cast, this show seemed like it was about something way more important than that.

Doug Jarvis is on the case for the South Dundas Police Department.

It was more about being a part of the audience and sharing the experience watching Wendy’s friends – Wendy’s actors – gather together in Wendy’s favourite place, the Upper Canada Playhouse stage, and have fun as a newly found group of friends and enjoy themselves in front of an audience.

The good natured ribbing between the characters brought about laughter.

And, the curtain call brought some tears as the cast gathered around the empty director’s chair, a bouquet of flowers and an orange cat sitting alongside it.

The Intrepid Thespians of the Anglican Parish of South Dundas combined with the members of the Iroquois-Lions Club demonstrated what friendship looks like as they delivered a final show in honour of their director and friend Wendy Gibb.