A Community Of Players

On any given night, there are any number of community theatre actors, directors, and designers who are working on their respective shows, feeling the pressure and the building anticipation of "opening night".

What seperates them from those who work in professional theatre is that they don't do this for a paycheque, but because they love it. Some would consider it a hobby, but most consider it a "passion". They have day jobs and families, but three times a week they meet to rehearse. They are taught choreography, harmonies, and are given lines to learn. Some have never stepped in front of an audience before, and some are considered stage "veterans". Regardless of their previous experience, each and every one of them is given their moment to shine in the world of community theatre.

In the Greater Toronto Area, there are a slew of community theatre companies preparing for their big opening night. The small town of Georgetown, Ontario is home to Georgetown Globe Productions, which have been operating for almost 25 years, producing up to three major productions each year.

In a cold church on an equally cold October night, the cast of Georgetown Globe Productions Urinetown assembles. Some of the actors are running late, as traffic has slowed to a standstill on most major routes out of Toronto, but after a quick vocal and physical warmup, they proceed with their evenings rehearsal. The group, consisting of 22 actors, an artistic director, choreographer, musical director, and a stage manager, have all been working tirelessly for the past six weeks, and the opening night is only four weeks away. Tension should be running high, but there is a relaxed and calm atmosphere in the room, as cast members catch up with one another, go over dance steps, or just sit on the sidelines going over their lines, waiting to be called for their scene.

Mark Llewellyn, a theatre veteran of over 15 years, plays Officer Lockstock, the narrator of the story. He is sitting at the back of the room, his binder open going over his upcoming scene with Keith Baker, who plays Old Man Strong, and Danny Harvey, who plays Lockstocks sidekick, Officer Barrel. When the time comes for him to perform, he delivers. The lines flow, the blocking is solid, and the scene goes smoothly. Llewellyn, on a break from his scenes, says that he relishes this opportunity to play a henchman. "I never get to play the heavy, so it's a nice change for me" he says. Llewellyn played Don Quixote in A.C.T. Productions Man Of La Mancha in Brampton this past spring, but makes his home in Georgetown. By day, he works in the production department of Canadian Tire, and by night, he rehearses along side his wife, Nanci, who he met during a production of Mame with Georgetown Globe in 1990.

An accountant by day, budding actress by night, Lisa Tass plays the role of Hope Cladwell in this production. She started studying voice when she was 13 years old, and Urinetown marks her fifth show in Ontario, after recently moving back to Ontario from the Maritimes. She has some pretty particular views on her character, who is known for being a ditz. "She is naive, and a bit of an airhead, but she's also the leader of a revolution, and so I am trying to find the balance between her dizteness and how she evolves into that leader" states Tass.

Gregg Shanks is embarking on his 35th production on stage, and what started as a part time hobby to "fill in the time" has turned into a passion and he has transformed his passion for the theatre into a full time job - he is a high school drama teacher. Shanks plays the dashing leading man, Bobby Strong, who has the dream of a day when everyone can "pee for free". This production in particular had a lot of appeal for Shanks, who says the show has universal themes that audience members will be able to relate to. When asked why Georgetown audiences will enjoy the show, Shanks says that "It has some great tunes and it's rare for musical comedy to have such a strong message".

A lot of the work in a community theatre rests on the producer. They are responsible for recruiting volunteers to help with the building of the sets, the hanging of the lighting equipment, the finding of the props needed for the show, and most importantly, ensuring the show stays within the budget allowed. Melissa Fischer is the lone producer for Urinetown, and she's also a member of the shows ensemble, so her work load is doubled. Her work began last spring when the show had its auditions, and it won't end until after the show closes in early December. There is a lot on her plate right now, and she is feeling the pressure. She is coordinating the volunteers, supervising the set building and learning her part. All this work doesn't seem to faze her though, as she continually has a smile on her face and a positive attitude. As the clock ticks closer to the opening that feeling may change, but Fischer is optimistic that everything will work out. "We're a close knit family here, and the end result - the final product will be worth it".

Scott Carmichael, who directs the show, has a pretty extensive theatre resume, both on stage and behind the scenes. This past summer he played Yvan in Art for the Flower City Theatre Festival in Brampton, and prior to that he played Dr. Carrasco in Man Of La Mancha. He fell in love with Urinetown a couple of years ago when it played at CanStage in Toronto, and admits having a healthy obsession with it. Carmichael took it upon himself to get the show read by the group in Georgetown. He says, "I thought, this is a show that needs to be seen. This is a show that many people won't have the opportunity to see unless it comes to them, and this is a show that a good community theatre group can do. So I made sure the rights were available, brought it to the reading committee, and convinced them that it was a good idea and then once it got the rubber stamp from the executive, I submitted to direct." He also points out that it's especially hard to get new work done by community theatre companies. "All the community theatre groups tend to re-hash all the old favourites, and there is nothing wrong with them. Classics are classics for a reason. But how many times does Oklahoma or Oliver need to be seen in the GTA a year? Community theatre groups like to do "safe" shows, shows that they feel will please the intrisic audience, but it's a catch twenty-two. If you only do shows that are already known, then people will never know the new, upcoming shows."

Carmichael relishes the opportunity to work amongst his friends and colleagues in community theatre, and sees it as a chance to continue learning more about the craft. "There are a lot of really good actors out there who for whatever reason have chosen to pursue another field as a profession, and community theatre allows them to keep their passion for performing as part of their lives. We have some really talented people in this show who would not be out of place in a professional show, but they are teachers, or sales reps, and the like. This is their chance to shine where they may not ever otherwise. I do this to get more experience too, to learn my craft. It's like getting seasoning in the minors before getting called up to the big club - or finding out you haven't got what it takes. Either way - it's the chance to do it, and boy is it fun."

Georgetown Globe Productions Urinetown opens on November 23rd, with performances until December 2nd. For show and ticket information, click here.

The cast includes Alison Salinas, Aron Goss, Carolyn Sevigny, Cecily Restivo, Chris Burke, Chis Gawley, Danny Harvey, David Cairns, Gerrard Morrison, Gregg Shanks, Jane Adair, Katie McCrory, Keith Baker, Lance Bygrave, Lisa Tass, Mark Llewellyn, Melissa Fischer, Meredith Lawlor, Michelle Giacometti, Nanci McNeil-Llewellyn, Neil Salinas and Nick Sabetti.

Artistic direction is by Scott Carmichael, choreography by Laura Caswell, with musical direction by Darryn Desouza. Katrina Moore is the stage manager, and Melissa Fischer is the producer.

Print Article

Email Article

View All Articles

How to subscribe to feeds