Just a little update for the weekend.
It's the end of five days in a row at the Gravenhurst Opera House.
We started with the "Tech run" last Sunday through Dress Rehearsal and then three shows!
We are pooped!
Thursday night the heat and humidity on stage was a real bummer.
The stage lights were like 6 or 7 "tiny" suns.
It was very warm.
The audiences have been great, however. Many from Orillia have made the northbound trek.
Working on the Gravenhurst OP stage has been rewarding too. Our audience numbers are surpasssing what we did in the Studio Theatre in Orillia last February.
Well, really-
A professional production and Summer Theatre in Muskoka.
How can you lose?
We have had great press up there and radio advertising too.
Here in town, even Randy Lucenti at the Packet printed a story about "Looking"- that I had written.
Pictures too.
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| The "Looking" cast & crew on Stage after a show at the Gravenhurst OP |
Thanks John...
Not enough room for other "local" productions and us too- I suppose.
I know. It's an out-of-town gig but really Gravenhurst?
It's 20 minutes from Orillia.
A tad further than Coldwater and closer than Midland.
Takes less time to drive there, than it does heading up to Wal*Mart from downtown on a Friday afternoon.
Gas is way cheap too.
$1.16 a litre.
It's worth the drive for the gas.
Oh well...
Oh yes.
He called "looking" a Neil Simon play.
Thanks John.
It's a Norm Foster play.
The info was right in th e-mail and published in the Packet.
Orillia Today ignored us- completely.
C'mon, eh?
Group Theatre Productions who are doing "Looking" has done 25 productions over the years.
Last year and the year before it was "Tuesday's with Morrie".
That show even played the Orillia Opera House.
No, not in conjunction with the Orillia Opera House like in Gravenhurst, Group Theatre had to book themselves in to teh Studio Theatre.
So, where are the local reporters digging up the "angle" that we're 6 Orillians getting paid real dollars to do a professonal production that we did for "free" five months ago? That''s probably why.
Professional Theatre that doesn't pay for an ad gets no free space.
It's a rule, I guess.
Am I bitter.
Not at all.
It's just the way things work.
We are having way too much fun!
So what follows, is just some more information about the show.
The Norm Foster comedy "Looking" is now playing at the Gravenhurst Opera House. Fellow cast members Patti Scott (Nina), Phyllis Johnson (Val) and Jim Dwyer (Andy) and Me- as Matt, are having a hell of a good time presenting this show for you once again.
This time, the production company is Group Theatre Productions in association with the Gravenhurst Opera House. Come in from the heat and enjoy a couple of hours of laughter.
It's the best medicine!
Beats the heat too!
We've been involved in this show since last October, performing it at the Studio Theatre at the Orillia Opera House for MAT back in February. Now Group Theatre is giving us a chance to have fun all over again.
The cast and crew is still laughing at the situations and dialogue.
If you missed it in February, come see it for the first time.
If you saw it then, come and see it again- and bring your friends. Dine before the show at a Gravenhurst Restaurant.
Rombos- just like Orillia, is there opposite the theatre with an outdoor patio. You'll find familiar fast food stops like McDonalds, Tim Horton's and Boston Pizza are all in Gravenhurst. The latter at the Wharf.
The set- by Jim Dwyer is all new.
So is the lighting design.
There are even some "refreshing" twists to the look of this re-staged show.
Tom Ruechel is Stage Manager, with Lisa McKinzey as Assistant Stage Manager. Shimera Dione handles our Hair and Makeup.
You'll hear "Emily Darling's" sound bites. Emily is her real name but Darling isn't.
We just added her "new" last name, since we always refer to her as "Emily Darling" anyway.
Jason helps out backstage.
Details are at www.gravenhurstoperahouse.com
or phone the Box Office 705.687.5550
Our first week is done but we still run July 26, 27 and 28.
Once you're on Number 11 outside of Orillia, it's a 20 minute drive. Mid-week too , so the traffic isn't quite so busy.
Remember too, it's a 7:30 Curtain!
If you don't see many new Blogs here until after July 28th, you'll know why.
I am just too busy!
See you at the theatre!
