Musicals fun for audiences & performers alike
- Details
- Published on Saturday, April 9, 2016
By Courtney Newton
Publicity
When Strathclair Drama Club (SDC) staged The Sound of Music in 1983, it’s unlikely that anyone involved could have envisioned that in 2016, more than 150 people from across Westman would be working together to stage the group’s 34th annual production, Once Upon a Mattress. With no signs of slowing down, this little theatre group with lots of heart has built up a reputation for presenting high quality musical theatre productions that showcase the talents of the cast and crew alike.
For many, it has become an annual tradition to take in a SDC show, and tickets for Once Upon a Mattress go on sale on Saturday, April 2. The box office at Bend Theatre opens at 10 a.m. where tickets are available in person or over the phone by calling 204-365-2436. For those who are unable to purchase tickets on April 2, be sure to call the box office Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and noon, or leave a message on the answering machine. This year’s production is shaping up to be a treat for audiences young and old, so you will want to make sure you have tickets!
After watching just one performance, Andrea Playter of Minnedosa knew she needed to get involved with the club. “The first production I saw SDC do was The Music Man. It was so well done and everybody looked like they were having so much fun. I thought to myself, ‘I want to get in on this too’.” She joined the cast of Oklahoma the next year (1990), and has taken on leading and supporting roles in the years that have followed.
Stan and Sheila Runions of Rivers saw Hello Dolly! in 2001 and were so impressed by their first audience experience that they also wanted to be a part of the fun on stage; like Andrea, they joined the next year and were both principal characters in Oliver! They have been involved with 13 productions since, and Sheila has also served as a rehearsal pianist, producer and publicity chairperson.
While participating in Minnedosa Drama Club’s production of The Games Afoot in 2015, Mitch Bukarz of Minnedosa heard from fellow cast members how much fun Strathclair was, so he auditioned this year and is really enjoying his time with SDC.
If you were to ask members of the cast and crew what keeps them coming back year after year to the club, most would say it’s because they like spending time with the people involved and it gives them an opportunity to use their artistic skills. For some, it has become a family affair.
Minnedosa’s Josh Butler came with his mom, Mary Dalton, and has come to enjoy being on stage and spending time with the friends he made. Strathclair’s Beccy Ardiel-Voth and her husband Dan Voth were both involved in musicals in their teen years, and it is still an important part of their lives. “Dan and I both enjoy being involved, so it is something we can do together,” says Beccy. “I also think music and arts is an important part of a community, and I enjoy entertaining my friends and family.” Joanna Tolton’s dad Brian was involved when she was a child and she thought it would be fun to take part as well. Finnian’s Rainbow was her first production, and Once Upon a Mattress will be her 16th since first joining 24 years ago when she lived in Newdale with her parents; Joanna now lives and works in Brandon. Karen Gamey-Koscielny was one of the original cast members in 1983 and has been involved off and on ever since. Singing in the chorus is something she and her daughter Emma-Jean Koscielney, both of Strathclair, enjoy doing together.
Music director and cast member Dylan Woodcock sums it up well: “I take part because I love how such a small community can produce quality theatre. I keep coming back because each new production provides different dynamics than the ones previous. These atmospheres always lead to growth, but always in different ways. But the outcome in the end is always the same — a good show that audiences love!” Dylan has been involved in nine Strathclair productions, starting as a child in the orphanage with Oliver! in 2002.
