30 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday December 31, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Artscene · WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2008 By Ryan Bolton SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Sign up now for guitar, bass, drums, and piano OAKVILLE'S MUSIC STORE w w w. g e a r m u s i c . n e t 324 Kerr St. 905-339-3515 Burl-Oak Theatre Group celebrates new year with Jitters The Burl-Oak Theatre Group has some jitters about its upcoming play. The actors are all bickering prima donnas, the costumes are ill-fitting and the play's author is too nervous to even watch his words come to life. But that is what the play is about. David French's Jitters is a play-within-a-play and Burl-Oak Theatre Group is bringing it to the big stage. After starting rehearsals at the end of October, the local theatre group is staging the play on Jan. 8, running for seven shows at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. The Oakville Beaver was privy to a recent run through of the play and sat down with the director and cast at the local studio strewn with Value Village furniture and a treasure chest of costumes. "It's a play-within-a-play so all the actors have so much fun, because they know all of the in jokes," said the play's producer, Jenny le Riche. Jitters is the backstage comedy about a Canadian theatre company and the quirky and sometimes confrontational circumstances that arise behind the curtain. The play's author, the renowned French, is not only poking fun at the actors, but also illustrating that profound and significant theatre can be found north of the border. "It's more than just a backstage comedy, it's really a play about Canadian theatre at a time when Canadian theatre hardly had a name for itself," said Ken Stern, the play's director, who saw the original production of French's Jitters when it ran in Toronto. "It's a terrific cast and it's a play that tends to be funny in rehearsal even as you go over it over and over again." The long-running theatre group, which is composed of volunteers, is excited to showcase some new faces alongside some seasoned veterans in the upcoming production. Albeit still young himself, Chris Stolz, 24, has BEAUTY & Spa See Play page 33 NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER SHOW OF SUPPORT: Andrew Park shakes Stephen Black, while Peter Kunder chuckles at the situation in the Burl-Oak Theatre Group's production of Jitters by David French, which runs Jan. 8 to 17. 171 SPEERS RD. #19, OAKVILLE OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. 9:30-9:00pm, Wed. 9:30-6:00pm, Sat. 9:00-5:00, Sun. 12:00-5:00pm EYELASH EYELASH LA EXTENTIONS EXTENSIONS AVAILABLE! AVAILABLE www.hairchateau.com (check website for new client discount) R MEN With this Ad Receive 905 338-1237 20% OFF All Facials Expires Jan. 31, 2009 hen You Service W is Ad! Bring Th r offer. he on any ot Not valid ts Only *New Clien O icF $20 chnFal Any Te