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ArtsceneAgatha Christie mystery on stage with WEST groupBy Dominik KurekOAKVILLE BEAVER STAFFFans of the work by mysteryauthor Agatha Christie will not bedisappointed by the play being puton by Oakvilles West End StudioTheatre, says one of the leadactors.If people want to have a nightwhere they can be an investigatorthen this play will provide the cir-cumstances which will allow themto be that, said Oakville actorChristine Donato, who plays LuciaAmory. They will get to figure outwho murdered Sir Claude Amory.In usual Christie fashion, themurder mysteryBlack Coffee,which opens Thursday, Feb. 3 atthe Oakville Centre for thePerforming Arts, will have its audi-ences guessing who murdered thevictim.The 1930s mystery revolvesaround the death of Sir Claude.After creating the formula for anatomic bomb he is poisonedthrough his coffee. Everyone is asuspect as the lead character, detec-tive Hercule Poirot, tries to solvethe murder. Yo Mustafa playsHercule.NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVERDonato, who plays the daugh-ter-in-law of Sir Claude, said theEVERYONE'S A SUSPECT: Lucia Amory (played by Christine Donato) pulls away from her husband Richard (played by Michael Wierenga) during rehears-audience will go through an emo-al for West End Studio Theatre's production of Agatha Christie'sBlack Coffee. The show opens Feb. 3 at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts.tional journey being portrayed bythe characters on stage.you get into your character and her early teens.Despite the change from theThe audition set the tone for Donato, who has lived inthis persons life and shes dis-She began performing in a vari-professional to amateur stage, therehearsals, she said. The audi-Oakville for the past 10 years, saidtraught then your body doesnt ety of venues, including at Canadas differences are minimal.tions were serious. I could tell the her character is an emotional chal-realize thats not real.Wonderland theatre. She eventu-Its not that different, she said.director (Paul Groulx) knew what lenge to perform.She added shes woken up at ally moved on to big stages per-Everybody is very professional,he wanted and he allowed us Youre going to see distraughtnight in a panic after dreaming of forming at The Stratford especially this group. They careimprov.but inside she is quite at peace withherself, in real life, in a similar Shakespeare Festival for two sea-about what theyre providing toThis being her first time with a herself until the play begins, shecircumstance to the character.sons; performing inJoseph and their audience and the actors enjoycommunity theatre group, Donato said. Up until the play begins shesYour body takes it and holds it Tommyat Elgin Theatre, Les each other and were all working tosaid shes hoping it is not her last.at peace with herself but when theuntil you allow yourself to release Miserables,Damn Yankees at Royal serve the playwrights intentions.Other Oakville actors include: play starts her life is changed andit. In some way as an actor you Alexandra Theatre,Cats at Massey Were pretty serious about what weMichael Brown (Tredwell), Mike in turmoil.dont want to release it because Hall, a Canadian tour of Camelotdo although were having a lot of Wierenga (Richard Amory), Lucia is an Italian woman whoonce you have it you want to play and much more.fun.Heather Spares (Barbara Amory), marries into the wealthy Englishwith it and sit in it for a while.Then she and her husband, also She said the biggest differenceAndrew Ahmed (Edward Raynor), family. Despite the distress of theBecause the emotions of her an actor, had a child, now four, and however, is the amount of rehears-Adam Hilliard (Captain Hastings) character, she said Lucia is a heroiccharacter are so strong, Donato stage theatre became difficult to al time where on the professionaland Vince Carlin (as Inspector person.said she gets massages and takes keep up.stage the actors rehearse for eightJapp).She said performing as Lucia isyoga to clear her mind.Its too difficult for both of us hours five or six times a week,The play runs Feb. 3-5, 9-12 at 8 an enjoyable challenge for her butWorking with WEST is a slight to be working at night so my whereas the community groupsp.m. and there is a matinee on the character has also followed herdeparture for Donato. Though choice is, at the moment, to do perform for three hours a fewSunday, Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. Evening in her personal life.shes very familiar with the stage, some film and TV, she said.nights a week.tickets are $27 and the matinee is It has had an impact on mythis is actually her first time work-Shes on a number of television Despite the differences, Donato$22. The Centre is located at 130 day-to-day life. If a person is dis-ing with a community theatre commercials currently airing and said the entire process, beginningNavy St.traught and in a panic your bodygroup, having been a professional has film credits, plus some movies to end, has not been a disappoint-For tickets and more informa-doesnt know that its not real. If theatre performer since she was in that have yet to be released.ment.tion, visit www.oakvillecentre.ca.21 Wednesday, February 2, 2011 OAKVILLE BEAVER www.insideHALTON.com