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PA“ " Coral Andrews Chronicle Special TI ey "make-out" heavy with the chicks, and drive around in souped- up dream machines. belting back the cheapest 'rot-gut' as if there were no tomorrow. The Monarchs are coolo-mundo, man. They're a high school bop band that has all the sly moves, all the "ight licks. But tomorrow does come as Screamin'. John, Parker. Chink. Shirly, Brent, and Manny soon discover in John Gray's coast-to- coast smash Rock and Roll, coming Sunday to UW Humanities Theatre. Rock and Roll is the story of the Monarchs, a 50's combo who hasn't been together for 15 years, and decides upon a fateful reunion. The play poignantly captures the band's lost livelihood, their finest musical hour and the cruel reality countless musicians endure when they eventually discover fate is not necessarily going to play their hit song. John Gray once played with an entourage called the Lincolns. in Truro, Nova Scotia, proudly uphold ing the idyllic James Dean enigma of fast cars. greased locks and sorority pin-up girls at 150 M.P.ll. Nova Scotia's Frank Mackay, who plays Parker, the fat boy in the band and the only member who achieved any semblance of credible success. actually played with Gray in the good old fiery days of the Lincolns. so audiences are given a hi-realistic glimpse of this lightning existence through Mackay's masterful Mom archs interpretation. Eric Peterson, of highly- acclaimed Billy Bishop fame. is Screamin' John the spirit of Rock and Roll and idol of the Monarchs who is ‘snuffed out' at 19 in a spectacular fast-and-furious car crash. "Rock and Roll is a long flash- back, in which a group of adults discover it was a tougher time when you really were a creep. As they slip into middle age, the assessment of life as a teenager results in John Gray's cynically clear view that we're all failures, one way or another," reflected Peterson. The Black Watch, Scotland's senior high land regiment will ap- pear in Kitchener. Thursday, Nov. 24 to present a musical spectacular of tradi- tional pomp and cere- many. starting with opening (nature by cer- emonial trumpeters, followed by the, stirring Rock and Roll characters may be failures, but according to Peterson the cast itself is dynamite. "The cast is fantastic in this show. Their combination of skills not just as good actors but as talented musicians is repeatedly shown through all John's music." said Pe- terson. drone of hue bagpipés Yes, tomorrow does come in "lllllll Illlllll b, Rock and Rott jlllllllllliiiitc'i' Black Watch a musical spectacular - stATencooememtti1elt1efefy_. W " and drums. precision marching and counter- marching, and tradi- tional sword dancing. The men, chosen for the honor of carrying their musical tradi- tions across the seas for this cit-city North American tour. are representatives of the glorious military cus- toms ot Great Britain. "His message transcends in any genre of music be it rock or punk, there's no difference at all." "The show deals mainly with the judicial machinery and the infhr ence of the Supreme Court. After reading Isabel Le Bourdais" account of intrinsic revelations one could only conclude that Truscott‘s be. havior if he did indeed commit this crime was totally aberrated and highly unusual. Idon't suppose we'll know the shocking truth unless the real murderer steps forward." Rock and Roll is an evolutionary look at music and lifestyles. Gray maintains that music dictates life- style and vice versa. His song stylings and rock-a-baby insight into the whole naive scene of yes- teryear's entertainment world are refresingly candid and groove to the tune of solid gold. "There are various tones of music in Rock and Roll from Sereamin' Johtt's rock-a-billy mode to acapel- la" said Peterson. All members of the Monarchs have adjusted to a maudlin routine all tenuously surmising they've missed some golden opportunity. ' Brent, an enterprising sort, joins the band for a few extra bucks. after collecting bottles, shovelling snow, and delivering packages in a thankless day-to-day job. Peterson, in addition to Rock and Roll. recently finished taping A Scale of Justice based on the story of Steven Truscott. Peterson plays Truscott at ages H and 21. Peterson, who had done countless performances in the past 15 years, from the celebrated Billy Bishop Goes to War to the role of Mercurio in the Young People's Theatre production of Romeo and Juliet, is content and pleasantly nonchalanl about past theatrical accomplish- ments. He is played by Andrew Rhodes. who vamped memorably as the transexual monster-mind Frank N Furter in the Arts Club Theatre production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. he is one band member who ends up as an insur- ance adjuster, married to high school sweetheart Shirly (Babs Chula) longing for the 'daze of wild abandon.' "Oh, I don't know. I don't think I have a favorite production. You don't really dwell on it in the end, especially the bombs. It depends on the particular category. I just recall the plays I've enjoyed doing most as the memorable ones, like Rock and Roll." Their pageantry. music and dancing re- ttect this honorable his, tory in every skirl of the pipes and each swirl of the Kilt, mak- ing for an inspiring and truly memorable pre- scntatlon. Tickets are available from the And box of, Alec Willows and Jay Brazeau as Manny and Chink in John Gray's Rock and Roll. David C0090! photo , I Handel s Messiah extremely popular Handel's Messiah, the musical work which launched Mennonite Mass Choir 1 in 1973, will be performed by the Mennonite Mass Choir X at Kitchener's Centre In the Square Dec. 3 and 4. Professional soloists Paul Frey. Mar- garet Kuhl, Daniel Lichti and Henriette Cornies-Schellenberg will be featured with the 401Fperson choir, which will be accom- panied by the Kitchener-Waterloo Sym- phony Orchestra. Messiah was the musical work which launched Mennonite Mass Choir in Elmira in 1973, when nearly 400 singers from five regional choirs united under the baton of Abner Martin, the founding director of Memo Singers, the community choir spon- sor. Martin and his choir executive, who hoped to provide an opportunity for Men- nonite amateurs to perform in concert a major musical work, received overwhelm- ing response from participants and from those who came to hear. All performances held in the Elmira high school auditorium were sold out and dress rehearsal tickets were offered at a nominal price to those who were unable to purchase concert tickets. Since 1973. nearly 1,000 singers have participated in the annual Mass Choir. rgtggl"t works by Handel, Haydn, Men- deU n. Brahma and Vaughan Williams. 1'vegrf,' choir will perform under Jan Ove all. professor of - and conduct- lng at mum Laurier University, who became conductor of Menno Singers and Mass Choir in 1979. when Martin retired due to ill health. A _ _ Three of the four soloists appeared with the Mass Choir previously, in early stages of their careers. Paul Frey, a native of St. Jacobs. who sang the lead role in Sigmund Romberg's "Student Prince" at the 1982 Oktoberfest. will return from Switzerland to sing the tenor role. Contralto Margaret Kuhl, formerly of Kitchener, will return from Vancouver. Equally well-known is New Hamburg baritone, Daniel Lichti. The only newcomer is Winnipeg soprano Henriette Cornies-Schellenberg. who is often heard on CBC radio. Mass Choir's lath anniversary will be marked in two other ways. A Hymnsing will be held at the Centre in the Square Sunday, May 6, 1984. Tickets will be priced at under " to encourage participation from the public as well as Mass Choir alumni, who will have a reunion that day. A hymn-writing contest open to Ontario residents is the second highlight of this special anniversary year. In addition to winning a 8100.. prize. the winning hymn will be performed at the twinning... hill Tickets for this year's 8:00 pm. Saturday concert and the 2:30 pm. Sunday concert were quickly sold out and an additional concert has therefore been added Sunday Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. 36".; Hail-bk hom New