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* Z C C 5 , T:. C UW grad brings intensity to Stratford‘s Orpheus Descending he Stratford Festival‘s l production of Orpheus Descending brings to the stage the least known of writer Tennessee Williams‘ great American plays, which include The Glass Menagerie, A Street Car Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. They are some of the definitive works of the American stage, yet it was Orpheus Descending and its forebearer. Battle of Angels, that Wiiliams slavishly returned to over his career, irying to refine the themes that dominated his other theatrical successes. That‘s because the root of the themes he successfully investigated in his big three plays got their start with what â€" was â€" considered Willtams‘ first fullâ€"length production. Themes of loneliness and desire, the search for freedom in a repressive society and the constant threat of violence ready to spring up at any time provided the public some of the starkest perâ€" sonas ever brought to the stage as embodied in charâ€" acters like Maggie the Cat and Big Daddy in Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, and Stanley Kowalski and Blanche Dubois in A Street Car Named Desire. And they are * Best Ribs & Chicken Contest * Entertainment * Classic Car Show * Craft Vendors a es KoD Iak 4 Headiine Act * Sat. 8:30pm 6 Steve Strongman _ "oor~ â€" presents x FRKEE APMISSION x s«s.. Rotary Club of By Bos Vrsanac Chronicle Staff www.ribfestguelph.com Guelphâ€"Trillium Jonathan Goad as Valentine Xavier and Seana McKenna as Lady Torrance. ARTS FOCUS CH) : Davit FoL rAOTD C a n a d i a n T her a pe ut ic C o l leg e _ even more pronounced in the two main characters of Orpheus Descending, Lady Torrance, a repressed shop keeper. and Valentine Xavier, a musical drifter looking for a home . The gifted Seana McKenâ€" na gives a searing perforâ€" mance as a heavily conflictâ€" ed Lady Torrance who is tryâ€" ing to reclaim some shred of her humanity stripped away by factors beyond her canâ€" trol in a small southern town. University of Waterloo graduate Jonathan Goad matches her in that intensiâ€" ty, getting another star turn at the Festival with his porâ€" trayal of Val Xavier, who is road weary and looking for a new start but can‘t seem to shake off the dark cloud that follows him. Goad exudes that raw sexual energy that a lat of women in the play and in the audience at large can glean from him when he first struts on to stage. But this is no preening rooster as we later find out, but more of a trapped songbird that never gets the true freeâ€" dom he seeks or speaks about. "Nobody ever gets to know nobody!" said Val. "We‘re all of us sentenced to solitary confinement in our own skins, for life!" But Val literally tries to shed his skin in the form of Continued on page 11 || Are you over 55 years old and bave time to weekâ€" day rehearsals and weekend performing for seniors audiences? If you do, call Volunteer Services at 888â€"6488. Do you have a talent for playing the piano? Do you have singing, dancing or other performing talents you are willing to share? Joseph Schneider Haus has partnered with local libraries to present the fourth annual Heart & Hand Festival. The festival will take place this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Joseph Schneider Haus. This handsâ€"on arts festival is free to the whole family and includes storytelling from around the world. live music, creative play for kids, and a tradiâ€" tional craft sale. For more information, visit www.region.waterâ€" loo.on.ca/heartandhand or call 742â€"7752. Songwriterfest 2005, Waterloo Region‘s indoor music event, will be held this Friday to Sunday. This second annual grassroots music festival will take place at five venues; the Delta Kitchener, 20 King Street Restaurant, the Boathouse restaurant and live music house, Oneâ€"Eyed Jack‘s and Fergie‘s. Between 75 and 100 local and outâ€"ofâ€"town songâ€" writers and musicians will be performing throughout the weekend in a variety of concerts, song circles and showcases. Registration begins at 5 p.m. on Friday at the Youth Kitchener Store, across from Kitchener City Hall. A pass for Friday and Saturday is $20, while single event tickets are $5. For more information, call 749â€"0551. Songwriterfest 2005 hits area this weekend Musical shows need spry seniors Storytelling festival this Saturday