The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

is written hy Daniel Maclvor, a native of Nova Scotia. Long-lime Theatre and Company set designer Herr nis Mom has taken an excit- ing new root hydirecting this Canadian "comedy, which takes place on Cape Breton Island. It is the story of three sisters who' have much traveled very different T,1i',itrri': and Company is presenting its last play from yet another great season from May l8 to lune ll at the King Street TheatreCentre. "He (untamed me ihrough my agent. and said he'd hem following my career for the last 20 years and thought I'd be a good fit for this role" Theatre and Co. opens last play of season Lance together when l was in high school and he was in university in London khtt.)," Grant explained. "Michael and I actually played in the Pirates of Pen- She was unnamed last full by Michael Hourgun. up head of the Waterloo Emor- lainmem Centre, about fill- ing the rule ofartistic direc, mr for a new theatre ven- lure. Mnlulu 's Gram is a stage veteran with mum dirvctorial and choreography credits, including Stratford, Canadi- an Opera Company and Opera Ontario. L: theatre is returning to ptown Waterloo. A new company. called Theatre Athena, will make its home at the, Waterloo Entertainment Centre - formerly the Waterloo Stage Theatre __ this fall. "The Waterloo 1intertain- ment Centre and Theatre Athena will anchor the local arts community. and we are looking forward to Present- ing everything from opera. dance. comedies, musicals, drama and more." mid Alli, \tlll Grunt, llteatrc Athena's Ht'th artistic director. "lt'v, exciting to be part otitis." This play, Marjqn Bridge, Theatre Athena bursts oiiiiii- Wtttttrllott'tt entertainment scene for Us! of tecrores w " P9 ----- BY ANDRM mun Chronicle Slim" wanna St Nonhia. lodmer Blvd [ Kitchener - $blUalrt-- M "rh.trttOhtt _ J ' .M. - 'WW "535; ”mm thulm 5’13?” ' Fstmiiir, J7iiaii'ri;, Hm - "Mm than-WWW“! Mgr/1?. :0. 21, " _ IO C Sm KerooHrroLUuGrT It-? Bingoman: te.tmktrirts -'.m..'“"“ This play is very much about disproving the theory that you can't go home again. It might take awhile to remember hut we all have rainbows in our past. "lf there's one thing I want people to lake home with them, it's the feeling that they should call up their mom and dad or a family member they haven't spoken to in a long time," says Horn. paths in life but all return to the family home to care for their terminally ill mother. "I've been heavily involved with opera for a longtime. but it takes me away from home u lot. "He caught me on the right day." she said. " With just asking myself what I was goi ng to do next. Grant said the offer couldn'l have come itt a hep tertime, Allison Grant, whose years of experience in theatre include time spent with the Stratford Festival, Canadian Opera Com- pany and Opera Ontario, is Theatre Athena's new artistic director. The actors are Sara ycruc (om ARTSFOC "his wonderful to be able to bring a piece by a very talented Canadian play- wright to our stage, espe- cially one set in Daniel Maclvor's native Maritimes," says artistic director Stuart Scadmn-Waltles. "That said, I selected this piece for Genevieve Sleele. Sara Gilchrist, Alyson Scadron Branner and Genevieve Steele -- all resident artists. Gilchrist was last seen in the double-hilt Olranna/r.ducating Rita, and Scadron Branner in Ten TimesTwo. “I take my cum. from them," she said. "And they've said that there's a lot of enthusiasm behind this "This came along at exactly the right lime." Grant. who lives in ’lummn. says she's quite familiar with Waterloo, haw ing family and friends who live here. I reduces the level of bacteria, yeast and mold micro-orymtisms in carpeting by an average of 92.5% I wall to wall and arm rugs Do you stiffer from allergies? CARPErttEDTaTrE SUBMITVED more Nottody Clean, Heller Thart Slnmalk! (5 l 9) 893-0046 For tickets and more information. call the box office at 571 Ar928. Gilchrist and Alyson Scadron Branner, resident artist/actors who are work- ing together again for the first time since our 2004 production of Melamor» phases, and am delighted to have it directed by Dennis Horn, a resident designer for whom this play has a special place in his heart. I know that we're all going to expe- rience an intimate and heartfelt piece of well-writ. ten theatre." For more information un Theatre Athena. visit www.waterlooentertain, mentcemre.com . "Whether it's a comedy or a drama - we want to hit you in the gut-. to make you feel something," Gram said. Rounding out the season will he Mother Goose. Bach at Leipzig. The Drawn Boy and Private Lives. "I could have cast the shows 10 limes over." It's sure to he a great first season, she added. Theatre Athena will kick off in Seplemher with the comedic musical Menopos- hive! "We saw 780 applications for acting roles." she said. "And almost every one of those applicants was incredible. "We're still looking for a technical director." As for actors. Grant said she recently sax through five full days of auditions to hire for 25 positions. Cali us "Right now we're basical- ly starting with an empty stage," she said. "But I've been hiring some old friends from Stanford to do some of the behind-the, scenes work. Grant said Athena will employ talented performers and staff, some of whom have been featured in well- known companies such as the Stratford Festival. - it's time for Waterloo to have its own theatre compa- ny." Valevle Moon a ttii-tttut-tqt- 519.519.3950 Visit our large showroom for Residential 8 Commercial Awnings Tickets can be ordered by calling the Draymn Fes- tival Theatre box office at SIS-6386555 or loll free at I-888-449-4463. To find out more about the 2006 season. visit www.draytoMestivattheatre.com. Alex Saslove is thoroughly delightful as Anne's hest friend. the guileless young Diana Barry. and lill Diane Filion is exceedingly funny as the curmud- geonly Mrs. Lynda Anne of Green Gables plays eight shows a weel through lune IO. Louie Rossetti crafts the perfect nuisance and love interest as the teasing Gilbert Blythe. His enticing portrayal is a delight to watch as Gilbert's admiration and antics towards Anne intensify. spurring Anne's red-blooded temper to sometimes get the best of her. As the austere Marilla Cuthbert, Valerie A. Hawkins masterfully embodies her complex charao ter's steely exterior, and casts a formidable presence on stage. _ Renowned performer Douglas Chamberlain has returned to the Draytnn stage in impeccable form. as he completely inhabits the principal role of elderly Matthew ( Zuthhen. A 20-year veteran with the Strat- ford Festival and H seamns with the Charlottetown Festival, Chamberlain is u captivating performer and wears his character; tender heart on his sleeve with great sincerity. _ As the idealistic and precocious Anne Shirley. Toulmin carries the entire production with ease - seamlessly blending humour and spunk, longing and vulnerability, along with great vocals into the per- formalise. In doing so. she captures the youthful heart and spirit of her red'hcaded character, Toul- min is no stranger to the role, having played the character for four yéars at the Charlottetown Festival. Jennifer 'lhulnlill is extrem lille rule of this magical musical Having played Josie Pye at the Charlottetown Fes- tival in the L960s and returned as dirvctor/choreog- raphvr in the 1990s. Proctor incorporates her inti- mate knowledge of the material to provide astute direction. Her choreography entices the audience with an alluring presentation that utilizes beautiful music and impressive sets to her advantage to tell this beloved story. The play is an extraordinary ensemble production with 24 talented performers who skillfully work together to bring out the imaginative spirit in us all. As the productions director and choreographer. Di Nyland Proctor draws on her extensive experience with Anne ot' Green (iahlvs - a connection that spam over 40 years. Based on the first book by Prince lidward Island writer Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874- 1942). Anne of Green Gables is an idyllic portrayal of youth with universal appeal. Anne of Green Gables, the/irresistible tale about life. love. and yes, ice cream, opens the theatre's 16th season on a high note. he renowned Drayton Festival Theatre has I launched its ambitious 2006 season with one of the most popular and longest-running musi- cals in Canadian theatre history 1r1limhmmrthtttMthmtthtgxtutt Drayton's new season now underway is extremely appculing in the