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26 + WATERLOO CHRONICLE + Wednesday, December 19. 2 ~$105 " o . hss & | k m 1 } io o T | ccmenngs o | Reg: $149.99 . E on sale for 1. : ) _ $139.99 Canon S EL P H Y >610 «[WV LET iT WORK FOR YOU WATERLOO CHRONICLE 519â€"886â€"2830 Bent‘s CP750 The Blyth Festival‘s 2008 seaâ€" son brings a wealth of comedy, drama and headline news to the stage. Artistic director Eric Coates describes the upcoming plays as, "... stories that truly reflect life in this region â€" on the farm and in the small communities that make Huron County such a fascinating place. "It‘s always been a great joy for our audience to identify with the characters onstage, and this seaâ€" son is a salute to the ongoing relationship of life and art." Don‘t miss a moment as the 2008 season includes four world premigres sure to take the audiâ€" ence‘s breath away. Coates has nothing but praise for the people who have supportâ€" ed the Blyth Festival as well as those who have recently invested in Blyth‘s main street. "Tourists and local residents alike now have the opportunity to visit some wonderful specialty shops that really give the town some added spice." Staged by Canada‘s premier creative and performing artists, Blyth‘s 2008 season is playful, captivating, engaging, magical and funny. In Against the Grain by Carâ€" olyn Hay, Henry Jamieson has a dream. $11499" "Blyth‘s core has had a remarkable facelift in recent months. Blyth Festival announces 2008 lineup Memory Card Siots muam °8 *After $25 mail in rebate Where some people see barren 200 7 OFFER ENDS DECEMBER 31st, 200 **After $15 mail in rebate foto source*~ land, Henry only sees opportuniâ€" ty. After a lifetime of hard work, Henry has built himself an empire of Manitoba grain. Laughs abound in the second offering of 2008 when Ken Cameron‘s Harvest hits the stage. Seen through the eyes of his young granddaughter, the story of Henry‘s life is distilled into one fateful and _ unforgettable moment. This sweeping family drama provides lots of laughs to balance the epic struggle between father and son. Based on the playwright‘s family history, Against the Grain follows one man‘s rise to power as he sacrifices everything for the sake of the almighty dollar. Allan and Charlotte have retired from farming, and even though they‘ve sold the land and moved to a tidy little condo in town, they can‘t bear to part with the old farmhouse itself. Sure enough, Ron‘s behavior soon starts to make them uneasy â€" he pays his rent in cash, he has no furniture and his roommate is a very businesslike Rottweiler. When Ron suddenly disapâ€" pears, Allan and Charlotte discovâ€" er that their old house is still But who will take the reins of the family business if his son David doesn‘t wake up and seize the opportunity? So, they rent it to Ron, a nice young man who seems too good to be true. Both hilarious and sobering, Harvest is based on the true story of a couple that nearly lost their life savings when "a nice young man" turned their Elgin County family farm into a marijuana growâ€"op. Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage (working title} by Alice Munro will be adapted for the stage by Marâ€" cia Johnson and will premiére in late August 2008. being used for farming, but the crop isn‘t exactly legal. "It had all begun with Sabitha saying, ‘We have to go by the post office. 1 have to send a letter to my dad.‘" In this story, two teenage girls play an idle game that spins out of control when boredom turns into mischief. Inspired by their game, the girls write a Aurry of fraudulent love letters to Johanna, a hard working, but unwitting houseâ€" keeper. Believing that the letters come from an honourable man, Johanâ€" na revels in the hope that she can leave her housekeeping days behind her. When she makes a daring choice, it changes the course of her life and of those around her. No other writer has ever capâ€" tured the essence of life in Huron County quite the way that Munro has. The Blyth Festival is honoured to present this play, adapted from 96 King St. South, Waterloo 519â€"886â€"1320 www.hentsfotosource.ca Call the box office at 519â€"523â€" 9300 or toll free at 1â€"877â€"862â€"5984 for tickets and information. Online booking is available and more information is available at www.blythfestival.com. the work of Canada‘s greatest short story writer. After a trial that lasted only 15 days, Truscott was sentenced to death. But the question remains, how could such a thing happen in Clinton, Ont.? In the tradition of The Outâ€" door Donnellys, the Blyth Festival leaves judgment to the courts, but trains a spotlight on human nature in this compelling chapter of local history. Playful Pass packages offer great savings and make a wanâ€" derful gift for giving this holiday season. And to cap this season of outâ€" standing Canadian theatre Beverâ€" ley Cooper introduces Truscott (working title). In Clinton, Ont., on June 12, 1959, Steven Truscott was arrested for the murder of Lynne Harper, a 12â€"yearâ€"old child. He was 14 years old. Fortyâ€"eight â€" years | later, Truscott‘s name has been cleared. Playwright Cooper tackles this delicate subject with great sensiâ€" tivity to the past, present and future, as she explores the farâ€" reaching effects of crime and punishment. ~$10 =