Herve Cavanaugh and Garry Welsh examine a well-censored letter from home.
MapleLeaf Up/MapleLeaf Down, a musical revue by David Jacklin. Our inaugural production, mounted in cooperation with various Royal Canadian Legion Branches across Eastern Ontario, the show was a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. It was not intended to be more than a one-off production, but its success spurred the establishment of BDP as a permanent group. Cast: Hervé Cavanagh, Peter Coon, Patti Greer, Brenda Healey, Joanne Oatway, Garry Welsh, Steve Whittaker. Musicians: Clarinet/Sax: Peter Wand; Sax: Don MacKay; Trumpet: Shelley Smith; Piano: Cheryl Jacklin; Bass: Mike Erion. April/May 1995 .
Janice Reid as Elvira and David Bird as Charles
Blithe Spirit, a comedy by Sir Noel Coward. The first production of our first full season, Blithe Spirit firmly established BDP's reputation of professionalism and high energy. Following the touring idea of MapleLeaf, the show played in Perth, Carleton Place and Smiths Falls, an exhausting schedule for community performers. Cast: Ruth, Barb Guthrie; Edith, Heather Keyes; Charles, David Bird; Dr. Bradman, Sandy Rankin; Mrs. Bradman, Patti Greer; Madame Arcati, Janice Jacklin; Elvira, Janice Reid; the Voice of Daphne, Sean Jacklin. October 1995.
No surviving photos of this production, though!
Lovers And Other
Strangers, 5 comedies by Renee Taylor and Joseph
Bologna. The nature of this show gave us an opportunity to
let five directors work separately; brought back together,
the show was hysterically funny and proved to be our
breakthrough show -- audience nearly doubled over previous
work. Again, a touring show. Cast:
Brenda, Susan Code; Jerry, Mike Erion;
Mike, Eric Craig; Susan, Heather Keyes;
Johnny, Garry Welsh; Wilma, Wendy Laut;
Hal, Brent McLaren; Cathy, Barb Guthrie;
Bea, Ruth Craig; Frank, Gerry Cann;
Richie, Sandy Rankin; Joan, Christine Graves.
Directors: Janice Jacklin, Ruth Armstrong, David Bird,
Jeremy Dutton, David Jacklin. February/March 1996
Jamie Schoular, David Bird and Jeremy Dutton
The Taming of the
Shrew, by William Shakespeare. Our first
"Shakespeare In The Garden", at the Perth Manor Heritage
Inn, this was a scary undertaking, as we had no idea of how
it would work out. With a cast of twentyr and four
musicians, it worked out beautifully. Costumes, garden,
lights, performances and even the weather were exceptional
and created the base for a continuing relationship with the
Manor. Cast: Lucentio, Chris
Van Wingerden; Tranio, Mark Sentesy; Baptista,
Sandy Rankin; Gremio, Robert Del Grande;
Katharina, Patti Greer; Hortensio, Jamie
Schoular; Bianca, Carolyn Sutherland;
Biondello, Shaun Palmer; Petruchio, David
Bird; Grumio, Jeremy Dutton; Curtis, Eleanor
Simone; Nathaniel, Eric Craig; Philip, Terra
Rubicha; Joseph, Ira Sentesy; Nicholas, Rob
Umpherson; Peter, Corina MacLean; The Tailor,
Jeanne Jenner; The Pedant, Mike Erion;
Vincentio, Timothy Molloy; The Widow, Tracy
Brown. Musicians: Joe & Barb Martin; Bridget &
Patrick Fitzgerald. June 1996.
Bitume,
television spot. That summer we were approached by Radio
Canada (French language CBC television) to put together a
1-minute segment on Perth's famous duel. The day-long shoot
(on the hottest day of the year, in a sun-baked field) gave
5 local performers a chance to work on a professional
television shoot. The series ("Bitume" means "Pieces of
Earth") airs on French language TV and our spot can be seen
occasionally, late at night. Cast: David Bird, Jonathan
Tyrell, Greg Kelford, Steven Whittaker, Shaun
Palmer. August 1996