BY APRIL ANTONIAZZI
for northern life
Patsy Cline, the chief justice for the Nuremburg trials, a 52-year-old widow, two brothers brought together by the death of their father, and boys with dreams of becoming famous pianists will grace the stage of the Sudbury Theatre Centre next season.
George Pothitos, artistic director for the theatre, unveiled the STC's 2006-2007 season revealing a mixture of comedy, drama, relationships, music and the ballet.
"What we try to do is create opportunities for people to see things they are not normally used to or things that they've always wanted to see," said Pothitos.
The theatre will show five plays during it's 36th season.
A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline, a play about the singer's life, will open the season in September.
It will be followed by Trying, written by Joanna McClelland Glass. It is the story of how an 81-year-old man, Judge Biddle, and a young woman hired to work with him, change each other's lives.
Other products are Heat Wave, the story of a widow dealing with life after the death of her controlling husband; Arthur Miller's The Price, and Two Pianos Four Hands, a musical about two boys trying to become famous pianists.
Everything from the sets, to the cast of each of these productions will be entirely produced in Sudbury at the theatre.
"It's like owning an original," explained Pothitos, since the productions don't tour.
The theatre's extra offerings, which will play during the holiday season, include James and the Giant Peach, and The Nutcracker Ballet put on by the Ontario Ballet Theatre Tour.
Plays like James and the Giant Peach which are geared to the entire family, give children the opportunity to see the dramatic work that the theatre does and shows them it's scope, said Pothitos.
When choosing the plays for this year, as in previous years, Pothitos wanted stories that would touch the audience's heart, be accessible and most importantly, be plays that Sudburians will have an "affinity" to.
"A major criteria is that they are stories for the community, not necessarily about the community. Stories of people maybe they've never seen but there's a connection to their lives," explained Pothitos.
In choosing each play Pothitos attempts to incorporate different genres and subjects to appeal to different people in the community and to provide something new.
Attending these performances, said Pothitos is a good way for Sudburians to support the arts while being entertained.
For those who want to support the arts through sports the theatre's fundraiser for the season will be an indoor mini-golf tournament called the P.G.Eh! The tournament, held in January, will give golfers a chance to keep their skills up through the winter. Teams will be a mix of experienced golfers and beginner golfers and will putt at each of the nine holes throughout the STC.
The theatre's 35th season ends this month with the final performance of the season, Little Shop of Horrors opens April 28. For tickets, phone 674-8381.
