Belleville Theatre Guild

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Press Release
October 5th, 2011

The Belleville Theatre Guild,  - 256 Pinnacle Street, Belleville
(613) 967-1442

Cast Members, Jitters, Left to Right
Bill Petch, Lynette Thibeau, Ozz MacDonald, Colin Leonard, Heather Muir, Mike Leeming, Shalyn Gurr, Chris Marshall

Diamond Anniversary Opens With Jitters

Belleville: The Belleville Theatre Guild is proud to present the first production of their 60th Anniversary Season, Jitters.

This Canadian comedy was written by David French, a playwright born in 1939 in Newfoundland’s outport, Coley’s Point.

This sophisticated comedy was first performed in 1979 and it was an instant critical and commercial success. In just a few years, the play was produced in nearly every regional theatre in Canada and enjoyed several American performances as well.

The action begins on the night of a preview of a new play, “The Care and Treatment of Roses”. Within minutes, the audience is plunged into the world of the theatre, a world of instant loves and hates, easily bruised egos, contradictory interpretations of role and script — and complicated by crises involving faulty props, lost lines, and bad reviews, and all magnified by the opening night Jitters, of the cast crew, writer and director.

Our cast features familiar talent like Bill Petch, Heather Muir, Mike Leeming and Chris Marshall and we introduce newcomers Colin Leonard, Ozz MacDonald, Lynette Thibeau and Shalyn Gurr. They portray a hysterical playwright, a diva-ish leading lady, a leading man with an easily bruised ego, insecure supporting actors, a sarcastic stage manager, a sexy seamstress, a faulty bathroom door, and a director trying to hold it all together.

Each production in our anniversary season has been done by our theatre in the past. Jitters was originally done in April 1982 and there is a unique link between the two shows. Steve Forrester was the director and he performs in this production. Also, Roli Tipper of Tipper Financial Services was in that production and Bill Petch who is a long term employee, is in this one. Tipper is our media sponsor at Quinte Broadcasting. Also performing in that first BTG production were Larry Malham, Dianne Burley, Cliff Hoy, Miron Melnyk and Michael Schmidtt.
When director Liz Marshall was asked, why she chose this play, she said, “ I remember how much I enjoyed the production that Steve did in 1982 and I’ve always loved plays about theatre people (Noises Off, Odeum!). When I read the script again, I realized what a delightful tribute it was to theatre people everywhere, community or professional: to the actors who put themselves in front of an audience, night after night; to the people who support them backstage; and to the audience who applaud their efforts, never imagining the craziness that often occurs in order to get the show on the road. Why did I choose this play? Because I’m a theatre person and I love it!”

The Belleville Theatre Guild offers elevator service right in to the theatre, a barrier-free washroom and room in the front row for wheel chairs and other mobility devices.

Jitters runs from October 13th through the 29th. There are 13 performances, including 2 Sunday matinees. Tickets are just $18.00 and can be purchased through our box office at 613-967-1442 or on line at www.bellevilletheatreguild.ca.

Subscriber tickets are still available and they have been kept at the unbelievably low price of all five plays for $75.00. Don’t let this bargain get away.

Join in the Celebration! And please “like” us on Facebook!

Submitted by
Debra Tosh
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