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70 year veteran of the stage directs at Tipling

April 9, 2016   ·   0 Comments

At nearly 82, area theatre veteran Bev Nicholas brings a wealth of experience to Tipling Stage Company’s next production as the director of Murder Mistaken.

Starting at the age of 12 in Wales, Mr. Nicholas has been involved in theatre for over 70 years, working professionally “on both sides of the pond” with top class little theatre companies, along with some television and radio work.

Nicholas says highlights of his long career include playing Billy Bigelow in the musical Carousel back in 1960 and winning the Best Comedian Award at the International Festival of Light Opera in Waterford, Ireland, also in the 60’s, playing Brazil in La Vie Parisienne by Offenbach.

In the Toronto theatre scene, Nicholas spent well over a decade, 1988- 2001, performing in what has been billed as “North America’s longest running theatrical production,” The Mousetrap, which ran for nearly 30 years at Toronto Truck Theatre.

However, Nicholas says there are no parallels between the two shows; “The Mousetrap is a ‘whodunnit,’ but in Murder Mistaken we know the murderer from early in the play.” The question is “will that person get away with it?” says the director.

Murder Mistaken marks Mr. Nicholas’ seventh show with the Tipling Stage Company. He has worked with the company on three plays, as well as three pantomimes which he wrote and won a THEA, an Association of Community Theatre of Central Ontario (ACTCO) award, for writing Jack and the Beanstalk.

He was also nominated for best comedy role as the Maharajah of Magador in Aladdin, which he also wrote and directed.

Nicholas says the theatre space at Shelburne Town Hall is excellent for plays, and especially for Pantomimes or other musicals because of its stage apron. Murder Mistaken opens at the theatre on May 6th and Nicholas says it is a show that he saw in the 1950’s, “loved it and swore that I would direct it at some time.”

“The great writing of playwright Janet Green and the suspense and wonderful acting roles,” make it great fun for both the actors and the audience, he says.

Tipling Stage Company describes Murder Mistaken, as a tale “revolving around Edward Bare, an attractive, charming and likeable, but ruthlessly ambitious young man married to a rich, doting wife many years his senior. He thinks she is about to change her will and decides he must hasten her end. Unfortunately, he finds himself with less than he had when she was alive, but quickly finds himself a wealthy widow.

“She’s wise enough, however, to keep a tight hold on the purse strings to his increasing frustration. Then, another rich woman arrives on the scene… What happens next? You’ll have to come to the show to find out.”

The production is in the early stages of rehearsals, but Mr. Nicholas reports the play has “an excellent cast” and will begin more in-depth rehearsals starting this week.

The cast is made up of experienced actors seen in a variety of roles at Tipling Hall, he says, with a few directors from past shows also acting.

“We have a good cast, good set designer, and a good crew,” he says. “It’s going to be a very good show and I’m looking forward to it.”

The cast includes: Josh Oatman; Michelle White, Lori Singer, Jean Jardine Miller, who is also stage managing, Jo Hubbard, and Chris Wright, with Paul Welch designing the set.

Murder Mistaken officially opens May 6, and continues its run May 7, 13 and 14 at 8 p.m., and May 8 at 2 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased online via the website and will soon be available at Shelburne locations.
By Marni Walsh

         

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