Shelburne Free Press
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Export date: Fri Mar 29 5:49:40 2024 / +0000 GMT

New Year’s Eve takes Centre Stage at CDRC




By Marni Walsh

 

LP Stage Productions and company brought New Year's Eve centre stage at the Centre Dufferin Recreation Complex on December 31 with a free performance for the whole community to enjoy.

Poor road conditions hampered attendance, but a small, enthusiastic crowd took in “Any Dream Will Do” as part of their end-of-year celebrations.

“We have wanted to do something like this for a few years now,” said LP Stage Productions driving force Alison Port, “but because of the time frame with other shows, Christmas, and getting commitment from performers, it has never happened.

Port says she and LP co-producer Dale Lundy put the idea out to the Oliver! cast back in September to see if there was interest.

“It seemed easier to combine rehearsals for Oliver and New Year's at the same time.”

The company had hoped to have more children on board and adults were difficult to pin down on New Year's Eve. However, the ten person cast rehearsed on their own time and came together two days before to put on a great Broadway review for the audience.

“We were all pretty much learning independently, except for ensemble numbers,” said Ms. Port.

With few family events for New Year's in Shelburne, the producers at LP Stage Productions “thought it would be nice to give something back to the community who support our shows,' said Ms. Port.

As staffing at Grace Tipling Hall, where LP performances are usually staged, was problematic on New Year's Eve, the company decided on the Town and Country Room in the arena where there was already a free skate for the public.

“We would love to get the Town onboard for events like this in the future, so all of Shelburne would benefit from it,” said Ms. Port. “Then people can stay in town and avoid travelling.”

The theme for the evening, “Any Dream Will Do,” inspired by a song from the Broadway sensation Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, was very fitting for the musical New Year's celebration.

“People make resolutions, with hopes of new changes, dreaming of new things,” said Alison Port. “Plus, we all have a million songs we love, so a theme helps narrow it down a bit,” she said.

Performers and highlights included Dale Lundy and Alison Port as the leads in “Master of the House” from Les Miserable; Kristen Gamache's gutsy performance in “It's An Art” from Working; Danielle Marie's portrayal of “Nothing” from A Chorus Line; Jason Riedel's full bodied “If I Were A Rich Man” from Fiddler on the Roof; Chris Warzin's appealing baritone in “Any Dream Will Do”; and the beautiful soprano voice of Melissa Worswick performing “I Dreamed A Dream” from Les Miserable; along with other strong performances from Sarah Alexander, Emma Springer, Darren Worswick and Jaxzon Allen.

“Hopefully this event can grow in the future,” says Ms. Port, “perhaps with someone outside of our other shows willing to take it on.”

LP Stage Productions welcomes any new people who are interested in performing next year. For more information on LP Stage Productions and their up and coming show The Lion King Jr. visit: www.lpstageproductionsinc.com 1.
Links:
  1. http://www.lpstageproductionsinc.com
Post date: 2017-01-11 16:58:10
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Post modified date: 2017-01-11 16:58:10
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