In rehearsal with Annie and Gypsy

April 23, 2014 · 0 Comments

“Let me entertain you, let me make you smile, let me do a few tricks, some old and then some new tricks, I’m very versatile!” Steven Sondheim’s lyrics from the 1959 musical Gypsy are a fitting mantra for Dale Lundy and Alison Port, the producers of the non-profit theatre company LP Productions, and the directors of Annie and Gypsy currently in rehearsal in Shelburne.The two have taken on every aspect of the double bill with their versatile talent and a handful of volunteers to open both shows at Grace Tipling Hall in mid May.

The Tony Award winning musical Annie, which was back on Broadway to rave reviews this year, is LP’s junior production, completely cast with young people. The story of the feisty orphan and her quest for a family is based on the popular 1930’s comic strip Little Orphan Annie. “It is every girl’s dream to play Annie,” says Alison Port of the lead role, which will be played by 11 year old Unique DeKrijger, a Shelburne homeschool student with a truly beautiful voice.

LP Productions considers working with young people and teaching them about theatre to be an important part of their mandate; “To produce,” says Port, “quality live theatre on a professional level, as best as we can, with amateur performers.” She knows actors can be “moulded easier from a young age” and so the company strives to be a “launching pad for young people with a vision of being in the performing arts.”

Both casts have been meeting two to three times a week since mid February, working with choreographer Kristen Gamache and musical director Lorne Derraugh, as well as the directors, Lundy and Port. Rehearsals are fun, but intensive, with the intention of each actor achieving their best performance. LP hopes more kids will join and that some of the established young actors will move into directing and choreographing roles, taking on small scenes to “get the feel of it from the other side.” Port notes that wonderful friendships are made amongst the kids, “It’s like a big extended family, and we all help each other.”

LP’s adult cast production, Gypsy, often called the greatest American musical, is loved, not only for its brilliant musical score, but for its complex characters loosely based on the vaudevillian lives of the famous stripper Gypsy Lee Rose, her sister movie actress June Havoc, and their indefatigable mother Rose Hovick. Although there are some hilarious portrayals of the world of burlesque in the show, Alison Port says it is not about stripping, “It is a story about a mother who’s own dreams of stardom crashed, who thinks she is doing everything for her kids, because that is what she wanted more than anything in the world for herself, if only she had the chance.” The lead role of Mama Rose is played by Ann Johnson, who says it is worth the drive from her home in Barrie to rehearse a role she was “born to play.”

Dale Lundy, who comes from a musical background, has lived in Orangeville all of his life and was involved with Theatre Orangeville, as well as the Orangeville Music Theatre along with Alison. Both have worked, and worn many hats, with Brampton Music Theatre, Caledon Town Players and the Century Church Theatre in Hillsburgh.

Alison Port, who immigrated to Canada in 1985, developed her love of music, dance and theatre in her hometown of Dundee, Scotland where every Sunday was musical day spent watching Fred Astaire, Judy Garland and Gene Kelly movies. “I absorbed everything, including the sets, costumes, music…the whole package.”

Lundy and Port combined their talents in 2010 to form LP Productions to give area kids an opportunity to be involved in theatre who could not afford the limited local opportunities available. Port does not see LP as competition for other Shelburne groups, but in compliment to their work, “We wanted to try different types of shows, to introduce a fresh new audience to theatre, to encourage people to step out and appreciate the arts and music.”

Port and Lundy believe in supporting all entertainment groups, because the more people get used to seeing shows, the more they will attend and enjoy them. “The theatre at Grace Tipling is getting used more now,” she says. “That’s what we wanted too, that’s why it was built.” All the ticket sales from LP Productions go back into funding the next show and Port says funding and volunteers are needed. “There never seems to be enough and we struggle to get it done by ourselves sometimes. We would like to make enough to get by from one show to the other without having to dip into our own pockets; we don’t want to ask for fees from cast members, otherwise we lose kids who can’t afford to be part of it.”

With the recent sell out of school matinees for Annie on May 16th and 17th, it seems Port’s hope “that people will start to take notice of what we are trying to do” is coming true. Sponsorships, and advertising spaces in the programs are available, and volunteers can contact LP Productions by e-mail at apgreatscot@gmail.com or phone 519 939-9038. Annie runs May 15, 16, 17 at 8 p.m.

Tickets for adults $15, students and seniors $12 with a matinée on May 17th at 2 p.m. Annie Matinee Tickets for adults $12, students and seniors $8. Gypsy previews May 22 at 8 p.m., and runs May 23, 24, 30, 31 at 8 p.m. with matinées on May 25th and June 1st at 2 p.m. Tickets for Adults $18, students and seniors $15. (Reduced rates for May 22nd preview night: adults $15 and students and seniors $12).

By Marni Walsh

In rehearsal, Kayla Dollimore portrays Molly, an orphan who wakes the other little girls with dreams of her mother in the opening scene of Annie produced by LP Productions. In the background, (left to right) Farrah Ghanem, Morgan Isaac, Gabriella Iusi, and Jamie Smith. Annie opens at Grace Tipling Hall May 15th.