One act plays a hit for Okotoks

By Tamara Neely
Staff Reporter

Okotoks-based theatre companies raked in awards at this year’s Foothills One Act Play Festival.
The festival took place on Friday and Saturday at the Foothills Centennial Centre, with four theatre companies participating. A theatre instructor from Saskatchewan was invited to adjudicate the event, choosing best director, actor, actress, play and runner-ups.
The Okotoks-based companies had good odds; of the nine plays in the festival, the Dewdney Players, who hosted the event, had four plays in the festival and Gypsy Cabaret Theatre Society had one.
Dewdney Players members’ production Heart in the Ground won four of the eight awards, Gypsy Cabaret won three and the Windmill Players based in High River won one.
Dale Fea, in her directorial debut – since university, that is – won best director; Paul Rancourt won best actor; his co-star Florence Maione won runner-up best actress; and Heart in the Ground, which Fea called a tear-jerker, won runner-up best play.
The Gypsy Cabaret won best play for their two-person show Babel Rap, with director and actor Derek Losoncy winning runner-up best director and his co-star Matt Molyneux winning runner-up best actor.
Carla Schmidt, who is a member of the Wyndmill Players, won best actress for her performance in Relative Strangers, a production that she also directed.
The Dewdney Players and the Gypsy Cabaret performed their productions for a special sitting at the newly-opened Rotary Performing Arts Centre on Sunday, performing for the love of theatre – and for donations to the food bank.
Fea, who lives in Okotoks, was surprised to land best director. She wasn’t even expecting to direct Heart in the Ground. She said she chose a nice, uplifting 10-minute play called After the Matinee, which she also directed for the festival.
Directing Heart in the Ground came accidentally as a favour to lead actress Maione.
“It’s an extremely emotional play,” said Fea, who initially was comfortable signing up to direct the light-hearted After the Matinee. “At first I thought, My God, I’m not sure I can handle this.”
The two-person show features the emotional control of leads Rancourt and Maione, who, said Fea, are very good, very experienced actors who get in touch with their emotions.
“And working with Paul (Rancourt) and Florence (Maione) is a delight,” said Fea.
Fea also praised Annette Kavalinas for creating “amazing” costumes and husband and wife team Barb Cook and Doug Howard, who were instrumental in the smooth operation.
“Barb keeps us informed and in order, and Doug, when we need things built, he does it,” she said.
Being behind the scenes, they don’t get acknowledgement often enough. Though, she said, the list of people who were key to pulling off the festival with success goes on and on.

By Tamara Neely
Staff Reporter

Billy Manzik, slated to entertain the cream of Canada’s music industry at the Juno Awards reception, will play The Stop on Saturday at 8 p.m. accompanied by his band. photo submitted

A Calgary-based musician invited to play for approximately 2,000 guests of the Juno Awards will first play a show at The Stop in Black Diamond on Saturday for an audience the size of a house party .
The invitation to play the Juno Awards in Calgary welcome reception came as a surprise to Billy Manzik and his band.
Perhaps the Juno party planners caught wind of him after his debut self-titled album hit No. 8 on CKUA’s charts in February. Or, perhaps someone checked him out at the many festivals he played over the past year and figures he’ll do a good job of entertaining the music industry. Or maybe someone really likes his music and is giving him a big break. However it happened, Manzik and his band are honoured and excited.
Manzik described his musical style as folk but with many different influences and the themes he looks at with his songs are, like many songwriters, a reflection of life around him, including heartbreak and investigations into the workings of the world.
“My ultimate goal is to write songs for humanity that anyone can identify with, that’s what I hope for,” said Manzik. “We want our lyrics to be simple, to connect with people.”
He and his band also like a good groove.
The show starts at 8 p.m. Reserve tickets by calling The Stop at (403) 933-3002.

Artist’s storied career being celebrated

By Tamara Neely
Staff Reporter

Millarville area resident Neel de Wit works on a piece in her studio. The renowned artist and two friends are holding an art show and sale this Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Calgary. photo submitted

There are people in this world that are like magnets attracting people to them with a big fun window into the world as they see it.
One’s guess is Neel de Wit, who is in her 90s, is like that. She is a painter, she plays viola, she built her own barn on her acreage near Millarville with friends and year after year hosted an annual weekend of music in the barn.
This weekend de Wit, together with two other artist friends, will host an art sale that has become an annual event. The sale offers a chance to see into de Wit’s world through her art and through her friends.
Carole Bondaroff, who has known de Wit for 30 years, will be showing etchings and Anna Carnell who has known de Wit for going on 15 years, will be showing stone mosaics and de Wit will be showing water colour and oil paintings.
The art show and sale will be held in a wing of the seniors’ residence in Hillhurst where de Wit lives during the week.
Art and music have been a passion for de Wit and have been the centripetal force drawing ideas, rhythm and colour into her mind, making it a vibrant place for musicians, artists and friends to come and visit and stay awhile. Her acreage is also a fun place to visit, especially at the
annual Mid-Summer Music Weekend.
The weekend draws in people de Wit has connected with through playing viola with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and the Civic Orchestra.
Carnell is charmed by de Wit’s mind, art and lifestyle.
“She leads a very rustic, simple life,” observed Carnell. “She is totally unique and committed to exploring beauty. She’s great.”
Music and art drew Bondaroff, a Calgary resident, Carnell, a Black Diamond resident and de Wit together and since de Wit’s events often turn into a party, the art show may well be a good time.
The art sale will be held at the Norfolk House, located at 1118 Kensington Rd. NW in Calgary. The public is invited to drop by Friday 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.