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GREG KIELEC greg.kielec@eap.on.ca A haunting production of A Nice Family Gathering
A Nice Family Gathering doesn’t have the star appeal of the 1990 Hollywood tear- jerker Ghost, starring Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze. But it does have one thing in common – an unexpected visitor from the other side. The latest offering from Upper Canada Playhouse centers around a Thanksgiving dinner at the Lundeen family home, the first such gathering since the family’s patriarch passed away unexpectedly. Much like the Hollywood blockbuster, un- settled business keeps Dad in A Nice Family Gathering from entering the sweet hereaf- ter. But that is where the plots diverge; in Ghost, Sam targets his love Molly to send her warnings from beyond, but in family gathering, Dad chooses the black sheep of the family, his son Carl. The resulting chaos when Carl, played by Richard Bauer, realizes he is still being haunted by his Dad, much like he was in real life, makes for some great entertainment. But the play is not without its serious mo- ments, especially as it wends its way to its conclusion. In an especially touching mo- ment, Mom, played by Linda Goranson, desperately reaches out for her departed husband, played by Doug Tangney, as the son Carl acts as a channel between the two. It is a heart wrenching moment played so convincingly by the three principals that many in the audience could be seen dab- bing their eyes as a quiet a pall fell over the theatre. But the somberness is only tempo- rary – moments later the family returns to its typical joie de vivre to deliver an upbeat ending to the story. Rounding out the cast are Jamie Williams, who plays the successful son, Michael, his emotional wife Jill, played with aplomb by Kate Gordon, and the oft-overlooked sister, Stacy, played by Liz Gilroy. Adding to the drama is Jerry, played by Don Ciaschini, a family friend and old golf- ing partner of dearly departed Dad, who becomes suspected of ulterior motives in his friendship with Mom. The Cornwall Motor Speedway had their annual Fireball Enduro, the ‘’WWE of rac- ing on Sunday. More than 300 cars were in the pits to participate in the different events involving four, six and eight-cylinder powered cars. The afternoon started with the 50-lap la- dies event. Jodi Pynenburg was the fastest of 39 entrants and won her second feature in a row after winning in 2011. The men`s six-cylinder then took the track
Michael Lundeen, far right, confronts a friend of the family he suspects of preying upon his widowed mother, while the ghost of Dad, played by DougTangney andMichael’s brother Carl, far left, looks on during Upper Canada Playhouse’s production of ANice Family Gathering.
days at 2 p.m. Call 613-543-3713 or 1-877-550-3650 or go to www.uppercanadaplayhouse.com for more information. The Phil Olsen comedy was originally pro- duced in Los Angeles at The Group Reperto- ry Theatre, where it received an LA WEEKLY Pick of theWeek. It went on to be produced at the famous Groundlings Theatre as well as in Rochester, Minn. at the national play- wright competition. A field of 47 cars took green in the 50-lap eight-cylinder feature race. The event also proved to be tough on cars with only 10 of the entrants completing the race won by former street stock regular, Jody Beckstead. The fifth and final feature of the day saw 65 cars jockeying for position in the second four-cylinder race. Regular mini-stock run- ner Mathieu Aubin won the final race of 2012. The eduro completes the 2012 season at
It also won the Rochester Playwright Festival and the TRU New Voices Play- wright Competition, was a finalist in the The Robert J. Pickering Award for Play- writing Excellence, the Phoenix Theatre’s Festival of Emerging American Theatre, the Ukiah Players New Comedy Festival as well as the Chesterfield Writer’s Film Project. The screenplay was a finalist in the Chi- cago Film Festival Indiefest. Cornwall Motor Speedway, which acknowl- edges all its fans, race teams and sponsors for all their support throughout the racing year. For more information on the upcom- ing events at the speedway, fans can visit the speedway’s website at www.cornwall- speedway or join the speedway on Face- book at www.facebook/cornwallmotor- speedway for useful information and fun contests.
The play has its serious moments as fam- ily members wrestle with their own ghosts from the past, but there is plenty of levity, much of it via one-liners deadpanned with ease by Goranson, often at the expense of one of her children. A Nice Family Gathering is directed by Donnie Bowes and runs until Sept. 30 at the Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg. Shows are Tuesdays through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sun- with 73 cars taking the initial green for 50 laps of mayhem. A few red flags slowed the feature race and fewer than 10 cars were able to com- plete the race. Patrick Taillon was the win- ner. The first of two 50-lap four-cylinder fea- tures was next with 75 drivers on the dirt for the initial green. The race, won by Shane Hamel, was completed rather quickly with no major incidents.
More than 300 cars hit track for speedway Fireball Enduro
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