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LAKEWOOD NEWS!>
Lakewood Newsletter 1st Edition 2008
January 9, 2008
PUTTING the PIECES TOGETHER
Several days before his December birthday, Jeffrey Quinn
signed on the dotted line and The Shanty was once again
part of Lakewood. Curtain Up Enterprises had always rented
the structure. In recent years the building had been
falling down around us and its days and certainly its
winters were numbered. The building was always For Sale;
however, the asking price plus the cost for extensive
renovations made a purchase untenable. A new owner and last
year's successful Theater season made negotiations
possible this fall.
Although ceilings, walls, and the floor will be replaced,
Jeffrey plans to retain the circular appearance of the
front of The Shanty. This space will be used as a rehearsal
hall and as a classroom for the Young Performers Camp.
Two-thirds of the rectangular rear space will be used for
costumes: space for costumers to work, fitting rooms, and
much needed storage for costumes. The remaining third will
be used for set construction. The back deck will be rebuilt
and roll-up doors will permit the moving of scenery pieces.
The wings of the stage will be free of saws and equipment.
And, maybe best of all, heat and air-conditioning will be
installed.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
In a photo eassy of the Lakewood Colony entitled "Bringing
Broadway to Maine" and published in 1938, it was noted:
"The Shanty is the center of life at Lakewood. It is the
post office where members of the colony come to get the
papers
and mail and to while away a few minutes with the latest
theater gossip; it is the meeting place of the actors after
rehearsal for a light lunch and a cooling drink; and it is
the rendezvous of everyone after the theater. Actors,
directors, playwrights and audience all hasten to the
Shanty to talk over the night's performance while enjoying
a soda and sandwich." (Incidentally, ticket prices in 1938
were listed as 50 cents and $1.00.)
The building currently housing the costume shop will be
moved closer to the back of The Shanty. We are in a
territorial struggle with beavers--we are not winning and
we never will. Once relocated, the bulding will provide
storage for props and furniture. Currently sofas take up
space in the wings and many props are stored in lofts above
the dressing rooms and the auditorium.
WEATHER-WISE
As we swelter in the heat of July and August it is
sometimes refreshing to glance back at these Newsletters
and recall that this week we are basking in a January thaw.
The
temperature is in the mid-40's. Parts of the mid-west
received ten feet of snow from recent storms. Winter will
be returning this weekend and temperatures are predicted to
be
colder than normal for the remainder of the month and even
into February.
AND the FORECAST for LAKEWOOD...
Lyrics and laughter are predicted. The "big show" will be
"Guys and Dolls." Surprisingly, the popular musical has
never been performed on the famed Lakewood Theater stage. A
second musical will be either "Bubba"s Revenge." A sequel
to "Honky Tonk Angels," the country themed production
centers on the men in our angels' lives. Musical numbers
include: "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," "Elvira,"
"Rhinestone Cowboy," "Spirit in the Sky" and, of course, a
medley of gospel tunes. Or, Jeffrey is anxious to direct
"Gilligan's Island," a campy tribute to the long-running
television show. We are simply waiting for the show to be
available to non-equity theaters.
So far, the only drama on the schedule is an intriquing
adaptation of "The Fall of the House of Usher." Edgar Allen
Poe's haunting tale of the dysfunctional Usher family is
investigated in the 1930's as an unsolved murder in the
format of "Cold Case."
Four comedies have made the cut. A Cooney favorite, "Cash
on Delivery" will be revived. "Leading Ladies" are no
ladies. "A Nice Family Gathering" invites you to
Thanksgiving dinner--bring your Pepto-Bismal. The 51-year
old widow fell in love at "FirstSight"--had too much to
drink, had a one-night fling, isnow five months pregnant
and her bride-to-be daughter and hypochondriac son are not
taking the news well.
Auditions for musicals are tentatively scheduled for March
8 and 9. Other plays will audition March 15 and 16 at the
Margaret Chase Smith Elementary School in Skowhegan.
Auditions are a weekend earlier than usual beause Easter
falls on March 23rd (and there is nothing Jeffrey can do
about it.) More information will be available in future
newsletters.
GET A CLUE
The Lakewood Theater Company is again doing Mystery Dinner
Theater. Our presentation this year is "Win, Lose or
Die!"--a game show with murder in the bonus round! The
Troupe will be performing Friday January 18 at Le Club
Calumet in Augusta to benefit the Brain Injury Association
of Maine and Friday February 1 at the Methodist Church in
Skowhegan to benefit Christ the King Parrish. The cast
includes Stan Pinnette, Diane Lapointe, MJ Clifford, Juan
Lavalle-Riveria, Michelle Sweet, and Jeffrey Quinn "on the
keyboard." The format requires audience mambers to be among
the contestants--always a daring venture. Cory King as
Sparky Duke, the game show host, will try to maintain order
along with Barbie Demo, your Hostess for the evening. And
maybe, just maybe, this cute show will be offered at the
Lakewood Inn...
THE OFF-SEASON...Lakewood's favorite bartender, Katie Quinn
is the manager of Bullwinkle's at Sugarloaf. Technical
Director Matt Quinn is endangering mailboxes on a regular
basis as a member of the Skowhegan Highway crew. Lighting
Director Jason Poulin is fashionably attired at JC Penney.
As for me, I have retired "for the second time." I am
loving it. And, yes, Jeffrey, that should give me plenty of
time to do a Newsletter each month, at least...maybe,
hopefully. And I'm gonna learn my lines soon, too.
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