In Focus, May, 2011 4 Letter from In Focus Victoria Day. May 24th. The May long weekend. Two-four. No matter what you call it, the May holiday weekend is a great excuse to get outside and celebrate the unofficial start of summer in Canada. But do you know why we celebrate Victoria Day? I did a little research and dug up some fun facts about the lady behind the first long weekend of summer. As I'm sure you know, Victoria Day marks the May 24 birthday of Queen Victoria, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, who inherited the throne in 1837 and remained there until her death in 1901. But did you know that after Queen Victoria's death, Canadians continued to celebrate the reigning monarch's birthday on May 24 no matter when he or she was actually born? Queen Elizabeth II, for example, was actually born on April 21 but Canadians celebrate her birthday on Victoria Day. Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, had nine children who all married into royal and noble European families, which earned her the nickname "the grandmother of Europe." Queen Victoria's German-born mother oversaw the queen's education. As a result, her first language was German. She learned to speak English and French when she was three years old and later learned Hindi after becoming the Empress of India. Most remarkably, Queen Victoria survived seven assassination attempts. So as you kick back this May long weekend, spare a thought for Queen Victoria because without her, we wouldn't have a holiday until Canada Day. Happy May! Georgetown Little Theatre Youth Company presents May 2011 VOLUME 5 ISSUE 5 IN FOCUS is published 12 times per year by the The Independent & Free Press A Division of Metroland Media Group Ltd. The Independent & Free Press 280 Guelph Street, Unit 29 Georgetown, Ontario, L7G 4B1 Telephone: 905-873-0301 Fax: 905-873-0398 Publisher Ken Nugent 5IF.BO8IP $BNFUP%JOOFS Special Features Co-ordinator Andrea Lefebvre 905-873-0301, ext. 236 alefebvre@ independentfreepress.com Radio personality Sheridan Whiteside (Grant Bradshaw) cracks up his hosts June (Mikayla Eastman) and Richard Stanley (Matthew Jay). Advertising Sales Representatives Cindi Campbell, Felicia Fasulo, Jennifer Spencer, Amy Sykes, Natasha Vuksic Andrea Lefebvre alefebvre@independentfreepress.com RIGHT: Mrs. McCutcheon (Jill Pike) overwhelms Sheridan Whiteside with her generosity. Design/Production Dolores Black, Mary Lou Foreman, Shelli Harrison, Kevin Powell The contents are protected by copyright and may be used only for personal non-commercial purposes. All other rights are reserved and commercial use is prohibited. To make any use of this material you must first obtain the permission of the owner of the copyright. For further information contact the Independent & Free Press at 905-873-0301. The advertiser agrees that the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of errors in advertising beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by that portion of the advertisement in which the error occurred , whether such error is due to the negligence of its servants or otherwise, and beyond the amount paid for such advertisement. GENERAL NOTICE: Copyright in letters and other material submitted to the Publisher and accepted for publication remains with the author, but the Publisher and its licenses may freely reproduce them in print, electronic or other for ms of publications. We handle all insurance work. Radio star Sheridan Whiteside mugs for Richard Stanley's camera. The Georgetown Little Theatre Youth Company is proud to present Kaufman and Hart's uproarious comedy The Man Who Came To Dinner. When world-famous New York City radio personality and insufferable pain Sheridan Whiteside ends up convalescing in the home of Ernest and Daisy Stanley in Mesalia, Ohio, the Stanleys' neat and orderly lives are turned upside down. No one escapes the witty wrath of Whiteside, from his nurse to his famous Hollywood friends. Penguins, mummy cases and murderers abound in this comedy from the Pulitzer Prize winning duo. Performances run at 7:30 p.m. on May 4-7, with 2 p.m. performances on May 1 and May 7. All performances are at The GLT Studio (33 Stewarttown Road). For tickets, call 905-877-3422. Photos by Andrea Lefebvre · Truck Accessories · Upholstery · Heavy Equipment Glass ·Window Tinting 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown IN FOCUS IS A PRODUCT OF 905-873-1655