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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Visit insidehalton.com for more coverage BurlOak Theatre Group's Entertaining Angels 'heartwarming': director BurlOak Theatre Group photo BurlOak Theatre Group members, including clockwise from left, Cece Cunningham, Wendy Oughtred, Heather Smith, Janine Heaven and Michael Newsome, rehearse a scene from Entertaining Angels, which takes to the Oakville Centre for Performing Arts stage Jan. 25-28. NATHAN HOWES The newest offering from the BurlOak Theatre Group, Entertaining Angels, is ap­ propriately titled for its promise to be enjoyable for all. The Oakville-based group's third show in its 41st season is "thoroughly ab­ sorbing, humorous and thought-provoking," stated a media release for the produc­ tion. Performances of Enter­ taining Angels run Jan. 25-28 at the Oakville Centre for Performing Arts, 130 Navy St. The story is set in an En­ glish vicarage garden, com­ plete with a grass-banked stream and willow. The Richard Everett-writ­ ten play focuses on Grace and her new-found single life fol­ lowing the death of her hus­ band, Bardolph. The return of her eccen­ tric missionary sister, Ruth, from Uganda, however, along with some revelations force Grace to confront the truth about her marriage. Director Rikki Wright said the story is about rela­ tionships, loss, betrayal and forgiveness and how differ­ ent people react to the situa­ tions presented. While Entertaining An­ gels explores serious topics, it's going to include lots of hu­ mour. "It's extremely funny. I ex­ pect the audience to be laugh­ ing," said Wright. "I still get to certain parts of the play where I'm laugh­ ing, and then in the next line, I'm choked up. I have to take some deep breaths." Wright said it is difficult to categorize the production as one genre or idea since there is "so much going on." "I think everybody is go­ ing come out of it having had a full-on cathartic experi­ ence," said Wright. "There is a secret that is revealed that kind of derails everything." The idea for putting on Entertaining Angels came to the BurlOak Theatre Group "completely by chance," Wright said. He read the story from the viewpoint of an actor and contemplated a role for him­ self, but couldn't, so he decid­ ed to direct it. "There is something about this play that is so heartwarming and touching, but so funny, as well. I just couldn't let it go by without getting involved somehow," said Wright. The cast includes Janine Heaven, Wendy Oughtred, Heather Smith, Cece Cun­ ningham and Michael New­ some. "Our lead actress who plays Grace is Janine Heav­ en, which I think is a wonder­ fully ironic name to put in a play titled Entertaining An­ gels," said Wright. Along with the produc­ tion crew, cast members have spent more than two months rehearsing the play, which is in addition to the two months of preparations before they begun, Wright noted. "(It was) just getting my head around how we wanted to work within the confines of budgets, health and safety and practicality of things like that," said Wright. "Changed what I would have liked to have done to what we can practically af­ ford to do. still gives the audi­ ence a good sense to what's going on." Each performance will in­ clude a 50/50 draw, with pro­ ceeds going to support Oak­ ville's Lighthouse Program for Grieving Children, a char­ itable group aiding children, teenagers and their families following a death in the im­ mediate family. "We're a community thea­ tre group. Being part of the community means being re­ sponsible for that communi­ ty. It's important we give back," said Wright. So far, in its current sea­ son, BurlOak Theatre Group has raised more than $4,000 for local groups Ian Ander­ son House and Smilezone Eoundation. A new initiative for the group, Wright said it will pick a charity that has a tie-in to the theme of the play or if a cast or crew member has a connection to it. "It really builds that sense of community, as we're on a journey together, either through what it is doing as a charity or through what we're doing as a theatre group," said Wright. Showtimes are at 8 p.m. Jan. 25-27 with a Sunday mat­ inee set for 2 p.m. The production runs 90 minutes and includes a 15- minute intermission. Tickets cost $30 and can be purchased online at www.oakvillecentre.ca. For more information on the Bur­ lOak Theatre Group, visit www.botg.ca. B i g M o v i e s , S m a l l P r i c e s ! filrmca cinemas 171 Speers Road (at Kerr) O akville 905-338-6397 www.film.ca THE DARKEST HOUR (PG) JANUARY MOLLY'S GAME (14A) JANUARY 5th PADDINGTON 2 (STC) JANUARY 12th 12 STRONG (14A) JANUARY 19th MAZE RUNNER: THE DEATH CURE (STC) JANUARY 26th H facebook.com /film ca □ ©FilmCaCinemas | O akville B eaver | Thursday, January 18, 2018 insidehalton.com http://www.oakvillecentre.ca http://www.botg.ca http://www.film.ca ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Visit insidehalton.com for more coverage BurlOak Theatre Group's Entertaining Angels 'heartwarming': director 905-338-6397 www.film.ca