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Wednesday, March 21, 2001 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER C1 Arts & Entertainment vukuuk aeuverH ocz Mercedes-Benz cuuui. odfui Ddmwui (txi. <sy\\, rax: .jj/o d o / Photo by Ian Ross Rodger Martin, left, and Lois and Joe Minard are long-time members of the Burl-Oak Theatre Group, which is celebrating 25 years of community theatre in Oakville. Burl-Oak Theatre celebrates silver anniversary By Carol Baldwin ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR I t's been 25 years and almost 75 productions since its premiere presentation, but the Burl-Oak Theatre G r o u p (BOTG) has no intention of exiting stage left, or right for that matter. The community theatre group that presented its first production - four one-act plays - at Sheridan College in 1976, is currently in rehearsals for Moon Over Buffalo , its final pro duction in the 2000/2001 Oakville Drama Series. But its members will return in the fall with another three plays for the 2001/2002 season at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. Ann Reynolds, who has been with the group since 1984, joined BOTG shortly after she set tled in Oakville. "You arrive. You want to become part of the community. I joined the Historical Society, which was part of the museum, and the theatre group. They're the first two things I joined and I'm still very involved with both of them," she says. The seasoned traveler has lived and worked in such exotic places as Singapore. Malaysia, Borneo and Australia. But she's pleased to call Oakville her home now, although the traveling bug continues to bite her on occasion. "Community theatre is something I've always been interested in. I belonged to quite a number of theatre groups in Britain and in South Africa for a short time when I lived there," says the native of England. `T h e y 're a wonderful way to meet people when you come to a place where you know nobody." Reynolds has worked as a diamond sorter, a governess and a school matron as well as a social welfare officer for the British Armed Ser vices. But her induction into the theatre began when she was working in a school in South Africa. "The school needed to raise funds and decid ed to put on a theatrical production, which would be open to the public. So we put on The Happiest Days o f Your Life - a wonderful, won derful school play. And I took the part of the head mistress," she explains. "It was great fun, and I really got a taste for being on the stage...I always found repertoire groups to be wonderful ly cohesive groups to belong to... You make a lot of very good friends." And Reynolds has made those friends during the many Burl-Oak productions she has been involved in, doing everything from costumes and front of house to props and acting. And she's looking forward to her directing debut sometime in the future. "I would like to direct. I would like to start with a one-act play and work on from there," she says. "It's a big com m itm ent...You have to commit yourself to three, sometimes four, days a week over a two to two-and-a-half month period. And if you're not prepared to make that commitment, you shouldn't get involved, because you spoil it for those who are trying to put on a good show." And good community theatre is what BOTG is all about. Reynolds says the group originated (See 'Company' on page C3) CARPET ORIENTAL RUGS HARDW OO D G E R R IE E L E C T R I C this Th u rs d a y , Friday & ^ Thank you readers fo r voting us PlA Readers Selec tion inum W inn AWARDS K ia tin u m W in n e r^ recessed fixtures bulbs · dimmers GERRIE ELECTRIC Persian rugs from Iran, Tabriz, Kashan, Bidjar, 100s to choose from. Discontinued Patterns, Designer rugs, Egyptian T/washes, Indian and Chinese rugs. HAMILTON HALTON HOME BUILDERWS . ASSOCIATION CORNWALL HOURS: M on.-Fri. 8 a.m .-5 p.m., Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m . Sun. C losed GERRIE ELECTRIC SHOWROOM POLICY II you are not 100% satisfied witti your purchase, simply return It within 30 days for a lull refund We reserve the right to limit quantities Lifestyle "Residence Fo CARPET O R I E N T A L RUGS CERAM