Lori Farrington - Continued from page 2 probably the hardest, most demanding part of putting on a play, and her first time solo was truly amazing. To begin with, a director must be innovative. And chose a stage crew that is, too. How do you make a tornado in Mount Tabor. How do you make the witch or the monkeys fly? The stage is too small for a hot-air balloon. How do you get around that? Obviously, Lori chose a great team; she and the crew were terrific problem-solvers - everything looked and sounded just like the movie. Lori has the makings of a successful director. She has the picture in her head all the time of what she expects on and off stage. She has a definite idea/picture of what the actors should look like; how they should walk; the inflections needed in each sentence; when and where they must move on-stage. She is a fabulous organizer. With no costume person to make and to find costumes, the work load doubled although the high school loaned them some. She still did a lot of the make-up, too. The Director is also the person who may have to say "No, you're not wearing that'. She feels the costumes are a big part of any play and must be chosen very carefully. A good Director must be diplomatic; must reject ideas when necessary, but also always be open to suggestions if someone comes back with something else that might work. She recognizes that the success of a play is through the effort and creativity of the actors and crew who work so hard acting, sewing, painting, and gathering props - not just the play itself, the props themselves, or the Director herself. She always keeps the slogan "How Important Is It?" in mind at all times but stand her ground when it compromised something important. On days when she might be ready to sit down in exasperation and say "Enough's enough", an eight-year old would come up and say "Lori, I'm having the time of my life!" She'd reply, "Me, too." Sometimes at rehearsals she'd find herself outside trving to round up the actors who were off building a fort down the hill. She'd hear herself saying, "How'd you get grass stains on your pants?" It's important for the venture to be fun for the kids, as well as taken seriously by them. She wanted them to see that there were also times when they would just have to sit around and not talk; to realize that they had to live up to their commitment to the show and realize "I work really hard and do this, had fun, and 1 feel really good about myself and we wow'd them, too. We were only 104 people and look how we affected the lives of the 141 people who came to each of the eight shows, and the dress rehearsal". Lori knows it builds confidence. For Lori, personally, she says, "It changes your life so much - it makes you a totally different, confident, and Marysburgh Mummers win Performing Arts Award On Thursday, May 24, The Marysburgh Mummers were presented with a 2001 Performing Arts Achievement Award by The Quinte Arts Council in Belleville at their annual Luncheon for the Arts. This award is presented in recognition of individuals, groups, organizations and businesses who have contributed to promotion of the performing arts in the Quinte area. Seven Mummers attended on behalf of the group - Howard Johnston, Lois Beaumont, Sandra Sunnucks, Al Hazell, Pat Larkin, Monica Alyea and Loni Farrington. The Mummers want to share this achievement with the community that has supported them since their beginnings in the 1980's and the maintenance of the Mount Tabor Community Playhouse. THANK YOU! happy person. It gives you an incredible life. Even on the worst day, | know it's worth it. It's the coolest feeling to see that what has been in my head all this time is actually right there in front of me. I'm living in an area I absolutely love with an amazing group of friends. I am so lucky." Last week, Lori accepted, on behalf of ALL of the Mummers, an Arts Recognition Award from the Quinte Arts Council as a reward for their "consistent and outstanding support of the arts in Quinte'. She has gone from her first acting experiences of "Please, God, get me through this and I'll never do it again!' to proof positive that she is a serious and wonderful director, as well as a fine actor. Whether she acts or directs, whatever, and whenever, we know it will be exceptional because she also loves doing it so deeply. And we love what she does. Thanks so much, Lori. CG)