Portal Players Dramatic Society returned home with three big wins and four honourable mentions for “The Glass Menagerie” at the 2010 Theatre BC North Island Zone Drama Festival in Qualicum. The awards banquet was held on Saturday night, April 30, while “The Glass Menagerie” continues to play on selected dates until May 15 at The Capitol Theatre.
A stunned Ryan Gander accepted the Best Male Actor award. “I wasn’t expecting this,” said Gander, who portrays the son, Tom, in the Tennessee Williams classic. “It was a great surprise, and I accept on behalf of the entire group.” Teresa Mulligan, who plays Amanda the mother, accepted a well-deserved Honourable Mention for the Best Female Actor award.
Two big technical wins were taken by David McGarry for Best Lighting Design, and Peter Wienold for Best Sound Design. Director Scott Lowe received an Honourable Mention for Best Director, and Elliot Drew was recognized with an Honourable Mention for Best Set Design.
The play itself was in contention for the Best Production award, and achieved the Runner Up spot, 2nd only to Nanaimo Theatre Group’s production of “Doubt”, which advances to Theatre BC’s Mainstage Festival featuring all the regional winners, in Kamloops, this July. Adjudicator Garry Davey stated several times during the awards that his final decisions on the winners were very difficult ones to make, and often only a small margin set the winners apart from those next in contention.
“I’m incredibly thrilled with the achievements of the entire cast and production team, and these awards are just the icing on the cake after so much hard work and effort was put in,” said Peter Wienold, who is also Portal Players’ President. “It was a challenge for us to put on a play that focuses heavily on drama. We’re known for our comedies, pantomimes and murder mysteries, so this really shows Portal Players can stretch its wings further afield. The wins will give us a lot of confidence for next year’s Festival,” he said. A host community has not yet been announced for the 2011 event.
“The Glass Menagerie” continues its run at The Capitol Theatre this weekend on Friday and Saturday nights (May 7 & 8), and next week on Tuesday through Saturday nights (May 11 – 15). Tickets are available at Rollin Art Centre, Echo Centre & at the Capitol Theatre box office during regular hours, and before each performance. Doors open each night at 7:00 pm and the curtain rises at 7:30 pm.
“The Glass Menagerie” is one of Tennessee Williams best-known works, and many say it’s an autobiographical account from his own family life. It has captivated audiences with its depth and emotional vibrance for over 55 years, and is hailed as a modern masterpiece. For those who have studied the play in school, this is a great opportunity to see an award-winning production of it come to life. For those that are only just being introduced to “The Glass Menagerie”, it’s a chance to experience something that truly spans all generations.
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2009-2010 Sponsorship Fundraising Goal Causes Theatre Manager To Go Bald
Having committed to raising a $20,000 sponsorship goal, Portal Players Dramatic Society & Capitol Theatre Manager Elliot Drew promised to shave the golden locks of hair he had let grow to play the part of “Frank ’n Furter” in “The Rocky Horror Show”, produced by Portal Players in October/November of 2009.
With the fundraising goal met, we put the clippers of member Yvette Van Metre to work, with sponsor MacDermott’s Insurance winning the lucky draw to make the first cut. Here, Gary Connaughton is shown starting the job, while Yvette gets to finish it off.
A huge thank you to all of Portal Players’ season sponsors, and thanks to PPDS members Charlotte Wright and Derek Kraneveldt for assembling the video.
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