The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor The curtain is about to rise on one of the Flin Flon Community Choir's most ambitious productions yet. Chicago will be performed next month with a blend of local and professional talent putting their stamp on the long-running Broadway musical. 'We're very, very fortunate to be able to have this (production) right now and to be able to show it to the North,' says Crystal Kolt, the boundlessly energized director. That's no exaggeration. Kolt first sought the rights to Chicago six years ago, and the choir is evidently one of just three Canadian groups with the performance rights in 2013. With a budget of more than $30,000, the choir's rendering promises to match or exceed past successes such as Fiddler on the Roof, Evita, and Beauty and the Beast. Kolt was drawn to Chicago in part because of its even distribution of male and female choruses, a way of showcasing the vocal abilities of all performers and choristers. She is also, as her past directorial efforts illustrate, a big fan of dance. Chicago has that element in spades with about 15 dance numbers. 'This is a huge dance piece,' Kolt says. 'We were pleased to be able to find out, in our community, that we have many, many talented dancers...who were really excited about being part of it.' See 'Youth...' on pg. 7 Continued from pg. 1 Chicago's lead roles will be filled by four faces familiar to the local performing arts scene in Samantha Moore, Miranda Bowman, Julian Kolt and John Nicol. 'All of them have had some theatre training and so that always goes a long way,' director Kolt says. In watching rehearsals for Chicago at the R.H. Channing Auditorium, it is apparent that this musical will have a decidedly youthful flavour. That suits Kolt just fine. 'There's something about the energy of a 20-something crowd,' she says. As gifted as Flin Flon Community Choir members are, their talents will be supplemented by stage professionals from outside the community. On stage, two dancers _ including Flin Flon native Aaron Stringer _ will come from Winnipeg. Lighting will come courtesy of another former Flin Flonner, Nik Heine. And the choreographer will be yet another former resident, Janelle Hacault. And talk about a treat for the ears: the pit band will include musical graduates from the universities of Brandon and Saskatchewan. Popularized by a 2002 film adaptation, Chicago is the sort of dynamic experience that may have been beyond the choir's reach a decade ago. But through increasingly elaborate and polished productions, the choir has set the bar as high as can be imagined for this latest effort. Set in the 1920s in the so-called Windy City, Chicago weaves the tale of two murderesses, Velma Kelly (Moore) and Roxie Hart (Bowman). They find themselves competing for the attention of both a sensational press and their shared lawyer, Billy Flynn (Julian Kolt). Director Kolt says the themes and content of the play make it suitable for teens and adults. 'It's (set in) a rough and tumble town like so many towns were in the 1920s, including our own, I wouldn't be surprised,' she observes. Kolt first inquired about the rights to Chicago in 2007. They weren't available, so the choir took on Beauty and the Beast instead. Last year, a scene from Chicago was brought to life as part of the choir's magical one-night concert called Broadway Musicals New York Won't Let Us Do, Yet!. 'We knew that the group of performers that did it last year just loved it, and so we thought we'd (ask) yet again whether or not we could get it,' Kolt says. They succeeded. Now the choir's presentation of Chicago will take place April 12, 13 and 14 at the R.H. Channing Auditorium. Tickets are on sale at Northern Rainbow's End.
