Will I Begin This Day as Mary Poppins and End Up as Cruella DeVille?

 

Let me start off by saying I love the Mississippi Mudds. I’m not just saying this to be nice (most of you folks know how bluntly honest I am)- this is the 100% truth. I can’t sing- I used to be able to dance, but torn knee cartilages have ruined my chance of ever becoming the next Anne Miller (Google that one kids)– so I appreciate hard work and talent. Especially from this great local volunteer run theatre troupe.

Saturday’s Matinee is the last day you can see the Mississippi Mudds uplifting performance of Mary Poppins –and you should really make a point of seeing it. In fact, you could say you get more than your money’s worth going to see this production–because I personally felt the performance “kinda” went on too long.

Do I think it could have been edited? Maybe– But, then again I am not a theatre producer- but, I do think the one too many stage changes added to the length of this production. Sometimes it made it difficult as an audience member to find a break from the constant barrage of set changes. But then again that is a personal opinion, and as Mary once said :”I never explain anything”.

 

 

Photo–InsideOttawaValley.com

“But a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down”

However, the leads were nothing short of fantastic with Michelle Eno as our beloved Mary Poppins and Robert Horne as one great Bert. “In every job that must be done there is an element of fun.”  The cast performance from the smallest to the tallest excelled, and I marvelled at the many character changes some of these actors do. Bravo!

Amazing show– with with so much brilliance to go around, a few cuts could have made it EVEN better. (mucho kudos to the backstage folks- you earned your keep LOL) 

“Always be yourself unless you can be Mary Poppins then be Mary Poppins”

“The whole world is at your feet and who gets to see it?” You do.. Last chance today to see Mary Poppins is tomorrow. Step in Time and go see it.

Last Show—Saturday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at Hallmark, 438 McNeely Ave, Carleton Place or by calling 613-253-3000.

 

Photo-The Mississippi Mudds – Public page

 

Mississippi Mudds Website

The Mudds are a very active amateur theatre group located in Carleton Place, Ontario. The Mudds have a mission to bring Music, Dance and Drama to the community in an engaging and inclusive way. Our goal is to foster an appreciation of performing arts for members and audiences alike.

Since 1973, the Mudds have been bringing musical revues, family musicals, broadway shows, murder mysteries and a wide variety of performances to the community. Performing in the beautiful and historic Carleton Place Town Hall, there could not be a better venue to enjoy live theatre.

 

Veteran Mississippi Mudds actors take on roles of Mary Poppins and Bert in upcoming production

 

 

 

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read.

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in Hometown News

Can Anyone in Carleton Place Hear Me?

NOTE: The opinions expressed below are solely of the author. No entity, including the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum or its staff, knew I was going to write this post today.

 

This morning I think I almost threw in the damn towel. Yes, it has come to swearing now as I am up to here with frustration.  I am going to repeat what I have been saying for months: ALL groups promoting Carleton Place should be on the same page. I am not going to mention names– I don’t like doing that. I just want this town to progress and work together, and there just seems to be too many chiefs, and not enough pot washers these days.

I have put on local events throughout the years and got very little help from anyone that promotes the town. In most cases I have done it myself. In fact, last year I went through hell trying to put on a successful event that brought a lot of people to Carleton Place. Would I ever put on another event? Not in my lifetime! It almost seems that people here don’t want anything to succeed.

This weekend we have a large event at the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum. For you fashionistas it’s the second annual Vintage Clothing Sale. I have tried hard to help promote the event and have gotten more promotional help from Ottawa and other parts of Lanark County than I have from the town of Carleton Place. Now that is a damn (there is that word again) shame!

Just to state the facts: there were as of this morning: over 3o5 people that have RSVP’d to attend and over 1,000 people interested. I don’t care if it is not a ‘downtown event’ and maybe it falls into another category or group to be publicized. People, it is barely three blocks away from Bridge Street.  Do I care, if you as other groups don’t feel you should bother? I sure do!

The issue is: you have to drive down Bridge Street to get to “said event”, thus passing by local downtown businesses. You have to drive over the Mississippi River so you can “meet whomever you want on the Mississippi” as they say here. What is it that people do not understand here? Seems logical to me, that one hand should hold the other to make this town great!

Should we have a common resource manual? Am I missing something? Am I wrong?

Do I sometimes get to the point of frustration that I suddenly become silent?

Unfortunately, for the population of Carleton Place the answer is “no”. Not until my ashes finally hit the Alan Barker Funeral Home will you have any rest.

 

THIS WEEKEND

Invest in Wearable Art at the Carleton Place Museum Vintage Clothing Sale-Photos!!

and while I am at it Please go see the Mudds new event

It’s Tough To Be A Pirate–by Mark Piper

 

 

 

 

It’s Tough To Be A Pirate–by Mark Piper

 

 

Carleton Place’s signature theatre company – the Mississippi Mudds – are performing a new musical version of the children’s classic, Peter Pan, at the Carleton Place Town Hall, over the next two weekends.  Last Sunday was the dress rehearsal, and we’re ready to open on Friday. YES TODAY!! TONIGHT!!

Today’s guest author is iconic Mississippi Mudds all around actor and “guy” Mark Piper. Take it away Mark and thanks for writing this.

 

 

It’s Tough To Be A Pirate–by Mark Piper

 

I have a unique perspective on this production:  I’m the bad guy.

 

Yes, that’s right, I’m Captain Hook.  The one with the nefarious henchmen and the evil laugh.  Being constantly chased by a crocodile with an alarm clock in its belly.  And my arch enemy is a flying boy (who has a fairy sidekick named Tinkerbell).

 

Okay, so I’m playing it for all it’s worth.  Pretty shamelessly, in fact.

 

When we started rehearsals back in January, director Jeff Lee and I decided right from the start that Captain Hook had to be a lot bigger than life – he was the cartoon villain that all the kids in the audience love to hate.  He’s the Eton-educated upper-class toff that leads the silliest and most ineffectual band of pirates you have ever seen, and they are constantly outwitted by the young man in the green suit.  Now, kids hate pretentious twits, and they love to outwit stupid adults – so they love to see Peter Pan beat the evil black-bearded buccaneer and his bumbling band over and over again.

But can I make an observation?  I’m the oldest guy in the cast.  In fact, I had to get my naturally grey beard dyed black in order to be young enough to play an old pirate!  And Peter Pan is a young boy that can run circles around him – in fact, fly circles around him.  Is that fair?

Still this whole “everybody hates Captain Hook” thing has caught on.   Even though the show is full of wonderful songs, both solos and chorus, the pirates and I get all the nasty stuff. Peter Pan and Wendy get to sing all the nice songs, naturally, about dreams, and Neverland, and tomorrow, and flying home. The Lost Boys (Peter’s gang) get to do a song and dance number about how tough they are.  Even the mermaids get ethereal, ghostly music.

What do the pirates get?  Pure evil – songs about killing and hanging and fighting and poison.  And the musical director of the show, Adam Reid (despite his considerable talent), seems to take sadistic pleasure in punishing the poor pirates, and their leader, over and over in every rehearsal.  (I see a great future for him in piracy, as a matter of fact.)

 

So, when you come to see Peter Pan – either this weekend or the next – spare a few thoughts for the bad guy.  He’s doing the best that he can.

 

 

(Peter Pan, the Mudds new musical production, at the Carleton Place Town Hall: performances for the next two Fridays and Saturdays April 22, 23, 29 and 30 at 7:30 pm (tickets $20), with a special Thursday night performance April 28 at 7:30 pm and Sunday matineesApril 24 and 30 at 2:00 pm (tickets $15). Tickets are available at the Hallmark Store, 2-438 McNeeley Ave. in Carleton Place or by calling 613-253-3000.)

 

 

Photos:

 

1. Publicity shot – me (Captain Hook) and Lilly (Peter Pan) – note that my beard hasn’t been dyed black yet.  And that’s not all my own hair.  Peter is, as usual, looking for a fight.

 

2. Londoner, Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, another Londoner, Michael, John, Wendy, and a Londoner.  Backstage, waiting to go on for the opening number.

 

3. Mermaids!  Actually, pirates don’t have much of a problem with mermaids.

 

4. Evil Genius Musical Director Adam , in the orchestra pit, (henchmen in the background) preparing for final rehearsal and sadistic abuse of sensitive, caring, not at all evil Captain Hook.

 

(Photo credits: 1 – Angela Rogers; 2, 3, 4 – Kate Martin.)

 

 

RELATED READING

Take a Bow! The Magical World of Mark Piper

 

 

Take a Bow! The Magical World of Mark Piper

It’s not every day I get to post pictures of someone still around:)  Of course our wonderful Pat Black is also in the picture. The Mississippi Mudds in action.

 

Photos from the Carleton Place Canadian files- Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum