The Cake-Walk play has been completed and we have warm memories of this creative endeavour.
The rock hard cakes and a few other props have been carefully put into storage and are available to other theatre groups which might like to perform this lively, fun play. Cake-Walk, the original play by Colleen Curran was held May 29 to 31 at the Shatford Centre, and it was a great success. The play was lively, hilarious, well done by everyone and a historic legacy, being the first ever play by the Shatford Players.
The idea began in 2014 when Ann Harris arrived with a collection of cakes, which she created for the play Cake-Walk produced in Victoria in 2013 with the St. Luke’s Players. The cakes are not edible; they are creations made with styrofoam blocks and shapes, cheese cloth, light glue, wall board paste and many more inedible accoutrements.
With these artful cakes already made, former drama teacher at Princess Margaret, Leslie Manion, suggested that we take on the play and invite her high school friend, Colleen Curran to come to beautiful Penticton, which we did. Colleen accepted our invitation and arrived days before the play began, taking in all the highlights, which included a special dinner at Theo’s Restaurant, in Colleen’s honour, with thanks to Nikos, Theo and Mary Theodosakis for their generosity to the arts and culture in our community.
Colleen attended all the last rehearsals and the four plays, besides teaching a workshop, giving a master class and providing a reading sponsored by the Canadian Playwright’s Guild.
One critical part of putting on a play is getting someone to commit to direct it. We are very pleased that Okanagan School of the Arts Board Member Judi Ritcey offered to be the director with her many years experience, both on stage and behind the scenes. Judi was the founding director for Unicorn Productions a local children’s theatre group, and is also well known for her many roles with Penticton Light Opera. Recently Judi performed in Love, Loss & What I Wore and She Needed Me. Judi is an avid supporter of the Shatford Centre, Penticton Tune-Agers, theatre, Musaic Vocale Ensemble and the arts community.
The cast and crew worked tirelessly through many rehearsals, workshops and finding props and costumes to bring this delightful play together. Special thanks to the cast of Colin McKenzie, Kim Russell, Cheryl Vaillant, Grayce Overhill, Gordon Dawson, Donna-Marie Delorey, Leslie Manion and the crew of Judi Ritcey, Marie Lévesque, Janet Flack, Ian Flack, Kevin Ritcey, Colin McKenzie, Andre Vaillant and Crystal-Anne Howell for bringing this play and its characters to life on the Shatford Stage. Cake-Walk raised $2,575 for the Penticton Rotary Community Learning Kitchen, which is under construction. These funds will help to make this kitchen a wonderful resource for the community.
Jane Shaak
Executive director at the Shatford
Centre —Okanagan School of the Arts
