Play Fosters a Feel of Community

A few years ago I was involved in helping produce and put on a community play called "Many Hands" in Blyth, Ontario. I was left with many treasured memories after the exhaustion of the frantic last few weeks of production and performance wore off. There were many friends and friendships to remember. I felt a sense of belonging and acceptance in a community in which I was a stranger. I remember watching as people living in the same community met neighbours for the first time and, through working together on a common project, found fun and friendship. I was amazed by the generosity of people as they contributed ideas, materials, and, most important, time and effort to bring this project to completion. I felt very proud of what we produced. Night after night the hall filled with people who stood for two hours to watch the story of their community told by the actors in the play. I laughed and cried along with these strangers as the different scenes unfolded and triggered memories of my own. Lastly, I knew that even though the final play was well received, the process of getting there was more important. Working together created friendships and memories that are enduring and lasting. These memories sparked my involvement with the Woolwich Community Play group. We have sponsored a number of workshops including a recent acting workshop to perform Woolwich Community Skits, written using stories from the history of this area, by Barb Draper.

We would like to extend a warm welcome to anyone who is interested in joining us as we continue to develop this idea. For more information please contact Quentin Martin 664-2368 or Carrie Parker 648-2008. For specific areas of interest contact:
Story Gathering/Writing - Barb Draper (669-1884)
Fundraising - Judy Walder (664-2398)
Publicity/Volunteers - Don Gingerich (669-8618)

By Don Gingerich, Elmira