The Ladysmith Little Theatre is once again being recognized on the provincial stage with four BC Theatre awards for the production Old Love.
The recent performance put on by the not-for-profit theatre society was seen by travelling adjudicator Keith Digby, who declared the play winner of Best Production, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Lighting.
Old Love is now off to the provincial competition known as Mainstage, hosted by Theatre BC in Vernon from June 30-July 8.
Directed by Gordon McInnis and starring actors Lynnia Clark and Christian Ostaffy, Old Love is a story that spans three decades and half a dozen meetings between Bud, a salesman, and Molly, his boss’s wife.
Bud is recently divorced and Molly is newly-widowed. At her husband’s funeral, an old acquaintance emerges to pay his respects, leading to a re-awakening of forgotten emotions.
“It’s relateable to things in some of our own lives because it spans a 25-year period,” said producer Carol Sparham. “They were getting standing ovations every night so the audiences were really enjoying the show.”
The play is written by Canada’s pre-imminent comic playwright, Norm Foster.
His clever script had audiences smiling, chuckling and laughing right out loud throughout the entire performance.
“The play itself is nicely written, he mixes up a lot of comedy with some real serious drama as well,” said McInnis, crediting Clarke and Ostaffy who play several roles in the production.
“They’ve just done a really super job the two of them.”
The seasoned director and actor has won several BC Theatre awards in the past, including two years ago for the Ladysmith Little Theatre’s production Ravenscroft, was once again humbled by the honour.
“It’s always nice to be recognized for the work you’ve done,” he said. “It’s just some nice recognition for what one has accomplished doing this sort of stuff.”
Theatre BC is divided into 10 Regional Zones that encompass the province. Each year these regional zones hold festivals in order to determine a ‘best of the best’ performance.
Ladysmith was put in a travelling adjudicated zone with Cranbrook’s Community Theatre and Mercury Players in Duncan because there weren’t enough theatres locally to make up a zone.
Actors and the production crew will be travelling to Mainstage to perform Old Love.
An encore presentation is being held Friday and Saturday night, doors at 7:30 p.m. and show at 8 p.m., to help raise funds to offset the costs of travelling to the mainland
Tickets are $25 for non members and $20 for members and can be purchased at www.ladysmithlittletheatre.com or 250-924-0658.