Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Lennox Community Theatre is extending its season with a special one night public reading of Danger of Falling, May 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Written by Newburgh’s David Archibald, this original musical piece is still in the workshop phase. The story is inspired by the real-life adventures of pre-WWI aviators Lincoln Beachey-who Archibald describes as a charismatic combination of Babe Ruth, Harry Houdini and Evel Knievel, as well as Harriet Quimby, role model of Amelia Earhart and a blend of Dorothy Parker, a Gibson Girl and Emmeline Pankhurst.
“It’s hard to say how much interaction the two of them had but they certainly did meet and were famous pioneer aviators at the same time, Lincoln and Harriet,” said Archibald. “There was some necessity to shift a couple of timelines a bit and create some characters who were maybe a composite of a number of people that they had met over the years. I distilled them into one or two of the characters and offered the same challenges to the characters.”
Playing the starring roles are well-known Kingston actors Anna Sudac and Jesse MacMillan.
The staging will be six actors on stage with music stands. The run-through in Selby will be like a focus group of sorts, allowing Archibald to fine tune the production with the hopes of bringing it to playhouses across Ontario and into the United States.
“I hope that I’ll be able to sit there as an audience member and be aware of what the audience is feeling and what’s working and what isn’t or what is too long or too short. All those sorts of things that you’re obliged to look at,” said Archibald.
No stranger to musical projects, Archibald has been featured on several CBC Radio programs and toured across North America. Well-known for his children’s songs, he has also worked as musical director for several live-action plays. This time around he’ll be wearing multiple hats, having written the entire play.
Tickets for the May 25 show are ‘pay what you can’ and are available at www.lennoxtheatre.ca. The theatre is located at 2219 County Rd 11 in Selby.