t INSIDE COMMUNITY EVENTS B2 What a history! Looking back on 26 years at the R.E.M. Lee, celebrating a birthday this month CONTRIBUTED AT 3:55 p.m. on Nov. 10, 1975, a car, flanked by two RCMP vehicles, pulled up to the R.E.M. Lee Theatre. Out stepped the Honourable, Walter Owen, the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, and his wife, to offi- cially open the newest — and best theatre in B.C, It was a day of precise planning. Iti- nerary notes from the time include things such as. . ferendum question to Terrace tax- payers. Local culturat groups, arts organi- zations and the community as a whole made a leap of faith - giving whole- hearted support to the school board's building program — believing that the community and local schools could, together, share an incredible perfor- mance space. The Terrace Herald (May 7, 1975) said the R.E.M. “4:08 MP fona : Lee Theatre was Campagnola in- troduces His Hon- < i=" our the Lieute nant Governor’ and “4:27, MCD. : Brewer leads ap- British Columbia’ “designated for student use as a community centre for fine arts, bands, and music,” In ils second year, Plause. An-— the R.E.M. Lee nounces piano re- «J: hosted Theatre cital.” ot ee Dr ama Festival * B.C.’s Performance The opening = abit «7G marked the culmination of years of planning and work for the residents of northern B.C. When the Terrace Community Centre was destroyed by fire in 1971, city council met to plan what sports and recreations functions were needed in the community. The ice arena was completed in 1973. Plans were being made to ad- dress the needs of cultural groups when the school board submitted a re- Theatre people from all over the province travelled to Terrace for five days of performances, competitions and workshops. Theatre B.C. then de- clared the R.E.M. Lee as one of the “finest [theatres] in the province.” And what a history it has had. Hay- ing such an accomplished performance space in the community has brought incredible acts to town. The theatre has hosted perfor- mances by the Royal Winnipeg Bal- Around Town TERRACE STANDARD. The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, November 1 4, 2001 - B1 ‘ SECTION B OMMUNITY-== THE R.E.M. Lee Theatre was hailed as one of B.C.'s finest when it opened, according to Theatre B.C. let, the Edmonton Symphony Orche- stra, Chilliwack, Anne Mortifee, Lor- eena McKennit, the Arrogant Worms, Vinok Worldance, the English Suit- case Theatre’s version of Hamiet, Joe Sealy, the Jorgen Bailet’s Nutcracker, Carlos del Junco, the Vancouver Symphony. Orchestra, Rita MacNeil and many, many more. The R.E.M. Lee has also given Iocal talent a place to perform and en- tertain. The theatre plays host to many sessions of the Pacific Northwest Music Festival, school productions and concerts, and the presentations of many of our talented arts groups such as Skeena River Players, the Terrace Symphony, Community Band, and Terrace Little Theatre. So this month, mark the theatre’s 26th birthday giving yourself a treat — bring your family or your friends to the theatre for one of its many fine perfor- mances. You’ll find some of the seats a little threadbare, the decor less than mod- ern, but you will also find a sense of local history, a fervent dedication to the arts in the many volunteers who help run and maintain the theatre, and engaging and uplifting performances. Happy Birthday to the R.E.M. Lee Theatre. Completed training -~A CALEDONIA Secondary School graduate has. finished her basic naval training. Grace Wittkowski, 18, is now stationed in Wind- sor, Ontario where she is waiting for ad- vanced training. Wittkowski com- plete her basic train- ing at Camp Borden, close to Toronto, this past summer. Father Lloyd Witt- kowski said his daugh- ter wants to become a scuba diver with an | eventual placement at naval bases in either Halifax on the east | cost or Esquimalt in BC. He described the basic training as rigor- ous and demanding. Grace Wittkowski By JEFF NAGEL missing in the rub- | The firefighters there was expected to draw at least Firefighters’ trip to the Big Apple on hold THREE Terrace firefighters are putting on hold plans to.travel to . New York to honour firefighters killed in the Sept. 11 attacks there. A planned massive memorial for the New York firefighters on Nov. 18 has been postponed, says Terrace firefighter Dave Jephson. Jephson, Lawrence Stella and Fred Euverman were to fly there at union expense and participate in the giant event this weekend. Jephson said the event was. called off as a result of conflict between the City of New York and firefighters there over how bo- dies are being recovered. The city ordered an end to the painstaking work of sifting through wreckage to recover bodies. and began a more rapid transfer of de- bris by truck to the city landfill. That has angered firefighters who fear many colleagues still ble won’t be found and. will.end up in essentially a mass grave. The president of the International Association of Fire Fighters told fire- fighters the move will “leave nearly 240 of your brothers at the mercy of sea- gulls at the world’s largest garbage dump.” : Firefighters had tried to continue searching the debris against city orders, leading to scuffles with New York police and some arrests of fire- fighters there, Jephson said the timing of the event. would have been difficult Dave Jephson have gone to so many funerals and memor- ials since Sept. Lt they are mentally ex- hausted, he said. Firefighters visiting from other areas have in many cases not helped with the search or other relief work, he added, but instead have filled in for iraumatized New .| York firefighters at | funerals. “The idea is to try to relieve the stress that they’re under,” he said. “They need mental support.” Jephson said it’s important to local firefighters to go and show their support for fallen comrades. He said they hope and expect the huge memorial service, which 30,000 firefighters from around the world, will be rescheduled. The tocal firefighters airline tickets are good until the end of January, he noted. If the event doesn’! happen by then, he added, they may go down anyway ta pay their respects and assist in any possible way. “We don’t have enough money to send us twice,” Jephson said, gua Terrace firefighters will be out in force this weekend raising money in their annual boot drive, Instead of muscular dystrophy, this year’s Nov. 16-17 campaign will support families of firefighters lost when the World Trade Centre collapsed after the Sept. 11 terror- ist attacks in New York. Money raised goes to a crilical incident stress fund set up by the Continued Page B4 Free legal assistance DO YOU NEED some help with a legal problem? Why not talk to an expert? You can receive legal help by talking to a quali- fied volunteer by calling the Kermode Friendship Society to book an appointment with a lawyer, Starting Nov. 15, the society hosts weekly ap- pointments through the Western Canada Society to Access Justice. Criminal, family and civil law assistance will be available through appointment. It’s for people who cannot afford a lawyer and those who are ineligible for legal aid. The lawyers do not appear in court, but will be able to help with court preparation, Call 635-7670. OT Nurses week THE 600-strang members of the British Columbia Operating Room Nurses Group invite you to get to know the nurse behind the mask. It's OR Nurses Week in Canada Nov. 11 to 17, With that in mind, the group encourages the public to find out more about what's involved with opera- ting room nursing. Sharp shooters HANDY a camera? Got an eye for a nice shat? Then the Terrace Art Gallery wants to hear from you. It’s looking far submissions for its 2002 photo- graphy exhibit, scheduled for this coming January, Call Aron at 638-8884 for details. Meanwhile, the gallery is featuring the painting and pottery works of local artists Dyan Myrh and Dan Condon in Brush.and Wheel; until Nov, 25, Tears in Rain, a show by Kara and Trina Myhr is also on view. And on Nov 22 at 7:30 p.m., Ter race’s Copycat Productions presents its new video, Spirit of the Raven, a healing journey with images of the northwest, Rain, Man IT’s BEEN soaking wet in the northwest for the past couple of months, but the Forest Service says B.C. needs more rain. Dave Hames of the forest protection branch says southeastern B.C., in partic- ular, is currently enduring draught conditions, for many in New York anyway. Showing us the rules of the game By JENNIFER LANG WHAT HAPPENS when you pit four co-work- ers against one another in a serious game of Monopoly? A battle over a coveted piece of property, says Diana Braathen, director of A Hotel on Marvin Gardens, a fast-paced, sophisticated comedy that opens the Terrace Little Theatre’s 2001-2002 season. Marvin Gardens, of course, is the name of one of the desirable “yellow” streets on the board of one of the world’s best-known board games. The play demonstrates how Monopoly, (a game that’s both a tribute to and an indictment of Capi- talism, depending on whe- ther or not you manage to get your hands on Board- walk or not) relates to life, especially in the workplace. Me The story takes place on an ma island off the coast of Con- me necticut owned by a maga- i zine proprietor named K.C. Qulie Jacobs), a woman who's determined to win in all aspects of her life. She gathers with her Bo (Brent Nixon), Me Magazine's editor, Henry, (Chris Stone, of Kitimat’s On-Cue players) and food critic Erna (Sharon Baker) for a day and evening of challenge. It’s been a decade-long ritual; every year on April 1 (April Fool’s Day), the group conven¢s for its annual game of Monopoly. Add a young stranger {newcomer Keely Wallace as Rose) who's literally blown.in by a storm, and you've got the recipe for a come- dy that makes a number of pointed observa- tions about modem working relationships. Diana Braathen BRENT NIXON and Chris Stone in a scene from A Hotel on Marvin Gardens. The TLT production opens tomorrow night at the McColl Playnouse, JENNIFER LANG PHOTO “I like the way the game itself relates to these people,” says Braathen, who admits to “always losing” at Monopoly herself. Nagel Jackson's A Hoel on Marvin Gardens is Braathen’s fourth turn in the director's chair. Every play presents its own unique chal- lenges, she says. “In this one, the game itself is certainly a staging challenge — especially for the crew,” The cast, meanwhile, has been logging hours around the board table. as part of their re- -hearsal process. “We actually got together for an evening just to refresh ourselves,” Braathen adds. A Hotel on Marvin Gardens runs Nov. 15-17, 22-24, and from Nov. 28 to Dec, |. atthe Mc- Coll Playhouse. Showtime is & p.m. Tickets are available at Uniglobe Courtesy Travel, ° As an added bonus, audience members can enter a contest. On the final night, Dec. 1, there will be a draw for two tickets to sce the TLT’s dinner theatre production. Entry forms can be found inside the play programme. — ae eee