By Dave Babbitt – Special to the Sydenham Current
June typically marks the beginning of our Wallaceburg Concert Band summer hiatus that I so look forward to, but this June has proven to be anything but, as it has been a busy month for the arts in Wallaceburg.
Two weeks ago, a newly formed troupe of young actors and actresses presented The Lion King – Kids at WDSS. This was a pared-down version of the world’s best-selling musical of all time, The Lion King.
In looking after the audio requirements for the show, my role wasn’t important until the final few weeks before the scheduled show dates. This presentation was no different than any of the large-scale musicals that I’ve been involved with in the past.
Two weeks before opening night, panic was in the air. Prompters were required as lines still weren’t completely committed to memory yet. Stage movements and choreography were a mess, sets were still being constructed, song lyrics posed difficulties (especially in this case as some of the lyrics were in Swahili and isiZulu), costumes were still being made, and there were still dozens of detail decisions to be made—all typical production problems.
This gives the producer and director sleepless nights wondering if it’s all going to come together—but it always does. And this show was no different.
I was witness to the incredible growth of the cast over the final two-week period as a loose group of individual actors gelled into a “company.” The kids auditioned for a role in the production back in February, which was open to anyone between the ages of eight and thirteen. They came from a wide area, including other communities. Again, typical of a production such as this, the bonding of the actors was impressive.
The company rehearsed five hours per week through the late winter and spring, but on show week, rehearsals became a three-hour daily routine as opening night approached. At this point, the bonding of the group was palpable.
The kids cheered wildly for one another for something as simple as a microphone check, and as I would cue backing tracks, the entire group would break out in song. It was truly heartwarming—and they gave me goosebumps.
Was it successful? Ask any of the 500+ people who attended one of the three performances. The smiles barely fit in the room. And typical of an artistic endeavour like this, where people develop close bonds of friendship, there were tears when it was over.
During show week, I can’t recall how many times I heard one of the young cast ask, “What musical are we going to do next year?”
I was speaking with a family from Chatham who had no connection with the show, who came to take in a performance and wanted to know how to become involved next year.
As the show came to its final moments and the cast were taking their final bows and spontaneously dancing off the stage, they gave me goosebumps—and tears welled up in my eyes.
Oh yes, it was a success!
The day after The Lion King closed, Meighan Lung had her students at H.W. Burgess present their spring musical, Pirates 2: The Hidden Treasure.
Meighan is the rare teacher who not only produces musical productions every year but presents them twice each year!
There was a twist to this year’s year-end musical, as a medical emergency during its original presentation date in May caused the production to shut down mid-show. Not wanting the students’ efforts to be for naught, the presentation was re-scheduled for the day after The Lion King closed, as Meighan was heavily involved in that show as well.
Dan and Joni reassembled the lighting, the sound system and microphones were all put back in place, and the students dug deep to remember their lines from a month earlier—and once again, gave a fantastic performance.
Typically, our Wallaceburg Concert Band spring show in either late May or early June marks the beginning of our three-month summer break—but for some of us, there has been little rest.
Four of our WCB members are also members of the Lambton Concert Band based in Sarnia. They have helped to foster a warm relationship between our bands and, for the second year in a row, our members have been invited to participate in their Canada Day concert in Canatara Park.
Several LCB members have been making the trek to Wallaceburg on our typical Tuesday rehearsal nights in June and we’ve been preparing the music together. In this case, I too have volunteered to play, but have set my trumpet aside to play the euphonium.
If anyone wishes to take in some music on Canada Day, we begin playing on the stage of Canatara Park at 12:15.
In concluding this week, I’d like to share some wonderful news about our Wallaceburg Concert Band.
In attempting to start a band back in 2016, I had assembled a ragtag collection of former musicians willing to play—but I had no money, no instruments, no music, no home, no way to raise funds, and even if we had the ability to present a concert, no insurance to cover us.
Enter the Wallaceburg Arts Council, of which I was a member at the time. In support of my desire to start a band, they generously allowed us to present our shows using their event insurance, helped us to raise funds via their charitable status, and provided accounting services as we raised funds and sought grants.
Our relationship with the Arts Council has essentially been a financial one, with our band always maintaining artistic control.
Our growth over the past nine years has been meteoric—without peer in the region—and it became time for us to become masters of our own destiny and fly on our own.
I’m thrilled to announce that as of Monday, June 16th, the Wallaceburg Concert Band was officially incorporated! Our “Band Executive” is now officially a “Board”—but we are not finished yet.
Our next step is to seek charitable status, which our lawyer feels is accomplishable but will likely take the remainder of the calendar year.
I want to publicly thank the Arts Council for their support in getting us to this point, and especially express my personal gratitude to the amazing musicians that I’ve been surrounded with since our inception and who have brought us to where we are today.
You are an amazing group of musicians that I’m proud to be associated with!
