NANAIMO REGION
Rare bird species making a comeback An increasing number of Purple Martins are being seen around Nanaimo and Vancouver Island. A3
NATION & WORLD
Back in action ction
Chattanooga shooter had depression issues
Nanaimo’s Andrew w Smith recovered from injury njury to make his CFL debut but
The shooter’s family says he was ‘not the son we knew and loved’ after he killed five people in Tennessee. A6
Sports, B1
The newspaper of record for Nanaimo and region since 1874 || Monday, July 20, 2015 CITY
to Puppet master Council vote on The Chemainus Theatre’s production of ‘James and the Giant Peach’ features the artform of puppeteering in a world of whimsy and creativity
property decisions SPENCER ANDERSON DAILY NEWS
‘James and the Giant Peach’ crew member Georgia Bennett, 20, works backstage at the Chemainus Theatre. [JULIE CHADWICK/DAILY NEWS]
Shadow puppets utilized to be created on a small scale
T
o be backstage the day before the Saturday opening performance of Chemainus Theatre’s production of James and the Giant Peach is to be transported into a world of whimsy and creativity. Giant hand puppet insects with painted latex faces and foam bodies in bright clothing lay waiting for the cast to bring them to life. Behind a round cloth screen at centre stage, crew member Georgia Bennett readies an overhead projector which is used for the shadow puppet portion of the performance. An art form with a colourful history that goes back hundreds of years, it provides an added layer to Chemainus’s yearly KidzPlay show that has marked an unusual and adventurous artistic direction for the theatre company. Bennett, a Chemainus local and relative newcomer to the stage,
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will helm the shadow puppets characters who work with the under the careful direction of live actors (who can also come Maggie Winston, a puppeteer behind the screen and become from Vancouver. shadows themselves.) “Most of the shadow About to enter her puppets are made from third year in musical paper and cardboard theatre at Sheridan Coland clear and coloured lege in Ontario, this is plastic,” said Bennett, the first time 20-year-old who kneels next to Bennett will work in a the projector with an backstage capacity. assortment of cutouts Her first major role scattered around her. came at the age of 16 “There’s a screen on top when she landed the and the light is shining part of Fantine in up from underneath and Julie Comox Valley Youth Chadwick you put the slide on top Music Centre’s producof the projector and that Reporting tion of Les Miserables. will send the image onto “That was when I just the screen in front of it.” knew that was what I They work with two prowanted to do,” she said. jectors, and it allows for a wide “The show was important to variety of overlapping and movme because my mom used to ing scenes. love it when she was younger so Some shadows work as moving when we would go around cleanbackdrops for the live characters ing the house she would play onstage, and some as interactive the tape.
“When I grew up I realized I knew the music, and I couldn’t figure out why and then I made the connection. So it was really special to me.” It is the first time Bennett has ever worked with puppets, and she considers it an essential experience for a well-rounded knowledge and education of the stage. “We kind of create things as the show goes on,” said Bennett. “I have a piece of fabric that I make into something and it’s all in real time, so it’s interesting in that way. And Maggie’s been really helpful in teaching me how to do it because that’s kind of her niche.” One of the benefits of utilizing shadow puppets is that they can be created on a small scale, said Winston, who runs the Lost & Found Puppet Co. in Vancouver. See PUPPETS, Page Xx
Boaters get silly in Nanaimo’s harbour
‘Ant-Man’ shows box office heft with $58M
The annual Silly Boat Regatta, a staple of summer in Nanaimo, was held on Sunday and drew hundreds of people to the waterfront to take in the fun. » Pictorial, A5
New superhero movie starring Paul Rudd led the way at the box office over the weekend while Amy Schumer’s ‘Trainwreck’ finished second in earnings. » Entertainment, B7
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Nanaimo council is set to vote tonight on proposed terms of reference for a master plan to guide development for the 26.7 acres of waterfront land the city purchased in 2013. The terms of reference, if adopted, will set the stage for the next step in developing a major planning document for the area, including hiring a consultant to assist in the work. The plan will also help guide decisions on transportation, environment and other land use matters, a city report says. Council will also vote tonight on another land decision; specifically, whether or not to buy back a small lot next to the Vancouver Island Conference Centre from hotel developer SSS Manhao. The company had proposed to construct a 21-storey hotel in the downtown that would be a place of welcome for some 70,000 Asian tourists each year. However, delays with the project led to growing frustration on city council, which voted 5-4 in June to deny the developer’s request for a one-year extension on the city’s option to purchase agreement. That agreement gives the city the right to buy back the property for the amount SSS Manhao paid in 2013 -— $565,000 — if a building permit and the foundation for the building had not been completed by May 30. The developer rejected a counter-proposal from the city for a six-month extension and a list of other concessions from the developer. Mayor Bill McKay said last week that it would be a sign of “bad faith” if council does not follow through on its option to buy back the land. However, he said he remains optimistic that another developer will express interest in the property in the future. Spencer.Anderson@ nanaimodailynews.com 250-729-4255 » We want to hear from you. Send comments on this story to letters@nanaimodailynews.com. Letters must include daytime phone number and hometown.
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