This year the Gold Fever Follies will perform in the Old Bank of Montreal building.
The Gold Fever Follies held their annual general meeting last Thursday, and revealed that the bank will serve as this year’s venue since the Miners’ Hall will be closed for renovation. It’s an appropriate venue given the subject of this year’s play: the race between the British Bank of North America and the Bank of Montreal to be the first bank to open in Rossland.
The play, Love and Business, will be based largely on historical events, but takes some liberties. Characters include real life former Rosslander Mrs. Allen, who owned the Allen hotel, and Willa, the fictitious owner of the Velvet Hotel. There’s also a mortician, a furniture sales person and of course the two bank representatives, one a pompous British man and the other a French woman from Paris.
There will be eight cast members in total, and so far three local cast members are confirmed. Casey Gray wrote the script and will also perform, Ty Wright, who performed last year as Fire Chief Guthrie, will return for a third season with the Follies, and Jill Amantea will perform and choreograph. The other five cast members have yet to be confirmed, though auditions have taken place.
This year’s cast will also include a younger member, Marco Santano, a Grade 11 student from JL Crowe who will act as an extra. Allowing younger students to participate as extras gives them a chance to mentor with professional actors and hone their chops.
The Follies will begin rehearsing on June 1 and their opening performance will be Tuesday, June 8 at 7 p.m. For the rest of the summer there will be two performances a day at 3 and 7 p.m., until Aug. 27 when the show wraps.
This year the Follies will face some extra costs. They’ll need to construct a stage in the Rossland Gallery space — which will have to be closed for three months while the group rehearses and performs — and pay rent for the location. Their also hoping to be able to pay Santano a modest honorarium. Those interested in supporting the Gold Fever Follies — whether as individuals or as corporate sponsors — should contact Lisa Henderson at old_grey_mare_55@hotmail.com.
The Follies are also looking for volunteers and host families for the performers to stay with. Host families need to provide a bedroom and access to a kitchen and bathroom; performers will be responsible for preparing their own meals unless they make other arrangements. The Follies will also provide host families with a small honorarium. Those interested should also contact Henderson.