Monday, February 17th, 2025

Gren Bray, the stage and musical director for Clearview Community Theatre, says that his latest production, “The Music Man,” has “taken over his life.”

Luckily, he doesn’t seem to mind.

“I can’t even begin to guess how much time I spend organizing shows every year,” he said on the telephone between final rehearsals at Nottawasaga Community Hall in Duntroon earlier this week. Because each show requires so much work, he “only” puts on one per year.

“The Music Man,” by Meredith Wilson, is a story about a con man (played by Ken Wilson, pictured at right) who poses as a boys’ band leader and risks being caught when he falls in love with the local librarian.

Bray said the theatre group chose the musical, which was written in the 1950s, because its plot and dialogue are kid-friendly, and it has many parts for different age groups. “We have built a reputation for presenting family entertainment, so people count on us to be able to bring their kids.”

This is Bray’s 13th major production. He started producing musicals when he was an elementary school teacher in the early 1980s. Since retiring in 2001, he has followed his passion for community theatre full-time.

“I want to give everyone – but especially youth – the opportunity to figure out what they like about theatre,” he said. “Youth theatre is my passion, but I wanted to take it a step further and open it up to more people.”

So, in 1996, Bray started Clearview Community Theatre, a group whose goal is to bring all age groups together to create a supportive environment for local productions, with a special emphasis on youth theatre.

Bray credits theatre with improving self-esteem in kids who may not have found their niche. “In theatre, there is a place for everyone,” he explained. “Onstage, you can be a star or you can have a role in the background. Or, you can be offstage, too.”

For those who prefer to be offstage, Clearview Community Theatre offers training in lighting, sound and stage management for children, teenagers and adults.

Auditions are usually held about four months before the show. No experience is necessary to try out.

The current production has 40 cast members, ranging in age from seven to senior citizen. For some in the troupe, this is their first stage production.

“The cast is like a family,” said Bray. “We help each other.”

“The Music Man” runs from Friday, October 25 to Saturday, November 2. Check www.clearviewcommunitytheatre.ca for showtimes. Tickets are available at JACS in Stayner: 705-428-2160.

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