This page was exported from The Auroran [ http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran ] Export date:Thu Jul 18 20:21:58 2024 / +0000 GMT ___________________________________________________ Title: One Man, Two Guvs' Coulter was bitten early by acting bug --------------------------------------------------- By Brock Weir Megan Coulter is a firm believer in the old adage that there are no small parts, only small actors. In fact, when she first stepped onto the stage, she was quite literally a piece of the scenery, playing a piece of the furniture in a production of Beauty & The Beast staged by Aurora's Marquee Theatrical Productions. But, several years on, and after many further opportunities to develop her acting chops, the Grade 11 Aurora student is ready to try something new – an updated spin on the traditional commedia dell'arte – in Country Day School's production of the hit stage comedy One Man, Two Guvnors. An update of the 1743 play Servant of Two Masters, the Broadway smash won a slew of Tony awards, including Best Actor for James Corden. Megan plays Pauline, one of the female leads, whose marriage is thwarted by a series of circumstances. “I am one of the lovers and we have very set out, very strict guidelines,” explains Megan of her “stock character” type that is part and parcel of commedia dell'arte. “We are very distressed when our love can't work, so we have to play these very intense poses. It is very physical and very childish. “I have always been someone who is very interested in drama and I definitely came to CDS for their drama program, but this is the first Senior School production I have acted in.” Megan was bitten by the drama bug from a young age. As a youngster, she hit the field as a soccer player but it just wasn't working for her, she says. “I didn't know what to do with the ball, I couldn't play, and I am not very athletic, so the next thing my parents decided to do was put me in Marquee when I was seven,” she says. “My first play was Beauty and the Beast. I think I was just a piece of furniture, but I loved it!” She continued with Marquee for six years, before moving on to private lessons in singing, acting, and dancing, and eventually Broadway North. “It is that spark and adrenaline,” she says of what draws her to the stage. “I found that I fell in love with the stage as soon as I came on and I have been continuing that passion ever since.” Drama teacher Frasier Fell has seen this passion first hand. There is sometimes a shyness, he says, of actors outside the theatre world but as on as they come on stage “it is magic to see some of the students really open up and shine.” “Our basic goal is to make the audience laugh,” he says. “With a play that is so physically demanding in the comical sense, the highest compliment an audience can give the hardworking students is the laughter. It makes it all the more rewarding for them. Megan has got the passion for this, she has the talent for it, and I think she will continue far with this if she has the drive.” One Man, Two Guvnors opens at Country Day School this Thursday, March 5, with evening performances through March 6. A matinee will be staged on Saturday. For tickets and further information, visit www.cds.on.ca/tickets. --------------------------------------------------- Images: --------------------------------------------------- Excerpt: Megan Coulter is a firm believer in the old adage that there are no small parts, only small actors. In fact, when she first stepped onto the stage, she was quite literally a piece of the scenery, playing a piece of the furniture in a production of Beauty & The Beast staged by Aurora’s Marquee Theatrical Productions. --------------------------------------------------- Post date: 2016-03-02 17:59:55 Post date GMT: 2016-03-02 22:59:55 Post modified date: 2016-03-02 17:59:55 Post modified date GMT: 2016-03-02 22:59:55 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Export of Post and Page as text file has been powered by [ Universal Post Manager ] plugin from www.gconverters.com