EPIC theatre group makes return to Eston

By Verna Thompson

Murder, mayhem and music will be the order of the day when EPIC, Eston's theatre group, hits the stage after a hiatus of several years.

The group will present a locally written and produced play, The Case of the Conceited Choir, at the Eston Legion Hall on November 25 and 26.

The Saturday, November 26 presentation will be a dinner theatre, while the next day's production will be a matinee with dessert and coffee served between acts.

All proceeds from the performances will be donated to the Dr. David S. Mulder Eston District Health Foundation to help fund the needs of family-centered care in the Eston area.

The Case of the Conceited Choir was written by Doreen Hewitson, the minister at St. Andrews United Church in Eston. Initially written for a church dinner theatre, director Verna Thompson has adapted the play for the Eston stage, adding in a few EPIC touches.

The cast includes two singers well-known in the area, Brian Shauf and Laurie Thompson and pianist extraordinaire Brenda Ormsby.

A number of quirky characters make up the conceited choir and the bumbling policemen trying to solve the crime, the murder of the choir director, who is loved and hated, very talented, or a total bust depending on ones viewpoint.

Through song and testimony, each character adds to the suspense of "who killed the victim?" and the "choir" paints the picture of the underlying drama that makes up the Conceited Choir. It all leads to suspense and an unexpected ending.

Tickets for the dinner theatre and matinee are on sale now at the R.M. of Snipe Lake office in Eston. Cost is $80 each for the dinner theatre and $40 each for the matinee. Tables of eight can be reserved.