The laughs are on at the Paramount!
#LSN_Arts Paramount
THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO - August 12, 2018 (LSN) Audiences have been flocking to the Paramount this August to catch a local summer theatre production of Downton Abbey Road. Now heading into its last week of performances, Downton Abbey Road is written by Randy Apostle of Celebrations and Jubilations Dinner Theatres and tells the story of the Crawley family being abuzz for Lady Mary’s birthday celebration until a mysterious visitor claims they know a dark secret about someone in the house. The problem with Downton, is that everybody has a dark secret. As the people upstairs and downstairs speculate over the potential fallout, their secrets start bubbling up. And things have been bubbling up at the Paramount Theatre, mainly chuckles as Thunder Bay audiences have been bent over in their seats with laughter. But, it remains to be seen who is having more fun, the audience or the local actors in this production. The smiling Jessica Melanson (one of her leading roles is Detective Carmen Sampson, the Singing Mountie) exclaims that “this show has been wonderful… this has been the best. The laughter from the audience, the giggles onstage, and just the natural feel of the whole show.” Micheal Bogensberger (Thomas) added that they’ve been enjoying all the reactions they’ve gotten from the crowd. “You really don’t know what you’re going to get every night from the audience, or where some scenes in the show are going to go” he said with a grin, “but we never complain… we love it. We only complain about sweat. It’s been a hot summer” said Micheal. And a hot show too, as ticket sales have been increasing over the run due to tons of word of mouth. “Our patrons have been the ones selling the tickets” said co-producer/director Candi Badanai. “We try to keep out budget low so we can offer great summer theatre entrainment for only $15 admission. It’s affordable for the whole family and it’s out theatre patrons and their families that have been sharing the word about how much fun our shows are. We are blessed to have such awesome fans here in Thunder Bay.”
While potatoes are launched into the audiences from the hands of happy actors playing downstairs servants, it is easy to tell that they are having the time of their lives up there on the stage. “Some favourite moments are when you just can’t stop laughing… and you stop sobbing onstage” said actress Katherine Nemec (Lady Mary) “It stops the show.” And it is at that point no one knows who is having more fun - the actors breaking into tears of laughter or the audience laughing along with them. “It is funny; its summer; its light. People need to take two hours out of their day and forget their troubles and just come and laugh” said Jessica Melanson.
With only three more performances left in the run on August 14, 15, 16th, the tickets will surely go quickly. The curtain rises at the Paramount Theatre nightly at 7:30pm and tickets can be purchased at Maple Tops for only $15 for the Badanai Theatre production of Downton Abbey Road.