Winsloe Players attract loyal following, raise big bucks over 40 years
Nancy Russell | CBC News | Posted: March 27, 2017 9:00 AM | Last Updated: March 27, 2017
'We do flub up, the audience loves it," says Winsloe Players director Barb Perry
Barb Perry has spent the last 40 years making people laugh, and raising money for good causes along the way.
Perry is a writer, director and actor in annual community comedies put on by the Winsloe Players of Prince Edward Island.
"Every day living, there's nothing funnier than real life," said Perry, who started writing original scripts for the plays 25 years ago.
"I enjoy making people laugh, I think that's my lot in life. I think that's why the Lord put me here."
A comedy of her own
The fundraising started in 1977, when the group put on its first variety show at the old Winsloe Lions Hall. In 1992, they moved to a new venue and started doing productions every year.
The group was having trouble finding good comedies and a friend suggested to Perry that she try her hand at writing one.
"The very first one I ever wrote is kind of close to my heart because I didn't think I was ever talented enough...to write a play," she said modestly.
"Many's the night it was two o'clock in the morning before I got...to bed but when you're on a roll, you can't stop!"
With her first play, she would even wake up in the middle of the night and jot down ideas.
"In the morning, I'd get up and think what was that, because half the time I was writing with no glasses and in the dark."
The names of the productions reflect the homespun nature of the comedy with titles such as Yoo Hoo, Anybody Home?, Living with Grannie, and Look Who's Laughing, which even had a sequel the following year called Oh No, Where's The Groom?
"If I seen something that was funny or I heard a saying that was funny, I would write it down."
Like a second family
Perry has also become an expert at recruiting actors along the way, including her son Darrell and daughter Joy, who started as teenagers. There's even a third generation in the plays now, with Barb's granddaughter Chelsea joining the cast.
Over the years, the cast has become like a second family for Perry. She says many were initially reluctant to join the cast, telling Perry they'd 'never be able to get up on the stage'.
"So many have said it and when it gets in your blood, you just have to do it," said Perry.
"It's just a fever."
'A lot of laughs'
Two long-time cast members are Ivan Proude, a bus driver by day, and Gordon Aten, a farmer, well known for growing giant pumpkins.
"For me back then, I knew I was pretty timid in front of a group of people, to get up on a stage, I didn't like that at all," said Aten.
"This was one way to overcome that."
Aten doesn't consider himself an actor, but says the Winsloe Players help pass the winter.
"A lot of people, they go to curling in the winter, we go to play practice," he said.
"There's a lot of laughs all winter."
Flubbing up
There are also prompters for every production, following the script to help out if the actors go astray.
"We do flub up," said Perry, who recalls one time when an actor jumped two and a half pages.
"The audience loves it."
The Winsloe Players have attracted a loyal following, with fans calling Perry as early as February to get their name on the list for the April shows.
'Feels pretty good'
There is a serious side to the comedies, which have raised almost $194,000 so far, which may reach $200,000 with this year's show.
"We do urgently need equipment and the best equipment to keep people from having to go off Island," said Perry who worked at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for 30 years.
She has personally benefited from the new equipment at the hospital, including new gel mattress tables in one of the operating rooms.
"As I laid there in comfort because I'd been in the OR many times on very hard beds, I'm thinking this feels pretty good, some of my money helped put this here," said Perry.
"Not looking for glory, don't get me wrong, but it is a nice feeling to know that you've done something to help people."
A good run
Tracy Comeau, CEO of QEH Foundation, calls the contribution from the Winsloe Players 'amazing' and says she personally enjoys seeing the productions every year.
"To watch the camaraderie amongst the group onstage and how they can laugh and make so many others laugh year after year," said Comeau.
Perry is handing over the reins of the Winsloe Players officially at the end of this production, to long-time actors Proude and Aten.
"I think 40 years has been a pretty good run," she said.
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