VALA variety show ready to roll here

Some tickets are still left for the second-annual VALA variety show, which will hit the stage Saturday for two shows at the Townshend Theatre.
“It’s going to be an awesome time, with lots of entertainment and lots of laughs,” director “Babs Spielberg” (Barb Duguay) enthused Thursday.
This year entitled “Hollywood North: A Gala of Entertainment and Family Fun,” there will be a matinee performance at 2 p.m. and an evening one at 7 p.m.
Tickets—are available at Betty’s up until Saturday afternoon, and at the theatre box office prior to both shows—cost $12 for adults for the matinee and $15 for the evening show.
Admission is $8 for children for both shows.
The annual fundraiser once again will feature the “VALA Follies”—a group of local women who have assumed glamorous personae, and learned a few dance routines, for the stage show.
As well, area talent will be impersonating the Village People, B-52s, Louis Armstrong, Marilyn Monroe, Aretha Franklin, Bing Crosby, the “Walkettes,” and many more.
There also will be special appearances by local dance groups, the Fort Frances Sea Cadets’ drill display, and even salsa mambo lessons with Jorge Suarez (although the latter will cost you $1, which will go to VALA’s literacy programming).
The musical back-up for every act will be provided by local band “North of the Trax” (featuring Romeo Duguay, Geoff Gillon, Myron Hawrylak, and Lance Whalen).
Like last year, a garage sale will be held during intermission of each show. Those attending are asked to bring an item to donate to the sale (no clothes, though).
Fort High students will be selling refreshments to raise money for an upcoming trap to France during the intermissions.
Raffle tickets also will be sold on a quilt, donated by the local Cabin Country Quilt Club, while there will be a silent auction for two chairs and a table donated by Kish Gon Dug Canada, a cedar furniture company in the district.
Proceeds from tomorrow’s shows will go the VALA learning program. As well, a loonie from every ticket sale will go towards the sponsorship of a new high school scholarship created by VALA.