It’s less than three weeks to D-day, when rehearsals for Diamond Girls will commence at Frehlick Hall, Woodlawn Regional Park, Estevan.
This venture has been a rollercoaster since I embarked on it last fall. Thanks to the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, it has generally been an uphill journey – with performances negotiated in Battleford, Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, and the ISHA conference in Calgary next September. However, in early April I became actress-less. I was on tender hooks for three weeks while Director Kenn McLeod searched for a qualified replacement. While I chewed my nails on the other end of the line, Kenn assured me, “There’s talent in this province. Don’t worry.” In the end, he pitched the project to Malia Becker, a 27-year-old Regina actress with a strong dance background, and she jumped into the rollercoaster’s front seat and gripped the rails with both hands. “This is an amazing opportunity,” she told me. “I love the movie A League of Their Own, I love this script, and I love these Saskatchewan women.” Although Malia has little experience with softball or baseball, she has played soccer and football, so competition and athleticism are familiar to her. Several years ago, she played with the Regina Riot, and for that reason, the “looks vs. skill” theme in Diamond Girls resonates. In addition, Malia is surrounded by a great team. Kenn, Technical Director Bill Hales, and Stage Manager Shelby Lyn Lowe will help Malia find the sweet spot and hit this script right out of the park. Diamond Girls has undergone a number of changes in the past few months, incorporating characters such as Chet Grant, a reporter from the South Bend Tribune, and Doris “Sammie” Sams, a Muskegon pitcher and close friend of Arleene Noga’s. Scenes have been reworked, utilizing more dialogue and less monologue. All this will keep Malia on her feet, switching roles. Diamond Girls is still arranged in nine innings, though none of these segments will be identified to the audience. Our summer schedule has been fleshed out with appearances in three –possibly four – provinces. Recently, the Potash Corp Saskatoon Fringe Festival was added. By the time October 1st rolls around, Malia will have performed the show for at least 37 audiences. Not quite as grueling as 126 games in four months, but grueling enough. We can’t wait to get started.
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Maureen UlrichPlaywright Archives
September 2018
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