Honker House Family Reunion

Emily Mailhot Reporter – Vegreville News Advertiser.

The annual showcase for the talented Holden Junior Players opened on Friday, April 14th, with their first performance of Honker House Family Reunion, a play written by the Jr. Players’ director Roger Harrison. The play continued for a weekend of performances at the Paragon Theatre in Holden.

Before the performance, the ladies at the Gallery gift shop and art studio in Holden served a dinner.

The showcase opened with a video made by the young actors and actresses over the course of the year. After the video ended to much audience applause, Roger Harrison greeted the crowd.

“I would like to thank the people who contributed, with little or no benefit to themselves. VMS, Beaver County, and those who stepped in to help closer to showtime.” Harrison also announced that he had received a notice that Clean Harbours would also be contributing funds for the next season.

The show began with a showcase featuring games of what Harrison described as an invaluable lifeskill – improv.

“Our very first rule is that there is no disrespect; it’s hard enough to be an actor, to put yourself out there. Everyone finds it difficult to be the centre to attention.” He then explained to the audience how this rule helps his students to flourish throughout the year.

Improv games that the actors performed included Countdown Scenes, the Martha Game, and Talking Statues. Some of the games required audience participation, giving some of the kids in the crowd a chance to get in on the action.

After a brief intermission, the performers were ready with a witty play, Honker House Family Reunion. The production followed the story of two sisters who looked back on their life while preparing to tell their family they had gone broke, and were moving from the family mansion to a retirement home. After many comical twists and turns, the two learned a few lessons, but mainly the value of a good maid and a mad scientist brother.

Roger Harrison wrote the play over Christmas break after getting to know the actors, in order to suit each character to the actor who would play them.