Dogsbreath Deveraux Opening Night

Emily Mailhot Reporter – Vegreville News Advertiser

The 9th annual performance of the Chipman Players saw large numbers on their opening night for the production “Dogsbreath Deveraux, the Dastardly Doctor,” by Billy St. Jean.

Tom Hrehorets, who also played Mrs. Lotta Cash in the theatre production, put on yet another fantastic meal this year with ribs, fried chicken, cornmeal, perogies, cabbage rolls, and salad, with a dessert that kept guests going back for seconds.

160 people though 130 can be seated in the dining area. “Whoever eats first will have to eat fast and get upstairs,” joked Bruce McGregor, founder of the players and host for the event.

The performance was kicked off with a skit by the group’s president and director Karen Willis and her daughter Elizabeth.

Dogsbreath Deveraux is, at the risk of sharing too many spoilers, the story of the evil Dr. Deveraux’s plans to marry and then kill the wealthy widow and owner of the Hanover D Cash clinic, Lotta Cash. A wrench is thrown in his plans when Nurse Wendy March, an orphan (that’s what the sisters at the Saint Jude’s orphanage named her when they found her on a windy day in March, floating down the North Saskatchewan River in her baby buggy) with a secret, and an important history is hired at the clinic.

In the often impromptus nature of the Chipman Players performance, many jokes aimed at local businesses and events brought eruptions of laughter from the audience.

This year’s production was in memory of two Chipman Players who passed away recently, Fred Pewarchuk and John Stribling. “They were instrumental for us over the years, not only for acting but the many other things they took on to help out.”

The Players have more performances of Dogsbreath Deveraux on upcoming weekendsbefore ending their season until the 2019-2020 year.