Cape Breton's Magazine

Follies or Revue, is Ronnie MacEachern saying, "What's your father's name?" We used "Driver Maclver" last year, with great success. One of Ronnie's classics. There's such a scope of musical forms that we can try. What I mean to say is, it's just this on-going kind of challenge. (Do you think about it all year?) Oh, I think about it all year. I mean, when the U.I.C. asks me if I'm working, I have to say no. But I can't stop thinking. So I guess thinking isn't working. Stephen MacDonald: (Where did you come in? to it?) I was teaching school in Salmon Arm, British Columbia. Just north of the Okanagan Valley. I had known Leon Dubinsky for years. And then the Rotary Shows, which my par? ents, Mary Marsh and Scotchy MacDonald were very involved in all through the '60s and early '70s. Leon was in several of ' those. And I used I to work on them. I was actually in one with Leon--"Guys and Dolls." But for the most part I used to do stuff like pull the cur? tain, work the spotlight, do the sound effects. CUT CORNERS, NOT QUALITY Lightweight and dependable. Stihl trimmers are great for cutting places your mower can't reach. Get one at a great price now during our spring "Root Awakening" Sale. YOUNG'S POWER EQUIPMENT LTD. Millville • Boularderie Phone 674-2008 This was all before Follies in 1977. Late that year I had decid? ed to leave teaching, in the middle of the teaching year. So word gets back. It was Leon that called me. Be? cause the Follies had just happened, been tremendously success? ful. Big hoopla, it was a big year. Goincidentally was the development of the band Buddy and the Boys. Which was Max and Leon, Ralph Dillon and Berkley Lamey-- actually, all in the Follies. So they were developing their own direction and-- playing tons of Leon's material. So they came up with this idea: "Let's take a show out, and we'll use some of the highlights from the Follies--sketches--but we'll do Buddy and the Boys, too." So the show was called "Crossing the Causeway"--a combina? tion: the Follies and Buddy and the Boys. And they asked me if I wanted to come home and book it--they wanted to tour Nova Sco? tia. (Had you ever done that before?) Not booking a tour like that. I'm trying to think why they would have picked me. I guess they just figured that, you know--teaching school--this is an orga? nized, regular guy! Normal organized, bor? ing guy. If he can get up at seven o'clock every morning.... Anyway, somehow I guess Beautiful Bras d'Or MacNEIL*S MOTEL tlTel)est in conifort and accommodation Trans-Canada Highway 105, Bras d'Or, Cape Breton BOC 1B0 17 UNITS COLOUR CABLE T.V. ELECTRIC HEAT • some with microwaves & refrigerators • Overlooking the Bras d'Or Lakes (902) 736-9106 • (902) 736-2692 they figured I could do it. (Was it a job of? fer?) Oh, no, I don't think there was any money. So I was just in with the group to do it. And we went to In'tes You... CAPE BRETON TRAILER SALES Trans'Canada Highway 544-0157 - YOUR DEPENDABLE TRAILER DEALER ~ Come In and See Our Selection of NEW & USED HARD TOPS & TRAVEL TRAILERS • Visit Our Showroom for a Great Selection • MCantic Harvest 'staurant Se'a'oodOaf- Sf?&oia;'' Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Specials Open Daily • 6:30 AM to 9:00 PM Catering to Banquets * & Any Special Occasions * Bras d'Or • on the Trans-Canada Hwy OPEN YEAR ROUND 736-2366 Bras d'Or: A Cape Breton Island Centre