MOOSOMIN — In honour of Bernice Beckett being an active member of the Mooseberry Acting Co. for years, the production team decided to include her in this year’s fall production of Too Many Cooks.
The Mooseberry Acting Company is a community group, and all the funds they raise go back to the community.
Beckett turned 90 this year and was born around the same time the play Too Many Cooks is set in.
“She’s been a member of the Mooseberry Acting Co. for several years. She doesn’t act anymore, but we’ve asked her to be included this year,” said Sheilagh Garrett of Mooseberry Acting Co.
“Because the play we’re doing this year was set in the 1930s we thought it would be neat if she could be there, and be a part of it. She always enjoyed them so much.”
Beckett will be handing out programs to audience members for the upcoming performances on November 24, 25, and 26.
She said she enjoyed her time being a part of the plays and production team while she was a member of the local acting group.
“It was sometime in the 80s I joined Mooseberry,” said Beckett.
“My sister-in-law, Jan McKay, was the head person at that time. She was the one who got the plays together and everything. Before that, there was Phyl Henry.
“From the time Phyl Henry started it, I’ve never missed a play. I always went to watch them.
“After I did my little bit of acting, then I helped with the backstage stuff.”
Beckett was asked what she enjoyed the most when being a part of the team.
“I think it was just to be with people. I raised six kids, sometimes it was nice to get out and do something different,” she said smiling.
“I enjoyed doing plays, I enjoyed being in them and I enjoyed the background stuff I did too, making sure everyone had the right costumes on, the right things going out on the stage with them, that was our jobs, the ones who worked in the back.”
In addition to the four plays Beckett took part in, she spoke about one of the most memorable moments she had when working behind the scenes.
“I know there was one time I was working and it was a very busy play,” she said.
“There was a lot of in and out, and in and out, the scenes were changing. You had to run in and get the empty glasses, bring them out and put the full ones on the table, I thought oh my goodness, how could we be doing this?
“Everything would be blacked out for just a minute and you would have to get off the stage very quickly,” she said laughing.
“It was very fast-paced, very exciting.”
Beckett said she is happy to see the acting company still thriving in the Moosomin and Fleming community.
“I think it’s great (they’re still going) because they had a play last fall and I thought they did very well,” she said.
“There was a young lady from Fleming who was in it, who had never been in a play before, and I thought she did an excellent job.”
