Nicolette Bethel

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The Children's Teeth

For those of you who're wondering what I've been up to, here it is: 

The Children's Teeth has nothing to do with orthodontics. The title of Nicolette Bethel's latest play is taken from a Bible verse that goes, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge. (Ezekiel 18:2) 

Ringplay Productions, of which Nicolette is a board member, chose this play to open the new Winston V. Saunders Repertory Season. The play was always meant to be a part of the season but when difficulties arose with the re-staging of Winston's You Can Lead A Horse To Water to open the season it was decided that The Children's Teeth would be the inaugural play. It was something of which we thought Uncle Winston, who read the play before his death, would approve.Kennedy and Theresa The play boasts an interesting mix of actors, from veterans to relative newcomers. Returning to the stage after a long absence dabbling in politics and in other areas is Theresa Moxey-Ingraham. She plays 'Ellie', the matriarch of the Williams family, who is struggling to make ends meet since the death of her husband over four years ago. Anthony "Skeebo" Roberts, a veteran of Ringplay Productions, plays that husband, 'Neville', a ghost. Theatre veteran Claudette "Cookie" Allens plays 'Blanche', the cantankerous mother of 'Ellie', who has no difficulty speaking her mind, and who has no filter on what comes out of her mouth. Leah Eneas plays 'Neville's' daughter, 'Donnie', who was conceived by a Haitian mother and raised by 'Ellie' and has now returned home and very quickly sets the cat amongst the pigeons. Kennedy Storr plays 'Ross', a nephew/cousin. who is also a former lover of 'Donnie' and a person keenly interested in "helping" 'Ellie' get a sale for her house. Another veteran of Ringplay Productions, Scott Adderley, is 'Hepden Smith', a developer who is keenly interested in buying the Williams home. Rounding out the case are two newcomers to Ringplay Productions, but not newcomers to the stage. Both actors, along with Leah Eneas, are members of Thoughtkatcher Enterprises and have appeared in Da Spot. Candaclyn Rigby plays 'Stacey', 'Ellie' and 'Neville's' daughter, and Dion Johnson plays her brother 'Jeff'.The Children's Teeth touches on a number of themes including, but not limited to, family property, Haitian immigration, infidelity and sibling rivalry. It deals with these, and other themes, with both humour and pathos.Philip A. Burrows, Artistic Director of Ringplay Productions and former Artistic Director of the Dundas Repertory Season, directs the production. The Children's Teeth will only have eight performances, which begin on Thursday, January 17th at the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts and continue through Saturday, January 19th. Performances begin again on Tuesday, January 22nd and go through Saturday, January 26th. Starting time for all performances is 8:30 p.m. and tickets are $20 if reserved or $25 at the door.The Children's Teeth is Rated "C"