Jeff Giles (Miles), Jefferson Mappin (Angus) and Booth Savage (Morgan) on the set of Theatre Orangeville's production of The Drawer Boy. Submitted Photo As a busy character actor on TV, stage and screen, local trouper Jefferson Mappin has never played at the Orangeville Opera House - until now.

Starring in the lead role of The Drawer Boy, Mr. Mappin is thrilled to be included in this latest production by Theatre Orangeville.

"When I heard David (Nairn) talking about the project," he said, "I knew I wanted to be apart of it."

Mr. Nairn, the director, also enlisted the talents of Booth Savage and Jeff Giles, who complete the small, all-male cast.

Considered a Canadian classic, The Drawer Boy was written by Toronto-based actor Michael Healey, initially debuting in 1999. It is the story of a young actor from Toronto who travels to a small farming community (not unlike those in Dufferin County) to document the realities of farm life for a television show.

"There was an actual show in the '70's called The Farm Show that is the basis for this play," explained Mr. Mappin. "It was very much like a reality show, where actors travelled to Clinton, Ontario, and lived with farm families."

This fictitious story includes a rural-urban culture clash when the young actor Miles (Mr. Giles) meets two farmers, Morgan (Mr. Savage) and Angus (Mr. Mappin), who grew up as childhood friends, then endured the horrors on the battlefields of the Second World War together and continue this unbreakable bond of friendship, even though Angus returned from war handicapped with a severe head injury that also affects his memory.

"It's a touching story of a lasting friendship that stands the test of time," said Mr. Mappin.

This critically acclaimed play is the winner of numerous awards, including a Dora Mavor Award in 1999 for outstanding new play and the Governor General's Literary Award in 1999/2000 for best English Drama, and received a monetary award for best new play, the Floyd S. Chalmers Plays Award.

This is Mr. Giles first time working with Theatre Orangeville and he states in his biography that he is very excited to be playing the part of Miles because it's a great play and the fact that he worked with Miles Potter (the original director of The Drawer Boy, as well as co-creator and company member of The Farm Show) when Mr. Giles was only 15-years-old.

Mr. Savage is a busy actor, writer, producer and teacher whose career spans more than 25-years. He has worked on nearly every major stage in Canada and has numerous television credits. He is an original member of Theatre Passe Muraille (1968), Toronto Free Theatre (1971), Supernova (1972-1979) and Briefcase Production (1980 to present).

Tickets for The Drawer Boy, playing from February 15 through to March 4, are available at the box office 519-942-3423 or on-line at www.theatreorangeville.ca.