There is tremendous power in art. Music increases mental agility. Painting encourages calm. And acting endows self confidence.

Certainly, the theatre has been a happy benefit for the actors at Community Living Dufferin who participated in the Songs of The Sound of Music in March at the Orangeville Opera House. In order to have some time to talk about the theatre and what it means to them, at their invitation, I dropped in on their cast party.

Before the show, Jill Gamblin, a worker at the CLD, who has been involved with their theatrical productions since the first one eight years ago, told me she made all the costumes for the whole production, with 14 people performing.

“I made everything from whatever I could find,” she said, laughing, “old coats, dresses, anything I could make work.”

The costumes included nuns’ habits, period dresses and suits – they really were marvellous and even more so after understanding what it took to put them together.

There are so many stories throughout the vast land of the theatre of the change that being involved with it, whether or not on stage, makes: changes to people’s lives, change to the way they see themselves and to how others see them.

These were the stories I want to garner at the cast party. How has acting mattered over the few or many years of doing it?

Colleen Curran, who is calm and confident on and off the stage, likes singing and dancing and likes to see the audience enjoying themselves.

She has been with the theatre group at CLD for six years and played the part of Maria in this latest production. She knew every word of the musical, all the songs, all the dialogue.

“I always do,” she remarked. “My family came to the show – they enjoyed it.”

Playing opposite her as Captain Von Trapp, was Luke Gallagher, also a long term thespian. He was tall and elegant, the perfect “Captain,” who balanced the role’s rigidity and romance extremely well and Christopher Plummer struggled with that!

There was a duet sung and danced by Travis Grist and Stephanie Krar during the Songs of the Sound of Music. The couple are actually engaged to be married in August this year. Stephanie was a brilliant presence on stage. Her obvious love for acting made her glow with a smile that lit up the stage.

She has been acting for 10 years, she told me. She really loved this show – ”I felt like a diva,” she claimed.

Travis told me that he and Stephanie have been doing a lot of dancing together.

One of the best stories is that of Sarah Godfrey, who, the beginning of her acting career, found it extremely difficult to speak to people.

Once she experienced the joys of acting, she also discovered she was able to be more communicative, to the point where she gave a speech at her father’s retirement party.

Her father commented that the speech was “funny, articulate and complicated.”

Sarah has been a participant in the drama group since 2003; this time around, she played the part of Mother Superior.

“The first year, I was [so]...nervous,” Richard Dunnett (Max) declared. “then, after that, I was fine – just come on the stage – no problem. I like the singing and dancing – it’s fun.”

Richard was at the party with his wife, Sue, who

comes from a big family.” This was Richard’s second year doing a musical with the group. It is a great thing to learn not to be nervous in front of an audience.

Jill Dodman claimed she had only been a “warm body” on the stage in previous productions and then “I got passionate about acting.” So, for Jill, the theatre is something to be excited about; a passion in her life.

This musical, in which she did double duty as a nun and one of the Von Trapp children, Jill claimed was fun and

bit different. She has been involved with the productions since they did “Grease.”

Another one of the actors who is really happy on stage is Clancy Kuchinak. She first played Toto in the “Wizard of Oz.” This time around, she did the role of Gretel.

Deborah Woods (Brigitta and a nun in Sounds) has been in so many musicals that she is writing a musical.

Kelly HuDong, who plays hockey for Orangeville Wolves, has learned to dance and has discovered he is a “natural” on stage.

Kayla Levy is learning how to be “a little less nervous on stage” every year. She was the beautiful and equally elegant Baroness.

Maryanne Lancaster, who did her first stint last year, had such a good time that she came back again this year to play the parts of Sister Margarita and a Nazi officer.

John Maly (Kurt Von Trapp) has done acting with the drama club at ODSS and joined the CLD group for the first time this year.

Brenda Bovaird (Louisa) loves being with the group.

So much learned; so much appreciated.

Rehearsals run from September to March, as director, Steve Urion explained.

They take their time for lots of teaching the roles and revision. It is a great thing that each production is allowed so much time as it is clear that the drama is an extremely important part of the lives of all the people involved with it.

For each of them, the productions are their passions, their fun, their chance to express themselves in ways, perhaps, that their normal day-to-day lives cannot offer.

Jill Gamblin said so many young people who come from the local schools to see the shows realise they could act, sing and dance too, so that there is now a waiting list to join in the group of performers.

It is no wonder at all that there has been theatre – one person or more performing for the enlightenment and entertainment of others – since there have been people. It is naturally just good for everyone.