PLAY ABOUT JUNKIES GIVES TIMMINS QUONTA AUDIENCE A HIGH

Timmins got its fix in the second presentation of the 56th annual Quonta
Drama Festival.

There were more than just chuckles coming from the audience of more than
300 gathered at William Dawson Theatre at Timmins High and Vocational
School Wednesday night for HigH Life, produced by Gateway Theatre Guild of
North Bay.

The play, set in a Canadian city in May, 1989, centres around a group of
morphine addicts trying to get their next fix.

Most of the production takes place in the home of Dick, a character who's
trying to convince three other addicts to take part in a "job" that will
get them so much money, they will never have to worry about getting their
next morphine fix.

Allan Stratton, adjudicator for the festival, had good comments for the
production.

"It was an absolutely splendid production, quite a fine production,"
Stratton said.

The production didn't miss a beat and had the crowd laughing at every
wisecrack the addicts made at each other.

Characters Donnie, Billy and Bug, are at each other's throats trying to
kill each other while Dick is trying to set up the "job" - getting money
from the bank machine servicemen.

Jo-Anne Beaulieu, of Timmins, said she enjoyed the play's wittiness. "It
was great, I enjoyed it," Beaulieu said.

"The characters and just the wit of the whole thing. It was just one great
line after another."

Beaulieu's parents, Jeannette and Marcel Racicot, also praised the performance.

"We really enjoyed it," Jeannette said.

"This was pretty good. It was well organized and very well performed,"
Marcel said.

While trying to finish the job and waiting for the servicemen, Bug kills
Billy and frames Donnie for it.

With Billy dead and Donnie in jail, Dick is right back where he started -
trying to convince his addict buddy to do a job that will get them so much
money, they will never have to worry about getting their next morphine fix.

The festival continues today through Saturday with Timmins' own Take Two
Theatre playing host. Trojan Women by Espanola Little Theatre plays
tonight, Thursday; The Runner Stumbles by Family Life Theatre of Sault Ste.
Marie on Friday; and Gone to Glory by Sault Theatre Workshop of Sault Ste.
Marie on Saturday.

Stratton, an adjudicator from Toronto, will decide the festival's best
production.

All performances will be held at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $12 each and are available at the door.