North meets South, Antony meets the Anthonys
By Bruce Mason, Gabriola Sounder
Monday, September 1 2008
It was the bottom of the ninth of the Chicago - Pittsburgh game last Tuesday evening. However, since the beloved Cubs were leading 14-9, the radio was turned down and the interview began a half inning early in the home of Joelle and Victor Anthony.
I was there to chat about their upcoming performances at the Gabriola Theatre Centre, but had been left waiting in the wings, with herb tea and chocolate cookies rather than peanuts and Cracker Jacks.
“When we married, Victor not only took my name, but also my team,” Joelle explained.
“‘Anthony’” is so much easier to spell and pronounce, than ‘Mecyssne,’” added Victor, who, like Joelle, is in high cotton over the fact that their beloved Cubs will have a winning season for the first time in a coon’s age, even if they lose every remaining game.
Like all “smart people,” Joelle’s family are long-time Cubbies. But since they live in Portland, some do cheer for the nearby Seattle Mariners.
As well, she studied for one long hot summer at the famed Chicago Players Workshop and spent some time in Wrigley Field, after earning a degree in theatre at Portland State.
“The workshop was founded at the same time as Second City but they split,” she recalled. “I had realized comedy was my strength and went there to study improvisation. Although I was accepted into Second City after the course - which is a year squeezed into one season - I was also offered a role back home.”
Later while working on the movie: What the Bleep Do We Know, she suggested a song “Pear Shaped Woman,” that would be perfect for the film. She had it on a CD she had purchased five years earlier when Victor had performed in Portland.
Joelle tracked him down in Tennessee and although the song - a crowd-pleaser every time he performs it at sold-out concerts here on Gabriola - wasn’t used, it was as they say in another film: “the start of a beautiful friendship.” And then some.
Victor describes his own considerable theatrical background as “sketchy. I am a musician who never trained in theatre, but was asked to audition for the Cumberland County Playhouse which is a ‘big dog,’ in US regional theatre.
“The play contained ‘30s style music and I sat at the edge of the stage with my little black 1930s Gibson L-0 guitar - the same one I used at the Roxy and the Community BBQ - sang ‘16 Tons’ and got the gig.”
Two other plays followed, along with a full time position in the pit orchestra and sound design work. And Victor hasn’t had a day job since 1984.
He has acted as well as played music on national tours. Joelle has appeared in movies and a long list of live theatre productions. They have the theatrical equivalent of “Triple A Baseball,” is how they decided to describe their backgrounds.
Joelle prefers writing to theatre and they both wanted to move to Canada’s west coast, relatively near Portland, but far way from harsh winters, to write and to play music.
“We looked all over Vancouver Island but I had to return home to Tennessee to perform in a play,” Victor reported. “Joelle and her mother called me from Gabriola Island as I was leaving for the theatre to say she had found the perfect place. While getting my make-up on back-stage I got out my cell phone and said ‘Buy it!’”
Long story, short, it took 21 months and 21 days to be granted landed immigrant status. Life on the Island continues to exceed their expectations since they arrived late last year. Victor is heavily involved in the Gabriola Commons project, quite literally on the ground and performs in popular radio dramas here as well as concerts.
Joelle writes for teens and has a book, which involves fiddle playing, currently being shopped to editors by her literary agent in New York.
After being knocked out by Tuesdays With Morrie they took out memberships at the Gabriola Theatre Centre and are also in sky high cotton about their upcoming performances with Anthony Holland, September 14th.
“It is a golden opportunity to soak up some of his Juju,” said Victor.
He will be seated at a bench with Antony, script in hand, playing an old man in David Mamet’s Duck Narratives. She will perform a one-woman show, Waking Up, selected by Holland to showcase her comedic and mime-like talent and training.
For Joelle and Victor Antony this is: “the ultimate Gabriola experience.”
Those in the audience will in all certainty, agree. Expect large crowds for the matinee at 2 pm and the evening performance at 7 at the Gabriola Theatre Centre on Peterson Road. Tickets are available at Artworks.
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