Ready, Set, PLAY! returns with a learn and perform opportunity for all ages

Learn and perform the story of Damn Yankees with your family or friends. No skill required.

After a successful event at the Stratford Perth Museum last summer where an arts open house provided mini workshops to interested participants to try out art, dance, acting and fencing (to name a few), the Ready, Set, PLAY! initiative is returning with a new opportunity. Producer Pat McKinna is putting a call out to any non-professional for a learn and perform production of the comedy musical, Damn Yankees.

Anyone who has ever wanted to sing, dance, or act is invited to a free workshop to come and hear the music, learn about the story and even try a dance move or two. This co-production by Ready, Set, PLAY! and Infinity Dance is intended as a family friendly experience for kids beginning age seven through to adult.

“Ready, Set, PLAY! is a new initiative to try and encourage non-professionals to not just go and enjoy the arts. … It is intended to give people a way to participate in the arts,” said Pat McKinna. Participation can be in the form of performances, workshops, or artwork for set design for example.

“I’m on a little crusade to use the power of the arts to encourage kindness in society because it seems more and more that everybody is angry at something or somebody. The one thing I hope that everyone who participated in Anne of Green Gables two years ago felt was they all got something from it and that they were a team. That’s the power of the arts,” she said. “The sense of pride from trying something they always wanted to do came from overcoming something they weren’t sure they could do.”

Choosing the show Damn Yankees is not a political statement, more of a wink. This musical with a baseball theme is one many Blue Jay’s fans may find inspiring. It is about baseball, temptation and true love with great songs and fun choreography.

Infinity Dance will provide choreography support for the production with as much dance as participants want to learn. There will not be auditions, anyone interested will be welcome to participate. Along with Jeanine Henderson-Kitching of Infinity Dance, the other creatives on the team so far are Barbara Dunn-Prosser (choral and voice teacher), Paul Shilton (music director) and Keith Thomas (vocal coach).

The workshop will be held Sunday, Nov. 16 at Community of Christ Church, 226 Forman Ave. at 2 p.m. Learn more about the story and learn the song, “You Gotta Have Heart,” and try out a few dance moves. No skill is required, just bring enthusiasm and a willingness to learn.

For more information and to register for the free workshop visit mckinnamanagement.com.