wheal

Forefront at Geminis

HELENA Cynamon and Teri Woods-McArter could teach the Spice Girls a thing or two about “girl power.”

As the hig! powered i als oF

created one of the hottest production companies in the country.

When the Gemini awards, the television industry's salute to excellence in Canadian broadeasting, air live this Sunday evening on CBC, Woods-McArter and C *ynamon wil be in Toronto for the ceremany.

Forefront productions are up for nin Geminis, inchiding Best Dramatic Series for the eritically acclaimed teen show Madison and Best Children’s or Youth Program or Series for The Adventures of Shirley Holmes.

How do they do it

“Tt works.” savs Cynamon, “because we're all

lose personal friends.”

Friends since °86 when thev were room-

. Woods- McArter and Cynamon joined with Rogers, a CBC Radio journalist, and Gillian Lindsay, a recent tilm-school zraduate, to

NEWS photo Terry Peters

ER! Woods-McArter (left) and Helena Cynamon of Vancouver's Forefront Entertainment Group, producers of Madison and The Adventures of Shirley Holmes, are up for nine Gemini awards this weekend.

Voods-MeArter, who had produced a rack video and counselled troubled teens, and amon, a former grade-school teacher, had collaborated on a documentary project. Approached to do an educational film on teen

longer in school, have moved into the adult world, Forefront’s baby has left home. Whar vill be the next big hit

“We've got five horses in the race: Cynamon.

countries and has won 32 internation-

ards for excellence.

show has grown up. Its characters, no

NEWS phote Terry Peters

BOBY Lukacs’ play, Body Cast, is a work in progress about love, vulnerability and

the ups and downs of daily life with cerebral palsy.

mediation, the women produced Workina ¢ Out, Family series, children’s series and adult series which was well reevived. From: thar came the idea lor Madison, a

prime-time drama that would mirror teens’ lives. The show was a tough sell. In the beginning, the nenworks wouldn't pick it up but the produc-

are in the works. Eighteen projects are under consideration for development. The women have ambitious plans to produce three family-oriented feature films a year.

Their company’s releasing division, heade Rogers, is going strong, and Forefront is 1 i as of new media and musi publish- ing. Their nese big bic may be Ue Adventures of Mirtey Jones, produced in Winnipeg with Credo

tainment Corp, Now in its second season

on VEV, it’s up tor three Geminis this season.

Seymour woman uses play to share stories of life with cerebral palsy

Layne Christensen

News Repor layne@nsnews.com

THERE’S a message that Boby Lukacs hopes to share when she reads from her one-act play, Rey Cast, tomorrow at Women in View.

That message is: “Get off vour dufl

A Sevmour area resident for the past 1b years, Lukags leads an active fife. She drives, she cooks, she’s earning 70 piay the piano, She likes to listen to live jazz and visit with friends. She enjoys walks on the beach and working out ina gym. She works full time at the Neurological Centre in Vancouver as a therapist aid.

She also deals with the daily challenges of living with cere- bral palsy and a reconstructed hip. Bur she hasn't fet that tand in her way

“People ask me ‘Do you have a disabil says Lukacs, 37. “L can't play sports, 1 know that. But Pnever thought of myself as having a disability. [try to be normal, whatever that

Rody Cast is billed as a play tor those who can’t stop dreaming, and doing. Lukacs says it has to do with life (and living through (3 surgeries), strength and adventure.

When the audience files into the small lecture hall at the back of Havana Restaurant on Commercial Drive Saturday she'll be more than a linle nervous, she says.

Rody Cast is a work in proure emphasi Saturday's performance will be “story telling with a fittle acting thrown in.”

And while ; cing is Not New to her — she’s toured with Theatre ‘Terri and appeared on the iv special Sundae —- talking about her- self is. Details of her personal struggles rarely make it into conversation, she says. Bur Body Cayt is a story she wants to. tell.

7

smore tow person than

“| want ea to know, the ’ kacs. “This is a way of sharing who fam.”

r ading of ity

For more intor-

stival events, call 257-

tturday, Feb. 28/2 p.m. Cast by Boby Lukacs are $8.50 ar the doc mation about other Women in V 1650.

(ap College celebrates Int'l Women's Day in March

THE public is invit- ed to a full day of activities in recogni- tion of International Women’s Day, March 5 at Capilano College with all events free of charge.

The Mary Catherine Paterson Memorial lecture will feature P. Susan Pentokd, UBC deparunent of psychiatry professor, di-cussinu: Soaae and

e) Obstacles to recore

from sexual abuse by heats pratessionals, 7:30 pan, Cedar 148.

The featured noon- hour presentation will be Ivan Sayers, fashion histo-

crarian to punk, 12: p.m. to 2 p.n., College Theatre, Birch Building.

The Women’s Centre will be having an open house with a vista d

Women’s € . The will be tun sig and other acuvities. Came browse and Jearn abour the centre's activities in the community, and pick up information about the BVD mareh on March 8. Evervone is welcome, 10:30 a. m. to 2:30 p.m.,

Throughout the day on March 3 faculty mem- bers will open their class- rooms to the community:

30 aim, - 10am, Penny ontemporar Drama: ‘Caryl Churchill's play about working women’s difficul- ties in the family, Bireh 424. 8:30 am. Isola. Women and the production of sociolugucal theory. Birch

10am. Rita

3 aun. - 10:20 a.m.

Full day pane