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N e w W i n d s B l o w i n g - by Gloria Loree T i e familiar plaid walls o f the Starlight Theatre are now green. One of the painters who covered over the walls, M i c h a e l Palmer Booth, is also the writer-producer and co-star of the The member of the new musical<omedy, Four Strong Winds (l-r): Michael Booth Palmer, Marlee Walchuk, Andrew Johnston and Sanders Whiting. new production at the Starlight, Four Strong Winds. Booth's business partner, Pat Taylor, also painted the theatre. They are the chief cooks and bottle washers in their company and say their involvement in every of step of the production helps to keep them in touch with what people are feeling about live theatre. Taylor said during one afternoon in the West E n d they were dressed in their coveralls, painting the outside o f the theatre and they overheard a couple talking about the end o f Forever Plaid's run. The couple asked Taylor and Booth if they knew anything about the new play or if they were just the painters. Their reply: "We're just the painters. But we heard its a good show!" Booth polled almost 100 friends to determine what folk songs they would enjoy hearing from the '60s and '70s. The music provides the backdrop for the story of four friends who reunite at a high school reunion and re-connect after 25 years. The folk music from this period is Booth's grounding in the music business. Booth has lived on the North Shore since 1966 and some may remember him from his years o f doing the bar circuit (haunts like the Rusty G u l l and the Raven) on the North Shore. In addition to his successful career as a country musicrecording artist and live performer. Booth has written and performed in over 23 original musicals. Unique to Four Strong Winds is that all the actors play all the music. People may already be familiar with the cast which in addition to Booth, includes Marlee Walchuk who has performed in the Arts C l u b ' s Angry Housewives and 18 Wheels: Andrew A D T C ^ V A N C O U V E R Johnston whose numerous theatre, television and film credits include work on The Outer Limits, The Commish and The X-Files and Sanders Whiting returns to the Starlight after his portrayal of Sparky in Forever Plaid.dS' The show is scheduled to run until December 31 at the Starlight Theatre in the West End. Call 280-3311 for information. See The VSO Without Breaking It Arts Alive and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra want to help keep your piggy bank intact. And send you to see the VSO for free! Send (fax: 984-3563, mail: 148 East 2nd Street, North Vancouver, BC V7L 1C3, e-mail: aalive@wimsey.com) us your three best suggestions for attending arts events on a budget. Example? Attend a 2-for-l matinee. Understand? Three good suggestions and presto, your name is entered in a draw to win a pair of tickets to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra courtesy the VSO and Arts Alive. Contest ends December 1 at 5p.m. One entry per person. A K J b 5 f M P H O N Y