He was one of Nanaimo most colourful and controversial characters and TheatreOne is striving to bring Frank Ney's story to the stage.
Being Frank is a play written by G. Kim Blank-- who's married to one of Frank's daughters. The first draft of the play is now complete and three vignettes from it will be performed at several different locations in downtown Nanaimo as a sneak preview for the performance which will premiere at the Port Theatre, April 25 to 29, 2007.
This is the TheatreOne's first summer street theatre project and Rosanna Tomkinson, manager of marketing and publicity says the company is excited about the prospect.
"We are very excited to be bringing this type of theatre to residents and visitors of Nanaimo's beautiful downtown," she said. "Frank Ney loved this city, and so it only seemed right to incorporate a street theatre aspect to the play."
The street performances will take place Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Aug. 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Aug. 25, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Aug. 26, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Aug. 27, 11am to 1 p.m. The locations will be at the Harbourfront Walkway around Javawocky, beside The Bastion, and at the Frank Ney statue in Swy-A-Lana Lagoon.
Actors Mark DuMez and his wife Erin Ormond, are making their debut with TheatreOne in Being Frank. DuMez is the artistic associate at the Chemainus Theatre Festival, and is performing in She Stoops to Conquer and directing Munsch Alley, a family show that is part of the Kidzplay Series. In Being Frank he steps into the shoes of play's namesake. Ormond plays a number of supporting characters in Ney's life. DuMez and Ormond weren't living in Nanaimo during Ney's tenure as mayor but Ormond's father was a city administrator in Nelson who met Ney a couple of times at municipal conventions in the '70s.
"He does remember meeting Frank and saying what a charismatic person he was," Ormond said.
"We tried to wring him for information," DuMez said. "There are a lot of people who have strong recollections of his character."
When asked if it was intimidating playing such a well known character in the Harbour City, DuMez joked, "not yet."
"They're going to have to accept this man (Ney) and me are different but I will bring what I can to honour his character," he said. "He was a fascinating figure even just in what's he contributed to Nanaimo."
The couple, who work together occasionally and actually met on a show, both said they enjoy the chance to take the stage together.
"I like working with good people and Erin happens to be one of them," DuMez said.
"Ditto," Ormond said, laughing.