It is with great sadness we report the passing of the founder of the Wayfarers, Gordon MacDonald, following a long illness. Mac, as he was known, established the Wayfarers in 1962 as a group of entertainers who travelled to different venues with music, song, dance and laughter. In 1969 Mac wrote and produced the first Wayfarers Pantomime and the rest, as they say, is history. There are many with fond memories of Mac and the following is from long standing Wayfarer, Keith Smith, and gives us an idea of the character of our now departed President and friend.
I first met Gordon Macdonald (known as “Mac”) when I joined TAOS and we were rehearsing for the production of Summer Song. At this time Mac was making arrangements to produce a Pantomime at the St. Andrew’s Men’s Club and was asking people if they wished to join him
I agreed to audition and was given a small part . I remember that the Changing Room was divided by a curtain for the sake of modesty.
Mac did the lot – he wrote, produced and directed the Panto each year and at that time Graham Gemell played the Dame whilst his Mother, Catherine was the piano accompanist.
Mac continued to write and produce the Pantomimes. He was a perfectionist and would alter the scripts on a regular basis. On one occasion – just before opening night – Howard Wander and I were called on Stage whereupon Mac informed us that some of the lines in our Script were going to be changed. We looked at one another and decided that whatever Howard said, I would respond accordingly and vice versa – that solved that problem.
Dress Rehearsals in particular were late night affairs – after midnight on some occasions.
Many of us have such happy memories of working with Mac. We were somewhat of a family and he encouraged many family members to be involved as well.
He wrote “The Goodnight Song” which is still being performed as part of the Finale of each Wayfarers’ Pantomime.
Now it’s time to say “Goodnight” Mac.
Keith Smith