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- Profiles Dion Johnstone
Back Dion Johnstone Theatre Conversation in a Covid World Corey Berry Joe Szekeres ’ve seen Dion Johnstone’s work on stage in several Shakespearean productions at Ontario’s Stratford Festival. I was particularly taken with the very bloody ‘Julius Caesar’ presented by Groundling Theatre at Toronto’s Crow’s Theatre just before the pandemic hit. When I checked his biography from his website (included at the end Dion’s profile), I also discovered he has also been a part of some very fine productions in the US under some extraordinary directors. Dion made his Broadway debut as the Duke of Albany in ‘King Lear’ with Glenda Jackson as the titular character. That is a performance I would have loved to see Ms. Jackson tackle. Dion plays the recurring role of Erik Whitley for ‘Sweet Magnolias’ now streaming through Netflix. Another one to watch during this time of provincial stay at home orders. Dion has also played in other Canadian shows including ‘Frankie Drake Mysteries’ and ‘Flashpoint’. In December 2019, Dion made his Hallmark Movies and Mysteries debut starring in ‘A Family Christmas Gift’ opposite Holly Robinson Peete and Patti Labelle. Dion’s training included The University of Alberta and The Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre. We conducted our interview via Zoom. Thank you again so much for taking the time on a Sunday morning, Dion: The doors to Toronto live theatre have been shut for over a year now with no possible date of re-opening soon. How have you and your immediate family been faring during this time? You know, when the focus of the pandemic hit and we went into lockdown and isolation, the focus really changed for me because my wife and I knew we would be having a child. On July 28, 2020, my wife gave birth to a baby boy who’s now on his way to nine months. That’s been an amazing experience for us. He’s really changed our outlook because we really wanted, especially during the time of great anxiety, for him to meet the best version of ourselves, and I think when you look at him and the level of joy, freedom, comfort and confidence that he already possesses and exudes is a testament to the work that we’ve been doing. We had to get control of our mind space and internal space through all of this. One of the things we focused on right away - there was a meditation group that was going around hosted by Deepak Chopra right at the beginning of the lockdown called ‘Twenty-One Days of Abundance’. And that was the first things we did and thought this is great. With the fear of there being no work and when everything was going to open up again, to just take time and focus on inner work and thinking no matter what the external appearances may be you can always tap into a source of abundance, that’s an energy that you put forth into the world and that returns to you in some form or other. We started by doing that, and that really set the template for our frame of mind through all of this. Despite what we see out there, what’s more important is how you feel internally. If you feel yourself going off the rails, do the work to bring yourself back to your centre. And we want to do that because those are the lessons we want to pass on to our son, especially in a world prior to the pandemic that was moving at a blazing rate and continues. We wanted to help provide a space for our son where in the future he could step away where he can be a part of this world but doesn’t have to be consumed by it. I think we’ve doing quite well, all things considered. How have you been spending your time since the theatre industry has been locked up tight as a drum? I just arrived in Atlanta and can’t talk too much about it for all the non-disclosure agreements I signed. I can say in brief we’re shooting Season 2 of ‘Sweet Magnolias’ (now on Netflix Canada). I just arrived and just about to begin. I’ve done the period of quarantine with the multiple testing and once cleared all set to go. The film industry has been quite progressive in finding the template necessary in order to continue filming. Modifications have been made along with heavy safety protocols, and the film industry has been largely successful. It puts a lot of pressure on the actor/artist to ensure that they are in top health to continue and honour the contract signed and to ensure the shooting schedule is kept on task. Outside of being a new father and career responsibilities, during the early part of the pandemic there was a lot of binge-watching Netflix. Certainly, when our son came into the world, that changed a lot of the binge-watching as he doesn’t allow us to watch tv unless he’s out cold for a nap. But the moment he wakes up we gotta unplug our devices. Our son doesn’t even like us being on our cell phones. Our son calls us to being present. I do try to find time on my own for meditational time through daily training, not necessarily weights since everything is closed. I do yoga, I use resistance bands training. I’ve been doing a lot of yin yoga, very relaxing with deep, deep, tissue work and that’s been good. I don’t get out a lot but now that I’m filming in Atlanta, there’s a park across the street from where I’m staying. It’s similar to New York’s Central Park, and there’s lot of open space and opportunities for social distancing so I can spend some time there. In Toronto, we live across the street from the Harbour on Queen’s Quay, so my wife and I were able to take our son out for walks on pathways. The late Hal Prince described the theatre as an escape for him. Would you say that Covid has been an escape for you, or would you describe this year long plus absence from the theatre as something else? You know, in some ways I would say, yes, it has been an escape, and it’s been an escape from the world in the way that we knew it which has really caused me to examine it and question it. So much of my life is influenced by being a new parent and considering what things might have been were the pandemic not happening. I remember many seasons at Stratford watching other actors become parents. They would get the performance off to go and be there for the birth and would be back on stage the next day in both performances and rehearsals. In Stratford, the week is divided in slots. So, there could be 12 slots in a week, and you could work 11 of those and then they have to give you an extra slot off periodically. That’s a lot of work and you get one day off a week. This period of time I’ve been able to share the load of parenting with my wife; obviously there’s only stuff she can do as the mother but there’s a lot of stuff I can do on the peripheral and allowed me the opportunity to create a very deep bond with my son. I’m adopted. My beginnings were quite rocky. I don’t know my birth father, and my birth mother lost custody of me when I was quite young. So, it’s been really important for me to create a stability and foundation to end that cycle so that doesn’t pass on to my son, and that’s not a reality that he has to know. I think about if I weren’t there, if after the birth I had to go straight into rehearsals, and I only came home at night and wholly focused on preparing for the next day, I would be there physically, but I wouldn’t be accessible to my partner, Lisa, as a parent as all that load would be put on her and I realize how big a load that is. It gets a little bit easier now that he’s a little bit older so me being out of town is a little bit easier. We do have a very good network support and he’s not quite as dependent as he was in the beginning. Those early couple of months, you realize how our world is not geared up for that, not geared up to usher new life into this world. You’re ripped away from your children too quickly, that’s the way of the world. But the pandemic stopped that. It stopped the world and we’ve got a chance to look at what’s important and what do we value. For me, it’s an escape for what it could have been in that sense. On another level, it’s an opportunity to question when it all comes back, what’s the kind of life I want to have, and how can I create a life that gives me more of a balance so that it’s not wholly work heavy. If that means I do condensed periods of time so we can take a couple of months off and go take a family vacation together, I don’t know what that form will be, but making sure I can be there for my family in a big way is very important. I’ve interviewed a few artists several months ago who said that the theatre industry will probably be shut down and not go full head on until at least 2022. There may be pockets of outdoor theatre where safety protocols are in place. What are your comments about this? Do you think you and your colleagues/fellow artists will not return until 2022? Given that we’re dealing with a virus, going in and out of lockdown, and you just told me today the numbers in the province are up over 4400, it’s impossible in my mind to predict when we will be back. I would say 2022 is a safe bet. It could be longer. I think the reality is that theatre as we knew it has changed. And we may never quite see it in that same way again. But I do have hope for what theatre will evolve into. Right now, seeing Stratford and Shaw come back in interesting and careful and limited fashions is a good thing. Both my wife and I worked with Obsidian Theatre and they did a co-production at the beginning of the year with CBC Art called ’21 Black Futures’ which brought theatrical work to the screen. I think that’s another avenue that’s been successfully explored. Theatre isn’t dead. It’s under the ground and working it out and figuring it out what can it do. How can it manage in this period and how can it re-invent itself for what’s to come. My life has changed. I don’t think I’ll be able to walk into my house again without ensuring I wash my hands down. Our experience of the flu may be radically changed in the time to come. Our world is going to be radically different, and we will always be under the reality this happened once, and we reached a threshold where it could happen, and it shut down the world. That’s now a possibility. We don’t know what else is coming, what further things are coming down. We have to be prepared and safe. The excess that we knew may not happen in the same way, but I do think theatre will evolve nevertheless to meet the capacity of the time, whatever that form is going to be. I had a discussion recently with a Toronto Equity actor who said that theatre should not only entertain but, more importantly, it should transform both the actor and the audience. How has Covid transformed you as an artist? That’s so interesting. It’s hard to know as an artist how Covid has transformed me. It’s certainly made me look at different avenues and explore what else I have inside to offer. I sit down and go, well, if I’m not performing on a stage, what’s my purpose? Why do I act? If I can’t do it in that form, what’s another form I can do it in? That led me to explore teaching opportunities. I love to see people empowered and transformed by different thoughts and different ideas. I like being the vessel that can contain those ideas so that people can reflect and see it. I can achieve that same feeling through teaching what I know. Ghostlight Theatre came out of the cage really strong when we went into the lockdown initially and offered an opportunity to teach a class of whatever I wanted. And I decided to put a class together on rhetoric using Shakespeare as a platform to really explore the ideas of ethos, the logos and pathos and the pillars of argument. My intent was whether you were an actor looking to sharpen their skills or an audience member who wants to know more about what the craft is, it didn’t matter what walk of like you came from. In the end we are being affected by messaging all the time and we are being played on intellectually, emotionally, and ethically all the time. You open your Twitter feed and think about what triggers you. Some of the images we see there are pathos, and some are facts and figures that make your brain spin whether they are true or not but present themselves as true. To have the ability to have more discernment about what’s coming at you and more choice as to how you want to play something as an artist, and how you want to play upon your audience, I thought was a very fun thing to explore and share and had been really introduced to me when I was at Stratford doing The Conservatory Program. I give full credit to the knowledge and training I received there, and also from the late Ian Watson who was one of our instructors and was a master of argument. And so, really sharing the way those principles that affected me and how I now use them in my work is how I put together this course and I found that a satisfying discovery, and I probably wouldn’t have done. Covid has created an online opportunity where you can work with people from around the world. I’ve been able to do play readings with a company in New York. People can now be pulled from anywhere say to do the reading of a Jacobean play, and audiences now have access to be able to log in anytime to those writings and artists. It’s really brought the opportunities to use your craft in different ways globally. The late Zoe Caldwell spoke about how actors should feel danger in the work. It’s a solid and swell thing to have if the actor/artist and the audience both feel it. Would you agree with Ms. Caldwell? Have you ever felt danger during this time of Covid and do you believe it will somehow influence your work when you return to the theatre? I definitely agree with Ms. Caldwell’s notion of danger. And certainly in performances, something has to be genuinely risked in order for the stakes to be real and in order for the audience experience to be transformative. If there’s nothing happening in the artist, and it’s just acted, then what happens is a separation between the audience and the performer where the audience is just watching you, and not breathing with you and experiencing with you. The more that the artist can access a true feeling of risk and danger, the danger. The best directors I’ve had are those who have really pushed me in my performances to risk more, to go further in order to draw and drop deeper in myself in challenging and frightening work because you don’t know how you’re going to get there. Now, in terms of Covid, it’s a strange thing because it affects everybody differently. Some people have had direct experiences with it, some people have had or have the virus. Others have had close family members or friends pass away from Covid, so they feel differently. Others have had no direct experience with it and haven’t been in an ICU so it’s a challenge for those who do not understand what it like or have the experience with it. Living with this invisible threat which has been very disorienting and weird and certainly frightful on those days when I have to have a Covid test, and I fear if I get a positive result that’s it for my ability to be on set, to provide financially for my family, and my contract is now gone. I really had to challenge myself to ensure that I don’t bring this negative and destructive energy into my reality, well that stop telling that story because it’s not serving me. Yes, fear has been triggered in me on account of this virus but I haven’t had a direct personal case or a family member so I can’t speak of it from that angle. In many ways, it’s been a bizarre thing that’s there, but I respect how many have been affected by it but it’s so strange because it feels like nothing is happening. In terms of how Covid will affect my work? I don’t know. Everything that happens in life is going to affect your work. It filters in ways that we’re not aware of. Sometimes, for an actor, the best problems are solved when you’re working on a role in your dreams when you start to dream about a part because that’s your sub conscious working it out in better ways than your intellect can. I’m sure subconsciously the way I have grown and changed over this period of Covid will bleed and is bleeding into my work, but I couldn’t intellectually say how. The late scenic designer Ming Cho Lee spoke about great art opening doors and making us feel more sensitive. Has this time of Covid made you sensitive to our world and has it made some impact on your life in such a way that you will bring this back with you to the theatre? Well, certainly in a beautiful way, having a child and we made a real commitment to validate his feelings to recognize, acknowledge and understand what his needs are. Even though he doesn’t have the language to communicate just yet, we wanted him to feel that he was being heard and responded to. In a way, he’s been very communicative from the very go. There is this thing called baby sign language and you can help them communicate early in life. We tried that and that didn’t really work for us, but we can feel his energy and been in communication from go. He doesn’t cry very often. He’s not a crier but when he does it’s because we’ve missed a lot of signals that he’s been given along the way. More often than not, we’re able to figure out those signals before the crying so that is something important to figure out. Just that level of sensitivity, that relationship we share with him is so profound, so unlike; I love in a deeper, fuller way than I have before. I’m fiercely protective in ways. I laugh. This kid makes us laugh. He’s brought so much to our world and that’s a beautiful thing. Looking at this world through the pandemic, I’ve become really sensitive to the messaging that comes our way. There’s so much confusion. I’ve never learned through anything where there have been so many mixed messages – lockdown versus lockdown and all that illogic that has been followed through, it’s no wonder there are anti maskers, anti-vaxxeers, hoax, an opportunity to decimate society and a re-set. We live in mass confusion. We are in great need of discernment, and it’s made me very sensitive to what I take in. I want to pay attention to how I’m feeling internally, and if I’m getting too worked up maybe it’s time to take a step back and look at something else OR to explore all sides of the argument. We’ve lost how to debate because everyone is so entrenched in their camp with no cross discussion. We’ve a lot of work to do to find shared common ideals as opposed to where we are different if we’re to get anywhere in this mess of confusion we’re living in. Again, the late Hal Prince spoke of the fact that theatre should trigger curiosity in the actor/artist and the audience. Has Covid sparked any curiosity in you about something during this time? Has this time away from the theatre sparked further curiosity for you when you return to this art form? Really, it's a furtherance of what I just broke into. There was a time on my social media feed where I wouldn’t follow anyone of different beliefs and ideals than mine. But then I realized I don’t know what other people are thinking and so when things happen, I don’t understand why it’s happened. In terms of curiosity as an actor, we’re very often playing individuals who don’t share that same ideology that we hold, how can we do this if we don’t allow ourselves to see things in another light or way, and allow ourselves to go through that ideology that we don’t understand? I started including in my feed people who hold opposing views to my own, just to keep tabs to the rhetoric they’re using and what others are thinking. There seems to be a fear that in doing this we lose our own identity or you are affirming other people’s beliefs that are right or wrong, and who’s to say what’s right or what’s wrong. But nonetheless, you can’t have a conversation if you can’t find common ground. Because we’re all human beings in the end, somehow in our world it makes sense to try to see the other side, to see the logic there. Where do we connect? Where is our common humanity? How can a bridge be made from one common ideal to the next without trying to see another point of view? Through me doing this, I can potentially have the same affect on someone else trying to see from where I cam coming. To learn more about Dion, visit his personal website: www.dionjohnstone.com , To follow Dion on his social media: Facebook: @DionJohnst ; Twitter: @DionJohnstone ; Instagram: @dion_johnstone Previous Next
- Profiles Liz Callaway
Back Liz Callaway Moving Forward --- Joe Szekeres Actress, singer and recording artist Liz Callaway put me at ease so quickly during our conversation today that I even said to her, halfway through, I felt like I was having a cup of tea with her while we chatted about so many things. And you will see from her answers Liz has been through a great deal over the last seven months. I had the good fortune to have seen Liz perform in the original Broadway company of ‘Miss Saigon’ many years ago. She also appeared for five years in the Broadway run of ‘Cats’ as Grizabella and sang the iconic ‘Memory’. Liz sang the Academy Award nominated song “Journey to the Past” in the animated feature Anastasia and is also the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin and the King of Thieves and The Return of Jafar. Other film work includes the singing voice of the title character in The Swan Princess, Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride, Beauty and the Beast, The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars and The Rewrite with Hugh Grant. I did not know that Liz sang back up vocals to the theme song of television’s ‘The Nanny’ (Fran Drescher). The theme song was written and lead vocals by Liz’s sister, Ann Hampton Callaway. She is a strong advocate for people to vote, especially for this upcoming US election. Liz and I conversed through Zoom. Thank you so much, kind lady, for taking the time: It has been an exceptional and nearly seven long months since we’ve all been in isolation, and now it appears the numbers are edging upward again. How are you feeling about this? Will we ever emerge to some new way of living in your opinion? During this crazy time, I enjoy hearing what people are doing and how they’re feeling during the pandemic. It’s very comforting to me to read that. It helps. I was on a Zoom with Lucie (Arnaz) recently and I let her know how much I enjoyed reading her profile. And yet, this is so scary that the numbers are going up. I live about an hour north of New York City and where I live right now, it’s okay. But you can just see the numbers are creeping up everywhere. I have a big anniversary coming up on Monday. My husband (Dan Foster) and I for the last year were saying we were going to go somewhere and do something really special. I blocked off time, and now you can’t go anywhere. There’s a spike happening everywhere. I don’t know how soon we will emerge to a new way of living. For the longest time, it felt like, “Ok, this is just a pause.” I finally came to grips with “No, this is life. This is the new normal.” And we have to accept it. Every day I read something new about a show might be opening, or this is going to happen and keeping tabs on what’s happening not just in the States, but in London, England as well for theatre and concerts. I think it’s going to be quite some time, and I don’t know if it will ever totally be the same. But I think it will start in baby steps. I’m possibly looking ahead to next summer. I hope I’m wrong, and even then, who’s to say as that’s what is so hard about all of this as there is such uncertainty. We all like to feel in control and we can’t control this. But I don’t know when people and audience members are going to feel comfortable being close together. Financially, it’s incredibly difficult for theatres, for club owners to operate and restaurants at a diminished capacity. It also makes me feel so bad to think that singing is one of the most dangerous things to do. We have to keep people safe. I was supposed to go into Manhattan yesterday as we were to perform a socially distant Broadway style song in Times Square. Over the weekend I came down with a dry cough and I didn’t want to take any chances. I got a Covid test and it was negative, but I still didn’t want to sing even with a mask and the whole plastic shield. I don’t want to take the chance that I could infect anyone. I’m sure we will re-emerge, and boy can you imagine what it’s going to be like to be able to go hear music and go to a show? I can’t wait to be able to sing for people. But will we ever be the same? I don’t know. Theatre will come back eventually, but there will be a lot of changes. How have you been faring? How has your immediate family been doing during these last seven months? As a performer, I haven’t been on an airplane since March. I’ve travelled into Manhattan for a couple of recordings but I’m still nervous about all of this. There are going to be some amazingly creative things as we come out of all this. My husband, Dan, was in a serious car accident on his way home in May from picking up Mother’s Day flowers for me. He was in the hospital for a week. He broke 12 ribs and his ankle. It was very, very scary. He came home and is doing really well. That just changed us. It was incredibly stressful but a miracle that he is okay. For the first month or two after the accident I was taking care of him. Our son, Nicholas, was home for the first three months of the pandemic. He’s in graduate school and lives in Brooklyn Heights. That was a gift to have time with our son, and he was home when Dan had his car accident. Every day I thank my lucky stars that Dan is okay and that we have this time together because we begin to realize that you just don’t know if or when things could change. That has been really hard, but at the same time I felt so blessed and relieved Dan was okay. I miss my sister (singer Ann Hampton Callaway) terribly. She moved to Tucson a few years ago. We used to be 5 minutes from each other. We talk almost everyday, but I keep thinking that I have to get out to Arizona. I’ll put on a hazmat suit, fly out to Arizona and see her, but if the numbers keep going up that won’t be happening. I find Zoom and FaceTime emotionally exhausting even though they are wonderful technological advancements. I sometimes think old fashioned phone calls have been nice during all of this. As an artist within the performing arts community, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? Personally, not being able to see my sister. We had a lot of gigs planned together for the summer. I miss my friends. Many of my closest friends don’t live in New York. Dan’s car accident has also been really challenging this last while. Professionally, one of the things that is tricky is we’ve all had to become technicians. When this first started, everyone wanted to create things, live streaming, and I’ve done a lot of things for The Actors’ Fund, The Stars in the House. These organizations are amazing and people are opening their hearts and their wallets and contributing to all of these charities that need help. I’ve had so many requests for chatting, podcasts, discussions that I’ve found it overwhelming at times just because the act of setting everything up and the lighting and trying to upload things which at my house takes a bit longer than usual. It’s not a big deal as I’ve learned to be creative about it, but there’s something so sad about it. I find that I’ve said No to a majority of the things. I mean, I want to help and when I can to do something for charity, but I find the physical act of doing these little things which can be and as they get slicker is a lot. A lot goes into it when you’re recording something as I did this week of two recordings in my closet. The whole technical process behind all of this is challenging. I have my own projects I’ve been working on – before all this started I wanted to learn more about video editing and I’m trying to set up a home studio for recording and I think it would be the safest way to do more and more of this from home. I’m going to come out of this with more skills, but we all have to remain prolific and creative. It’s hard and I feel bad that I can’t say yes to more things. I feel fragile during this time right now and I need to protect. Sometimes doing too many things isn’t the answer either. I miss the travel to different gigs, going to places and seeing people. Were you in preparation, rehearsals, or any planning stages of productions before everything was shut down? What has become of those projects? Will they see the light of day anytime soon? All my gigs were cancelled. I have a few in December, but I don’t know if they’re still going to happen. I have quite a few things next year and I hope they do happen. I was supposed to do two concerts in San Francisco in March. My March, April and May were packed with concerts and appearances. The morning before I left for San Francisco, I kept thinking to myself, ‘Are you sure this is going to happen?’. I was a little nervous about travelling but so excited to sing for people. It was a show I had done in New York, my tribute to women who have inspired me. It was called ‘A Hymn to Her’. I re-learned the show and was so excited to do it in San Francisco. When I fly, I don’t do internet, but I thought I’ll get internet for about an hour. So, about an hour into the flight to San Francisco, I received a text the concert was cancelled. My husband was with me and all these years I’ve been singing in San Francisco, he was never able to go with me. We landed and I thought, ‘Well, we can go into the city, it’s a really nice hotel, have a nice dinner and come home the next day.” And then I thought that it wasn’t a good idea, so we immediately flew home and took the red eye home. That was the last time we had flown. Our son had joined us at home about four days later and it was very, very strange. It felt like we were preparing for a storm when this pandemic was declared. I had some trips planned. I was working on album that’s going to take longer. I recorded a single, I’m going to record a Christmas single or two. I’m in the midst of having Christmas music all over the place. At the beginning of the year, I started working on my You Tube channel. I shoot a lot of videos and shoot music with my car videos. I wasn’t driving a lot during the pandemic but when I started driving Dan to his physical therapy after his car accident, well I’m back in the car. I’ve always sung in my car and thought it would be a hoot to film it since I’ve a new phone with a holder on the dash. The reaction was tremendous, and it was fun. I’ve about 12 songs called ‘Autotunes’. I’m really trying to make my You Tube channel a home for interesting content to shoot songs at home for fun, my car songs. It makes me happy, gives me a forum and creating content. It’s something I can do safely. Little goals like this are helpful. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? I’ve been caring for Dan since his accident and creating a lot of videos. I would love your viewers to check out my You Tube videos. I’ve been doing some question and answers. I haven’t really done teaching as of yet except one day things. I try to take a long walk everyday. I love to cook and have been really cooking a lot. With the days being so similar, it helps to have a new recipe and something new to eat. I’ve also been doing a bit of song writing, playing around and experimenting with writing and then probably drinking too much vodka. I was really happy when we had baseball for a short period of time. My husband and I are finding the shows we’re watching on tv are foreign: some French. There’s a Swedish one called ‘The Restaurant’. Watching things with subtitles, I feel like I go to another place. I also did one big live stream concert with Seth Rudetsky. I really want to do more recording, learning to do more recording at home, a Christmas single or two. On top of the pandemic and our lives being uprooted, we have the upcoming election, and I’m encouraging everyone, and I mean everyone, to get out there and vote. It is unspeakable what is happening in the United States. We don’t have any leadership, and we have a crazy person as our President now running our country and this is all so stressful and horrible as many people enable him. People know how I feel about things. I don’t usually tell people how to vote but, in this case, (and she sings from the song ‘Once Upon a December’…) “I’m urging you please vote blue on the 3rd of November.” I can’t be quiet on this issue. This is too important. Literally, our country and lives are at stake. What we do and what happens in the US affects everyone. This is a time when we should all be working together for the pandemic and climate change, everything. I can understand if people voted for Trump the first time. He fooled them, they wanted change. Maybe people didn’t like Hilary, whatever. He was very persuasive. But to re-elect him? Nope. That’s unacceptable. After what he’s done and all the things he said, I don’t understand. My hope is people will vote. To quote from ‘Singing in the Rain’ – “I can’t stand him”. My father was a well known, renowned television journalist in Chicago. He worked for PBS and had his own show. Our father never told us who he voted for. We knew who he voted for, but he didn’t tell us. My father had an amazing way about him. I do believe have the right to vote for who they want to, but in this case it’s just unspeakable about what has happened. I feel like I have to speak out. If through any of my songs or encouragement, if I’ve encouraged at least one person to vote who may have been uncertain whether to do it or not, then I will feel as if I’ve accomplished what I set out to do. Any words of wisdom or advice you might /could give to fellow performers and colleagues? What message would you deliver to recent theatre school graduates who have now been set free into this unknown and uncertainty given the fact live theaters and studios might be closed for 1 ½ - 2 years? (Liz sighed before she answered) Oh, gosh, I feel for you guys [new grads]. In many ways, it has to be harder for them than for those of us who have been around. We’re all struggling to make a living. I do collect unemployment when I’ve not been hired to do something. I guess I would say this is a time to be entrepreneurial. That’s something I discovered in myself six years ago that I had this real entrepreneurial side. I’ve produced two albums, three singles and am really enjoying that side of me. You have to create your own work and find ways of being creative. Also, this is a good time to learn different skills. I do believe we are put on this earth to do many things not just theatre, not just music. We are to have many different careers, chapters, jobs. Ultimately all of these different chapters will make you a better actor and performer. Know you’re not alone. Even the successful people right now are wondering what are we going to do? Is this ever going to come back? I don’t have any real wisdom. I just send hugs to you and keep working. Keep acting, singing, dancing. I’m so impressed with dancers in their tiny apartments and they’re still doing their barre exercises. It helps to have goals and try to learn new things. Keep a journal. Sometimes writing your feelings down sometimes gets it out of your body. We just have to make the best of it. Do you see anything positive stemming from Covid 19? I will say that with all the protests, starting with the horrific and outrageous murder of George Floyd and the dialogue we have now, I don’t know if the pandemic had happened if there would have been such outrage and if people would have necessarily spoken up the way they have. Something positive coming out of this? The whole discussion of race and police brutality. If the pandemic hadn’t happened would people have taken to the streets and the occurring dialogue theatres have had with many groups? Would that have happened? I don’t know, it might have to a lesser degree, but I think we will make changes. It’s going to be hard, but I feel confident that this is our best shot. Part of what this pandemic has taught me is we only have this day. My husband’s accident has also taught me this as well. I’m savouring the little things and live each day for each day. Every day is a gift. Throughout all of this I’ve realized how much I love to sing. When I’ve been anxious, singing calms me down particularly if I’m in my car. It feels good. That’s a way of self care. Do you think Covid 19 will have some lasting impact on the Broadway/North American performing arts scene? It’s going to take quite a long time for Broadway to bounce back, but I do think it will. We almost need to have a vaccine that we know works. People have to take it. You can’t do Broadway financially with people 6 feet apart. It’s eye opening to look at the condition of the theatres running. My fear is it’s either all or nothing. It’ll really come back when it’s safe to have 1000 people in a theatre. That is heartbreaking because it’s not just the actors, but everyone from behind the scenes, the musicians, the ushers, the technical crew to the restaurants and businesses surrounding the theatres. I think regional theatres will have a better chance of bouncing back sooner. Maybe still having to do a combination. I feel for all the theatres and businesses as to how to make it work financially. God bless the people who contribute and help. Maybe there’s a way to do certain things in a smaller way. Unions and everyone will have to come together to figure out how to make it work financially. Something else that will come out of this is great art. The things that have come out of terrible times in history were some great art, great music, tremendous theatre. A lot will depend on this election looking at jobs now and in the future. For the future, and not just the arts, people are giving of their talents to people who need it. We need diversion right now. A lot of audience members really appreciate it and some who don’t realize the incredibly important role the arts play during the pandemic. Some artists have turned to YouTube and online streaming to showcase their work. What are your comments and thoughts about streaming? Is this something that the actor/theatre may have to utilize going forward into the unknown? That’s been a real challenge in all of this. The concert I did with Seth was the only thing I’ve done where basically there was a price of $25.00 for it. So much of what we’ve been doing and what I’ve been doing is to raise money for The Actors’ Fund and Broadway Cares. You want to give and yet you still have to make a living. I think that is a challenge and dance we’re all dealing with. My sister does a wonderful concert series once a month from her home. It’s called ‘The Callaway Hideaway’. She can play the piano herself, so she has an advantage. But watching too much streaming? There is something emotional about it. Seeing something live is good but it also makes me sad. But streaming is something that we have right now. I miss the applause, the audience there. I put some of my stuffed animals around for an audience, but my cat, Lenny, is not terribly interested in my performances. Despite all this fraught tension, drama and confusion of the time, what is it about performing that Covid will never destroy for you? It can’t destroy the feeling of knowing in singing or acting that you’re giving or, as an audience member, receiving the love and the heart of everyone who performs. It’s a two-way street. It makes me appreciate singing even more. Covid can’t take away how you feel when you sing or when you’re in a play, and we are going to appreciate it even more the next time we gather together again. The audience and the performers are one. That’s the reason why we do what we do. My mantra: “Nothing to prove, only to share.” In the meantime when I did my live stream concert, I could feel the audience even though I couldn’t see them. We are all going through this, and I’m really lucky that I can sing. Singing makes me happy and makes other people happy to hear me sing. It’s a gift to give our music and a gift to receive other people’s music. No one can ever take away that gift. You can learn more about Liz Callaway by visiting her personal web page: www.lizcallaway.com . Visit Liz’s You Tube Channel and her social media handles Twitter/Instagram: @LizGoesOn. Previous Next
- Profiles Monique Lund
Back Monique Lund Moving Forward Colton Curtis Joe Szekeres Toronto, Ontario, in the late 80s and early 90s saw a slew of first run, first-rate productions with some featuring an all Canadian cast. I liked to get to the theatre early so I could read the artist biographies in the programme to learn more about these talented individuals. One of those names I remember is Monique Lund. She appeared in an amazing production of ‘The Who’s Tommy’ and ‘Cats’ during these years. Again, since I began reviewing, I’ve seen her name in many Stratford Festival productions. She is indeed a talented lady. Monique received her early training on Prince Edward Island and started as a dancer there and moved to Montreal after high school to train with Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal on a full scholarship. She also studied voice at McGill University and acting in Montreal and Toronto before getting hired as a company member in ‘Cats’. The rest is history as they say! She has performed in eleven seasons at Stratford and hit the 90s jackpot doing musicals in Toronto during these golden years while appearing in ‘Cats’, ‘Crazy For You’, ‘Tommy’, ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ (with Donny Osmond), ‘Mamma Mia’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’. Monique has played the role of Donna Sheridan in ‘Mamma Mia’ in the US for two years as well as having played many leads from Vancouver to Halifax. Thank you, Monique, for participating: It appears that after five exceptionally long months, we are slowly, very slowly, emerging to a pre-pandemic lifestyle. Has your daily life and routine along with your immediate family’s life and routine been changed in any manner? Yes, I suppose EVERYTHING has changed in terms of our daily lives. My daughter is 15 and when March Break came and it was announced that the kids would be off for three weeks, that seemed implausible... impossible. And then when someone speculated that the kids wouldn’t be going back at all I couldn’t fathom it. But that’s what happened. And we adapted. I think we actually are a very adaptable species. I try to remember that. In terms of our lives now, I actually feel very lucky to be living in a small town. There aren’t reems of people around and it’s easy to see friends in the park or on a walk around the river. It’s easy to social distance when you have vast space around you. Sometimes I forget that we’re in the middle of a global pandemic and then I go to the grocery store and see everyone in masks and it’s sort of sci fi- esque. But like I said earlier, we adapt. People seem accustomed to it now. I know that masks will continue to be a part of our lives for a very long time and that’s as it should be. Were you involved or being considered for any projects before the pandemic was declared and everything was shut down? I did have several contracts that I was supposed to do in 2020 that were cancelled. It really is very sobering to watch your entire year go up in smoke. I feel there was a real tsunami effect..... spring contracts were cancelled which we all expected, then the summer ones evaporated, and the final blow was Christmas contracts being cancelled. I think our community went into mourning. It was shocking. Our employment is precarious at the best of times so to have this happen was incredibly difficult. And I do musicals, so the two things that are banned (and will be for the foreseeable future) are mass indoor gatherings and singing. PERFECT!!! Describe the most challenging element or moment of the isolation period for you. Did this element or moment significantly impact how you and your immediate family are living your lives today? I would say the most difficult moment was not being able to see my family. We’re quite spread out across the country and we always get together on PEI every summer for a reunion. Just knowing that was off the table really made me sad. I miss my parents and my sisters But having said that I feel so lucky that I live with people. My husband and daughter have literally saved my bacon throughout this. I have thought repeatedly of my single friends who have had to socially isolate AND lose their livelihood at the same time. Devastating. We really tried to make the best of it and look at the positives. Being home together, cooking, watching movies and living simply. What were you doing to keep yourself busy during this time of lockdown and isolation from the world of theatre? Since theatres will most likely be shuttered until the spring of 2021, where do you see your interests moving at this time? I have been extremely busy during lockdown. The first month or so I would say I was a bit aimless. I tried not to judge myself for it. Everyone reacted in their own way. But then I had a bit of a reckoning with myself. I had always had these other ventures that were of interest to me. But I’d never had the time to explore them. The upside of being employed pretty regularly in the theatre is that I never really had to do anything else. But suddenly I was faced with a blank page. So I started working toward launching my own jewelry line. I launched about six weeks ago and it’s been successful beyond my wildest dreams. It’s a creative outlet just like theatre is and I realized that that’s a vital and essential component to my innate happiness. I am also studying to become a personal trainer and nutrition coach. My dream is to have my own fitness company in Stratford, Ontario, that caters to women in the prime of their lives (45 +) It’s an incredibly detailed course of study and I’m finding it challenging and wonderful. I want to inspire women to feel great about themselves. At a certain age, haven’t we earned that?? I’m also involved with an incredible theatre company in town called Here for Now Theatre. The artistic producer, Fiona Mongillo, really has made an incredible thing happen. As the situation was unfolding with the pandemic and it became apparent that all contracts would be cancelled, she set to work to find a creative solution in taking advantage of what we COULD do. And that was to do outdoor theatre. She wanted a troubadour experience in which we’re light on our feet and can adapt to the ever-changing situation. So, we’re in the middle of an outdoor theatre festival at the Bruce Hotel in Stratford. We’re doing live theatre! It’s been an incredible experience. My husband Mark Weatherley wrote two of the plays (“Whack! “and “Infinite Possibilities”) and I came on board as a director. It’s been an incredible experience. The audiences are so appreciative. They’re starving for that live experience. We’re doing everything by the book including physically distancing the chairs, sterilizing them between seatings and limiting the numbers. Again, we adapt! The Festival has been so successful that we’ve been extended. So, for me, the pandemic has given me a bit of a kick in the pants to venture into new territory. I think it’s interesting how things have unfolded for me. I guess without the safety net of relying on doing musicals (and I use the term “safety net” very loosely!!) I sort of allowed myself to dream a little and act upon those dreams. I feel extraordinarily lucky. Any words of wisdom or sage advice you would give to other performing artists who are concerned about the impact of COVID-19? What about to the new theatre graduates who are just out of school and may have been hit hard? Why is it important for them not to lose sight of their dreams? In terms of advice for other performing artists right now, I would say be bold and just leap into that unknown. I mean we’re already living in an incredibly uncertain time so maybe now is the time to develop that new skill, to take that course, to try something new. I think as artists we all need that side hustle more than ever. As my husband wrote in his play “When nothing is certain, anything is possible!” I actually really believe that. And for the young’ uns coming up, I would say try to be as well rounded as possible. Develop those skills and passions and hobbies outside of theatre. Hopefully, it will translate into some income so you’re not solely reliant on theatre to pay the bills. I think it can only help you as an artist too! But also we now have the gift of time! So read those books, learn those new songs, have play readings in the park with your friends, phone up an older artist that you’ve always admired, and ask if you can pick their brain. Get creative! There are opportunities to be had if you so choose. But I also feel that to be too focused on our careers can limit and inhibit the scope and breadth we’re capable of as humans. I really feel that it’s important to look at this as an opportunity for growth. The alternative is to view it solely as a negative phenomenon which I think is not terribly helpful. But let’s face it, it’s HARD. I think it’s absolutely ok to go under the covers and cry it out. Just don’t stay there too long! Do you see anything positive stemming from this pandemic? The positives I see are families connecting more, people having more time to just be, people getting back to baking and cooking, people helping each other. If only the financial repercussions for artists were not so dire, I think we’d be happier. It’s really hard to be blissed out when you’re worried about money. It’s a very real quandary. But as I said before, it’s really interesting to see the creative ways people are forging new paths for themselves. But also a lot of brilliant artists are working jobs that they’re not particularly enjoying. It’s tough. But we’re a tough bunch! In your informed opinion, will the Canadian, Broadway, and Californian performing arts scene somehow be changed or impacted on account of the coronavirus? Man, if only I had a crystal ball! I have no idea. I try not to speculate too much because the information keeps changing and none of us have a clue what’s going to happen. All I know is that when I think about assembling together with a big cast for the first day of rehearsal it literally brings tears to my eyes. The joy I have felt over the years working with people in the theatre will stay with me forever. And I am by nature an optimist, so I have to believe we’ll get back there. What are your thoughts about streaming live productions? As we continue to emerge and find our way back to a new perspective of daily life, will live streaming become part of the performing arts scene in your estimation? Have you been participating, or will you participate in any online streaming productions soon? In terms of live streaming, I think it absolutely will be a huge part of our industry moving forward. For me personally, I haven’t done anything, but I’ve certainly watched some content. But you know, I have come to a personal conclusion with it. I would rather watch the opening number of Ragtime at the Tony Awards for example with that huge cast brilliantly staged than something on Zoom. I find I’m looking to the past to get that fix. Watching throngs of performers interacting with each other with joy and abandon and physical proximity thrills me more than anything right now. But I certainly don’t judge those who are pursuing the online avenue!! It actually drives me crazy when we become divisive as artists. We must support each other right now more than ever! To each his own! Live and let live! And of course, if anyone did ask me to do a Zoom performance thing I’d be all over it. What is it about performing you still love given all the change, the confusion, and the drama surrounding our world now? Wow. So, this question has brought me to my knees. I have been a professional stage artist for over 35 years. I have had so many incredible opportunities and have met the most brilliant, funny, kind, compassionate, and exceptional people. I have sung exquisite songs, I have tap-danced on pianos, worn exquisite costumes, witnessed the most vulnerable moments, laughed, cried, bled, despaired, rejoiced, and felt everything in between. My life has been incredibly rich and varied and interesting for having done it. I can’t fathom myself ever giving it up and so, I never will. It’s given me too much joy and happiness and laughter. With a respectful nod to ‘Inside the Actors’ Studio’ and the late James Lipton, here are the 10 questions he asked his guests at the conclusion of his interviews: a. What is your favourite word? Tolerance b. What is your least favourite word? Closed c. What turns you on? Creativity d. What turns you off? Materialism e. What sound or noise do you love? Cardinals f. What sound or noise bothers you? Dentist drill g. What is your favourite curse word? Zounds h. What profession, other than your own, would you have liked to attempt? Pilot i. What profession would you not like to do? Mortician j. If Heaven exists, what do you hope God will say to you as you approach the Pearly Gates? “Red or white? Thanks.” To learn more about Monique's jewelry line, visit https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/minniebymoniquelund Previous Next
- Profiles Mumbi Tindyebwa
Back Mumbi Tindyebwa Self Isolated Artist --- Joe Szekeres Obsidian Theatre’s new Artistic Director, Mumbi Tindyebwa, has a great deal on her plate right now, but I am extremely grateful that she took a few minutes from her busy schedule both for Obsidian and her family life to be interviewed for this series. OnStage Blog has had the opportunity to review four of Mumbi’s outstanding productions: ‘Trout Stanley’, ‘The Brothers Size’, ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ and ‘Oraltorio: A Theatrical Mixtape’. These were fascinating stories with outstanding performers. Congratulations and many blessings to you, Mumbi, from all at OnStage Blog in your new role as Artistic Director. We conducted our interview via email: It has been the almost three-month mark since we’ve all been in isolation. How have you been faring? How has your immediate family been doing during this time? It’s been a wild time. We have two little ones at home, so a large part of my focus has been on them and trying to keep them engaged plus homeschooling. My husband’s work was deemed essential from the beginning of the lockdown, so I have taken on most of the childcare and household work. On the bright side, it has been super sweet and special to have this uninterrupted time with my children. When Ahmaud Arbery was killed, then Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, and Regis Korchinski-Paquet, the isolation changed from a somewhat reflective time into a time of deep re-traumatization. It’s been a triggering time for my family. My husband and I are raising a Black son and a Black daughter, so the layers of navigating the continued racism towards Black people at this particular time has been heavy. As a performer, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? Throughout the last three months, I have been having meetings with the staff at Obsidian in preparation for starting my role as Artistic Director. I have missed being able to meet in person and getting to know each other in this new capacity face to face, but we have all adjusted and gotten used to the Zoom world. It’s also been extremely difficult to talk about the future when things are so uncertain, even more as an incoming Artistic Director trying to learn the workings of an organization. I am at a place now when I have begun to embrace the uncertainty and have a sense of acceptance of the moment we are in. Were you in preparation, rehearsals, or any planning stages of productions before everything was shut down? What has become of those projects? Will they see the light of day anytime soon? When everything shut down I had just opened a student production of We are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Südwestafrika, Between the Years 1884-1915 by Jackie Sibbles Drury at University of Toronto Scarborugh Campus. We were super lucky that we managed to have three public performances before the run was cut short. I was also set to direct Sizwe Bansi is Dead by Athol Fugard at Soulpepper in the spring and had just started to dive deep into preparations for the show before we learned that it would be cancelled. I had another project that was scheduled to open in September that has also recently been cancelled. There is no guarantee of either of these two projects seeing the light of day at this point. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? Children! I don’t think parents have an issue with being bored during this time. Besides being busy with the kids and all the household stuff — I feel like I am constantly cooking —I have also started paying attention to my health in a way that I hadn’t before the pandemic. It’s definitely been a real opportunity to zero in on some other areas of my life that needed some extra love. I have also been actively preparing for my role at Obsidian which has included reading plays thinking about programming future projects. I have also been in many meetings with my colleagues in the industry, especially fellow artistic directors to discuss the time we are in and the unique challenges our organizations are facing. Any words of wisdom or advice you might /could give to fellow performers and colleagues? What message would you deliver to recent theatre school graduates who have now been set free into this unknown and uncertainty given the fact live theaters and studios might be closed for 1 ½ - 2 years? Go with the flow. Be kind to yourself. Be patient with yourself. Read plays, read novels, listen to music. There are also a lot of masterclasses being offered online if you want to advance your skills. I also think it’s good to avoid too much time on social media. Connect with nature if you can. Do you see anything positive stemming from COVID 19? Dismantling of structures of white supremacy. That would be something. Do you think COVID 19 will have some lasting impact on the Canadian/North American performing arts scene? I keep longing to return to normal in terms of theatre as I know it. My husband works in tech and he said to me the other day when I was talking about us doing work for digital platforms that theatre is the antidote to technology, so basically, why should theatre artists rush to produce work for digital platforms? I thought about it and I have been thinking about it and I do believe in my core that the purity of the live theatre performance exchange and the human longing for that will not be changed because of COVID. What I hope for is that the stories that we tell will change; that our audiences will change; that the way we make theatre will change; and who is making theatre will also change. And maybe there will be some hybrid performance practices that emerge from the digital experimentation we do now that we will all benefit from as an industry. Previous Next
- Profiles Marshall Pynkoski
Back Marshall Pynkoski Canadian Chat Opera Atelier website Joe Szekeres Marshall Pynkoski and I shared a good laugh later when we were able to communicate via Zoom. I had logged on earlier to be ready for our meeting. Because I had forgotten to re-start my computer after loading updates, we spent a few minutes trying to ensure our microphones were working. Completely my error on all accounts, but Marshall was so gracious and kind that he put me at ease immediately and we continued forward. From Opera Atelier’s website: “Mr. Pynkoski has collaborated with many of the finest artists in the world of early music and his productions of opera and ballet have toured throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. In 1985, he founded Opera Atelier with his partner and co-Artistic Director Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg and he has since directed a wide range of period productions of Baroque and early Classical opera and ballet in close collaboration with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra. He is a recipient of numerous awards including the Toronto Arts Award, the Ruby Award for outstanding contribution to opera in Canada, and the TIME Magazine award for Classical music. He has been named Chevalier dans L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Government of France.” Thank you so much for your time, Marshall: As we now approach Year 3 of this worldwide pandemic, as Artistic Director of Opera Atelier, how has the company been able to weather the winds of this tumultuous time and move forward? We did something called ‘Together Apart’ to begin with and had a tremendous response. And then we did ‘Together Apart Part 2’. Again, a wonderful response. It then occurred to us there was a new Canadian composition we had begun in, I think it was, 2018 at Versailles, and this was with Edwin Huizinga who was writing new music for period instruments as part of a staged concert that we gave in the Royal Chapel. It had been so successful that we were asked to return the next year and expand it. We had continued expanding it and we suddenly thought well maybe this is the answer – maybe we look at expanding what was first called ‘The Eye and Eye’s Delight’ with what we finished calling ‘Angel’. Maybe we continue expanding this and create something made for film rather than an apology taking something that was meant to be for the stage and filming it. Do you know that It turned into the most wonderful experience for all of us, for all of the artists involved. It was all of our dancers, many of our favourite singers, Tafelmusik Baroque orchestra. We were working with the poetry of Milton but also poetry by Rilke. We had commissioned a wonderful English translation of that poetry. We put together a piece that was about 70 minutes long. It has already won a number of awards at film festivals. I just heard it was just accepted into the Austrian Film Circle as the Critics’ Select. I’m very proud to say that money that came to us through the government. The government has been very generous to arts companies. They did everything they can to maintain our funding and to help us. It was made very clear that if we felt we couldn’t produce it wouldn’t be held against any company. Everyone decided to wait until this pandemic is over. I’m very proud to say we spent every penny on producing, on composition. We spent it on singers, on dancers, on filmmakers. Consequently, we’ve learned a great deal, we’ve grown a great deal and we’ve maintained a sort of different contact with our audience in what we would ever have imagined possible. That being said we’re thrilled to be going back into the theatre and even then, we’ve never hedged our bets. We’ve never been a company like that. I was very proud of the fact we were one of the last companies standing and saying, “We are opening in February!” The moment you say that, all the contracts kick in. If we had been shut down again, we would have still been paying the full contract to all the singers, all the dancers, a cancellation fee to Koerner Hall, all of those things. Our Board of Directors were very fortunately behind us. We took a deep breath and said, “We’re in. We’re opening.” And here we are, and God help us I don’t think there’s going to be another shutdown. We’ll be in Koerner Hall and it will be our much belated debut fully staged. This is something we would never have dreamed of producing otherwise. We’re calling it our valentine to Toronto entitled ‘All is Love’ and just hoping that people will feel comfortable enough that they will fill up the 50% capacity allowed to us and to celebrate together. The global pandemic has certainly changed our view of the world we once knew. How have you been able to move forward personally during these tumultuous times? Personally, I’ve been doing extremely well. I don’t want to sound flippant, but I don’t like fear. I don’t like people trying to control me with fear. I do feel the media has done a wonderful job of terrifying everyone. Again, that doesn’t mean I don’t take this seriously because I do take it seriously. But I don’t need the media to frighten me. I’ve lot lots of things to be afraid and I can provide that for myself. My concern is that we have been surrounded by a media and by individuals who cultivate fear and that I object to. Why would we cultivate that fear? We should be cultivating courage. We should be cultivating tenacity. We should be cultivating our imaginations and finding how we can make this into something that is positive and be able to look at in in a realistic way. Again, I am being realistic. I have all of my vaccinations. Jeannette has all of her vaccinations. We spent $125K on tests for our artists in order to be able to film ‘Angel’. For our company our size, $125K is gigantic. So, we’re taking it all seriously. But I also insist that we must recognize life has to go on. We have to create. Artists need to create. Meashha (Brueggergosman, Opera Atelier Artist in Residence) says, “We are the first responders.” We’re the people who are out there giving people hope and solace. This is the moment we can really shine and show who we are. It would be good for us and good for everyone. Other than the fact we’ve had to plow and push through a certain degree of negativity and fear on occasion, I would say it’s been a very positive experience that has forced us to re-examine our values and the things we think are important. It’s created a degree of solidarity in the theatre community that I know, and it can only end up being something that we have all benefitted from. When we’re dealing with singers, dancers, musicians, we’re dealing with young people who don’t remember other serious threats that the world has faced. I’m dealing with singers and dancers who never lived through AIDS. You want to talk about a pandemic at that time? I would need four hands to count the people whom I loved were lost. There have been huge issues. We get back. We bounce back just like people did after AIDS, after the First and Second World Wars, after the Spanish Flu, after SARS, after diphtheria. C’mon, this is unfair and counterproductive. Although I personally have no background or training in the study of opera and ballet, I’ve quite enjoyed watching Opera Atelier productions live before the shutdown. I’ve also enjoyed watching productions online. I’m receiving the impression you believe it’s important to ensure this exquisite art form gets to be seen by as many as possible. Why do you believe this is an important goal to achieve? I think it’s important because exposure to the arts that are built on such a groundwork of positivity. It benefits people emotionally, it benefits people spiritually and eventually has an impact physically as well. The arts should have an important place in our lives to make us completely full, well-rounded human beings. We are dying of a surfeit of a specialization in this world, in North America and Europe in particular. If you’re not specializing, then you’re considered a dilettante. The moment you’re considered a dilettante, you are discarded. It is and consequently we have people who are fiercely intelligent about one small area of knowledge and yet will know nothing about opera, nothing about ballet, nothing about music, nothing about literature. We have to broaden our life experience. We all have to so we can be more well-rounded human beings and then maybe, when something like this pandemic comes up, we will be better equipped to deal with it spiritually and intellectually in every way. I’m tired of hearing people trying to justify the arts by saying, “Oh, if you take music your Math marks may improve.” Well, that may be true, but that’s not what I’m interested in. I don’t need to justify music because that’s going to help you have better marks in the Math class. The Arts do not require that justification anymore than eating the best food and exercise require justification. We know these things are good for us, and the responsibility to bring them into our lives or with artists to make sure to make them accessible so we bring them to people’s lives. If people have not had the opportunity to be exposed to them because of this specialization that I speak of, then we try to rectify that by making the Arts more accessible. I don’t mean by dumbing them down. I mean by not costing as much, finding ways to get them to people for free, finding ways to meet as broad a demographic as possible. There are many people who don’t attend the theatre because they are intimidated by it. There’s this idea of a certain exclusivity and won’t be able to understand. I think that film allows us to jump past that and just say, “In the comfort of your own home, put up your feet. Pour yourself a drink, have a cigarette, whatever you need to make yourself comfortable, sit back and watch an artistic presentation.” If it bores you, put it on Pause. There’s something wonderful about the Arts and I’d like to think it becomes a catalyst to walk into the theatre, sit down and see what this is like live. If it can have a powerful impact on screen, what’s the impact it can have on a real-life situation? Something even more powerful. I thought how appropriate Atelier is returning live to the stage (hopefully with fingers crossed) with ‘All is Love’ on the Valentine’s Day weekend. In the press release there is reference to the character of Love, so obviously this emotion permeates the production. Along with ‘love’ what other messages do you hope audiences will take away after seeing the production? I want audiences to leave the theatre feeling they have had a cathartic experience. I take for granted that people will be nervous stepping into the theatre, why wouldn’t they be after all this time that we haven’t been in a large crowd? Even though there is only a 50% capacity with space between everyone, I still think it requires an act of courage for people for the first time to step out and go and do that. I hope people come away feeling more alive. I hope people come away remembering what they felt before so much was taken away from us. It’s amazing how complacent we’ve become and convinced to live differently or in ways that are not good for us where we start to feel comfortable in ways that should make us feel uncomfortable. We start to become uncomfortable with real life contact, a real physical contact, a face-to-face meeting. All of the inconveniences that are an integral part of being human - This is too easy. You could be wearing your pajama bottoms for all I know, Joseph, during our conversation. We have to get back to living and all the grit of living and making our way to the theatre and sitting down and put on reading glasses to read the program. We have to get back to something that takes us off the screen. I’m glad it does exist for some things, but we have to get off the screen and get in each other’s faces again. Tell me about the genesis of ‘All is Love’ and its progress to the stage. ‘All is Love’ includes much of the repertoire that we explored on film, but again we’re accepting the fact that in a real-life situation it becomes a completely different repertoire, and it would be experienced differently. But we have also added additional pieces as part of that, pieces dealing specifically with Love. We’ve moved into 19th century French art song for the first time that will be completely staged. So, you will hear Debussy and Reynaldo Hahn on period instruments, the instruments that it was written for. Act 1 Peleas, something I’ve always dreamed of for thirty years, we are actually going to be doing. It’s so, so exciting. We’re also moving into some brand-new repertoire that still has a very, very close link to 17th century French music. When I hear Debussy’s music, I hear Rameau, I hear Lully. When I listen to Reynaldo Hahn, I hear Charpentier. That’s what these giants were steeped in, and we forget that. We always look to where they were going, and we forget what was their grounding. To have an orchestra that is immersed in French baroque music interpret Reynaldo Hahn and Debussy, I think we’re going to hear something absolutely a unique and legitimate perspective rather than trying simply to create something to amuse people or keep them coming to the theatre for whatever reason. We want to tell these stories succinctly and clearly; we want to be coherent not incoherent. A coherent storytelling that people can follow because God knows Peleas is a difficult story anyway. It’s such a pleasure to work on this repertoire and to have Meashha with us. The opening song she sings which was something created for her, that’s where the title of this show comes from and it’s perfect for the Valentine Season and to share with someone whom you love. RAPID ROUND Try to answer these in a single sentence. If you need more than one sentence, that’s not a problem. I credit the late James Lipton and “Inside the Actors’ Studio’ for this idea: Who would you say was the biggest influence on your life in your pursuit of your vocation as a professional artist? What would you say to this influence right now? The biggest influence was George Balanchine, the greatest choreographer in history and the founder of New York City Ballet. Jeanette and I make a trip, a pilgrimage to New York City on a yearly basis, to see those dancers dance that repertoire. If I saw Balanchine I would drop to my knees and say, “Thank you, thank you, thank you. You’ve changed how we listen to music. You changed how we experience music. Dancers literally changing how I hear Stravinsky. Thank you.” If you could say something to the entire company of ‘All is Love’ what would it be? “Remember all the reasons you chose your career. Bring all those things back together for this moment and let them crystallize in this performance for our audience.” If you could say something to the audiences of ‘All is Love’, what would it be? “Let yourself be carried away. Try to let any barriers or concerns that you have down. I want you to feel as those you are being in a dream. You’re in a safe place, and we’re giving you something that is like a wonderful, safe drug. I want you to wake up at the end and feel more human.” What is a word you love to hear yourself say? (Marshall had a good laugh) “Yes”. What is a word you don’t like to hear yourself say? Impossible With whom would you like to have dinner and discuss the current state of the live Canadian performing arts scene? (Another good laugh from Marshall) The current state of the Canadian arts scene…Ah, that’s a loaded question. There are so many possibilities. I would still go to the creator I admire most. I would go to George Balanchine. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a Canadian arts scene, it’s the ARTS SCENE that is happening universally and George never lost sight of the big picture. When he introduced Stravinsky to New York and was choreographing Stravinsky, there was a wonderful anecdote where someone said, “George, look at the people who are leaving.” And it was Balanchine who said: “Look at the people who are staying.” This says everything. What would you tell your younger personal self with the knowledge and wisdom life experience has now given you? I’d say, “Maintain your focus. Try not to allow yourself to be distracted by anxiety about where your career is taking you. Provided you are absolutely doing your very best, and you know you’re doing your best, it will take you in the direction you need to go.” This advice would have saved me enormous anxiety if I would have just believed that I had direction. But direction doesn’t mean a straight line, and this is what young people don’t understand. You can be following direction and be taking the most circuitous route. I look now and it makes total sense that I am where I am. At 18 or 19, this would have made no sense at all. With the professional life experience you’ve gained, what would you now tell the upcoming Marshall Pynkoski from years ago who was just in the throes of beginning a career as a performing artist? Well, I’d probably say what I say to all artists: “The most important thing you can do is to create. You have to be able to follow your discipline. It doesn’t matter who the audience is or how much of an audience you have. You have to follow your discipline whether you’re doing it for yourself, in a studio, working with other artists or only for a few invited friends - you have to keep pursuing that goal so that it takes on a life of its own and can grow organically, not to force it and not be frightened of it. Simply devote yourself to excellence and let it take you where it’s going.” What is one thing you still wish to accomplish both personally and professionally? I don’t make a big distinction between my personal and professional life. As Co-Artistic Directors, I would say Jeanette and I both hope that we’ll have the opportunity to explore more French baroque repertoire in the future – 17th and 18th century repertoire both with some of the major operas of Charpentier, Rameau and Lully plus we want to come back to those enormous productions that we were producing ten years ago and have been unable to visit. We’d like to come back to these operas of ten years ago with many of the same artists who will have grown as artists and re-examine it and re-examine it as well as move into new repertoire. And of course, the early 19th century repertoire like Debussy. There’s no question of retiring; there’s no question of what will I do when I’m no longer doing this. If I’m no longer doing this, I will be dead. This is what I do because this is who I am. It’s not something I’m doing to fill up my time until something else happens. Name one moment in your professional career that you wish you could re-visit again for a short while. I would say our performance immediately after the terrorist attack in Paris. That was an extraordinary event. Most theatres shut down entirely after that attack in, I think, 2016/17. We had just arrived in Versailles with all of our Tafelmusik, all of our singers and dancers, about 80 people. We had enormous pressure to come home and not perform and that it was too dangerous. We decided that we were going to stay, and it was absolutely unanimous. The Royal Opera House re-opened, and we re-opened the Royal Opera House just days after the terrorist attack. They insisted they would not be terrorized by terror, and we opened with Lully’s ‘Armide’, a story of the Muslim warrior princess and the Christian knight and their affair and attempt to find some way to live with each other and live out their destinies. It was the most extraordinary event when the curtain went up and there was that gigantic Persian writing on stage. There was a gasp from the audience as they couldn’t believe it. It was as if we had planned this particular event. For all of us, it was one of the most moving experiences of our lives. The army was backstage in the hallways with submachine guns. All of Versailles was an armed camp, and there we were packed house of Parisians and people from Versailles. To learn more about Opera Atelier, visit their web page: www.operaatelier.com . You can also visit their Facebook page: @OperaAtelier; Twitter: @OperaAtelier. Previous Next
- Dance Seulement Toi/Only You
Back Seulement Toi/Only You As part of Torque '22 at Toronto's Harbourfront Fleck Dance Theatre Mary Rozzi Joe Szekeres Please Note: I hold no background or education in the field or study of dance. Instead, I will comment on the theatricality of the production I’ve noticed a few elements from the last few dance productions I’ve attended. There’s a great deal of simplicity in their set designs which is very important as the focus must remain on the dancers and their work. Anne Plamondon’s ‘Seulement Toi/Only You’ continues in that same vein of simplicity in set design at Harbourfront’s Fleck Dance Theatre. From my vantage point in the audience, on the darkened upstage looked what I thought were seven flats appropriately placed side by side each other. The last two flats stage right were placed slightly downstage for a possible entrance and exit for artists Anne Plamondon and James Gregg during their performance. I was pleasantly surprised at the set design by Marilène Bastien, Anne Plamondon and visual artist, Hua Jin. Once the performance began, what I thought were flats appeared to be scrims I could see through with the most intricate detailing of what appeared to be trees and foliage. Nicolas Descôteaux’s subtle whispered lighting at various moments of the piece created an almost beatific lighting around Plamondon and Gregg. Olivier Fairfield’s sound design incorporating the music of several artists (whom I will list at the conclusion of this article) enchantingly underscored the movement of the piece. The programme stated this evening’s work is an exploration of everything that brings us together or separates us from one another. I had the opportunity to profile Anne this week as part of a column series last week. She stated: dance is “a language of the body, of touching, reunion and communicating through the body from one person to the other.” The placement of hands, the feet, the head are all of prime importance in creating a visual experiential journey. In watching this performance last night, I can now understand Anne’s sentiment with her above statement. This sensually, intimate communication between partners in dance becomes strongly evoked in ‘Seulement Toi/Only You’ where, according to the programme that through dance, “the protagonists gradually remove invisible veils between each other to unmask the truth.” Plamondon and her dance partner, James Gregg, took me on a lushly, corporeal experience of movement through sight, touch and the occasional musical sound provided by the artists listed below. At this Toronto opening performance re-scheduled from March 2020, I witnessed two performers who were in love with the artistry of dance through their sinewed, strength, supple, powerful, and harsh creative movements and moments. During our online conversation last week, Anne wanted individuals like myself who have no background in dance that it is something that is worthwhile to experience. Yes, dance can tell a narrative and sometimes a story does not need to be present in the moment. Instead it is most likely an audience member can be swept away in a visual picture created in a split second on one part of the stage. It might be something that caught your eye momentarily. In other words, it’s not necessary to understand everything about dance. And that’s why it’s worthwhile to see ‘Only You’ tonight. What made this production work for me was the fact that Plamondon and Gregg are not merely just artists, take their bow at the end and walk away. Before they are artists, they are humans first. I loved this re-iteration. At the top of the show after the stage is lit up, we see both Plamondon and Gregg are at opposite ends of the scrims dimly lit, and it appears they are removing and putting on certain clothes knowing they will be spending time in an activity they cherishingly respect. The almost erotic touch both have in removing and placing on various clothing pieces lets us in on the fact that we can expect more from these two in their dance. Gregg then crosses over to meet Plamondon in her space, and it looked from my perspective as the lights went down they were both ready and fit to enter into a sacred space of dance. Their 60-minute movement in creative dance, of sensual appeal and of sometimes erotic touching of hands and fingers created a divine sacred space of worship for this art. Glorious to watch. SEULEMENT TOI/ONLY YOU by Anne Plamondon Productions As part of Torque ‘22 Performance this evening at 7:30 pm followed by a question-and-answer period with the artists at the Fleck Dance Theatre, 207 Queens Quay West, Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre. For tickets: 416-973-4000 or harbourfrontcentre.com Performers: Anne Plamondon and James Gregg. Choreography: Anne Plamondon Sound Design: Olivier Fairfield with additional music by Ezio Bosso, Ben Frost, Daniel Bjarnason, Nina Simone, Dimitri Tiomkin, Ned Washington Lighting Design: Nicolas Descôteaux Costumes: Marilène Bastien Technical Direction: Pierre Lavioe Previous Next
- Comedies 'Two Minutes to Midnight' by Michael Ross Albert
Back 'Two Minutes to Midnight' by Michael Ross Albert The Assembly Theatre The Assembly Theatre Joe Szekeres A satisfyingly good script that pays attention to some minute details. Sometimes, but not always, it’s the little things that can either make or break a trip to an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean for a winter getaway. I know of many people who, before going away on holiday, make a list and check each item off when it goes in the suitcase. A little OCD, perhaps, but it’s that person’s holiday and he/she/they want to enjoy it his/her/their way, and it’s no concern of mine. The Assembly Theatre’s intimate black box setting paid careful attention to some important checklist items in its opening night performance of Michael Ross Albert’s ‘Two Minutes’. Was it worth my first trip to Parkdale for a Covid getaway? I’ll let you know shortly. As soon as I entered the lobby, I was heartily welcomed and asked if I wanted to wear a lei around my neck. I haven’t travelled to Hawaii yet, so I thought I’ll get the next best thing and wear a plastic one. The lobby was decked out in all things Caribbean, and the bar was open and serving island flavoured drinks. Even though we’re still in Covid, I could see the theatre was doing its due diligence in ensuring protocols were in place to keep everyone safe so kudos there. Anyone who has travelled to an all inclusive knows the music around the bar usually starts blaring loudly at 9 am. The same thing occurred here in the auditorium, but I smiled because I knew immediately that is exactly what it’s like at many of the all-inclusive resorts I’ve visited, so a big check mark here on the list. Pascal Labillois’s patio set design paid charming and attractive details to capture the Caribbean setting in this intimate environment. A gorgeous and soothing aqua blue painting of Caribbean waters adorns the back wall. Michael Wielgomas is listed in the online programme as Graphic Designer so I’m not sure if he painted it. If he did, then wonderful work. Centre stage are two blue and white striped chairs (the kind your skin doesn’t stick to in the heat) angled in front of a tiny circular table. Two plastic wine glasses are found there. Meticulous detail was also paid to the flooring and to the walls up over stage right and left entrances. Painted stones resembling those one might find in the Caribbean go all the way up the right side of the house. Stage right is the entrance to the restaurant with a lantern on each side of the doorway equidistant from each other. Stage left is the entrance to the use of the washroom (which was clever as the actual building’s restrooms were there for patron use before the performance began). Chin Palipane’s lighting design warmly incorporated a very hot, humid looking ambience surrounding the two characters. The costumes worn by Jack and Tracy fittingly embrace the re-created heat of the sun on stage. He wears a Hawaiian/Caribbean flowered shirt with dark blue shorts and sandaled looking deck shoes. She wears a low-cut one-piece green bathing suit with a flowered kimono ontop and what appeared to be white, comfortable looking deck shoes. Albert’s at times sharp, witty, comical and tumultuous story introduces how couple Jack (Luis Fernandes) and Tracy (Cass Van Wyck) are of extreme opposites in personality and I wondered how they have stayed together for so long. His fervently solid interest in becoming a social media influencer through his daily online postings grates on her nerves. But so much is hidden underneath and becomes unearthed about their living together as the story progresses. An event of seismically epic proportions in their relationship forces Jack and Tracy finally to begin looking at it and give it the attention it deservedly needs. Two things I really liked about Albert’s script – one was the solid use of one-line zingers which both Fernandes and Van Wyck succinctly captured in their high-octane performances. The other was the dramatic pauses and moments which are needed to balance the high velocity paced humour. Fernandes and Van Wyck are likable, convincing, and hearty performers who favourably won me over in their credibility of two people who are on the brink of a possible breakup and who wanted to use this island vacation as a last chance to reconnect as a couple. I’ll give credit here to Janelle Cooper who, in her visionary list as director, strongly kept Fernandes and Van Wyck grounded in the truth of the moment and never allowed them to venture hysterically over the top. So, was my checked list completed after seeing ‘Two Minutes to Midnight’? Indeed, it was, and I am so pleased the Assembly Theatre took me on a 70-minute vacation with them. However, all inclusive vacations also look for possible suggestions and feedback. There was one quibble that I did have. About 5-7 minutes into the show, a great deal of shouting and screaming occurs. I get why it was done; however, given the confined playing space of the intimate auditorium seating, the shouting and screaming were a tad uncomfortable to my ear drums and I missed a great deal of information both actors gave at this point. I get it that the veracity of the moment is high paced and wonted, but I completely lost what was said between the two actors as it appeared momentarily out of control. I had to glean (actually, read pray here) that I would have gathered later what all the screaming was about. Just a slight quibble, that’s all. Final Comments: Go on this trip with Jack, Tracy, and the Assembly Theatre in Parkdale. ‘Two Minutes to Midnight’ is a trip we all need right now especially as we are entering the sixth wave of Covid. Covid protocols in effect. Running time: approximately 70 minutes. The production runs to April 24, Tuesday through Sunday at 8 pm at The Assembly Theatre, 1479 Queen Street West, Toronto. To purchase tickets online and for other information: www.theassemblytheatre.com . TWO MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT by Michael Ross Albert Presented by The Assembly Theatre Director: Janelle Cooper Stage Manager: Marvin Araneta Set Designer: Pascal Labillois Lighting Designer: Chin Palipane Graphic Designer: Michael Wielgomas Associate Producer: Sebastian Biassuci Previous Next
- Dance Fall for Dance North – Homecoming: 2024 Signature Program
Back Fall for Dance North – Homecoming: 2024 Signature Program Various venues around Toronto with various artists and companies. Courtesy of Fall for Dance North Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, adjudicator, arts educator “Missing the dazzle this year” Fall For Dance North celebrates its 10th season as Toronto’s Premiere International Dance Festival showcasing unparalleled talent and artistry in the world of dance. You’d think this would be somewhat of a milestone for the festival’s incredible work over the last decade. Instead, it seemed there wasn’t much to celebrate, starting things off with a whisper instead of a bang - a smaller venue, less variety, fewer dance companies, and lack of awe-inspiring performances made this year’s showcase disappointingly underwhelming. Perhaps it’s because the company had to fast-track a replacement for outgoing Creator and Artistic Director Ilter Ibrahimof? Or perhaps it’s simple economics – venue affordability, higher ticket prices (single tickets are $25 a piece compared to last year’s $15) or fewer available international companies (in the previous year, there were four companies featured). Whatever the reason, this year’s 2-hour compilation of dynamic dance stylings was on a markedly smaller scale. “Homecoming” was performed this year in the 1200-seat Chrysalis Creative School Theatre on the Toronto Metropolitan University campus, a notable downsizing from the 3100 seats of their former venue, Meridian Hall. As he looks toward a new home in Portugal with the perspective of the world that has shaped him, Ibrahimof leaves the festival with one final signature curation. This Programme highlights the work of three female choreographers from Cuba’s Malpaso Dance Company, The National Ballet of Canada, and Ballet Edmonton. Each of these women has grown her craft through FFDN. The offering is a tryptic of some of their most intriguing, if not thrilling, works. Act One offered the Canadian premiere of “La Última Canción (The Last Song)” by the Malpaso Dance Company, Havana, Cuba’s most well-known independent contemporary collective. Choreographed by Daile Carrazana, this work was developed last year in partnership with FFDN and TMU’s Creative School. The seven-member company includes several exchange students from The Creative School at TMU. Their emotional and melancholic contemporary ballet stylings were bookended with recordings in the style of both traditional Latin folk and love songs. But Katherine Dowling’s eclectic live accompaniment on a grand piano set the piece soaring musically. The company comprises accomplished technicians who boast precision and unity in their collective segments. They are outstanding artists! The choreography is fluid and sometimes hard-hitting. In her notes, Carrazana decries,''La Última Canción'…is an inquiry into the feeling of loss, an exploration of the uncertainty of existence." Despite the dancers’ impressive moves, the narrative was indeed uncertain, transcending any clear storytelling for this Canadian reviewer. Just as confusing was Rachel Forbes's costume design. Except for two females clad in yellow and red, everyone seemed to be in muted, loose-fitting street clothes. Why the pastel among the plaids? Manuel Da Silva’s lighting design was warm overall but became dim and moody. His wing lighting sometimes created harsh shadows on the dancers. Unfortunately, segments were often too dark, masking facial expressions. Act Two belonged to the The National Ballet of Canada which returned to the festival for the first time since 2019 and under the direction of Hope Muir. islands by choreographer Emma Portner is a sculptural duet for two women set to an eclectic playlist of contemporary artists. This gorgeous duet, performed with extraordinary precision and superhuman flexibility by Alexandra MacDonald and Hannah Galway, was the high point of the evening. These artists were in perpetual motion for 20-plus minutes, first in close proximity, then separating before coming together again in unity. In the moments where they were confined, limbs entwined in continuous intricate movement, it was often impossible to tell who was who. This piece demands more than a heightened physical connection. This duo was so in sync mentally that one misstep could topple the routine. As a side note, Emma Portner, at age 23, is the youngest woman in history to choreograph a musical on London’s West End: Bat Out of Hell: The Musical, based on the album by Meat Loaf. She has also choreographed Justin Bieber’s Purpose World Tour and music videos for Maggie Rogers. Her star is definitely on the rise! Martin Dauchez’s costumes the dancers in identical light grey body long-sleeved bodysuits and dark grey baggy pants – again the two as one. Paul Vidar Sævarang’s excellent lighting effectively accentuates the duo’s isolation, illuminating a dark stage with only tightly focussed, colourless, white spotlights for the duo to move in and out of. Distinctive and dynamite! The evening concluded with the World Premiere of “Feel no More” by Ballet Edmonton, choreographed by Anne Plamondon (former FFDN inaugural Artist-in-Residence). Once again, a fiercely talented ensemble demonstrated their astonishing physical abilities, creating beautiful shapes and lines with their bodies and, again, superb (if not frenetic) keyboard accompaniment, this time by Zach Frampton. But the narrative escaped me. They seemed to be dancing for the sake of dancing…but who cares? I stopped trying to analyze and just enjoyed the cast tackling their challenging choreography with aplomb, showcasing their individual raw emotions and indefatigable commitment. Again the stage was dimly lit courtesy of Dorrie Deutschendorf. Haze did nothing to change the flat and colourless space. I wanted to see faces, intent, and expression! This moody wasn’t moving! Final Thoughts: In my 2023 review, I called FFDN’s Signature Program “dazzling, ground-breaking, and thought-provoking theatre that resonates with a modern audience.” While this 10-year anniversary is still packed with talent, the program lacked the variety I so enjoyed in previous years. It felt oversaturated with contemporary ballet. I was missing the dazzle, saw no new ground broken, and felt mostly vagueness and ambiguity instead of resonance. Still, there are many more days left in the festival and more venues and dance companies participating in 2024, and at $25 a ticket, it’s still the best value for dance in the city. Here’s hoping the new leadership at FFDN will return next year’s festival to the highlight it’s always been for me as a reviewer of the transformative power of dance and the arts at large. Fall for Dance North – Homecoming: 2024 Signature Program September 26 – October 10, 2024 Various venues around Toronto with various artists and companies. Tickets at https://am.ticketmaster.com/tolive/ffdn2024-onlineboxoffice Previous Next
- Dramas 'Icemen' by Vern Thiessen
Back 'Icemen' by Vern Thiessen World Premiere presented by Theatre by the Bay now onstage at Five Points Theatre, 1 Dunlop Street West, Barrie Credit: Hollinshead Media. L-R: Tom Keat, Nathan Howe, Isaish Kolundzic Joe Szekeres "Suspenseful! Thrilling! Entertaining! ‘Icemen’ is a Canadian story, and it’s ours!" Vern Thiessen’s newest world premiere takes place on the icy banks of Barrie at the height of the Great Depression in the 1930s. Times are tough for everyone, not only for the characters of ‘Icemen’ but those who live in Barrie. When times are tough, sometimes the unthinkable can very well happen. The setting is a wooden icehouse. We meet two desperate brothers: Joe (Isaiah Kolundzic) and his not-too-swift brother, Rennie (Tom Keat). The two commit an act of vengeance and defiance against their upscale employer, F. F. (Nathan Howe) and hold him hostage. F. F. threatens to destroy the brothers’ livelihood – ice harvesting on Kempenfelt Bay. I won’t spoil here what F. F. stands for, as you will find out. This opening night edge-of-the-seat thriller has a great deal going for it. For one, Barrie’s Theatre by the Bay's mandate is to continue showcasing and producing rich local stories. The company commissioned Thiessen to write a play about Barrie. He had never been to the city before and didn’t know anything about it but discovered a treasure trove of stories – one of them being the ice harvesters who worked on Kempenfelt Bay. In the playwright’s programme note, Thiessen writes how the ice harvesters saw their livelihood taken away by greed and refrigeration, an ‘innovation’ that, over time, has contributed to the climate change that now threatens Canadian lakes and oceans. I did not know the local history of Barrie, and this bit of information piqued my curiosity about how it would tie into the story. So, “Icemen” is a story of high stakes. The world of the Depression was one of gradual change and innovation. There was great social inequity and economic disparity, as playwright Thiessen tells in his Programme Note. People in the Depression had a tough time making ends meet. There were also individuals at this time who had too much power. Sounds somewhat familiar, doesn’t it? We’re experiencing this right now in our twenty-first century woke world. The big question – did this opening night production work on the Five Points Theatre stage? Yes, it does. Skillfully, I will add. This world-premiere production is one of which I hope other Canadian theatre companies will take notice. Not only is it suspenseful, thrilling, and entertaining, but ‘Icemen’ is one of our stories as Canadians and for Canadians. Joe Pagnan’s gorgeous set design of the rugged wooden icehouse prominently figures centre stage. I closely examined what I could do from my seat about three-quarters of the way up in the house. Brenda Thompson has paid meticulous attention to the selection of 1930s-period piece props. I loved the icepick that would have been used to help drag the ice blocks to the wooden house. Like all good suspenseful stories, nevertheless, some of these items become nefariously used for shocking purposes. Logan Raju Cracknell’s shadowy lighting designs duly enhance the suspenseful atmosphere of both the ruggedness and the sense of loneliness that might also surround the lives of these ice harvesters. Madeline Ius’s costumes are believable period recreations of the clothing the brothers would have worn as they worked outside. F.F.’s clothing strongly gives the impression there is a social and financial strata division. Mathew Magneson creates an extraordinary soundscape of howling winds that strongly emphasizes how cold it must have been for these harvesters. Not only that, but the sound also underscores how lonely and abandoned it must have felt for these individuals who worked out on the Bay. Magneson also places the sound of the howling wind throughout to help in the growing and suspenseful plot momentum. It’s effective in the aural sense, that’s for sure. Vern Thiessen’s gripping script makes the audience listen carefully to the spoken dialogue, which becomes crucial to the suspenseful intensity of any edge-of-the-seat story. Thiessen surely knows how to grab an audience’s attention right away. At the top of the show, F. F. is tied to a chair, and Joe casually smokes a cigarette while talking to F.F. and the audience. A strong word of advice - make sure you do listen carefully because the play is wordy but oh, so very important in building to the story’s climax. Iain Moggach directs with an assured confidence that never wavers. Not only does he envision believable characters, but he also creates one hell of an excellent Canadian story that makes our culture a unique one. As he writes in his programme note, “Icemen” is more than just ice. ‘Icemen’ is a story of history repeating itself in new ways. Yes, that’s a scary thought, but it also makes for good entertainment. The three-member cast remains solid throughout, always listening and responding with a credible believability. As brothers Joe and Rennie, Isaiah Kolundzic and Tom Keat deliver bold and fearless performances. Rennie is not a dimwit, but he doesn’t have the ‘smarts’ like his brother, Joe. Kolundzic and Keat are in synchronicity with each other. They behave and speak as brothers often do, especially when the two might not agree on handling the situation with F. F. I applaud Nathan Howe’s work as F. F, Joe and Rennie’s supervisor. For a good portion of the play, Howe is tied to a chair, so there is little room for him to move about the stage like Kolundzic and Keat. Instead, Howe’s performance strength emanates from his listening carefully to the other two and using his voice to indicate the varied emotional levels he experiences. When freed from the chair, Howe effectively controls his energy level and doesn’t allow it to upstage Kolundzic and Keat. There’s a bubbling, boiling and ultimately scalding intensity watching the events unfold at the end. And it’s good theatre. And that’s why you should get to the Five Points Theatre to see this Canadian piece that will hopefully be picked up and produced around the province. Running time: approximately 85 minutes with no intermission. ‘Icemen’ runs until November 12 at the Five Points Theatre, 1 Dunlop Street West, Barrie. For tickets, call the Box Office at (705) 739-4228 or visit https://tprocob.ticketpro.ca/en/pages/COB_TBTB_Icemen Theatre by the Bay presents the world premiere of ‘Icemen’ by Vern Thiessen Directed and produced by Iain Moggach Stage Manager: Khaleel Gandi Production Manager: Rochelle Reynolds Set Designer: Joe Pagnan Lighting Designer: Logan Raju Cracknell Music Director/Composer: Mathew Magneson Costume Designer: Madeline Ius Props: Brenda Thompson Performers: Nathan Howe as F. F.; Tom Keat as Rennie; Isaiah Kolundzic as Joe Previous Next
- Musicals X Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Back X Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Now onstage at London's Grand Theatre Credit: Dahlia Katz. Pictured: Mark Uhre as Willy Wonka Joe Szekeres "Even adults can learn life messages from stories that seemingly only appeal to children. That forgotten thought becomes abundantly clear watching this slick ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ now onstage at The Grand." I owe the memory of Roald Dahl the sincerest of apologies over these last years. I was never a fan of his children’s books and considered them odd growing up. I wasn’t interested in watching the 1971 film where Gene Wilder plays Willy Wonka, either. What an unimaginative choice to make on my part. Be imaginative, you colossal fool. This slick opening night production of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ at London’s Grand Theatre allows audiences to return to the childhood wonder of imagination. Although the musical is not at the top of my must-see lists, ‘Charlie’ is worth doing, especially since I’ve never seen the show. There are tuneful songs like ‘The Candy Man’ and ‘Pure Imagination’. There are some glitzy dance numbers to see. Much work has gone into the Grand’s production, and it shows. But why the apology to Roald Dahl’s memory? ‘Charlie’ becomes a teachable reminder to all, youth and senior, never to lose sight of tapping into imagination at any age. I did. Sometimes, being imaginative can help cope with daily life’s complex, actual, and often harsh realities. The story focuses on a selfless and compassionate Charlie Bucket (a precocious and adorable Greyson Reign Armer at this performance) who dreams of acquiring one of the five golden tickets to tour Willy Wonka’s (Mark Uhre) Chocolate Factory. Charlie is among the last to find the ticket in a candy bar he purchases. He can’t believe his luck when it finally happens. Let’s look past this immediate gratification of childhood wants for the moment. What the young Charlie does not recognize to be his luck are the adult role models in his life who care about him. Yes, the father figure is absent. However, he has a mother (poignant moments by Melissa Mackenzie) who works hard because she knows she must do so. She loves her son very much. Although they may not be as sprightly as they once were, Charlie has his two sets of grandparents alive who love him very much: Grandma Georgina (Krystle Chance), Grandma Josephine (Barbara Fulton), Grandpa George (Salvatore Scozzari) and Grandpa Joe (a doting, adventurous David Talbot) who accompanies the young lad on the tour even though he doesn’t feel well. The other four winners to tour the factory represent deadly vices. There is the gluttonous Bavarian Augustus Gloop (Nathanael Judah), accompanied by his mother (Krystle Chance), and the petulant and greedy Veruca Salt (an over-the-top demanding Nicole Norsworthy) accompanied by her patsy of a father (Salvatore Scozzari) who gives his daughter anything she demands. We also meet the world champion gum-chewing dancing celebrity Violet Beauregarde (Mikela Marcellin), who is fascinated with fame and achievement no matter the cost. She is accompanied by her father (Aadin Church). There is Mike TeaVee (Elena ‘Elm’ Reyes), a hyper computer hacker who represents the vice of sloth. He is accompanied by his mother (Meg Buchanan-Lunn). Each of these supporting characters has their moment to shine in some terrific song and dance numbers backed by a lively ensemble of dancers. ‘Veruca’s Nutcracker Sweet’ and ‘Auf Wiedersehen Augustus’ are only two examples. When the five contest winners attend the tour, their parents must sign a dubious and unclear contract. Everyone has no idea what they’re getting themselves into. Couple this with the reality that Wonka does not appear to be what he seems to be on the outside – as the story goes on, we discover that he might be, in fact, a rather dangerous individual. Scott Penner’s set design remains visually impressive, especially in the second act when everyone finally enters Wonka’s factory. The colours, shapes, and sizes are extraordinary. Every inch of space on the Spriet stage is used to the full extent, and it works. Nothing ever appears cramped. Siobhán Sleath captures gorgeous lighting designs throughout the show with beautiful hues and tints. Sound is also vital in this production to ensure everything can be heard. For the most part, it is thanks to Brian Kenny’s work. The spoken dialogue is clear. There are moments in a few of the musical numbers where I couldn’t hear all the lyrics. I’m not concerned about this quibble; I’m sure it will be rectified now that the show is running. Cameron Fraser’s projection designs nicely transport us to another world. Skylar Fox’s magic designs are perfectly timed. Something happens in the first act that flies over the audience’s heads and just disappears. Truly outstanding to watch. Joseph Abetria’s vibrant costume designs are truly remarkable as they help delineate who the characters are. The Oompa Loompas’ costumes are only one example of Abetria’s fine choices he makes. Director Jan Alexandra Smith, Music Director Alexandra Kane, and Choreographer Robin Calvert joyfully transport the audience to another time with a knowing wink, a tuneful ditty, and a jig of a dance. I liked the introduction of The Candy Man (Mark Uhre in an effective disguise) at the top of Act One. He is an oddity who owns the local candy store. Everyone likes candy; however, Smith, Kane and Calvert cleverly use this opening scene as a teaching moment. Maintain your sense of humour when things get a bit odd in life, as they sometimes will. It’s okay to indulge in a bit of chocolate. Don’t sacrifice your health in the meantime as the contest winners do. Mark Uhre is a theatrical gem as Wonka. He dances and moves with tremendous fluidity and ease. But Uhre purposefully reveals a dark side to Wonka, as do all humans. This becomes another teaching moment. Uhre shows that some people may not appear the same on the inside when we see them from the outside. For example, when some contest winners get their just deserts for not following instructions or not listening carefully, Uhre simply gives a suggestive stare to the others of “I told you not to do that” and simply moves on as if the individual did not exist. Harsh, callous, and cold are only three adjectives that may come to mind, but they are reminders to all, as Republican Candace Owens recently told a group of entitled young college sophomores – “Life’s tough. Get a helmet.” Final Comments: Just because the Christmas/holiday season fast approaches does not mean people will not experience the challenges of daily life that we all face. They will. Yes, it’s a wonderful time of the year. It’s a filling to the belly time of year. It’s also a grim reminder that life may be harsh for some. “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ is that theatrical reminder of this fact. London’s Grand Theatre made a solid choice to stage this production as the holiday season approaches for its razzle-dazzle excitement of colour, song and dance. Don’t forget the critical messages lying underneath the text. Running time: approximately two hours and 30 minutes. The production runs until December 24 on the Spriet Stage at the Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond Street, London, Ontario. Call the Box Office (519) 672-8800 or visit grandtheatre.com for tickets. GRAND THEATRE presents Roald Dahl’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ Book by David Greig, Music by Marc Shaiman with Lyrics by Scott Wittman/Marc Shaiman Based on the novel by Roald Dahl Songs from the Motion Picture by Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley Orchestrations by Doug Besterman and arrangements by Marc Shaiman Directed by Jan Alexandra Smith Music Director: Alexandra Kane Choreographer: Robin Calvert Set Design: Scott Penner Costume Designer: Joseph Abetria Lighting Designer: Siobhán Sleath Sound Designer: Brian Kenny Projections Designer: Cameron Fraser Magic and Illusions Designer: Skylar Fox Stage Manager: Kelly Luft Performers: Greyson Reign Armer/Neela Noble, Matthew Armet, Kih Becke, Meg Buchanan-Lunn, Krystle Chance, Aadin Church, Barbara Fulton, Nathanael Judah, Christopher Lucas, Amanda Lundgren, Mikela Marcellin, Jamie Murray, Nicole Norsworthy, Melissa Mackenzie, Elena “Elm” Reyes, Salvatore Scozzari, Julius Sermonia, Michele Shuster, David Talbot, Mark Uhre. 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- Musicals Come from Away
Back Come from Away Now on stage at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre Credit: Matthew Murphy. Pictured: The Toronto company Joe Szekeres VOICE CHOICE “A fuller, richer sound in vocals and music indelibly marked with subtly controlled and believable performances of emotional, deep intensity. This ‘Come from Away’ hits right to the core of human kindness within each of us.” Rejoice Canadians! ‘Come from Away’ is back and sounds even more glorious. The vocals and music have a fuller, richer sound. The emotional intensities of the individual performances are subtly and skillfully controlled and genuinely believable. Whether that’s from four years plus of Covid (that continues rearing its variants) or real-life experiences we’ve each gone through, there’s an inherent sense this opening night standing ovation production has further grown and morphed into a story that still tugs at the heartstrings. It’s joyous. This ‘Come from Away’ makes one proud to be Canadian. Husband and wife Irene Sankoff and David Hein’s relevant book, beautiful music, clever lyrics, and inspirational messages continue to speak volumes about human purpose and value when terrible adversity strikes. This Toronto production, now scheduled for performances until April 2025, may extend into next summer. I certainly hope it does. The story deals with the 38 planes diverted to Gander, Newfoundland, on that fateful morning of September 11, 2001. For five days following, the people of Gander and surrounding towns took the 7000 stranded individuals and cared for them the best way they could. Sankoff and Hein interviewed the residents who assisted. From there came poignant, sad, amusing, troublesome and heartwarming stories and memories. Beowulf Borritt’s excellent scenic design continues to reflect that East Coast ‘kitchen party’ feel we’ve all come to love. Howell Binkley’s lighting magically focuses attention where necessary to heighten tension. I also appreciate Gareth Owen’s sound design. He’s maintained the appropriate balance between the actors and the band so that the lyrics can be heard. Music Director Bob Foster, Music Supervisor Ian Eisendrath and Kelly Devine’s Musical Staging are some of the production's highlights. The melodies touch the heartstrings. I still love the sharpness of the ‘chairography’ as chairs are easily moved from point to point. There are moments when the roof is blown off the Alexandra Theatre with the numbers “Welcome to The Rock” and “Screech In” as the movement/choreography is sharply delineated. There’s always a clear and developed sense of purpose and reason. The pacing never lags or drags. I wanted to "Stop the World" as characters Nick and Diane sang in the show. Why? The musical numbers felt like believable extensions of the picture and the moment. I didn't want to leave this East Coast sense of belonging within the 100-minute running time without an interval. I cared about each of the characters and what was happening to them. Most of the original Canadian cast has returned to play several roles. There are a few new additions to the cast and standbys. Cailyn Stadnik now plays Captain Beverley Bass, and David Silvestri plays the Gander mayor. Several of the standbys are also new to the production. Christopher Ashley’s direction remains solid. His vision remains astute in wanting all audiences to know and remember the horror of that September day without showing any of the gratuitous elements. Instead, Ashley recognizes these characters as humans affected by a terrible event. Instead of focusing on the day's terror and aftermath, the audience becomes emotionally invested in what happens to them. I surely did. The actors are wonderful. They play several roles, but I will focus on certain ones. Cailyn Stadnik delivers compelling work whenever she appears as American Airlines pilot Captain Beverley Bass. Her performance of 'Me and The Sky', depicting how Bass grew to love the aviation industry, is heartwarming and impactful after the song. David Silvestri's portrayal of the Gander mayor is commanding, as he ensures the town comes together to help the stranded passengers. He also adds humour in his brief roles as mayors of the surrounding towns. The moment when Silvestri, as the Gander mayor, acknowledges his actions after five days when he returns home leaves a powerful impression. James Kall and Barbara Fulton deliver poignant performances as Nick and Diane, who meet and begin falling in love. You can’t help but root for them, especially during the ‘Screech In’ number, when they become honorary Newfoundlanders. Lisa Horner delivers a powerful performance as Beulah, a sassy, wise-cracking, assertive, kind-hearted schoolteacher at the local Academy. Saccha Dennis's portrayal of Hannah, a mother searching for her firefighter son in New York, is moving, especially when she sings "I Am Here." Hannah's persistent messages on her son's answering machine, portrayed by Dennis, are heart-wrenching. Kyle Brown's portrayal of Bob brings much-needed humour to the show, especially during a scene where the Gander mayor instructs him to gather all the barbecues in town for a cookout. Cory O’Brien effectively captures that East Coast lifestyle as Oz, the police officer when he writes a warning ticket with a code that brings the audience to laughter. Steffi DiDomenicantonio portrays Rogers TV reporter Janice Mosher, while Kristen Peace plays SPCA volunteer Bonnie. What's particularly striking about their performances is the determination of these women to make a positive impact in their chosen roles without needing validation from others. DiDomenicantonio skillfully captures the humour of being new to report on the day the world stood still, while Peace's portrayal of Bonnie is direct and decisive. Peace's Bonnie fearlessly disregards authority to check on the well-being of the animals in the plane's cargo hold. Near the play's conclusion, Peace captivates the audience as she emotionally speaks to the animals before they are returned to their original destinations. Jeff Madden and Ali Momen are same-sex couple, and boss and secretary Kevin T. and Kevin J. Madden’s Kevin is the more adventuresome. At the same time, Momen’s Kevin wants to keep quiet and not draw attention to themselves in a town that might not understand who they are as people. Kevin T and Kevin J’s relationship is unduly put to the test while stranded. Madden and Momen play off each other very well while never turning their characters into stereotypes. Final Thought: The loss in the passing of a parent, work colleagues and friends has made many messages of ‘Come from Away’ still relevant today for me. An ever-greater message for me is the moment Jeff Madden (as a bus driver) tells Kyle Brown and Saccha Dennis (as foreigners in a strange land) from Philippians 4:6: ‘Be anxious for nothing’. A message I will strongly keep in my mind and heart as I fight another battle with treatable cancer yet again. ‘Joyous. Uplifting. It’s worth a visit to ‘Come from Away.’ Running time: approximately 100 minutes with no interval/intermission. As of this article ‘Come from Away’ runs until March 2, 2025 at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King Street West, Toronto. I have a feeling it will run longer. For tickets: mirvish.com or call 1-800-461-3333. DAVID AND HANNAH MIRVISH AND THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE ENGLISH THEATRE present COME FROM AWAY Book, Music and Lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein Directed by Christopher Ashley Music Director: Bob Foster Musical Staging: Kelly Devine Music Supervision: Ian Eisendrath Scenic Design: Beowulf Boritt Costume Design: Toni-Leslie James Lighting Design: Howell Binkley Sound Design: Gareth Oen Production Stage Manager: Lisa Humber Music Director: Bob Foster Performers: Kyle Brown, Saccha Dennis Steffi DiDomenicantonio, Barbara Fulton, Lisa Horner, James Kall, Jeff Madden, Ali Momen, Cory O’Brien, Kristen Peace, David Silvestri, Cailyn Stadnik, Clint Butler, Kate Etienne, Barbara Johnston, Jawon Mapp, Sarah Nairne, Aaron Walpole. Previous Next
- Dramas Where the Blood Mixes
Back Where the Blood Mixes Soulpepper and Native Earth Performing Arts Dahlia Katz Dave Rabjohn A revival of ‘Where the Blood Mixes’ by Kevin Loring is now playing at Soulpepper Theatre in Toronto. Loring is N’laka’pamux and comes from Kumsheen otherwise known as Lytton B.C. recently in headlines due to devastating fires – this alone makes the play more contemporary. Although some of the writing is over-extended, the strength of this production comes from the agile acting, especially in the two main characters – Sheldon Elter as Floyd and Craig Lauzon as Mooch. They spar over a series of indigenous issues that focus mainly on the theme of home and origins. Samay Arcentales Cajas’ work is also noteworthy for her dynamic and creative video projections. Two lifelong best friends, Mooch and Floyd, live difficult lives due to a variety of factors including suicide (Floyd’s wife) and the ills of residential schools' history. They clown around in a seedy bar, drink heavily, rely on lottery tickets for any kind of hope and pretty much ignore their families. Skillful acting moves them from comedy to pain in a moment’s time. Mooch is most comic with all arms and hands as he exhorts. Almost a Laurel and Hardy routine, quickly and effectively changes into a darker Waiting for Godot sequence as the grief in their lives is exposed. Floyd has not seen his daughter, Christine, played by Tara Sky, for decades. The loss of the wife/mother and the interjection of government institutions has pulled the family apart, but Christine feels the need to revisit her roots and reconnect with her father. Floyd is anxious about their different lives and buries his anxiety in alcohol. Mooch’s parallel problems are exacerbated by his own drinking and his mistreatment of his girl June – played with passion by director Jani Lauzon. Christine’s entrance into these lives is rocky as Floyd rejects her need for connection. Various forms of reconciliation put a dent in the darkness, but it seems only temporary. Oliver Dennis plays an affable barkeep as he strives to temper the tumult in his customers’ lives. Much like the ever-present musician in the shadows (James Dallas Smith,) he serves as a Greek chorus, echoing and reacting to events. As mentioned, the work of Ms. Cajas is spectacular. Projections have become a theatre staple, but her work raises the bar. Highlights include soaring osprey and gorgeous natural beauty. Most creative are scenes of interaction between actors and projections – Floyd fighting to hold onto a sturgeon or running down the path of a railroad track. Ms. Cajas reveals how the beauty of the natural world tempers the greyness of the mortal world. Mr. Loring’s writing can be clever with humour and wit, but he has embraced a large tract of themes and issues that tend to overwhelm – suicide, alcohol abuse, difficult relationships, residential schools, criminal activity, abandonment, government and institutional intervention – a lengthy list to pack into ninety minutes. All topics of importance. Perhaps it’s an effort to jolt an audience into a necessary awareness, but highlighting just two or three of these themes may provide an opportunity to drill deeper and develop more depth of understanding and possible solutions. Some of the repetitive writing slowed the pace at times. Two brilliant moments offered some shimmer in the darkness of their lives. After going through an exhaustive reconciliation, Christine bursts out to her father without any preface – “would you like to see your grandson?” The audience shares his shocked and happy moment. The other instant is Floyd’s fear that Christine is reacting to poor bathing habits. No, she says, “you smell like home.” Perhaps the heart of the play. ‘Where the Blood Mixes’ by Kevin Loring Performers – Oliver Dennis, Sheldon Elter, Craig Lauzon, Jani Lauzon, Tara Sky, James Dallas Smith Director – Jani Lauzon Set design – Ken MacKenzie Video and projection design – Samay Arcentales Cajas Stage Manager – Cole Vincent Runs through June 16, 2022 Tickets – soulpepper.ca Previous Next
- Profiles Steffi DiDomenicantonio
Back Steffi DiDomenicantonio Moving Forward Jasper Savage Joe Szekeres What an enjoyable conversation I had today with the bubbly and effervescent Steffi D. who truly is thankful and grateful for the many opportunities where her career has led her. I did a bit of online research about this George Brown College student who was the fifth-place finalist in the 2006 Canadian Idol reality based show. After Canadian Idol, Steffi has performed on stage in musical theatre roles, including national tours of Spring Awakening and in 2013 she received a Dora Mavor Moore Award nomination (similar to the Tonys) for best actress in a musical for her appearance in Toronto’s Young People’s Theatre production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s ‘Cinderella’. Steffi also has a recurring role in the forthcoming television series ‘Crawford’. Steffi currently appears in the Toronto production of ‘Come from Away’. We conducted our conversation via Zoom: It has been an exceptionally long six months since we’ve all been in isolation, and now it appears the numbers are edging upward again. How are you feeling about this? Will we ever emerge to some new way of living in your opinion? Uh, ok, I feel like this is tough because I feel as if we knew this moment was coming that the case numbers were going to spike again. I feel nervous, I feel a little bit anxious. When this all started I don’t think any of us thought we’d be sitting in our houses six months from now. When I got a text message from my Stage Manager on March 14 saying “Hey, don’t come into work today.” Who knew that it was literally to be six months from that moment? I don’t think anybody knew that was going to happen. I will say the one thing that makes feel a little bit more at peace when it comes to this is the entire world is going through the exact same thing. Everybody is in the same boat right now; everybody is going through the same thing. I guess, as far as this goes, yes, it’s unnerving the numbers are going up. But again, I feel as if more and more we need each other whether it’s over Zoom, either six feet away on a walk. A new way of living? Hmmmm…well I will say what seems unlikely right now. Giving someone either a hug or a handshake when you meet them sounds like it’s going to be a thing of the past. I think that’s really stressful and sad because we don’t get to connect in the same ways that we used to be able to connect for so so long. It’s going to be a little bit odd as we’re going to have to re-adjust the way we think of things. Who knew when cold and flu season rolled around, nobody thought to wear masks and not to get sick. Everyone was just rolling with the punches, get your flu shot. Honestly, I will never take my health for granted ever, ever again. How has your immediate family been doing during these last six months? My immediate family has been doing okay. My father is a radiologist so he’s still going to work at the hospital. My mom is technically retired now so she’s been spending a lot of time at home. My brother is a gastroenterologist and he’s working. As you can see I come from a family of a lot of doctors so all of them have still been going to work. I think everyone has been feeling okay. We had a bit of a scare. My grandmother is in a long-term care home. There was an outbreak there. Thankfully, she was totally fine so knock on wood that remains the case. I think everyone in my family has been really responsible so that’s good. As an artist within the performing arts community, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? Okay, I feel like they go hand in hand those two things, personally and professionally. Specifically, it’s a big lesson I’ve had to learn during this time is that I think Covid made me realize that I’m so intertwined with my job and my career, and performing is so much a part of my identity that I feel like it’s been really hard to be forcefully separated from that during this time. And understanding who I am without performance and who I am without my career being the biggest part of me. I think that’s been a really challenging thing for me to understand that I’m a person outside my job and what I do. It’s been an interesting and fascinating journey to go ‘Who am I underneath all of this?’ Were you in preparation, rehearsals, or any planning stages of productions before everything was shut down? What has become of those projects? Will they see the light of day anytime soon? I had booked a contract that didn’t end up happening because it was supposed to be on camera. Unfortunately, I can’t disclose what it was. Other than that, ‘Come from Away’ has been my bread and butter for the past three years. We had done 850 shows at that time we stopped. Honestly, who knew it was going to be such a hit? I’ve loved every moment of being a part of ‘Come from Away’ and telling that story. I realize how deep of a void it has left when we weren’t able to continue on with the show. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? Well, that’s a great question. There has been a lot of things going on. At the beginning of all this, I actually was having a pretty nice time. I caught up on things I haven’t had time to do because being at the theatre eight times a week is grueling, demanding. You have to be responsible. When we had this big intermission and this big break, I thought to myself, ‘Hey, why not do some stuff that I’ve always wanted to do that I haven’t had time to do.” So I actually learned how to cook a little bit which is something I’ve never learned how to do. I can make a mean coconut cream pie now. I’ve made a great pasta sauce and chili to name a few things. I also re-decorated my apartment. I decluttered my entire place from head to toe. I took all the time in the world to go through every cupboard, every drawer, every closet, everything. One of the biggest things I’ve done is start this online talk show with the stage manager of ‘Come from Away’. Her name is Lisa Humber. And we started this online talk show called ‘Check In from Away’ where every week, every Tuesday, a new episode comes out on the Mirvish You Tube Channel. We interview different artists, people who work backstage about what they’ve been doing during the pandemic, other shows they’ve worked on at Mirvish, their favourite memories, what they miss the most about theatre, stuff like that. I have to tell you it was a saving grace for me to remain creative in some kind of way and also to connect with people whom I’ve met and there are some whom I haven’t met which was really cool. This has been my biggest project. We’ve released 17 episodes so far, so it’s been keeping us busy, but I’ve been grateful for it. Any words of wisdom or advice you might /could give to fellow performers and colleagues? What message would you deliver to recent theatre school graduates who have now been set free into this unknown and uncertainty given the fact live theaters and studios might be closed for 1 ½ - 2 years? Ooooo, this is a tough one…I’ll start with the theatre grads… I feel so bad for the theatre grads because it must be so anti-climactic to graduate school and to literally walk out into a global pandemic and not be able to do what you love the most. I can’t even imagine. I’ve been so lucky to be able to do this for many years and the void that I’m feeling in all this is huge. Words of wisdom? Honestly, just try to stay sane, and try not to drink too much. I realize there’s not a lot to do some days, but we do have to keep our wits about us a little bit and whatever that means to you, keep connected to others around you, how difficult or annoying it might be over technology. And stay creative in some way. Find a little project, something to read, honestly anything to keep your mind exercised. It’s been difficult to keep the acting and singing chops alive if you’re not performing and can’t be on stage. Do you see anything positive stemming from Covid 19? Yes. I think a lot of things, actually. I think the world right now is literally and figuratively on fire. I feel this is an amazing opportunity with the social movements, the racial movements that really good things will come out of this. Since there has been so much time at home, we’ve had time to think and a lot of discoveries have been made that didn’t have the space to happen when everybody was in a ‘busy body’ kind of world, always hustling and moving. When you take away all that ‘busyness’, you realize what things are really important, and I know that’s happened to me. This pause in the world was also good for me for people to do a lot of self discovery of the world, other people. We’re learning to understand each other and I think things will be better at the end of the day when we come out of this and hopefully no more casualties. Do you think Covid 19 will have some lasting impact on the Toronto/Canadian/North American performing arts scene? I feel optimistic that people will be creative and find ways. This is what I hope, my dream and hope is that people will want to connect with the performing arts even more than they did before. After sitting home and finishing Netflix, I’m sure everyone is going to want to see a live performance or a musician playing or a concert, or a musical or a play. I’m just going to leave it at that because there’s no point in focusing on the negative as I’m an optimist. There’s plenty of negativity going around. Some artists have turned to YouTube and online streaming to showcase their work. What are your comments and thoughts about streaming? Is this something that the actor/theatre may have to utilize going forward into the unknown? That’s a very interesting debate you just mentioned about some artists doing whatever it takes and those who say they will wait until they return to the theatre safely. Honestly, I’m all for whatever makes people feel happy, comfortable and creative. So if an artist wants to stream their work, that’s amazing to give people an opportunity who may not have that opportunity or the funds to go see a show, or a concert or a musical to access their stuff online. I think that’s incredible. I will say the only thing that sucks about Covid is theatre is all about live audiences and feeding off reactions and hearing laughter and tears. I find that’s the thing that suffers the most with streaming. Unfortunately, streaming doesn’t give you that instantaneous rapport and relationship with the audience. That’s a shame and that’s what I miss about theatre so much. Film and tv are fine but you don’t get the instant gratification that you get when you perform live. To be compensated properly for an artist’s work is an interesting debate I can see why this would divide people. If you’re volunteering your talents and feel comfortable and happy with that, I think you need to follow your gut and your intuition. If you want to share something and have a story to tell, by all means do it. Obviously, compensation is nice when it happens, but I think that’s a case by case decision basis. It depends on the project, the artist and what’s at stake. I can’t put a label on it either way because there are different outcomes of some of these projects. Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that Covid will never destroy for you? Covid will never ever destroy my undying musical theatre nerd love for all things theatre. I’m a huge musical theatre nerd, I’m a theatre nerd. Nothing will ever replace the feelings that I have felt sitting in an audience with a programme in hand waiting for the production to begin, hearing the orchestra tune, seeing the performers enter the stage. It’s really un replicated. You can replicate that feeling anywhere else, just the feeling of the lights going down, a story beginning. For a couple of hours, you get to follow another story, forget any baggage you may have brought to the theatre, you can laugh, cry, whatever it makes you feel. It’s just solidified my undying love for theatre. Truly. I miss it so much every day. I will never ever take it for granted ever again. The moment I will have the chance to walk into the Royal Alexandra once again to tell the story of ‘Come from Away’, I will weep tears of joy and relief and sadness. I’m just going to be the happiest girl when that happens. You can follow Steffi on Twitter: SteffiD3 Myspace.com/SteffiDBowPower Previous Next
- Musicals 'Freedom Cabaret' at Ontario's Stratford Festival
Back 'Freedom Cabaret' at Ontario's Stratford Festival Stratford Festival Stratford Festival Site David Rabjohn (By David Rabjohn, Associate writer for Our Theatre Voice) The “Cabaret” series continues at the Stratford outdoor festival with a rousing display of black music surrounding the theme of freedom. Program notes suggest that black music, from its beginnings of Negro spirituals through to contemporary rap music have always been closely associated with the need and longing for freedom. Curated, directed and music directed by the versatile Beau Dixon, the night’s agenda is remarkably far-ranging and thorough. The result is an entertaining evening of both introspection and joyful celebration. Joining Dixon’s vigorous performance are three outstanding voices that both contrast and compliment. Robert Ball’s beautiful voice is on full display with the haunting “Follow the Drinking Gourd.” Alana Bridgewater’s strength and range is demonstrated with an animated “Hound Dog” that had some males in the front row fearfully hanging on to their seats. Her versatility is displayed in the powerful “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” by Thomas Dorsey. Camille Eanga-Selenge’s high soaring voice captivated the audience in a number of selections. The evening had a true “cabaret” style feel to it with some high barstool seating and a rustic circular stage with red drapery. Dixon’s opening wail on the harp produced the infectious beginning. The band was strong from the outset with a large dose of rhythm with both a full drum kit and a diversified percussion set managed deftly by the bandaged fingers of Joe Bowden. Dixon’s research must have been exhaustive. He found dozens of gems that did indeed reflect the constant yearning for freedom. Traditional songs such as “Hold On” represented the working slave who is holding on to the plow that is both killing him and keeping him alive. The evening moves through hits by black writers which are both acclaimed and less well known. You realize it will be an entertaining night when the program lists Lead Belly, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Beyonce and Sam Cooke numbers. Bob Marley was well represented and, as the singers warn us – he is not just a touchstone for stoned hippies. The tragedy of black music being appropriated into the mainstream was subtly but strongly observed. Some narrative about black musicians losing their political messages and the issues of racism in general gave some sobering support to the program. The genius in this support was that it was not consuming, and the big messages were left to the songs and the musicality to tell their own story. Returning to the singers (the heart of the program) solos were not the only fare. Gorgeous harmonies carved out some rich numbers. Back up voices were equally important, especially under the tutelage of Dixon’s entertaining conducting. A nod should go to the technical engineers as outdoor programming must create special challenges. The evening’s message is that the history of black music and musicians is deep, rich, and very closely connected to freedom in all its forms. And the entertainment was elevating! ‘Freedom Cabaret’ curated and directed by Beau Dixon closed September 5 but will stream virtual selections October 14 – December 3, 2021. For further information, please visit www.stratfordfestival.ca . Photo of Alana Bridgewater and members of company of ‘Freedom Cabaret’ by David Hou. Produced by The Stratford Festival Performers: Robert Ball, Alana Bridgewater, Beau Dixon, Camille Eangu-Selenge, Gavin Hope. Band: Beau Dixon, Rohan Staton, Roger Williams, Paul Antonio, Joe Bowden Lighting Design: Kaileigh Krysztofiak Sound Design: Peter McBoyle Previous Next
- News RUTAS Festival now on stage until October 6. In partnership with Aluna Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille and Factory Theatre
Back RUTAS Festival now on stage until October 6. In partnership with Aluna Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille and Factory Theatre Commentary on the final performance of 'Wilma' from Porta Teatro (Mexico) at Factory Theatre Courtesy of Aluna Theatre. Pictured is Writer, Director and Performer of WILMA: Itzhel Razo Joe Szekeres I had heard of The RUTAS Festival before but had never had the opportunity to attend. This year’s theme was Personal Cartographies. When the invitation was extended, I took it because I want to learn more about this artistic celebration. In her Factory Theatre Programme note, Aluna Theatre Artistic Director Beatriz Pizano writes about how this festival continues to change Toronto's cultural face by connecting new generations from Latinx diasporas to their roots and inspiring audiences and artists to experience life through a new lens. This sixth edition of RUTAS is in partnership with Toronto’s Factory Theatre and Theatre Passe Muraille. This part of the above sentence caught my eye: “Inspiring audiences to experience life through a new lens.” The theatre does that and whose life would I experience through a new lens.? I settled in the chair for the final presentation of ‘Wilma,’ written, directed, and performed by Itzhel Razo. A compact set designed by Aurelio Palomino with props and pieces appropriate for space and use. A scrim was used to project individuals' faces, and a child’s chair was underneath a hanging light bulb with strands of what appeared to be coloured rope hanging down. There was what I thought looked like a giant water tank containing coral rocks and coral lilies. Writer, Director, and Performer Itzhel Razo appears from stage left and sits in the child’s chair. She’s sporting long, bright red hair and a colourful dress. She says nothing for a few minutes but eyes the audience. She then places her face in front of a fan, and her beautiful hair is caught up in the wind and blown in various shapes that encircle her perfectly coiffed face. When she begins speaking, it is in Spanish, and English surtitles are projected on the back wall. According to the press media kit, ‘Wilma’ is autobiographical and fictional. The story uses the analogy of two Wilmas: Razo’s grandmother, who imposed a classist education on her young granddaughter and wanted her to avoid a culture that appeared inferior to her ‘white’ grandmother, and Hurricane Wilma from 2005, which went through the Mayan area of Mexico. The message the audience can glean from ‘Wilma’ is that seeds of racism and classism are planted in childhood through an education we receive at home from our first teachers – our parents and grandparents. Comment: Today is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, so the final Toronto performance of ‘Wilma’ is most appropriate in our country. Some press materials mention Itzhel Razo as an emerging artist. I’d agree with that. She’s daring, brave, and bold in telling her story with tremendous personal dignity. (Spoiler alert) Even when she appears nude in the last few minutes of the one-hour production, one ignores that reality. Razo continues telling and sharing her story with an everlasting hope that all audiences will continue to think, ponder and reflect on atrocities committed against others who, as Grandma Wilma believed, want to avoid another culture deemed inferior. Heady message to consider on a beautiful Sunday afternoon outside, but an important one. I was moved by this final Toronto performance but left without remaining to hear the Artist's talkback. There’s still so much we must learn, revisit, evaluate, and consider before moving forward. At times, this reality seems insurmountable. Where do we start, how do we start, and who will be there to ensure we are heading in the right direction? So many questions and possibilities. Just today, an Indigenous artist responded to me on this National Truth and Reconciliation Day: “Continuing to ask the gentle and thoughtful questions that you ask is a good way forward.” Pizano is correct in her Programme Note: We need theatre like ‘Wilma’ to inspire us to experience life through a new lens. I’m all for that, as I want to learn more. But how do we know we are heading where we should be? More live theatre? Yes, please. I’m all for that, too. The RUTAS Festival continues until October 6 at various venues around Toronto, including Theatre Passe Muraille and Factory. To learn more and to see what’s playing, visit alunatheatre.ca. Previous Next
- Solos Review: BOY FALLS FROM THE SKY
Back Review: BOY FALLS FROM THE SKY David Mirvish and Past Future Productions Cylla Von Tiedemann Joe Szekeres A charismatically charming Jake Epstein makes this ‘Boy’ soar past the rafters of Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre. I’m probably one of the very few who never watched the Degrassi series with Jake Epstein and a whole bunch of young talent. True, there were moments when I was teaching back in the 90s where I was aware of some youth issue the kids were talking about from the show and perhaps, I may have caught a mention of its message from that highly regarded bastion Entertainment Tonight (it’s okay to read sarcasm here). Or, I may have listened as the kids talked about the episode at school. So, I never knew of Jake. When I began reviewing, I did hear of his name and that of his older sister, Gabi, whom Jake affectionately and playfully mentions in this impressive solo show backed by three hardy musicians (Musical Director, David Atkinson, Lauren Falls and Justin Hall) who look as if they’re having a great deal of fun. Jake surely was having fun from what I could see. In the programme artist note, he calls ‘Boy Falls from the Sky’ a revealing solo show when it first made its appearance at the Toronto Fringe Festival. The title refers to a song from the controversially doomed for so many reasons Broadway show ‘Spider Man: Turn Off the Dark’ in which Jake appeared as central character Peter Parker. Once again in the programme, Jake stated the metamorphosis of ‘Boy’ started with a question: what do you do when life disappoints you? Well, Jake, it might be an over used and tired adage, but from hearing what happened to you in the lows of disappointments, you kept going. I respect that tremendously. And what of ‘Boy Falls From the Sky’ and its opening night at Toronto’s Royal Alexandra? The youthful, boyish, lanky Epstein is one helluva classy artist, fine showman and arresting entertainer. His humble performance style radiates brightly as he shares some strong life lessons in the business he obviously carries forward to this day without any remorse or regret. Developed with attention and directed with insightful theatrical vision by Robert McQueen, Epstein’s engaging script beautifully comes full circle where I felt that everything that needed to be said about Jake’s journey was shared with us. For those who may not consider themselves theatre-oriented, ‘Boy’ still speaks universally. We’ve all had jobs in our lives where we kept wondering if we should quit or not. We’ve all faced disappointments in our jobs and careers. And we’ve all encountered those individuals and their quirky idiosyncrasies who make the job memorable. Brandon Kleiman’s split level set design fits the Alex stage perfectly. The floor is diamond shape where Epstein steps off periodically and walks along the apron to speak with us. It appears as if we are in a dressing room of a theatre somewhere. Centre stage is the dressing room door entrance. Epstein can climb a ladder to get to the top level of the set where there are music stands and theatre posters. The musicians are located on Stage Right. Far stage left is a table where I thought a saw a coffee maker as a prop. There looks as well to be a water container. Two guitars are found just in front of the small staircase leading down – one electric and one acoustic. Amber Hoods’ lighting design creates a warm, intimate environment as Jake makes full use of the playing space. Musical theatre lovers are sure to enjoy the pre-show music ranging from Ethel Merman to Barbara Streisand. As the lights came down and Babs’ ‘Don’t Rain on my Parade’ quietly faded out, the lady next to me whispered quietly how she felt what a great song to introduce the show. Clad in bright white sneakers, blue jeans and what I thought was a claret reddish looking t shirt, Jake enters at the top of the show without any fanfare at all. From where I was sitting, I saw him enter from backstage through the door on the set, but it all appeared natural looking to me as if Jake was coming from somewhere. There was no spotlight when he entered. When Jake went over to the pianist to talk momentarily, the applause started. He gave that youthful beaming smile to the audience, picked up his guitar and started with the iconic ‘Razzle Dazzle’ from the blockbuster Fosse musical ‘Chicago’. And for the next 70 minutes, Jake did just that. He razzled dazzled in regaling us with moments from auditioning for the touring companies of ‘Spring Awakening’ and ‘Green Day: The Musical’ to his first production of 'Our Town' at the Royal Alexandra Theatre and then 'Oliver' at the Princess of Wales. We learn about some of Jake's voice issues while on tour and what life was like on the road for an actor in a touring company where it’s not all sunshine and autographs. Epstein also refers to some big Broadway names in the business today and two hysterical situations which left this theatre lover and my guest in laughter. Absolutely fascinating to hear and to watch. It was Jake’s work in two Broadway sit down shoes that are personally compelling for me – his time in ‘Spiderman: Turn off the Dark’ (of which Jake says his mother was so pleased when he left the show) to his turn in the creation of Gerry Goffin, Carole King’s ex-husband in ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Story’ and the process of what ensued during rehearsals, discussion with Ms. King herself and what she asked of Epstein regarding Goffin's portrayal and the opening of a new musical on Broadway. I saw the first disastrous production of ‘Spiderman’ several years ago, and not the version in which Jake appeared so I could make a connection from what I remember. My sister and I saw Beautiful at the Princess of Wales a few years ago and were moved by so many moments. Epstein becomes “un raconteur extraordinaire/an excellent storyteller” as the plot progresses. All the while regaling us with these stories, one of Epstein’s artistic strengths as a performing artist is this inherent sense in just knowing when to use facial expressiveness with his eyes for emphasis or the campy jazz hands which evoked laughter after he shared one dramatic detailed moment where he learned that perhaps the business might not be for him. Final Comments: Musically charged with vivacity and performed with verve and élan, ‘Boy Falls From the Sky’ becomes that show we all need to see and hear as we emerge from the last three years. An absolute treat. Get to see it. Running Time: approximately 70 minutes with no intermission. ‘Boy Falls From the Sky’ runs to May 29 at The Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King Street West, Toronto. For tickets: www.mirvish.com or call 1-800-461-3333. BOY FALLS FROM THE SKY David Mirvish and Past Future Productions Written and performed by Jake Epstein Music Supervisor by Daniel Abrahamson Developed with and Directed by Robert McQueen Set and Prop Design by Brandon Kleiman Lighting Design by Amber Hood Sound Design by William Fallon. Stage Management by Collette Berg, Erika Morey Music Copyist by Jake Schindler Voice, Speech and Accent Coach by Julia Lenardon Production performed by Jake Epstein, David Atkinson, Lauren Falls, Justin Han. Previous Next BACK TO TOP
- Profiles Quincy Armourer
Back Quincy Armourer Self Isolated Artist La Presse, Montréal Joe Szekeres When I was in Montreal the last couple of years to review shows, I remember seeing Black Theatre Workshop’s (BTW) name on several posters around the city announcing upcoming productions. I had reviewed ‘Angelique’ at Toronto’s Factory Theatre, presented by Factory and Obsidian Theatre Company (in co-production with BTW and Tableau D’Hote Theatre), and I wanted to learn more about these two Montreal based theatre companies. I was so pleased that, when I reached out to both companies, they have responded back in kind and have welcomed the opportunity to share their story of ‘The Self-Isolated Artist’ in their company. Tableau D’Hote Theatre Company’s profile will appear shortly. Artistic Director of BTW, Quincy Armorer, and I conducted our interview via email. Quincy was to have appeared in August Wilson’s ‘Fences’ at The Centaur before the lock down. The On Stage Blog reviewers were really looking forward to the production as all of us wanted to attend, but only one of us would be able to review. That’s a nice feeling when you have reviewers who really want to see something. Thank you, Quincy, for this interview. I certainly hope that Our Theatre Voice can be of service to BTW in future: 1. How have you been doing during this period of isolation and quarantine? Is your family doing well? My family is doing well, thanks. It’s been difficult to spend so much time away from them, but luckily everyone is healthy and doing fine. It’s been hills and valleys for me, I think. When the quarantine began and we didn’t quite realize how long it would last, I tried to give myself a bit of down time. And at first, I didn’t mind the shift to working from home. Now that we’re at three months with no clear end in sight, it feels very different. Also, the recent incidents of anti-Black racism that have sparked outrage across the world in the past couple of weeks have made being stuck in isolation especially hard. 2. Were any productions in rehearsal for BTW at the time of the lockdown? Were they far from premiering? Will these productions become part of any future slate(s) for BTW? Just as the lock down made its way to Montreal, we were about to present one show and begin rehearsals on another. We were bringing in the Toronto production of ‘Obaaberima’ produced by Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, to present it with our partners Espace Libre in English with French surtitles, but it was quickly cancelled. This was the second time that we were working with Espace Libre to bring in a Buddies show (the first was ‘Black Boys’ back in 2018) and its a great collaboration between our three companies to bring Black queer content to Montreal that is accessible to both anglophone and francophone audiences. We are definitely planning to find time in a future season for ‘Obaaberima’. Our other project was a co-production of August Wilson’s ‘Fences’ with Centaur Theatre. We were just a week away from beginning rehearsals and, not yet fully understanding the extent of Covid-19, thought that we could save the show by simply delaying production for a month. Well, that plan wasn’t going to work either, so Centaur Theatre’s Artistic Director Eda Holmes and I made the decision to postpone the show indefinitely. We are both fully committed to seeing the project through, and as soon as we can safely and responsibly make it happen, we absolutely will. 3. What has been the most challenging part of the isolation and quarantine for you personally and professionally? Personally, I miss my family. And I miss hugs. I really do. But I think what has been most challenging for me is also what has been the most rewarding. I’ve been very introspective lately and it’s stirred up a lot of thoughts and emotions within in a very real and profound way. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been very enlightening and I’m grateful for the opportunity to turn inward for awhile in a way that I normally don’t. I’ve enjoyed that quite a bit. Professionally, there are a number of things. One of the hardest parts has been the uncertainty of knowing what if anything we will be able to present next season. It’s a milestone year for us – our 50th anniversary – and we’ve been planning it for some time, so this limbo that we’ve been forced into right now is certainly a challenge for us. I also want our artists to feel safe and confident and for them to know whether or not – or at least when – the projects they have been preparing for and looking forward to will happen. There’s also been the challenge of potentially shifting ‘online’ and deciding how much content to offer and what that content should be. But most importantly, our Black communities need support right now. We have to ensure that we are properly providing for them, listening to them and creating space for them, which is made that much more difficult by quarantine and isolation. I’d give anything to be able to open up our doors and invite everyone in and create a safe space for us to talk, share, vent, cry, support, hug – whatever we need. We can’t do it in person right now, so we’ll do what we can from a distance. 4. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time of lock down? Working. Our office is closed, but our full staff has been working very hard from home since the middle of March. In many ways it feels like we are busier than we’ve ever been. Our 50th season was intended to be one of our most ambitious to date, although now we’re still not sure how much of that season we’ll actually be able to deliver. Preparing for our launch, exploring other artistic activities, as well as revisiting and revamping our seasons to come has kept me quite occupied. I also jumped on the bandwagon! My folks are from Trinidad, and in our family, mom is the cook and dad is the baker. I had to try my hand at my dad’s Coconut Bake, and I have to say it turned out pretty good! I now understand that place my dad disappears into whenever he gets his hands in dough. It’s meditative. I like it. It’s been a welcome escape. 5. What advice would you give to other performing artists who are concerned about the impact of COVID-19? What words of advice would you give to the new graduates emerging from the National Theatre School? Make lemonade! We have to work with what we’ve got, so when the world gives you lemons, that’s what you do. There’s no denying that this is the world we are now living in. What we have to do is find the opportunities hidden behind the obstacles. The work is still the work and the craft is still the craft. That won’t change. Keep working on what you can, when you can. We’re on hiatus. Be ready when hiatus is over. 6. Do you see anything positive coming out of this pandemic? I hope people come away from this with a greater appreciation for art in general and live performance in particular. When the lockdown began, everyone was turning to art and artists entertainment and humour and comfort and connection. We needed it. I think a lot of people didn’t realize just how important it is in their lives until they no longer had access to it. I’d love to know that in certain circles, the value of what we do now requires less explanation. But beyond that, I just want all of us to be kinder to each other. None of us is exempt from this pandemic, and it would be unfortunate if something this global, something this devastating but potentially unifying would find more ways of dividing us rather than bringing us together. What a shame that would be. 7. Do you believe or can you see if the Quebec and Canadian performing arts scene will somehow be changed or impacted as a result of COVID – 19? It already has. I can’t imagine that there wouldn’t be significant impact. Covid-19 has changed how we interact as a species. Our relationship to proximity and touch and intimacy isn’t what it was three months ago, and it won’t just disappear once we’re allowed to gather again at the theatre. Audiences are going to be receiving what they see on stage through a post-covid lens. Creators and producers can’t help but be affected by our current reality either. We have to embrace it. What are the stories that our audiences will want to see? What, if anything, do we need to do differently to tell them? It’s not a question of ‘will it change’ but rather ‘how will it change’. 8. Many artists are turning to streaming/online performances to showcase/highlight/share their work. What are your thoughts and comments about this? Are there any advantages or disadvantages? Will streaming/online/ You Tube performances be part of a ‘new normal’ for the live theatre/performing arts scene? It seems like there was a mad rush for many companies to begin producing online content to stay connected to their audience, and some fared better than others. I don’t think there should be a blanket rule because it’s not going to work for everyone. Some companies have more resources available to them and can create high-quality content in little time. Others just simply don’t have the means. I think some of the work that has been put out there is a nice complement to what we do, but there’s no substitute for the shared experience of being in the same space together. You can’t replace that. That being said, streaming and online performances allow companies to reach a much broader audience. We have our Artist Mentorship Program at BTW that culminates each year with a live Industry Showcase in May, which this year we had to cancel. Instead, we created an online showcase which has allowed us to share the work of our emerging artists with potential engagers not only in Montreal but across the country. It’s a new initiative that we hope to make a permanent addition to the program. 9. As Artistic Director, where do you see the future of Black Theatre Workshop headed as a result of this life changing event for all of us? Our approaching milestone anniversary has been a time of deep reflection for us. It’s made us look back on all that we’ve accomplished over the past fifty years, but also on what we want the next fifty years to be. BTW has had to fight against systemic anti-Black racism for decades, and, over the years, we have built a profound legacy of maintaining our relevance in a world and industry that are ever revolving around us. That certainly is the case now. I want us to continue amplifying Black voices and telling our stories because, let’s face it, the current state of the world right now is showing us that we need these stories now more than ever. There are multiple voices, diverse voices, still under-represented voices within the Diaspora, and BTW will be a place where they can all be given a platform. We will continue to be an example of the open door that we ourselves have been seeking. With a respectful acknowledgment to ‘Inside the Actors’ Studio’ and the late James Lipton, here are the 10 questions he asked his guests at the conclusion of his interviews: 1. What is your favourite word? Kind 2. What is your least favourite word? Bland 3. What turns you on? Sincerity 4. What turns you off? Crowds 5. What sound or noise do you love? Crashing waves 6. What sound or noise bothers you? Construction 7. What is your favourite curse word? Fuck 8. What profession, other than your own, would you have liked to attempt? Grade schoolteacher. 9. What profession would you not like to do? Medical examiner (despite my name) 10. If Heaven exists, what do you hope God will say to you as you approach the Pearly Gates? ‘What’s up, Girl?” To learn more about Black Theatre Workshop (BTW), visit their website: www.blacktheatreworkshop.ca . You can also visit their Facebook page: Black Theatre Workshop Twitter: @TheatreBTW Instagram: @theatrebtw Previous Next
- Profiles Chris Tsujiuchi
Back Chris Tsujiuchi ‘Thank you for telling me ‘No’, or telling me that I couldn’t, or that I shouldn’t, or that I won’t, because I did.” Sean Story Joe Szekeres Artist Chris Tsujiuchi will appear this month (along with a slew of other Canadian artists) in the quirky musical ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre. The production will be directed by Artistic Director Rob Kempson, with Music Direction by Jeff Newberry and Choreography by Genny Sermonia. The plot is well-known among theatregoers and those who remember the two feature films in black and white and in colour. The hapless and orphan florist Seymour has been hired to work in Mr. Mushnik’s floral shop on Skid Row. Seymour has fallen in love with the store’s other assistant, Audrey. While this is happening, Seymour has managed to grow a strange new plant which he lovingly names Audrey II, which finally captures her attention and that of the community surrounding the shop on Skid Row. Audrey II, however, holds some bizarre eating habits that set Seymour on the course of changing his life and all those involved in the story. Chris Tsujiuchi (who goes by ‘Tsuj' with a soft g sound) provides the voice of Audrey II. He will also play a few other roles in the show. Tsujiuchi is a 2010 Sheridan College Musical Theatre program graduate who is excited about returning to live theatre, especially with ‘Little Shop.’ He added how grateful and relieved he is, and I’m sure other theatre artists have felt the same emotions. There wasn’t much for artists to do when everything was closed, and he’s excited to be doing work he loves to do again. He was involved in some online and digital performances when the theatres were shut down for Covid. Tsuj is a self-produced cabaret performer and does a big Christmas cabaret in Toronto every December. He had to move to a digital Christmas cabaret during the shutdown. This meant he shot and edited a two-hour film which people watched from home. He further added: “As great as it turned out, it was not live theatre. It lacked that live connection the performer has with the audience. The film was shot over six days and then I edited it on I Movie for 3 weeks straight. I’m not an editor, but if I were one with the proper skill and software, it would not have taken that long. It would have taken way less time.” Chris was elated to share how rehearsals for ‘Little Shop’ have been going extremely well. He emphasized that point by slapping his knee twice on ‘so well’. When I spoke with him last week, the company was only on its third day of rehearsals. He said they watched the opening number, which has already been choreographed and it looks, in his words: “Ammaaazzziiinnggg! and that everyone needs to come to see the show.” Tsuj glowingly spoke about working with Rob Kempson. He has always loved working with him and has done so many times and in many different capacities. When Rob was Associate Artistic Producer at Toronto’s Theatre Passe Muraille, he created and programmed the Songbook Series. Tsuj has performed in the Songbook Series alone and as part of his vocal group ‘Asian Riffing Trio’. He was also Music Director when Rob directed ‘9 to 5’ at Randolph College. I then put him on the spot and asked Tsuj how he would describe Rob in one sentence: “Intelligent and sassy.” Chris then sent me the link when I asked him to explain the latter term. The humour doesn’t come out in print as it did when I heard Rob say it. So, when you’re at the Capitol, ask Rob directly why he is sassy, according to Tsuj. To be true to the ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ script, it’s impossible not to be a little sassy because the story is out there, so Rob’s sassiness is on the mark. Tsuj expresses great enthusiasm for finding and developing the voice of Audrey II. He’s having so much fun in the process. He then relayed some information I found interesting. For this production of ‘Little Shop,’ the actors honour the versions of the characters that have come before. If something that might have been used in the later film version (with Rick Moranis) is helpful for your character development, use it. If something is not working, then deviate away from it. After speaking with Rob and Music Director Jeff Newberry, Tsuj wants to honour the voices of Audrey II that have come before while also finding the ‘Tsuj’ version of the plant’s uniquely distinct voice. Chris saw the Broadway revival of ‘Little Shop,’ which featured Broadway artist Hunter Foster. That production focused on Crystal, Chiffon, and Ronnette, who acted as a Greek chorus, narrating the story and occasionally serving as extensions of the plant. Tsuj praises the cast of this upcoming production. He calls them all so talented and wishes he could tour this show with this cast. They were all surprised that everyone was available at this time to perform the show at the same time. The cast includes Amir Haidir as Seymour, Tahirih Vejdani as Audrey, Tyler Muree as Mr. Mushnik, Michael Derose as Orin (and others), Michelle Yu, Sierra Holder, and Taylor Lovelace as Crystal, Ronnette and Chiffon respectively, and Joel Cumber as the Audrey II puppeteer and the entire ensemble. As we concluded our conversation, I asked Tsuj why audiences must make their way to the Capitol to see this production of ‘Little Shop’: “The music will be on point. The choreography will be on point. The story is ridiculously hilarious. You will laugh, you will cry because you will laugh so hard. The production value is out of control. We’re giving you a man-eating plant from outer space realness on stage at the Capitol. That’s why audiences must come to the Capitol.” Once ‘Little Shop’ has completed its run at the Capitol, what’s next for Chris? He is Artistic Director of The Sing Toronto Vocal Arts Festival focused on the unaccompanied human voice. It is a week-long festival that happens every May in Toronto. To learn more about this festival, visit https://singtoronto.com/ to learn how to enter. He’ll work on getting contracts out for this festival for a couple of months before he heads to Nova Scotia to be the music director for a panto and then back to Toronto to do his Christmas Cabaret. In December of this year, he will be the Music Director for “A Whole New World: The Story of Alan Menken” in which four actors and a three-piece band take the audience through Menken’s life and music. Tsuj will also reprise his role of Audrey II in this show. ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ opens August 11 and runs to September 3 at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre, 20 Queen Street, Port Hope. For tickets, call the Box Office (905) 885-1071 or visit https://capitoltheatre.com/events/little-shop-of-horrors. Previous Next
- Young People 'The Adventures of Pinocchio'
Back 'The Adventures of Pinocchio' Young People's Theatre YPT Site Joe Szekeres What a tremendously enjoyable opening night production of ‘The Adventures of Pinocchio’ at Young People’s Theatre! What a joy to see a show specifically geared to children and their families. And what a gift to give yourselves and your families this Christmas/holiday season. If you would like to introduce young school aged children to the wonderful world of live theatre, order your tickets now because I have a strong feeling ‘Pinocchio’ will sell out especially over Christmas and New Year’s. The press release speaks about a dream team behind the scenes with a cast of first-rate actors, and I agree wholeheartedly. This dream team all around makes this production come alive. As director, award winning actor Sheila McCarthy is at the helm accompanied by Canadians Brian Hill who wrote the book with cleverly written lyrics and music by Neil Bartram. The names I did recognize on stage and behind the scenes are some top-notch individuals. I know I will scan future programmes for the names I did not recognize and keep an eye out for them as these talented people are most deserving of the standing ovation at this opening night. I’m sure we all know the story of Pinocchio (Connor Lucas), the little wooden, energetic boy who wants to become a real boy. His father Geppetto (Shawn Wright) loves him not matter what happens. As the story unfolds, Pinocchio does whatever it takes to get what he wants. At times, Pinocchio is impulsive and rash while at other times he is obstinate and harsh. Pinocchio goes on a series of adventures and meets many strange and eccentric individuals who ultimately lead him to understand the difference between what he wants and what he truly cares about. In order to do this, Pinocchio must be honest with himself and others. This year, YPT focuses on the Seven Ancestral Teachings of the Anishinaabek people. Honesty is the focus in this production. And director Sheila McCarthy clearly and consistently maintains this focus throughout the seventy-five minutes presentation. Pacing is tight and fluid. David Terriault’s music direction helps to keep the production moving along. Joanna Yu’s gorgeous costumes and functional set design magically capture the storybook appeal. The puppetry of the large fish and watching how it swam across the stage mesmerized me. Connor Lucas is an energetically high Pinocchio who longingly wants to experience as much real adventure that he can in his quest to become a real boy. His tap-dancing sequence in ‘It’s Easy Being Me’ is one of the highlights of the show. There is a world-weary poignancy in Shawn Wright’s performance as Geppetto. My heart was breaking for this father who believes he has lost his son forever but keeps looking for him no matter the cost. The eccentric supporting players add intense drama and suspense to the fast-moving plot events. As the Blue Fairy who appears and disappears as she tells us the story and converses with Pinocchio, Malindi Ayienga ethereally reminded me how life can sometimes be mysterious. Jacob MacInnis is a deliciously campy and evil Puppet Master who pushes Pinocchio to his limits. Joel Cumber and Arinea Hermans as the shyster Fox and Cat theatrically and magnetically share an eleven o’clock number about money growing on trees. Great fun to watch Mr. Cumber and Ms. Hermans nimbly move across the stage with such grace and ease. Noah Beemer’s Lampwick teaches Pinocchio a very hard lesson about people who supposedly only like you to gain certain things. Susan Henley, Sierra Holder and Kelsey Verzotti beautifully round out this cast with memorable moments in song and dance. FINAL COMMENTS: An enchantingly delightful afternoon or evening of entertainment for the family. Don’t miss out. THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO Production continues to January 5, 2020 on the Mainstage at Young People’s Theatre, 165 Front Street East, Toronto. For tickets, call (416) 862-2222 or visit www.youngpeoplestheatre.org for further information. Production recommended from ages JK/SK – GRADE 6 Performance runs approximately 75 minutes with no intermission. There will be some Q and A sessions after performances so make sure you check first. Director: Sheila McCarthy; Music & Lyrics by Neil Bartram; Book by Brian Hill; Music Director: David Terriault; Choreographer: Julie Tomaino; Lighting Designer: Louise Guinand; Sound Designer: Adam Harendorf; Set & Costume Designer: Joanna Yu; Stage Manager: Kristin McCollum. Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann. L-R: Connor Lucas, Arinea Hermans and Joel Cumber. Previous Next
- Profiles George F. Walker's ORPHANS FOR THE CZAR previews March 29-31, opens April 1 and runs to April 17 at Crow's Theatre
Back George F. Walker's ORPHANS FOR THE CZAR previews March 29-31, opens April 1 and runs to April 17 at Crow's Theatre Looking Ahead Courtesy of Crow's Theatre Joe Szekeres The first play of George’s I had read during my undergraduate at Western over forty years ago was Zastrozzi. I had the opportunity to see a rather solid production of it performed well several years ago at a local community theatre group here in Durham Region. I remember my Canadian Literature professor stating during the lecture the play was rather controversial for its time, but it was an extremely important one as part of the Canadian theatre mosaic. As an eager undergraduate of English Language and Literature eons ago, I waited patiently for Walker’s response to this rather brief analysis during our recent telephone conversation. What he said made me wonder if other playwrights did or now do the same thing. George has thought a lot about Zastrozzi over the years since its 1977 premiere at Toronto Free Theatre directed by Bill Lane. Walker felt accomplished with the work that was done with the original cast because it was so different at the time from all the other plays on the Toronto stages then. Zastrozzi had all the elements necessary to make it a good production: swashbuckling scenes, melodrama, selfishness, greed, playfulness, sexual references, psychological wordplay. Yet Walker and Lane wondered where the play fit in because it wasn’t like others in Toronto at that time. Hmmm…and thus the reason why he has returned to think about Zastrozzi. Walker’s pleased that it is still an actor’s piece and that it still speaks to the community theatre and professional level because actors love to perform it, but that question of fitting in remains. I wonder if audiences now, and in the future, will look at Walker’s newest play Orphans for the Czar and consider how it fits into the current Canadian theatre mosaic? Will it be considered an actor’s piece? Will the actors allow the story to speak for itself? Possible discussion I guess when the production opens on March 29. From Crow’s website: “George F. Walker’s newest high-stakes comedy [Orphans] ruefully explores the duplicity, revenge, and self-interest at the core of a culture about to go up in flames. Suggested by [Maxim Gorky’s] ‘The Life of a Useless Man’ and set before Bloody Sunday in St. Petersburg, a hapless double agent tries to stay on the right side of both the revolutionaries and the czarists…a comedy of pathos about the fragility of people in unstable times, Orphans for the Czar is a plea for the possibility of decency.” Some very heady stuff here in Orphans’ brief plot description so I asked George why he felt the play was an important one for 2022 audiences. It was during the Trump era that Walker became fascinated with those Americans who voted for the Donald. Were they vulnerable people easily convinced to join any group, or in this case Trump’s group? One wouldn’t know it from seeing the recent news reports of the terror emanating from Russia on Ukraine right now, but George spoke about the Russian people as a vulnerable people in his play. I’m curious to see how this possible vulnerability might play out in Orphans. The play will be directed by Tanja Jacobs with some cast members whom I’ve seen on other stages and in other previous works. She spoke in a recent online conversation with George about the love she has for Orphans and how he has been inspired by her enthusiasm. George told me he hasn’t sat in on any rehearsals at this time and is hoping to sometime this coming week as he has been at his home with his seven-month-old granddaughter. In our conversation, George told me he trusts Tanja, and this cast completely and is not worried at all. When he sent some re-writes to the cast, everyone fell in love with the new pages. George further commented how he has fallen in love with writing for the theatre once again. There was a near ten-year absence as he was working on television shows: This is Wonderland, The Line, and Living in Your Car. Yes, he had control over the writing he was completing for television, but he felt that at least in Canada you can’t go that far in writing regarding elements that might be either too emotional or too personal. Walker writes freely. He likes digging deeper into the psyche of individuals and he’s now having a hell of a good time writing again for the stage. From listening to his voice at the other end of the line, I could hear a jokester tone as he acknowledged whether the plays get produced is another question. Whether his children and grandchildren will make sure his plays are produced in the future is another discussion as well. I promised George that I would not turn this phone call into a Covid related pre-show/profile for Orphans, and again he laughed, and I could tell from his voice he was pleased that wouldn’t occur; however, there was one Covid related element regarding the theatre and how it will look post-Covid for George and I wanted to hear his perspective. And again, his response was something that I hope all theatres will take to heart as we all move forward after two years. In his conversation with Tanja, George spoke about “the higher the stakes in the world, the higher the stakes there must be in anything he writes about the world.” I asked if this statement could also be applied to Canadian actors as they move forward. George once again confirmed how actors nearly had almost everything taken away from them during these last two years. Everyone involved in the theatre is thankful to be able to return and has recognized how lucky they are to be back, but for George, it appears that audiences have been left out of the conversation. It’s important to have that connection to the audiences and let them feel things once again. There is going to be a hesitancy for some audience members, but there will be a voracious eagerness for those who want to return. There’s nothing in the world like a live connection to a theatrical piece where the audience can see the sweat on the actor’s brow or the tear in the eye. Walker wants to get back to theatre touching us on so many levels. Perhaps more blood will be spilled, but if that provides a live connection to an audience to feel emotions, so much the better. Thank you so much for the phone conversation, George and for re-connecting me once again to experience those emotions that make all of us human. The cast for Orphans for the Czar includes Christopher Allen, Shayla Brown, Eric Peterson, Kyle Gatehouse, Patrick McManus, Michelle Mohammed, Paolo Santalucia and Shauna Thompson. The production previews March 29, 30, 31. It opens April 1 and runs to April 17, 2022, at Crow’s Theatre, 345 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto. Call the Box office to purchase tickets at (647) 341-7390 ex. 1010 or visit www.crowstheatre.com for more information. To learn more about George F. Walker, visit his website: www.georgefwalker.ca . Previous Next
- Young People 'Wendy and Peter Pan' adapted by Ella Hickson from the book by J. M. Barrie. THE NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Back 'Wendy and Peter Pan' adapted by Ella Hickson from the book by J. M. Barrie. THE NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Now onstage until October 27 at the Avon Theatre at the Stratford Festival Credit: David Hou. Pictured L-R: Jake Runeckles and Cynthia Himenez-Hicks Guest writer Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, adjudicator, arts educator "Peter and Wendy don't soar in this slow and underwhelming trip to Neverland!" The North American premiere of “Wendy and Peter Pan,” now playing at Stratford’s Avon theatre, is this season’s Schulich Children’s Play. Although the characters in the title and their story are universally familiar to all, the hook here is that this “update” turns J.M. Barrie’s classic children’s novel into a dark, dissonant, and unengaging production, with characters as flat as the pages from which they are conceived. As a child I remember experiencing Peter Pan through books, movies, plays and laugh-out-loud pantomimes. I couldn’t wait to be whisked away with Peter and the Darling children to a land of adventure and fantasy, full of Lost Boys, Pirates, and fairies. I marvelled at the Darling’s huge dog, Nana, the mystical twinkle of the disembodied Tinkerbell and the fearsomely funny Captain Hook. Pity that Stratford’s production of Ella Hickson’s 2013 adaptation retains little of the magic, mystery and revelry and the lovable, iconic characters I remember from the original. Instead, we’re left with a haphazard mix of dull performances, confusing antics and sets that aren’t quite up to Stratford’s normally high standards. In this retelling, the story is seen through the eyes of the protagonist, Wendy Darling. She’s a daring heroine determined not to play den mother to little boys. Peter Pan appears in her nursery and, along with her brothers Michael and John, she flies away to Neverland, teaming up with the Lost Boys and gaining allies of Tink and Tiger Lily to fight the evil, aging Captain Hook. This feminist re-working prominently uncovers some darker themes from the original narrative and introduces new characters such as Tom, a fourth Darling child. The production blatantly explores themes of death, childhood, grief, spirituality, envy and aging—relevant topics to a modern, young audience. There’s lots of flying and sword fighting, colourful costumes, and silly antics. Still, most characters don’t play enough to the children in the audience and end up two-dimensional and uninteresting. The unhappy result? Humdrum storytelling. Several children sitting around me at the opening matinee exclaimed to their adults, “What’s happening?” and “Why are they doing that?” I’m still pondering whether it’s the banal script or lacklustre performances and direction that makes this trip to Neverland rather…average. Director Thomas Morgan Jones, in his production notes, uses words such as “adventure,” “humour,” “alive “pace,” and “engagement.” Ironically, there’s not much of any of these in this production. He seems to have left his cast to their own devices. When a production features a classic villain or hero from Disney, literature, comic books, or even cartoons, kids expect everything they know about that character to come alive on stage. We know these characters and are eager to take their journey with them. Unfortunately, major characters seem watered down and lifeless. Peter (Jake Runeckles), Wendy (Cynthia Himenez-Hicks), Tink (Nestor Lozano Jr.), and even Hook (Laura Condlln) are underplayed and, curiously, lack charisma. Peter is missing his mystical whimsy, and Captain Hook (without a hat!) seems more like a wicked stepmother than a menacing, conniving, over-the-top cutthroat. Even Tink is played more the sarcastic drag queen than an enchanted sprite. Yet there are moments of inspiration, such as The Shadows, Peter’s mischievous team of reflections who move objects, open windows, and carry off humans. The result is an unbalanced, flighty mashup of complexity and commotion. Robin Fisher’s set is sparse and confusing with a noticeable lack of detail, especially in Darling’s nursery. Nothing seems to be made solidly. Wood seems fake, and small hand props, like Tink in fairy form, are hard to see. The bay window that heralds the arrival of Peter and his shadows is recessed and relatively small, making for unexciting entrances and exits (likely because the other side serves as the entrance to the back-end Hook’s Jolly Roger). Neverland is represented by dangling green fabric from a large arch over the stage. The telescoping palm trees seemed flimsy and delicate. Several thatched mounds (rooftops) with an attached highchair upstage are mysterious and confusing. What was this location? Hook’s ship, the Jolly Roger featured a large prow with a skeletal figurehead rolled in from backstage. An impressive piece that looked like it still needed some paint and weathering. The wheel end of the ship and a single mast evoked the rest of the vessel. The highlight was the tick-tocking metal framed crocodile ingeniously fashioned over a recumbent bicycle operated around the stage by Marcus Nance. Fisher’s costumes were appropriately Victorian for the Darlings, cut rags and old ripped coats for the Lost Boys. Pirates looked right for 18th-century buccaneers, with some splashes of colour and cut, but I did miss an eye patch or even an occasional hat, especially on Hook. Where was her hat? It’s in the promo photos. Pirates need hats! Lighting designer Arun Srinivasan once again proves his mastery of the art. His designs have shape, contrast, and colour that augment the story with every cue. Romeo Candido’s original compositions and sound design do their part to move the story along with nice twinkling underscores. Andrea Gentry of ZFX nicely achieves flying effects. Actors seemed very comfortable being surreptitiously connected to a wire and pulled up 50 feet into the air. Performances, as collaborated with the director, largely fall short of their potential. As Wendy, Cynthia Jimenez-Hicks does a fine job playing a feisty 12-year-old with bravery and loyalty to spare but her squeaky high voice never modulates. Noah Beemer and Justin Eddy are just fine as the inquisitive and daring John and Michael Darling. Agnes Tong and Sean Arbuckle make the most of their brief appearances as Mr. and Mrs. Darling. Jake Runeckles as Peter Pan is mysterious but not enigmatic. He never quite engages. His one-note performance lacks chemistry, especially with Jimenez-Hicks’ Wendy. As Captain Hook, Laura Condlln saunters on and off stage, trying hard to scare and cajole but ultimately coming off as an irrelevant aging villain (a real surprise as her performance as Malvolio in Twelfth Night this season is brilliant!). Tara Sky as Tiger Lilly is colourless and unremarkable. James Daly, as the analytical, smart-mouthed pirate, Martin, had genuinely funny moments, but many of his punchlines were lost due to his hushed and mumbled line delivery. Fortunately, there’s some fine comedy brought by Sara-Jeanne Hosie as Smee. Her none-too-subtle scenes pining for her captain and love interest are cute and way over the heads of the kids. While there’s plenty of swordplay, colour, and high-wire work, the production is disjointed and struggles to find its vision. The characters we love and love to hate are reduced to watered-down shadows of the literary classics we know and expect them to be. It is too bad that the fun of the original “Peter Pan” has been traded for this dissatisfying doppelganger. Running time: approximately two hours and ten minutes with one interval. Performances of ‘Wendy and Peter Pan’ continue to October 27 at the Avon Theatre. For tickets: stratfordfestival.ca or call 1-800-567-1600. Previous Next
- Profiles Ann Harada
Back Ann Harada Moving Forward Bruce Alan Johnson Joe Szekeres Now that I’m retired from teaching, I can state that I had called in sick one Friday morning and traveled with my mother to New York City to see the original Broadway cast of ‘Avenue Q’. I remember we had both seen trailers on television for the production and made the production a must-see. We were not disappointed in the least as we had a ball at the theatre that night and this very adult performance which probably seems tame by today’s standards. I especially enjoyed watching Ann Harada as the character Christmas Eve whose fiancé didn’t have a job. They had bills to pay and all of the other responsibilities that come with living together. Ms. Harada was deliciously sassy and saucy as the adorable Christmas Eve. A quick bit of online research also led me to discover she has played Madame Thenardier on Broadway in ‘Les Miserables’ and was in the original cast of Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5’. She’s also appeared in TV shows such as ‘Smash’, ‘Blue Bloods’, and ‘New Amsterdam’. Born and raised in Hawaii, Ann graduated from Brown University with a double major in English and American Literature/Theatre Arts. We conducted our interview via email. Thank you again, Ann, for participating. It appears that after five exceptionally long months, we are slowly, very slowly, emerging to a pre-pandemic lifestyle. Has your daily life and routine along with your immediate family’s life and routine been changed in any manner? And how! Once my son’s school ended in June, we headed for my mother in law’s house on Cape Cod, where we’ve been ever since. And we’re not exactly sure when we’re going back since school is completely remote right now. When we look out of the windows here we see water and trees. Sometimes a squirrel, or a bunny. In NYC I have an incredible view of a back alley and I see my neighbor smoking pot. And I sure don’t blame him a bit. Were you involved or being considered for any projects before everything was shut down? I was shooting some episodes of a TV show, but I just found out my character’s storyline was cut “due to complications from COVID”. I am devastated. I was in ‘Emojiland’ off-Bway— we shut down in mid-March. I was supposed to go to the Kennedy Center and do ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ –canceled. Describe the most challenging element or moment of the isolation period for you. For me, it is being unable to hug my friends and not being able to talk to them in an intimate way, my husband is always pulling me away from people and saying, “That is not six feet!” What were you doing to keep yourself busy during this time of lockdown and isolation from the world of theatre? Since theatres will most likely be shuttered until the spring of 2021, where do you see your interests moving at this time? Like everyone else I have been doing things on Zoom and practicing making self-tapes, converting a closet into a recording studio, trying to fold my green screen, fun things like that. I don’t enjoy this part of the business at all. If I was interested in iPhone cinematography or home lighting, I would have pursued those interests. My interests will turn to reading more actual books and catching up on series I never paid attention to before. Any words of wisdom or sage advice you would give to other performing artists who are concerned about the impact of COVID-19? What about to the new theatre graduates who are just out of school and may have been hit hard? Why is it important for them not to lose sight of their dreams? Well, this isn’t the first time we’ve gone through a national shutdown or a pandemic. Our industry managed to survive both 9/11 and the AIDS crisis. Theatre isn’t going away, it just might take a while to sort out. I’m not worried about young people. They’ll figure out a way to do what they want because they’re not set in their ways yet. It’s the older people I’m concerned about. Without any way to earn health insurance, what’s going to happen? Do you see anything positive stemming from this pandemic? I hope we see continued respect for our frontline workers, from medical professionals to grocery workers and restaurant workers. It was beautiful to participate in the nightly 7 pm applause for them, and I hope we continue to appreciate their service. In your informed opinion, will the Broadway and North American performing arts scene somehow be changed or impacted on account of the coronavirus? Of course. How are we going to get audiences back in the theatre safely? How long will it take for people to want to come back, to not be afraid of crowds? How long will it take for me to feel comfortable in an audience? How will I feel safe onstage? Everything is a question. What are your thoughts about streaming live productions? As we continue to emerge and find our way back to a new perspective of daily life, will live streaming become part of the performing arts scene in your estimation? Have you been participating, or will you participate in any online streaming productions soon? I’ve certainly enjoyed the live streaming events I’ve seen. I’ve only done a few live streams, they were mostly educational. But I do think it’s a great way to bring people together. I don’t know that every play is satisfying performed as a reading but if it’s creatively done, it can really be extraordinary. What is it about performing you still love given all the change, the confusion, and the drama surrounding our world now? I love connecting with people, I love performing with other people, and we are still desperate for human connection. Maybe even more so now. I know that people enjoy what we’re doing, even if it isn’t live and in person. I’m happy to keep putting things out there if people enjoy it. With a respectful nod to ‘Inside the Actors’ Studio’ and the late James Lipton, here are the 10 questions he asked his guests at the conclusion of his interviews: What is your favourite sounding word? Gobsmacked What is your least favourite word? moist What turns you on? Intelligence What turns you off? Ignorance What sound or noise do you love? Orchestra tuning, rain on a tin roof What sound or noise bothers you? Beeping noise when the freezer or fridge door is not closed What is your favourite curse word? Shite or bollocks What is your least favourite curse word? Refers to female reproductive anatomy What profession, other than your own, would you have liked to attempt? Novelist, photographer, museum curator, librarian What profession would you not like to do? Daycare, law, stunt person If Heaven exists, what do you hope God will say to you as you approach the Pearly Gates? “You didn’t do everything perfectly, but you always gave it your best attempt. Please have a seat. To follow Ann on social media Twitter: @annharada Instagram: @iamannharada Previous Next
- Young People TH’OWXIYA: The Hungry Feast Dish by Joseph A. Dandurand
Back TH’OWXIYA: The Hungry Feast Dish by Joseph A. Dandurand Now onstage at Toronto's Young People's Theatre Javier R. Sotres Photography. These actors are not in this production, but this photo gives you an idea of the costumes. Joe Szekeres “A delightful First Nations tale. Amiable and genteel performances of its Indigenous storytellers are one of the highlights.” The traditional Coast Salish and Sto:lo music sets the stage for ‘Th:owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish’ on the Ada Slaight stage. Th:owxiya is a giant spirit. In this production, the mouth of Th:owxiya’s statue holds lovely foods from around the world. However, if anyone steals from the mouth of the statue, they will pay a terrible price as Th:owxiya has developed a taste for children. A hungry Mouse (Cassandra Bourchier) takes a piece of cheese from Th:owxiya’s mouth and is caught. To appease the ire of Th:owxiya, the mouse must bring two children for her to eat before the second moon rises. If this does not occur, Th:owxiya will eat the mouse’s whole family. The mouse seeks assistance on her journey to trick Th:owxiya with the help of Raven (Damion Leclair), Bear (Braiden Houle) and Sasquatch (Danica Charlie). There’s quite an array of colourful objects, set pieces and props, thanks to Production Designer Jay Havens’ careful consideration in selecting these items. When I sat down in my seat, I scanned the stage, and some items caught my attention – one was the large spindle whorl near the back. The other was the statue of Th:owxiya. At first look, it doesn't appear very comforting. However, something is intriguing about the statue each time I look at it—extraordinary colours on both props. Havens’ set design compactly fits the Ada Slaight stage. Nothing appears cramped as the actors can maneuver around with ease of movement. The costumes are lovely. Damion Leclair’s Raven is remarkable from my seat in the house. The headpieces on Bourchier, Houle and Charlie uniquely give vibrancy to the animal characters they have created. For the most part, playwright Joseph Dandurand’s script uniquely captures the vernacular language of children, which will sustain interest in the story. There are moments, nevertheless, when some First Nations vocabulary is introduced that could be confusing for young viewers. I had to use the Vocabulary list provided in the Study Guide before and after seeing the show for clarification – for example: Sasq’ets (Sasquatch); Kw’at’el (Mouse); Sqeweqs (Raven); Theqa:t (tree); Spa:th (Bear); Sp’oq’es (Eagle); Chitmexw (Owl). Hopefully, if children are brought to school matinées, then teachers may want to review this vocabulary prior. Parents, if you do bring children unfamiliar with the vocabulary, you may want to ask for the vocabulary list. The underlying messages behind the story are important ones of overcoming adversity together and problem-solving. Young People’s Theatre also supports the Ancestral Teachings of First Nations. I’m pleased the company continues to fulfill this important connection, especially for those of us in the audience who want to know more about the culture. In this production, the teachings of Wisdom and Respect are reinforced. Chris McGregor’s direction and pacing succinctly capture the whimsy and curiosity of childhood. As an adult, I got caught up in the story. Kudos to McGregor’s vision of curiosity to include everyone in the audience. The strong actor ensemble remains committed to the moment and in the moment. Several child-participatory sections are fun to watch. The actors didn’t appear unnerved by the children’s responses. The cast instinctively knew what to do to maintain the focus and to get the story back on track when necessary. Final Comments: Charming! Creative! ‘Th’owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish’ is another example of an appropriate storytelling moment in the First Nations culture. Even for adults like me who wish more First Nations stories were taught when I was in high school, this production provides teachable moments for adults who want to learn more. Thank You, Young People’s Theatre, for your continued work showcasing the stories and culture of First Nations. Running time: approximately 45 minutes with no intermission. There may be some Q and A sessions following the performance, so check when you book tickets. The production runs until November 6 on the Ada Slaight Stage at Toronto’s Young People’s Theatre, 165 Front Street East. For tickets, call the Box Office at 416-862-2222 x 2 or email at yptboxoffice@youngpeoplestheatre.org . To learn more about the theatre, visit www.youngpeoplestheatre.org . TH’OWXIYA: The Hungry Feast Dish An Axis Theatre Production Written by Joseph A. Dandurand Directed by Chris McGregor Production Designer: Jay Havens Music Composer: Marguerite Witvoet Stage Manager: Sophie Kaplan Performers: Meela Alexis, Cassandra Bourchier, Danica Charlie, Braiden Houle, Margo Kane, Damion LeClair Previous Next
- Community Theatre 'The Christmas Spirit' by Frederick Stroppel
Back 'The Christmas Spirit' by Frederick Stroppel A Scarborough Theatre Guild production now onstage at Scarborough Village Theatre Julie Adams Photography Joe Szekeres Tremendous potential for this quirky Christmas comedy impeded by audibility issues, lack of vocal control, challenges with enunciation and throwaways of comic line delivery. I was listening to CHFI’s 24-hour Christmas music station in the car on my way to the theatre to put me in ‘The Christmas Spirit’. What an apt play title for this time of year. Scarborough Theatre Guild made a good choice not to go with the tried and true either of ‘A Christmas Carol’ or ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ but wanted to challenge both themselves and their audiences with something a little different as we returned from a two-plus year hiatus. The poster design of Death’s picture in the Christmas ornament is eerily spooky. In the display window at the Village Theatre is the larger-than-life spectre of Death amid Christmas decorations. Ironically makes its point that death doesn’t take time off for the holidays. Over the years, I’ve liked what the Guild has produced and was really looking forward to seeing how this ‘Christmas Spirit’ worked in front of an audience. I was quietly rooting for the Guild, and I really wanted this opening night to succeed, I really did. And there are some positive things about ‘The Christmas Spirit’ to which I paid close attention. The reason we go to the theatre is to see actors tell a story in a community setting. I have no problem with quirkiness in a story and most heartily welcome it. But this opening night production did not let me enjoy it as much as I could. Audibility and enunciation issues along with voice projection of several of the central characters, lack of vocal control, and throwaways of comic line delivery were frustrating. The Scarborough Village Theatre is a three-quarter thrust theatre stage. I sat on the side of stage left in the back row. There were three ladies who sat in front of me. I remarked how one of them turned to the other about five minutes into the first act and whispered: “I can’t hear what they’re saying.” Le sigh. We are in the home of widow Julia Dowling (Susan Sanders), a dear sweet and often dotty lady who is visited by Jack (Scott Simpson) who is Death. Simpson is affably calm and serene as he sweetly tries to take Julia’s hand on ‘his’ doorstep on this Christmas Eve, but she makes a deal with him to let her have one more day with her family before she leaves this world. Julia invites Jack to Christmas dinner the next day with members of her family. Jack plans to arrive around 3 pm. It's a quirky, oddball and maladjusted family to say the least. We met daughter Beth (Julie Jarrett) in the first scene who has arrived home from midnight mass. Beth has a huge chip on her shoulder about her life. Julia and her other daughter, Susan, have not spoken to each other for the last two years. The next day we meet Julia’s son, Paul (Mike Doucette) and his ‘girlfriend’ Melissa Rosen (Mallory Holmes). Also invited to dinner are Julia’s cantankerous, bitchy sister Rosemary (Karen Koenig) and her husband, Bernie (Drew Smylie) who appears oblivious to everything possibly for two reasons – perhaps he might either be in the early stages of dementia, or he has been henpecked by Rosemary for so many years he has learned to take second place. Julia has also invited her parish priest, Father Brennan (Alan Maynes). Jack arrives a bit later than anticipated and he has brought a guest with him, Matthew Harris (Brad Finch). Kathlyn Angelo and Kevin Shaver’s set design nicely framed the story. Since her husband’s death, Julia has not updated the furniture and it most certainly showed in the pieces from the couch, two chairs and a coffee table. A Christmas tree is fully lit upstage just off centre. The main entrance door is upstage right on the back wall. A staircase to the second level is found on the back wall stage left. The kitchen is just off stage left. Downstage right angled is an old black and white tv set and downstage left angled is a bench with bricks painted on the floor which becomes the outside of the house. Andra Bradish’s costume designs are pinpoint perfect. Death is dressed completely in white when we first meet him. Excellent choice to make as the purity of the colour comically enhances the reason why he’s there. Each costume appropriately fits the individual actors. I also liked Simpson's ugly bright red Christmas sweater with 'HO HO HO' boldly emblazoned on the front contrasting nicely with what others were wearing before and apres dinner. Sanders' gown she wears to the Christmas dinner is beautifully made. I'm assuming Andy Roberts' Sound Design selected the Christmas music for the pre-show and at each of the set changes. They worked. I understand why blackouts are necessary to indicate the passage of time, but I found there was just a tad too many of them and I had to work quickly to build my interest in the plot once again. Director Kevin Shaver assuredly understands the necessary comic timing of the piece. At the top of the show, I especially liked the one-line reference from the film ‘Die Hard’: “Yippee-ki-yay (and ‘mf’ was bleeped out.) Those who know Shaver are aware he is an aficionado of the film, and this was his brief homage to it. I also liked the print of Da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ on the back wall – get it? This is Julia’s last supper and the family’s last supper with her. Where this ‘Christmas Spirit’ still needs work, nevertheless, is actor vocal preparation, especially in enunciation clarity. Yes, they have their lines down and that’s positive. But there were so many times when I couldn’t decipher what was said and it grew to the point where I nearly started to give up. At the top of the show when Julia meets Death there were so many quick one-liners batted back and forth between the two; however, I couldn’t hear half of the conversation between Sanders and Simpson as they were quiet when their backs were turned to us at the side. In a three-quarter thrust stage, the actor must be aware of that fact and will have to work hard to ensure he/she can be heard everywhere in the house. I had no issues at all hearing supporting actors Alan Maynes, Mike Doucette, and Brad Finch so I was able to get a clear picture of who they were and their relationship to the others in the various scenes. Maynes’ Father Brennan is that calm voice of reason especially when he asks something crucial of Death in the second act. Doucette’s off-key singing Paul adds to the amusing realization he is a songwriter. Brad Finch never upstages any of the actors and his appropriately timed steely gaze says it all. I just wish I could clearly hear the central characters more. I am hoping they will address these vocal issues immediately for future audiences and performances. Susan Sanders’ Georgia Engels’ ish portrayal of Julia is a good choice. Here is a not-too-bright lady who confronts the harsh reality of what all of us will finally meet at one point. When I could hear Julie Jarrett as Beth, she offered an interesting look at a daughter who has endured her own personal issues. However, Jarrett’s constantly in-motion hand movements distracted me so I started looking at what she was doing with them instead of listening to what she was saying. Additionally, from the side view, I couldn’t see Jarrett’s face for nearly half of the show as her hair and bangs were getting in the way. The brief onstage chemistry between Mike Doucette and Mallory Holmes as 'boyfriend and girlfriend' was solid and believable. I could hear Holmes in her interplay with Doucette. However, her vocal projection and enunciation were unsteady in her work with some of the other characters. As the surly, irritable Bea Arthurish Rosemary, Karen Koenig became a solid foil to her husband Drew Smylie’s Bernie. Smylie’s Bernie kept me interested because he had me wondering two things. Was he in the early stages of dementia or has he been henpecked all these years that he has chosen to give up on his equal relationship in his marriage to Rosemary and just lets her dominate and rule the roost? Rosemary has some excellent one-line zingers she flings around the room but, when I could hear Koenig, she just merely threw them away and didn’t allow for the comic effect to hit the audience. There were moments where Smylie’s Bernie made me pay attention to what he might or could have said to the domineering Rosemary. In the second act, just as Rosemary and Bernie are leaving after dinner, I didn’t catch what Smylie had said most of the time. Final Comments: I do hope these vocal delivery issues can be addressed and rectified immediately for future performances. We need comedies like ‘Christmas Spirit’ to remind us not to allow our lives to pass us because the most important message of this play – family comes first at all costs no matter what has occurred. Running time: approximately two hours with one intermission. ‘The Christmas Spirit’ runs December 3, 8, 9, 10, 15 and 16 at 8 pm and December 4, 11 and 17 at 2 pm. All performances take place at the Scarborough Village Theatre, 3600 Kingston Road. For tickets, visit theatrescarborough.com or call 416-267-9292. ‘The Christmas Spirit’ by Frederick Stroppel by Scarborough Theatre Guild Produced by Darlene Thomas Directed by Kevin Shaver Stage Manager: Wendy Miller (plus an array of volunteer individuals behind the scenes) Actors: Susan Sanders, Scott Simpson, Julie Jarrett, Karen Koenig, Drew Smylie, Mike Doucette, Mallory Holmes, Alan Maynes, Brad Finch. Previous Next
- Musicals 'Pride & Prejudice' (sort of) after Jane Austen
Back 'Pride & Prejudice' (sort of) after Jane Austen Now onstage at Toronto's CAA Theatre Credit: Mihaela Bodlovic Joe Szekeres “A cheeky, bodacious, and delightful ensemble. The production respectfully pokes entertaining fun at Jane Austen’s iconic novel.” Isobel McArthur’s tongue-in-cheek adaptation follows the lives of the five Bennett sisters as they each try to find a husband under the dutiful eyes of their mother. The sisters understand that they will become destitute and lose control over house ownership if they do not marry wealthy husbands. Each woman also begins to understand her duty and place within Regency society. We also see the love story of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy play out in front of the audience. What makes McArthur’s story adaptation unique? These five women are servants in this upscale home. In her Director’s Programme Note, McArthur writes that ‘Pride & Prejudice’ is also set during the Napoleonic wars. While most men were off fighting, women made up for a disproportionate number of household servants. The five ladies play many roles in ‘sort of’ telling Austen’s story set in 1716 through modern twenty-first-century vernacular. I arrived at the theatre today not having read ‘Pride & Prejudice’ in my undergraduate years while studying for my Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature. You may ask, “How can an English major not read a book by Jane Austen?” “I’ll tell you; I don’t know.” “But it’s true, I didn’t read it.” (Thanks to Tevye’s conversation with the audience in ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ for this inspirational reference) Two things that didn’t destroy my attention towards ‘Pride & Prejudice’ (sort of): a) I could follow the story thanks to the colloquial language used in the dialogue. b) my guest today loves Austen’s novel. She was able to fill me in on a few amusing references I might not have connected with since I hadn’t seen the film with Colin Firth nor read the novel. Visually, the Regency era has been effectively captured thanks to Designer Ana Inés Jabares-Pita’s design of the grand semi-circular staircase. The drawings of the book spines on the wall and each staircase step nicely suggest an upscale setting without having to show that we are in a wealthy, upscale manor. Simple white costumes suggest these ladies are servants within the house at the top of the show. As the story progresses, they throw on various accoutrements and become the various characters. Colin Grenfell’s lighting indicates where attention is to be focused for each scene. I’ve been commenting on sound design for several productions recently and continue stressing the importance of hearing the dialogue and the lyrics of songs if applicable. Once again, thanks to Michael John McCarthy and Niamh Gaffney for aptly ensuring that sound quality is an essential component. ‘Pride & Prejudice’ (sort of) is an extremely smart comedy, making it a great deal of fun to watch. Thanks to Directors Isobel McArthur and Simon Harvey’s observant attention and this cheeky, bodacious, and delightful girl power ensemble of dynamite ladies, some wonderfully staged comic moments made me laugh out loud. Before the show begins, the ladies immediately break the fourth wall and enter the house, chatting, kibitzing, and joking with the audience. Yours truly had the top of his bald pate sprayed and wiped clean with a (hopefully) clean rag. If you are in the aisle seat, take notice that you may become part of the staged fun. And if you are, relish the moment. Remember, it’s the Christmas and holiday season. We all need to smile and laugh. Emily Jane Boyle’s choreography remains simple but nicely timed to the vocal numbers. There were moments when I couldn’t help but make a few favourable comparisons to ‘Six’ playing just a few blocks over. In both productions, the choreography aptly reflects the internal emotions the characters are experiencing. Some theatre aficionados may struggle with the idea of the continuous breaking of the fourth wall throughout a live performance. I get it that the magic of the theatre involves transporting the audience away for a couple of hours to another place and time. In this ‘Pride & Prejudice,’ the continued breaking is of necessity, especially in the staged karaoke numbers of twentieth century pop songs. They offer a biting and funny commentary on a plot event. The riding of Willy made me double-take, but man, oh, man, did I ever laugh. These five women are the main reasons to see the show over the holiday season and into the new year. It’s sensational ensemble work. The ladies listen carefully to each other and respond appropriately to the jokes and double entendres. Absolute hilarity and joy in the CAA Theatre. Running time: approximately 2 hours and 25 minutes with one intermission. ‘Pride & Prejudice (sort of) runs until January 21, 2024, at the CAA Theatre, 651 Yonge Street, Toronto. For tickets: mirvish.com or call 1-800-461-3333. PRIDE & PREJUDICE (sort of) by Isobel McArthur after Jane Austen Directors: Isobel McArthur and Simon Harvey Musical Supervisor: Michael John McCarthy Choreographer: Emily Jane Boyle Sound Designers: Michael Mohn McCarthy and Niamh Gaffney for AUTOGRAPH Designer: Ana Inés Jabares-Pita Lighting Designer: Colin Grenfell Comedy Director: Jos Houben Performers: Ruth Brotherton, Christina Gordon, Lucy Gray, Dannie Harris, Leah Jamieson, Olivia Dowd, Grace Liston Previous Next
- Profiles Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill
Back Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill 'Ultimately, success requires taking action and making choices." Joe Szekeres Three years ago, I was appreciative Lucie took the time to chat with me. You can read her first profile here: https://www.onstageblog.com/profiles/lucie-arnaz-luckinbill. It was a rather humorous experience attempting to connect via Zoom with each other this time. Our email correspondence was filled with comical attempts to schedule due to our different time zones on the West and East coasts. After much online effort, we finally managed to connect and had a good chuckle about the whole situation, agreeing that it was quite the “clusterf&%k.” I felt highly comfortable picking up where we last left off three years ago. Lucie’s wry sense of humour and love of life remain keen and sharp as ever. Everyone is well in her immediate family: “Knock wood, babe. Everybody’s doing great. My brother and I are getting on. I’ll be 72 in July, and Desi’s 18 months younger. He and I are healthy. I have three beautiful grandchildren. My three children are working and happy, and my two stepsons are working and happy. Larry is of a certain age, and he has all of his wits about him. I’m a very, very grateful gal, very lucky.” Lucie calls these last three Covid years a great exercise in the study of impermanence, the good and the ugly. Covid’s always going to be here, so we just had to get used to that going forward. Change is inevitable, and you have to live in the moment and live for tomorrow but be ready for the plans to change. A lot of stuff has happened to all of us in these last few years, and we’ve learned this the hard way. She also had a knee replacement and had just returned from her physiotherapy before our conversation. Calling herself a late bloomer, a come-from-behind horse, as it has taken almost a year to recover, Lucie was up and around a few days after the surgery, but the knee still swells. She coyly stated she’s not tap dancing yet, but her knee is almost back to normal. It’s totally fine at the moment. She’s not in any hurry regarding the other knee, given what she experienced in this first recovery phase. Lucie also travelled to Kenya in February of this year as part of Craft Tours group with Jim West and said it was ‘life-changing.’ It was a culture none of them on the tour could even imagine. In her words, the tour was a hell of a lot more than a safari. She can’t wait to return: “The combination of the magnificence of the wild animals that you see, the tenaciousness and the kindness of the Kenyan people. I was astounded. Every person I met was polite and gentle, and smiling. And they live in such abhorrent poverty most of the time. The children have to walk four miles to school by themselves. Some of them are 5 years old. They’re in the dust and dirt to sell whatever they can make on the streets”. It was an entirely different world outside the walls of beautiful trees surrounding the hotel. The Kibera slum in Kenya was one of the worst seen anywhere. She also spoke of touring a school where it was exorbitantly costly (around $240 US for one year) to send a child. That’s not a lot of money, so Arnaz and a few of her friends took each of the six kids individually and paid for them to attend the school for the next three years. Arnaz rationalized this school fee payment in comparison to shopping weekly at the grocery store. When the tour group returned, the hoops she and her friends had to jump through to send the money for the next three years in support of these six students seemed insurmountable. Finally, a bank account was established where the money would be deposited and then distributed to the students at the school. Arnaz and the group were assured that no money laundering or distributing would go elsewhere except to the students. But tracking down and ensuring the money was going through the proper channels was hard. Arnaz is now back to touring her concert shows across the U.S., postponed during the pandemic. ‘I Got the Job: Songs from My Musical Past’ opens in New York’s 54 Below on July 19 and runs to July 22 inclusive. I’m attending the opening night to review and looking forward to returning to the city and finally seeing Lucie at her nightclub performance. How does she feel about venturing back to the Big Apple? “There’s nothing quite like it. There isn’t another city anywhere that’s like the hub of fashion, industry, finance, theatre, and music. It’s a town that embraced me and welcomed me, and that’s a wonderful feeling. Larry and I have many friends on the east coast, so it’s an opportunity to get caught up, see them, and have them come to see the show…when I’m working there, it’s just like I’m Cinderella at the Ball. There’s no place like it.” Yes, Lucie is cognizant of the constant traffic, construction, and noise compared to the peaceful environs of Palm Springs, where she and Larry live. She balances that by comparing New York to a big campus where all the performers are in a concentrated area. At a particular hour of the night, everyone is walking to work from the nightclubs to the theatres and restaurants, and everyone is waving to each other. How cool is that? As a proud Canadian, I asked when she was planning to cross the border and come to Toronto. She smiled and wished she was in charge of wherever she went. She would love to call up a venue or theatre and say: “I’m ready, willing and able,” but concert bookings don’t work that way. Any interested persons are to go to Lucie’s website and follow the instructions. Toronto producers and concert venue promoters – are you listening? Yet a lot has changed in how Lucie approaches her concert work. Depending on scheduling and if an artist gets sick, it can change on a dime. Lucie isn’t naïve to think Covid is gone because it’s not. It’s still out there. She’s constantly on the alert: “I wear a mask everywhere, not because of getting sick or feeling unwell; I’m afraid that I’m not going to be able to leave. I leave in ten days for New York for my show that has been postponed four times, and I don’t want to get sick. I have to be very cautious.” The aftermath of Covid has also affected Lucie’s concert work. She used to love to come out to the audience to chat, pose for pictures and autographs and sell CDs. She can’t do that anymore. Instead, she wears a mask when she does go out to greet people. She feels guilty if people want to take pictures, but she has to face the reality that she can’t get sick. Larry Luckinbill (Lucie’s husband) is of a certain age, so she also has to be cognizant and aware of him and his health. Lucie doesn’t have any theatre work lined up at the present time except for the concerts. She loves live audiences and feels at home in her concerts. Regarding any upcoming plays in the future, she calls herself a woman of a certain age. She would have to be super passionate about the material to leave Larry or uproot him if she is cast in an 8 show per week schedule. She couldn’t say no to the revival of ‘Pippin’ several years ago. Although she only had one scene where she played Berthe and got to sing that terrific song, ‘No Time at All,’ Lucie also was trained to do a trapeze routine high above the stage. That was an experience she was glad to fulfil. Family is vital to Arnaz. She and Larry are in what she calls ‘the third act,’ and her husband remains rightly so her priority. They want to spend as much time together as they possibly can, so at this time, producing, directing and concert work suits Lucie just fine. But that doesn’t exclude any producers from contacting her if there is an upcoming project. She reads everything, and if it entices her, she, and Larry talk about the project. It all depends on what the project is, where it is and for how long. Although artists cannot earn a decent living at the theatre, Lucie says it’s the place where her heart has always been. If she didn’t love it, she wouldn’t do it anymore. There’s much rejection in this business, and she still would tell up-and-coming artists not to be bothered by that. It’s an opportunity to be tenacious, to learn and practice. Rejection is never personal in the theatre. Arnaz was fortunate to have had her start on her mother's television show, which opened doors for her. She seized the opportunity and never looked back, knowing that having an advantage only gets you so far. Ultimately, success requires taking action and making choices, especially when bills need to be paid. Lucie faced a similar dilemma, as she had a passion for both family and live performing/theatre. Balancing these two aspects of her life was not always easy, and every choice required careful consideration. Speaking of television shows, Lucie also appeared in the early 90s in the terrific comedy/drama ‘Sons and Daughters’ and loved working on it. Is there any talk of her appearing in another show anytime soon: “There are about five and a half people who can plan their television future and 55,000 in the Screen Actors Guild. (and we both had a good laugh). No, I don’t have any plans. Sometimes things come my way, and I turn them down because I’m not passionate about them…I pick and choose my work carefully.” As we wrapped our Zoom conversation, I threw some quickie questions to get an immediate response. 1. If your life was turned into a live performance play/musical, whom would you like to see play you? Larry? Your brother? Your parents? I have the same answer for all these individuals – “The best damn actors of the time with a damn good script.” Who knows when that will happen? It would depend on what ages of Larry, my brother and me. I think enough has been done about my parents, so I can’t see that happening anytime soon. But I’m not in charge. 2. What book(s) are you reading right now? Generally, I’m not a book reader since I don’t have the time. I do the shopping and the cooking and other things, so that’s my priority. When I have an opportunity, I read a lot of books by listening to them, and that has helped me to get through a number of them. I love biographies more than fiction. I’ve been reading everything from Mel Brooks’ autobiography to Michelle and Barack Obamas, Carl Reiner, and Randy Rainbow’s. 3. Is there a particular place you have not been to yet, but feel drawn to visit? Ireland. We’re going next June with the Craft Tours, and I’ll do my show. Larry will come with me this time. He really wants to go. I’ve never been there so I really want to see it. 4. You and Larry have been married for 43 years. What’s one piece of advice you would give to newlyweds? To new grandparents? To newlyweds and married people – ‘Never give up.’ Stuff happens; you get mad at some dumb stuff and can have some really bad fights. Go back into the room and say you’re sorry, even if it’s not your fault. Don’t give up. People don’t know how to talk about stuff today. To new grandparents – “Enjoy every blessed minute because it goes by so fast. Don’t be judgmental. Let your children raise their children and be there for them.” 5. You’ve been elected President of the United States for one week. What would you focus on and try to change in that week? Global warming, helping the planet survive and convincing the world this is a priority. It’s the one thing that scares me more than Donald Trump, more than gun control, more than women’s rights being taken away, more than Russia, more than China. It’s the planet, for God’s sake. If we don’t have the planet, none of this other stuff matters. To learn more about Lucie and her concert work, visit her website, www.luciearnaz.com . You can also follow Lucie on Facebook: @LucieArnazOfficial. ‘I Got The Job: Songs from My Musical Past’ plays at 54 Below, 254 West 54th Street, Cellar, New York City, July 19 – 22, 2023, inclusive. For tickets and more information, visit 54below.org. I’ll post my review after opening night. Previous Next
- Musicals 'The Flin Flon Cowboy' by Ken Harrower, Erin Brandenburg, Johnny Myrm Spence and the Flin Flon Cowboy Collective
Back 'The Flin Flon Cowboy' by Ken Harrower, Erin Brandenburg, Johnny Myrm Spence and the Flin Flon Cowboy Collective Now on stage at Toronto's Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson Avenue, Toronto. Credit: Jae Yang Pictured: Ken Harrower Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, adjudicator, arts educator “The Flin Flon Cowboy begins as a fascinating personal tale of discovery and resilience, but quickly fizzles into a one-note narrative.” Ken Harrower is an amazing man! Not only is he an award-winning film and theatre actor, but also his life as a disabled, gay man and passionate advocate for accessibility and equal rights and freedoms for those communities is incredibly inspirational. ‘The Flin Flon Cowboy’ is a new musical co-created and performed by Harrower. His life story is the nucleus of this cabaret-style production. Born in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Ken, with the help of a Narrator and helper character named STARLIGHT, takes us on a unique journey of enlightenment and perseverance. He navigates the mysteries of his own birth and parentage, growing up as a child with a disability in the Winnipeg foster care system and his understanding of his own sexuality. Ken whisks us through his adventures in Toronto searching for connections in the gay community while trying to create a life as an artist. It’s a vulnerable and (overtly) frank tale told through songs and storytelling touching on issues of consent, sexuality, queerness, mental health, suicide, addiction, forgiveness and moving forward with accountability. The problem - the narrative isn’t balanced and leans too heavily on the aforementioned issues. Ken doesn’t shy away from the darkness and difficulties that come with being a gay, disabled person navigating this world. We need to understand his hurdles. They’re shocking and important truths. But two-thirds of the show plays on this note repeatedly as Harrower, director Brandenburg and Spence omit details that might give Ken more fulsome dimension. Within the context of the play, I wanted to know more about this man and the people and experiences that affected his early life. The first act starts out fine in this vein, introducing us to some of the characters in Ken’s life that empowered him to find his own way; nevertheless, too much is glossed over in favour of repeatedly reminding us of his foot fetish. At the end of the first act, Ken and the The Narrator tell us about Ken’s new Social Worker, Ivan Lamb. Ken sings a song called “Ivan Lamb” and briefly describes him as the only social worker “that treated me like a person.” The song skims over who this man was with no specific examples of how he made such an impact on Ken. In the second act, Ken tells us about his experience at the University of Waterloo in the history/political science programs and how he offered 11 men foot massages (foot fetish, again!) that would eventually put them to sleep. What we didn’t get was why he decided to go to university, how he did and whether he even graduated. An omission that, unfortunately, makes the second half less engaging. The show is possibly the most accessible show I’ve ever attended and rightly so – blind friendly, descriptive actions, projected captions – The performance has given every consideration to those with physical and communication difficulties, learning disabilities, English as a second language and autism. They even offer a printed guide to help anyone access and understand the play. Kudos! Set, costumes and props by designer Jung-Hye Kim are simple and functional. An elevated stage with a ramp enables Ken to enter and exit via his motorized wheelchair with ease. The centre of the stage functions as a neutral area, becoming many other locations including a living room, a bar, a church, a bathroom, a bedroom, a dorm room, the grounds of a university, and a street corner. The four-piece stage band plunked under a gazebo-like affair made them seem distant from the proceedings. Several scenes in that area seemed too cramped and crowded. A burgundy curtain is draped unevenly high above the stage. As it wasn’t used, I assumed it was a forgotten prop from the last production. However, the access guide proclaimed it’s supposed to be raised and lowered during the show? Okay. In keeping with the cowboy theme, the rear wall is shaped as an A-frame-style house, barn, or church. It provides the surface for Laura Warren’s dazzling and era-specific projections. Costumes are western appropriate with cowboy hats, boots and vests bringing a Calgary Stampede feel to the proceedings. In the props department, however, the moustache, plastic gun, jug, glasses, and wigs screamed low budget. Lighting design from Echo Zhou is decent overall with adequate coverage over the playing area and subtle illumination of the band during key musical numbers. However, performances on stage left, including “The Evil Anne Marie” are too dim and the colour of the Narrator’s stage right spotlight gives him a gaunt, cadaverous pallor. Johnny Myrm Spence’s musical direction and original compositions have a familiar campy country twang but, with a few exceptions (“Italian Dave” and “On the Road Again (Again)”), the tunes and lyrics are generic, mundane and, throughout the second act, downright dreary. Despite fine solo vocals from band member Mara Nesrallah, harmonies and vocal blending from the group need a tweak. As the lead performer, Ken Harrower is awe-inspiring. He’s engaging, authentic and utterly charming, a heartfelt singer and actor of refreshing authenticity. His visual art, showcased throughout the show, is testament to his multidisciplinary talents. You can’t help but cheer him on as he leaves the stage. As The Narrator, Greg Campbell carries most of the storytelling weight. He’s terrific and hugely talented, portraying multiple characters via swift on-stage costume changes. He keeps the show grounded and the audience invested, though I would like to see him embellish his characterizations vocally and physically. Ensemble member and helper STARLIGHT is funny and engaging, oozing (and sparkling) confidence and sass to fun songs like “Freedom Dance”. Director Brandenburg has staged a terrific show about a very special gay, disabled artist. The accessibility, the cowboy theme, use of projections on the barn back wall, simple props and on-stage band all create an excellent canvas for the story of Ken’s colourful, often tragic life. But this is a man who has risen above it all and defied the odds. He wasn’t expected to live past age 5, but now, at 63, he’s an artist, an inspiration, a man of honesty, integrity and grit. He’s a survivor, a marvel! I just wanted to know him better on other levels. Running time: Running time, approx. 2 hours with one 20-minute intermission. The production runs until November 2 at Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson Ave., Toronto. For tickets call the Box Office at 416-504-7529 or email www.theatrepassemuraille.ca/tickets “The Flin Flon Cowboy” A Flin Flon Cowboy Collective & Theatre Passe Muraille Co-Production in Association with Why Not Theatre Co-created and performed by Ken Harrower Co-created and directed by Erin Brandenburg Co-creator, musical direction, composition and sound design by Johnny Myrm Spence Set, costumes and properties designed by Jung-Hye Kim Lighting designed by Echo Zhou Projections designed by Laura Warren Performers: Ken Harrower, Greg Campbell, STARLIGHT, with band members Johnny Myrm Spence, Mara Nesrallah, Steven Foster and Kate Palumbo. Previous Next
- Musicals Peter Pan Musical adapted by Piers Chater Robinson
Back Peter Pan Musical adapted by Piers Chater Robinson Staged at Oshawa's Regent Theatre and produced by Mansfield Entertainment --- Joe Szekeres Do I believe ‘Peter Pan’ deserves another round of storytelling? What’s different or unique this time around? We all know the story of Peter Pan and the Darling children as they travel to Neverland to battle Captain James Hook. It might be the J. M. Barrie story itself, the Disney animated film, the early/mid 60s musical that seemed to tour forever (Mary Martin as the original Peter Pan) or various versions of the play (one version was produced at Port Perry’s Theatre on the Ridge a few summers ago). Ergo I don’t really have to give that much of a plot summary. Simply put, it’s a story about young children and the inevitability that we all have to grow up sometime. For some, it becomes a natural part of life while others (like the title character) do not want to grow up. From what I understand, Oshawa’s Mansfield Entertainment secured the rights to the musical with the blessings of the adaptor Piers Chater Robinson. The poster for the production asks the question that is also one of the titles of the songs from the Second Act: ‘Do You Believe?’ Well, yes, I do believe in the power of theatre to move an audience. Theatre reviewers, critics, bloggers, and lovers always want to encourage audiences to go to the theatre to see a production. We don’t write for a theatre company, or the actors, or the production team. We write for the audience to let them know what we thought with the hope it will encourage others to attend. When a company calls itself professional, it must also be able to take all kinds of feedback. And was this opening night 2-hour and 35-minute performance of ‘Peter Pan Musical’ with tickets starting at $44 with tax (they go up in price the closer you get to the stage) worth it? I sat in these seats near the back of the auditorium. For the most part, yes, but there are some quibbles. ‘Peter Pan’ needs a good-sized stage to tell a story and it was a wise choice to stage it at Oshawa’s Regent Theatre. There’s no mention of a Set Designer in the program but that Mansfield Entertainment provided Sets and Props. The pre-show music was a bit puzzling as I heard a few ABBA synthesizer melodies from MAMMA MIA. I couldn’t figure out the connection between ABBA’s music and Peter Pan. Hmmmmmm. There were a few elements that worked well on the stage. Stage right is three beds angled which is the nursery in the Darling home. Stage left is the window angled and adorned with lace curtains from which Peter will enter and the children leave to fly to Neverland. One thing that kept annoying me throughout that first scene and at the end when we return to the nursery. Every time Peter entered through the window, it kept shaking and, at one point in the last scene of the second act I thought it would fall over. Can that somehow be stabilized because it spoils the illusion of wanting me to believe the sturdiness of the window if it wobbles. Lace curtains adorn the window. Lined wallpaper behind the children’s beds and the windows give some depth to the room. What was a nice touch was this backdrop slowly spun around for each of the scenes which added further depth to the setting of each scene. Bright green and fall colours clearly caught my attention and made the scene come alive. Hanging centre stage is a rectangular screen used for projections which add nuance to each scene. It was fine for me, but in the second act when Hook is at sea and we see the water behind, there are moments when it is apparent that we’re watching a film as it stops and starts. Andrew Nasturzio’s Costume Designs are eye-catching and highly colourful for the entire company. I must applaud Nasturzio for the hours that were probably spent in searching, coordinating and measuring each cast member for fittings. Colin Hughes’ lighting design finely accentuates each of the scenes whether it’s full lighting or effective hiding in the shadows. There were a couple of times when some of the ensemble were in the shadows and I couldn’t see their faces. Thanks to Dale Wakefield for the clear audio design. Again, there were moments where some of the dialogue was not clearly enunciated by some of the actors and I couldn’t hear it. That isn’t Wakefield’s concern, however, it’s the actors. At times, Tristan Matthews’ choreography was rather simplistic to the point it reminded me of some similar dance moves one might find in a high school musical production. Concluding a dance number with jazz hands didn’t cut it for me. One of the highlights of the production was the solid synchronistic work of Miguel Esteban and Diana Chappell as Music and Vocal Directors. Thankfully, save for one moment in Act One, there was never any overpowering of the seven-piece band members in the company musical ensemble numbers. Another highlight of the opening night production was the array of youthful up-and-coming 18 cast member talent that I hope to see in other productions soon. Space will not allow me to mention each, but I do want to highlight a few. Jeff Hookings becomes a dastardly devilish Captain Hook. Laura Denmar’s compassionately sensitive Mrs. Darling shone through beautifully in the last scene of Act Two. Enya Watson’s lovely singing voice coupled with a truly believable performance as the young Wendy on the verge of becoming a young woman was fascinating to see play out before me. As the title character, Kyra Weichert effectively assumes that youthfully genteel sense of abandonment in only wanting to focus on play and having Wendy as his ‘mother’ figure. In the last scene of Act Two, Weichert and Watson nicely juxtapose and share how growing up becomes a natural part of life. Joan Mansfield’s direction of the production at times is uneven. There are moments where the actors are simply placed on stage in what I call the ‘park and bark’ or ‘park and sing’ with no believability in how to get from Point A to Point B. Additionally, at times, there are a few moments where the play does come to life and then that needed energy quickly evaporates and dissipates. I felt the cast was uniquely sensing this on opening night and they were doing their utmost to bring the play back to life where it should be. Hopefully, as performances continue, that sense of the appeal of the life force can be reignited. Running Time: 2 hours and 35 minutes approximately. I kept my mask on in the theatre as did others I saw around me. However, there were many in the audience who did not wear masks. ‘Peter Pan, The Musical’ runs to July 24 at the Regent Theatre, 50 King Street East Oshawa. Tickets range from $44 - $67 with taxes included. For further information, please visit www.regenttheatre.ca or call 905-721-3399 extension 2. PETER PAN MUSICAL Produced by James and Joan Mansfield and MANSFIELD ENTERTAINMENT Book, Music and Lyrics by Piers Chater Robinson. Adapted from the play by J. M. Barrie Directed by Joan Mansfield Music Director: Miguel Esteban. Vocal Director: Diana Chappell Lighting: Colin Hughes Sound: Dale Wakefield Choreographer: Tristan Matthews Stage Manager: Kit Bauldry Featuring: Kayleigh Cerezo, Kaitlyn Coulter, Mercedes Davy, Laura Denmar, Peyton Garcia, Annabella Gulliver-Azevedo, Celeste Hauser, Tanner Homonko, Jeff Hookings, Brogan Nelson, Kelly Preeper, Jordan Robertson-Reid, Kelsey Robinson, Rebecca Rodley, Lucy Sanci, Amy Sarjeant, Enya Watson, Kyra Weichert Previous Next
- Solos Doc Wuthergloom's HERE THERE BE MONSTERS
Back Doc Wuthergloom's HERE THERE BE MONSTERS Now onstage at Toronto's Red Sandcastle Theatre, 922 Queen Street East. Credit: Adrianna Prosser. Pictured: Eric Woolfe as Wuthergloom with two of the macabre looking puppets Joe Szekeres Eric Woolfe delivers a bedevilling grand performance as the ghoulish Dr. Wuthergloom. The production is often hilarious and witty about dark moments of the mortal realm we never want to discuss. Macabre storytelling, especially around Hallowe’en, never sounded so enticing as it does in the clever hands of Eric Woolfe in the intimate Red Sandcastle Theatre. Tonight was a perfect opening to those who appreciate Hallowe’en. We enter the world of Dr. Pretorius Wuthergloom (Woolfe), a travelling exorcist and infamous necromancer who sells his merchandise about monsters lurking in the horrors of the mind and mortal realm to gullible buyers. Yes, I was one of them. I also purchased a potion vial for my goddaughter, who accompanied me this evening from Wuthergloom’s ‘lovely’ assistant Camille (Emma Mackenzie Hillier). Dressed as a ghastly-looking, yesteryear Las Vegas cigarette girl right out of ‘Rocky Horror,’ Camille carries around the ‘merch’ to hawk to unsuspecting audience members. A few don’t bite. Music from a pre-recorded calliope can be heard throughout the pre-show. There is an unsettling, eerie feeling just looking at the set. Some objects are covered. These will be uncovered throughout the show. There are shrunken heads with what look like masks of the varied frightening creatures and monsters that can be found in Wuthergloom’s ‘Field Guide to Monsters’ (which he shamelessly continues to plug throughout the show) Wuthergloom/Woolfe sits hawkish in the corner upstage right and stares as the audience enters. The look in his eyes is ominous. He reminds me of one of the outlandish circus freaks from Ray Bradbury’s ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’. He is shuffling a deck of cards or tarot pack to help pass the time. Designer Melanie McNeill accoutres the Doctor in blood-red and black striped pants. His black top hat has seen better days. He wears a black vest and a white open-collar shirt. His running shoes are large. The white makeup on his face is a perfect combination of a cross between a skeleton and a banshee. This opening night production is often wickedly satirical, with piercing jabs at some contemporary references in the local Toronto/Ontario provincial scene. One most notable was the state of theatre companies applying for grant money from the provincial Ford government. There is audience participation, so beware. It won’t matter if you’re sitting in the first few rows or not because Wuthergloom/Woole scans the audience for victims…oops…volunteers. Side note: It’s fun if you volunteer to go up on the stage. Eric Woolfe is a bedevilling Dr. Wuthergloom. His comical timing in narrating child-eating faeries and the cigar-smoking Kapre of the Philippines remains a riot. The grisly puppets used during the performance wickedly showcase Woolfe’s terrific vocal work in establishing individual personas. The story of Edward Mordrake, the man with Two Faces is hilarious. Woolfe’s magic tricks are also impressive. I sat in the second row, and there were moments where an ivory-looking egg disappeared and reappeared. How was that done? Final Comments: I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived at ‘Here There Be Monsters’. I suspected there would be ghost stories and tales of the dead to be told. I didn’t expect to laugh and have as much fun as I did. ‘Here There Be Monsters’ is a terrific show to experience as the sun sets earlier, the cooler weather beckons and rust-coloured leaves tentatively hang from tree branches. Great fun, but don’t bring the wee ones. There is s some adult humour and language depending on Woolfe’s improvisations at the particular moment. Running time: 75 minutes, no intermission. ‘Here There Be Monsters’ runs until November 5 at the Red Sandcastle Theatre, 922 Queen Street East, Toronto. For tickets, https://eldritchtheatre.ca/tickets/ ELDRITCH THEATRE presents DOC WUTHERGLOOM’S ‘HERE THERE BE MONSTERS’ Created and Performed by Eric Woolfe Produced by Adrianna Prosser Costumes Designed by Melanie McNeill Previous Next BACK TO TOP
- Dance 'Message In A Bottle' Choreographed and Directed by Kate Prince. Based on the Songs of Sting
Back 'Message In A Bottle' Choreographed and Directed by Kate Prince. Based on the Songs of Sting A Sadler Wells and Universal Music UK production presented by TO Live Lyne Thiesen Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, adjudicator, arts educator VOICE CHOICE Electrifying and Intense. A stunning and breath-taking new dance production. “Message in A Bottle” is a breath-taking new dance production. It’s equal parts genius choreography and visionary storytelling put to Sting’s timeless and intelligent lyrics of love, war, and everything in between. It’s one of the most magnificent performances I’ve ever seen. It’s beautiful, shocking, inspirational, innovative, and jaw-droppingly creative! This is a show that comes around but once in a lifetime. You absolutely cannot miss this spellbinding work of art! The UK’s five-time Olivier-Award nominee Kate Prince treats Toronto audiences to her latest magnificent new dance show, “Message in A Bottle”, and, boy, is it a feast for the senses! She’s pulled out all the stops. Her skills and unparalleled talent bring us an original show inspired by Sting’s iconic hits and poetic lyrics. Her creative team and unbelievably talented company of 14 dancers tell us a poignant and relevant story of hope triumphing out of human suffering and displacement in a war-torn, anonymous country. Art imitating life in our modern world of strife and discord. It moved me in ways that I can’t fully describe in this review. I’m still processing the experience and thinking about its beauty days later. This is the first time I’d seen a dance show based around the music of one artist’s work and, while not a die-hard Sting fan, I found myself revelling in the new arrangements of his iconic hits like “Every Breath You Take”, “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” and “Spirits in the Material World”, here given new meaning with revised tempo and pace. The stunning production, costume and lighting design is among the finest I’ve ever witnessed in a dance performance, and I’ve seen quite a few. But it’s the keen storytelling by director/choreographer Prince and her dancers that charts new ground. I heard many refer to this as a jukebox dance show. It so much more than that! The music is brilliantly integrated into an imagined story about one family: a father, mother and their three teenaged children – Leto, Mati and Tana - living an idyllic, tribal existence in a faraway country. They live in harmony with their land, their people and each other. When a civil war erupts, the family’s world is devastated, their homes destroyed, their lives forever changed as they face this brutal reality together. They need to make impossible choices to ensure their survival. They attempt to flee their homeland and become refugees in a strange land where they are separated and imprisoned. But love and hope sustain them. With Sting’s new arrangements, the cast brilliantly flies through the two-hour masterpiece with a stunning fusion of styles – mostly hip hop, breaking and contemporary with popping, locking, lyrical and some ballet thrown in. This mash up of styles is almost a new style in itself. The hard-hitting street hip hop here melds with the fluidity of lyrical and precision of ballet technique. The flips, tricks and head spins are all there, but the influence of the other dance styles is extraordinarily evident and breathtakingly beautiful. The incredible 14-member cast pour their hearts, souls and bodies into their characters and dance with an aliveness of empathy. Their group and solo works are stunning, poetic, astounding. Prince communicates through dance masterfully. Her ability to tell a story with such clarity through movement alone is remarkable and no small feat for any choreographer. There was something about this performance. The feeling we were in for a special experience was palpable as the audience held its collective breath from the first dancer’s movement until their much-deserved, unanimous standing ovation. There isn’t a single step that doesn’t have a purpose. Prince also brilliantly weaves the best design elements to augment her narrative. Video projections by award-winning designer Andrej Goulding provide moving greyscale backdrops of ocean, sky, rain, and sand with the most gorgeous and ominous silhouette work. Natasha Chivers’ exquisite lighting is spectacular, enhances the emotional intensity in every scene with banks of side lights and carefully places spotlights above that allowed performers to seemingly appear and disappear into shadows. Her use of shapes to denote confinement and isolation was claustrophobic. Her integration of lights into Goulding’s video projections was seamless. I often couldn’t discern where one ended and the other began. It was intense, dark, ominous and seconds later warm, placid, and inviting. A cast member unto itself. Stunning! Costumes by multi award-winning designer Anna Fleischle were functional and fluid - billowy leggings, sleeveless vests, flowing skirts in muted tie-dyed colours put the dancers at the forefront. Her addition of subtle tribal patterns, futuristic grey suits with half-moon headwear, even black hoodies and overalls perfectly transported us to worlds of beauty and danger. Continuing the vision of subtly enhancing the dancers, set designer Ben Stones places the action in a simple “black box” with walls at right angles and openings magically appearing and disappearing upstage. Again, it’s minimal design for maximum impact – a few boxes that look like vegetable crates, a rotating square room framed with no walls and moveable bare flats provide lots of room for choreography. “Message in a Bottle” is electrifying and intense, with stunning individual production elements expertly entwined to create a something much larger than the sum of its parts. New arrangements of some of Sting’s iconic and poetical hits along with newly composed interstitials perfectly fit Kate Prince’s inspired vision of war-torn countries, refugees, displacement, and human resilience. It’s relatable, visceral, and important. While her direction and choreography are impeccable, there’s nothing that compares to watching a dancer making something live in the moment. The strength, agility and versatility of the troupe is extraordinary. This alchemy of storytelling, dance, Sting’s music, and impeccable production design elevates this theatre going experience to something transcendent. I’m still on cloud nine. Previous Next
- Solos 'Sea Wall' by Simon Stephens
Back 'Sea Wall' by Simon Stephens Presented by BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS AND QUIET THINGS CREATIVE IN ASSOCIATION WITH ONE FOUR ONE COLLECTIVE, and now onstage at Toronto's Assembly Theatre, 1479 Queen Street West Cass Van Wyck. Pictured: Jamie Cavanagh as Alex Joe Szekeres Jamie Cavanagh’s naturalistic storytelling makes ‘Sea Wall’ an engrossing piece of theatre. Now onstage at the Assembly Theatre, Simon Stephens’ ‘Sea Wall’ becomes an engrossing piece of theatre that left me bereft of emotion for a few moments at the end of the show. Belinda Cornish directs the one-act monologue with confident precision to ensure a naturalism that remains intact throughout the approximately 45-minute running time. Jamie Cavanagh is Alex, a photographer. He enters from the back of the auditorium at the top of the show and walks down the aisle to the stage. He looks at some of the props placed there. Even though he says nothing for a few minutes, something magnetic about Cavanagh’s presence draws attention to him. Alex is an inquisitive man. The question of Christian religion and faith belief figures prominently in the early sections of the monologue. Alex is uncertain of the presence of a religious figurehead but enjoys thinking about the topic and discussing it with others. He likes swimming and the opportunity to be at peace in the water. Alex wonders if a religious figurehead exists; he considers perhaps he might have experienced a connection while swimming. As his monologue continues, we learn Alex is deeply in love with his wife, Helen, and the two of them are overjoyed at the birth of their daughter, Lucy. We also learn Helen’s father, a retired British general, lives in the south of France by the water. Life is good for Alex, Helen, and Lucy. When she is eight, Alex and Helen take their daughter to the French seaside for a holiday at the request of Helen’s father. Alex likes his father-in-law and enjoys learning more about him while spending quality time with Helen and Lucy. While on holiday, Alex has a most interesting conversation with his father-in-law about a seawall near his home. Alex learns that this seawall is a mighty thing. According to his father-in-law, it doesn’t just drop a few meters but hundreds of feet. There is an incredible suffocating blackness at this seawall. This seawall becomes a metaphor for how things can change so quickly in life. The auditorium’s house lights do not dim for the 45-minute running time, which is an integral part of the staging. It’s a good choice because ‘Alex’ can make direct eye contact with each audience member. I noticed he had made eye contact with me a few times. At one point, Cavanagh (as Alex) asks a question and looks directly at an audience member sitting in front. She nodded in response that she wanted to know the answer to his question. (I won’t state the question because that’s part of why you must see the show.) Jamie Cavanagh’s nuanced and realistic performance is the highlight of the production. His thick British accent makes me pay careful attention. It all feels believable as he moves around the stage with purpose, reason, and intent. It’s as if he speaks directly to me, and I forget the other audience members sitting around. Cavanagh instinctively knows when to pause for a quick laugh from the audience or when something needs to be highlighted. During these carefully timed dramatic pauses, I am inching forward in my chair because I’m on every word. I don’t want to write any notes in my book about the production because I don’t want to miss anything. ‘Sea Wall’ is a theatrical treat you owe yourselves. Please go and see it. Running time: approximately 50 minutes with no intermission. ‘Sea Wall’ runs until Sunday, October 8, at the Assembly Theatre, 1479 Queen Street West, Toronto. For tickets, visit www.assemblytheatre.com . BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS AND QUIET THINGS CREATIVE PRESENT IN ASSOCIATION WITH ONE FOUR ONE COLLECTIVE ‘Sea Wall’ by Simon Stephens Directed by Belinda Cornish Performer: Jamie Cavanagh Previous Next BACK TO TOP
- Profiles Indrit Kasapi and Marjorie Chan
Back Indrit Kasapi and Marjorie Chan A Canadian Chat Dahlia Katz Joe Szekeres Before this great theatrical pause of 19 months, I had the opportunity to attend some productions at Theatre Passe Muraille which bills itself as one of Canada’s original alternative theatre companies currently developing and producing new Canadian plays. TPM is striving to articulate a distinct Canadian voice that reflects the complexity of our intercultural society. TPM believes there should be a more diverse representation of artists, audience members, and stories in its theatre. I was most appreciative of the time that two of its artists were able to take to speak with me. Marjorie Chan is the Artistic Director of Theatre Passe Muraille. As an award-winning interdisciplinary artist, she primarily identifies as a writer with specific interest in contemporary opera and collective forms, while also maintaining an active practice as a dramaturge and director. Indrit Kasapi is the Interim Managing Director of Theatre Passe Muraille. A graduate of Montreal’s National Theatre School of Canada he is well-known to the Theatre Passe Muraille community, having been the Associate Artistic Director under Marjorie Chan for the last two years— collaborating on programming, budgeting, producing as well as coordinating special projects. Prior to beginning in that role, Indrit was also the Accessibility Lab Co-ordinator which explored experimentation in access initiatives which recently culminated in a series of short documentaries. Five years in the making, his play Toka (A Theatre Passe Muraille and lemonTree creations Digital Co-Production) for which he is the writer and choreographer, will finally be shared with audiences in the upcoming year. Indrit is also the Co-founder (along with Cole Alvis) of the prolific lemonTree creations, which was a TPM Company-in-residence for the past three years. We conducted our interview via Zoom. Thank you so much, Marjorie and Indrit, for your time: Could you share the names of one teacher and one mentor for whom you are thankful. MC: Ohh, that’s always really tricky. One teacher – his name was Mr. Kishibe. I knew his first name but I can’t think of it now. He taught English Literature. I took English 11, 12 and OAC (when the province had it). He was at St. Joseph’s/Morrow Park a Catholic girls’ high school. Mr. Kishibe loved Shakespeare and because it was an all-girls’ school, whenever we read Shakespeare he would read the lead – Hamlet, King Lear, he would read MacBeth. He was extraordinary. We were excited to go to his class because he made the lesson interesting because he would perform. I did read a few times aloud in his class and enjoyed it. I didn’t know I was going to be an actor or involved in the theatre at that time. He spoke to me one time and asked me if I ever considered going into the theatre since I really appeared to enjoy it. It never occurred to me that could be a career. Mr. Kishibe came to one of the first performances in Shakespeare in the Rough (the older collective, not the collective now) when I graduated theatre school. I really appreciated it that he saw I was performing and came to see it. I have so many mentors in many forms and roles. A lot of times when I mentor a young person, I often think the reverse is true as well as they have become my mentor because I’m learning about different approaches and perspectives. If I had to mention a particular mentor at this moment, it would be Michael Wheeler who is now a professor at Queen’s University. He certainly helped me think about digital work in a different way and structural organization at theatre companies in a different way. Julie Phan, a young artist who just graduated from the National Theatre School, is also someone who has influenced me. She’s a playwright. She would be ‘mentor/menteree’. IK: This is an easy one for me because I had an important Drama teacher in high school and his name is Teodoro Dragonieri. He’s become a friend of mine now as we’ve kept in touch. He has a brilliant mind. He’s a visual artist who learned mask work and fell in love with theatre and had an extensive wealth of knowledge. He was just one of those people who has a creative mind. He was teaching us in Grade 10 how to make masks out of recycled jugs. He was an inspiration and made me realize the potential of what theatre can be and what live performance can be. He embraced my training as a dancer and saw the world in a multidisciplinary way without even using that word. Now that I think about it, my work strongly centered around that sense of creativity in a multidisciplinary format. There’s an immediacy to the work he was doing in the stories he was telling. I’ve been very thankful that my mentor is now my colleague – Marjorie Chan. She has been a huge influence on me. It’s been a beautiful journey of learning from an incredible person dating back to Cahoots Theatre from years ago. She has so much to teach all of us even as she learns from us. I’m trying to think positively that we have, fingers crossed, moved forward in dealing with Covid. How have you been able to move forward from these last 18 -19 months on a personal level? How have you been changed or transformed on a personal level? MC: It’s a huge question. I’ve been quite public on my social media; as a matter of fact, Joe, in late October of 2020 I had a stroke. I feel great. I’ve had a lot of support through the various programs available, but it’s an ongoing, lifetime journey for me. Doctors will be looking at my brain for the rest of my life. This particular full calendar year since 2020 has been a huge re-examination of everything for me and that includes in my personal life as I’m dealing with my health. All the conversations that are happening around the culture of work in the theatre industry, in terms of our scheduling, and in the way we do things, these are things that I really take to heart in terms of these conversations. IK: These last 18-19 months have made me appreciate my alone time a lot more than I used to. Before I was always needing to be in community and with people, but the pandemic has made me think more about my alone time. How have these last eighteen months of the pandemic changed or transformed you as an artist professionally? MC: It’s been interesting to think about if you’re a practicing artist and you also have a full-time job running a theatre company, I’m already very specific about the other projects in which I involve myself. Definitely that’s been exacerbated by the pandemic – to be mindful to what I put my energy towards. For me, that’s about a selection of projects of what I do outside TPM (Theatre Passe Muraille). As an artist, I’ve limited energy so I have to be quite specific, careful and intentional whether to take a project or not. IK: Professionally, it has made me think a lot about the technology and technology within the context of the theatre medium, and how these two intertwine in various different ways, how they help and sometimes how they challenge each other. My perspective has been opened as I thought live performance was a different experience than something that’s digital. The digital world has a harder time creating community. But I think I was proven wrong in many ways because we found community in different forms, and technology was a huge support in that. I’m thinking a lot more about how technology and digital methods continue to do what live performance does in terms of bringing people together. In your professional opinion, how do you see the global landscape of Theatre Passe Muraille changing, adapting, and morphing as a result of these last 18 months? MC: When we were streaming work and doing OUTREACH where we were meeting new artists, that opportunity to connect with individuals not necessarily in Canada, even in North America, opened itself up. The artists were interested in it as well. It just shows what is possible. Certainly, on one end it was exciting to have equal access to work all across the country even if it meant that I had to wake up at 7 am in the morning to watch a show that was coming out of Hong Kong. I don’t usually watch a live theatre show at 7 am, but an exception will be made when you want to connect with live work across the globe. At the same time it’s made us all understand the need and the change in conversation that can happen when a global conversation happens. I think that’s very exciting and it’s something we’ve been pursuing in our upcoming year. We do have an international artist coming and who might bring a different perspective and enlighten our community here in Toronto. We’re also aware and want to learn more about our local neighbourhood here in the area of Queen and Bathurst and the area. IK: To add to what Marjorie is saying, I think we’ve also taken some big steps towards what is being updated through TPM. We are renovating our Back Space and we’re also launching a Digital Creators as well at the DC Lab. We are looking at how technology comes in theatre and also who from the community of artists gets access to those kinds of training, those kinds of tools. We want to make sure that our priorities in terms of the kinds of artists that we want on our stages and the stories to be represented on our stages that those artists are the first ones to have access to these trainings, the tools. The learnings from the other companies with whom we partnered, we will bring some of their expertise as part of that journey. What intrigues you post Covid? MC: Of course, I want our audiences to have positive experiences. That seems very general, but I think very deeply about this from what it means in trying to invite audiences back on their own terms (ie. a gentle entry to being back in the building and sharing the space with others). I’m intrigued by the art to come. I don’t think anyone can be unchanged by these 20 months from a social-political perspective, from a personal perspective, from not experiencing in person theatre. A lot of our work that is to come on our stages is work that was postponed from the pandemic. I’m definitely intrigued to see what’s to come. IK: For me, I’m intrigued by immersive experiences and the immediacy of us being together. How does technology and augmented reality all become a part of this. I’m curious to see how virtual reality will make its way into theatre, how audio dramas will fit into this equation. It feels to me we are in an exciting place of rejuvenation of sort as live performance art makers, and what does that mean, where is it going to go? The possibilities are endless and I’m intrigued. What unnerves/disappoints you post Covid? MC: What’s unnerving and disappointing is if the lessons of the pandemic are lost; if the lessons of the pandemic have been dismissed and there’s a return to “normal”. We can’t have the murder of George Floyd and then things return to the status quo. What is the conversation and how do we dig in? What is an organization’s responsibility? To me, that would be disappointing if the theatre industry did not take away lessons from the pandemic and things returned to the way they were. IK: I’d say the same thing. If we pretended the pandemic didn’t happen that would be unnerving and disappointing. So much has changed and how are we taking in what happened and moving forward rather than retreating and going back to what once was. I want for all of us to learn and not forget and to grow and to move forward. RAPID ROUND Try to answer these in a single sentence. If you need more than one sentence, that’s not a problem. I credit the late James Lipton and “Inside the Actors’ Studio’ for this idea: If you could say one thing to one of your mentors and teachers who encouraged you to get to this point as an artist, what would it be? MC: Thank you for seeing more of me than I could see of myself. IK: Thank you for your passion and creativity because it’s inspirational. If you could say something to any of the naysayers in your career who didn’t think you would make it as an artist, what would that be? MC: In a short way, I would say “Welcome”. Some of these naysayers have not come around. IK: I would say “Thank You because it was you not believing in me that drove me to work even harder.” What’s your favourite swear word? MC: I swear a lot actually depending on the company I’m with. I use the “F bomb’. I don’t use the word ‘Shit’ very much, I don’t. I’ve said, “Damn”. Sometimes if I have nothing to say or I’m stuck in a situation where I don’t know how to proceed, my staff will tell you that sometimes I might meow when I don’t know what to do (And Indrit pipes in and agrees that is Marjorie’s favourite thing). IK: For sure, 100%, it’s the “F bomb” because it’s not as heavy for me. English is my third language actually. I don’t swear in Albanian as it feels very wrong for me to do. When I use the “F bomb’ in English, I get what I need to get out of it. What is a word you love to hear yourself say? MC: What I like to hear myself probably say is “Welcome”. IK: ‘Hence’. I don’t mind hearing myself say it. What is a word you don’t like to hear yourself say? MC: Frankly, I don’t like to say “No”. IK: Wow!!!! I don’t know. I don’t enjoy hearing myself say “No”. I don’t say No often. With whom would you like to have dinner and discuss the current state of the live Canadian performing arts scene? MC: I would like to have dinner with a person who hates theatre and hates what it represents and has articulated they will never return to the theatre. IK: This has been on my mind lately. This is a person whom I didn’t have a chance to get to know and have been reading a lot of their tributes. I think I would have loved to have dinner with David Fox. It seems as if he has affected so much of Canadian theatre and the lives of artists in this country, and I would have loved to have heard from him what he thought about the Canadian theatre and the scene. What would you tell your younger personal self with the knowledge and wisdom life experience has now given you? MC; To my 3-year-old self: “Hang on to your sense of playing because it will help you as you continue.” To my 10-year-old self: “Hang on there because art will reveal itself soon and you will love it.” To my teenage self that did acting randomly: “Pay attention as this might be your career, and not in Museum Studies or Teaching as you thought.” To my theatre school self: “This is all great knowledge. Hang on to it but you may not end up as an actor as you think.” To the person that got an internship to become an artistic administrator: “Becoming a cultural leader is going to change your life.” IK: “Don’t be afraid to be all the things you want to be rather than just trying to be one thing. As long as it’s clear for you, be all the things you can be.” With the professional life experience you’ve gained, what would you now tell your upcoming artist careers from years ago who was just in the throes of beginning a career? MC: “Continue to be brave.” IK: Wow!!!!!! This is good. “You are a director. Period. Get over it.” What is one thing you still wish to accomplish both personally and professionally? MC: Personally, I would like to run a 5K race. I’d like to be in a place where I can do that. Professionally, I’m so open to whatever comes. I’d like to write a play that is popular (and both she and Indrit start to laugh) and just has a broader reach even in a story in some way. IK: Personally, I would love to live in different places in the world and learn a fourth language. Professionally, it has nothing to do with theatre, but I would love to publish a book of poetry. Name one moment in your professional artistic careers that you wish you could re-visit again for a short while. MC: As not quite 18 years of age, I was a production assistant at Mirvish Productions for the opening of the Princess of Wales from years ago and the Canadian premiere of ‘Miss Saigon’. I was learning so much; I was doing sponsorships, opening nights and all this producing work and not understanding that I was gaining such invaluable experience from that. This time was also a lot of fun and to be involved in such a large production with ‘Miss Saigon’ for a teenager was quite magical as an assistant to the Assistant Producer. IK: Performing at The Tokyo Metropolitan Arts Centre on a piece by Corpus Dance Projects. It was a good time. What is one thing you will never take for granted again post Covid? MC: For sure, my health. 100% IK: Proximity to my friends and family and the side conversations at the office. Would you do it all again if given the same professional opportunities? MC: I would do it exactly the same. IK: That’s exactly my answer too. I have zero regrets. I’d be happy to come back again and do it all the same. To learn more about Theatre Passe Muraille and its upcoming season, visit www.passemuraille.ca . You can also visit the Facebook page: @TheatrePasseMuraille and Twitter: @beyondwallsTPM. Previous Next
- Dance 'Liminal' by Throwdown Collective
Back 'Liminal' by Throwdown Collective World Premiere presented by DanceWorks Courtesy of DanceWorks web page Guest writer Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, arts educator Toronto’s DanceWorks started 2023 with an interesting, visually appealing and esoteric tale of change and evolution conceived and performed by a superbly disciplined trio of artists from the Throwdown Collective. I’ve always marvelled at modern dance and how choreographers and dancers can tell a myriad of narratives, apparently abandoning the confines of classic technique and randomly shaping their bodies, leaping, writhing, running and stretching to tell a subtle, off-beat tale. Such is the approach to Throwdown Collective’s “Liminal”. The program states the piece, “examines time and perception with theatrical imagery and dynamic physicality”. This performance certainly showcased theatrical imagery and dynamic physicality, but I was often puzzled. Don’t get me wrong, this 60-minute performance, which I would call more movement than actual dance, was created and performed by three extremely gifted artists – Mairéad Filgate, Zhenya Cerneacov, and Brodie Stevenson. Their enormous dedication, skill and herculean physical control are a sight to behold. They lift each other, fall into each other’s arms, run, roll, embrace, convulse, pulsate, gyrate, snap, and even tie a necktie in trilateral unison. Though the messaging often had my companion and me scratching our heads, the individual investment of these artists in the work was ultra-impressive. Performed in a black-box style space, David J. Patrick’s and Great Lakes Scenic Studios provided a small portable revolving stage. Narrow shafts of pre-show light beamed through clouds of ethereal smoke projecting two rotating and intersecting vertical lines centre stage. Haphazardly strewn about the stage were men’s shoes, shirts pants, and brightly-coloured rumpled suits, and ties (courtesy of costume designer Sorcha Gibson) that seemed to have spilled out of a laundry bag as someone was running to the cleaners. The performers entered wearing only their undergarments, equally spaced themselves on the revolving floor and proceeded to dress in slow motion. They jumped on and off the revolving stage, undressed and dressed again, connected, hugged each other, fought each other, folded, unfolded, in almost complete silence. Mute madness and mayhem? I wanted more human sound to help me connect. This transcendent compendium was supported by a fabulous original score by Joshua Van Tassel. His eerie drones, clanging phrases and pugnacious percussive underscored the roller-coaster of activity on the whirling wheel. From hard-hitting jabs to a single heartbeat, his choices here were spot-on. Lighting designer Arun Srinivasan once again shows us his brilliance in illuminating a space. I’ve recently seen other shows designed by this Lord of Light and he never fails to impress. His wonderful use of specials, motion gobos, and pattern projections combined with colourful side lights and narrow steep beams from above created equal parts mystery and psychedelia. Brava! It was a full house at this final performance with query and conversations abounding at the post-show reception. Throwdown Collective has created a buzz in Toronto’s theatre scene. Their work is unexpected but thoughtful. Even though I wasn’t always sure the meaning of what I was watching, it was executed brilliantly! Previous Next
- Dramas ‘Gloria’
Back ‘Gloria’ An ARC Production in Association with Toronto’s Crow’s Theatre Jeremy Mimnagh Joe Szekeres Magnificent. A must see For actor Andre Sills’ directorial debut, he searched for a play that would inspire him, would challenge him, and would drive him as if he was in the production himself. He wanted to get back to telling the truth in stories, and not harbour any fear in showing the world as it really and truly is to others. He certainly made an extremely wise choice in the selection of Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins’ satirical ‘Gloria’ to achieve his goal. In a conversation I held with the engaging actor a few weeks ago, Sills commented that it is the writing, the echoes, the wit, and the questions that drew him to the play. For me, ‘Gloria’ became all this and even more. It was an ‘edge of my seat’ remarkably exciting ensemble ‘dark comedy’ of office politics and behaviour performed by exceptional actors who kept me riveted for the two hours. I usually bring a book in which to write notes during the performance, but I closed it and put the pen away as I did not want my attention diverted from this extraordinary production where I heard myself gasp at least twice because I wasn’t expecting what occurred in front of me. We are in a Manhattan magazine office of ‘Culture Now’. At least that’s what I was led to believe as there are posters and artwork on the walls of the playing space with this title. We are then introduced to the denizens of this office who, by all accounts superficially, are far from professional at least from my understanding of working thirty-three years in the field of Catholic education. These office workers in ‘Gloria’ are very unhappy people who dream of something else for themselves, and whether they are successful becomes part of the unfolding plot. The previous night before there was a party held at the home of the office weirdo Gloria (Deborah Drakeford) who appears sporadically throughout the first act and is acting rather strangely in front of everyone before she disappears. Ms. Drakeford also plays office manager Nan. Most in the office either forgot or did not attend the party except Dean (Nabil Traboulsi), Nan’s assistant, who stumbles in hungover from the night before at Gloria’s place. We are also introduced to the office intern, Miles (Savion Roach) who is finishing his last day. During his internship as part of his degree program, Miles has become the ‘Joe job gopher’ for everyone else. The selfish and ungrateful worker who spends more time away from her desk Kendra (Athena Kaitlin Trinh) at times becomes that one person in the office whom everyone despises and wonders why she hasn’t been turfed out. From her vantage point, receptionist Ani (Jonelle Gunderson) has the perfect vantage view of everything. Just slightly down the hall we also meet the harried fact check checker for the magazine Lorin (Carlos González-Vio) who comes rushing on when the noise level gets extremely loud, and he can’t concentrate because he is checking the facts for all the articles. Jackie Chau’s open set design sharply incorporated various angles, three walls and designs to open the playing space. The single desks nicely worked as cubicles. The overhanging fluorescent tubing lights which hum, fade, and burn out periodically become a select example of pathetic fallacy. (Hopefully you’ll remember your high school English lesson terminology). Christopher Stanton’s sound design and composition remain clearly sharp especially his composition of ‘Glitter Witch’. Jonelle Sills’ solo soprano vocals near the end of the production hauntingly remained with me as I exited the auditorium. Chris Malkowski’s lighting design cleanly highlights the action of the stage. At one moment, I was so taken with the shadowed lighting on Savion Roach as he cleans both the windows and the countertop all in stylized slow motion while never upstaging the conversation between Drakeford and Gunderson. Sills’ vision for the play as director becomes sharply delineated. He holds a mirror up to all of us in the audience and wants to see how humans really do behave and makes us question why we behave in the manner we do, sometimes wittingly, sometimes humorously, and sometimes ghastly. This highly acclaimed ensemble of actors reached the bar Sills set high for this production and told the story unabashedly without any fear whatsoever. To experience its truth, its pathos, its wit, its bravado, its bravery, and its clarity in enlightenment, I strongly encourage you to see this ‘Gloria’ and experience it firsthand yourselves personally. Final Comments: ‘Enthralling and gripping, this ‘Gloria’ with its passionate and provoking storyline is one that needs to be discussed after the curtain comes down. Magnificent.” Running time: approximately 2 hours with one intermission Production runs to March 20 in the Guloien Theatre, at Crows, 345 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto. For tickets call the Box Office (647) 341-7398 or visit www.crowstheatre.com . Performers: Deborah Drakeford, Carolos González-Vio, Jonelle Gunderson, Savion Roach, Nabil Traboulsi, Athena Kaitlin Trinh GLORIA by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins An Arc Production in Association with Crow’s Theatre Director: Andre Sills Assistant Director and Stage Manager: Tamara Vuckovic Producer: Paolo Santalucia Associate Producer: Rob Kempson Production Manager & Technical Director: Holly Hilts Set and Costume Designer: Jackie Chau Lighting Designer: Chris Malkowski Sound Designer and Composer: Christopher Stanton Fight Director: Daniel Levinson Previous Next
- Musicals 'Something Rotten!'
Back 'Something Rotten!' Now onstage at the Festival Theatre, The Stratford Festival, 55 Queen Street. Ann Baggley Guest writer Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, arts educator, adjudicator VOICE CHOICE “Something Rotten! is something spectacular! All hail the return of Donna Feore!” This week celebrates the launch of the Stratford Festival’s 72nd season offering 10 plays and two musicals. One of these musicals is “Something Rotten!” and it’s miles from its namesake. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a more entertaining and spectacularly performed musical at North America’s largest repertory company. Director and choreographer Donna Feore, whose hiatus last season was keenly noticed, has returned with another song-and-dance extravaganza that had its opening audience on its feet twice to wildly approve of the antics and breathtaking, electric choreography from a cast of incomparable triple threats. Donna Feore is Broadway-gold! Critics and artists have celebrated her work worldwide and she’s back in top form. I didn’t think it was possible to enjoy a musical more after experiencing her 2022 runaway hit, “Chicago”. But a packed opening night performance sent the term, “musical comedy” to knee-slapping, guffaw-filled new heights. What’s more, no one seems to have heard of this fractured and fresh send up of history’s most iconic playwright. “Something Rotten!” is an irreverent telling of two racy, raucous rivals of Renaissance rock star, William Shakespeare! It debuted on Broadway on April 22, 2015 and was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Curiously, it closed not two years later after only 742 performances. It deserved a much longer run! The Bottom brothers, Nick (Mark Uhre) and Nigel (Henry Firmston), are two struggling playwrights in Tudor London. They’ve just written their new history play, ‘Richard ll’, a work they’re convinced will propel them to new heights of fame and fortune. They soon realize that celebrated playwright and actor Will Shakespeare (Jeff Lillico) has put quill to parchment and crafted his own hit version of the troubled monarch’s reign. Broke and defeated, and desperate for new ideas for a hit play, Nick Bottom seeks out a soothsayer by the name of Thomas Nostradamus, nephew of history’s famous French forecaster (a deliciously over-the-top Dan Chameroy), who predicts the future’s bold, new theatrical genre: the musical! After hearing of this next big thing that hasn’t happened yet, where actors inexplicably break out into song and bust a move or two…or three, Nick is convinced he will conceive and perform the next million-pound hit. So begins a saucy and silly send-up of the Bard, today’s musical theatre phenoms and celebrity culture. There’s something for everyone in this brilliant production. Stratford is a place as renowned for its musicals as it is for its Shakespeare productions. Director and choreographer Feore has ingeniously mashed the two up to create something outrageously irresistible. She has assembled a cast of 24 extraordinarily talented singers, dancers and actors and once again shows how adept she is at re-imagining entire productions to meet and maximize the demands of the Festival theatre’s thrust stage. Her imaginative staging is spot-on, weaving fast-paced storytelling through thrilling, athletic dance that this more than capable cast is totally up for. With Feore you can expect something you’ve never seen before, something that will surprise and delight you. Feore’s Tudor take on the Bard is bombastic and breathtaking! Please don’t let her leave us again, Stratford! As the loathsome down-on-their-luck brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom, Uber-talented Mark Uhre and Henry Firmston play their sibling rivalry with aplomb. Uhre plays Nick as the sour, frustrated artist just wanting to write a hit play, get rich quick and be a superstar. He’s a singing and dancing triple threat, a gem to watch. No surprise as he had a recent Broadway stint in ‘Les Miserables’. By contrast Firmston as Nigel brings a fresh youthfulness to the quieter, more sensible and creative playwright, with his eye on the prize while finding love with the local Puritan damsel Portia (a captivating Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane). His voice is clear as a bell and his chemistry with love-interest with Portia is palpable and charming. Jeff Lillico’s Will Shakespeare is hamming it up with his rock-star swagger, seething matinee-idol stardom and cocky pretention. His first number, “Will Power” nicely sets up the narcissist superstar. The girls love him, the boys want to be like him. He’s a curious cross between Jack Sparrow and Freddie Mercury. My only minor quip here is that I wanted him to have more fun playing up the rock star persona. Lillico is extremely talented (with a spot-on British accent) and I’m sure he’ll settle into the role as the run progresses. Stratford favourite and musical comedy veteran Dan Chameroy is at his hilarious best as Thomas Nostradamus, the loony soothsayer who almost sees the future perfectly. His campy, over-the-top scenery chewing is comedy gold. His timing, characterization and vocal chops are in perfect sync. The show-stopping standing ovation after his big number, “A Musical” confirms his reputation as a Festival favourite. Other veteran favourites are along for this wild ride through the Renaissance. As Portia’s father, the pompous and pontificating Puritan Brother Jeremiah, Juan Chioran is taking himself none too seriously strutting and spewing his disapproval of all things theatrical while Steve Ross has a small but memorable role as Shylock, the moneylender who loves theatre. Ross’ loveable portrayal harkens back to his heartwarming performance as Amos in “Chicago” a couple seasons back. Honourable mentions must go to the excellent supporting performances by Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah as Lady Clapham, the Bottom’s patron of the arts and Starr Domingue as Bea Bottom, Nick’s caring but headstrong wife. Kudos to the entire Ladies of the Renaissance and The Bard Boys, Will’s backup dancers, gyrating and writhing in sexy unison. These supporting players weren’t just ensemble dancers but invested actors portraying characters with dimension and focus. Something rarely seen in musical comedy. The entire cast was focussed on one mission – to entertain. Mission accomplished. Set and costumes by Michael Gianfrancesco are medieval period to the max. Authentic velvet dresses, ornately embroidered capes, britches, doublets, codpieces and frilly collars with a splash of leather, studs, top hats, leotards and high heels. Told you it’s a mash up. The set is simple and functional on two levels evoking Tudor timbers and wooden scaffolds. Musical director Laura Burton deftly directs her fabulous orchestra through Wayne and Karey Kirkpatrick’s quirky and eclectic score while lighting designer Bonnie Beecher’s impossibly replicates medieval lighting centuries before electricity before bathing the set with rock concert LEDs. Another crazy mashup. A huge shout out to stage manager Cynthia Toushan and her team of nine dressers and assistants. With 275 costumes, changes are impossibly fast. Actors seem to come and go in completely different garb in what seems like seconds. With an entirely different production going on backstage, no change is longer than 90 seconds. One marvels at the Herculean efforts of the backstage crew needed to pull this off nightly. If you’re not a fan of musicals or Shakespeare, you owe it to yourself to see this brilliant and innovative satire of both. I can’t remember the last time I had so much rollicking fun at the theatre. “Something Rotten” is pure escapist entertainment. It’s hilarious, witty, filled with kitschy dialogue, clever jokes, catchy songs and WAY over-the-top characters that you’ll instantly fall in love with. You’ll laugh so hard your sides will split and your feet will be numb from non-stop tapping. ‘Something Rotten’ is something wonderful and don’t we all need a little wonderful in our lives? Running time: approximately 2 hours and 35 minutes with one interval. ‘Something Rotten!’ runs until October 27 at the Festival Theatre, 55 Queen Street, Stratford. For tickets: 1-800-567-1600 or visit www.stratfordfestival.ca ‘Something Rotten’ BOOK BY KAREY KIRKPATRICK AND JOHN O'FARRELL MUSIC AND LYRICS BY WAYNE KIRKPATRICK AND KAREY KIRKPATRICK CONCEIVED BY KAREY KIRKPATRICK AND WAYNE KIRKPATRICK DIRECTED BY DONNA FEORE CHOREOGRAPHED BY DONNA FEORE Previous Next
- Musicals 'Little Shop of Horrors' Music by Alan Menkin. Book and Lyrics by Howard Ashman. Directed by Rob Kempson
Back 'Little Shop of Horrors' Music by Alan Menkin. Book and Lyrics by Howard Ashman. Directed by Rob Kempson Now onstage until September 3 at Port Hope's Capitol Theatre Credit: Sam Moffatt. Pictured L-R: Joel Cumber as the Puppeteer and Amir Haidar as Seymour Guest writer Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, arts educator “Little Shop of Horrors” is a hot super shrub of a show. It’s Big. Bright. Silly. Sad. Schlocky. Nutty. Take a particular man-eating plant bent on human destruction, mix in a nerdy flower shop worker, his self-conscious, dreamer of a co-worker, a manic dentist, three harmonious street urchins, and a toe-tapping Motown-inspired score, and you’ve got yourself a crowd-pleasing Broadway classic at the Capitol Theatre in beautiful Port Hope. “Little Shop of Horrors” is a hot super shrub of a show and delighted fans with its mix of dynamite vocals, clever choreography, and prodigious performances—a hugely enjoyable summer evening of musical theatre. Because of its small cast, “Little Shop” has become popular with community theatre, schools, and other amateur groups. Artistic director Rob Kempson’s professional treatment soars this show to new heights. He has assembled some of the finest performers, designers and technicians from Toronto, Stratford, and Broadway for his version of this genially gruesome classic. His inspired vision and tight direction keep the pace of the show flowing. His press package promises to be the “biggest summer show” at the Capitol. It’s a promise he’s on track to keep. If you’re unfamiliar with this horror, comedy, rock musical or are one of the few who haven’t seen the 1986 feature film (itself based on Roger Corman’s 1960 cult film), the show centres around Seymour Krelborn (Amir Haidar), a poor young man and orphan living in an urban skid row. Audrey (Tahirih Vejdani) is a pretty gal whose fashion sense leans towards tacky. They’re co-workers at a run-down flower shop owned and operated by the cranky Mr. Mushnik (Tyler Murree). After a sudden eclipse of the sun, Seymour finds a mysterious plant that looks like a giant Venus flytrap. Seymour is secretly in love with Audrey, but she doesn’t seem to notice, so he names the plant Audrey ll to capture her attention. It does - and everyone else’s. This production doesn’t have the scares or plethora of guts and gore from its original Broadway iteration, but it’s every bit as campy if more sweet and sugary. This isn’t a bad thing. This is a family-friendly show with “planty” to keep the younger set laughing and clapping. The two little girls sitting in front of me were proof positive. Visually, it’s beautiful, starting with Brandon Kleiman’s brilliant, forced perspective tenement block. A colour scheme of bright primary colours and a severely angled door stoop (and garbage can!) is unconventionally quirky. The walls open like a giant storybook to reveal the interior of Mushnik’s struggling flower shop. It’s roomy and minimalist, but I wanted more evidence that it’s a struggling business. The walls and sign, “Mushnik’s Flowers,” seemed too fresh, clean, and bright from where I was sitting. Though ingenious in design, the set seems a tad too big for the Capitol’s stage. Scenes on stage left, right, and downstage seem crowded and confined. Lighting by designer Michelle Ramsay nicely enhances the set with colourful gels, adding texture and mood with subtle window gobos and breakup patterns. Costumes by Joshua Quinlan add authenticity to the swinging 60s era, although Orin’s red leather jacket seems at odds with his narcissistic persona of a sadistic greaser. Sarah Kolody’s props mainly were spot on, though Orin’s portable gas mask and Seymour’s snub-nosed revolver looked like flimsy plastic toys from my vantage point in the 6th row. Genny Sermonia’s high-energy do-wap choreography is right on the money, high energy and period specific, starting with the delightful number “Little Shop of Horrors” and never lets up! Musical director Jeff Newberry and his band are perched atop the tenement set and accompany the vocalists wonderfully, although sometimes the band was too heavy to hear lyrics. Even the last-minute addition of a borrowed keyboard, due to a power failure earlier in the evening that took out their original, couldn’t keep this cadre of musicians from happily delivering Alan Menken’s (Little Mermaid) terrific score. The cast worked hard making sure we had a great time on opening night! As klutzy nerd Seymour, Amir Haidar has a pleasant enough voice and a good enough handle on his character. However, I wanted to see a more distinct transition in his journey from schlubby store clerk to reluctant, murderous psychopath. As Audrey, Tahirih Vejdani plays the confidence-challenged damsel with an abusive boyfriend with equal parts charm and chintz. Despite struggling with a barely-there Bronx accent, she's in excellent voice and performs a flawless, emotionally grounded rendering of “Somewhere That’s Green.” More excellent voices (and moves!) come from the fabulous Chiffon, Crystal and Ronnette played by Taylor Lovelace, Michelle Yu, and Sierra Holder respectively. These gals appear in almost every song, acting as narrators or “Greek Chorus.” This trio of highly talented young ladies have incomparable synchronicity, heavenly harmonies, and girl power attitude to spare. Phenomenal! A highlight! As the sadistic dentist Orin, Michael De Rose is unapologetically scene-stealing. He’s manic, loud, and brazen - mugging, gyrating and chewing the scenery in this and other roles. Mirvish and Broadway veteran Tyler Murree is thoroughly entertaining as the unsympathetic but loveable Mr. Mushnik. His impressive tango-inspired duet with Seymour in “Mushnik and Son” is a hoot and reveals he’s remarkably light on his feet. As the voice of Audrey ll, Chris Tsujiuchi channels his inner Chuck Berry/Barry White. While his singing voice is bang-on, his speaking voice curiously lacks the same resonance. Kudos to Joel Cumber for doing double duty as an over-the-top store customer and gonzo puppeteer for the large Audrey ll, manipulating that gulping, carnivorous maw with hungry aplomb. “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Capitol is a gas. Big. Bright. Silly. Sad. Schlocky. Nutty. A feel-good show with a dark side that doesn’t take itself too seriously. This is the musical comedy our climate-denying age requires. Who knows? You may be rooting for the murderous shrub by the show's end. Running time: approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes with one intermission. ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ runs until September 3 at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre, 20 Queen Street. For tickets, call the Box Office at (905) 885-1071 or visit: https://capitoltheatre.com/events/little-shop-of-horrors-2023-08-17-800-pm/ Previous Next
- Dramas 'The House of Bernarda Alba' by Federico Garcia Lorca
Back 'The House of Bernarda Alba' by Federico Garcia Lorca Presented by Aluna Theatre and Modern Times Stage Company John Lauener Dave Rabjohn ‘The House of Bernarda Alba,’ now playing at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, is a fiercely powerful production from the great poet and dramatist Federico Lorca. Lorca writes with primitive earthy zest and often uses folk tales and ballads from his native Andalusia. As a poet first, Lorca’s play is brimming with imagery and potent language which the director, Solheil Parsa embraces with vigour. This cast is stocked with talent and one would assume correctly that the title character Bernarda Alba, played by Beatriz Pizano, is the formidable actor. However, her extraordinary performance is equally matched by the dynamic work of Rhoma Spencer who plays the fiery maid Poncia. Upon the death of Bernarda’s second husband, she demands years of mourning from her five tortured daughters. They have been submitted to years of rule and cruel manipulation from their mother who denies them the colour of the outside world and the passion of outside relationships. Ms. Pizano’s unrelenting voice of anger fills the theatre. Her dark flashing eyes help to choreograph the daughters as Von Trapp-like children. She makes superb use of a walking cane that sparkles with brass and punctuates with regal knocks on the floor. As mentioned, Ms. Spencer plays the formidable role of Poncia, who acts as muse and confidante to Bernarda. She is also Bernarda’s conscience - much like a Shakespearean fool, who we know is not a fool at all. Poncia is also a bridge between the mother and daughters and the dueling daughters themselves. Her performance ranges from quiet anger to amusing comic effect. Her movements are all angular with boldly rolling hips and arrogant shoulders. She sometimes hides beneath the role of meek housemaid, but more often rails against Bernarda’s injustice, coming within inches of Bernarda’s anger, and the cane. At one point from Poncia, a simple “mm” is full of weight. The oldest half-sister, Angustias, is played by a smoldering Lara Arabian who is engaged to the spirited Pepe. The sisters are jealous, none more so than Martirio, played by Liz Dar, who uses a sour face to perfection. The tension in her face is subtle at first and then explodes in raging self promotion. But it is Nyiri Karakas, as Adela, who is most rebellious of all. She refuses traditional mourning and has been discovered to have an affair with her sister’s fiancé. Teamed with Ms. Dar, the two offer a wealth of talent as they match each other’s characters with seething anger and unrelenting savage dialogue. Finally, Bernarda takes matters into her own hands which ignites the tragic end for the sisters. As a poet, Lorca fills the play with imagery of passion, lust, and bloody despair. While the frustrated daughters watch the men working in the fields, we hear of wild stallions kicking their stalls and horses running free. One potent scene has the girls following the song of working men into a crescendo of orgasmic tension. Another powerful scene follows the horror of the daughters as they witness the bloody torture of a young unmarried girl accused of killing her illegitimate child. The motif of eyes and eyesight depicts Bernarda’s control over her daughters and defines Poncia’s skills in observation. At one point, Poncia proclaims, “my whole body is full of eyes – I watch.” In the end, Bernarda wants no tears. A separate mention goes to Thomas Ryder Payne for an extraordinary sound design – funereal bells almost pound us into submission as directed by Bernarda. In the two scenes just mentioned, the sound rises and falls dramatically with the horrors of each scene. Booming knocks on the door reflect the challenge from the outside world. Lorca’s work dwells on the conflict of generational divides and the problems of conformity. He was murdered at the age of thirty-six by Franco’s army due to his homosexuality. This luminous cast has embraced the challenge of Lorca’s beautiful lyricism and demonstrated the bitterness of a house of pride. ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’ by Federico Garcia Lorca Director – Soheil Parsa Performers – Beatriz Pizano, Lara Arabian, Theresa Cutknife, Liz Der, Soo Garay, Nyiri Karakas, Monica Rodriguez Knox, Rhoma Spencer Lighting/Set design – Trevor Schwellnus Sound design – Thomas Ryder Payne Performances run through April 24, 2022. Tickets – buddiesinbadtimes.com Previous Next
- Comedies 'The Miser' by Moliere in a new version by Ranjit Bolt
Back 'The Miser' by Moliere in a new version by Ranjit Bolt The Festival Theatre, Stratford Festival The Festival Theatre, Stratford Festival Joe Szekeres Ranjit Bolt’s new version of a Moliere classic begets great fun while never venturing into the silly. In this return to live theatre after a two-plus year absence, I’ve seen some new versions of classic tales this summer. Currently, Stratford stages a diverse cast of ‘Little Women. Last week, I saw a new version of the story of ‘Cyrano’ adapted and directed by emerging theatre artist Liam Lynch and produced by Theatre on the Ridge in Port Perry. This afternoon I revisited a classic French farce that skewers our obsession with money, power, control, and all it entails. Ranjit Bolt’s new version of Moliere’s ‘The Miser’ quickly grabbed my attention at the top of the show while never bordering on the silly throughout where I could have begun to lose interest in the ensuing plot. The modern Ontario/Canadian references refreshingly appeal to the diverse tastes of a twenty-first-century audience (although American audiences may not get some of them). Jabs at the ‘woke’ crowd, digs at the current turmoil within the federal Progressive Conservative party and hearing Colm Feore drop the ‘f bomb’ were just three examples which evoked much laughter from this afternoon’s audience. Could a production like this ‘Miser’ be the hook to get young people to want to study the French language and perhaps see a production in its original form? Is this too much to ask? I certainly hope not. We are in a darkened room of what looks to be a hoarder’s junk collection of various bric-a-brac items that have no connection to each other. There was a mounted deer head and an old black and white 60s-looking television set that still worked. At one point, I was also reminded of the Norma Desmond mansion on Sunset Blvd. In any event, this is the home of Harper who revels in this space thanks to Designer Julie Fox’s careful management in the suggestion of everything appearing crowded while just slightly bordering on the suffocating claustrophobia of having collected too much ‘stuff’. Steven Page’s musical compositions and Adrienne Gould’s choreography splendidly bring this comedy to its fitting conclusion in the same manner as Shakespearean comedies. Some of the actors in the final dance piece can certainly strut their stuff and look as if they’re having a hell of a good time on stage. And that certainly made me feel like I had spent an enjoyable afternoon at the theatre. During my undergraduate years, I never studied the French play ‘L’Avare’ (The Miser), but I do recall remembering plot elements in some of my other French classes. A reminder once again, Ranjit Bolt has adapted a new version: Eleanor (Alexandra Lainfiesta) and Charlie (Qasim Khan) are the adult offspring of wealthy widower Harper (Colm Feore), a tyrannical cheapskate obsessed with protecting the large sum of money he has amassed. The children have fallen in love – Eleanor with Harper’s butler Victor (Jamie Mac) and Charlie with the beautiful but not too wealthy Marianne (Beck Lloyd) who lives with her ailing, elderly unseen mother. Both Eleanor and Charlie fear that marrying for love will cost them their large inheritance left to them by their uncle, but Harper is the sole trustee of these finances. While Eleanor and Charlie attempt to speak to their father about the subject of their inheritance, Harper announces he has hired matchmaker Fay (Lucy Peacock) to find him a second wife. We learn that the object of Harper’s devotion and affection is Marianne which sends Charlie into a tailspin of emotions. Meanwhile, we also learn that Harper has selected his aging but well-financially established older friend, Arthur Edgerton (David Collins) as Eleanor’s future husband. A dinner party in the evening planned by Harper for Marianne and Arthur opens a further delightful plot twist that kept me smiling in watching the controlled melee of action in the characters’ quick entrances and exits. Director Antoni Cimolino maintains control over the whirling plot action and never allows it to veer wildly around. As the miserly protagonist Harper, a lanky Colm Feore with long flowing white hair just beyond his shoulders, and a skeleton-like appearance accentuated by his costumes, maneuvers interchangeably around the stage. At times Feore struts with a regal grace while at others his deflated pinpricked ego is equally matched in his body stance. While Feore dominates the stage at times in a larger-than-life approach, he inherently knows not to draw attention away from the others who finely demonstrate their comedic skills. Qasim Khan’s ‘Dan Levy’ Schitts Creek mannerisms are beautifully contrasted with Alexandra Lainfiesta’s confidant Eleanor who truly loves Victor, her father’s butler, Jamie Mac is a dashing Victor who consistently listens and responds naturally to the events around him. There are moments where Mac effectively uses his eyes in a reactionary manner that drew laughter from the audience. Beck Lloyd is a saucy and bold Marianne. I loved Lucy Peacock’s ‘gal on the prowl’ cougar-looking matchmaker, Fay, a cross between Marilyn Monroe and Golden Girls’ Blanche Devereaux. As Arthur Edgerton, David Collins’s appearance in the second act begins to ground the ensuing mayhem surrounding him on his entrance. Nevertheless, Collins momentarily amps up the comedy of the moment in a matter-of-fact manner which becomes an extremely surprising turn of events in the plot. Final Comments: This ‘Miser’ becomes wickedly satirical and great fun while subtly making me aware of what is most important in life. How much money do we really need to be comfortable and happy in our lives? However…. I really thought how clever it was on Cimolino’s part to keep this last glimpse of the play alive. Thanks to Lorenzo Savoini's terrific lighting design, Feore holds a wad of bills and it appears he is stroking his chin and cheek with what has made him happy in his life. This image is one that can be discussed over coffee or drinks. Has Harper truly learned his lesson? You’ll have to see this ‘Miser’ for yourself to answer that question. ‘The Miser’ runs to October 29 at The Festival Theatre, 55 Queen Street, Stratford. For tickets, visit stratfordfestival.ca or call 1-800-567-1600. THE MISER by Moliere in a new version by Ranjit Bolt Director: Antoni Cimolino Designer: Julie Fox Lighting Designer: Lorenzo Savoini Composer: Steven Page Sound Designer: John Gzowski Choreographer: Adrienne Gould Performers: Hilary Adams, David Collins, Jakob Ehman, Colm Feore, Ron Kennell, Qasim Khan, John Kirkpatrick, Alexandra Lainfiesta, Beck Lloyd, Jamie Mac, Lucy Peacock, Steve Ross, Michael Spencer-Davis, Emilio Vieira, Hannah Wigglesworth Previous Next
- Dramas “First Métis Man of Odesa” by Matthew Mackenzie and Mariya Khomutova
Back “First Métis Man of Odesa” by Matthew Mackenzie and Mariya Khomutova Now onstage at Toronto's Distillery District in the Young Centre for the Performing Arts Credit: Dahlia Katz. Pictured: Matthew Mackenzie and Mariya Khomutova Guest reviewer Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, adjudicator, arts educator VOICE CHOICE “A wonder in its sheer simplicity.” Soulpepper Theatre, in the heart of Toronto’s Distillery district, hosted a wonderful evening celebrating all things Ukraine. Not only was a fantastic play on offer but an entire evening celebrating the heritage and crisis facing the Ukrainian people. The theatre’s atrium was transformed into the Odesa Bazaar replete with Ukrainian artists and artisans showcasing and selling their eclectic offerings of hand-crafted candles, stained glass, fine art, kids’ books, jewellery, beaded embroidery, charity organizations – all helping to raise funds and awareness for the plight of war-torn Ukrainian families. After the play, the audience was invited to remain for a post-show reception and experience Ukrainian Heritage Night, a free event celebrating authentic Ukrainian cuisine, music, and community. The Bazaar and Heritage Night were memorable bookends to a heartwarming play full of equal parts charm, wit, angst, tumult, and hope as a young couple captivatingly share their real-life love story set against the backdrop of the COVID pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “First Métis Man of Odesa” is a multi-Dora Mavor Moore award winner and was the most popular touring show in the country last year. It’s easy to see why. It’s relevant and engaging with an easily relatable narrative of the transcendent resilience of love defying the odds. Edmonton-Born Matt Mackenzie, a Métis playwright travelled from Canada to Ukraine to workshop one of his plays. Native-born Mariya Khomutova was one of the actors in that performance, and their romance blossomed between rehearsals and after shows. Together they recount their burgeoning romance, meeting the parents, getting married on the banks of the Black Sea, leaving Odesa for Edmonton, life in a new country, becoming parents, homesickness, relationships and what it means to be an artist in a time of crisis and what ultimately makes their bonds unbreakable. The play just works! It’s 90 uninterrupted minutes of pure joy and unencumbered vulnerability. Not only are the performers instantly likeable, but their storytelling is superb, their chemistry as a real-life couple undeniable! Many of the best scenes in the show are so deeply improbable (early conversations, dates, and marriage ceremony) or so straightforwardly honest (travelling during COVID, pregnancy, war), one wouldn’t believe it as a work of fiction; but as the true stories they are, they triumph. The simple set - a theatre within a theatre, with dramatic red curtains and glorious textiles inspired by Khomutova’s Ukrainian and MacKenzie’s Métis heritage — is perfect. Their stories are told with the help of two white chairs, a creative testament to director Lianna Makuch’s considerable talent. Matthew Mackenzie, Artistic Director of Punctuate! Theatre, an average guy in conservative grey pants and shirt, proclaims before the show begins that he’s not an actor, but a playwright as if apologizing upfront that we weren’t getting an experienced performer, rather someone making his acting debut! Despite his disclaimer he was thoroughly delightful and authentic. He has wonderful comic timing, heart-felt sympathy, good physicality, and a clear connection to his scene partner. Isn’t that what every actor strives for? He’s a natural. Mariya Khomutova is absolutely lovely as Matthew’s life partner. In simple grey skirt and blouse, she’s very much at home on the stage. Like Matthew, I found it difficult to think of her as an “actor”, so natural an unforced is her performance. She fully utilizes her excellent vocals and engaging storytelling ability with a twinkle in her eye and more than a few loving gazes to Matthew. Khomutova and MacKenzie are experts at drawing the humour out of every possible moment, building their stories around the most incongruous of details and adding to each other’s lines with perfectly timed bits of banter. They are each other’s perfect foil and perfect partner. But it’s Lianna Makuch’s inspired, respectful, and innovative directing that catapult this production skyward. She makes the most out of the minimalist set and brilliantly creates vivid images by simply changing the positions of the two chairs. Angled to the left and Matt and Mariya are having their first date, to the right, we’re meeting their unseen parents for the first time. When the chair is toppled it becomes Mariya’s hiding place in the rubble of a war-ravaged town, then the handlebars on a bicycle. Every part of the stage is used to full effect, we never doubting where we are or how we should feel. Her clever use of the moveable centre upstage column and suspended panels is sheer brilliance. Incredibly, this is her directorial debut. I see a very bright future for this emerging artist and storyteller. A production’s sound design needs to enhance each scene with appropriate music and sound, enhancing mood and crating auditory “images”. Edmonton’s award-winning composer and sound designer Aaron Macri’s and audiovisual group Daraba, work incredibly immersive magic. Daraba’s original scores and stings are wonderfully thematic while Macri’s ethereal drones and sound effects guide us from the joy of a beach wedding to a Russian attack on Mariupol, from airports to baby cribs. Soft and innocuous and booming and intrusive as the scene required. This team’s wonderfully understated work provides maximum impact. Projections has always been a bit dubious for me. I’ve seen them used to dreadful effect, washing out actors' faces, or being too washed out to see the images being projected. However, they can also be used very effectively to provide context, location, and mood. Amelia Scott’s vivid lighting and projection design is proof positive of the power of simplicity. Rather than projecting solely onto a back wall, Scott creates depth and dimension by projecting video images and animations simultaneously onto the arched proscenium resulting in an immersive tapestry that, like the music and sound, beautifully enhances but never distracts. We are taken to dozens of locations across years and continents in brilliant detail. Lighting design utilizes rich colours, shades of grey, a couple of spots ensuring that there wasn’t an inch of the stage in darkness when it wasn’t supposed to be. Kudos to the use of sharp geometric projections on the stage floor to denote the perimeter of a queen-sized bed. Dazzling! “First Métis Man of Odessa” is a wonder in its sheer simplicity. One wonders how, with the war raging on, this couple can expose these open wounds of grief, terror, and trauma to an audience of strangers every night. But their co-written script and the intensity of their shared performances make a bold statement; these moments are too important to forget, these stories too impossible not to share. Particularly laudable is the loving care with which the production team nurtured this narrative, lovingly elevating it to a story for our time. Khomutova and MacKenzie are resolved to return to Ukraine and perform this play in Odesa. On that remarkable day, their son Ivan will celebrate that his parents’ love story will have been told in both his homelands. Running time: 90 minutes with no intermission. Soulpepper and Punctuate! Theatre present “First Métis Man of Odessa” written and performed by Matthew Mackenzie and Mariya Khomutova. Directed by Lianna Makuch Previous Next
- Dramas 'Witness for the Prosecution' by Agatha Christie
Back 'Witness for the Prosecution' by Agatha Christie Now on stage at The Royal George Theatre, Niagara on the Lake until October 13. Courtesy of The Shaw Festival website Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, adjudicator, arts educator “The Shaw Festival bears witness to this fine film noir take on Agatha Christie’s courtroom whodunit, firmly planting tongue-in-cheek – and it’s terrific.” Agatha Christie’s plays are well known for their wordy dialogue, intricate plots, spurned lovers, murder, betrayal and double-cross. Most of her work was produced for mid-twentieth-century audiences with all the sentiments and attitudes of a bygone era. “Witness for the Prosecution” was a departure from her standard narrative of suspects congregating in an old home and acting all suspicious. Here, Christie adapted a 1925 short story, and the full-length version premiered in London in 1953. She had two other plays running simultaneously, “The Mousetrap” and “Spider’s Web,” making her the only female playwright to have three plays running simultaneously in the West End. A feat unbeaten to this day. Of course, “Witness” is chock full of dated stereotypes and melodramatic overtones. The Shaw Festival’s production brilliantly embraces the campiness, presenting this version as a film-noir homage to Billy Wilder’s 1957 classic big-screen thriller starring then-Hollywood heavyweights Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power and Marlene Dietrich. When I say brilliant, I mean that for half of the first act, you’re not sure whether to take things seriously or whether the laughs are intended. This is where director Alistair Newton adroitly gives his audiences the wink-wink, nudge-nudge. I’ll admit it confused me at first. Several scenes weren’t played as a send-up. The courtroom scenes are high drama. But then I realized that this smattering of melodrama signals that we can’t take this all too seriously, so why bother? His cast is serious about not taking themselves too seriously! The affable Leonard Vole (Andrew Lawrie) is being tried for the murder of a wealthy woman, and legendary lawyer Sir Wilfrid Robarts (Patrick Galligan) has chosen to represent him. Unfortunately, Leonard's alibi depends on the testimony of his aloof and sultry wife, Romaine (Marla McLean). Yes, Leonard has the motive, but did he do it? A series of puzzling revelations unfold. As the curtain rises, we’re in Robarts’ legal chambers, where EVERYTHING is, well, in black and white. Karyn McCallum’s striking monochromatic walls, furniture, props, and paintings make us feel like we’re in a 1950s movie. Ingenious! Even the fireplace flickers colourlessly. The same inspired grey-scale design is seen in the grandiose courtroom at the top of Act 2, garnering audience gasps and whispers. Judith Bowden’s spot-on 50’s costume design complements this monochromatic design with everyone wearing similar shades of grey, black and gauzy white. Only Romaine’s form-fitting ensembles pop with primary colours. As a further nod to the movie, sound and music designer Lyon Smith punctuates critical scenes with authentic jazzy, modernist music scores from the fifties. When sultry Romaine slinks on and offstage, she’s accompanied by smoky sax music and melodic vamps. Siobhán Sleath flawlessly recreates the era's film mood lighting. Her high-contrast positioning of light fixtures and extensive use of shadows and projections prove she’s aced the style of German expressionism that influenced an entire genre of filmmaking. But it’s Newton’s direction and dedicated cast that seriously sell the campy double-crosses and plot twists. Everyone is convincingly British – and European - with consistent and authentic accents, mostly. Many play multiple roles. As the meek Leonard Vole, Andrew Lawrie is thoroughly believable in his naivete. Still, his speedy and monotone (and sometimes quiet) line delivery in Act One bordered on tedious, though he did have beautiful moments in the courtroom scene in Act Three. As his wife Romaine, Marla McLean is having a grand time as the sultry femme fatale, strutting like a Paris fashion model, pausing for a wink or two to the audience. What a joy to see Shaw veterans doling out their considerable talents. Fiona Byrne has remarkable comedic subtlety as the busybody secretary Greta and Shawn Wright is more than up to the challenge of his dual roles of legal assistant Carter and pompous Judge Wainwright. Patrick Galligan as Leonard’s lawyer, Wilfred Roberts, and Graeme Somerville as prosecutor Myers shine in act two’s courtroom scene as they deftly trade melodramatic barbs and zingers. These gentlemen are exceptional, their dialogue and timing so well-rehearsed it seems like the first time they’ve spoken them. Kristopher Bowman makes a stoic solicitor as Mr. Mayhew, while Martin Happer swaggers on and off stage as the self-absorbed Inspector Hearne (looking every bit an American private dick sporting a floppy fedora and oversized trenchcoat). Lawrence Libor has much fun playing a side-kick detective, policeman and nerdy Thomas Clegg. Cheryl Mullings as Dr. Wyatt/Mrs. Barton testifies with a short speaking part, which deserved more expressive delivery, while Ryann Myers, as the Courtroom Clerk/The Other Woman, spoke far too quickly, rendering her almost unintelligible. Monica Parks shared this same lack of clarity as housekeeper Janet MacKenzie. Her thick, muddled accent made her nearly impossible to understand—a note to voice and dialect coach Jeffrey Simlett. This show is great fun, and thanks to director Newton’s light-hearted treatment, we forgive the cringe-worthy, misogynistic lines like, “Ungrateful beast, women!” and “If you were a woman, Miss Plimsoll, I would strike you.” He knows the show is dated and wants you to know it, too. He’s conceived a genius approach to making this aging classic accessible – and highly enjoyable - to a modern audience. Advertising for the 1957 movie version and this play pleads with audiences not to reveal the “shocking” ending. Today, it doesn’t have the shock it once had. It's more like smiling satisfaction. At the sold-out performance I attended, audiences were thrilled and rewarded the company with a standing ovation. If anyone can accuse Shaw of providing an entertaining, highly stylized and brilliantly imagined interpretation of a dusty Christie classic, I’d say guilty as charged! Running time: Running time, approx. 3 hours with two 15-minute intermissions. The production runs until October 13 at the Royal George Theatre, 85 Queen St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0. For tickets, call the Box Office at 1-800-511-7429 or visit shawfest.com The Shaw Festival Presents Agatha Christie’s “Witness for the Prosecution” Directed by Alistair Newton Set and Projections designed by Karyn McCallum Costumes designed by Judith Bowden Lighting designed by Siobhán Sleath Original Music and Sound designed by Lyon Smith Movement Direction by Alexis Milligan Performers: Kristopher Bowman, Fiona Byrne, Patrick Galligan, Martin Happer, Andrew Lawrie, Lynn Laywine, Larence Libor, Marla McLean, Cheryl Mullings, Ryann Myers, Monica Parks, Graeme Somerville, Shawn Wright Previous Next
- Musicals 'Jesus Christ Superstar' at Toronto's Princess of Wales Theatre
Back 'Jesus Christ Superstar' at Toronto's Princess of Wales Theatre The 50th Anniversary Tour Mirvish Site Joe Szekeres From a Catholic/Christian point of view, it might appear a tad incongruous to stage Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ during the Advent season in preparation for the celebration of Christmas and the birth of the Saviour. The musical is a loose Gospel retelling of how Jesus Christ spent the last week of his life as seen through the eyes of Judas, the betrayer. In 2018, Jonathan Merritt wrote in the Washington Post that: “Superstar” flopped when it debuted in Britain in 1970, and was banned by the BBC for being sacrilegious. When it hit Broadway the next year, the musical was widely criticized by Jews and Christians — as well as by Webber himself. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2018/04/02)) I can even recall a moment from the iconic 70s television show ‘All in the Family’ where Archie Bunker made a side swiping comment about making Jesus into a ‘Superstar’. From the same online article, Merritt also alluded to a comment Sir Andrew made regarding ‘Superstar’: “…(It) was really not an irreligious piece, as has been so often suggested. In its own way and in its own time, it was simply a work attempting to ask a couple of questions, the chief of which was stated by Bob Dylan some years ago: ‘Did Judas Iscariot have God on his side?’ (“https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2018/04/02) In a woke culture in which we now find ourselves where religion and faith might be cancelled or ignored, this production of ‘Superstar’ is not an irreligious piece as stated above. Instead, this 50th anniversary tour answers if Judas does have God on his side while providing some important context for audiences. I don’t want to spoil how it does, but the fact that it is done suggests this ‘Superstar’ is more than mere ‘fluff’ entertainment for the holidays. And that’s exactly what is accomplished on the Princess of Wales stage. And done quite well, I might add. Nearly flawless, but more about this in a moment. Every inch of space is utilized to maximum effect on this multi level set without appearing cramped. The orchestra is located on the top level where some of the actors suddenly and mysteriously appear when my attention was focused on another part of the stage. Slightly angled just off-centre stage is a runway in the shape of a crucifix (and yes, those who know the show are aware of how this runway will be used at the end). This runway also becomes the scene for the Last Supper. Upon hearing the astounding and soaring solo and choral vocal work along with Drew McOnie’s hypnotic, dazzling and ‘to die for’ choreography, this 50th anniversary production still packs an emotional wallop. The only slight quibble I did have was momentary unbalance of orchestra and singers in some of the songs. Even though I knew the lyrics, I put myself in the shoes of those who might be seeing JCS for the first time and could not hear some of the songs. Again, just a slight quibble if I had to get nit picky. I continue to marvel how ‘Superstar’ still stands on its two feet when placed in the hands of creative individuals who assuredly make it work. Lee Curran’s Lighting Design heightens so many poignant moments especially in The Garden of Gethsemane and in Judas’s Death. Without spoiling for future audiences, the lighting effect at the top of the show and at the closing between Jesus and Judas becomes mesmerizingly haunting. Director Timothy Sheader impressively keeps the production moving forward at a heart pumping pulse right to the jaw dropping emotional climax of the title song and the Crucifixion. The remarkably eye-catching prominent ensemble choreography in ‘What’s the Buzz’ is sensational and stunning to watch. From my seat, this tight knit ensemble impeccably worked as a single unit in hearing simultaneously the words and the music. Both The Last Supper and the 39 Lashes drew gasps from me for two dramatic tableaux moments. Absolutely stunning. The ensemble work becomes exquisitely breathtaking so many times but I’ll just mention here to pay attention to the staging of the title song and ‘The Temple’. Paul Louis Lessard’s Herod soundly provided a few seconds of comic relief in his song, but what worked tremendously well for me here was that tinge that something awful was still going to occur. As Pilate, Tommy Sherlock’s visceral turmoil in confronting the crowd in deciding if Jesus is to be crucified is terrific. Now for the triumvirate around whom this production centres. Jenna Rubaii’s Mary Magdalene divinely reaches inside of her very being in ‘I Don’t Know How to Love Him’ and ‘Could We Start Again, Please’ to showcase very real human emotions of care and selfless love. One may wonder why the character of Mary remains with the apostles with all sorts of speculation ensuing, but who cares? Rubaii creates an authentic person who reaches out to comfort the Saviour in his moments of tired weakness and vulnerability. Without going into specific details of what occurred before the Toronto stop Tyrone Huntley, who played Judas in the original 2016 production of Jesus Christ Superstar at London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, reprises his role as Judas until January 2, 2022. He will only join the touring company for the Toronto engagement of the show. Huntley’s exuberant tour de force performance as the anguished, bitter Judas remained palpably imbedded within my memory even a few days later. Stellar work, indeed. At the performance I saw, Pepe Nufrio (Jesus and Judas standby) delivered a sterling character portrayal of Jesus. Nufrio’s Jesus is not the blond-haired, blue-eyed persona we might see in modern photographs, but a man who (even though is exhausted and tired) remains firmly rooted and convicted in knowing who he is and what has been set out for him to do. Final Thoughts: Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to profile Aaron LaVigne who plays Jesus in this production. I asked him what message he hoped audiences would take away with them upon leaving the theatre. LaVigne’s response: “Hold a little bit more space for other people. Hold more space than you normally would for others.” This message radiated clarity for me upon seeing how Messrs. Huntley and Nufrio gaze at each other at the beginning and conclusion of the musical. Again, I don’t want to spoil it here for future audiences as I’m assuming the same occurs when Aaron LaVigne performs. One must see this live to understand it and experience it. Final Word: This ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ remains exhilarating and inspiring. A wonderful gift of live theatre to give someone this Christmas/holiday season. Approximate running time: 90 minutes with no intermission. Work Light Productions presents the Regent Park’s Theatre London Production of Jesus Christ Superstar 50th Anniversary Tour Lyrics by Tim Rice and Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber Directed by Timothy Sheader. Choreography y Drew McOnie Music Director/Conductor: Shawn Gough with North American Music Supervision by David Holcenberg Lighting Design by Lee Curran Co-Sound Design by Keith Caggiano and Nick Lidster Scenic Hair and Costume Design by Tom Scutt With Aaron LaVigne, Tyrone Huntley, Jenna Rubaii, Alvin Crawford, Tommy Sherlock, Tyce Green, Pepe Nufrio, Eric A. Lewis, Paul Louis Lessard, Tommy McDowell. David André, Sara Andreas, Cou8rtney Arango, Wesley J. Barnes, Milena J. Comeau, Lydia Ruth Dawson, Derek Ferguson, Brian Golub, Brittany Rose Hammond, Garfield Hammonds, Quiana Holmes, Darrell T. Joe, Sheila Jones, Jacob Lacopo, Danny McHugh, Jenny Mollet, Sarah Parker, Erick Patrick, SandyRedd, Cooper Stanton, Chelsea Williams Note: all remaining performances of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ from December 26 - January 2, 2022 at the Princess of Wales have been cancelled due to Covid infections backstage. Check the website for future productions. Previous Next
- Unique Pieces Article 'Wishful Seeing' by Maja Ardal based on the novel of the same name by Janet Kellough
Back 'Wishful Seeing' by Maja Ardal based on the novel of the same name by Janet Kellough World Premiere by 4th Line Theatre presented at the Winslow Farm, 779 Zion Line, Millbrook, Ontario Wayne Eardley, Brookside Studio Joe Szekeres There’s a lot going on in this stage adaptation of ‘Wishful Seeing’ so pay close attention. (Note: I have not read Janet Kellough’s novel of the same name so I’m unable to make any comparisons to the book. Kellough attended the opening night audience. Writer Maja Ardal was absent as she appears in Canadian Stage’s production of William Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’ in Toronto’s High Park.) On this very warm summer opening night evening world premiere, 4th Line Theatre took me back me back to pre-Confederation Canada. The time is 1853. Robert Winslow ably portrays saddlebag and troubled Methodist preacher Thaddeus Lewis who struggles in his relationship with God and his faith because of the death of his wife, Betsy, and their daughter. We also learn Lewis is an amateur detective who has helped to solve criminal cases in Toronto prior to his arrival to living and preaching in Cobourg. 4th Line’s website describes Wishful Seeing as: “a historical thriller with a colourful cast of characters.” That it is, but there’s more in this production which deserves attention and another look. For one, although some of these small-town folk may be colourful in their disposition, several are nosy and close-minded in their treatment of outsiders. Both Thaddeus and his granddaughter experience this behaviour, unfortunately. When the preacher stumbles upon a murder mystery on the shores of Rice Lake, the rumours start flying quickly around town. When resident Ellen Howell (solid work by Kait Dueck) is imprisoned for this murder, Lewis sets out to discover the truth of what happened so she can be freed. Lewis hires charming lawyer Townsend Ashby (Conor Ling) to help defend Ellen. Martha Renwell (Kate Bemrose), who has come to tend the house for Lewis, her grandfather, becomes smitten with Ashby and the feeling is reciprocated. On top of that, Lewis’s assistant James Small (Tavaree Daniel-Simms) is smitten with Martha. Lewis has also uncovered fraudulent activity and scheme regarding the construction of a railway line from Cobourg to Peterborough which included the construction of a trestle bridge south to north over Rice Lake. A very cool special effect occurs in the second act regarding this trestle bridge. Visually ‘Wishful Seeing’ did not disappoint in the slightest. Michael Nott’s primo set design and Emma Gray’s realistic-looking props never appear cramped. Korin Cormier’s costume designs splendidly reflect the mid-nineteenth-century style with their various shapes, textures, and colours. Justin Hiscox’s musical direction and original compositions finely underscore scene changes without overpowering. From my seat, there were moments far stage left where I couldn’t hear the lyrics to a couple of the songs. Hopefully, both Sound Designer Esther Vincent and Hiscox can rectify this sound issue quibble for future performances. Several characters effectively support Winslow’s work onstage. JD Nicholsen is a surly, gruff, and untrustworthy George Howell. Daughter Caroline, played by Rylee Dixon, remains sweetly demure amid the trouble that befalls her family. Kate Bemrose remains steadfast in her performance as Lewis’s granddaughter, Martha Renwell. She is a young woman who has no fear to leave the home her father has provided for her after her mother died to be of assistance to her grandfather. As Townsend Ashby, Conor Ling believably maintains that sense of something just does not seem right about this young, cocky lawyer. Supporting characters provided elements of humour throughout the production. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Madison Sheward’s delightfully stylized choreography in having the townspeople move set pieces in the scene changes. Mark Hiscox provided a great deal of laughter as Baptist minister Phineas Brown in his conversation with Thaddeus over the benefits of the baptism sprinkling versus full immersion in water. As Thaddeus’s yes-man pastoral assistant James Small, Tavaree Daniel-Simms’s initial boyishly young attraction to Martha Renwell is amusing while a tad sad because he realizes his awkwardness will not win her hand. The gossipy town ‘hens’ in Pott’s General Store made me smile because they remained firmly in the moment both in their dialogue delivery and in their listening to what others were saying. But I’m also puzzled with ‘Wishful Seeing’. Yes, this cast has worked extremely hard to present an interesting story which reflects the local history with applause to Artistic Director (and director of ‘Wishful Seeing’) Kim Blackwell for continuing to showcase the richness of this area and its historical significance. But is ‘Wishful Seeing’ a murder mystery or a send-up of life in small-town Ontario Pre-Confederation? I don’t know what to call Ardal’s play at this point as this delineation has not been made clear to me in this adaptation. The courtroom scenes are strong reminders this production is a murder mystery while the humourous moments of small-town, slice-of-life rural pre-Confederation Ontario are solid indicators we are to remember this about the production. Perhaps it’s time to read the book for further information. Final Comments: Is ‘Wishful Seeing’ just that? Worth seeing? Yes, it is, as Kim Blackwell has staged an enjoyable story of panoramic scope of visual treats and good performances. The opening night standing ovation remains proof enough that live theatre is back safely in the hands of 4th Line Theatre. Running time is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes with one 15-minute intermission. The production began sharply at 6 pm. so thank you for starting on time. ‘Wishful Seeing’ runs to August 27 at 4th Line Theatre at the Winslow Farm, 779 Zion Line, Millbrook Ontario. For tickets call 705-932-4445, 1-800-814-0055 or visit 4thlinetheatre.on.ca for further information. ‘Wishful Seeing’ by Maja Ardal. Based on the novel of the same name by Janet Kellough. Directed by Kim Blackwell Musical Direction & Original Composition by Justin Hiscox Costume Designer by Korin Cormier Choreography by Madison Sheward Sound Design by Esther Vincent Stage Management by Jess Gordon The Cast: Mohamed Abdullah, Nathan Avila, Kate Bemrose, Kaleigh E. Castell, Tavaree Daniel-Simms, Rylee Dixon, Kait Dueck, Naomi Duvall, Huseyin Halil, Justin Hiscox, Mark Hiscox, Conor Ling, Ian McGarrett, Megan Murphy, JD (Jack) Nicholsen, Julian Pawchuk, Ryan Tobin, Hilary Wear, Robert Winslow Previous Next
- Unique Pieces Article 'Sweeter' by Alicia Richardson
Back 'Sweeter' by Alicia Richardson Now onstage to December 17 at the Aki Studio, 585 Dundas Street East Credit: Foreshots Photography. Pictured: Daren Herbert as Ralph and Alicia Plummer as Sweet Pea Zoe Marin, Contributor “With the ongoing discourse about whether or not kids should learn about race in schools, ‘Sweeter’ proves that it’s not only necessary, but also doesn’t have to be difficult.” ‘Sweeter’ takes place in American South in 1887, only two decades after the abolition of slavery. Ralph (Daren Herbert) widowed and newly emancipated, seeks a better life for him and his daughter, Sweet Pea (Alicia Plummer). This brings him to Mr. Zucker’s (Sébastien Heins) small farm in Eatonville, Florida, where he is currently unable to afford the small patch of land Zucker offers him. Eager to have something of his own, Ralph agrees to “lease” the land and work for Zucker until he’s able to buy it. Here. Ralph begins to tend to a withered mango tree that he promises will prosper with the right care. As it turns out, “Mango Tree” (Emerjade Simms) can talk, leading to a close bond with Sweet Pea and making an enemy out of Zucker. ‘Sweeter’ approaches the topics of slavery and anti-black racism with a directness that makes it easy for children to understand, as well as a humour that eases them into the more intense discussions of these issues later in the play. Director Tanisha Taitt further elevates that joy through her usage of music and dance that is sure to keep children and adult audiences equally engaged. I also thoroughly enjoyed how she kept the energy going through her transitions that often involved unique portrayals of the tree growing (through ladders with leaves attached), or flipping the flowers “planted” on the set (designed by Sim Suzer) to show a change in season. With the mix of human characters, along with with a talking sun Dee (Uche Ama) Mango Tree, the show never loses its playfulness, even as it delves into serious issues The Mango Tree metaphor works incredibly well as a clear way to portray the anti-black rhetoric of the time, while also not suscepting the audience into two hours of ‘trauma porn’. When Zucker, a light-skinned black man, first sees the Mango Tree, he calls her ‘ashy’, ‘dark’ and ‘scary’. When he first hears her talk, he says she’s demonic and spews Bible quotes at her. Then when he finds out how much money he can make off her fruti, he starts exploiting her. The metaphor is clear. The treatment is still vile, but the mango tree allegory cushions the hateful rhetoric without ever censoring it. Although ‘Sweeter’ is intended for young audiences, there are many nuanced layers to Richardson’s script that invite different audience interpretations. In addition to portraying anti-black racism, ‘Sweeter’ also touches on how class, proximity to whiteness, and gender can lead to certain privileges or further subjugations within the black community. I don’t think a small child would explain it like that necessarily, but the play definitely opens up the floor to those discussions. In the programme’s Playwright’s Note, Alicia Richardson says her purpose for writing ‘Sweeter’ was: “to explain the adult Black experience to a Black child.” As someone who is neither black, nor a child, I can’t speak to whether that specific mission was fulfilled. However, at ‘Sweeter’’s opening performance, there were so many moments where I heard the audience become disgusted by something Zucker said, or gasp, give a big “Aww” at a moment between Sweet Pea and Ralph, or even just laugh at a joke about Florida. Sometimes it was many people, other times it was just a few. Either way, it’s clear that Richardson’s very speific writing for her target audience led to a deeply personal and nuanced story that engulf’s the entire audience for each of their own reasons. A really memorable moment for me happened when Mango Tree talks about previously not benign able to grow fruit, and she says: “Can’t nobody expect you to grow if you’re too busy surviving.” Although the use of the mango tree metaphor could have risked deluding the show’s message, witnessing the collective ‘Mmh” and nodding of heads after this moment realy solidifed the importance of this story right now. Slavery may have already ended by the time ‘Sweeter’ begins, but its lasting effects continue to prevent Sweet Pea, Ralph, and even the antagonistic Zucker from ‘growing’. By focusing on the years after the abolition of slavery, ‘Sweeter’ fights against the anti-reparations/anti-affirmative action/anti-CRT/ pro-bootstrap myth crowds of today who believe that society is far removed from slavery, or the Jim Crow era, or police brutality incidents from a coupl of years ago. The same crowd who believes that people need to just ‘move on’, and that there’s no need to teach kids about it. By showing how bad society still was decades after abolition. ‘Sweeter’ puts a magnifying glass up to how society is still not removed from this dark history, and how it needs to be educated. On the note of education, I would also like to appreciate the ‘Study Guide’ provided by Cahoots, written by director Tanisha Taitt with contributions from playwright Alicia Richardson. The Guide includes further context about the characters and setting, discussion questions, curriculum connections, and additional themes for students in Grade 3-6 and 7-12. The Guide isn’t necessary for appreciating the play, but I would encourage teachers, parents, or even less-educated adults to read it over to have a more profound understanding. Running time: approximately two hours with one intermission. ‘Sweeter’ runs to December 17 at the Aki Studio, 585 Dundas Street East, Toronto. For tickets, https://www.cahoots.ca/production/sweeter SWEETER by Alicia Richardson A Cahoots Theatre Production in association with Roseneath Theatre. Directed by Tanisha Taitt Set by Sim Suzer Costumes by A.W. Nadine Grant Lighting by Shawn Henry Sound by Miquelon Rodriguez Featuring: Daren Herbert, Alicia Plummer, Uche Ama, Sébastien Heins, Emerjade Simms. Previous Next
- Dance Chapter 3: The Brutal Journey of the Heart L-E-V (Israel)
Back Chapter 3: The Brutal Journey of the Heart L-E-V (Israel) Fleck Dance Theatre Harbourfront Center Site Joe Szekeres A sultry and sexy pulsating entity of dance and music Please note I hold no background or education in the study of dance and movement. I will comment on the theatricality of the piece. When dance and movement synchronously gel harmoniously in time with and to the music, hot damn. This is exactly what I felt after watching and pondering what had just played out before me in ‘Chapter 3: Journey of the Heart’. L-E-V (Israel) I allowed myself to be carried away with the music, the sound, and the dance movement. I believe there are Chapters 1 and 2 which I have not seen, but that didn’t matter to me at all as I still respected and admired the sinewy motions of contemporary dance. The following program quotation from Hanya Yanagihara, author of Little Life, offered me some insight into what my guest and I were about to see: “Things get broken, and sometimes they get repaired, and in most cases, you realize that no matter what gets damaged, life rearranges itself to compensate for your loss, sometimes wonderfully.” An interesting thought when ‘the heart’ is connected to this quotation. Our hearts are broken and can be repaired through life’s re-arrangements. The six dancers’ costumes designed by Christian Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri resembled full body tattoos emblazoned with one bright red bleeding heart. Later my young guest, who wanted to learn more about review writing, remarked how she was reminded for her that the continued repetitive and pulsating movement of the dancers became the nervous system surrounding the heart. What an interesting introspection. We sat in the balcony, and I was thankful for that opportunity as I knew this vantage would allow me to pay close attention to the precisely sinewed and fascinating geometric choreographed movements and images by Sharon Eyal. Usually when I attend dance pieces, I often wonder how said production will arrest my attention. Most that I have attended over the last several years have had minimal to no set pieces as the focus must be placed on the art of dance. ‘Chapter 3’ was no exception as it was a closed curtain upon entering the Fleck Dance Theatre auditorium. Whether it was intentional or not, I noticed a smoky haze that hung around the ceiling that I thought was a nice touch as there was no pre-show musical soundscape. This slightly smoky atmosphere did make me buy into the fact that I would enter another reality. And for 55 minutes, I was indeed transported to another reality, sometimes hypnotic, sometimes fascinating, sometimes erotic but always engaging. Final Comments: Three curtain calls for this fine company of dancers made the welcome back to Harbourfront Centre’s Fleck Dance Theatre even more special. “A hypnotically fascinating journey of dance and music.” Running time: approximately 55 minutes with no intermission. Performance continues March 5 at 7:30 pm at Harbourfront Centre’s Fleck Dance Theatre, 207 Queens Quay West. For tickets, visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com . CHAPTER 3: THE BRUTAL JOURNEY OF THE HEART L-E-V (Israel) Part of Torque 21/22 International Contemporary Dance Dancers: Clyde Emmanuel Archer, Darren Devaney, Edit Domoszlai, Guido Dutlih, Dana Pararillaga, Keren Luire Pardes Creator: Sharon Eyal Co-Creator: Gai Behar Music: Ori Lichtik Costumes: Maria Grazi Chiuri – Christian Dior Couture Lighting Design/Technical Director: Yair Salman Photo: Stefan Dotter Previous Next
- Profiles Charlotte Moore
Back Charlotte Moore Moving Forward Zak Kearns Joe Szekeres The first time I saw Charlotte Moore’s name was in the early 90s up at Town Hall 1873, Port Perry, Ontario. I saw her headshot on the wall, and someone had told me she had given a concert there sometime earlier. It was in 1990 when I had travelled with the Borelians, a local theatre group from Port Perry, to see a live production of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’. I had seen it on film but never done live. I’ll always remember being told during a live performance of ‘Rocky’, the audience could shout whatever they wanted but not to throw things. It was in this production where I saw Charlotte play Janet. That year, Charlotte won the Dora Mavor Moore Award (named after her grandmother) for Janet. And I missed seeing the extraordinary production of ‘Cabaret’ at London, Ontario’s Grand Theatre in which Charlotte appeared. Darn it all! This production was slated to tour the show, but who knows what will happen with the theatres closed. I really hope I get to see this particular production. From one of her answers, you’ll see Charlotte has appeared at Drayton. I haven’t been there to review productions as of yet, but am hoping when it is safe to return to the theatre. Charlotte answered the questions via email. Thank you so much for participating: It has been an exceptionally long five months since we’ve all been in isolation, and now it appears we are slowly emerging to some new way of living. How have you been faring? How has your immediate family been doing during this time? I was alone for all of lockdown and that was very challenging. About a month ago my daughter moved back in with me so now I have someone else to cook for, which is vastly preferable! My other daughter was in that 4th year class at Sheridan that got shut down on Friday the 13th. They were all pretty devastated by the way their last year was cut so short and their final productions cancelled. I found in the beginning I was very skittish about going out, and when I did the number of people not observing protocols was maddening! I did a lot of driving for the Sewing Army that Diana Coatsworth formed to make PPE for hospitals, Homes, Clinics, etc, and then I borrowed a sewing machine so I could make the masks and scrub caps in bulk myself (a typical order would be 25 scrub caps or 50 masks). This really gave me a sense of purpose and made me feel much better about things. Felt like I was contributing instead of just hiding. As a performer, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? All the cancellations. The friends I won’t/don’t get to see, the stories we won’t get to share. Also, as a person who was living alone until very recently, the lack of the companionship you get at work was pretty devastating. Were you in preparation, rehearsals, or any planning stages of productions before everything was shut down? What has become of those projects? Will they see the light of day anytime soon? Oh, yes. I was supposed to do “42nd Street” for Drayton (one of my favourite places to work) - we were gonna play Cambridge and then July in Grand Bend (which is spectacular that time of year). With a director I adore. All these very large singin’ and dancin’ shows will be, I’m sure, the last things to come back. Don’t know how long we’ll have to wait for that. Probably a couple of years. Quite bummed about it. And we were going to go back into rehearsal next month for the remarkable production of “Cabaret” we did at the Grand Theatre last year for a national tour! That’s been “postponed”, but I honestly don’t know how we can do our Show in the New Reality – it was VERY interactive. We were on top of and in the midst of the audience, so... What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? As I said – making and delivering the masks and scrub caps to all the various places that have requested them. I also am learning the script for an existing one-person show to keep my mind working. Going on weekly Distance Walks with various friends – that really helped with the isolation. I also have done a great deal of Zoom Yoga! My favourite teacher works out of Charlottetown... Any words of wisdom or advice you might /could give to fellow performers and colleagues? What message would you deliver to recent theatre school graduates who have now been set free into this unknown and uncertainty given the fact live theaters and studios might be closed for 1 ½ - 2 years? I truly wish I had some advice to give! And the message I gave my daughter was: “This really sucks! What a way to have to start your journey – with everything on hold! It sucks!” I will tell you that the same daughter has decided to devote this time to her Side Hustle – she's going back to school for the next year to get a diploma in a practical field – she's getting her Esthetician’s Licence! I think that’s genius! So maybe that’s my advice – we all need to find another purpose. Maybe it’s just some way to make some money, but this being in Limbo thing is very bad for our mental health. Do you see anything positive stemming from Covid 19? All the revelations that are coming out about the systemic racism in our industry have been shocking and necessary. Very necessary. So we can’t go back to that. And maybe we have all learned to be a little kinder to one another. Do you think Covid 19 will have some lasting impact on the Canadian/North American performing arts scene? Definitely. It’s a very scary time, with entire seasons of large Arts Organizations being cancelled. I think a lot of people may be forced to find other industries to work in, which makes me very sad. But I do feel that this strange time has given everyone out there a stronger appreciation for the Arts in general. I really do. Some artists have turned to You Tube and online streaming to showcase their work. What are your comments and thoughts about streaming? Is this something that the actor/theatre may have to utilize going forward into the unknown? I was a huge watcher of livestreams when the whole thing started. They kept me company in a very lonely time. I’ve kind of started thinking of them as a separate art form, to be honest. They can’t replace live anything, but they are a platform for people to at least make some music! That being said, I do worry about giving it all away for free... Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that Covid will never destroy for you? All of it. It may have put all our lives and careers on “hold”, but it can never take away the shows we’ve already done, the music we have already made. I am grateful that I’m older and have so many great experiences to look back on. I feel really badly for the young people – like my daughter – who were just starting out and have had to jam the brakes on. Doesn’t seem fair at all. Previous Next
- Profiles Nora McLellan
Back Nora McLellan Moving Forward ---- Joe Szekeres Performing artist Nora McLellan made me laugh quite a bit during our one hour Zoom conference call. She has certainly tried to stay positive in these long eight months. Well, Nora, please keep up your sense of humour in looking at things as sharing it with others is a gift indeed. I’m quite impressed with Nora’s background as a Canadian performing artist. She acted in JOHN for THE COMPANY THEATRE. Additionally, she has performed in some outstanding productions including AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY at the Arts Club in Vancouver, THE MATCHMAKER at The Stratford Festival, MRS. WARREN’S PROFESSION and GYPSY at The Shaw Festival, and THE STONE ANGEL at Canadian Stage and London, Ontario’s GRAND THEATRE to name a few. Thanks again, Nora, for an enjoyable discussion and conversation: It has been an exceptionally long eight months since the pandemic began, and now the numbers are edging upward again. How are you feeling about this? Will we ever emerge to some new way of living? I was thinking about what it would be like the first time we go to a theatre and we see somebody shake hands or stage. Or hug on stage. Will it be a period piece, or will it be shocking? Will it be a sense memory? So these are the kinds of questions that occupy my thoughts when I go for walks. I think about those little noticing details. What we are in right now is the new way of living, I guess I would say. For me, living in Niagara means I am able to go for walks in the country. When I go to see my guy in Toronto, we try to go on interesting urban hikes. Two weekends we went to Downsview Park, an urban park where the airbase was. I hadn’t been here before. There were other people around but we were miles away from everyone as we walked. So, this new way of living means it’s quiet, I will say that (Nora laughs). Some new way of living is here right now. How have you been faring? How has your immediate family been doing during these last eight months? How have I been doing? There have been some personal struggles but I’m doing okay. I’ve been doing an astonishing amount of walking for me, at least 5-6 miles a day. So that is something that I feel I have to do, I feel as if I have to go walking daily. I’ve got headphones and listen to the CBC or podcasts or just take off all the external accoutrements and just listen to the sounds of the birds. It’s been very interesting. I got home in March and I’ve been really watching the seasons. Because I’m not usually here as much as I am this year, I’ve seen the same trees go through spring, summer, fall and then descending into winter. And I guess I’m going to be here to see your spring again aren’t I, Tree? (she says with a laugh and so do I) There are colleagues of mine in horrible situations in terms of health and personal things. My ‘chosen’ family are in Louisiana, Oakville, and Alberta. My guy Ted has his job as a Systems Administrator. He’s working from home 9-5 Monday – Friday in Toronto. Everybody just seems to be plodding along. My family are my closest friends that I picked. As an artist within the performing arts community, what has been the most difficult and/or challenging thing for you professionally and personally? During this time, it would be the lack of routine from working. Luckily, I have been working a lot in recent years. I miss that – warming up in the theatre, working on the text, the camaraderie. I miss watching other actors work or at work. I miss how a director works. I love Tech Week and I miss Tech Week. Some of us from Vancouver once a month will participate in Zoom calls and just to talk stuff. I miss the critical thought about the work. The thing about theatre is we’re filled with stories of all kinds. The short answer: “I miss it all.” Were you in preparation, rehearsals, or any planning stages of productions before everything was shut down? What has become of those projects? Will they see the light of day anytime soon? Yes, I was. I’m sincerely hoping that some of these projects will continue in the future. Fingers crossed, here’s hoping. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? I am Ontario Councillor for Actors’ Equity Association. We have a lot of meetings and depending on how many committees I’m on, I’m busy in reading a lot of documents. Walking and Zoom therapy! Any words of wisdom or advice you might /could give to fellow performers and colleagues? What message would you deliver to recent theatre school graduates who have now been set free into this unknown and uncertainty given the fact live theaters and studios might be closed for 1 ½ - 2 years? Well, I don’t know necessarily if I’m a very wise person. At Equity, there’s a Mental Health Wellness Task Force, and the committee has been calling on the senior members of Equity to check in on how they’re doing. Many of the more senior members are saying: “We’re used to this uncertainty, this pause. It’s the young theatre graduates you should be contacting.” For the graduates, this time of the pandemic is a crash course in how to live in uncertainty and how to keep going. I’m incredibly impressed by my colleagues and how they have shifted to other professions in the interim while staying firmly planted in the live theatre/entertainment industry. And my colleagues have adapted to the digital world and how that adaptation has now become a part of theatre. The astonishing amount of people from across the country who have the ability (which I don’t and which is why it impresses me) to sit down and decide to discover how they can still create during this time of shutdown in the industry. I don’t have that ability. Someone has to tell me to do something, and I do it. For the young creators out there, talk about being put into a box and punch your way out of it. This is the time to realize, “Okay, I’ve been put into a pandemic lockdown box. How do I punch and do something?” It’s an extraordinary time and to the young performers I say, “if you’ve got it, go for it.” Do you see anything positive stemming from Covid 19? Yes, I do. The ability to take care of each other and to be kind to each other. In the arts community, I find them to be a very caring group. It seems right now that when our friends and colleagues are going through difficult times on top with the isolation, there is a great desire to reach out. That kindness, support, and idea for being thrilled for a colleague when a part is offered to them is rewarding. It’s not much of why didn’t I get that role or that part? Instead, it’s triple fold excitement for our colleague who was offered work in the industry during this time. The professional and community theatres are caring groups. Ted was involved in community theatre. It was important for him. I think the world of community theatre – people who donate their time for weekend and evening rehearsals do it for the love of it. They are a caring group. They really love what they’re doing, and it is this hope that I see stemming from Covid. Do you think Covid 19 will have some lasting impact on the Toronto/Canadian/North American performing arts scene? There’s been such a huge shift in the arts world, and a well-timed shift. There’s a new generation. I think the people that are showing that kind of leadership – the festivals have all demonstrated that. I’ve been seeing things happen right across the land. It’s incredible to me that I was streaming a show from the Arts Club in Vancouver the other night, watching Natasha Mumba in ‘acts of faith’ the other night. I was streaming something from California the other night that involved an acting lab from my teacher, Uta Hagen. I see a lasting impact in a deeper connection we will make with each other when we’re allowed back into the room and the performance space and utilizing the digital techniques and elements that were already in use. A few years ago, at the Blyth Festival, I saw ‘The Last Donnelly’ co-created by Gil Garratt and Paul Thompson with beautiful slide and digital work by Beth Kates similar to live music mixing in concerts. I think this is the future and it is fascinating. Some artists have turned to You Tube and online streaming to showcase their work. What are your comments and thoughts about streaming? Is this something that the actor/theatre may have to utilize going forward into the unknown? Believe me, as a Councillor for Equity, this is an ongoing discussion especially these days. It’s a new world. I’ve seen some incredible work. One of the first things I saw in lockdown was a terrific performance at Factory Theatre with Kevin Hanchard in HOUSE. It worked. It was as if Kevin was talking to us. Then I saw Daniel McIvor, the playwright of HOUSE, perform the play in Cape Breton in August. Wonderful production with Daniel as well. Two streamed productions that were incredibly different, but that’s the mark of a great play. That kind of stuff has been eye opening. The Stratford filmed productions have been a tonic for us. I’ve also seen live concerts at Shaw where we were socially distant. Something that I truly miss as I was watching a streamed performance the other night – I miss being in the audience. I miss the shared experience. I miss being with Ted and knowing that we, as an audience, collectively receive something together that particular night. I still get it when I watch a performance digitally but being with people in the room is really something that cannot be replaced. We’re both on the same page, but ACTRA and EQUITY have to figure out the compensation element which is wobbly. People want to get out to do something but not being paid….it’s such a challenging issue right now. Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that Covid will never destroy for you? Destroy? This question sounds like such a Game of Thrones kind of thing. (Nora laughs). To me, I’m just getting warmed up. I hope I’m part of the Canadian Theatre fabric when we all get out of this pandemic. What cannot be destroyed is my desire to be on stage. I feel like I’m just in the wings ready. I’m hoping I speak for so many of colleagues. Our love of telling stories and being part of the ritual of theatre – there’s nothing like it. Previous Next
- Profiles Brenda Robins
Back Brenda Robins Moving Forward Tim Leyes Joe Szekeres Even before I started reviewing for professional theatre, I had the good fortune to see Canadian performer Brenda Robins in many productions of Toronto theatres over the years. I continually like to make reference to Soulpepper’s moving production of Thornton Wilder’s ‘Our Town’ where Brenda performed along with some of Canada’s finest actors. Again, I saw Brenda in a thrilling production of ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ at Toronto’s Canadian Stage Bluma Appel Theatre. She has also appeared in several Canadian television productions including CTV’s ‘Flashpoint’ (one of my top five favourite shows) and CBC’s ‘Heartland’. A bit of online research enlightened me that Brenda has appeared across our country in some fine shows and theatres. She and her husband, actor Patrick Galligan, live in Toronto. I will profile Patrick in another article shortly: It appears that after five exceptionally long months, we are slowly, very slowly, emerging to a pre-pandemic lifestyle. Has your daily life and routine along with your immediate family’s life and routine been changed in any manner? Mostly, I feel as though I’m in the middle of a ‘between gigs’ scenario. As actors, we are lucky in that we are not unused to being out of work from time to time. In the past, we have planned a vacation if we were looking at a stretch of time off. Now, a coffee with a friend, in a park, is a big adventure and something to plan my day around. Small things are taking on more significance. Were you involved or being considered for any projects before the pandemic was declared and everything was shut down? Not a one. Just before everything shut down, I had wrapped up several days on a TV gig out west. For that, I’m grateful because it put some extra money in the bank. Earlier in the year I worked on a web series that’s hoping to shoot a second season. I’m not sure when that is going to happen. Describe the most challenging element or moment of the isolation period for you. Did this element or moment significantly impact how you and your immediate family are living your lives today? I feel most frustrated for my son who has completed his Master’s degree and, under normal circumstances, would probably be working in his dream career. Now he’s applying for any kind of work he can get – along with thousands of other people. What were you doing to keep yourself busy during this time of lockdown and isolation from the world of theatre? Since theatres will most likely be shuttered until the spring of 2021, where do you see your interests moving at this time? I’ve been doing a lot of sewing, gardening and writing: a kind of Bronte sisters’ existence. I’ve collected a lot of vintage fabric over the years and so I’ve been sewing cushions, cushions and more cushions. Couch candy, that I was hoping to sell at our local fall fair. The fair is not happening, and the cushions have taken over a room in our house and there seems to be no end in sight…. Any words of wisdom or sage advice you would give to other performing artists who are concerned about the impact of COVID-19? What about to the new theatre graduates who are just out of school and may have been hit hard? Why is it important for them not to lose sight of their dreams? That’s a hard one. I think the new graduates might fare well. Hopefully, they still have a burning desire and ambition and this period may prove to be a time of real creativity. I worry more for actors with young families and mortgages. I wish words of wisdom could ease their burdens, but I’m not convinced of that. It’s going to be a very difficult few months for some people. Sorry – not very sage advice. Do you see anything positive stemming from this pandemic? Some very creative new work is going to come out of this period, I’m sure of that. And maybe by the time we get back into our theatres we will have a greater appreciation of the power and potential of live performances. In your informed opinion, will the Canadian, Broadway and Californian performing arts scene somehow be changed or impacted on account of the coronavirus? I just hope theatres survive. Time will tell. What are your thoughts about streaming live productions? As we continue to emerge and find our way back to a new perspective of daily life, will live streaming become part of the performing arts scene in your estimation? Have you been participating, or will you participate in any online streaming productions soon? I think streaming is a different beast altogether. I’m enjoyed some of the work I’ve seen online, but it’s not the same as the experience one has watching a live performance. What is it about performing you still love given all the change, the confusion and the drama surrounding our world now? I look forward to performing again, in a theatre, with an audience. I find gathering in a space with a group of strangers and sharing a communal experience to be very moving. With a respectful nod to ‘Inside the Actors’ Studio’ and the late James Lipton, here are the 10 questions he asked his guests at the conclusion of his interviews: a. What is your favourite word? It’s two words actually – ‘Quelle Emboutiellage’ which means ‘What a traffic jam”. It’s such a satisfying sequence of syllables. I like saying it to describe anything extraordinary (another good word) b. What is your least favourite word? I’m not sure…I mean, I really don’t have an answer for that. c. What turns you on? A really good action movie. d. What turns you off? Bullying…and impatience e. What sound or noise do you love? Waves f. What sound or noise bothers you? Car horns g. What is your favourite curse word? Fuck h. What profession, other than your own, would you have liked to attempt? If I had the talent, I would have liked to be a visual artist. Large canvases. i. What profession would you not like to do? A podiatrist. j. If Heaven exists, what do you hope God will say to you as you approach the Pearly Gates? “Head straight through to the left. Your friends and family are waiting.” Previous Next
- Profiles Aaron LaVigne
Back Aaron LaVigne Canadian Chat Bond Theatrical Joe Szekeres Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ is on its 50th anniversary tour. Where did the years go? It might seem a bit odd to see the production as we enter Advent and the Christmas season for Catholics and Christians, but this is a milestone…fifty years. I must thank artist Aaron LaVigne who plays Jesus in this production that comes to Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre for taking the time to be profiled for this series. He is an actor-singer-songwriter originally from Cincinnati & based in NYC. He is honored to be playing the iconic role of Jesus in the 50th Anniversary production of Jesus Christ Superstar! Theater Highlights: Broadway: Spider-Man. Off-Broadway: RENT. National Tour: RENT. Regional & Concerts: tick,tick...BOOM!, Jesus Christ Superstar, Civil War. Aaron writes, performs, & tours his original music & is available on all major streaming platforms. B.F.A. Northern Kentucky University. We conducted our interview via Zoom. Thank you so much for your time, Aaron. I’m looking forward to seeing the production in Toronto: Could you share the names of one teacher and one mentor for whom you are thankful. Ooooo, this is tough. We’re going to go with some OG situations here. Okay, I could not, not thank Miss Connie Saho, La Salle High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, my high school Drama teacher who, when I was a Senior, I got the bug to start doing all this stuff. She’s been pushing me to try and do this since my freshman year, and I finally did it when I was a Senior. One mentor? Oh my gosh…let’s see here…….oh, man, oh, man, oh man…I could go with another teacher in college. I’m thinking of one. I would have to say Joe Conger at Northern Kentucky University. When I first started doing theatre, he was the Chair of the department even though he never taught me. He was an amazing mentor for me and put up with all of my young antics and guided me in spite of who I was. I’m trying to think positively that we have, fingers crossed, moved forward in dealing with Covid. How have you been able to move forward from these last 18 -19 months on a personal level? How have you been changed or transformed on a personal level? Oh my God, that is a loaded answer. I think, generally speaking, my tolerance for bullshit has gone down quite a bit. I think there were a lot of things that happened during the pandemic where a lot of skeletons came out of a lot of closets. Through social media we figured out who some people were and who some weren’t. I’ve learned to take a step back from things that I couldn’t tolerate because I don’t think it’s a way to live anymore. I don’t want to be angry or upset with things that I can’t control or don’t have any say over. I just look for the good in the people around me. That’s been my biggest change, and the other one is to be a little more forgiving of everyone and for who we are under such tough circumstances. This has been a long time since this has been going on, and for lots of people who lost jobs and many industries, including mine, I think a little tolerance and a little patience goes a long way. I’m trying to take that with me and I’m hoping people around me will also practice that if I have influence on anybody at all. How have these last eighteen months of the pandemic changed or transformed you as an artist professionally? Well, I understand where you’re coming from, but I think these two questions for me are intertwined. I bring so much of myself to my artistry and commitment to it. As an artist I have empathy for the world especially for ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ and for the role I’m playing. The role requires a lot of getting knocked down in order to portray a decent version of this character. The world is fucked up right now and needs some healing and understanding, and in this particular production I try to bring that healing and understanding to my work everyday. I keep that focus because when you’re in the theatre you have to realize everyone is wearing a mask. We’re just not filling up theatres, and I don’t know people’s experiences with Covid. Many have got sick and have died. I cannot assume anything about people in the audiences out there and they can’t assume anything about me. But I can empathize with somebody out there who probably lost somebody to Covid. There’s a whole new world in which we are living right now that we have to recognize, at least I have to be able to recognize, and make that part of my reality at this point. In your professional opinion, how do you see the global landscape of professional theatre changing, adapting, and morphing as a result of these last 18 months? I think we’re seeing it right in front of our eyes. Even with our Equity union, it came out with certain protocols for performing during the pandemic. There were all these different ideas Equity and the producers had and were trying to make something happen along the way. The more they looked at it and the more watching the numbers and the waves of infection, everyone realized they required a vaccine and waited for it. Even within that there are still strict protocols – there are no backstage tours. I’m not doing any live press events as it’s all done virtually over Zoom or the phone. There are strict testing protocols for us as company members and for audiences. People still show up at the stage door for kind words of congratulations or for autographs and pictures. It’s discouraged but if we are out there we try to maintain our distance as best we can. We’re in the middle of this evolution and as it keeps going and the numbers go down and we learn to manage the virus better, I think we’re going to have to deal with this for a little while. The fact we’re doing live shows, live music and live theatre is coming back, we can see light at the tend of the tunnel. I think there’s going to be some ups and downs but there’s an evolution we’re in the middle of right now. Eventually we will get there. What intrigues/fascinates and excites Aaron LaVigne post Covid? Hmmm…post Covid? Oh wow. Hmmmm. I’m in a place in my life where the pandemic taught me to take care of myself first a little bit more. With self care, things then fall in line around you versus trying to take care of other people, or take care of your job or try to serve something without serving yourself in a way that helps you and lends better results. That fascinates and intrigues me. For me, I’m just trying to take care of myself more in regard to physical and mental health. For me, it’s opened my mind to say I don’t have to be a certain way anymore to subscribe to anything on a list as a person. That transcends me just being a theatre artist or a songwriter, I’m seeing that is a vital option for the rest of my life. At least I’m feeling that a lot more, and Covid taught me that. What disappoints, unnerves and upsets Aaron LaVigne post Covid? I’m all for independent thought. I’m all for freedom of speech and for all these things we have, these inalienable rights we have as humans, as Americans. There’s something that bothers me the most when someone doesn’t know something and they presume to know something, more so than an expert who knows something. These individuals who don’t know something sometimes speak louder than those who know something. That really bothers me and disappoints me for the bad information being spread and then perpetuating it. I don’t have any patience left for people who spread bad information and perpetuating it. It’s so easy to find bad information these days. With this tour being the 50th anniversary of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’, how have audience reactions been so far? What is one message you hope audiences will take away from this production? Reactions have been great from audiences. It’s been really special to be able to perform this story again. Most people know the story of ‘Superstar’, but our version of the show is really fun and I think audiences are reacting in such a positive light. At this time right now in Covid, people just want to be entertained. They want to see a big band, the lights, the choreography and to hear the singers sing, scream, emote and do all of the things they do. The first time I was in a rehearsal hall with my cast was overwhelming to sing the show all the way through from top to bottom. Very overwhelming. I had to step out of the rehearsal hall for about ten minutes to compose myself and take a breath and re-evaluate everything in that moment. I’m very grateful. I think we’re doing a really great job as a cast, as a company. We hold each other in a place where there’s a bit more love and protection surrounding our company. The one message I hope audiences will take away…hmmm… that’s a tricky one as there are a lot of themes running through the show. I’m trying to answer from the show’s point of view, and not my point of view. Hmmmm…. “Hold a little bit more space for other people. Hold more space than you normally would for others.” RAPID ROUND Try to answer these in a single sentence. If you need more than one sentence, that’s not a problem. I credit the late James Lipton and “Inside the Actors’ Studio’ for this idea: If you could say one thing to one of your mentors and teachers who encouraged you to get to this point as an artist, what would it be? “I wish I would have listened to you earlier.” If you could say something to any of the naysayers in your career who didn’t think you would make it as an artist, what would that be? “Hey, how’s it goin?” (Aaron says this with a gleeful wicked smile that sends me into laughter) What’s your favourite swear word? “Fuck”. You can use it in any context, funny or angry or animalistic. It’s a great word. What is a word you love to hear yourself say? Ooooo….”Thank you.” What is a word you don’t like to hear yourself say? “No” With whom would you like to have dinner and discuss the current state of the live North American performing arts scene? President Barack Obama, by far. What would you tell your younger personal self with the knowledge and wisdom life experience has now given you? Hmmm…. “Take a breath, open your mind, open your heart.” With the professional life experience you’ve gained, what would you now tell the upcoming Aaron LaVigne from years ago who was just in the throes of beginning a career as a performing artist? “Enjoy the ride.” What is one thing you still wish to accomplish both personally and professionally? Geez…. Personally, what do I want to accomplish personally? I don’t even know…maybe have kids someday. That is something I’d like to accomplish and enjoy. Professionally? I just want to be happy doing what I’m doing. Name one moment in your professional career that you wish you could re-visit again for a short while. Hmmmm…. Wow!!!! Hmmmmm…. I worked in Hawaii for a few months as a guest artist on a cruise ship and I worked one day a week. I could go back to that moment for awhile. It was awesome. What is one thing Aaron LaVigne will never take for granted again post Covid? Any of it. All of it. I don’t take anything for granted as of this point. So much gratitude. Would Aaron LaVigne do it all again if given the same professional opportunities? Fuck, yeah!!!! (and both he and I go into laughter) You can follow Aaron on his website: www.aaronlavigne.com and on Instagram:@aaron_lavinay The 50th anniversary tour of “Jesus Christ Superstar’ is slated to run at Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre November 30 – January 2, 2022. For further information and to purchase tickets online, visit www.mirvish.com . Previous Next
- Solos 'The Land Acknowledgement or As You Like It" written and performed by Cliff Cardinal
Back 'The Land Acknowledgement or As You Like It" written and performed by Cliff Cardinal A David Mirvish and Crow's Theatre production onstage at Toronto's CAA Theatre Dahlia Katz Joe Szekeres Background: In the fall of 2021 at Crow’s Theatre, I saw Cliff Cardinal’s smouldering ‘William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, a radical retelling’ which turned out to be a bait and switch. It was all a ruse. We were asked not to give the surprise away. I did not see ‘As You Like It’ but instead bore witness to Cardinal’s Land Acknowledgement. Was I happy about this bait-and-switch then? Absolutely not. In this time of truth, then reconciliation, this dramatic ploy did not sit well with me. I remember the variety of responses, and many were justifiably annoyed and rightly so. I counted myself among those annoyed. I get it – the bait and switch were done on our First Nations people. The atrocities and the horror at that time of the residential schools, the Catholic Church and children who were taken away from their families. Having the spirit of the First Nations beaten out of the people. Yes, this historical truth is a terrible time in Canadian history. We can’t ignore it. Cliff Cardinal allowed me to experience that same emotional impact if only for a few moments while our First Nations peoples lived with this emotional turmoil for years. But I refused to participate in the ruse at that time. When people asked me what I thought of the production, all I said was I did not see ‘As You Like It’. I saw something else and was not happy about it. If this 2021 production might be a possible indication of what is to come in future First Nations plays, how are we ever going to reconcile if we are continually pummelled and made to feel some kind of responsibility for something over which we were not present and had no control? Would ‘truth, then reconciliation’ ever be possible with our First Nations people? I held my breath in wondering if I would feel the same upon seeing tonight’s opening of this subtle evolution of the 2021 work, according to Chris Abraham, Crow’s Artistic Director and co-conspirator of the play. The Mirvish production: Gorgeous deep red curtains adorn the stage with footlights running along the apron. During the preshow soundscape, I heard birds twittering in what I imagined to be a beautiful pastoral setting akin to that in Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’. These are all dramatic elements that have been maintained. Cliff Cardinal enters with much applause. He is dressed comfortably in the clothes one might wear in going to have a beer with someone and just shoot the breeze about everything or anything. He’s thankful he has the opportunity to share the story with the Mirvish company, but Cardinal does one thing. He changes the title so there’s no implication or misunderstanding at all that we are involved with another ruse again. Thank you for doing that. Cardinal amiably set me at ease as he introduced what this performance would entail – a land acknowledgement about stolen land which became a metaphor to remind us to be grateful for Mother Earth. With his impish grin (which set me at ease) he still tells us how he hates land acknowledgements as he considers them patronizing. But we’re still spreading awareness of them everywhere. The question is – who should deliver these acknowledgements? I don’t have an answer to this. However, when I listen to another acknowledgement, I will certainly find out who is delivering it. Personally, in this Mirvish/Crow’s production, there’s something different compared to 2021. Cliff Cardinal doesn’t appear to reflect such a brooding intensity. Mind you, he’s still angry and rightfully as he should be because he gives us much to ponder. For example, why didn’t Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau do more when he could have done more? Why didn’t the Catholic Church do more than it did? Times and context were so different compared to now. These are questions that I hope to delve further into as I try my best to place them into context for my own understanding. Another question was raised that I don’t recall from 2021 – Are we acknowledging the land or the majestic people who wanted to live in equilibrium with nature and Mother Earth? Again, I don’t have an answer to this but it’s one that I will sit with for quite some time to think about. Final Comments: ‘The Land Acknowledgement or As You Like It’ is that much-needed Canadian history lesson. I hope its messages and emotions will be heard and felt, especially in age-appropriate school settings. The production is justifiably thought-provoking and often unnerving. Listen, just listen, to what Cliff Cardinal has to say. This is the first step. Running time: approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. ‘The Land Acknowledgement or As You Like It’ runs to April 2 at the CAA Theatre, 651 Yonge Street, Toronto. For tickets, www.mirvish.com or call 1-800-461-3333. DAVID MIRVISH & CROW’S THEATRE Present ‘The Land Acknowledgement or As You Like It’ Written and Performed by Cliff Cardinal Creative Co-conspirator: Chris Abraham Lighting Designer: Logan Cracknell Stage Manager: Jennifer Stobart Previous Next BACK TO TOP
- Profiles Uju Umenyi
Back Uju Umenyi Looking Ahead - Emerging Playwright Provided by Uju Umenyi Joe Szekeres Recently I had the chance to speak with community theatre performer Uju Umenyi who has challenged herself both as a performer and someone who has a vested interest in the arts. As we are all too aware, Covid decimated live theatre on the professional and non-professional stages; ergo it’s crucial to help re-build the industry and the love of the oral arts plus re-ignite that creativity spark in any way we can. I applaud Uju heartily when I learned of her avid interest as an emerging playwright. She likes referring to herself in this term because she is never afraid of starting something again since emerging can take place at any time during one’s life as there’s no set specific age. Writing has always been a part of Uju’s vision to a greater and lesser degree. She fondly recalled as a child she liked writing stories and ‘clickety clacking’ away on an old school typewriter while she jokingly plagiarized (when she didn’t know what the word was) some of the story ideas from ‘The Babysitters Club’ novel series for young people. Earning a Thea Award for Best Performance by a Female in a Supporting Role for Scarborough Players’ ‘Doubt: A Parable’ as Mrs. Muller in 2019 at the ACT-CO Festival, Umenyi is appreciative for these opportunities to continue to grow in her love as a stage actor and would love to do so again. She really wants to try writing another play after completion of this current one in progress that you will discover shortly about the small town of Port Perry in Scugog Region, about a 45–50-minute drive east of Toronto. Further ideas she shared with me about possible future scripts would expand on the “spaces”, the types, and the fleshed-out roles that we don’t always see on stage for BIPOC individuals, for black people, for Indigenous people, queer and trans people or people fitting into different boxes they feel they cannot break out of. Uju has been selected to be part of the third lineup of residents in the 2022 Creatives in Residence as part of Ontario Culture Days. Since launching the program in 2020, the program has become a key component of the Ontario Culture Days Festival showcasing the vibrancy of the Ontario arts and culture community. Her residency is co-presented with Port Perry’s Theatre on the Ridge to create a new play inspired by the life of Samuel Stout, the first Black resident of Port Perry. Over the next five months, she will focus on community collaboration with her play culminating in community-based activities, a public reading and performance coupled with an audience feedback session and artist talk this fall in 2022. At the time of this article, Uju has developed and already led a workshop focusing on both the theatre creation process of her play while exploring local Black history. It was a phenomenal experience for that week, but she felt terrified going into it knowing she has never gone through a workshop experience before but the actors who were there have done so. One fear she candidly revealed was knowing her play is not done yet so she knew each night she would have to go home, write, and then return the next day. On top of that she was tired from the workshop and its five-hour intensive days. The biggest accomplishment to balance things out was getting the play sketched out. Uju didn’t even expect that to happen but was elated it did through the improvisation of the actors present. A lot has transpired for this personable, imaginative, and articulate lady since I last spoke with her for another column series I wrote at the height of the pandemic. First, she’s feeling a heck of a lot better emotionally compared to a year ago. Whether it’s the human nature aspect of falling into a rhythm and pattern even amid uncertainty regarding this pandemic and finding some balance within it, or maybe it’s because she feels privileged to be pursuing something which she passionately cares about, Uju knows for a lot of people the arts base was not accessible to us during the pandemic. She says: “No matter what end of the spectrum we may be on and how we feel about it, things have opened up and have brought about many opportunities for people to engage in the work once again both at the professional and amateur level, and this has done wonders for people’s mental health.” And how did she become involved with the small-town professional Durham Region’s Theatre on the Ridge in Port Perry? Uju saw the call through a Facebook group last year around June regarding this initiative of which she is now part. She humbly was trying to gather the courage to start writing. When she saw Theatre on the Ridge’s proposal, she thought it sounded like a really ‘cool idea’ as she has always been fascinated with history and the stories that emerge through time, and the stories we don’t always hear but happened. Uju wrote a requested proposal and, with a laugh, sheepishly admitted said she never submitted it. She had emailed Theatre on the Ridge’s Artistic Director Carey Nicholson to ask for more information as Carey had Uju’s contact information already. Umenyi playfully poked fun at herself as she knows herself too well in that she habitually does not follow through sometimes on things, and she is trying to stop doing that. When Carey emailed Uju that September to say that, even though the deadline had passed for submission, would she still be interested to submit a proposal? Uju took this as a sign regarding her proposal so she dusted it off, polished it a little bit, sent it to her mentor for some feedback, and handed it in thinking what’s the worst that could happen. A conversation took place between the two ladies and the rest, as they say, is history. Uju credits Theatre on the Ridge in taking a leap of trust and faith with her in obtaining this work experience as an emerging artist/playwright for her first play as funding in the theatre sometimes is limited or sets specific parameters for a purpose. Oftentimes there is an age restriction for emerging artists and, as members of marginalized communities are being given more and more opportunities than there were five, ten years ago who identify as BIPOC or across the LGBTQ2+ spectrum, it’s unfortunate to see funding parameters set by funders are such that they require these age limits. She firmly stated: “If we’re going to start talking about breaking barriers down for people who have been marginalized for a sundry of reasons (socio-economic etc), then we have to break down the barrier that suggests an individual cannot emerge unless they are below whatever age gap. The assumption made here about those marginalized who have been pushed out wouldn’t have access to the opportunities to emerge at the point where it’s deemed as an acceptable time to emerge.” What appeals to her about the person Samuel Stout from her research? Uju described him as a fascinating person and became intrigued with the fact she could bring to light a story about him. But so little is still known about Stout, and Uju doesn’t negate the fact there was racism in the 1850s and how did Stout navigate all this. For example, he was a prolific musician who played many instruments, so where did he learn to play and how did he learn to play. She also discovered that Stout led the first Port Perry Town Band for many years; he might not have been the only black man then, but at one point he was. Stout added a richness and vibrancy to Port Perry and Uju believes this is a human element we hope that we can all bring to a small town. I’m going to keep my eye on the progress of Uju’s script going forward and am looking forward to the fall and to the public reading and performance of the piece. To learn more about Durham and Scugog Region’s professional Theatre on the Ridge, visit the website: www.theatreontheridge.ca . Previous Next