Back 'Macbeth' by William Shakespeare. Presented by Loyalist City Shakespeare and Saint John Theatre Company Now onstage at Place Fort La Tour Andrew Finlay Aaron Kropf Loyalist City Shakespeare and Saint John Theatre Company present ‘Macbeth’ at Place Fort La Tour. What a terrific choice in production to draw Saint Johnners to the national historic site for the first time since its reconstruction. Place Fort La Tour was the scene of a bloody battle a few short years after Shakespeare penned the now famous Scottish play, a perfect setting for this production. This ‘Macbeth’ also marked the first time Shakespeare is performed outdoors in the loyalist city which made the excitement palpable in the sold out opening night crowd July 12. If you want a chance to catch this performance get your tickets quick! The first week is already sold out. Macbeth (Cameron Secord) encounters the weird sisters who tell him that he is soon to be given a new title and then become King. Spurred by his wife (Christina Isbill), Macbeth takes the steps needed to change the predictions from the witches into reality. When his actions affect his sanity, Macbeth becomes more and more intent on holding the crown, but another foretelling by the weird sisters lets him know how his reign will come to an end. Director Sandra Bell has selected an ideal location for the show, and the company of actors and crew are clearly passionate about bringing the works of William Shakespeare to audiences in Saint John. Bell’s knowledge of the work comes across in this staging. I’m sure there were some restrictions in the use of the space but I would have enjoyed to see more use of the forts buildings throughout the show. However, the space that she did use was a wonderful use of the many levels offered by Place Fort La Tour. Cameron Secord leads this company with an apt portrayal of the titular character. Secord plays a Macbeth that is quickly motivated by power, and just as easily becomes a man overwrought by regret for the actions he’s made to take and maintain the crown. Christina Isbill’s Lady Macbeth is even more obsessed with power than her husband. Isbill brilliantly delivers the “Out Damn Spot” monologue with great skill, one of the highlights of the production. Madison Lucas, Matt Hamilton-Snow, and Beth Pollock were definitely the pique of excellence as the three witches. When they were on stage as the triumvirate they commanded the space unlike any other in the company. Additional kudos must be given to Beth Pollock for her deliciously delectable turn as the Porter (my favourite scene in the show, it’s one that I always look forward to and she did not disappoint). It was a delight to take in a Shakespeare performance again. Hailing from Stratford, Ontario, I miss the amount of Shakespeare I used to take in living there. This production was well conceived and presented. It was really enjoyable. However, the production lacks a the subtlety that Shakespeare requires for it to be a truly spectacular production. With that aside this is a production that is well worth taking in while it’s on until July 22. Previous Next

Back Dreamstage Live 'BROADWAY: STORIES & SONGS' (With Ted Sperling & Friends) Guest: Jason Danieley Website Joe Szekeres Wow! I am so grateful and appreciative to have had the opportunity to chat several weeks ago with both Ted and Jason before I saw tonight’s concert. You can find both of their profiles here in Our Theatre Voice. This evening was an artistic culmination for me to hear two professional artists collaborate and briefly reminisce about some of the moments they experienced in the world of performance. Most importantly, after fifteen months of lockdowns and bubbles, ‘Broadway: Stories & Songs’ just put a big ol’ smile on my face to listen to two incredibly talented guys entertain us tonight with some Broadway showtunes. I hadn’t heard of several titles, so I was pleased to be introduced to them for the first time. Messrs. Sperling and Danieley appeared naturally comfortable with each other as the cameras rolled for this near hour-long concert. For me, just to watch their personal demeanor towards each other showed they clearly held respect for each other’s talents. Ted and Jason have also been friends for over 25 years as Jason met his late wife, Broadway artist Marin Mazzie, through Ted so this bit of knowledge adds even more believability to their relationship. (May 28 and 29, Jason Danieley) Danieley wore a grey suit with white open collar shirt while Sperling wore a dark coloured suit with white open collar shirt. Good to see this as wearing a tie would have made things seem just a tad too formal (along with the fact that wearing said tie would not be useful in singing). For most of the concert, Sperling played the piano and offered back up vocals when necessary. Just watching Danieley ‘become’ the different characters in each of these songs was fascinating and inviting. I especially liked his Irish accent in the opening song ‘On the Streets of Dublin’ from A Man of No Importance. Danieley became the character in the song and, as he appeared to finish the number, I almost got the impression he was ready to say, ‘C’mon, let’s have a beer. I’m paying.” This opening song was a perfect ice breaker for the concert. I loved the tribute to ‘Sara Lee’. I don’t know if we have ‘Sara Lee’ dessert products here in Toronto. (I’ll have to look in the frozen section next time I go to the grocery store). These two attacked the song with great fun and ease, and at one point Mr. Danieley completed a pelvic thrust which made me laugh for a few seconds. At one moment, the mood became poignant as Mr. Sperling stepped back and allowed Jason to sing ‘We Will Always Walk Together’ which he sung at his late wife’s memorial service. Just watching Danieley engage in this vocal moment with a resilient emotional strength as he looked up and sang to his beloved wife was highly moving. He paused for a few seconds at the end, and I thought I saw a glisten in the corner of his eye. A truly human moment that was shared with all of us. ‘They Can’t Take that Away from Me’ fittingly concluded the event for both gentlemen. The pandemic may have stopped them momentarily in their love of performance, but Covid can’t and won’t take away that connection each of them made with me tonight through songs and stories. Jason Danieley’s concert will be re-broadcast again May 29, 2021, at 2 pm. EST. Dreamstage Live continues BROADWAY: STORIES & SONGS with artists Victoria Clark on June 4, 5 and Meghan Picerno and John Riddle on June 11 and 12. For further information on tickets and to learn more about DREAMSTAGE Live, visit https://dreamstage.live Photo of Jason Danieley, Ted Sperling and Ticket from Dreamstage Live website. Previous Next

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

Back Jillian Keiley The Self Isolated Artist John Arano. Joe Szekeres Jillian Keiley was the former Artistic Director of the English Theatre of Ottawa’s National Arts Centre who has led an illustrious career in the theatre. She is an award-winning director from St. John’s, Newfoundland, and founder of Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland. Jillian has directed and taught across Canada and internationally. She assumed her role as the Artistic Director of Ottawa’s National Arts Centre, English Theatre, in 2012, and her productions there have included A Christmas Carol, Twelfth Night, Oil and Water and Alice through the Looking Glass. Thank you, Jillian, for participating in this series as On Stage appreciates you taking the time in your busy schedule: We’re over the four-month mark now with most places entering Stage 3. How have you been faring during this time? How has your immediate family been doing during this time? Through a series of unlikely circumstances, I ended up in Newfoundland, where I’m from, at the very beginning of the pandemic and I haven’t left since. I live on a farm when I am here, and I get to spend time with old friends and my family, so I consider myself really lucky. The first few months were hard on my daughter, but now she is able to spend time with a few friends, so we are ok. Thanks for asking! As a performer, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? I’m not a performer but as a someone who works very closely with performers I am really worried about my colleagues. We are losing some extremely valuable colleagues right now and it’s such a loss. We are working on making opportunities for audiences to re-engage in live performing arts again in a really serious way – and I hope we have at least a few more COVID Friendly works on the way in the very near future. I recognize how lucky I am to have a contract that keeps me deeply engaged and employed right now. I hope I am using this time to help make things a bit brighter for some other artists. 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? We were loading in for a beautiful production of ‘Copenhagen’ when it all came down around us. I’m sorry about that, it was a challenging, strangely beautiful version of the show, that surprised me in its emotional content. Everything is ready to go if we are ever able to remount it. I hope we can. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? At work we have been reinventing what we imagine theatre to be. Challenging our internal systems of white supremacy, reading, learning. All of that is deeply personal work, and work on behalf of the institution. Outside of that and the also large job of being a mother, I learned how to make good snowballs (the coconut and cocoa kind) and powerballs (the prune and mixed nut kind) and peanut butter balls (the oats and peanut butter kind) and I learned how to do a herring bone braids and fancy buns for my hair which is good because I can’t find a hairdresser who’ll take a new client. Otherwise I spend a lot of every day trying to do things in the theatre and undo things in the theatre. It’s been a greater labour than I’ve experienced in a long time, probably ever. I’m never bored. 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’d suggest to them that they go make something. Somehow. And keep making the things. And then when someone has money sometime, they will say, “Hey that young person –they make things! Go ask them!” I find myself a lot of the time, seeking out people who are doing cool things that cost little in materials but were ingenious theatrical acts. Sometimes it is in theatres, sometimes it is posted to the internet. People who have contracts and grants to award eventually do find out who the people are who are doing things in towns and cities and communities. The people who are shining, especially shining despite these hard circumstances are so valuable. When I was younger we had no money to advertise this one show, but I knew someone who had an in at the hospital laundry, and I knew that they had these bags and bags of torn sheets going to the garbage on the regular. So to advertise the show, I got about 20 friend who pulled their shirts down and their pants up and made a giant toga parade using this sewn together band of old hospital sheets with the name of the show painted on it. It certainly brought a lot of attention to the show! I don’t recommend doing anything with hospital sheets these days but… .I’m always personally on the lookout for people who are willing to go the extra mile. Do you see anything positive stemming from Covid 19? I think the wakeup call of Black Lives Matter and addressing white supremacy in the arts is a tidal shift that will never let us return to where we were before. It’s a very positive shift. I hope we can see real change and I hope I am allowed to be some part of that change. 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? I don’t love it. I believe theatre has ritual around it, and I believe that there is a deeper spiritual aspect to it that disappears online. But I have appreciated the educational opportunities of watching shows online. I have tuned in to shows from theatres I haven’t been to before, and that’s interesting. But I am really, really looking forward to being with people experiencing some art and going through the spiritual, ritualistic aspect of theatre again. Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that Covid will never destroy for you? I love the creativity and resilience of performers. We have performers still doing their things on line, in cars, in drive ins, on roof tops, over the radio, in parking lots, in theatres with unprofitable configurations in the audience, for one person at a time, for pairs, for plants. Storytellers, mythmakers, meaning and metaphor purveyors- are simply amazing. You just can’t keep them down. As a respectful acknowledgment to ‘Inside the Actors’ Studio’ and the late James Lipton here are the ten questions he used to ask his guests: 1. What is your favourite word? Yes (and here’s how) 2. What is your least favourite word? No (and here’s why) 3. What turns you on? Good puppetry. 4. What turns you off? Men who talk over women who are already talking. 5. What sound or noise do you love? My kid laughing. 6. What sound or noise bothers you? Harleys with holes in the muffler. 7. What is your favourite curse word? Gentle Jesus What is your least favourite curse word? Bullshit 8. Other than your own, what other career profession could you see yourself doing? I would like to go into palliative care, or Funeral planning. I’m a fairly upbeat person, but I feel like the dying aspect of living is not done well in our society and I think I could help. I used to do something like it years ago, and I felt useful. 9. What career choice could you not see yourself doing? A Butcher 10. If Heaven exists, what do you hope God will say to you as you approach the Pearly Gates? “You used up 98% of it, girl! That’s pretty good!” Previous Next

Back 'The Effect' by Lucy Prebble Now onstage at Coal Mine Theatre, 2076 Danforth Avenue Credit: Dahlia Katz. Pictured: Leah Doz and Aris Athanasopoulos Louis Train, Guest Reviewer Profound themes in THE EFFECT tackled with a blend of intellectual depth and sensuality "THE EFFECT" at Coal Mine Theatre is a play that delves into the intricacies of human connection and the complex interplay between mind and body. Connie and Tristan, participants in an antidepressant trial, navigate a tumultuous journey of emotions as they grapple with their deepening mutual attraction. The question underlying this play’s dramatic tension is not whether Connie and Tristan will get together - that’s a given from the opening scene - but why they are attracted to each other. Is it a result of chemical manipulation, or is love? And what is love anyway, if not a neuro-electro-chemical process? Under Mitchell Cushman's skillful direction and Lucy Prebble's thought-provoking script, "THE EFFECT" tackles these profound themes with a blend of intellectual depth and sensuality. At its core, "THE EFFECT" wrestles with the enigma of the mind-body problem, delving into the intricacies of our psychological and physical selves. It also sheds light on the prevalence of antidepressant usage and raises ethical questions about the pharmaceutical industry behind it. Yet, the play avoids didacticism and instead adopts a structure reminiscent of a Platonic dialogue, engaging the audience in a captivating and nuanced exploration that stimulates both the intellect and the senses. The performances from the entire cast are commendable, but Aviva Armour-Ostroff stands out, revealing her character's layers with a captivating air of mystery and tension. Each scene deepens the audience's investment in her portrayal of Dr. Lorna James, unravelling the complexities she embodies. The inventive set design by Nick Blais makes excellent use of the small space of the stage while nodding to the show’s roots in science and invention (you’ll see what I mean when you see those amazing transforming chairs in action). Likewise, the incorporation of techy music, composed by James Smith, and projection, by Jack Considine, pays homage to the scientific setting of the play while eliciting a visceral response, quickening the pulse of those in attendance. I've often considered mental health as the uncharted frontier of dramatic storytelling. In our modern era, directors conscientiously avoid perpetuating stereotypes about most marginalized communities, yet, for some reason, the realm of mental illness often receives a pardon. While many scrutinize "Othello" for its problematic aspects, "King Lear," with its profound exploration of madness ("The tempest in my mind..."), is usually exempted. Madness becomes a thrilling plot point, while few writers undertake the necessary research to portray characters with mental illness accurately. However, "THE EFFECT" stands apart, displaying meticulous attention to detail and heightened sensitivity in portraying these characters (credit again to the remarkable Aviva Armour-Ostroff). In this regard, "THE EFFECT" proves itself truly ahead of its time, breaking new ground in mental health representation on stage. Running time: approximately two hours and 15 minutes with one intermission. The production runs to July 30 at Coal Mine Theatre, 2076 Danforth Avenue. For tickets, visit coalminetheatre.com. ‘The Effect’ by Lucy Prebble Directed by Mitchell Cushman Set, Lighting and Prop Design: Nick Blais Projection Design: Jack Considine Costume Design: Cindy DEzib Sound Design and Composition: James Smith Psychiatry and Mental Health Consultant: Eloise Ballou Stage Management: Jeff Soucy and Scotia Cox Performers: Aviva Armour-Ostroff, Aris Athanasopoulos, Leah Doz, Jordan Pettle Previous Next

Back 'Mary Poppins' Now onstage until May 26 at the Imperial Theatre, St. John, New Brunswick Credit: Andrew Finlay Pictured: Pippa Wennberg and Bertis Sutton Aaron Kropf “A spit spot terrific family production” The latest offering from Saint John Theatre Company is a real treat for everyone in the family. Mary Poppins soars at the Imperial Theatre for one weekend only. With brisk ticket sales, you will want to grab yours before they are all gone. Mary Poppins is a familiar story full of songs that had the audience tapping their toes and clapping along. The story follows a magical nanny (Pippa Wenberg) who comes not only to help the Banks children, Jane (Ellie Clark) and Michael Banks (Joshua Birnbaum), but also their parents, George (CC Humphries) and Winifred (Tracy Ross). With the help of Jack of all trades Bert (Bertis Sutton), Mary teaches the children many lessons about life and growing up. Because of Mary, the Banks family gets to meet a wide range of characters, including a lovely scene with the Bird Woman (Ellen Snider), whose rendition of “Feed the Birds” was one of many highlights from the show. The programme does not list a specific set designer. Dave Belyea is listed instead as the Set Construction lead. His simplistic set design of a few pillars and a central staircase surrounded by an archway relies heavily on projections to move from one London location to the next. Some of these projections added to the whimsy of the story. It is vital that when looking at projections, mainly when you include them in gags and highlight a character, you don’t heavily favour one side of the stage over the other. My daughter and I were seated on the far left of the auditorium, which wasn't an issue for the majority of the time. However, a few things were difficult to see because many of the gags, including the painting of Queen Victoria, were set far left on the stage. Most of these were done on the left pillar, so those sitting on the left side were lost. Chelsea Cusack, a regular delight in Saint John Theatre Company productions, was deliciously vile as George Banks’ firmer nanny, Miss. Andrew. Her Brimstone and Treacle is precisely what you look for in a traditional Disney villain. One cannot talk about Mary Poppins without mentioning “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” It is incredible how a group of people that size could remain totally in sync while performing that choreography - no better way to wrap up Act One. The chimney sweeps in “Step in Time" ended in thunderous applause. I know my 7-year-old will be talking about this number for some time. Let's not forget about Bert and Mary. These iconic characters, deeply ingrained in our hearts by the Disney film, are a challenge for any new interpretation. Yet, Bertis Sutton (Bert) and Pippa Wennberg (Mary Poppins) have not only met this challenge but have also infused their own charm and wonder into these roles. Their performances are a testament to their talent and dedication, making this show a delightful nostalgic masterpiece. Don’t miss Mary Poppins by Saint John Theatre Company at the Imperial Theatre until May 26th.You will leave the theatre happier and likely humming a tune or two. This is the best Saint John Theatre Company has been; do not miss this show. Previous Next

Back 'Inge(new): in search of a musical' Now onstage at Toronto's Red Sandcastle Theatre Dahlia Katz. Foreground: Cory O'Brien. Background: (l-r): Astrid Van Wieren, Mairi Babb, Elora Joy Sarmiento Joe Szekeres An intelligent world premiere of a Canadian musical by Theatre Myth Collective about the roles we play in life. ‘Inge(New) is performed by a strong ensemble of theatre artists who tell the story with confidence. Bridget (Mairi Babb) shows up at an audition for the role of the ingenue in a soon-to-be-cast musical. Over her career, she has played every heroine from Juliet to Christine in ‘Phantom of the Opera’. Nevertheless, time marches on, and Bridget begins to realize perhaps she is not the young and impressionable ingenue from years (and shows) ago. Should she continue auditioning for such roles? Each time the musical accompaniment leads her in for her audition piece, Bridget doesn’t sing but instead speaks to an unknown individual out there in the dark. Is it the playwright? The director? The musical director? Others soon join Bridget on stage for the audition. There is bubbly Joy (Elora Joy Sarmiento) who idolizes and looks up to Bridget. The two of them worked together in another musical, but Bridget cannot recall working with Joy. The truth then comes out – both Bridget and Joy are auditioning for the same ingenue role. Gertrude (Astrid Van Wieren) next arrives. Throughout her career, she has worked with everyone in the business. Gertrude is at that stage in her career where she is no longer the ingenue but the bold, brassy, and seasoned performer who loves delivering that big 11 o’clock number in the second act. And there is Max (Cory O’Brien), the perfect-looking handsome leading man with a profoundly deep baritone/tenor voice who sweeps the ingenue off her feet. Director Evan Tsitsias’s cleverly written blur-the-lines Book connects the world of the theatre and real life regarding the roles we all play in life. I’m reminded of Jaques’ monologue from Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’: (All’s the world a stage/and all the men and women merely players/They have their entrances and their exits/And one man in his time plays many parts…). One doesn’t have to be a theatre lover or aficionado to recognize how each of us becomes different things to different people. We’re husbands, wives, parents, lovers, partners, friends, siblings – the archetype list is endless. Sometimes we behave differently depending on that role or part and on the context of our relationship with others. Sometimes the parts or roles that we assume in relationships with others need repair or are unfixable. Irene Ly’s set design of brick wallpaper at the back of the stage showcases this reality. Some of the bricks are in complete disrepair while the cement in other parts still needs to be put together. Rachel Shaen’s lighting design mysteriously reminds the audience that we are sometimes in the realm of the present but can quickly revert to some painful reminders of the past. An overhanging bulb periodically makes a loud buzzing noise at various moments of emotional growth for the characters. This bulb reminded me of the ghost lamp in theatres that is turned on as everyone leaves for the night. Tsitsias’s script takes a deliciously ironic turn of events. Many plot surprises along the way are funny and poignant. Just to whet the appetite – while actors Bridget, Joy, Gertrude, and Max go from one theatre contract to the next in real life, ‘Inge(new)’ entwines their lives together where the audience learns more about Bridget’s life and where she is headed next. (Spoiler alert in this next sentence only – the title sort of gives away Bridget becomes a new person resulting from this moment in the theatre.) The cozy black box Red Sandcastle Theatre on Queen Street East sets the audience smack dab in the heart of the plot action. The arm’s length intimacy from the stage thankfully allows the audience to clearly hear the messages conveyed through the songs. Acknowledgment of Music Director Kieren MacMillan in creating some fine vocal performance moments. I especially liked Gertrude’s song about why she wears rubber boots. Alexis Diamond’s lyrics with additional lyrics and music by Evan Tsitsias and Julia Appleton remain richly sharp thanks to the poetic-sounding language of the at times amusing and affecting subject material that moves the story along naturally. Evan Tsitsias soundly directs the production. There’s a clearly trusted and insightful vision in combining the world of musical theatre and personal relationships. It’s impossible not to be pulled into the lives of these four characters who tell the story with confidence and assurance. And this cast. Mairi Babb, Astrid Van Wieren, Elora Joy Sarmiento, and Cory O’Brien are WONDERFUL. They deliver four uniquely distinctive performances of tremendous conviction and ardent emotional passion for the subject material. They each have their own 11 o’clock numbers where I just sat back and allowed the sound of their voices and the messages of the songs to move me back and forth between the world of the theatre and real life. Final Comment: A treat and a joy to be able to see and experience a new Canadian musical at its birth. I certainly want to keep an eye on Theatre Myth Collective and see what Evan Tsitsias has planned for future. ‘Inge(new): In search of a musical’ represents why we must continue to get out and go to the theatre. Go see it. Running Time: approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. ‘Inge(new): In Search of a musical’ runs until June 4 at Red Sandcastle Theatre, 922 Queen Street East. For tickets: redsandcastletheatre.com/tickets. THEATRE MYTH COLLECTIVE presents: ‘INGE(NEW): In search of a musical’ Book, Additional Lyrics: Evan Tsitsias Music: Rosalind Mills Lyrics: Alexis Diamond Add. Music/Lyrics: Julia Appleton Director: Evan Tsitsias Music Supervisor/Music Director: Kieren MacMillan Choreographer: Jen Cohen Set/Costume Designer: Irene Ly Lighting Designer: Rachel Shaen Stage Manager: Annasofie Jakobsen Producers: Lauren Welchner, Evan Tsitsias Performers: Mairi Babb, Cory O’Brien, Elora Joy Sarmiento, Astrid Van Wieren. Previous Next

Back 'A Wrinkle in Time' by Madeleine L'Engle with adaptation for the stage by Thomas Morgan Jones Now onstage at Stratford Festival's Avon Theatre Credit: David Hou. From left: Noah Beemer, Nestor Lozano Jr, Robert Markus and Celeste Cantena. Guest writer Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, arts educator There’s much to take in at ‘A Wrinkle in Time.’ Unfortunately, it’s not a good thing. “A Wrinkle in Time,” a new adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s 1962 novel aimed at young readers, is an audio/visual frenzy of other-worldly video projections and sounds, taking its audiences on an interdimensional trek with its young protagonists to save Earth, the galaxy and one lost scientist father. Along the way, we’re joined by enigmatic guides, fantastical creatures, and alien landscapes while battling an evil force that threatens to take over the galaxy. Sound like a lot to take in? It is, especially if, like me, you’ve never read the books or seen the 2018 film starring Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon. This is not a good thing as the play assumes you’re part of a niche crowd familiar with the characters, their setting, and situations. This production forced me to accept that things would happen on-stage without context or explanation for who, what, where, when, and why. The “plot” revolves around 13-year-old Meg Murry, her genius kid brother Charles Wallace and Meg’s friend Calvin O’Keefe. Charles and Meg’s father Alex, a secret government scientist involved in space-time continuum stuff, has been missing for two years. Why he disappeared and where he might be aren’t revealed. On a dark and stormy night, the Murry’s new neighbour, Mrs. Whatsit drops by for a visit. She mentions something about a “tesseract.” The next night, a curious Meg and Charles decide to visit Mrs. Whatsit to find out more. Along the way, they coax Calvin O’Keefe, Meg’s schoolmate, to accompany them. Once at Mrs. Whatsit’s house, they see she has a guest, Mrs. Who, who has a penchant for spewing quotes from famous people. Another strange voice is heard from a Mrs. Which who promises the Murry’s that she and the other Mrs. W’s will help them find their father. The enigmatic Mrs. Ws can transport themselves and the children through time and space, wrinkling time so distant galaxies and planets can inter-connect. They discover that an evil entity called The Shadow threatens to take over the universe. The Mrs. Ws also know that the children’s father, Alex, is being held captive on the planet Camazotz. For some inexplicable reason, the Mrs. Ws are powerless to help the children save Alex, so it’s up to the kids to bust him out. To do that, Charles must allow himself to be taken over by an all-seeing group mind called “it.” Will the children be able to find and rescue Alex? Will they be able to release Charles from the hold “it” has on his mind? At this point, I didn’t really care. Of course, the play answers these questions, but meh. My fundamental problem with this show is that the plot isn’t straightforward. I had no idea what was happening except that three children were trying to save the father of two of them with the help of three supernatural women who seemed to turn their powers on and off as they saw fit. Sadly, I could care less if they succeeded or not. The plot is convoluted, illogical, and obtuse, with huge unexplained gaps in logic and storytelling. Who are these Mrs. Ws? Why do they have magic powers? How is it they know where Alex is? The questions are multitudinous. Could we not have had a few lines of explanation from some of the characters to help us understand some of what’s going on? The silly eccentricity of Thomas Morgan Jones’ direction (he also adapted the original source material), ludicrous, out-of-step choreography, ropey dialogue, and implausible situations had me and my companion tuned out. This is a show for fans only. Production elements are slightly more engaging. Ethereal recordings of storms and alien sounds add atmosphere. On an otherwise bare stage stand two large monolithic rectangles, courtesy of designer Teresa Przybylski. Strange, fantastic, bizarre, often cheesy videos of planets, galaxies, storms, and assorted manic images by jaymez are projected onto each side of these rotating trapezoids, suggesting new locations. The only furniture pieces are square steel frames suggesting a bed, kitchen table, and chairs. Lighting design by Kimberly Purtell is often shadowy and flat due to the extensive use of side lighting to illuminate faces. Costumes by Robin Fisher are a delight - creative and whimsical. Humans wear everyday hoodies, jeans, and fleece pullovers, but aliens like the denizens of Camazotz wear oversized grey business suits with red umbrellas and pocket squares. The Mrs. W’s are colourful and over-the-top with high wigs and Viking helmets. Also notable is the frightful glowing eyes and sharp claws of the evil “it” minion, the Man with Red Eyes. The three lumbering four-armed dinosaur-like Aunt Beast characters are both fantastic and awe-inspiring. With such a muddy premise, thank goodness the cast does their best to commit to their threadbare characters and corny situations. At least they understand what’s going on. I think. As Meg, Charles and Calvin, Celeste Catena, Noah Beemer and Robert Markus convincingly played children with energetic exuberance. Beck Lloyd is fine doing double duty as a cerebral earthling Mom Kate and a Camazotzian mother. As Dad Alex, Jamie Mac does his best with a one-note performance. As the three Mrs. Ws, Nestor Lozano Jr. as Mrs. Whatsit was mostly engaging, but their dialogue seemed somehow forced and often disingenuous. Khadijah Roberts and her interminable habit of quoting people seemed to distance her from the audience. Are we supposed to recognize the obscure quotes and the people who said them? Kim Horsman as Mrs. Which plays a serious diva who looks ready to star in a Wagnerian opera. Erica Peck plays a manic whirling dervish called Happy Medium whose character has no purpose whatsoever. With all the sci-fi babble, talk of tesseracts and inter-dimensional travel, abstract visuals and sound effects, children may be intrigued by this show. Then again, they may not. Despite its sometimes-exotic production values, it fails to tell a straightforward story with enough detail to make it understandable. You may be appeased if you’ve read the books and are familiar with the stories. If not, you’ll spend 95 minutes scratching your head in confusion rather than delighting in awe. Running time: approximately 95 minutes with one intermission. ‘A Wrinkle In Time’ runs until October 29 at the Avon Theatre at the Stratford Festival. For tickets, visit stratfordfestival.ca. Previous Next

Back 'Cottagers and Indians' by Drew Hayden Taylor Presented by the Atlantic Repertory Company and Saint John Theatre Company Presented by the Atlantic Repertory Company and Saint John Theatre Company Aaron Kropf “Saint John audiences shouldn’t miss their chance to see Drew Hayden Taylors’ Cottagers and Indians presented by the Atlantic Repertory Company at the BMO Studio Theatre.” Billed on the Saint John Theatre Company website, 'Cottagers and Indians's is the story of: "the cultivation of wild rice that incites a fierce dispute between a native farmer and a white cottager, which escalates into a symbol of reconciliation. Through an endearing and amusing narrative, this story tackles important themes of community, respect, and ownership. 'Cottagers & Indians' is a timely tale that culminates in a legendary food fight." Arthur Cooper (James Dallas Smith) is that very native farmer determined to bring manoomin back to the lake in the heart of cottage county. It is an area that has become overrun by seasonal interlopers from the big city believing they must protect the waters for their recreational needs. Maureen Poole (Martha Irving), leader of the cottagers, is determined to keep the lake a haven of peace and relaxation, free from wild rice. Often throughout Cottagers and Indians humour is used to punctuate either side of the debate. The production is solidly directed by Samantha Wilson. She understands the importance of Taylor’s use of humour to punctate either side of the debate. James Dallas Smith and Martha Irving are strong actors who amply incorporate humour to punctuate their side of the debate while pushing the other to come and accept what each is trying achieve. They bring to life two extremely determined, charming, well developed yet flawed characters trying to recover from the anguish of loss while feeling like they have to do more for their departed loved ones. Drew Murdock creates a tranquil setting for Cottagers and Indians. He transforms the BMO Studio Theatre into Ontario’s cottage country with a deck to one side of the stage festooned with an BBQ and Muskoka chair. A dock stretches across the waters of the lake, the central character of the story. To the other side is a canoe surrounded by a few stalks of manoomin (wild rice). Behind the lake are a series of abstract trees completing the serene setting. In a crisp, snappy and entertaining 90 minute piece of theatre, the Atlantic Repertory Company and Saint John Theatre Company present a thought provoking story ripped from the headlines. It is one not to be missed. The show continues to February 25 at the BMO Studio Theatre, 112 Princess Street, Saint John, New Brunswick. For tickets call (506) 652-7582 or visit saintjohntheatrecompany.com to purchase online. Previous Next

Back Beatriz Pizano Looking Ahead Tanja Tiziana Joe Szekeres Near the conclusion of our conversation, Beatriz Pizano talked about the passion she recognizes in emerging artists and how important it is to nurture it, especially as we look ahead and move forward out of this pandemic. I must say that Beatriz herself is one deeply passionate lady about her work and craft. I highly respect learning more about her and the work she has accomplished over the past twenty years through Aluna Theatre. Beatriz Pizano (Actor/ Director/Playwright) is the founder and Artistic Director of Aluna Theatre. Over the last twenty years, she has built Aluna into an international company recognized for its unique approach to creation, its daring political work, and its experimentation with multiple language productions. Her bold performances, in English and Spanish, are marked by a distinct theatrical language drawing from the heritages, cultures, and languages from across the Americas. Aluna’s original productions have earned them 29 Dora Mavor Moore nominations and 11 wins. She has received a number of prestigious awards including the John Hirsch Prize, the Chalmers Fellowship, K.M. Hunter award, 100 Colombianos and Colombiano Estrella. She is the first Colombian actress to win the Toronto Critics award and a Dora for her performance in Blood Wedding. She has been recognized twice by the Colombian government (President Santos and President Duque) for her work as a promoter and a mentor to the Latinx artists living and working in Canada. In 2019 she was named of TD Bank’s 10 Most Influential Hispanic Canadians. We conducted our conversation via Zoom. Thank you so much for adding your distinct voice to the conversation, Bea: It’s a harsh reality that the worldwide pandemic of Covid 19 has changed all of us. Describe how your understanding of the world you know and how your perception and experience have changed on a personal level. Well, to tell you the truth, Covid has been difficult in some things but at other levels for me, I was craving a pause. I haven’t had a rest. After running a company for 20 years, I needed to think where we are going now. There are changes that needed to happen. We struggled so hard as a diverse company. I was exhausted because as a tiny company we don’t ever get the funding needed to run. For example, I only have one full time person in twenty years, which is me, to run the entire company. The rest are all contract workers. That instability because with me just running Aluna and having to do everything for the company was challenging. I was working seven days a week and I was very tired. Before the pandemic, I was very lucky to get one of the Canada Council Grants, the New Chapter Grants, which was a large amount. I’ve never seen that amount of money before to fulfil my dream of working in a piece called ‘The Solitudes’ inspired by ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It was the first time I fulfilled my dream of working with a collective of women for an extended period of time. We worked over two years, working several times a year for a month, then another three weeks in building that beauty of process. So, after this experience, I felt like I couldn’t go back to a period of three weeks and go, go, go again. So, for me, it was a much-needed time of reflection personally. I love being home. I have a garden and working in it. I’ve made gigantic personal changes in my life, so I needed time to just sit. I also travel a lot with the Festivals as a presenter. I travel six months of the year and was always going, going. So, suddenly, for someone like me who has a personality of constantly being on the quick move all the time, I was at home. It was great at the beginning, but for me it has been an important time of reflection personally on who I want to be as an artist, and where do I want to go from now as a more mature artist. I’ve done all these things, and now success and all those things do not matter to me in the same way. I’m looking for a deeper soul now, what do I want to speak about now. I want to now move into the art of living. I’ve written so many plays about things that were important to me. I’ve started a new project, but I don’t know what it is I want to say yet so I’m going slowly. For me, the pandemic has given me this opportunity to reflect on how to implement these changes, how they are going to manifest, and how will Aluna deal with these changes. With live indoor theatre shut for one year plus, with it appearing it may not re-open any time soon, how has your understanding and perception as a professional artist of the live theatre industry been altered and changed? Theatre will never disappear, but it needs to adapt and speak to the times. Digital theatre will never be going away, but how is it going to evolve moving forward? As theatre artists we have to be in the here and now. Technology is the world of the new generation coming forward. These digital tools will not go away. If something is introduced, it will become part of the medium that we know. Soheil Parsa is directing ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’ next year, fingers crossed (and I’m crossing my fingers too because I want to see this production). When we look at this piece, this Lorca piece is so deep and profound as it’s about intergenerational trauma among the women. We’re not doing the ‘Bernarda Alba’ that everyone does. The company was very important because it coincided with the cries for social change and equity and being a part of that conversation in seeing how we move forward from now on. When I began the company there were five of us who are Latinx artists no more than 10 and now there is a beautiful community of artists who are very strong and emerging. I’m thinking now as I move forward, and I begin to think of whoever wants to take over the company. I accepted the role of Artistic Director when I took over the company 20 years ago, and now when it’s time for me to move forward, I’m now thinking about strong Latinx artists who can take over. I want to leave a home of strong artists, that was my dream. I want to leave a world full of strong opportunities in this company for a community of artists. As a small company, Aluna does not always think in terms of ticket sales. Instead, we see the audience as part of the process and in communion with the actor. That is so important. I’m known to give tickets away to those who cannot afford to see theatre because it’s important to introduce as many as possible to the theatre. Sometimes it’s hard to separate the artistry from the personal side because my work for 20 years was focused on Aluna. I was once asked if I had any hobbies, and I couldn’t state that I had hobbies. Everything I did was my art, and I wasn’t able to separate between the two. At times, it’s hard to separate the two. As a professional artist, what are you missing the most about the live theatre industry? Rehearsing in person. I’m about process. I work in a style of process, improvisation and discovering until you find things and throwing myself in the room. I’m a very physical actor. To embody the human body with the text is so critical in the process. It’s not the same on Zoom to feel and to connect with another actor. I need to be in the room with others. We were in rehearsal for ‘Bernarda Alba’, but I was turning the character into a stereotype because I was not in my body. It’s so hard to make that connection with another actor through Zoom. I never abuse the moment when the actor is in communion with the audience or with another actor. If you as actor can make the audience breathe with you, that is magical. I miss breathing in the same room with other actors and audience. Oh my God, I miss a lot of things. As a professional artist, what is the one thing you will never take for granted again in the live theatre industry when you return to it? People. Artists need to be paid well and people need to be compensated really well. After Equity removes fees etc, sometimes actors are left with $12, $13, $14/an hour and I’m thinking, “Seriously?” There are actors who have been working for 20, 30 years and they’re earning below minimum wage? This doesn’t make sense. This is inhumane. This has to stop. Let’s compensate people well. I don’t know who created this system we currently have in place in the theatre. Over the years, we work people to the bones for opening night. When the actors leave, the director, crew and designers stay. Creation is such an act of opening the soul and I don’t understand why people are staying around when the actors leave. That can’t be justified anymore. For instance, some companies have implemented there must be at least two weeks of technical rehearsal in the theatre. When I work with Soheil, he has at one week before previews of tech in the theatre. When you don’t have a lot of money as many smaller theatres may not, you cannot do that. At Aluna we give at least one week of tech in the theatre because it moves the play faster and better for the actors. For me, I don’t know how I’m going to do it as a producer, but that practice of working people to the bone must end. Let’s compensate people adequately and fairly. Throughout this pandemic we have been paying people way above scale. People need to be paid daily rates because they work so hard. Describe one element you hope has changed concerning the live theatre industry. I don’t think it has changed, but there must be an awareness that the system we have been working with was not working for a lot of people. The work ahead is really hard. It will also be very exciting because there is a beauty in the multiplicity of artists and voices that we will soon hear. It’ll be hard because there is the unknown ahead, but with this multiplicity and diversity of voices, Canada will become an exciting artistic place. Canada already is because I’ve travelled to other places, but we need to come out of these boxes. Theatre has become a business on behalf of this illogical thinking because for some people it’s not a business. For some, theatre may be a social movement so we cannot put it under the same thing because it is looked at differently by many people. The conversation is changing but we have a lot of work to do. I don’t believe anything has changed yet. This is a process. Explain what specifically you believe you must still accomplish within the industry. Oh my God! I don’t know why you’re making me so emotional, Joe. (and Bea and I share a laugh) So many things. On a personal level, I’m still striving for so many things as an artist, and that’s making sure I have the time to prepare and to put it in my process. In this urgency to get things done, I don’t take short cuts, and I don’t respect the sanctity of the art form if I did that. It requires time through dedication through playwrighting and acting. I also want to learn so much more about directing, about playwrighting, about acting. The only way you learn is by doing it with opportunities. What I want to do is make sure I can create those opportunities for others as well, especially in the diverse and marginalized communities that have had very little opportunity to work. You don’t get better if you don’t work at it. That’s the reality. With every project I take on, I have this saying: “All I knew today. Tomorrow I will know more things.” If I can go to sleep at night and say, “Yes, Bea, you did everything you knew today. The reason why I didn’t do anything different is because I didn’t know it yet.” But tomorrow after completing that project, I will know more because I will have learned more. Some artists are saying that audiences must be prepared for a tsunami of Covid themed stories in the return to live theatre. Would you elaborate on this statement both as an artist in the theatre, and as an audience member observing the theatre. I’m actually avoiding anything that talks about Covid. No. I don’t want to write about Covid at all. I think what people will crave is truth and connection as audiences. I do think works have to be very truthful. There may be pieces that go against the conventions as people love these interactive pieces today. My desire is the opportunity for theatre to return to truth and not fabricate stories. People want connection. Have the guts to go and perform in a park without the comforts and lights. That is breaking things down. Audiences will be demanding a lot from the artists when we return, and I think that’s great. The industry has to remember and allow that it’s not about tickets. We may have to do theatre in very unconventional places as we, the audiences and artists, return and emerge into this new understanding of the world. I’m looking forward to be challenged as an artist and audience member. So no, I will NOT go and see anything that deals with Covid. As an artist, what specifically is it about your work that you want future audiences to remember about you? That I believed deeply in everything I did to the bones. I cannot do something that I did not believe in. Hopefully people will recognize my complete commitment with every cell in my body what I’m doing, how can I pretend for others to join me on the journey. To learn more about Aluna Theatre, visit www.alunatheatre.ca ; Facebook: @AlunaTheatre; Twitter: @AlunaTheatre. Previous Next

Back Jonathan Wilson Moving Forward Joe Szekeres It was great fun to reconnect with Jonathan Wilson once again after I had profiled him over two years ago. If you wish to read the first time he and I spoke, please go here: www.ourtheatrevoice.com/items/jonathan-wilson We both agreed on how important it was to try to remain positive in the changes once again regarding Covid. Jonathan's doing all right these last two years and adds: “Life is good. You’re always reinventing yourself even when you think you’ve finished the work. It’s always a new challenge. The other day I was speaking with someone about starting at zero periodically. That’s not meant to sound negative in any way, but it’s a reminder we’re always learning and always moving forward.” For the first time in forty years, Jonathan doesn’t have an agent. The agency changed and moved on, and he thought this was a good time to self-represent, really go solo and really create his own work in a way that has been “fantastic and very empowering”. During these last two-plus years, Wilson says the positive side was concentrating on solo writing as a self-creator. Back in his Second City days, he learned that as a writer he could hire himself. Additionally, Studio 180 has also assisted him in developing a new solo piece entitled ‘A Public Display of Affection’ that was filmed and, just this past spring, there was a public screening of it at Toronto’s Paradise Cinema on Bloor. Wilson says the lockdown has provided new learning opportunities for himself and his craft regarding digital capture of a theatre performance without an audience. He recently re-visited The Rivoli on Queen Street, one of his old haunts, where he did sketch comedy and improv. He got to perform a section of his upcoming show in front of a live audience, and he was thrilled he had the chance to do that. With the upcoming production of ‘Gay for Pay with Blake and Clay’, Wilson is looking forward to having a live audience in front once again. A press release stated the following about the upcoming production: “Every actor knows there is nothing more prestigious than bravely playing gay. But is your pesky heterosexuality getting in the way of booking a one-way ticket to award season? Join Blake and Clay, two seasoned gay actors, as they teach you to play gay and make LGBTQ about YOU. Go from straight to straight-up booked! Let their lived experience get your acting career off life support! Because representation matters, but their representation hasn't called in ages.” The Toronto Fringe sellout of ‘Gay for Pay’ won the 2022 Second City Award for Outstanding Comedy and Patron’s Pick. It opens on November 16 and runs to November 27 at Crow’s Theatre. Wilson worked with co-creator/performer and actor Daniel Krolik seven years ago on a Studio 180 piece for the PanAm Games. They became friends and Daniel encouraged Wilson to continue writing and self-producing. This past spring, Daniel was writing a Fringe show with co-creator Curtis Campbell and approached Jonathan to ask him if he would ever consider doing a Fringe show. They produced some online material. Jonathan saw the online material and it made him laugh. Curtis does a character named Alanis Percocet (and I had a good laugh over that). Jonathan started his career in Fringe shows. He only had to think for what he calls two seconds to agree to do the show. According to Wilson, Krolik and Campbell went away and wrote the show, a fake fun acting class. The premise? Two theatre performers have found an assigned gig and are teaching straight actors how to play gay. When he read the script, Wilson said he laughed so much and considers the rehearsal process and performance a real gift as an actor. He has a chance to continue honing his comedic skills as an actor. There’s improv in the show as well. There’s a community group effort with a lot of give and take with the audience in responses only. Wilson says: “It’s been a lot of fun and a reminder that in the theatre world comedy is overlooked. If anything, we need laughter right now.” Jonathan reassures that audience members will not be pulled up or ‘picked on’ to participate in the action of the production. As an audience member, he doesn’t like when that happens, and he doesn’t think it’s right for him to do that to an audience. At the Fringe, ‘Gay for Pay’ was sold out every night and Jonathan had a fantastic time doing it then. He credits and thanks Crow’s Artistic Director Chris Abraham for opening the door once again to perform it in the east end. Was there a reason the title does not use the names of the actors? Jonathan was looking for significance when he got the script wondering why the two characters are called Blake and Clay. Co-creators Curtis and Daniel said they both thought it sounded funny. Jonathan plays Clay so he wondered if he is supposed to be able to be moulded like clay in helping the students in this class take new forms. Director of the production, Curtis Campbell, told Jonathan: ‘Whatever! If that works for you, Jon, go ahead.” Jonathan then jokingly poked fun at himself by saying to give actors some seed and off they go to grow in whatever form they want. He’s having a great time with the production. Performances of ‘Gay for Pay with Blake and Clay’ run to November 27 at Streetcar Crow’s Theatre, 345 Carlaw Avenue (Toronto) in the Studio Theatre. Running time is approximately one hour with no intermission. For tickets, visit crowstheatre.com, click the WHAT’S ON tab and purchase tickets online. You can also call the Box Office at (647) 341-7390. I’ll be reviewing the production this week. Look for my review to follow shortly thereafter. Previous Next

Back George Masswohl Moving Forward Selfie Joe Szekeres Performing artist George Masswohl has graced Canadian stages in highly charged performances over the years. I had the opportunity to see him play opposite Fiona Reid in a solid production of ‘Sweeney Todd’ at Canadian Stage. A little tidbit of information I also discovered. George sang the title role of ‘Sweeney Todd’ off stage for Vancouver Opera at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre when the actor playing the titular role developed vocal issues. Wow! I applaud George’s dedicated professionalism to ensure a quality production for the entire community. Recently, until the pandemic was declared, George also appears in some little play in Toronto with packed houses called ‘Come from Away’ where he plays Claude, the mayor of Gander, plus other roles. By the way, the Toronto company is extraordinarily wonderful, so if you haven’t seen this production make sure you do when we can all return. I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the Canadian and Broadway cast members for this column, and ‘Come from Away’ is one show I do want to see again. George is also a member of The ROWDYMEN, a band dedicated to the preservation and the propagation of the vibrant music of the people of Newfoundland. Hopefully, the band will play somewhere in Toronto when it’s safe for all of us to return. I also discovered from his Facebook page that George studied English Language and Literature at my alma mater, The University of Western Ontario (Go, Stangs!) Excellent choice, by the way. We conducted our conversation via email. Thanks for the conversation, George: 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 in your opinion? If I’m being perfectly honest, I feel differently from moment to moment. As things drag out, and confusion reigns, despair and hope come in waves. But so far, I’ve always managed to come back to hope. I renew this effort every day. That is my current way of living. I’m keeping it in the moment. How has your immediate family been doing during these last eight months? It’s been tough on my family. My partner and stepson and I have all been shut down. She is a dancer and yoga teacher and he was working, variously, as an usher at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, at an escape room business, and at the Beer Store – which is a filthy job in an environment where most patrons seem to be non-compliant vis a vis Covid protocols, and management less than vigilant. Almost all of these have become impossible for me now. Beyond our household, it’s even tougher. My sister struggles with the new difficulties in her already difficult work as a counsellor at a women’s shelter and with caring for our 90-year-old aunt, who lives with her. In addition to all of this, we are still in the aftermath of having lost our mother last year after a long and difficult series of illnesses. Having said all of this, we are remarkably upbeat and, as mentioned above, fiercely committed to coming back to hope, finding the joys where they can be found…and doing our damndest to incorporate fun into our days wherever we can. As an artist within the performing arts community, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? The part of me that thinks it’s over…that 35 years of constant hustle has come to a dead end. Watching my colleagues, all at different phases in their journeys, going through similar angst. Trying to imagine, at age 53, what I’ll do for the rest of my life if that part of me, heaven forbid, is right. 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 was working on recovering from hip replacement surgery to return to my cherished community and the role that I love in the Canadian company of ‘Come From Away’. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? I have been working with my band, ‘The Rowdymen’ with Greg Hawco and Gerry Finn. It has been a saving grace for all of us. Not a money maker at this stage, but it has kept me creative, and for that and them, I am very grateful. 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? I think it’s best for me to defer to their wisdom and ingenuity. The smart money in this business has always subscribed to the credo that the best way to ensure your employment is to create your own work. If they were to ask me for advice, I think I’d offer that up, and encourage them to do whatever they can to reimagine and rebuild the industry. I’d also pledge to continue to do the same – and pledge my support. Do you see anything positive stemming from Covid 19? Oh, well, there has to be something. Can I tell you in a year? Do you think Covid 19 will have some lasting impact on the Toronto/Canadian/North American performing arts scene? You better believe it. Many theatres, like many other small businesses, have shuttered forever. Our associations are tapped out and struggling to maintain relevance in a desert landscape. Funding is stretched beyond previously imaginable limits. Our artists are suffering immeasurable psychological stresses. On top of it all – and not surprisingly as it has ever been thus – much of the rest of society seems blind to the connection between the content they voraciously consume and the value of the artists who create it. 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’ve been involved in quite a bit of it, mostly as fundraising for various entities struggling to survive. I’m not sold on it as a vehicle for theatre. We need communal experience…book clubs, concerts, poker games, choir, sports, church, THEATRE. Having said that, I’ll be involved in a live stream on Boxing Day. Stay tuned. 😉 Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about the art of performance that Covid will never destroy for you? My creative spirit. The fire of creativity in me is burning hotter than it ever has. I went through a bunch of years where, for various reasons, I didn’t care about anything. I was telling everyone I was retired – and they were starting to believe me. But even through that, I was, somehow, able to preserve an ember to carry forward. I never really know quite how, but I know that I have an undeniable drive to survive. My creativity is at the centre of that flame. To learn more about The Rowdymen, visit their Facebook page: The Rowdymen, Twitter: @TRowdymen Instagram: @The_Rowdymen Previous Next

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Back Sadie Berlin Theatre Conversation in a Covid World HAUI Joe Szekeres I’ve been discovering the work of more and more worthy professional theatre companies where I would really like to attend their productions. I had heard of b current before but knew very little of the company until now. From its website: “b current is the hotbed for culturally-rooted theatre development in Toronto. Originally founded as a place for Black artists to create, nurture, and present their new works, our company has grown to support artists from all diasporas. We strived over two decades to create space for diverse voices to be heard, always with a focus on engaging the communities from which our stories emerge. As a result, these communities trust our company and respect the work that we do. Whether our audiences identify with our work through ethnic experience, social values, or political awareness, these groups are loyal to our programming because they recognize the high level of cultural authenticity and integrity we foster in our artists and their works.” With such an important focus, I also became aware that b current now has a new Artistic Director: Sadie Berlin. She is a writer, director, producer and now the Artistic Director of b current. She has a practice in performance art where she focuses on durational work. The alphabet soup at the bottom of her signature alludes post-graduate and professional degrees. We conducted our conversation via email. Thank you so much, Sadie, for taking the time to add your voice to this important discussion. I look forward to meeting you in person soon to say hello to you: We are now one year in with very few signs at this time that live theatre will return fully any time soon. How have you been faring during this time? Your immediate family? Although I am about as secular as one can get, I sometimes think the Fates have me in their crosshairs. I find it a whimsical way of thinking about the ups and downs of life; imagining biddies busying themselves at playing around with the next twist and turn of my life. After the first couple of weeks of lockdown, I started getting more work than ever. As an artist, you work, create, plant seeds, network, parlay yourself into better and better paying work. I thought the pandemic would stop my career in its tracks, the opposite happened. My partner who would self-define as a recluse has gained self-knowledge on the limits of his need for isolation. My elderly mother, who still lives in my hometown of Montreal, had her first shot weeks ago and has been able somehow to keep her spirits up through the pandemic. How have you been spending your time since the theatre industry has been locked up tight as a drum? I never stopped working. When lockdown came, I was curating a series of articles, a covid-proof endeavour. When I was called back to work at The Lab of the Stratford Festival in the Spring, we worked on finding ways to support as many artists as possible through different initiatives, digital projects, and commissions. I have left the Festival to take the helm at b current and that, of course, is occupying all my time. It’s strange to be so fortunate through such difficult times and, of course, because the grass is always greener, I have moments when I envy those who have a chance to rest and think. I am a firm believer in wallowing. When I get upset, I give myself a limited number of hours to feel sorry for myself. Capitalist democracy and its prescriptive optimism, happiness and creepy, exaggerated smiles has never aligned with me. It’s ok to be angry, frustrated and upset right now. And for theatre artists, I understand the feeling of dysphoria as people are at home watching Netflix without realising how much theatre and its artists contribute to the tv and film industries. On the first week of lockdown, I posted the seven volume, original French version of Remembrance of Things Past and thought I would finally be able to get past Book ne. And then for Winter, I purchased a MIDI keyboard and thought I would compose music. I got wool for knitting projects. I purchased a fe Domestika courses just for fun. But there really hasn’t been any time for hobbies. 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 near year long absence from the theatre as something else? I have keenly felt the absence of sharing space with other artists. In Pretend It’s a City, Lebowitz says that hanging out is the history of art. Forget social media or Zoom, nothing can substitute having a heated discussion about the nature of art at 2am in a dive joint. Until very recently, I was holding up better than most. I’m an only child and solitude never phased me. But I don’t feel liberated. I feel like I’ve been waiting outside my assigned gate at an airport for 13 months. 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? I’m not sure whether this story is true, but it should be: I once heard about an African ant that lives colonies of millions and is deadly to all organic matter. The ants follow the same path every year. And so, once a year, every village on the ants’ path, pack up their clothes and pets and livestock and move off the path of the ant for a couple of days. They villagers come back to pristine village. I think how a western mindset would address this issue. I imagine the invention of poisons and extensive and environmentally impactful barriers. I conjure up Texans shooting the ants with their guns, an ungenerous but hilarious thought that might pass through my mind. One thing Covid has taught me is humility. I am no fatalist, but I respect Covid, the same way I respect bears: by staying out of the way. I am watching and waiting and, to me, it feels insolent to make any prediction whatsoever. Like tempting the Fates. I had a discussion recently with an Equity actor who said that yes theatre should not only entertain but, more importantly, it should transform both the actor and the audience. How has Covid transformed you in your understanding of the theatre and where it is headed in a post Covid world? I actually feel the assassinations of Breanna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Regis Korchisky-Paquet, Chantel Moore and so many others, have had a greater transformative impact on how I view my work. Covid doesn’t have a conscience, but society should. I’ve always hesitated between pursuing a life in the arts and working in social justice. The arts won but I will no longer work on projects that reinforce the status quo. I will no longer apologize for harping on about race and politics. Whatever the future holds, I will be a different person in it. The Hindu goddess Kali, the goddess of destruction and creativity is a great guide for me. Covid has given us a chance at self-renewal – gosh, I feel terrible writing this as I think of frontline workers, indigent children with poor wifi who are barely getting an education right now. It’s fair to imagine that most don’t have the luxury to ponder lofty cogitations. 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? Before Covid, “safety” had been a buzz word in theatre for some years. I feel we are shying away from any kind of danger, be it physical, emotional, aesthetic… it will change the art that we make but I don’t see any other way. This is the culture right now. I was in Berlin just before the pandemic became known to the world and every play, I saw, would have resulted in a call to Equity on the first day of rehearsal over here. And the entire culture is concerned about safety and that will affect the arts as well. Would Robert Mapplethorpe be the artist that he became without clubs like The Mineshaft? The possible de-radicalisation of art keeps me up at night. Because safety is never radical. Because safety is not visceral. On the other hand, do I want to see artists in “danger” of any kind or any form? Of course not. My outlet is my performance art practice where safety is a dirty word, the important distinction being that with performance art, every artist gets to own and control their process. 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? God, I hope not. Actually, what I hope for is the pandemic and everything around it to course its way through my corpus callosum until it is forklifted to deeper recesses of my mind. From there it can work its way back into a related but perhaps unrecognisable idea. Again, the civil unrest of the last year has had a much greater impact on me than the pandemic. More sensitivity is the last thing I need, especially after hearing Tennessee Williams’s adage that the secret to happiness is insensitivity. Seriously though, I believe in the great French adage: “chassez le naturel, il revient au galop”. In other words, we never really change. 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? I’m not sure it is possible to be more curious than I am in normal times but, as Covid forced me to get out and go for walks instead of the gym, my relationship with nature has deepened. I am very privileged to have access to the natural world where I live and, without Covid, I’m not sure I would have spent as much time pondering life’s cycles and our place in the natural world. I think of everything in more holistic terms now and I am sure this will affect my art practice. To learn more about b current, visit www.bcurrent.ca . You can also follow b current on its Facebook Page: @bcurrentLIVE; Twitter: @bcurrentLIVE; Instagram: @bcurrentlive To follow Sadie Berlin at Twitter: @artysadie and IG: @sadiediamorphine Previous Next

Back Colm and Donna Feore Moving Forward Ann Baggley Joe Szekeres To the 115 Canadian and American professional theatre artists whom I’ve profiled over the last six months: thank you so much for sharing your stories and your thoughts with all of us. On a personal note, it is the arts to which I have turned during these sometimes very trying six months of the pandemic to keep me focused and going in knowing the end will be in sight. I passionately believe with all my heart and being the end of this pandemic is in sight. When is anyone’s guess? Live theatre will be back, and it will be a pleasure to return and watch all professional artists grace the stage again with those roles, those ‘dream’ roles, you so very much want to play. Who knows what format theatre will take as we slowly emerge from all this? But that is the exciting part in anticipation of wondering how the theatres will tackle this new challenge. When the decision was made in October to conclude the ‘Moving Forward’ series November 30, I struggled trying to decide who to ask as there were so many other artists out there with whom I so very much wanted to contact but time restraints didn’t allow me – at least for now. But who? I came upon a trailer of ‘Bon Cop, Bad Cop’ a few weeks ago online, and I just knew right then that I wanted to ask Donna and Colm Feore for an interview. I just sensed they as well were the right choice to conclude this series. And so, I contacted the Stratford Festival to ask for a contact to get in touch with the Feores. And I was equally humbled and elated when Donna got in touch with me to say she and Colm would be delighted to participate and to conclude the series. Donna is an extraordinary director and choreographer of many shows at the Festival. I’ve seen Colm in many wonderful productions at the Festival as well along with many television and film roles. Thank you/Merci, Donna and Colm for the interview via email. Until we all see each other again: 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 in your opinion? DONNA: It is very troubling to see the numbers climb so high again in November. It is a stark wake up call that Covid has gone nowhere and we are completely dependant on behaviours of our society to keep everyone safe. Hand washing, distancing and mask wearing continue to be the smartest action we can do at the moment. I am optimistic we will come out the other side of this pandemic. The recent news of vaccines is very encouraging! COLM: I am feeling optimistic and defeated by turns. On the one hand, I believe we will be back when circumstances allow and that we can stay ready for that moment; on the other, the sum of what we’ve lost is huge and I am trying to reconcile that loss with the need to keep moving forward. When we emerge from this pandemic period I think we will keep what we have learned about best practices and have a new, and I hope, appreciation of the value of what we do, both our audiences and ourselves. How have you been faring? How has your immediate family been doing during these last eight months? DONNA: I think there are good days and there are fewer good days for me. I miss the social and physical contact with people. I have however been given a huge gift of time to see friends that I have lost contact with over these last years with busy schedules. My immediate family is doing well. We had our daughter home for almost 6 months as she is a professional volleyball player, and her sport was shut down. Our son just graduated law school, so he was home for an extended period of time before he started articling. Our oldest son and his wife work form home in TO but we found we had more time with them. I believe we would have never had this time with our adult children without this pandemic and I will be profoundly grateful for it forever. COLM: I began the shutdown committed to keep working on what I was doing when we stopped. When it became clear we were not coming back, I grieved for the work done but began to think about the new perspective the shutdown offered. Our business is precarious. If you are lucky enough to do it and keep doing it, you keep going, almost afraid to stop. When you are forced to stop you start to reflect. We had some of our family with us to share our time and even though it was weird we cherished it. These moments showed us what is really important. As an artist within the performing arts community, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? COLM: Well, professionally this has been catastrophic. And, like my wife and I, many of our colleagues and friend are two artists households. The threat is existential. We’ve relied on each other to reach out and encourage, philosophize, laugh and cry about the situation. And it helps. I’ve got a lot of balanced advice from other artists about how to cope with the stresses of these days. Some offer wisdom, some books, some recipes, some exercise ideas. All useful, all welcome. DONNA: I miss my creative teams most of all. I realize now that it has been taken away, just how much I love and cherish our time together. The laughter, the brilliant ideas, the collaboration. It is a loss both professionally and personally because we are a close group and have worked together for a long time. It just always was so great to be together. I miss them all so much. We have stayed in touch a fair amount these last months. It is an important bond that a pandemic can’t destroy. I worry for the artists, especially the artists that are alone. I feel terrible for the younger generation of artist that is just beginning, but I am especially sad for the actors and creative artists that are mid career and on the cusp of huge breakthroughs. It is painful to see them having to put everything on hold and rethink knowing how incredibly talented they all are. 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? DONNA: At the Stratford Festival I was directing and choreographing a version of “Chicago’ that I had been given the permission to completely reimagine. There are 15 production numbers in the show, and we were one day away from the sitzprobe for ‘Chicago’. The sitzprobe is the first time the company gets to hear our orchestra play the score, and the singers get to sing the songs with the orchestra. It is a magical day ALWAYS, no matter the show but this one felt incredibly special. ‘Chicago’ has a magnificent score and to hear our brilliant musicians play it was going to be off the charts! It was heartbreaking to have to stop dead and, when we went in to collect our belongings, the rehearsal room was set up for the sitzprobe. I will never forget that feeling of sadness when I walked in the room and saw that. I feel extremely optimistic that it will be produced in the future, so we just have to be patient. I was also directing and choreographing a new musical of ‘Here’s What It Takes’ written by Steven Page and Daniel MacIvor. We had been developing the show for over 2 years and we were in production on week 3 when we stopped. It was another blow to not see the show produced and it was going to be in the beautiful new Tom Patterson Theatre. I am very hopeful that it too will have a life in the future. I also have two shows that are in pre-Broadway tryout phase. Both of those shows are new works, and both have dates set for fall of 2021 and early 2022. COLM: I was rehearsing ‘Richard III’ which was scheduled to open the new Tom Patterson Theatre as an echo of the production with Alec Guinness which opened the festival in 1953. We were well on our way and I had been preparing for many months before we started so when we stopped and then realized we weren’t coming back, it was a shock. I continue to work on the play, but I don’t see us returning to it until at least 2022. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? DONNA: Lots of hiking!! I am the creative producer on a new project for the National Arts Centre Orchestra. It is a 4-part television show that features some of our most gifted artists both in the worlds of music and the visual arts in Canada. I am excited and look forward to an announcement of the project in the very near future. I have been working on both shows being produced in the USA with the writers throughout the pandemic. They are both brand new musicals, so we have taken this time to continue working on the score and the script. It has been wonderful to have the time in a more relaxed environment to really dig in. I have cleaned out my house and continue to do so. I cannot believe how much stuff we have accumulated and kept over the years! It feels good to purge and do the stuff around the house that I have said I would do for the last 10 years! I have connected with friends that I have not seen or talked to in far too long. That has been such a positive part of Covid for me. We have some close friends in Stratford that have been in our bubble this whole time, so we feel lucky here. We also are extremely fortunate to have an amazing family that we are so grateful for. COLM: Well, once the biggest question of our day became “what’s for dinner?”, I knew I’d have a purpose. I love cooking and having time to try stuff out has been great. I’ve had a chance to read more and more widely. We’ve also begun to just start fixing things up around the house that our work allowed us to ignore for so long. And perhaps the best thing is that we had a couple of our adult children isolated with us while they studied for various things. It was a great pleasure getting to know them better. 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? DONNA: To be honest, everyday is a new day of discovery of what interests me and how I enjoy spending my time. Live theatre will be back. It will be different, but it will be back. I guess I would say to keep trying to work on your skills. Keep exploring new skills and get curious about other things. These are opportunities that you might otherwise not have had without this enforced pause in our industry. Colm has always been interested in so many other things other than acting and I admire his ability to allow curiosity to take him down some really exciting paths. I am trying to do that more and I highly recommend that a young actor and creative artist coming out of theatre school allow that curiosity into their being. It is a scary time for so many artists. Our industry was uncertain enough financially, so this added stress is a lot for many to bear. I hope and wish that people are finding a way through it. COLM: I am certain that public performance will return and that the lessons of the pandemic will change how it works. I think that the best way to ride out this crisis is to continue working on your craft. It’s about staying ready and being flexible. And no matter what you are doing to make a living, never stop the imaginative work of the actor. I was taught that every class was an acting class, that there was always something to be learned from living. Nothing is wasted. That said, I know that for the perennially unemployed this has gone from a dry spell to a desert, but we must trust that what we offer the world is desperately needed and, as soon as we possibly can, we’ll be back. Do you see anything positive stemming from Covid 19? DONNA: That’s hard because there has been so much suffering and continues to be for so many. I do however feel that Covid has given time for all us to reflect on our choices, our actions, and our evaluation of the future. I have talked a lot about family and friend time which has been such a positive. I have also seen so many artists create a new path for themselves that is so impressive! It is amazing to see the talent that has come out of these artists. Our community in Stratford has been hit hard both in the theatre, the retail, restaurant and hospitality industry. I have watched a community get behind each other and support each other so much. People who are hard hit themselves reaching out and helping others. It has made me love this city of Stratford even more. COLM: In the face of such global suffering I find it hard to see much positive though perhaps, the time for isolated reflection has been of use. We’ve had time to question our choices, and I know that moving forward our choices will reflect the experience of Covid. Do you think Covid 19 will have some lasting impact on the Toronto/Canadian/North American performing arts scene? COLM: No question that Covid will transform the performing arts locally, nationally, and globally. We are going to have to learn to live with it, or something like it, forever. The lessons of science will allow us to come back together, but I think it will take some time to figure out how. The one ray of hope I have is a fundamental belief in the deep desire humans have for community. We need to share our stories, our songs, ourselves, it’s part of what makes us human. DONNA: Yes, it will. There is a hard reality for all the performing arts in North America. It will be a long climb for the arts to get back to a healthy financial position again. I do think we have all taken for granted that we will always be able to do what we love in our industry. Our worries were our next jobs. When the anchor was thrown overboard in our speedboat, and our industry literally stopped around the entire world, it proved that it can all be taken away instantly. I know I will never take it for granted ever again. 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? DONNA: I think it has been particularly good for some artists to be able to continue showcasing their work and teaching on You Tube and other platforms. I am interested in content that is developed strictly for a digital platform. I think it is something that can live alongside the live event in the future. We live in a huge country geographically and being able to digitally reach communities that do not have the means to come to a live event whether it be theatre, dance, opera or symphony is crucial to the future of the arts and their relevance. COLM: I’m happy to see artists taking advantage of whatever medium is available to get their work out there. In a few short years there have been profound changes in how people get their entertainment. If an artist can connect with their audience via You Tube etc then why not? I will always love the live experience with both players and audience in the same space and if that space must be virtual, bring it on. Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that Covid will never destroy for you? DONNA: Our creativity remains in us all. That won’t go anywhere. It is where it needs to be right now, whatever that looks like. COLM: I have been incredibly lucky to have worked on a few projects while under Covid protocols and restrictions, and what it couldn’t kill was my gratitude for, and delight in, the work. Acting is a crazy business at the best of times but working under these peculiar conditions made me appreciate how much I enjoy it. Not retiring just yet!! (Editor’s Note: and I’m pleased you’re not just yet) Previous Next

Back Tim Campbell Moving Forward Denise Grant Joe Szekeres Tim Campbell’s name is another one I’ve recognized over the years at the Ontario Stratford Festival. Some highlights of performances in which he appeared include ‘The Crucible’, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, ‘All My Sons’, ‘Macbeth’ and ‘The Cherry Orchard’. What I did not realize was his extensive work in some noteworthy productions across North America plus in some of my favourite television shows over the years: ‘Republic of Doyle’, ‘Coroner’, ‘Flashpoint’ and ‘Hollywoodland’. Tim was born in Quebec and raised on Vancouver Island, before returning to Quebec to attend Bishop’s University, where he studied theatre. He was hired as an apprentice at the Stratford Festival in 1998 and has since performed in more than thirty productions there over the last two decades. Tim was the recipient of the 2003 ‘DORA MAVOR MOORE’ TYRONE GUTHRIE AWARD (for outstanding contribution at the Stratford Festival). We conducted our conversation via email. Thank you for taking the time to chat, Tim: 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? I guess like most of us living in Ontario, I’m concerned about the recent uptick in the number of cases and the apparent onset of a second wave. Though I’m certain that as a society we will get through this, how scathed or unscathed we emerge on the other side is entirely up to us, and at this point, up in the air. My sincere wish is that public health policy will be shaped by the best available data in the uncertain years to come. That something as fundamental as mask-wearing has become political depresses the hell out of me. How have you been faring? How has your immediate family been doing during these last six months? I’ve been good. Good? Mostly good. Parts of the enforced isolation have been an unexpected boon. My wife (who’s also an actor - Irene Poole) and I are frequently so busy through the summer months that we don’t get as much time as we’d like with our two school-aged kids. Quarantine allowed the four of us to spend welcome time together and develop new family traditions - hard-fought daily 5PM euchre, camping trips, days at the beach on Lake Huron. We had a large decision to make in late summer as to whether the kids would be studying at home or attending class in person. Because they’re both in the French immersion stream, there was no online distance learning option - we’d have to have homeschooled them. That seemed a bit daunting, so we decided that they would return to school in person. We are lucky to be living in Stratford, where the number of active COVID cases has remained low so it seemed a reasonable risk - even in larger than ideal class sizes, they are both really happy to be back. As an artist within the performing arts community, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? I found the sudden and absolute interruption of our entire industry disorienting. Like getting punched in the face. One day I was in the middle of an eight-show week, the next I wasn’t. Months went by, and the strangely buoyant, high-alert sense of being in an emergency began to fade. These days, as a clearer (and professionally dire) picture emerges of what the next few years will likely entail, I have struggled with staying positive. Like thousands of other actors who work predominately in the theatre, I have devoted the whole of my professional life to developing competence in a very specialized set of skills. To have the marketability of those skills (and as a result my ability to earn a living) disappear overnight is frightening. But I’m trying to keep my chin up, and mainly succeeding. 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 was in the final week of a show that was cancelled in mid March and was supposed to do another in June. I’m assuming that there are no plans to revisit these projects - understandably so - but haven’t heard anything certain. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? Parenting, cooking, reading, watching tv, lifting weights in my basement, and honing the art of the self-taped film audition. I’m a bit of a homebody by nature, so that aspect of the pandemic has not been a hardship. 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 wouldn’t presume to offer advice to my colleagues, but for recent graduates? Hmm. I guess I’d suggest that they take advantage of this fallow season by expanding their understanding of what kind of art moves and excites them - read plays, listen to music, watch films. Develop an aesthetic. Look at this as a gift of time. Do you see anything positive stemming from Covid 19? Sure. I think the pause has given us an opportunity to examine those things that sometimes life moves too quickly for us to consider. Both big things (Is market economy capitalism providing the most good for the most people, and should we do something about that?) and little things (The colour of this living room is actually pretty dingy, time to paint?) Do you think Covid 19 will have some lasting impact on the Toronto/Canadian/North American performing arts scene? Absolutely. My fear is that many theatres may not survive. We work with such ridiculously thin fiscal margins and such anemic government support that it’s difficult for most theatre companies to weather a rainy day, let alone a rainy few years. Even larger companies. Maybe especially larger companies. Size and scale of productions are bound to be affected for the foreseeable future. I just don’t see the possibility of any functional model of professional theatre (or live music concerts, or stand up, etc.) while an audience must be capped at 50 or 100 people. 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’m not sure that I’ve seen enough of it to form a firm opinion... but... early in the pandemic, I watched the National Theatre Live production of One Man, Two Guvnors, and more recently, Hamilton. When the Stratford Festival re-released the filmed productions they’ve shot over the last few years, I watched those too. All of them were very watchable and very good, and I felt like I was able to extrapolate the intended effect of the live productions, but my enjoyment of them was always at a slight remove. As an archival exercise, filming these productions is invaluable. If you aren’t able to see something in person, it’s the next best thing. But live theatre will always be more potent live. Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that Covid will never destroy for you? Loads of great memories. I trust there will be many more to come. Previous Next

Back Walter Borden "Your whole time learning your craft [as actors] is about forging your link to be strong." Mike Meehan Joe Szekeres Walter Borden is a lovely, personable, and affable gentleman. He loves opera and told me he worked in a parking booth in the early 90s and had music playing. He is a Black-indigenous, teacher, poet, artist, and playwright. During a recent Zoom conversation with him, Walter also spoke about his activist role in the theatre and its potential influence five years from now. Artists are not there just to entertain. That’s part of their responsibility, but it’s what Walter calls the ‘spoonful of sugar helping the medicine go down.’ No matter what theatrical discipline they find themselves in, actors and artists must always look to the future to see how societal demands will affect what they have been called to do. Borden opens at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre this week in ‘The Last Epistle of Tightrope Time’ to be directed by Peter Hinton-Davis. Billed on Tarragon’s website as a deeply personal reflection, the play is called an invigorating, solo performance that will feature ten characters. Walter will explore homosexuality from a Black perspective and offer an experience of the resilience of the human spirit. ‘Epistle’ was initially written and performed in 1986 as ‘Tightrope Time Ain’t Nuthin’ More Than Some Itty Bitty Madness Between Your Twilight & Your Dawn.’ What about the theatre industry still draws Walter back to perform? He paused momentarily and explained how difficult it was to say what he wanted to say. He always knew he would end up somewhere in the theatre world from 1953 when he had his first gig onstage in a Christmas play. He didn’t know how that would evolve but didn’t think about it. He let things evolve as they should. He said: “I knew it, I let it, and I had no idea how it would manifest itself.” The theatre is the ultimate classroom for Walter because he calls himself a teacher. He proudly stated that he began his work in a regular classroom. Walter’s family had planned that he would become a doctor, and he even went into his first year of pre-med. He knew he was a teacher because: ‘the theatre became my final classroom.” What a beautiful analogy. And all teachers get that understanding. Where does he see the live theatre industry headed over the next proverbial five years? Walter smiled on camera and thought the question was a good one. His response: “The theatre is being challenged as it has never been challenged before. It is a place where humanity can be reflected back upon itself. That can be dangerous because audiences sit there and are told what’s going on”. We shared a good laugh over that last statement because it’s true. In Walter’s humble opinion, and understandably so, society is evolving at the speed it is in such strange ways. One of the strangest is this desire to gallop backwards instead of forward. The theatre is locked into that. One of the most significant challenges is to be ahead of the game. Always. Why is this problematic now? Borden knows why. It’s become more and more of a financial difficulty to sustain theatre, so there is a reliance on funding sources. To keep the good grace of these sources, theatres must behave and do certain things. The moment this is done, one taps into the lifeblood of the theatre. It is supposed to do all those things that are now under scrutiny – what can be said, what can’t be said. Are government guidelines or other interests placed in the theatre? For Walter, all this is strangling the industry. That attitude of making it toe the line in every instance with what societal dictates suggests that those in theatre, or revere it, are incapable of being morally responsible in all other ways. More and more people, as Walter sees it, who are responsible for the wellness of theatre acquiesce to the demands being put upon theatre from the outside. Dialogue is essential for all involved; however, if there is no understanding of what theatre is meant to be, and what it has always been, it aggravates Walter in many ways. It’s a difficult time. Walter loves speaking with young actors. He tells them: “The moment you decided that you wanted to enter and commit to the craft of acting and the world of theatre, you became the weakest link in a chain that stretches into antiquity. Your whole time learning your craft is about forging your link to be so strong. When someone comes along and links to you, you are strong enough to hold that chain and don’t break.” That is how Walter sees the theatre. Rehearsals for ‘The Last Epistle of Tightrope Time’ have gone very well. Borden sees the challenge of the material because it is challenging even though the script is several iterations down the road over 49 years. The challenge is that everyone involved, from director Peter Hinton-Davis, Walter and the creative team, still sees the material as NEW. Borden then raised an interesting comment about this Toronto Tarragon production. ‘Epistle’ was performed last year in Halifax. Walter talked about the difference between remounting and revisiting the script. The script hasn’t been lying fallow in over a year from Halifax since everyone knew it was coming to Toronto. Instead, the script has been revisited continuously. It has been constantly in motion, refined and tweaked in preparation for the Tarragon production, and the script has been looked at again as new. A point of interest – NIMBUS will already have published the script for the Toronto run, and the Tarragon production will be the definitive version. Borden first met Peter at the Stratford Festival. Peter directed Walter in several plays. At that time, ‘Tightrope Time’ was still being written. Borden knew he was headed for what he wanted to be the completion of the work. He was at the stage of deciding whom he would want to direct because that was the most important thing. Even then, Walter knew many years ago that he wanted Peter to direct him at ‘Tightrope Time’s’ completion. He admires Peter for his shaping and insight into the play. He adds further: “Naturally, being associated with it for so long, I was automatically writing layers and layers that I didn’t even think about. But Peter could see the layers the first time he read it and would question me about these layers, saying such things as: ‘What were you thinking about when you said that?’ “ As we concluded our conversation, I asked Walter what he hoped audiences would take away from ‘The Last Epistle’: “You know, that’s always the hard one. In spite of everything in this work, I started from a straightforward premise from Maya Angelou’s: “We are more alike, my friends, than we are unlike.” This is reflected in the work. I hadn’t started it that way, but Peter did…the play is an illumination of the resiliency of the human spirit. More accurately, it is about the insurgency aspect of the human spirit. Resiliency, I see as running in a circle addicted to survival, which is its basis. You’re not surging forward.” Life has two main arteries for Walter in ‘Tightrope Time’ – ‘Maybe you will Boulevard, maybe you won’t Avenue, and they intersect at Carnival Crossroads. It divides your path into four directions: Lamentation Lane, Capitulation Alley, Resiliency Road and Insurgency Highway. What’s next for Walter once ‘Tightrope’ has finished? He is finishing off the second book NIMBUS will publish. It’s a book of poetry that includes the poetry that had to be excised from ‘Tightrope Time’. The third thing NIMBUS has contracted him to do is to write his memoirs for 2025. Regarding work, when ‘Tightrope’ concludes at Tarragon, it will travel to Ottawa’s National Arts Centre. He has a month off and then goes into rehearsal for ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’ at Neptune first and then brought to the Mirvish season. ‘The Last Epistle of Tightrope Time’ by Walter Borden runs until October 15 at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre. For tickets and other information, please visit tarragontheatre.com. Previous Next

Back Frances Končan "Theatre can talk about ideas in a safe and fun way. I hope audiences will leave thinking new things and not be afraid to think of new things." Joe Szekeres Playwright Frances Končan’s ‘Women of the Fur Trade, which played at the Stratford Festival in the summer of 2023, will run at Toronto’s Aki Studio in the Daniels Spectrum from April 9 – 21, 2024. Geoffrey Coulter, a site contributor to OUR THEATRE VOICE, attended that summer 2023 production in Stratford and called it: “a wildly entertaining, giddy and thought-provoking history lesson.” Directed by Kevin Loring (Artistic Director of NAC Indigenous Theatre), this current play revival, a co-production with National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre and Great Canadian Theatre Company, will feature an all-Indigenous cast including Kelsey Wavey, Cheri Maracle, Lisa Nasson, Jesse Gervais, and Jonathan Fisher as Louis Riel. Joelle Peters, Artistic Director of Native Earth Performing Arts is the Assistant Director. There was a run of the show in January 2024 at Ottawa’s National Arts Centre A press release briefly explains the plot: “In eighteen hundred and something, somewhere upon the banks of a Reddish River in Treaty One Territory, three very different women trapped in a fort with a preference for twenty-first century slang sit in a fort sharing their views on life, love, and the hot nerd Louis Riel. ‘Women’ is a true story seen through the lens of these three women. It’s a lively historical satire of survival and cultural inheritance shifting perspectives from the male gaze onto women’s power in the past and present, and through the lens of the rapidly changing world of the Canadian fur trade.” Končan saw the show in previews and opening, calling the current revival cast terrific. Frances looks forward to seeing this cast in Toronto and seeing how strong and confident they have become in telling the story. The revival cast has new staging, direction, and vision compared to last summer’s Stratford presentation. Končan calls this upcoming cast at the Aki clever and unique, as they put their own spin on telling the story. I received a press release about playwright Končan, an Anishinaabe and Slovene playwright and theatre artist from Couchiching First Nation who holds an MFA in Playwriting from the City University of New York Brooklyn College. In our Zoom conversation, Frances told me it was a two-year program of five students each year with a LOT of opportunity for playwrighting. They spent a lot of time with their professors during these studies. During the interview, Frances smiled and said they now miss their time hanging out with like-minded others just like them. Productions of Končan’s work include ‘Women of the Fur Trade’ (2023) at the Stratford Festival, directed by Yvette Nolan, ‘Women of the Fur Trade’ (2024) at the National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre/Great Canadian Theatre Company, directed by Renae Morriseau, ‘Space Girl’ (2023) at Prairie Theatre Exchange directed by Krista Jackson, ‘The Crows’ (2023) at Gwaandak Theatre directed by Miki Wolf, and ‘Women of the Fur Trade’ (2020) at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre directed by Audrey Dwyer. Other plays include ‘Don’t Go Into the Woods,’ ‘Riot Resist Revolt Repeat,’ ‘How to Talk to Human Beings, and ‘zahgidiwin/love.’ When Frances first started writing, they were used to writing for themselves, and no one really saw what they wrote; however, when they started working on the MFA, Frances again stated how much they could learn from talking to others about the process and that it was sometimes hard to go back to writing alone. As an artist, how does Frances feel about the theatre industry's changes and growth? They laughed at first because there was so much to answer in how the question was worded. Frances reiterated that it’s a huge conversation, but it must still be ongoing. They wanted to focus on the positive side first, even though many things must be improved. Just recently, Končan spoke about the value of new plays in the Canadian theatre landscape. Frances is highly interested in this conversation as they concurred that Canadian artists always support new work. For some reason, though, Canadian audiences often really respond to events that we take from the US with these big-budget shows and big musical numbers. Končan also thinks a lot about the economic balance of the support needed to produce new works within the country; nevertheless, they also say: “It’s essential to have that reflection of every corner of the country represented in the theatre…There’s been a lot happening in the past 10, 20, 30 years to show that Canada is on its way to ensure representation and reflection, and it’s important to celebrate because we have come very far. But there’s still so far to go on that journey.” Our conversation then turned towards last summer’s production at Stratford of ‘Women of the Fur Trade’ and director Yvette Nolan’s vision. Končan glowingly complimented Nolan, saying she is a legend to any Indigenous theatre artist and considers Yvette at the top of any list to stage any story. At first, Frances said it felt unreal and unfathomable that Yvette would take the helm. But Frances was eternally grateful for Yvette’s vision as the production got further into the process with editing and rehearsals: “I was grateful and honoured to have someone like Yvette so curious about theatre and what you could do with a show and a script directing it. Yvette saw so much in the script that I didn’t see even when I wrote it. She made the work so much better than I think it is.” (Frances laughed with such grace, which made me laugh.) Frances was pleased with the Stratford production and said it was surprising that something inventive and clever was done with the script every five minutes. As a writer and playwright, Končan sees themself as a gatherer and collaborator in the organization of the ideas of a story. They love it when actors bring something to the script, as Frances will then go back and make changes to perhaps add to what the actors had done in their discovery of the script. Does Frances have any say in casting actors, or was that process out of their hands? They find it interesting because, technically, they always have a say in that process, but it’s never been expressed until the issue comes up. this until the issue comes up. Usually, when a production is cast, sometimes the names are also run by the playwright just for a thumbs up. Frances has never been in a position where they’ve never trusted the director. What are some messages Končan hopes audiences will take away from the revival? “Theatre can facilitate conversations that might feel difficult or uncomfortable compared to a meeting or face-to-face. Theatre can talk about ideas in a safe and fun way. I hope audiences will leave thinking new things and not be afraid to think of new things.” Končan would like audiences to come to see her story because it is an Indigenous work and story performed by Indigenous artists. However, that opportunity does not avail itself—perhaps only once or twice a year. ‘Women’ takes a lot of the great stuff that we have regarding the standard of Canadian and American theatre and spins it in new ways that will make audiences excited to see what happens. After the Aki run, ‘Women’ will travel across the country, but Frances is not allowed to say when or where at this time. What’s next for Frances Končan? They’re living in some chaos, but it’s part of the journey. Frances started a new job in the fall. They moved to Vancouver and are still in the process of getting settled. Frances is looking at some commissions of plays. They will be at the opening night of ‘Women of the Fur Trade’. They believe there will be a talkback or panel for audiences who wish to remain and learn more. Tickets for ‘Women of the Fur Trade’ may be purchased at this link: https://www.nativeearth.ca/shows/women-of-the-fur-trade/ or call the Box Office: (416) 531-1402. Previous Next

Back Rod Carley Theatre Conversation in a Covid World Ed Regan Joe Szekeres I’ve known of Rod Carley’s work for over twenty-five years. In February 1987, I had seen his performance as Algernon in Whitby Courthouse Theatre’s production of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’. Whitby had also obtained a grant to hire Rod as the director of their Youth Group production ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe’. The Oshawa Little Theatre had also hired Rod to direct its production of a good production of ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’. Rod is an award-winning director, playwright and actor from North Bay, Ontario, having directed and produced over 100 theatrical productions to date including fifteen adaptations of Shakespeare. Rod is the Artistic Director of the Acting for Stage and Screen Program for Canadore College and a part-time English professor with Nipissing University. He was the 2009 winner of TVO’s Big Ideas/Best Lecturer competition. His first novel, A Matter of Will, was a finalist for the 2018 Northern Lit Awards for Fiction. His short story, ‘A Farewell to Stream’ was featured in the non-fiction anthology, 150 Years Up North and More. I’ve just finished his second novel Kinmount and will post a review at the conclusion of Rod’s profile. Thanks to Nora McLellan who encouraged me to read Rod’s book and to Rod for writing it and for taking a few moments to chat with me about the state of the arts going forward from a Covid to a post Covid world: In a couple of months, we will be coming up on one year where the doors of live theatre have been shuttered. How have you been faring during this time? Your immediate family? Health wise, I’m okay. I had to cancel two directing projects and an acting project as well as my fall reading tour for my new novel KINMOUNT. My immediate family is in good health. Fortunately, I’m based in North Bay, ON. This region has a small number of active cases. Teaching, Netflix, (not to be confused with teaching Netflix), family, the arts, books, the cats, Zoom chats with friends, doom scrolling, my writing, and connecting with the theatre and writing community on social media have been helping me get through COVID. Together although alone. When one of us is having a hard day, the rest jump in with words of encouragement and hope. “No one gets left behind,” is our unofficial motto. After ten months in, everyone is weary from daily COVID battle fatigue and uncertainty of the future. Each day feels like trying to herd a different cat. How have you been spending your time since the theatre industry has been locked up tight as a drum? As well as an author and free-lance director, I am the Artistic Director for the Acting for Stage and Screen Program at Canadore College - a training program I created in 2004 due to the lack of actor training north of Toronto. Because of the small number of COVID cases in this region, we have been able to keep 70% of our acting classes in the classroom, practising physical distancing and wearing masks. We are one of the few actor-training programs in the province that hasn’t had to switch entirely to on-line delivery. I’ve been doing a lot of writing. My new novel KINMOUNT was published this past October. Launching a new book smack dab in the middle of a pandemic is not for the faint of literary heart. Using the new COVID lingo, I “pivoted” and did a virtual launch (one positive was the number of friends who were able to attend from across the country and internationally). My publisher and I have relied heavily on social media to market the book. I’m also in the final editing stage of a new collection of interconnected short stories entitled Grin Reaping. I’ve done quite a few Zoom readings at online literary events. Last April, I retaught myself to play the accordion and posted regularly on social media to put a little light and humour into people’s days…or drive them further over the edge. The family tabby cat, Hilton, amuses me to no end. Our other older cat, Zoe, passed away in September. Last summer, I created a series of social media posts featuring Hilton and Zoe called “Respect for Mewing,” a purrfect parody on Uta Hagen’s “Respect for Acting.” Their antics might even lead to a book. I’ve also watched some very resourceful theatre companies move their programming online. Tarragon Theatre’s staged reading of David Young’s Inexpressible Island at the start of the pandemic was particularly well done – the six actors speaking out of the darkness in their respective spaces captured the isolation of the piece. I’m looking forward to watching Rick Roberts’ online mythic adventure Orestes, directed by Richard Rose, this coming February. Still, nothing can replace live theatre. There is a sanctity to what we do as theatre artists. People gather together to experience things that can’t otherwise be experienced – not unlike what happens in a church or synagogue. There’s an elevation, a nobility, and a feeling of sanctuary. Arthur Miller said, “My feeling is that people in a group, en masse, watching something, react differently, and perhaps more profoundly than they do in their living rooms.” 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 near year long absence from the theatre as something else? COVID is a restriction rather than an escape. In the theatre, flight-within-restriction is the director’s goal. A director has to know all the resources and limitations they are working with. Only then can they know in which direction freedom lies. Ironically, for me, it’s become a working metaphor for coping during COVID. 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? Dr. Fauci was recently quoted in The New York Times as saying he believed that theatres could be safe to open some time in the fall of 2021 – as long as 70% to 85% of Americans were vaccinated by then. Will those percentages apply to Canadian theatres? The quality of a theatre’s ventilation system and the use of proper air filters will play a vital role. Theatregoers may need to continue wearing masks. Strict hygiene protocols will need to be in place. Reduced capacity of seating has been another roadblock in the financial viability of reopening. Fauci believes theatres will start getting back to almost full capacity of seating. Another possibility is to ask audience members to show proof of a negative virus test –as required by some airlines. I am currently directing an online college production of David Ives’ All in the Timing, scheduled to go up in April 2021. I hope my colleagues and I will be able to direct live productions by the spring of 2022. Even with the vaccine, however, we will have to see if audiences feel comfortable returning to the theatre. Post-COVID, it may take awhile until they feel fully safe. I had a discussion recently with an Equity actor who said that yes theatre should not only entertain but, more importantly, it should transform both the actor and the audience. How has Covid transformed you in your understanding of the theatre and where it is headed in a post Covid world? A quote from my new novel KINMOUNT: “For nearly four thousand years, theatre had survived religious persecution, war, plague, the rise of television, AIDS, CATS, funding cuts, and electronic media.” (KINMOUNT – Part Two: Madness, Chapter 8, p. 173) But can the theatre survive COVID? My response is, “Yes.” We've probably all heard somebody say that come the End of the World, the only survivors will be the cockroaches. Cockroaches have been around for over 300 million years - so they've outlasted the dinosaurs by about 150 million years…and they are tough little creatures. They can survive on cellulose and, in a pinch, each other, and they can even soldier on without a head for a week or two - and they're fiendishly fast as well as many of us have discovered opening an apartment door and turning on a light. They have the reputation for being survivors - living through anything from steaming hot water to nuclear holocaust….and, when they do survive Armageddon, they will probably be performing theatre! There is something of the scrappy cockroach in every actor. Theatre has survived a variety of “end of the world” scenarios since its earliest beginnings. From the stone ages, men and women have been telling stories by enacting them even when no language existed. Ancient Greek theatre still inspires us, and it continues to be staged in all the languages of the world. In Ancient Greece, we had an empire ensconced in domestic barbarism and military adventurism. Yet, it was the theatre that reformulated the debates of that era with humanity and intelligence and put those qualities back in the air we still breathe more than 2,000 years later – and theatre will do that again post-COVID. Starting in the Dark Ages, actors were forbidden the sacraments of the church unless they foreswore their profession, a decree not rescinded in many places until the 18th century. Can you imagine the great French playwright Moliere collapsing on stage to his death and being denied the last rights? King Louis the 14th had to intervene to grant Moliere a Christian burial. Actors were treated as heretics for nearly 1,300 years! They know about tenacity and survival. During the 1950’s the world lived under the threat of an atomic war capable of ending life on earth. It was an age of anxiety and stress. The theatre was heavily influenced by the horrors of World War II and the threats of impending disaster. Serious questions were raised about man’s capacity to act responsibly or even to survive. Anxiety and guilt became major themes. Probably more than any other writer, Samuel Beckett expressed the postwar doubts about man’s capacity to understand and control his world. Now, “the end of the world” really was around the corner but it didn’t stop theatre. The cockroach artists kept holding that cracked and broken mirror up to man’s doubtful nature. We may see post-COVID theatre addressing similar issues – the fall of the American Empire, climate change, reconciliation, and so many other pressing societal ills – coupled with a need for humour and escape. I think there might there be a backlash coming against digital technology. The human soul is screaming for meaning. How much spiritual hunger and alienation can we bear? Theatre is genuine communication and not short form twitters and tweets. An audience is alive in the same space where the actors testify the truth of their characters. Any place where you are in that kind of public forum, breathing the same air, the truth will come out. 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? We live in a dangerous era now where the arts are being seriously questioned. In an uncertain economy, the arts are often among the first things to be eliminated from discretionary spending. The fall of the American Empire is rife with danger. The rise of right-wing fascism is beyond scary. In many articles, the pandemic has been compared to Shakespeare and the plague. In this excerpt from my novel, KINMOUNT, down-and-out-director Dave Middleton talks to his acting company at the First Reading of his production of Romeo and Juliet: “Romeo and Juliet was the first play to be produced in London after the infamous Black Death of 1592 to 1594 wiped out close to a third of the population,” Dave explained. “All the theatres were shut down for three years. Images and references to the plague permeate the play such that the plague itself becomes a character—much the way Caesar’s ghost haunts and dominates Julius Caesar. The plague struck and killed people with terrible speed. Usually by the fourth day you were dead. The time frame of Romeo and Juliet moves with a similar deadly speed, from the lovers’ first meeting to their deaths.” “I can’t imagine waking up on Saturday and being dead by Tuesday,” said Miranda. “The plague underscores all that happens, mirroring the fear and desperation of the characters’ individual worlds,” said Dave, adopting a sombre tone. “I’m pretty sure most of us have lost someone to cancer.” The company nodded uncomfortably. “We can only imagine the dreadful immediacy of Romeo and Juliet when it was first performed for an audience who had each lost family and friends to the plague. Here was a play referencing that very loss and terror.” Dave circled his troops; his director’s passion, despite himself, as infectious as the plague he was referencing. “What a gutsy and attention-getting backdrop for the love story that unfolds in the wake of Ebola, the opioid epidemic, Lyme disease, HIV, not to mention the scourge of cancer, we know what this fear is like.” Dave had hit a nerve. “By using the original setting and its plague components,” Dave explained, “our production will serve as an analogy for today. We will play the humour of the first three acts to its fullest until the “plague” of deaths begins. We will explore the passion and exuberance of youth, the need to live every day as if it was your last, because it very well could be. Your life expectancy is thirty.” “Whoa,” said the taller stoner. “Like I’m already middle-aged. That sucks, dude.” “It does,” said Dave. “You have no idea what will happen when you start your day. You could be killed in a duel, run over by horse-drawn cart, be accidentally hit on the head by a falling chamber pot, or drink water from an outdoor fountain, toxic with bacteria boiling in the summer heat, and catch the plague.” (KINMOUNT- Part One: Meeting, Chapter 7, pp. 48-49) Similar to the plague, COVID has reinforced the transience and fragility of our existence. We really do have to embrace the moment because the future is more uncertain than ever. Post-COVID, this reality will serve as a backdrop for much of the theatre that will be created, whether consciously or unconsciously. 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? As a theatre artist, I’ve always been sensitive to the world – it’s in my DNA. Theatre has a responsibility to society – to educate, enlighten, and, hopefully, change. Theatre has been doing that for centuries. The theatre has always been, at least for me, about rekindling the soul and discovering what makes each of us human – it is the touchstone to our humanity. It is the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being. It speaks to something within each of us that is fleeting and intangible. And we feel less alone. Given our present circumstances, we need this more than over. The power of stage is enormous because it is real. We all live in what is, but we find a thousand ways not to face it. Great theatre strengthens our faculty to face it. Theatre provides for the psychic well-being and sanity of a society. We will need it more than ever post-COVID. In Shakespeare’s day, great plays were thought of as mirrors. When you see a play, you are looking into a mirror – a pretty special mirror, one that reflects the world in a way that allows us to see its true nature. We also see that it not only reflects the world around us, but also ourselves. This two-way mirroring means that learning about great theatre and learning about life go hand in hand. And it means that finding beauty and meaning in great theatre is a sort of proving ground for finding beauty and meaning in life. 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 interest 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? The need to tell stories of what it is to be human remains crucial to me – stories about who we are, why we are, where we came from, and what we may become - with curiosity and hope. Stories that challenge the right-wing capitalist patriarchal hegemony. I will continue to revisit relevant older works with a fresh lens, making them accessible to today’s audience. I am committed to developing new works by Northern Ontario voices. For years, I have been working on an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar based on Pierre Elliot Trudeau, the FLQ and events surrounding the October Crisis of the 1970. In my interpretation, Caesar is, of course, based on Trudeau and, in the transported setting, he is assassinated in Ottawa by members of the FLQ as an act of revenge in the wake of his handling of “Black October.” The adaptation would involve both official languages and would employ colour conscious casting. It might never to see the light of day. I am also looking into creating podcasts for my new short story collection. I am in the early outlining stages of a new novel that will be a comic tale of writer’s block, the chopping block, ghosts, and ghostwriters. Rod Carley’s headshot by Ed Regan. Follow Rod on Twitter: @carley_rod and/or visit his website: www.rodcarley.ca . My review of Kinmount: KINMOUNT REMINDS US OF THE IMPORTANCE OF AND FOR THE ARTS NOW MORE THAN EVER While reading Rod Carley’s Kinmount, I couldn’t help but make a comparison of it to Miguel Cervantes’ Don Quixote for the literary term I remember from my second year undergraduate course at the University of Western Ontario - picaresque. I loved the sound of that word then and It still like the sound of it today. Just to review this term – A picaresque hero is a charming fellow who battles sometimes humorous or satiric moments and episodes that often depict in real life the daily life of the common person. Much like Don Quixote’s fight with windmills, Carley’s protagonist (Dave Middleton) is a professional theatre director who has been hired by oddly eccentric producer Lola White to direct a community theatre production of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet in Kinmount, Ontario. Dave ends up battling with oddball characters, censorship issues, stifling summer weather and shortage of monetary funds in his quest to ensure the production is staged the way he believes Shakespeare had wanted it to be staged. I reluctantly admit I had no clue where the town was as I’ve no reason to attend so I had to look it up on a map. Okay, once I saw where it was located, I will also be honest and state I didn’t know if I even wanted to visit the town as Middleton describes it as “Canada’s capital of unwed mothers under the age of twenty…kids having kids. And the rest are grammatically challenged and wear spandex. And that’s just the men.” I do sincerely hope Middleton’s description of the real town is tongue in cheek. Thankfully Carley tells us at the end of his book that he “chose the name simply because of the comic noun and verb combination. For no other reason” as “The real-life Kinmount is a lovely spot nestled in the beautiful Ontario Highlands and home to a population of five hundred friendly highlanders and summer cottagers.” Since I am a theatre and Shakespearean lover of language Kinmount, for me, became a touchstone of the crucial importance the arts provide us especially now in this time of shutdown, lockdown, and a provincial stay at home order of the worldwide pandemic. If we have been involved in community theatre productions, Kinmount becomes a hilarious remembrance of those moments when we all stoically wondered if the show would ever come together given the ‘behind the scenes’ world of egos, divas and divos, and oddballs just to name a few. Carley’s style never becomes pedantic but instead a playful reminder of those who select to participate in theatre, whether professional or community, just why we keep returning to this dramatic format. It is for the love of the spoken word. Rod and I spoke briefly via FaceTime about the ending of Kinmount and how touched I was at the final actions of protagonist Dave Middleton. Given the veritable struggles Dave must endure throughout the story, sometimes comical, sometimes frightening, he reveals a compassionate, human side that we must all never forget that we too can be like Dave in stressful times. It’s worth a visit to Kinmount. Kinmount now available at Latitude 46 Publishing (www.latitude46publishing.com ), Indigo, Amazon and your favourite bookseller. I picked mine up at Blue Heron Books in Uxbridge, Ontario. Previous Next

Back Colton Curtis Looking Ahead Self-portrait Joe Szekeres When I saw Colton Curtis on stage a few years as the elder Billy Elliot at Ontario’s Stratford Festival, I knew the Canadian musical theatre world was in VERY GOOD HANDS. He is an extraordinary dancer and artist who stopped ‘Billy Elliot’ in an exciting solo dance piece that was captivating and mesmerizing to watch. Exquisitely performed. Colton also appeared in Stratford’s production of ‘A Chorus Line’ with a string of other artists who commanded the Festival Stage with unabated enthusiasm. Incredible work to watch. Additional work in which he appeared at Stratford: ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’, ‘The Music Man’ and ‘HMS Pinafore.” I asked him off the cuff how he will be at his first curtain call after the pandemic was lifted. His words: “I’ll be all smiles and professional during the bows onstage, but I know backstage I will be a weeping, blubbering mess.” Thanks for your honesty, Colton, as I’m sure many audience members will experience the same emotions as you. On top of his work as an artist, Colton is also a photographer and launched his business in July 2020. I’ve seen his extraordinary work in some headshots of other artists whom I’ve interviewed for this series. From his website: “Colton began performing at an early age in his home province of New Brunswick. Upon graduation from high school, he moved to Ontario to attend his Bachelor of Musical Theatre in the Sheridan College program where he received the Brian Lineman triple threat award for each year he attended. Between his years at Sheridan, he spent summers working for the Charlottetown Festival, as well as training with Florence Ballet Company in Florence, Italy, and performing with the Finger Lakes Music Theatre Festival in New York State.” We conducted our conversation via Zoom. Thank you, Colton, for your time and for sharing your thoughts and adding to the discussion: It’s a harsh reality that the worldwide pandemic of Covid 19 has changed all of us. Describe how your understanding of the world you know and how your perception and experience have changed on a personal level. It goes without saying that it’s changed a lot. I’ve personally changed the province I live in. Currently, I’m now in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. I was in Stratford until October. I’ve done a re-shuffle of things to make the past year work. My understanding of the world maybe hasn’t changed but has become a lot clearer because I’ve actually had time to think about things. I’ve spent a lot of time this year learning, on learning, thinking about the world I want to create and the world I want to work in, and the art I want to create. Now that we’re into Year 2 of this pandemic, as a young adult I’ve just grown up a lot. With a lot of time that has passed, I do feel like a different person when I last stepped on stage in 2019. With live indoor theatre shut for one year plus, with it appearing it may not re-open any time soon, how has your understanding and perception as a professional artist of the live theatre business been altered and changed? My perception hasn’t changed a whole lot but the business itself has changed immensely which is incredible. This year has given the time for people to step back and look what we’ve been working in, the environment we’ve been working in, and for people to use their voice. Let me preface by saying that I love the theatre community. I think this is great opportunity for a lot of those voices that have never been heard in a long time to get the platform to speak out about things that drastically needed to change within the entertainment industry. I think we’re going to see theatre made differently which is exciting. I love big Broadway type and style of musicals that shine and sparkle. When we return after this pandemic, I think we’re going to see things pulled and pared back; smaller cast sizes at least for a bit until theatre companies get the means to create these big budget shows again. As an ensemble dancer that is terrifying for me when I first came to that conclusion. My career for the past five years at Stratford was as an ensemble dancer. I was at The Shaw Festival understudying and dancing. It’s something scary to think about as theatre companies no longer have the money to create these big shows. When Stratford announced their summer season with cast sizes of four or five people doing a cabaret in a tent, it was, “Oh yeah, right, this is what we’re going to do now.” In order to get back up and running. That side of the business has changed, but it’s exciting that we’re slowly seeing people get the opportunities to voice their concern to see new people step into power positions in theatre companies, and for more people be given the opportunities to create art that we didn’t see before. We see many theatre companies committing to anti-racist policies and turning around the people who are in these director positions, directors’ offices positions. I think this is all great, but we still have a long way to go. It’s the beginning. We’ve had the time for the call to action for the whole community to step things up. As a professional artist, what are you missing the most about the live theatre industry? I miss the people and the community, but I really miss working. I miss the first day when you crack open the score and start learning the music. I miss the discipline that it takes physically in order to get into shape to do a show, and the stamina required to do a two-hour musical. I don’t think a lot of people understand that to be a musical theatre performer is akin to being like an Olympian athlete. I’m not tooting my own horn. Just imagine what it’s like for those who want to be in the Olympics. That same discipline is necessary and required. I really miss that stamina of working so hard. And of course, we’re trying to keep that up in our own ways whether through dance classes, voice lessons. As a professional artist, what is the one thing you will never take for granted again in the live theatre industry when you return to it? Hmmm…I mean I’ll never take for granted again the feeling of being on stage with thirty other cast mates in front of an audience of 2000 people. That is a feeling that I will hold on to dearly. That’s not to say that I never did take that feeling for granted, as there’s no feeling like it that can replace it. That is something I will hold on to dearly forever. It’s like a drug. Describe one element you hope has changed concerning the live theatre industry. One thing specifically that I really want to see changed when we get back to the industry is young adults stepping into leadership roles of positions and power within theatre companies, whether it be as Associate Artistic Directors. I feel like that is something that is missing a lot of the time in places where I’ve worked at least. We constantly hear that theatre is a dying art all the time. Let me just say that I don’t think like that at all. Well, if people say this then get some young people who know what other young people are like and are attracted to do and put them in a leadership role to create something that will be irresistible to the next generation. This is something that I get so frustrated about a lot of the time. This is something I want to see happen. Take a look at Jayme Armstrong and Kimberely Rampersad. Jayme received a Woman of Distinction award in the arts community and Kimberly is the Shaw Festival’s Associate Artistic Director. That is exciting. That is so awesome. More of that, please. Oh, I don’t want to sound ageist, (and Colton and I share a good laugh) but on the record I think those with experience in the industry have done a wonderful job, but we need to stop hearing theatre is a dying art form. There are so many young people who aspire to do this so it can’t be dying as there’s still a need for it. Explain what specifically you believe you must still accomplish within the industry. I love this question. I feel like I have so much still to accomplish. I love what my career has been so far but a lot of it has been dancing in the ensemble of musicals which I love, but it is never what I thought my dream in theatre was going to be. It’s never what I saw for myself. I still have so much I want to accomplish. I want to create new things. I want to break the mould of what we think theatre can be a little bit and challenge audiences. I’m creating this inter multi-disciplinary show with James Kudelka, a former Artistic Director of the National Ballet. I’ve always wanted to do something where I have created a hybrid between a play and ballet because I really think they are similar art forms actually. I’ve been working on this, so it’s been keeping me going. It’s through ‘Talk is Free’ Theatre so I’ve been thankful for that opportunity with Artistic Director, Arkady Spivak. He is really shaking things up which is incredible in giving the permission to do exactly whatever they want so I feel really lucky that he has given me that opportunity. So, Stay Tuned for what’s in the works there. Some artists are saying that audiences must be prepared for a tsunami of Covid themed stories in the return to live theatre. Would you elaborate on this statement both as an artist in the theatre, and as an audience member observing the theatre. As an artist, there’s probably something interesting there in this possible tsunami of Covid themed plays. Artists have had a varied experience as to what this time has looked like. I don’t think anybody wants to talk about this time of Covid right now. I don’t think anyone wants necessarily to spend a couple of hours per night what we just lived through because it’s not been lovely, it’s not been the best time. I don’t think audiences want too either. Who knows, maybe in twenty years time or so, that’s something we can look back on and remember. There has been some really cool art that has been made during this time that we’ll be able to look back on and appreciate. Near future??? NO!!!!!, but in a few years, maybe. As an artist, what specifically is it about your work that you want future audiences to remember about you? Hmmmmm…..you know what, my hope for when people watch me perform is that they are transcended into a different realm. I think about that a lot. As we move forward out of this pandemic, I also want people to be inspired by my creativity. I’ve thought about this a little bit. I want to change the way people think, and I want to inspire them by my creativity in the ways I do that. Theatre was made to entertain and to escape. When I perform, I want people to get sucked into whatever world I’m in, and for them to leave their seats even for a few seconds. Who knows? That could change, but it’s funny, you know? Will people even remember? I don’t know. To learn more about Colton, visit his personal web page: www.coltoncurtis.com . Instagram: @coltonccurtis. To see Colton’s photography: @coltoncurtis.jpeg. Previous Next

Back Sergio Di Zio “As actors, we don’t have that control as the career is going to do what it’s going to do… Stay open. That’s our job as actors; allow whatever happens to come in and ‘act’ on it if required.” Christina Cox Photo. Please visit her Instagram: @christinacoxphoto or her website: www.christinacoxphoto . Joe Szekeres I’m slowly beginning a check-in on theatre artists whom I’ve profiled. Here’s the link to the first I compiled on Sergio Di Zio: https://www.onstageblog.com/profiles/2020/5/14/the-self-isolated-artist-series-toronto-profile-of-sergi-di-zio Fast forward three years from our world ‘being on fire,’ as he called it this past summer. The SAG (Screen Actors’ Guild) Strike was still in full swing at that time, and Sergio shared his thoughts: “It’s so similar again to what the pandemic felt like. Testing was stopped on everybody on site…People were terrified about what the industry would look like…and it didn’t help that there was so much on the internet about things over which there was no control. Would it have been a long or short strike?” Like everyone, Sergio has moved forward personally and professionally on many levels. But he has battle scars like all of us. He still doesn’t know what the industry will look like after all this post-pandemic change and trusts the universe will work its magic in ways he can never understand to keep him active in the business. His father was ill during the pandemic and sadly passed away. Di Zio was also in a long-term relationship, which ended. But he chooses to keep going. Sergio calls himself lucky. He is genial, and he is affable. He seems to avoid negativity and always seems to look for kindness. He does yoga most every day. Daily rituals keep him ready and focused when the work comes. He continued working through the pandemic as an actor and is genuinely grateful for that. He was a guest star in a recent ‘Law and Order Toronto: Criminal Intent’ episode just before Christmas and set to air in the spring. He also appeared in the Christmas Movie “We’re Scrooged” on UPtv. He’s also thankful for the Ontario Christmas movies he has filmed, respectively from last year’s ‘Undercover Holiday’ (Hallmark) and starring roles in ‘Angels and Ornaments’ and ‘Anything but Christmas.’ Di Zio’s words for these faithful viewers: “God Bless Them, Everyone.” He appears in an independent LGBTQ2 film called “This Time,” directed by Robert Vaughn, that will be making festival circuits at the time of this article. This month, Sergio is part of a generation-spanning ensemble in ARC Stage’s production of the Canadian premiere of Joanna Murray-Smith’s ‘Rockabye’ from January 26 – February 11, 2024, at Toronto’s Factory Theatre. Directed by ARC’s Co-Artistic Producer (and Artistic Director of Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre) Rob Kempson, the production is billed on the website as “a satirical and dark portrait of our self-involved, celebrity-obsessed culture.” Di Zio says it’s gold if any actor can work in January because things usually dive in winter. He likes the work ARC has produced over the last while and says: “It makes me smile when I think about ‘Rockabye’ and what the company has accomplished. ARC selects really good material and interesting projects. The part I will play in ‘Rockabye’ is something I am really looking forward to exploring.” Sergio will appear with Megan Follows in the Canadian premiere of ‘Four Minutes Twelve Seconds’ directed by Mark McGrinder and presented by Studio 180 Theatre at Tarragon Extraspace from April 20 to May 12, 2024. Appearing alongside Di Zio and Follows are two rising talents: Jadyn Nasato and Tavaree Daniel-Simms. He also stars in and produces a terrific web series, ‘I Will Bury You,’ that I finally had the chance to watch over the Christmas and holiday season. Its birthing process was fascinating. In a no-budget filmmaking world, Di Zio, Colin Glazer and writer/director Ravi Steve Khajuria created ‘This is Not a Drill,’ a short film that defied its financial constraints. It played in several festivals that garnered much interest for the film’s limited budget and crew. Because of this fervent interest, the three of them continued with another short, ‘You Hired a Hitman,’ which played a few more festivals. Audiences loved how they were diving into this darkly comic series. A third short film was then shot – ‘The Grave Decision’. Following these three shorts filmed over two years and into the pandemic, the team received funding from Ontario Creates and The Canada Media Fund. These funds allowed the opportunity to shoot the five-episode “I Will Bury You Season 2,” which connects to the YouTube link at the bottom of this article—a ten-day shoot with a paid crew over the summer. I recommend ‘binging’ it all in one fell swoop. There were moments of dark humour where I knew I shouldn’t be laughing, but I did. I wanted to see where the story was headed next. Di Zio glowingly spoke about the element of play and the joy of exploring creatively with somebody else while filming the web series. The story follows two brothers (Di Zio and Colin Glazer) who attempt to carry out their late mother’s (Clare Coulter) wishes to bury her ashes in the places she loved…if the brothers can only figure out where those places are. ‘I Will Bury You’ pushes dark comedy and humour to another level as these two brothers aren’t necessarily bad people; they are making very bad decisions that left me in fits of laughter. So far, the series has had over 350K hits. You can subscribe to the ‘I Will Bury You’ link at the bottom of this article. If these numbers increase, there is potential for a third season. The performing arts industry is still in recovery from the last three years. Audiences are slowly returning to the theatre. From my experience, I’ve discovered they want stories they remember to help uplift them. And that’s great. Many audiences are also looking for stories of challenging material that will confront pertinent social issues head-on. These kinds of scripts and stories are the gifts of the performing arts and remain why Di Zio chose to become an actor. But these last three years have also taught him a valuable lesson as an artist: “The goals happen as you go. You can’t re-create a red carpet…it’s letting go and do with what’s actually happening and finding the creative life in all of this.” Our conversation then turned to some terrific summer theatre around the province where whip-smart and knowledgeable Artistic Directors understand the temperament of their respective communities. Does Di Zio have any interest in performing summer theatre? He spoke of frequenting a favourite coffee joint at the corner of Danforth and Broadview and its proprietor, Saverio Cosenza, who sold the business to open ‘Downtown Espresso’ in Huntsville. Cosenza told Di Zio there’s a summer theatre in Huntsville and that the actor has to come to do a show. Although the summer is a busy time for actors for film and television work, Di Zio said he’d consider the drive to Huntsville because he missed the coffee and the hangouts. Might he consider summer theatre?: “As actors, we don’t have that control as the career is going to do what it’s going to do… Stay open. That’s our job as actors; allow whatever happens to come in and ‘act’ on it if required.” Does Sergio have any thoughts regarding writing or directing in the future for film, television, or the theatre? He has. He loves reading and writing and has been journaling since he was sixteen. He was finishing Alan Rickman’s biography and found it fascinating as it delves into the actor’s notes about returning from rehearsals with questions and comments about the day on set or in the theatre. Sergio grew up with stories. He ponders the responsibility of putting pen to paper to tell the story of the last few years of his late father’s life. Di Zio proudly stated that his grandmother was one of his best friends. When he was younger, he would sit and listen to his grandmother tell stories about her holding Sergio’s mother's hand and running when the Allies bombed small Italian towns because the Germans were hiding munitions in these small villages. Sharing these stories is important because it’s part of who we are. Writing intrigues Sergio, but it’s hard when one has chosen to be an actor. The process of writing requires attention. Sergio has found he’ll start to write, and then he gets a big job because he’s creatively open as an actor to take on that task. The writing then goes to the side while he works on a film or a television series. Periodically, Sergio will post online the final product of a cooked meal. I asked him if he had further thoughts and considered a YouTube cooking series for novices like me who want to impress others. He laughed uproariously and added: “No thoughts. If you want to watch somebody screwing it up more than ever, then sure. Cooking is new to me…my partner loved cooking, and I learned by cooking with him. The pride came from learning together. When I found myself alone again, I felt I had to learn how to cook for myself; otherwise, it’s going to be takeout all the time. Cooking has been a good process of learning how to do, and it’s been good.” As we concluded our conversation from the summer, I told Sergio I was headed to New York City the next day to review Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill’s “I Got the Job: Songs from My Musical Past.” He appeared rather excited for me and thought it was awesome that I would write my first Broadway nightclub review at 54 Below. Sergio had listened to a podcast about the life of Lucie’s parents and her younger brother, Desi, and how life transformed them into the individuals they are. I’m surmising that he also grew up watching all the Lucy series when he was a kid. Di Zio said he was to have gone to New York City in the fall for an acting seminar. When he heard Arnaz-Luckinbill was already in town, he wondered if she might make another appearance. If she did, Sergio would undoubtedly be there. And as for that acting seminar in New York City, Sergio, it’s great that you never stop studying and honing your craft. He’s back at classes on Monday night in Toronto, and that’s never changed. For him, studying and learning is not a one-off, nor does he ever intend to stop. If you did make your Broadway debut, that would be fantastic. Canadians and Ontarians know you’re one of us. And I know you’ll never forget where you came from. To follow Sergio on ‘X’ and Instagram (and see pictures of his cooking): @elisasboy72. To recap Sergio’s stage appearances and web-series: ROCKABYE (An ARC presentation at Factory Theatre). Tickets are now available: https://www.factorytheatre.ca/shows/rockabye/#tickets FOUR MINUTES TWELVE SECONDS. (A Studio 180 Theatre presentation at Tarragon Theatre’s Extraspace.) Tickets are now available: https://tarragontheatre.com/plays/current-season/upcoming/4-minutes-12-seconds/ I WILL BURY YOU. To watch and subscribe, go here: https://www.youtube.com/@iwillburyyou Previous Next

Back Andrew Prashad Moving Forward --- Joe Szekeres I have seen Andrew Prashad’s name on several entertainment social media sites over the last few months. Once again, it was my friend, Carey, who encouraged me to get in touch with Andrew to learn of his story. And what an incredible story and conversation I had with him via Zoom. Andrew gleamed with a loving parental pride every time he spoke about his immediate family, his wife and children. He is a multi disciplined performing artist from being on stage to his work in cinematography and video editing. Andrew has appeared on stage at the Ed Mirvish Theatre and Young People’s Theatre and a number of others across Canada. He’s also quite the tap dancer as well. I’ve included a link at the end of his profile so you can hear one of his cover songs. Andrew also received a Merritt award for outstanding supporting actor for ‘Cinderella’ at Halifax’s Neptune Theatre. His one-person show ‘One Step at a Time’ chronicles his life as a parent with a child who has Spina Bifida. Andrew spoke to me about this show near the end of our interview, and this is one I have on my list to see when it is safe to return to the theatre. Thank you, Andrew, for the conversation: 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? A little nervous. As an artist, we’re trying to get back to work. We’re trying to do everything we can to do our part. Things have to do what they do, I guess, and not all of that is helpful to keeping our numbers down. As a parent, it’s really not great. I had to send my kids to school so having the numbers up is scary. We’re monitoring every day. I’m not happy that the numbers have gone back up, but I’m not surprised by some of the events I’ve seen reported on the news. Once there is a vaccine, we will emerge to some new way of living. There’s just going to be a whole new battle of getting people to use the vaccine. Should we use the vaccine? Is it safe? How long were the trials? And all those questions that go with it. A lot of people are thinking that once there’s a vaccine that things will get back to normal, but I think we’re being naïve. Anti-maskers was the big hurdle because as soon as the vaccine comes out, there’s going to be a bigger fight, a bigger problem, a bigger conflict. Once all this gets settled, however long that takes, maybe there will be some kind of normalcy, but who knows? How have you been faring? How has your immediate family been doing during these last six months? We’ve been doing surprisingly well. The kids are resilient. During that whole stretch when everything was shut down, we were doing the home schooling and they loved it. My daughters would come down, print off their homework and they’d be ready when I came down, made breakfast and started checking in on their homework. My wife was still teaching so I pretty much did the kids homework and their schoolwork during the day. When my wife was done teaching, if she finished teaching in time, we’d go out for a walk, or she would take over and I’d go do my work and things I had to get done. The kids handled it well which is great because I’ve been hearing about numbers of kids who did not handle it well. It would have made everything so much harder if my kids weren’t as awesome as they were. By the time we got the kids to bed, my wife and I were exhausted. We were toast. My son was born was Spina Bifida and he has a physical disability and high needs, but he’s doing really well. He just got his first wheelchair, he’s so excited. There are some really great things coming for us, but we’ve been managing, hanging on and figuring it out. As an artist within the performing arts community, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? Professionally, one of the most challenging things was losing all of the work and the teaching. It’s funny because I’ve been telling people they have to diversify what they do. I’m an actor, dancer, singer and musician but I’m also a video editor and a music editor. I have a recording studio people come to use. I’m a photographer. I try to diversify my skills which are all based in the arts, so I’m not just an actor. I’m a teacher and choreographer. When Covid came, it wiped all of it out, it didn’t matter how many different alleys I was in. Everything was shut down. I couldn’t teach. I couldn’t choreograph. Nobody needed video editors; nobody needed photography, nobody needed music, nobody needed anything so there was no work. All our theatre gigs were lost, film and tv shut down, I lost a tv commercial I had just booked. That was really rough along with trying to figure out where money was going to come from. Luckily, my wife was still working from home, so she still had her pay cheque, but I didn’t have my pay cheque. For a short while, I was on CERB for 4 weeks. Slowly, recital time came in the dance studios. We started teaching online so I taught a few classes online for a few hours a week via Zoom for multiple studios. I was also doing some private teaching. I got some video editing gigs because the dance studios were still doing recitals, but they couldn’t have the kids in the space. We were doing these virtual recitals so I was editing all of these recitals, but I couldn’t do it during the day because I was helping home school my own kids. When I put my kids to bed, sometimes I would work until 2 in the morning trying to edit all these dance recitals so these other kids could have them. And then I’d wake up at 6 in the morning and it was to make some breakfast and get ready for school at home all over again. It was exhausting, but I was able to bring in that little bit of money because I also wasn’t charging full rate because the studios weren’t charging full rates for classes. They didn’t have money to pay for what I would normally charge as an editor. So, it was ‘What can you afford? Ok, let’s make it happen”. Personally, the most challenging was, or is, finding ME time. My ME time is after bedtime but then I needed to sleep so there was no ME time. There was no US time for my wife and I. It was exhausting. 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? My one-person show was going to be put up at Neptune Theatre in Halifax. We had a two-week scheduled run there which was really exciting. It’s called ‘One Step at a Time’ and it’s about my family, my son and balancing being a performer and raising a child with special needs and a physical disability. I lost that and it was postponed. Neptune is doing their best, but they don’t know if they’re going to survive. I also lost the parlay of my show into other theatres. But now, those other theatres have to make room for the shows they had booked because they feel as if they have to owe them a run. Where these other theatres were of the mindset, ‘Oh, we’ll bring you in next season’, I don’t know what will happen because these folks will bump you. All of those things I’ve been working so hard on to string together have all fallen apart. I had some big auditions I was working on and in final call backs – all of those projects died as well. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? I’ve been doing everything – husband, dad, teacher, friend. I’m the chef. My wife cooks too but she does more of the dinner stuff. My wife and I share the cooking, taking care of the kids, taking care of my wife. We both take care of the kids, but I also take care of her. She gets to sleep in, and I’ll handle some stuff for her so she can go and teach. We’re sharing an office. I’ve set up her computer beside mine in my studio, so she has a comfortable place to work. Teaching online has been cool. Lots of self tapes. Lots of auditions which are coming back. Some bookings. Some voice over gigs. Again, I had two voice over bookings which were awesome. They were both first. One was a first for a video game and I had to go into the studio, and everybody was doing their Covid safety which was great to see. The other one was a voice over for a commercial which I had never done either, but I got to do that from my home in my recording studio which was really, really cool so I did that in between the catheter times for my son at school. And Theatre Passe Muraille put on a fund raiser. They reached out to me and asked if they could use my show to create a fundraiser. It turned into a much bigger thing than we thought. I thought I was going to host a mini version of my show from my garage studio. And then TPM got the go ahead that I could come into the space. But since we were in the space, we thought let’s just go full out and all of a sudden, we had four cameras, designing lights and sound with their team, choreographing the cameras. It was huge undertaking that none of us saw coming but it was awesome, lots of fun and everybody at Theatre Passe Muraille were incredible. It was worth it, but it was a lot more work than I thought it was going to be. 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 if I’m the one to be giving advice but if people wanted to know what I had to say – “Reach out to communities. Stay in touch with people.” I found this really helpful. When the pandemic hit, my wife and I were running out of a specific hand sanitizer we needed to clean our hands first before we catheterize our son. I’m always steps ahead when we’re out if I happen to see the product, so we never run out. When Covid hit, everywhere was in short supply of hand sanitizer. I put it out on social media that I was looking for this product. I put it out on social media and a lot of people came to our aid so we were good for a few months. I was driving all around southern Ontario for two days picking up what people had to give us. Other advice: Reach out because you don’t know who might be there to help you. Find time to take care of yourself too. Make sure you’re mentally and physically okay. It’s nice to take a day or take time to rest, to sleep if you need to do that. But make sure you stay physically active because that helps your mind as well. Make sure you’re okay before you can then reach out and take care of those whom you love. For the theatre grads, and for others – it’s tricky because you want to get out there and make your mark. Since everybody who teaches you or who could teach you is out of work, try to find those teachers who are online and sharpen your skills. I’ll tell you, most of you all aren’t ready to be at an extremely high level coming out of school. It doesn’t mean you’re not going to get work. There’s a lot of room for growth. School is the preparation for the growth you’ll experience once you’re in the real world. So, it gives you that little bit of time to sharpen your skills. Reach out, barter if you have to do so as I understand that money might be tight in some cases. Read plays. Educate yourself further. Work on those skills that you know you need to sharpen. For my artists of colour: If you haven’t heard it yet, all of us who are working now have been told at least ten times that we need to be at least two times greater than our white counterpart. You’ve got the time now. Go make sure you’re there. Just because people talk about changes in the industry etc, you can’t change people’s mindset overnight. Those people aren’t going to vanish from the theatre industry. They’re not going to give up their position leading a theatre company. They put out a statement, ok they are statements. You need to go out there and be able to show them, “No, no, no. I’m that good. You should take a second look at me.” Use this time to get all that done. Do you see anything positive stemming from Covid 19 and will it leave some lasting impact on the Toronto/Canadian performing arts scene? I think there are some positives. Just thinking about family. If you’re lucky enough to have people living with you, that time together is a gift. The fact that everyone was stuck at home with their lives on hold really helped put focus on social changes that need to still happen. We were all able to sit in George Floyd’s death and murder more because there was nothing else to go do and escape it. The population had to choose which side they were going to be on. Some chose one side, and some chose another. People of colour got a few more allies out of all this and people who thought they were allies realized they could be better allies. There’s a lot more education happening surrounding this issue. A lot of the artists of colour are speaking out, speaking up and we’re getting a lot of flak for it from different people, sometimes within our own community. That’s a positive. I can’t tell you how many white artists told me, ‘Oh, I had no idea. I didn’t know this was a thing.” I hope everyone works together to make a more inclusive space. Part of me is excited to see where the industry goes – film, tv, theatre. Part of me is ready to roll my eyes when our new or old allies kind of flake on us. ‘Cause it is going to happen, it’s just how many. That’s the question of how many are going to flake and how many are really here for the real deal and long haul. 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 am right in the middle on all this. It’s right where we are, and we have to adapt. I love creating work for You Tube and online platforms because it’s something I do. It helps me to flex my video editing skills, my cinematography skills. It helps me grow. But it was always something I was doing while I had theatre/film or tv. Now, YouTube and online streaming are becoming theatre in a sense and it’s not, but theatres have to adapt. It was weird putting on my show. I think my show was the first that was back in a space with a full team, social distant with masks and no audience. I’m lucky that I know the show and where an audience might laugh or cry. In my head, I had that and I went full out and imagined the energy that wasn’t there with an audience in front of me. It was draining because I was trying to compensate because the lack of energy with a missing audience was difficult on the Main Stage at TPM. There’s a give and take in energy in live theatre, and that wasn’t there when it was streamed. I also had to make sure my performance didn’t suffer because the audience wasn’t there even though the crew was there. They weren’t watching me as an audience as they were there to film the production. I had to put more into my performance. I thought the one performance was successful as Passe Muraille made some money from that one night of streaming and I got a pay cheque, but I only wanted to do it for one night as I didn’t want to kill the show and not tour with it. If you don’t have those skills of taping yourself, you need to reach out to people who do. A friend of mine is trying to learn video editing and up his game in self editing skills in order to put work out there to be seen. I think we’re being forced into that position. In the film and television industry, all actors are being forced into being videographers and cinematographers and proper lighting. My self tape game was always good, and my friends didn’t measure up to what I was doing. Now, everyone has to measure up and learn how to self tape. If your self tape doesn’t look good right away that’s a knock against you because somebody else who is auditioning might have a tape that is just as good or better than yours. There is no payment in streaming and a YouTube presentation right now. EQUITY and ACTRA are in discussion of whose jurisdiction is it when a theatre show becomes digital. The digital space is ACTRA’s space, but EQUITY is trying to make a case that it’s their space because it is a theatre show. I have to side with ACTRA on this one unless someone can educate me further. This is all tricky, tricky stuff and I don’t know enough about it. Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that Covid will never destroy for you? The idea of sharing part of yourself will never get destroyed no matter how you tell the story. The idea of sharing a story needs to be told will always be important. Since we’ve started telling stories, we’ve always used different mediums to tell them. Just because we’re losing one of those facets doesn’t mean the story telling and the sharing and the giving will ever stop. We have to adapt how we do it and that’s my favourite part as a performer. I love inhabiting a character and experiencing different things, but what I love most about performing is the reaction and the emotion you give and get out of an audience member. One of the most favourite things about doing my show is the diverse audience that it draws. You get the regular theatre goers, but you also get the singers, the actors, the tap dancers, and the dancers. You also get the special needs, high needs and the differently abled and disabled communities. Those communities (special needs and differentially abled) don’t have a show that represents them in Canada. My show represents them. Right now, my show is not enough but it’s something for the differently abled to see themselves in. It’s amazing and means so much to me the responses I’ve received from audience members after each performance, and performing my show feeds my soul in knowing I was able to give them that re-assurance, that understanding and these communities are so happy whether it is a large part or a small part of their story being told on a real professional stage in Canada. It doesn’t exist and if people have tried, they’ve done it wrong. I’m hoping that when people see the attractiveness of parts of my show that they’ll expand on that. I can’t create a work that’s all differently abled artists that’s based on my experience because that’s not my experience; however, perhaps seeing a show about my son’s experience and seeing how well it does, sometimes, leave theatre producers thinking, “You know what? This audience, there’s value in telling these stories.” And then maybe these stories will get told more because as much as we are fighting for people of colour, we’ve fought so hard and so long for it, but as far as we’ve come the disabled community and differently abled community – they’re decades behind where we are. It’s going to take whatever privilege we can grab we have to pass it on right away, otherwise the disabled and differentially abled community will never catch up. They’ll never make ground. They’ll never have their stories told because our stories don’t cover everybody. Everybody should be able to see themselves on a stage represented. It’s wild and fulfilling for little brown kids to be watching me on stage, winning Halifax’s Merritt Award, and then watching me sing and dance in a solo moment of a big musical and then knowing it’s not only for white people. Brown people will not be portrayed as a stereotypical immigrant character. That is my favourite part that Covid will never be able to take away. Seeing the faces on the brown kids knowing that yes, they can do what I can do and can be the lead and can make a difference in the lives of others. To learn more about Andrew Prashad, visit his website: www.andrewprashad.com . Previous Next

Back 'Holmes and Watson' by Jeffrey Hatcher Produced by Stage Centre Productions at North York's Fairview Library Theatre Marc Siversky Joe Szekeres A jolly good mystery to unravel in Stage Centre’s ‘Holmes and Watson’ I’ve often wondered if the Sherlock Holmes/Dr. Watson’s storyline has run its course in twenty-first-century theatre. Even though ‘Holmes and Watson’ premiered in 2017, I’ve always found the challenge behind these period pieces remains to do justice to the playwright’s intent while ensuring that audiences still enjoy the plot. Can audiences enjoy these mystery genres where we are asked to put clues together ourselves as the plot unravels? This is tough since our woke world right now demands instant gratification from all kinds of entertainment we are now seeking. I must applaud Stage Centre Productions for going against the grain and staging Jeffrey Hatcher’s ‘Holmes and Watson’ because the company made it work. Theatre lovers are craving a return with a vengeance. I’ve seen it myself in surveying other audiences while I’ve waited for plays to begin. We all want a good story to follow. ‘Holmes and Watson’ is a good story for the local theatre community. It appears that famed detective Sherlock Holmes is dead. Or is he as the body was never retrieved? That is the question both Dr. Watson and we unravel in playwright Jeffrey Hatcher’s interesting storyline of intrigue and deception. Following the famed detective’s death at Reichenbach Falls with his nemesis Professor Moriarty (Jeremy Henson). Holmes’s trusted assistant Dr. John Watson (Daryn DeWalt) is called to disprove the many fake notices that Sherlock is truly alive. Through a newspaper clipping, Watson learns three men have been admitted to a remote mental asylum claiming to be Sherlock (Ted Powers, Lawrence Stevenson, and Joseph van Veen). Each of these men matches Holmes’s physical description. One of these gentlemen is quoted with something the only real Sherlock would know. Watson travels to the asylum to confront these three men while also having to deal with its ghoulish-looking Matron (Mickey Brown) and silently towering Orderly (Chip Thompson). Visually, Stage Centre and Pierre Rajotte’s fascinating set design caught my eye as I sat down in my seat. I try to leave at least 10 minutes before a performance to study the set if it is possible. I encourage future audience members to do the same. The set has a film noir cinematic style and flair, thanks to Director Marc Siversky and Rajotte’s clever design. This style allows the playing space to become different locales without having to incorporate laborious set changes, and that’s a huge bonus for the audience not to have to sit through a few moments of change. Clay Warner’s lighting design effectively incorporates moments of shadowy lights to create that sense of mystery about the story as to what is coming next. Marc Siversky and Eric Dupois’s video design is also intriguing. Whether it was intentional or not, I liked the focus on enlarging some of the designs which certainly highlighted the foreboding atmosphere. Victoria Richardson’s Costume designs are wonderful period recreations. Director Siversky’s solid control over the plot’s action keeps it moving at a good pace. There are moments of lengthy dialogue where audiences must pay careful attention to keep up with the quickly moving plot. Because there are numerous twists, I am doing my best not to spoil surprises for future audiences. Daryn DeWalt remains confidently solid as Watson. Robert Frances boldly maintains that aura of something not sitting just right as Dr. Evans. The three Sherlock Holmes in Ted Powers, Lawrence Stevenson and Joseph van Veen believably create uniquely yet somehow similar characteristics of the famed detective. It was a treat to watch how each of them seized the moment to explore the actual Holmes they are searching for. Jeremy Henson’s blustery Moriarty made me smile because he successfully captured his essence. Final Comments: A lot of information is thrown at the audience and there were moments when I kept wondering where all of this is going. Trust me, it will make sense but stick with the story and don’t lose sight of playwright Jeffrey Hatcher’s clever plot because it does work. There’s an adage I’ve seen posted. Some may consider it tiresome while others may consider it appropriate: “I didn’t see that coming.” This thought came to my mind once everything becomes clear in the plot. Nice work Stage Centre. Thank you for not including an intermission because the momentum would have been lost. Finally, dear reader, don’t spoil the plot surprises for future audiences. Running time: approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. ‘Holmes and Watson’ runs to October 8 at Fairview Library Theatre, 35 Fairview Mall Drive, North York. For tickets call the Box Office (416) 299-5557 or www.stagecentreproductions.com . ‘Holmes and Watson’ by Jeffrey Hatcher Directed by Marc Siversky Stage Manager: Malcolm Byrne Set Design: Pierre Rajotte Lighting Design: Clay Warner Costume Design: Victoria Richardson Sound Design: Marc Siversky and Scott Griffin Video Design: Marc Siversky and Eric Dupois Props: Shannon Breedon Performers: Daryn DeWalt Robert Frances, Chip Thompson, Mickey Brown, Ted Powers, Lawrence Stevenson, Joseph van Veen, Jeremy Henson Previous Next

Back Justin Stadnyk Looking Ahead Courtesy of Talk is Free Theatre website Joe Szekeres ‘There are other voices in today’s world right now that are more important than mine for them to tell their stories, and for them to lead and be seen leading.” Justin Stadynyk’s final comment during our recent conversation resonated strongly with me. He is more than happy to allow these voices to take their course and proper place in society. He hopes to still be performing in the next five years but also hopes to take that creative bug he has to be on the writing team of a show or the re-creation of a show. I applaud artists who will do their best to make something like this happen and I believe Stadnyk will do just that. He and his wife (who owns a few Winnipeg dance studios) have one newborn and one toddler boy in the house. He stated that he prefers shorter work contracts for now as he doesn’t want to be too far away from home. After we ‘zoomed’ each other, I did a bit of research and discovered I had seen him perform in 2009 at Toronto’s Royal Alexandra in ‘The Boys in the Photograph’ (formerly titled ‘The Beautiful Game’ when I saw the show in London’s West End). I wished I had told him that during our conversation, but it’s here now in print and that’s the important thing. He will appear in September for three days in Barrie Ontario’s Talk is Free Theatre’s ‘Giants in the Sky’. Just what is ‘Giants in the Sky’ aside from a song title in ‘Into the Woods’? Over September 9-11, 2022, and September 16-18, 2022, culture, music, and theatrical performance are bringing rooftops, balconies, and fire escapes of the city of Barrie, Ontario to life, and it’s all free. Performing in some manner has always been a part of Justin’s life. He reminisced that he sang on the playground when he was a “young, young kid.” He attended a Winnipeg high school that had a good performing arts program. He jokingly stated he didn’t follow in the footsteps of his two older brothers and decided to go somewhere else. As soon as he graduated high school, Justin relocated to Oakville, attended the Musical Theatre Program at Sheridan College, and graduated in 2006. This thing called Covid still hovers around all of us, including the performing arts. For Justin, these last two-plus years of absence from live entertainment have placed a lot of things into perspective for him. Justin proudly states his path during the pandemic slightly veered as he and his wife had two boys born during this time. One was born days after the initial shutdown and the other was born five months ago. He calls these last two years a re-shuffling in a perspective shift: “it feels nice that things are slowly getting back in, and it seems as if people are okay with that. Before there was the hustle of the artist trying to get the work, and now, for me, the work seems more meaningful and has a weight to it. Talk is Free’s GIANTS IN THE SKY will allow me a three-day event of musical theatre songs that I love and love to showcase.” What was it that drew Justin to the upcoming ‘Giants in the Sky’ project? He found this a great welcome back for the artists to come together to share their voices in this festival. He recognizes artists are trying to find their comfort level returning to performance as it is nerve-wracking since one can’t just simply return and pick things back up again. Not only does he consider his 45-minute performance set ‘Corner of the Sky’ a nice welcome back to theatre, but also the vast array of programming that has been put together by Talk is Free for the two weekends is fascinating from drummers to poetry readings to opera singers, jazz singers, musical theatre artists, impersonators. Stadnyk calls ‘Giants in the Sky’ a great chance for the artists to ‘wet their whistle’ again with arts and not be forced to put an entire evening aside for one style. Stadnyk will perform outdoors in a back alley for the comfort of those who might not be ready yet to venture indoors into a packed theatre. He has selected an array of songs from the musical theatre canon from classic to pop. He doesn’t have to stick to one genre of the musical theatre category in case a specific song might not be someone’s cup of tea. Additionally, Justin is also a ten-year entrepreneur and works in Yoga and Meditation. He completed his teacher training for Yoga in Brazil in 2011/2012. According to his website, his primary business is: “just music™ . It has become the “go-to” music editing company for choreographers all over North America and the world. The mission of just music™ is to provide a resource for the creative arts and sport communities to create non-jarring, seamless music edits along with providing other music services in order to allow choreographers the time and head space to flourish as just that, the choreographer.” Justin started Yoga when he was playing Gilbert Blythe in the Charlottetown Festival’s production of ‘Anne of Green Gables’. It was called Moksha Yoga then and now it’s called Modo Yoga. He fell in love with yoga as he discovered it helps with his singing and dancing in his musical career. What he didn’t expect from yoga was how much it would help in his acting because of the ability to practice letting go of everything and being in yoga for however long the session: “It is the same with acting.” Justin explains: “One has to let go of the day and be in the moment for the length of the performance. This is hard as there is so much going on in our lives especially surrounding the pandemic now. It’s important not to be able to push down your feelings and stories but to shelve for that moment so you can pick them up later for performance if necessary.” He smiles and concurs how good of a question it is to ask someone where he/she/they see themselves in the next five years. His favourite part of the arts is creating. Some of Justin’s favourite shows have been world premieres and not re-creations of something. He would love to start working on the other side of the table as part of that creative process and perhaps become a writer, an assistant director or a director. If these opportunities presented themselves in the next five years, Justin would like to dabble in them more. And finally, what’s next for Justin Stadnyk once ‘Giants in the Sky’ is complete and he returns home to Winnipeg and his family: “I’m working on ‘Into the Woods’ with Winnipeg’s Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. The pandemic has made many companies realize they need a bigger insurance policy with standbys and understudies. This is a different role for me as I will be a standby for two of the roles: the Baker and the Narrator and the Mysterious Man. So, in true form to what I said about my five-year plan, I’m really looking forward to the creative process where I get to sit and watch all of these people create and then I get to learn the roles…It’s going to be a new experience for me to be sitting taking notes up in the back and rehearsing things, but I’m excited to be doing it in Winnipeg. I’m happy this is happening more and more in theatre companies.” To learn more about Talk is Free Theatre’s ‘Giants in the Sky’ festival, visit www.tift.com . Previous Next

Back 'Acis and Galatea' by G. F. Handel Production ran October 24-27 at Toronto's Elgin Theatre Credit: Bruce Zinger. Pictured: Blaise Rantoanina as Damon and the animals of the forest Joe Szekeres ‘Magical. Joyous. Opera Atelier exquisitely transports their audiences away with glorious storytelling.” (Please note that I do not have any background in the art of opera, so it wouldn’t be fair to comment on the singing or the dancing. Instead, I will focus on the dramatic on-stage presentation at Toronto’s Elgin Theatre.) "Acis and Galatea" is a pastoral opera by composer Handel, based on Ovid's tale of the water nymph Galatea (Meghan Lindsay) and her ill-fated love for the Arcadian shepherd, Acis (Antonin Rondepierre). The mischievous spirit Damon (Blaise Rantoanina) acts like Shakespeare's Puck from "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Damon causes confusion for the lovers. Later in Act Two, we encounter the monstrous cyclops Polyphemus (Douglas Williams), who has also fallen in love with Galatea. However, she chooses to reject his advances, which insults him foolishly. While Damon continues to create confusion in all three characters, Polyphemus realizes Acis has become his rival for Galatea’s affection. When Polyphemus recognizes that he can’t have his true love, neither will Acis. The monstrous cyclops then crushes Acis with a boulder in rage. As a fitting tribute to her true love, Acis, Galatea resurrects him as a water fountain celebrating their love for each other. What impresses me most about an Opera Atelier production, especially this staging of ‘Acis and Galatea’, is the sheer joy in the singing, even amidst the heartbreak and tragedy. Gerard Gauci’s remarkable set design, depicting a pastoral country setting, is beautifully enhanced by Kimberly Purtell's careful selection of colours, hues, and tints. Gauci's exquisite costume designs thoughtfully reflect the innate character traits of the four main characters. Rondespierre's earth tones perfectly suit his role as a shepherd, while Lindsay's stunning aqua-marine gown symbolizes her connection to the water. Under Christopher Bagan’s highly competent work as conductor, David Fallis’s music direction extraordinarily soars to the heights of the Elgin Theatre. The Nathaniel Dett Chorale sound heavenly. There are moments when I closed my eyes as I wanted to allow the music to take me awary. Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg’s choreography is lovely to watch. Marshall Pynkoski’s direction is vibrant and lively. He keeps the pacing blissfully moving along. The singers are outstanding. They sound marvellous to my untrained ear. The Atelier Ballet artists are graceful. Meghan Lindsay's stunning vocal work as the water nymph Galatea is astonishing. There are moments when I could feel goosebumps on my arms. Anton Rondepierre is a dashing Acis full of boyish charm. I find myself rooting for the lovers upon their first introduction. Blaise Rantoanina is a spritely Damon. He glides and moves with the greatest of ease, sometimes crossing the stage at breakneck speed. Douglas Williams is a wonder as the villain Polyphemus. Terrific fun at the top of Act 2. He doesn’t steal the show from the other three protagonists, but he comes close to doing so. How does he achieve this? In a fittingly comical introduction, Pynkoski directs Williams to enter from the audience rather than from stage left or right. This is a fantastic choice by Pynkoski. Although I couldn't see him, it seemed Williams had entered from the stage left aisle. Was he perhaps engaging with the audience on that side? There was a lot of laughter, which made me wonder. In a surprising turn of events in the plot, Williams shows his power as a stage performer. The initial humor he expresses sharply shifts to fear when he decides that if he cannot have Galatea, then no one else shall. Opera Atelier's run is short, but it's well worth a visit, especially since the company celebrates its 40th season this year. ‘David and Jonathan’ will be performed next year, and I’m most interested in seeing it. ‘Acis and Galatea’ runs October 24-27 at Toronto’s Elgin Theatre. To learn more about the company, visit operaatelier.com. OPERA ATELIER presents ACIS AND GALATEA by G. F. Handel Conductor: Christopher Bagan Stage Director: Marshall Pynkoski Choreographer: Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg Set and Costume Designer: Gerard Gauci Resident Music Director: David Fallis Production Stage Manager: Kat Chin Performers: The Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Antonin Rondepierre, Meghan Lindsay, Blaise Rantoanina, Douglas Williams. Previous Next

Back 'Myth of the Ostrich' by Matt Murray Produced by Here for Now Theatre at the Stratford Perth Museum, 4275 Huron Road, just west of downtown Stratford, Ontario. Produced by Here for Now Theatre at the Stratford Perth Museum, 4275 Huron Road, just west of downtown Stratford, Ontario. Joe Szekeres (Photo credit: Ann Baggley. L-R: Sara-Jeanne Hosie, Lauren Bowler, Barbara Kozicki Beall.) Matt Murray's script delivers plenty of humour while tackling a significant social concern related to the family unit. (Thank you to Here for Now Theatre for allowing me to review the final preview of ‘Myth of the Ostrich.’ Please be informed that there may have been some slight alterations made to the show since the time of my review). It’s summertime in Toronto. Holly (Sara-Jeanne Hosie), a single mother and writer, is dressed slovenly. She is passionately conversing on the phone and discussing possibly writing another book and using colourful language. Holly is straightforward. She doesn't put on airs and doesn't care about others' opinions of her. Pam (Lauren Bowler), a conservative and affluent Roman Catholic mother, unexpectedly visits Holly's residence. Her 15-year-old teenager Evan is dating Jodie (Holly’s teenager), who is of a similar age. The two often spend time at Holly's place. After coming across a letter written by Evan to Jodi that contained inappropriate content, Pam decides to meet Holly to gain insight into the situation and understand the relationship between the two young people. The conversation starts off cordially but changes when Holly's unfiltered companion, Cheryl (Barbara Kozicki Beall), arrives and joins the discussion. Hailing from Newfoundland and working as a bartender while residing with her musician boyfriend, Cheryl has a questionable history. Additionally, she has a side hustle that could potentially pique Pam's interest or raise her eyebrows in doubt. Throughout the hour-long conversation between these three ladies, Pam’s unseen lawyer husband keeps telephoning his wife and asking inane questions such as what’s for dinner. Sometimes we don’t know what he questions because Pam may respond with an “I don’t know.” According to the programme description, what follows in the plot: “One lie leads to another, and another, on this outrageous roller coaster ride of misunderstandings.” Here for Now’s encompassing theme this summer is ‘Season of Mercy.’ I’m reminded of Portia’s line from ‘The Merchant of Venice’: “The quality of mercy is not strained/It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath.” I find it inspiring that both Matt Murray and Here for Now emphasize the value of demonstrating mercy, kindness, and compassion towards others, mainly when unexpected challenges arise, as indicated by the play's title. Holly, Pam, and Cheryl effectively convey this message through a combination of humour and drama. Director Sheila McCarthy nicely brings Matt Murray’s script to life through her strong belief in showing these qualities to others. Monique Lund's set design reveals Holly's current state of mind with her extremely cluttered and cramped-looking porch. Although Holly prefers to spend her summer days there, the porch is a complete mess of mismatched outdoor furniture, papers and items scattered everywhere, and laundry hanging haphazardly on a clothesline. Lund's costume designs also accurately reflect the social status of the three female characters. Murray's script is filled with hilarious humour that hits the mark. However, be aware that some of the suggestive jokes are explicit. For example, I raised my eyebrow at the revealing name of Cheryl's boyfriend's band. I wondered how future audience members might respond, given that the woke world today can be easily offended. The strong ensemble comedy performances of Sara-Jeanne Hosie, Lauren Bowler and Barbara Bozicki Beall are well-balanced and never spiral out of control. When revealed, the meaning of the play’s title is skillfully handled with care and grace by the three of them. Sara-Jeanne Hosie's bravura performance is characterized by the outspokenness of her Holly, who possesses a keen ability to detect insincerity and has no tolerance for it. Near the end of the play, Hosie’s Holly also becomes that strong pseudo-maternal influence Pam has probably never felt in her life. Lauren Bowler’s Pam embodies a solid contrast to Holly. Pam is someone who has always followed the conventional path laid out for her without straying away from it. She has been instructed to fulfill the roles of a responsible daughter, wife, and mother. When Pam finally does cut loose from the bonds that restrain her in front of Holly and Cheryl, Bowler is a riot but also manages to imbue a sense of troubled sadness in a woman who has not thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the life she has. Kozicki Bealls’ Cheryl possesses a distinct and quirky personality, unlike Holly and Pam. Monique Lund's costume design for Cheryl perfectly captures her eccentricity. However, despite her bold exterior, there is a hidden sweetness to Kozicki Bealls’ Cheryl, which becomes evident once the play's title is revealed. Final Comments: An excellent choice to open the summer season of outdoor theatre in Stratford. See ‘Myth of the Ostrich.’ Running Time: approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes with no intermission ‘Myth of the Ostrich’ by Matt Murray runs until July 15 at the Stratford Perth Museum in the new performance tent at the back of the beautiful 7-acre property. The address: 4275 Huron Road, just west of downtown Stratford. For tickets, call the Box Office (519) 272-4368. To learn more about Here for Now Theatre, visit www.herefornowtheatre.com . HERE FOR NOW THEATRE presents ‘Myth of the Ostrich’ by Matt Murray Directed by Sheila McCarthy Costume & Set Design by Monique Lund Performers: Lauren Bowler, Sara-Jeanne Hosie, Barbara Kozicki Beall Previous Next

Back 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812' A Crow's Theatre and The Musical Stage Company Co-production now onstage at Crow's, 345 Carlaw Avenue. Credit: Dahlia Katz. Pictured: Evan Buliung as Pierre Joe Szekeres VOICE CHOICE "Wondrous, theatrical, lavish storytelling that never lets up on its emotional impact! Such heaven! A theatre experience I will never, ever forget." A sung-through musical of seventy pages of Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace’ sounds heavenly in the Guloien Theatre at Crow’s. According to the billing on Crow’s website, the musical score “mixes indie rock, pop, folk, electronic dance, and classic Broadway music.” Such heaven. It’s a theatre experience I will never, ever forget. I may have to download the album to hear the score again. My suggestion - do whatever you can to get tickets. Now. The Crow’s and Musical Stage Company production has been extended to February 4. It’s Moscow, 1812, the upper-class echelon of society. Getting to know the ten characters will take a few minutes. ‘Natasha, Pierre & The Gret Comet of 1812’ is a story about the pangs of love, deceit, friendship, forgiveness, and familial bonds. The House Programme contains the Family Tree and how each character is connected. It would be a good idea to peruse it beforehand. At the top of the show, these characters are cleverly introduced via the opening song with a humorous comment about the names from Russian literature. Pierre (Evan Buliung) is a sad, sullen, and unhappily married man to Hélène (Divine Brown), who is unfaithful to her husband. Pierre feels as if he is wasting his life. He is a close friend to Andrey (Marcus Nance), who is off fighting in the war. Andrey is engaged to Natasha (Hailey Gillis), Sonya’s (Camille Eanga-Selenge) cousin. Sonya and Natasha have arrived in Moscow to wait for Andrey to return from war. The ladies visit Natasha’s godmother, Marya (Louise Pitre). Natasha has yet to meet Andrey’s sister, Mary (Heeyun Park 박희윤) and their father, Bolkonsky (Marcus Nance in a dual role) and has planned to meet them during this time, which ends disastrously between everyone involved. Natasha goes to the opera with Marya and Sonya and meets Pierre’s brother-in-law, Anatole (George Krissa), a handsome womanizer and ultimately ends up in an affair with him. (Let’s not forget Natasha is engaged to Andrey.) Natasha and Anatole’s affair has a dismal effect as each character has a stake of involvement. Several subplots all stem from this storyline of the affair. Co-designers Julie Fox and Joshua Quinlan have created a jaw-dropping marvellous set design of three levels. Every inch of the Guloien is used to its maximum potential, and I tried to take in as much as possible pre-show. The actors enter and exit from all sides. Ross Kerr-Wilson has paid minute and careful attention to detail, from the gorgeous-looking red drapery to the glass decanter and drinking goblets on the piano. To the right of where I sat, it looked as if there was an altar with open religious books printed in what I thought might have been the Russian language. Kimberly Purtell’s lighting design subtly underscores the moment's emotional intensity, especially in those heightened conflicts between the characters. For the most part, Ryan Borshuk’s sound design remains solid, as I could hear the lyrics in several of librettist Dave Malloy’s stirring ballads and duets. Listening to the lyrics in some ensemble numbers is still challenging because of the slightly uneven sound balance between the orchestra and singers. Still, the harmonies resound gloriously throughout the theatre. ‘Natasha…’ remains a truly spectacular moment in the theatre. Chris Abraham and Ryan deSouza direct with a regal style and elegant flair. Ray Hogg’s fluid and electric choreography becomes a wondrous, staged accomplishment. The energetic and vibrant movement of the show never lets up. The first act nicely sets up the story; however, it is the second act where the pacing takes off. The second half dazzled and riveted me, leaving me bereft of emotion for a few moments at the curtain call. The formidable ensemble cast is one of the main reasons to see the show. They remain committed to telling a story of passion, intrigue, and deception with a compelling and convicted truth. The show remains genuinely engrossing, and I didn’t realize the time passed. Each time Evan Buliung sang, I felt tears welling. His performance as the oppressed, spiritually lifeless Pierre remains solidly gut-wrenching throughout. His watching of The Great Comet in a silhouetted tableau stillness becomes striking and hopeful at the end. As Natasha, Hailey Gillis is initially charming and lovely when the audience first meets her. However, her deception to begin her affair with Anatole removes her from that childlike, dutiful innocence to a scorned woman who will ultimately and heartfully feel her error in her choice. Gillis never veers into histrionics as Natasha’s world comes crashing around her. George Krissa is the quintessential hunky and shirtless Anatole whose suavity and bravado seduces Gillis’s Natasha. Krissa smiles, flirts, and breaks the fourth wall to do the same with some female audience members sitting in the front row. His ‘bad boy’ Anatole is one to be remembered at his worst, especially in the final moments with Pierre at the end of Act Two. Marcus Nance believably creates two exciting and different characterizations in a dual role as Andrey and his old father, Bolkonsky. At the end of the second act, his Andrey may seem cold-hearted in responding to Natasha. However, at least Nance made me feel that Andrey’s reaction and motivation are valid because he has been wronged. Louise Pitre gifts a sense of grace as the strong, remarkable, and matronly Marya. As Sonya, Camille Eanga-Selenge's reaction to the letter Natasha has written in breaking off her engagement is another heart-wrenching moment in singing she ‘misses her friend’ (Natasha). Sonya’s song in the second act becomes a fervent wish that she loves Natasha and only wants the best for her cousin, even though it may mean the two of them may never save their close friendship. I left the theatre and rode in the car on the way home, not saying a word for a few minutes. Final Comments: Confession again. This English major never read ‘War and Peace.’ Seeing this outstanding production makes me want to tackle the classic sometime soon. Will I? That remains to be seen. But I did tackle ‘Les Misérables’ after seeing the musical years ago. There might be hope. At least this musical adaptation has given me a taste of Tolstoy’s text. Get tickets for this, please. Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes with one interval/intermission. ‘Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812’ runs until March 24, 2024, in the Guloien Theatre at Streetcar Crowsnest, 345 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto. For tickets: crowstheatre.com or call the Box Office (647) 341-7390 ex. 1010. NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 by Dave Malloy Co-presented by Crow’s Theatre and The Musical Stage Company Directed by Chris Abraham Choreography by Ray Hogg Music Direction by Ryan deSouza Composer, Librettist, Orchestrator: Dave Malloy Co-Set Designers: Julie Fox and Joshua Quinlan Costume Designer: Ming Wong Lighting Designer: Kimberly Purtell Sound Designer: Ryan Borshuk Stage Manager: Sarah Miller Assistant Director: Paolo Santalucia Assistant Choreographer: Tyler Pearse Orchestra Members: Ryan deSouza, Aleh Remezau, Colleen Cook, Alex Grant, Clara Nguyen-Tran, Rachel O’Brien, David Atkinson Performers: Divine Brown, Evan Buliung, Rita Dottor, Camille Eanga-Selenge, Donna Garner, Hailey Gillis, George Krissa, Lawrence Libor, Marcus Nance, Heeyun Park박희윤, Andrew Penner, Louise Pitre, Brendan Wall Previous Next

Back Jimmy Blais, Artistic Director of Montreal's Geordie Theatre Looking Ahead Joe Szekeres Jimmy is a member of the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation; he is of Plains Cree and French settler heritage. Born and raised in Tiohtià:ke/ Montreal, Jimmy graduated from Concordia’s Theatre Performance Program. He is a seasoned stage and film actor. He has worked professionally for over 10 years, for companies like The Stratford Festival, The Centaur, Geordie Productions, Porte Parole and La Licorne. Jimmy’s most notable tv role was playing Watio for five seasons in APTN’s hit series ‘Mohawk Girls’. Jimmy is also a writer, director, mentor, and coach. He was the Indigenous Artist in Residence for the 2016 Students On Ice Expedition to the Arctic. Jimmy successfully completed the Indigenous Artist In Residence at The National Theatre School of Canada in 2019. He is the current Artistic Director of Montréal’s Geordie Theatre. I had the opportunity to interview Jimmy the day after I had seen ‘Celestial Bodies’ which he directed at Toronto’s Young People’s Theatre. My review of this solid production can be found here: https://www.ourtheatrevoice.com/items-7/'celestial-bodies'-by-jacob-margaret-archer There were at least two school groups in attendance the afternoon I had seen the production. I was curious in wondering what has the reaction been from the school groups in attendance. ‘Celestial Bodies’ which has existed for two years was done as a part of Geordie’s live-stream tour. When the pandemic hit, ‘Celestial Bodies’ was one of the offerings to schools and it could be streamed live. At YPT, this is the first time the production could be staged for a live audience. Jimmy acknowledged he had received a couple of reports from the Stage Manager and from Molly, the Senior Education Manager at YPT who said she had heard from students whom she followed down the stairs: “I gotta be honest. That was pretty lit.” (Translation: ‘Lit’ means the students liked it.) Jimmy jokingly stated from a middle-aged man’s perspective (meaning him), he said it was great to hear. Blais acknowledges how tough it is to navigate as we are still in the throes of Covid. As an artist himself, Jimmy missed the theatre dearly. There were only so many Zoom readings of plays that could be done. As the Artistic Director of Geordie, he is ecstatically happy stories are being shared once again with audiences and people are back in live theatres watching shows. He further added: “I think we’re doing a really good job making sure everyone still feels comfortable. Depending on where audience members are within the country, shows will be offered either as ‘masked only’ performances or patrons will be strongly encouraged to continue wearing them while in the lobby and theatre. The most exciting thing for me as Artistic Director is to ensure we get that exchange of energy back between the actor and the audience.” Blais felt Geordie Theatre had done a good job in continuing to bring theatre to students during the pandemic. Based in Montréal for the last forty-two years, Geordie has been involved as the longest-running tour theatre in North America. During Covid, Geordie was still live-streaming shows to students in their classrooms. Blais received feedback that students and teachers appreciated the experience of streamed theatre in the classroom, but for him “there’s nothing like getting back into that room and sharing that energy between actor and audience.” The response from students and teachers has been phenomenal as they all wanted to come back to the live setting of the theatre, and teachers wanted Geordie to tour shows to schools. For Blais, it’s a good sign the demand and need are there to return to a live setting. ‘Celestial Bodies’ is a powerful monologue that deals with body imaging and how young people see themselves regarding it. Do youth experience more challenges regarding their understanding of their body image today compared to twenty-thirty years ago? Blais paused for a moment to think. He then said yes to the question on account of the pressures of social media. For those of us who are on social media regularly, we are constantly bombarded with images of people taking photos of themselves or posting photos others have taken of them. For Blais, there is this constant comparison that is innate within certain platforms. On top of that, we have crazy apps on our phones that beautify people, that alter the constructs of our faces or 'slimify' ourselves or add makeup all to fit what societal standards deem to be beautiful or handsome. On the flip side of this not holding this much weight, there is a bit of a better understanding of how society does pressure us to think in certain ways, specifically someone like the artist Lizzo. She is popular and has succeeded in carrying herself in a certain way to break down stereotypes of body image empowering youth to try to do the same. In ‘Celestial Bodies’, the character Stella has an athlete parent. Stella is not like her mother at all, and the pressure is on Stella to try and conform to what society dictates, and Stella will not do that. What is one message that Jimmy hopes all audiences will have gleaned from ‘Celestial Bodies’?: “It’s important to remember no matter how people or society sees you, our dreams are just as valid as anybody else’s dream.” What’s next for Jimmy Blais once ‘Celestial Bodies’ concludes its run at Young People’s Theatre? As Artistic Director of Geordie, there are some things in the works. There is Geordie Theatre Fest, an annual mini-theatre festival running in Montréal that will kick off the week of January 23. Blais also sees co-productions between YPT and Geordie in the future. The two companies are always in conversation about what’s going on in their season since both companies have the same audience base. ‘Celestial Bodies’ continues until December 9 at Toronto’s Young People Theatre. Previous Next

Back Andrew Seok Looking Ahead Kyle Brown Joe Szekeres According to the Vision 2021 short film on the Eclipse Theatre website, Artistic Director Andrew Seok calls himself a filmmaker, composer, and theatre creator. He completed his training with some private teachers, Boston’s Berklee College of Music, and York University’s Music Programme. He also completed studies at the Royal Conservatory for Classical Composition and Orchestration. His bio on the company’s website is extensive. Quite an impressive resume, I must say. When he realized there weren’t a lot of opportunities for Asian actors in theatre or film, Seok began to create those opportunities for himself. He’s never held a 9-5 job, never worked steadily in an office nor receive a regular pay cheque. But he has always considered himself an artist in every way after a trusted friend once told him, “What’s the point of making art, ever?” when he experienced doubts about any of his musical works finding a life of their own after any original premieres. I truly respect Seok’s candour in stating his vision is to make art as he moves forward in his career post-pandemic. He recalled being part of a music collective years ago where those involved were trying to start a record label. Andrew asked: “Why are we doing this?” and the initial response was to make money, but Seok pointed out there were far better ways to do so than starting a music label since none of them is getting rich from it, and very few will achieve that level of coveted success; ergo, the reason for the shift in doing art for the love of it. Seok recognizes how difficult it is in any business setting to find individuals with whom one clicks, but as he states about Eclipse’s Artistic Producer Chilina Kennedy: “I was very, very lucky to find someone like her who is a new working relationship for me.” Currently, she appears in the Broadway company of ‘Paradise Square’, but the two are constantly speaking on the phone all the time regarding artistic issues related to Eclipse.” What is one thing this two-year pause has made Andrew realize about himself personally and professionally? He had a chuckle at first before stating this was a loaded question. For himself, Seok realizes he must create as it is a huge part of his identity. Whether it’s building wooden furniture, woodworking, graphic design, or writing short stories, there must be an end product no matter what. It is this end product which shows the thought, the creativity and the passion from whence it came. Andrew felt lost during Covid when he couldn’t maintain this structure for himself. Professionally, (and he realizes this personally), because the theatre industry took a huge nosedive during Covid, Seok re-evaluated his relationship with the business side of things, how much money can be earned, what will the reviews be like and will there be enough money to do something after. Instead, he now focuses on appreciating the work and the journey of it rather than the financial outcome or the ‘success of things’; if he placed passion into it and his wholehearted energy and creativity into it, then that is the reward in that endeavour. With an industry that’s crippled, what else do you have? Some sage advice here for actors and artists who may still be experiencing a forlorn sense of loss. Our conversation then turned to Seok’s upcoming project ‘Til Then and why audiences need to see this production. When he became Artistic Director for Eclipse, Andrew and Chilina had a sit-down and had a frank conversation. If they wanted to make money, they should stage ‘Mamma Mia’ or ‘Phantom of the Opera’. Both Seok and Kennedy agreed passionately they wanted to foster and develop Canadian new musicals and help put the country’s artists on the world stage. If this vision failed, crashed, and burned to the ground, at least the two of them could hold their heads high and say they did this because it was important to them rather than produce big blockbuster shows. Eclipse is starting a new Canadian Musical Works Festival where there will be a reading of new Canadian musicals. For Andrew, a big launch was necessary. He thought it would be great to get all of these amazing Canadian theatre musical writers and songwriters from across the country in celebration to tell about their experience of this time of the Great Pause from Covid these last two years. If these songs can be moulded together to create a show, it would the ultimate celebration of the Canadian music theatre scene in this pandemic time when the industry has been crippled. He continues: “There’s no one writer to write everything we’ve been through. There are too many stories, too many angles, too many perspectives of what we’ve been through. Let’s get as many artists as we can. So we got 24 writers – some paired up. They were given the question WHAT DID THIS TIME MEAN TO YOU?” Seok smiled as he recalled these artists saying: “What do you want us to write about?” He replied: “Whatever you think you need to write about now.” The only stipulation he made clear: “Let’s try not to make this a super depressing show.” The work he received from these artists ranges in all the emotions with the ups and downs and the universal effects of everything we’ve all endured. Andrew remained a tad coy in explaining further why audiences should see the show. He did add though, that a really cool thing happens whereby there are moments where we will watch the show, and where we will be invested in what we are watching: “It’s a show about us, and in the trailer, (that you can see on the website) this is all of our story presented here by Canadian musical theatre icons and songwriters from Canada. This was our dream and we achieved it so we’re hoping audiences will come to see it.” As we concluded our conversation, I recalled a line from the VISION 2021 short film on the Eclipse website: “Let us find a way to dream again.” What is Andrew Seok’s newest dream once ‘Til Then concludes July 20? We shared a good laugh when he replied: “How do I say this without getting in trouble?” A pause where he thought momentarily and then: “I want Canadian artists to be spotlit on the world stage, for sure. If I as an Artistic Director of a Canadian theatre company can help that, I absolutely want to.” A noble and heartfelt intention, indeed, but, for Andrew, the arts and entertainment world has started to veer on a course in a certain direction. He’s not saying it’s a bad direction, but Andrew would really love for more non-regular theatre-going public to see more theatre than just going to see shows like ‘Les Mis’ or ‘Hamilton’. Andrew has many friends who are not in the industry and who have no idea of what’s out there. Yes, they’ve heard things by word of mouth and that’s all they know. He wants to be able to show his friends it’s time ‘to broaden the buffet’ for the general public to see. Andrew’s dream going forward for himself and Eclipse? Hopefully trying to bring more theatre to the masses and have it being appreciated by more than just a small niche group. There’s more to theatre than just the ritz and razzle-dazzle stuff. He likes it, but that’s not the kind of stuff Andrew writes. He hopes people will come to see stuff not part of their wheelhouse. ‘Til Then’ runs July 17-20 at the Berkeley Event Church, 315 Queen Street East in Toronto. For tickets: http://www.eztix.co/ezkiosk/en/1784250. To learn more about Eclipse Theatre: www.eclipsetheatre.ca . Previous Next

Back Home for the Holidays Grand Theatre, London, Ontario Dahlia Katz Joe Szekeres A restorative auditory balm to begin the Christmas and holiday season Not only was the aesthetic re-modeling of the interior of London’s Grand Theatre a charming venue to begin the celebration of the holiday season. The sparkling and twinkling lobby lights also beamed brightly in the eyes of ecstatic theatre goers around me who were elated to be ‘home’ after a near long twenty-month absence from live theatre. Artistic Director Dennis Garnhum writes in his Programme Note how he believes in the magic at this time of year because he can feel it. ‘Home for the Holidays’ has uplifted his spirits as he and co-curator Andrew Petrasiunas have been immersed in creating a magical, musical world this opening night. Thank you for uplifting my spirits as well this evening. And what an opening to experience firsthand. Artist Jacob Macinnis appears at the top of the show where they explain the importance of the ghost light in the theatre and how it has remained on for the entire duration of the pandemic. When Jacob turned off the light and the stage lights came on, an adoring and worshipful roar of audience approval resounded in the auditorium. I was home. There is much to admire and enjoy that certainly placed me in the Christmas and holiday mood. For one, Rachel Forbes’ insightfully keen eye to the production’s look in costume selection and design winningly worked well for me. I liked the subtle incorporations of the colours of the season (silver, gold, red) reflected in the artists’ clothing especially in Blythe Wilson and Elena Reyes’ shimmering gold and emerald gowns. Forbes’ set design functionally incorporated the use of the stage to its fullest. Orchestra members were placed Stage Right, up stage right and just slightly off-centre stage left. The covered drape over the circular riser centre stage is ceremoniously raised to reveal all the colours of the season thanks to the intricately placed Christmas tree decorations all around. The placement of the props and other Christmas accoutrements reminded me of a possible Santa’s workshop. Kimberley Purtell’s focused lighting sharply grabbed my attention in various musical numbers. I simply adored the throwing of lights from one person to the next in ‘When the Lights Come on at Christmas’. Riveting to watch from my seat in the upper balcony. While Director Dennis Garnhum wisely chose to make the decision to have the actors speak about what the term ‘Home’ means for all people and for all of us without delving into the politicized, he smartly and carefully placed terrific bits of humour which put a big smile on my face and those of my guests who attended with me. Pay attention to the numbers ‘Why Do I Live Where the Air Hurts My Face?’ and ‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy’. Artist Gabi Epstein stepped forward to share with us her connection to Judaism and her husband’s connection to Catholicism and the fact they celebrate both in their family. She and her husband call this time in December ‘Christmakkah’ which brought laughter from the audience. Epstein also shared that we are now in Day 6 of Hannukkah which is also important to recognize at this time of year. I also paid close attention to see how Garnhum would integrate the religious significance of what Christmas means to practicing Catholics and Christians, especially since I am one myself. I was moved because I really liked the choices made to include the French medley of some songs specifically ‘Minuit Chretiens’ and ‘Les Anges dans le Ciel’. To hear some of the transcendent sounding harmonies in several of my favourite tunes from this prime cast ensemble made me close my eyes simply to enjoy and I must give credit to Musical Supervisor Andrew Petrasiunas for the outstanding arrangements and Music Director Alexandra Kane for so astutely guiding the band and the cast. Some songs where I did this included ‘Do You Hear What I Hear’, ‘Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth’ and ‘Someday at Christmas’. The sound balance of the orchestra with the artists hit that sweet spot of perfection for me in these numbers as I could hear clearly every word of these songs from my seat in the upper balcony. One slight quibble I did have, however, was in some of the choral numbers at the top of the show where the sound balance of the orchestra overpowered the singers and I wasn’t able to hear fully the lyrics of some songs I did not recognize, and that was disappointing and frustrating. This occurred in the first numbers ‘Home for the Holidays and ‘Ring Out, Solstice Bells’. Hopefully, this can be rectified for the future enjoyment of audiences. Final Comments: Treat yourselves to ‘Home for the Holidays’. Joyous, wonderful, and uplifting. Running Time approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. ‘Home for the Holidays’ runs to December 24 on the Spriet Stage at London Ontario’s Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond Street. For tickets, call the Box Office call (519) 672-9030 or visit www.grandtheatre.com . You can also visit Facebook AND Twitter:: @TheGrandLondon. The Company: Justin Eddy, Gabi Epstein, Gavin Hope, Jacob Macinnis, Masini McDermott, Elena Reyes, Mark Uhre, Blythe Wilson Curator / Director: Dennis Garnhum Musical Director: Alexandra Kane Curator / Musical Supervisor: Andrew Petrasiunas Musical Staging: Lisa Stevens / Set and Costume Designer: Rachel Forbes / Lighting Designer: Kimberly Purtell / Sound Designer: Emily Porter / Stage Manager: Kelly Luft Previous Next

Back 'Mean Girls' The National Touring Company Toronto's Princess of Wales Adante Carter and English Bernhardt. Credit: Jenny Anderson Joe Szekeres The scorching wit of Tina Fey’s book and Nell Benjamin’s clever lyrics are sometimes marred by the distracting and uneven sound balance between the orchestra and singers. I do hope this is rectified immediately. I had no interest to see the 2004 film version of ‘Mean Girls’ when it opened, none, so I was going in blind to watch the musical at Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre. As a full-time teacher then, the story’s premise hit just a tad too close to home. Several students often in tears came to talk over the years about certain ‘mean girls’ who made life miserable for them for various reasons. Without going into further detail, a mean girl situation also led to the death of someone from the school where I worked which was devastating for me. So, with this personal backstory, off I went with perhaps a slanted bias. Effeminate Damian Hubbard (Eric Huffman) and gothic-looking Janis Sarkisian (Lindsay Heather Pearce at this performance) break the fourth wall to introduce us to newly arrived home-schooled student from Kenya, Cady Heron (English Bernhardt), to North Shore High School in inner-city Chicago. Cady encounters difficulties fitting in but Damian and Janis have their new friend’s back in introducing her to the ways of the school. Meanwhile, Cady is also introduced to the three Plastics (The Mean Girls) from the school: leader Regina George (Nadina Hassan) and her two minion followers, second in command Gretchen Wieners (Jasmine Rogers) and blonde bimbo Karen Smith (Grace Romanello at this performance). A plan is put in place between Damian, Janis, and Cady where the latter will make friends with the mean girls, spy on them and report back what was said. In her AP Calculus class, Cady meets nice guy Aaron Samuels (Adante Carter) who broke up with Regina several weeks ago. Clearly, there will be friction between Cady and Regina when the truth will out and the ‘you know what’ hits the fan. Throughout the story, there are moments of what I call high schoolish behaviour that, to be honest, made me feel uncomfortable. These plot moments were realistically staged in such a way they could happen in the school system today. For one, many of the Burn Book comments projected at the pre-show could come out of the mouths of these young people. It was reassuring to see a Program Note stating this National Touring Company is dedicated to inspiring change and providing positive ways to take action, stop and call out mean and bullying treatment of others. Does this initiative speak and resonate today? For youth, yes, it surely does, and I hope they continue to call it out. As a retired teacher, I’m pleased to see that message come through at the conclusion (even though what happens to Regina initially shocked me from the approving catcalls and applause from some audience members). Meanness and bullying, however, don’t stop when one becomes older. Hopefully, we respond differently: ie. call it out in front of others, tell someone where to go, or walk away and not engage. Sometimes our youth cannot do this, and they must learn how to face it on their own. Kudos to those young people who do call it out in front of others for what it is. But truth be told, did I learn anything extraordinary or new about human nature from ‘Mean Girls’? No, I didn’t. That’s not to say there isn’t a lot to admire about this touring production because there is. For one, Tina Fey’s book is sharp-witted. I laughed out loud at the staging reminiscent of Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ near the top of the show. The daring and exciting ensemble of youthful talent is one I hope to see either through future National Tours or trips to NYC. A quick side note: it was wonderful to see many young people in the audience as I’m certain they could connect with some of the ‘badass’ high school moments. I hope the sound balance between the orchestra and the actors can be fixed immediately. In many of the ensemble musical numbers, I missed A LOT of the scorching wit of Nell Benjamin’s clever lyrics and that grew frustrating for me as the show progressed. Finn Ross and Adam Young’s video designs at the top of the show are boldly in-your-face colourful to match how these mean girls like bright pastel colours to make them stand out from others. Director Casey Nicholaw’s staging moves at breakneck speed which greatly works at keeping the story propelling forward. There are some wonderful musical solo numbers so acknowledgement to Music Director Chris Kong’s work here, especially in Jasmine Rogers’ poignant ‘What’s Wrong with Me?’ in the first act. Casey Nicholaw’s choreography remains athletically and dauntlessly daring. Some standout performers in this Touring Company. English Bernhardt is naively sweet as Cady who learns the value of friendship. Nadina Hassan’s Regina is believably catty that you just want to wipe that sarcastic smirk from that face (or at least silently cheer as she puts on weight). Jasmine Rogers’ always eager to please Gretchen truthfully shows her growing fatigue in doing this in her ‘What’s Wrong with Me’ solo. Grace Romanello’s dumb blonde and vacuous-headed Karen is a riot and a hoot. Eric Huffman’s Damian is that kind of friend we all need in our lives – someone who chooses not to play the game and allows people to see him for who he really is. Plus, Huffman is one hell of a tap dancer so sit back and simply enjoy his work in ‘Stop’ in the second act. Lindsay Heather Pearce’s Janis naturally convinced me that sometimes ‘looks can be deceiving’. Janis may dress differently, but there is a true-spirited, smart individual underneath all that dark clothing. Adante Carter’s Aaron is that nice guy who likes Cady for who she is not what she’s trying to become. Final Comments: As we slowly, oh, so very slowly, emerge from this pandemic, I believe shows like ‘Mean Girls’ will bring young people back to the theatre. I plan to take a look at the initiative ‘Change is Fetch’ and see what’s going on. Running time: approximately two hours and 30 minutes with one intermission. The National Touring Company of ‘Mean Girls’ plays to November 27 at The Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King Street West, Toronto. For tickets visit mirvish.com or call 1-800-461-3333. MEAN GIRLS Book by Tina Fey Music by Jeff Richmond Lyrics by Nell Benjamin Based on the Paramount Pictures film ‘Mean Girls’ Director and Choreographer: Casey Nicholaw Music Director: Chris Kong Video Design: Finn Ross & Adam Young Sound Design: Brian Ronan Lighting Design: Kenneth Posner Costume Design: Scott Pask Performers: English Bernhardt, Nadina Hassan,k Jasmine Rogers, Morgan Ashley Bryant, Lindsay Heather Pearce, Eric Huffman, April Josephine, Adante Carter, Kabir Bery, Lawrence E. Street, (plus many others listed in the programme) Previous Next

Back Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Now on stage at Toronto's Young People's Theatre Credit: Dahlia Katz. Pictured: Michael Therriault, Breton Lalama and member of the company Joe Szekeres “Scrumptious! Michael Therriault’s dazzling and charismatic Willie Wonka is one of the production's highlights. Terrific family fare for the upcoming Christmas and holiday season. This ‘Charlie’ will sell out, so get your tickets soon.” Thank you, Thom Allison, for giving Toronto audiences and their families a wonderful present for the upcoming holiday season. Not only is the musical talent in your cast remarkable, but the audience also gets to see Toronto actors come together to play multiple roles and tell a story with open arms and a loving heart. It’s just what all of us need right now. A bonus for young people and their families: there are morning and afternoon shows with a running time of 75 minutes. Just right to maintain the interest of the wee ones. Kind-hearted Charlie Bucket (Breton Lalama), like any typical youngster, has a passion for chocolate (as do I). Life is a challenge for young Charlie. Money is extremely tight. He lives with his single mother (Zorana Sadiq) who works nights at the local laundry. Charlie stays at home with his kind Grandpa Joe (lovely work by Larry Mannell as he accompanies Charilie to the Wonka Factory), Grandma Georgina (Tiffany Deriveau), Grandma Josephine (Jacob MacInnis) and Grandpa George (David Webb). Through all these challenges in Charlie’s life, he never loses hope of dreaming of big things coming his way. One day, he hopes to meet his idol, Willy Wonka (Michael Therriault), a chocolatier who owns and runs a candy factory. Charlie hears of a contest that Wonka hosts. It involves finding a golden ticket in one of the Wonka bars. If the purchaser finds a ticket, that individual gets to tour the factory with an accompanying parent with the potential of winning the grand prize: a lifetime supply of chocolate. Through sheer determination and luck, Charlie becomes among the winners, along with four others: Augustus Gloop (David Lopez) from Germany, Veruca Salt (Caitlin MacInnis) from Russia; Violet Beauregarde (Ruth Acheampong) from California and Mike Teavee (Nick Boegel) from Iowa. These other contest finalists learn some harsh lessons about life. So, a story about the wonder and imagination of childhood mixed with some harsh lessons about the world around us? Is that a downer, especially with the approaching Christmas and holiday seasons? Director Thom Allison doesn’t believe so. In his Programme Note, he writes that if young people are taught to think beyond themselves, to care for other people around them, and to show goodness to others, the world will become kinder and friendlier. Allison's whimsical direction transports the audience to a land of "pure imagination" on the Ada Slaight Stage at Young People's Theatre. Jeannie Wyse's music direction is delightful throughout the performance. "The Candy Man," which opens the show, made me smile. There is one moment when Tiffany Deriveau sings, and I cannot hear the lyrics as the orchestra/band overpowers her. Is it possible to balance that moment? Allison Plamondon's choreography enhances several moments with humour. One memorable instance is the introduction of Augustus Gloop, where the ensemble, dressed in Viennese lederhosen and dirndls, performs a hilarious dance reminiscent of scenes from "European Vacation" and "The Producers" featuring Will Ferrell, Matthew Broderick, and Nathan Lane. The story is set in Toronto, which adds to its believability, thanks to Laura Warren's impressive projection designs. At one point, I saw fall leaves swirling past the window of a house. Set Designer Brandon Kleiman has created pillars that frame the stage and contain remnants of items found in a factory. Jareth Li's striking lighting designs emphasize the two different worlds that Charlie inhabits: the factory world and the world with his mother and grandparents. Ming Wong's costume designs effectively bring memorable characters to life, especially Wonka’s costume at the top of the show. The polka-dotted outfits and wigs of the Oompa Loompa characters made me smile as they became larger than life. Breton Lalama effectively portrays Charlie Bucket's precocious and earnest awkwardness as he transitions into his teenage years, both in voice and physical presence. Michael Therriault shines as a charismatic and captivating showman in the role of Willy Wonka, moving with a sleekness that exudes poise and grace. Zorana Sadiq delivers a poignant performance as Charlie’s single mother, blending realism with a sense of empathy. In a surprising twist, she also shines as the humorous TV spokesperson Cherry Sundae, so much so that I didn’t recognize her at first. Jacob MacInnis is a hoot as Mrs. Gloop, particularly during the yodelling scenes. The winners of the Spoiled Children contest—Nick Boegel, Ruth Acheampong, Caitlyn MacInnis, and David Lopez—boldly convey an important lesson: that life isn’t always just about oneself. DeAnn deGruijter’s portrayal of Mrs. Teavee humorously illustrates how a mother who coddles her son can lead to trouble if it isn’t addressed early on. Final Thought: It has been a long time since I've seen the original film with Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. I often think that I should revisit the original source to compare how similar stories are presented in two different mediums: film and theatre. That’s what the holiday time is for outside of visiting family and friends and understanding the true meaning of the upcoming Christmas season. ‘Willy Wonka’ is a gift to Toronto audiences this Christmas and holiday season. It is genuinely appreciated and will be cherished and appreciated. Running time: approximately 75 minutes with no interval/intermission. ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ runs until December 30 on the Ada Slaight Stage at Toronto’s Young People’s Theatre. The production is recommended for ages 6 and up. YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATRE presents Roald Dahl’s CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY Canadian TYA Premiere Directed by Thom Allison Music Director: Jeannie Wyse Choreographer: Allison Plamondon Set Designer: Brandon Kleiman Costume Designer: Ming Wong Lighting Designer: Jareth Li Sound Designer: Brian Kenny Projection Designer: Laura Warren Stage Manager: Barry W. Cook. Performers: Breton Lalama, Michael Therriault, Ruth Acheampong, Nick Boegel, DeAnn deGruijter, Tiffany Deriveau, David Lopez, Caitlyn MacInnis, Jacob MacInnis, Larry Mannell, Zorana Sadiq, David Webb. Previous Next

Back Sabryn Rock Moving Forward Kristina Ruddick Joe Szekeres The first time I saw Sabryn perform was with Jeremy Smith’s wonderful summer Bard’s Bus tour of Driftwood Theatre. During those summers, Sabryn performed in ‘Romeo and Juliet’, ‘King Lear’ and ‘The Comedy of Errors’. I remember watching these three performances and thinking Sabryn is destined for even more phenomenal roles on future professional stages in Toronto and across Canada. And she has given exceptional performances over these last few years including ‘The Royale’ at Soulpepper for which she received the Toronto Theatre Critics Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Play. Selected Film and Television: Two Sentence Horror Stories, Departure, The Expanse, Holly Hobbie, Carter, Taken, People of Earth, Black Mirror, The Girlfriend Experience. Selected theatre: Rose, Caught (Theatre Passe Muraille), Once on this Island (Acting Upstage/ Obsidian) as well as Caroline, or Change Romeo and Juliet, Three Musketeers, The Merchant of Venice (Stratford), Ruined (Obsidian/Nightwood). Sabryn has been nominated for several Dora Awards. As a director she’s directed shows and workshops for Summerworks, Shakespeare in Action, Obsidian and the Musical Stage Company. She recently directed Contractions, an experimental play/film hybrid over zoom for the Studio180 At Home series. Sabryn also loves to read (especially out loud) and has now narrated seven audiobooks. She is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre at the Stratford Festival and the Actors' Conservatory at the Canadian Film Centre. We conducted our interview via email as she is one busy lady. Thank you so much, Sabryn, for taking the time: 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 in your opinion? I’m feeling very disappointed and yet not at all surprised that the numbers are surging. I have a lot of anxiety and insecurity about what the future will hold. But I have to say, being a freelance artist who often lives paycheque to paycheque prepared me well for the whole ‘not knowing’ aspect of all this. I just wish the circumstances weren’t so dire and serious for so many. We will absolutely emerge to some new way of living- it’ll be what it is for that time and place and life will continue on…how that will look I have no idea. I think (and hope) people will be a lot more cautious about illness, handwashing and mask-wearing in the vulnerable seasons forevermore and generally more conscious about the safety and wellbeing of folks. Also for me, personal space and physical boundaries shifting in a big way! I, myself, have enjoyed the distance and the lack of expectation that I have to hug everyone or shake everyone’s hands all the time (especially strangers or acquaintances I don’t know well); that’s a surprising perk to all this for me because I find often in our industry, people assume everyone is comfortable letting them into their personal, intimate space for touch. I will say though that I am fortunate to have a husband and cats who I can hug all I want when I feel like it. Some people aren’t that lucky right now and I totally understand that- the deprivation of physical touch can be harmful for so many. How have you been faring? How has your immediate family been doing during these last eight months? I count myself very, very blessed-I can’t say that enough. I am faring just fine all things considered. I know that speaks to my privilege as I have been able to keep working, have a comfortable home and a partner who hasn’t lost work at all this year. Another odd perk was getting to spend so much time with my husband during the first lockdown- getting to take the time to eat lunch together everyday was a simple yet profound joy we wouldn’t have been afforded otherwise. It’s really made us value one another in a new way. It has been difficult not being able to see my folks consistently who are in Saskatchewan, especially now that the holidays are around the corner and choosing to stay put to keep us all safe. They’re lucky that they’re in a very spacious place that isn’t as dense but numbers are crawling up there too, so…I just keep begging my parents to stay home and pray they’ll keep safe and healthy so we can be reunited soon. As an artist within the performing arts community, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? Honestly, seeing all my peers struggling and not knowing how to help besides reaching out and checking in on people. The theatre companies, the freelancers, the people who rely on contract work not being able to have a consistent livelihood or have any concrete plan for the future has been really tough to witness. Also, not knowing when we’ll be able to gather in a theatre again to watch or put on a play for an eager audience of patrons is unnerving. And yet, and I’m unsure if it’s ignorance or naivete, but I seem to have adopted the “everything will be okay” mentality and am trusting that professionally my career will be where it needs to be when it can be there. I just hope that the many theatre companies and creative people who are taking huge financial hits right now are able to pull through and pivot in ways that can sustain them. 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 was one of the few who didn’t have any concrete plans for 2020. I had made a conscious effort to lay off theatre for the year and focus on screen and voice and I was very lucky in that regard because all my friends and colleagues were losing work. It just felt like I was in the same position as I would’ve been anyways: having no idea what jobs would be coming or when I’d work again; with the huge caveat that lockdown definitely hindered any or all opportunities for actually being on set or a studio for a large portion of this year...but I was fortunate to have been working almost right up until March so was able to coast for a few months without worrying much about my financial situation. And thank goodness for CERB! I did have a workshop of a new play in development I’m directing that we had to postpone for a few months and settled on doing a three day zoom workshop instead. It was useful for many reasons as far as hearing the play with actors and dramaturgy etc. but we were also hoping to do some physical exploration at this stage and that just wasn’t possible over zoom. The production is tentatively slated for fall 2021 but only time will tell if that’ll happen so all we can do is wait and see and come up with a contingency plan in case we have to postpone which at this point, is looking very likely. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? Lots of reading, cooking, cleaning for those first three months and then I got really tired of being cooped up and feeling like I couldn’t find a satisfying creative outlet. I actually completed The Artist’s Way for the first time ever in the summer which was such a huge help. Even just writing everyday shifted my mental health in a big way. The artist dates I went on and the creative tasks reinvigorated me and my creative spirit which I so desperately needed. Once things started opening up later in the summer, I was very lucky to have booked some work again on set and in the studio as well as a few directing gigs for virtual theatre including a zoom production of Contractions with Studio 180 which was another elixir I needed. Getting to collaborate with other artists and using my director brain after months of creative atrophy was the burst of a new energy I needed. It was such a joy and privilege to have those opportunities and although zoom can be challenging at the best of times, the constraints forced some really creative problem solving which I also didn’t realize how much I missed. I also started doing some virtual teaching at Randolph College in the fall as well as some outreach work with Studio 180 and both been a nice side gigs that are safe to do from home. Teaching is something I’ve regularly done to supplement my income prior to Covid and I truly love it. The shift to zoom has been surprisingly easy if not a bit exhausting on the eyes, although I really can’t imagine doing theatre school training-most of which is so physical- over a computer. These students are so dedicated! 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? For my fellow performers and colleagues, be sure to keep engaging in creative outlets and lean on your supports. Reach out to mentors, past collaborators or friends if you need connection or want to create something. I think a lot of people are eager to collaborate right now- I have friends sending scripts for feedback or brainstorming virtual projects just because they need the outlet and I think that’s a great way to cope. For some, they’re not in a position to do that right now so I would say making sure to do something that’s good for your mental and physical health and wellbeing everyday. Meditating, long walks with a great podcast, calling an old friend, baking something for a pal just because..anything that makes you feel happy, calm and engaged. Also, therapy has been a huge help for me. As far as helpful resources and options since it’s difficult to find a therapist in these times, I know Equity launched LifeWorks earlier this year to support members https://www.caea.com/News#LifeWorks-June-29. For ACTRA members there’s a new Expanded Access- Mental Wellness Support Benefit I was just reading about that sounds promising. Info available here: https://www.afbs.ca/fraternal-benefits#additional-benefitsI For recent theatre school grads I would say: stay positive and optimistic, stay ready, keep reading plays and pushing yourself to learn and engage as much as possible. Take a virtual class. Write those emails to casting directors, artistic directors, people in the community you admire…propose virtual coffees. The hustle to get your name out there has always been hard but now it’s even more of a challenge so it’s time to think outside the box and stay on top of it. Stream those online readings and productions which there are no shortage of internationally but also here at home there’s lots on offer with shows streaming online with Acts of Faith at Factory Theatre, Contractions with Studio 180 (shameless plug J), Musical Stage Company’s Uncovered just to name a few. Look for inspiration everywhere as you might be surprised where you might find it. Write everyday if you can- it helps so much. Do you see anything positive stemming from Covid 19? As far as theatre goes, I think this time off has forced many organizations and companies to recalibrate; to look at how things are run and re-examine structure and operations that have oppressed so many for decades. The BLM movement and the protests in the summer shone a light on so many systemic issues within the world but in our community, it really inspired many to voice their experiences with the #inthedressingroom campaign. Reading the many tweets and posts, I didn’t find any of these stories particularly surprising unfortunately as I’ve both experienced firsthand or heard of all the micro and macroaggressions towards artists of colour over my career. I think a lot of people are taking this time to stop and reflect on how they can better advocate for and foster, support, and protect BIPOC artists so that when we meet again in a physical space, there are some tangible practices put in place to change the trajectory forever. I also think that having all this extra time at home, many are realizing that the six day work week isn’t necessary and that we can likely accomplish just as much in five days- arguably maybe more with TWO days off: one to do groceries/laundry/spend time with family and one to actually accomplish the work. I know I definitely do not miss only having one day off a week. I myself, have found that this lockdown time has really changed my perspective on what really matters in life. Yes, I love my career and performing but getting to have quality time with family, connecting with friends whom I haven’t spoken to in ages, those are the things you won’t ever get back. Jobs will come and go but loved ones are what matters most to me. Balance and boundaries are key. Do you think Covid 19 will have some lasting impact on the Toronto/Canadian/North American performing arts scene? I think it already has on so many artists and companies. Many people leaving the business or finding a new livelihood out of necessity, companies having to shut their doors, losing their space and folding because they can’t financially sustain themselves…I think the fabric of our performing arts scene will forever be changed. However, I think this is such a fascinating time and will absolutely inspire and birth some incredible new work and from the ashes, new companies will rise. It’ll just take time. 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 think it’s amazing the way people have pivoted so quickly. Even just having the ability to lean on streaming is going to be a huge asset to many as things may remain up in the air for the foreseeable future. It would be foolish not to utilize this; I think it is the only option for many actors and companies if they want to keep getting their work or name out there or maintaining audience engagement and some type of revenue. Unfortunately, these things can be very pricy endeavours if quality is a priority and not everyone has it in the budget to outfit a full home studio right now or create and develop a streaming platform like Stratford. There is so much more content on offer online right now specifically because of Covid, so the challenging part is getting viewers. I find it overwhelming sometimes to decide what to watch and who to support with all the choices. Streaming can also be pretty frustrating depending on if there are any technical difficulties or if you have crappy internet and I find it really hard to fully sit down and engage at home when I can be multitasking and doing a million other things at the same time which I can’t do in a theatre. Personally, I have also been trying to stare at screens less in my life since I’ve been forced to engage with work in this way now more than ever so I may not be a great target audience member lol. But I think people have got to do what they got to do and if it’s helpful to utilize YouTube or streaming for the benefit of their spirit, creativity or livelihood, all the power to them. Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that Covid will never destroy for you? I really miss the live feedback from an audience, that energy; the shared experience of people coming together in a space and breathing, gasping, laughing together (you know, all the risky and dangerous stuff right now). Heck, I even miss the oblivious patron unwrapping candy at the most inopportune moment which then in itself turns into another shared funny/baffling moment between audience and performers! Covid will never destroy my desire to get together for several weeks and create something out of nothing with a talented group of people and sharing it with live humans in a physical space. I think when I first step into a theatre again when it’s safe to do so, I won’t take it for granted ever again. Previous Next

Back 'Withrow Park' by Morris Panych Now onstage at Tarragon Theatre Now onstage at Tarragon Theatre Joe Szekeres “Quirky and mysterious, ‘Withrow Park’s’ surrealism asks of its audience if we are to settle for the ordinary routine, or is there more with the remaining time left in our lives? At times, the script is hilariously funny. Other times, it prods deep into an important understanding of our temporal existence in the here and now.” The lives of three 60-year-olds are forever changed when a handsome young individual in a wrinkled suit enters their lives. Arthur (Benedict Campbell) and Janet (Nancy Palk) have been divorced for a few years. They still live together for convenience’s sake in the same house Arthur’s late mother owned. A retired Social Studies teacher, Arthur announced he was gay. He is trying to find himself again amid all this upheaval in his personal life. Janet is ‘civil’ to her ex-husband, but her voice has an underlying tension. She has her own health issues to monitor. Janet’s sister, Marion (Corrine Koslo), also lives with them. She has her own emotional and personal issues and uses sarcasm to cope. She also doesn’t like leaving the house. She likes to read and is seen at her first entrance hugging a novel. Does she prefer not to confront reality and embrace make-believe? Before Janet and Arthur were married, he dated Marion for a bit before ending it with her and then dating her sister. Arthur, Janet, and Marion seem to pass the days by looking outside their living room window across the street at Toronto’s Withrow Park. They’re indifferent about things at this point in their lives. For example, Janet shops at the local market because they will have the same thing they’ve always had for dinner. There’s little menu variety. The three also pay attention to meaningless activities of ordinary park activities – children playing, dog walkers passing by, and people chatting. At the top of the show, an unknown voice knocks at the door to introduce himself as he’s new to the neighbourhood. We learn later this is Simon (Johnathan Sousa) who alters the course of events. Janet and Marion become smitten with his appearance and notice his wrinkled suit. During dinner, there are snippets where Arthur hints at his attraction to the young man. But there’s something mysteriously surreal about Simon that the ladies just can’t decipher when he’s invited to dinner. A clue without spoiling the revelation – a clever onstage visual dramatic technique catches the audience’s attention just before he can be seen through the window. Ken MacDonald’s set design catches the eye. The living/sitting room is comfortably detailed. There are three wing-tipped chairs just slightly off-centre stage. Two chairs face forward, and one is angled slightly. The living/sitting room windows are another focal point. The panes appear distorted. When one looks out the window, does he/she see what is occurring at any given moment? Offstage and up centre left, there is a dividing wall where the front door is not seen, but we can hear voices at the door. There appears to be a swinging door to indicate the kitchen. Another door indicates another room of the house. There appears to be a fallen tree hanging over the action in the beautifully decorated set, creating a sense of figurative and literal hopelessness, uselessness, and sadness. Kimberly Purtell’s, at times, shadowy lighting designs enhance the mystery of this captured moment in time. Jacob Lin’s 林鴻恩 sound designs and set change musical compositions fluidly maintain the unfolding plot. Playwright Morris Panych’s quirky, unconventional script of quick-witted banter and one-line zingers provides an appropriate juxtaposition to wondering if there’s more to life than just the ordinary, daily routine. Arthur, Janet, and Marion appear to be looking out through a distorted windowpane and seeing the world in a certain way. But Director Jackie Maxwell, in her Programme Note, writes something that caught my attention about this play. During the pandemic, she would take walks through Withrow Park and admire the ‘tall, imposing [houses] with rows of large windows. These windows fascinated me as both a person on the outside looking in, but also imagining what it would be like to be on the inside looking out.” Is ‘Withrow Park’ a pandemic play that people thought would be written about that time? Well, not really. Instead, Maxwell calls the play a revelation of a world behind windows she stared at while walking her circuit through the park—ergo, significant changes in the world that we thought we knew produced revelations. The revelations within ‘Withrow Park’ might just defy logical reasoning. They certainly make for good theatre. Maxwell's direction is imbued with an inquisitive and playful spirit that engages the audience. We want to learn more about Janet, Arthur, and Marion - three individuals who have grown tired of being mere observers and long to break free from their self-imposed isolation and engage with the world around them. They invite Simon to dinner, an inexplicable and metaphysical individual who makes them question and test what they think they know. The fine cast drives the story forward with gusto. As wisecracking Marion, Corinne Koslo’s spitfire one-line zingers are often hilarious. But there’s more to Marion than her ornery approach to spying on the neighbours, and Koslo beautifully underscores this about the character. The audience learns something about Marion that cuts deeply into the heart. Marion longs to connect meaningfully with another individual, and Koslo underscores this in her performance without reverting to emotionally saccharine tactics. Benedict Campbell and Nancy Palk are credible as the marital exes. The traditional gender roles were not observed in their arrangement and were reversed. Palk’s Janet is upfront and direct, perhaps something she has learned due to the marriage breakdown. For example, she bluntly comments on his inappropriate clothing attire before Simon arrives for dinner. And she’s right. He is dressed rather slovenly in a shirt that is far too large on him. Arthur has sheepishly returned home because he does not want to be alone when his lover, a pediatrician, leaves and heads to California for another man, a dog walker. Campbell thankfully does not portray the character as weak and submissive. Arthur learns to decide what he wants in life through Janet’s direct and forthright manner in dealing with issues head-on. By the end of the play, Arthur might now have grown fully as an active member of the relationship. Campbell appropriately sets the character on a journey to discover what he wants out of his life and where he wants to go in the remaining time he has left. Johnathan Sousa invests a soupçon dash of the absurd in his work as the mysterious Simon. When invited to dinner at the house, he appears a tad underdressed (thanks to Joyce Padua’s selection of the worn looking black Nirvana t-shirt design underneath his ‘wrinkled suit’). As the conversation over dinner and dessert continues, something about Simon’s conversation starter remains peculiarly offbeat. Sousa quietly goes along with that for the time being. There’s an impish grin on his face with a cock of his head to show that he is about to take a commanding presence over the events that follow. It is in the second act where the audience sees another side of Simon as the character breaks the fourth wall and talks to the audience. It becomes an eye-opener, to say the least. And when Sousa does this, it does defy a sensible explanation. But it certainly makes for good theatre. Final Comments: As a 60 + year old who often wonders where things are headed both inwardly and outwardly, ‘Withrow Park’ at least lets me know that life still offers things to do that are out of the ordinary routine. Sometimes we must visit the odd and the peculiar in that uncertainty of life to have those AHA moments about who we are as we continue to grow in this short life we live. That doesn’t stop at any given age. 'Withrow Park' is most definitely worth a look. Running time: approximately one hour and 45 minutes. ‘Withrow Park’ runs until December 10 on the Mainstage at Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Avenue. For tickets, visit www.tarragontheatre.com . WITHROW PARK by Morris Panych Directed by Jackie Maxwell Assistant Director: Bryn Kennedy Set Designer: Ken MacDonald Costume Designer: Joyce Padua Lighting Designer: Kimberly Purtell Sound Designer and Composer: Jacob Lin 林鴻恩 Stage Manager: Sandy Plunkett Apprentice Stage Manager: Emily Cornelius The Cast: Benedict Campbell, Corinne Koslo, Nancy Palk, Johnathan Sousa Previous Next

Back 'On The Razzle' by Tom Stoppard Now onstage at Shaw Festival, Royal George Theatre Now onstage at Shaw Festival, Royal George Theatre Dave Rabjohn Etymology is fun – well, maybe an acquired taste at best. But this reviewer recently learned, from Bob Hetherington’s essay in the program, that the word ‘farce’ originates from a French verb meaning ‘stuffed.’ Theatrically, it was used to describe comic bits inserted between the more serious scenes in a performance. ‘Stuffed’ may not be a very elegant descriptor of Tom Stoppard’s play, but it was undoubtedly crammed full of entertainment – simply, ‘On the Razzle’ dazzles. ‘On the Razzle’ is now playing through the summer and fall at the Shaw Festival in the warmly intimate Royal George Theatre. Quick history – the play is adapted from a nineteenth-century Austrian play by Johann Nestroy – ‘Einen Jux will sich machen.’ Thornton Wilder used it as a basis for ‘The Matchmaker’, adding the extra plot line of Dolly Levi. In turn, it became the hugely popular musical ‘Hello Dolly.’ This production is anchored by two spectacular performances by Kristi Frank (Christopher) and Mike Nadajewski (Weinberl.) The two young working-class merchants have resolved to give up their responsibilities for a day and head in to town for a fling (a razzle.) Their draconian boss Zangler (stylishly played by Ric Reid) is also in town where mistaken identity and mayhem ensues. Adding to the fun is Zangler’s young ward Marie (Lindsay Wu), dreamily in love with Sonders (Drew Plummer) as she tries to escape her uncle’s control. Of course, they all end up in the same place as doors flap open and shut and ladders spin out of control. As mentioned, the comic performances by the two young rascals feed the rest of the cast. Their movements are almost cartoonish with legs and arms constantly akimbo. Ms. Frank delights with comic faces – one moment she appears to have bitten into a lemon and the next into an apple pie. Mr. Nadajewski’s physicality puts us in mind of a Mr. Bean while his vocal antics are hilarious. This is a full on period piece from near the turn of the nineteenth century. Set and costumes designed by Christina Poddubiuk are spectacular in precision and colour. Adding to her challenge is the fact that many costumes come on and off onstage and some have to be versatile enough to add to the mistaken identity routines. The set brims with doors, corners and pockets to facilitate the hectic blocking. Projections by Jamie Nesbitt are both subtle and Monty Pythonish giving a charming sense of both rural and urban Austria. Craig Hall’s direction is superb – conducting this circus like production would certainly be a challenge. A nod also to stage manager Amy Jewell and her team for keeping so many balls in the air at once. This is not one of Tom Stoppard’s more sophisticated philosophic comedies. It has been described as a ‘lark’ but it is still riddled with Stoppard’s unique ability with language and phrasing. Malapropisms, puns and inventive dialogue are unrestrained. Full-throated comic delight is guaranteed. ‘On the Razzle’ by Tom Stoppard Performers: Jason Cadieux, Kristi Frank, Julie Lumsden, Patrick Galligan, Elodie Gillett, Alexandra Gratton, Claire Jullien, Graeme Kitagawa, Mike Nadajewski, Drew Plummer, Ric Reid, Tara Rosling, Jonathan Tan, Taurian Teelucksingh, Lindsay Wu Director: Craig Hall Set and costume design: Christina Poddubiuk Lighting design: Kimberly Purtell Projections: Jamie Nesbitt Stage manager: Amy Jewell Production runs through: October 8, 2023. Tickets: shawfest.com Previous Next

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

Back Jamar Adams Thompson “[The rehearsal process for ‘Tyson’s Song’] has demanded from us a greater amount of trust in our vulnerability with each other and our ability to hold space and grace with one another.” Joe Szekeres The last time I saw Jamar Adams Thompson appear on stage was in Cahoots’ Theatre Production of Steven Elliot Jackson’s ‘Three Ordinary Men’, directed by Tanisha Taitt. I remember being so moved by that production that I could not speak for a moment afterward. Jamar was part of a terrific ensemble that kept me riveted by the story’s action. He was appreciative and humbled by the audience’s experience of ‘Three Ordinary Men’ at the time, and he says that experience will remain part of his heart forever. Knowing that Jackson’s story deeply touches audiences means the world to him. We interviewed via email. Jamar is a University of Windsor alumni and holds a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) Honours in Acting. He is smack dab in rehearsals for the upcoming Canadian premiere production of Peter N. Bailey’s ‘Tyson’s Song, ’ which opens April 26 at Toronto’s Factory Studio Theatre. This is Adams Thompson’s debut working with director Ash Knight and production company Pleiades Theatre. Working on the production with a team that he calls passionate and intelligent has made the process both inspiring and challenging as an actor. He calls Ash Knight: “one of the most passionate directors I know who really speaks true to his convictions.” Knight is always keen on exploring the most interesting choice in a character’s objectives and motivations. For that reason, Jamar feels he has never felt more born for a role. ‘Tyson’s Song’ is a story about two best friends, two brothers, on one last big night out in the city. The play is a conversation not only among brothers but also one that is unspoken for many of the viewers who might relate to these characters. This conversation, this story, ultimately unpacks some very real issues in the Black male community of mental health, the absence of genuine emotional support and positive emotional outlets, and questions of masculinity, identity and self-fulfilment. It is a story of real pain but also one of hope. Adams Thompson truthfully claims that ‘Tyson’s Song’ found its way to him. Unbeknownst to each other, two close friends of his had forwarded the e-drive submission about the show, demanding that Jamar audition. When he read the submission email the next day, it was as if I was coming home after a very long pilgrimage: “The email mentioned “Black men’s mental health” and “Brotherhood” and specifically sought second-generation Jamaican/Caribbean-Canadian artists. I have and will always remain an advocate for the continued discussion of mental health and support among all people, but to know that someone was finally writing a Canadian story for someone like ME was nothing shy of a dream come true.” Excitement would be an understatement describing how Jamar feels about the upcoming premiere. He recognizes the pressure artists always feel when presenting new work. Still, as surreal as that may sound, this is the first time Jamar has had the chance to explore a character from his particular side of the Black diaspora. Although many more stories are being told and written for his people in general, there is still so much more room for the stories of Caribbean people in Canada. Jamaica has influenced so much of the culture in Toronto, from its cuisine to music to art and, most notably, its cultural slang. Despite this influence and the abundant population of Jamaicans in the city, their stories have not made footing in the theatre as they have in the poetry, music and dance scenes, or even the visual arts. One of his biggest hopes with the premiere of ‘Tyson’s Song’ is to motivate a greater ushering of Caribbean and Jamaican-Canadian stories within the city. ‘Tyson’s Song’ appeals to me for several reasons. One is to learn more about the stories of the Caribbean people in Canada. I also want to see Jamar’s work in a completely different setting from ‘Three Ordinary Men.’ I also have a personal connection to Jamar’s fellow actor, Kyle Brown. I taught him when he was in high school: “WOW! What a full-circle moment for you as well! You'll be proud of him. Kyle and I hit it off very strongly from the auditions. We had the pleasure of working together in the callback, and right away, a palpable grace came with his presence. It was so easy to play off one another and help each other shine.” Jamar calls Kyle an incredibly generous and honest performer. Their most significant discovery with these characters is their unique ability to relate with both of them. They each carry a bit of Tyson and Bryan and could easily have read for the other’s part. This unique empathy has allowed them to bridge many hidden gaps and barriers in connecting with the characters and each other in a way that he thinks has surprised them both. What’s next for Jamar Adams Thompson once ‘Tyson’s Song’ concludes its Canadian premiere? He jokingly stated in jest that a nap would be ideal, as I’m sure any actor who is presenting new work would. But he’s not one to rest too long. Jamar has been keeping busy in hopes of pursuing his MFA (Master of Fine Arts degree) quite soon. While his goal is always acting, be it on stage or in front of the camera, he is taking more steps towards participating in his own play premiere. Writing has not so secretly been a large aim in fulfilling his purpose as a storyteller! His hope is to have some scripts and anthologies that he has been working on come to life at a theatre near us. He closed off our email conversation with a 😊 and said: “Stay tuned.” ‘Tyson’s Song’ runs from April 24 to May 19, 2024, in the Factory Studio Theatre (125 Bathurst St.). Tickets are pay-what-you-choose starting from $5, at PleiadesTheatre.org or FactoryTheatre.com. Previous Next

Back Linda Kash "I sure hope I don't forget my lines in the delivery room." David Leyes Joe Szekeres I've wanted to interview Linda Kash, another Canadian performing arts/theatre scene darling. Yes, she will be eternally known as the iconic Philadelphia (Philly) Cream Cheese Angel from television commercials for years to me. However, she has now gracefully passed the wings on to another individual. There’s more to this delightful lady. I could feel a big smile on my face when I found out where I’d seen her work. For example, she was the lip reader in the Seinfeld episode where George and Jerry want someone to read a person’s lips at a party. Kash has also appeared on ‘Everybody Loves Raymond,’ ‘Third Rock from the Sun’ and ‘Cybill.’ She has also appeared in the films ‘Best in Show’ and ‘Waiting for Guffman.’ In the summer of 2023, I saw Linda’s remarkable work at the Stratford Festival in the ‘Casey and Diana’ premiere.’ It was one of the theatrical highlights of last summer for me. This past January, the production transferred to Soulpepper for a Toronto engagement, and I had the chance to see this incredible cast at work again. She is not one to sit around, however. On Saturday, May 11, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 12, at 2 p.m., Linda will be directing a staged reading of Nora and Delia Ephron’s ‘LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE’ for Peterborough’s New Stages Theatre Company at The Market Hall. This special New Stages event is not just a performance, but a fundraiser for Lumara/Camp Kerry, a bereavement retreat program for families coping with grief and loss. I was thankful she could take a few moments to answer questions via email. When I asked Kash where she completed her artist training, she found the word ‘complete’ interesting. She attended the American Academy of Performing Arts for one year, where she had every intention of completing the three-year program but added: “I became distracted by a Second City workshop as well as a handsome improviser the first summer I came home.” And that was it. Linda was hooked on performance. She considers Second City her formal training and foundation as an actor. Eventually, she returned there and got a chance to direct a Firehall show. Linda also runs an acting studio – The Peterborough Academy of Performing Arts – which has been running for seventeen years. She and her staff teach kids and teens throughout the year. She also runs Drama Day camps for two weeks in the summer. She also teaches adults through a school and production company she co-founded in 2019 called klusterfork. Coaching and teaching in the Peterborough community is fundamental to Kash. She says it’s hugely satisfying and rewarding to watch young talent develop. Kash is also very proud of her work playing Marjorie in ‘Casey and Diana’ at Stratford and Soulpepper. She calls it a privilege in her professional career. She will never forget the rehearsal and performances of ‘Casey’ because: “it was so collaborative and so personal to all of us, including the crew. Everyone was equally and tremendously invested in this story…I think that’s why it resonated so profoundly with the audience.” She also loves directing and seeing the big picture. She calls that process detective work in trying to figure out the playwright’s intentions. Working with a collaborative team to bring a story to life is endless fun. What drew Kash to direct ‘Love, Loss and What I Wore’? “I performed the play when it came to the Panasonic in Toronto. I worked with Cynthia Dale, Wendy Crewson, Jeanne Becker, Lauren Collins and the late great Margot Kidder. It was a special experience…It was like sharing a giant cup of coffee with the audience, chatting about clothing and memory with dynamic women who felt like close friends. I wanted to re-create that feeling. And I think I have with the talent I’ve chosen for Peterborough. Dynamo’s all “ What a cast that has been assembled for the upcoming Market Hall production: Jenni Burke, Maria del Mar, Jane Luk, Kinley Mochrie and Megan Murphy. Will men also find ‘Love, Loss and What I Wore’ interesting: “Men can relate to stories about their mothers and what they wore, to school crushes, wedding days, Messy divorces, and the loss of people we love. I think those themes go well beyond gender.” The fact the play will be performed over Mother’s Day weekend was another deciding factor in staging the production at this time. Linda guarantees that everyone who sees this show will think about their lives and about pieces of clothing that have meaning. And because it’s Mother’s Day weekend, Linda hopes we will take a moment to think about ‘her.’ What’s next for Linda after the staged reading? She boldly states she’s back on the hamster wheel these days happily auditioning for film and TV. She and her brother Daniel will be doing a play together next year, which is thrilling. She’s also running a couple of camps in the summer through her school. Linda also created a pilot for a pre-school children’s show produced in Peterborough. She’s looking for interest to develop it further and considers it all a great adventure. Best of all… Linda’s counting the days before she meets her first grandchild. She has been invited to the delivery room for the arrival. That’s wonderful news. Kash’s sense of humour was still present when she wrote: “I sure hope I don’t forget my lines.” New Stages Peterborough presents Nora and Delia Ephron’s ‘Love, Loss and What I Wore’ on May 11 at 7 pm and May 12 at 2 pm at Peterborough’s Market Hall, 140 Charlotte Street. For tickets to the show and to learn more about New Stages, visit newstages.ca. To purchase tickets over the phone, call the Market Hall Box Office at (705) 775-1503. Previous Next

Back Ali Momen Self Isolated Artist Sam Gaetz Joe Szekeres After Ali Momen emailed me his answers to the questions for this series, I began to realize how the connection I’ve made with some of the performers from ‘Come from Away’ has made me miss seeing this story and how much I would like to see it again. After interviewing composers Irene Carl Sankoff and David Hein, Astrid Van Wieren (Broadway), Jeff Madden, Saccha Dennis, and soon Kyle Brown (Toronto), I was really pleased Ali took the time to check in with the series to let us know how he’s faring during this world wide pandemic. From his website, Ali is a classically trained singer whose conservatory training was at Sheridan Institute's Music Theatre Performance program where he graduated with the highest overall achievement in performance, and after many years as a pro returned to Sheridan as an acting instructor. His theatre credits include three seasons at The Shaw Festival, and productions with Mirvish, Canadian Stage, Tarragon Theatre, Citadel Theatre, Theatre Calgary, and Why Not Theatre. He originated the role of VIKRAM in Mira Nair's stage adaptation of her hit film, MONSOON WEDDING. Ali currently plays Kevin J and others in Come from Away at Toronto’s Royal Alexandra Theatre: 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? In many respects, we are reverting back to a pre-pandemic lifestyle. Being able to engage in “life”, even in a limited fashion, has been a blessing indeed. I have been finding the extra time I’m having with my family and partner to be something I’m grateful for. I told my girlfriend the other day that being here with you on this Saturday evening is something that I couldn’t have done before with my schedule with COME FROM AWAY. These are good things. I’m grateful for the fact that we seem to have gotten this virus under control and that our health system has not been overwhelmed. We should forever be thankful to our frontline workers. They are forever heroes. However, it is important to keep repeating that while we can go to a mall, get a haircut, and even dine inside a restaurant, art that is able to create a middle class life has either ceased or has become near extinct and rare. Indoor gathering limits of 50, and outdoor gathering limits of 100 do not make for a financially feasible endeavour. For instance, COME FROM AWAY can not happen with 50 people in the audience, nor really can an independent and bare-bones production. If you’re a musician, a ton of streams of Spotify gets you very little pay, but at least you would make up for it in live concerts. Those are now gone. If you’re in film and television, while some productions are able to get back up and running again, a huge swath are unable to get insurance. It’s like being in Miami and asking for Hurricane insurance. It’s just not going to happen. We are in an emergency and to think it anything but that I think is wrong. Were you involved or being considered for any projects before the pandemic was declared and everything was shut down? Well of course! Come from Away! 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? Losing any job is a difficult experience. It doesn’t matter what it is. A job brings purpose. It brings dignity. When that goes away – whether it’s due to downsizing, a factory moving overseas, or in our case a pandemic – it crushes the “ikigai” of a human being. Ikigai is Japanese for your “reason for being.” We all lost our Ikigai. So of course, I’ve hit some sad places. Only recently do I feel like I’m coming out of it by reaching acceptance for what actually transpired. I went through the stages of grief, and thankfully I’ve come towards acceptance. For those reading, you simply lost a job or a job in the future. You didn’t lose your worth. You didn’t lose your talent. You are defined not by what you do, but by who you are – and who you are never changed. 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 making some of my own work. I’m writing a film based on the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art. I’m Iranian by heritage. The TMCA holds inside a vault over 3 billion dollars of the greatest modern art in the world. It was kept together by a 32-year-old janitor who was tapped to protect it after the Iranian Revolution. It’s an incredible story and I’m looking forward to fleshing it out to screen. I also started a podcast with my dear friend Torquiil Campbell of STARS. It’s called Soft Revolution. It’s an arts advocacy podcast where we discuss art and how it intersects with politics. You can subscribe at www.softrevcast.com I am tapping into my entrepreneurial spirit now. As the institutions have either shuttered, or paused, it is now up to all of us to put out our lemonade stand and sell our art and make our own way through. Finally, I’m working hard to push government to create an Arts New Deal. We need a modern-day Works Progress Administration like what was set up during the Roosevelt administration after the Great Depression. We need work-relief where our cultural contributions can be seen as infrastructure building. Find out more at www.makeartswork.ca 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? Culture is 3% of our GDP and employs over 650,000 Canadians. It is vital for the soul and structure of a society. There will always be a need. It is going to take a long time to get “back to normal” if that ever even happens. My advice would be to unleash your creative spirit. I think if the plan is to simply wait for an audition and to book a gig, then I really think you’re in trouble. It is going to take years before we are back to where we were. You must be entrepreneurial. Do you see anything positive stemming from this pandemic? If the plan is to just sit and wait for it to all come back after Justin Trudeau walks out of his house and declares “pandemic over”, then no. Instead, we will have institutions shuttered, and a mass exodus of talent. If, however, we decide to build back a better cultural landscape? Then, yes. What that looks like? I don’t know. I think about it every day! In your informed opinion, will Broadway and the Californian performing arts scene somehow be changed or impacted on account of the coronavirus? Of course! When Broadway is back it will be back with far less productions. Theatres will be empty. Now, that could mean they become condos, although in NY the real estate market is souring, or they can be filled with shows that aren’t simply tourist traps. That could be exciting. We could see the entry to new voices! In Canada, the shows and work will all have to be local. Theatre companies have to go out looking for audiences in their areas. That could mean that shows take on a far more culturally specific bent. That would be cool. It’s important that our work not be mere imitations of what we see down south. We can actually make stuff that deeply resonates to us and within us. 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? We are slowly learning how to do the live performance thing. We have to, unfortunately, create the proscenium. What I mean by that is that we sadly do not have all the necessary technology to do it well. We need a proper platform. Our broadband is only recently able to upload wide swaths of data, but even so, we may never have tech that allows two people to make music remotely as a millisecond of latency throws people off. In fact, reading a play on zoom will never be what it’s like in person. So, I think people are learning that if you are going to do “stream”, don’t stream live. Record each part and then have a strong edit. New skills for us all to learn! I also think we’ve all gotten new gear! What is it about performing you still love given all the change, the confusion and the drama surrounding our world now? It’s my job. It’s what I’m good at. It’s what I’ve worked hard to be able to do. I honestly have learned that I am not as special as I thought. I don’t miss the poetry. I miss the prose. 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? Obsequious. b. What is your least favourite word? I love all words! c. What turns you on? Curiosity d. What turns you off? Ignorance. e. What sound or noise do you love? My dog falling asleep. f. What sound or noise bothers you? Sirens. g. What is your favourite curse word? Fuck. h. What profession, other than your own, would you have liked to attempt? Lawyer. i. What profession would you not like to do? Lawyer. j. If Heaven exists, what do you hope God will say to you as you approach the Pearly Gates? “Read this.” Previous Next

Back 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' by William Shakespeare DREAM IN HIGH PARK High Park, Toronto. A Canadian Stage production High Park, Toronto. A Canadian Stage production Guest Reviewer Olivia (Eun-Jung) Jon Dream in High Park celebrates its 40th season amidst the beautiful backdrop nestled in the heart of Bloor West. It is fitting then it should present the story that inaugurated its stage. Shakespeare’s script is trimmed to 90 minutes and is aimed at being an audience pleaser. Many moments hit the mark from the reaction during this performance, and every inch of the space is used. Director Jamie Robinson is to be commended for the endless activity and artistry that comes alive in the pacing, along with set/costume designer Jackie Chau, and lighting designer, Logan Raju Cracknell. The movement direction by Monica Dottor is also a main strength of this show. The actors flow and move almost limitlessly on the High Park stage. Depending on who you ask, the story is beloved or reviled. The Fairy Queen and King are at odds. Four lovers run away into the woods, and due to a love potion mistakenly administered by the fairy Puck (sent by the Fairy King), two of the lovers wind up fighting for the wrong or unexpected partner. I don’t believe I give away any spoilers when I say that a set of wandering players enter the forest, and one is transformed and given a donkey’s head. Hilarity ensues. Evidently, magic is critical to bringing this fairy kingdom to life. There is plenty of that as one is seated in the glorious High Park amphitheatre and evening sets—the talent and prowess of the cast aid this. Robinson has assembled a magnificent, diverse group of actors to play out this comedy. It was breathtaking to see numerous BIPOC performers converging on one stage. Notably, Louisa Zhiu, as Titania/Hippolita, is grounded and imbues her character with charm and lyricism. This cast is fearlessly active, but at times, the broad activity on stage hindered the clarity of the storytelling. The actors were so focused on projection, movement and playing out to the whole audience that dialogue was occasionally rushed, and nuance was lost. This show shines best when the emotions and the subtleties of the characters lead into the comedy as opposed to playing for humour. This was probably dictated by the need to fill the space and broad comedy, large movements, and read better in an outdoor venue. That being said, taking time and allowing the words, for example, in Helena’s beginning monologue, to settle with the audience increases appreciation of the text. Shakespeare's words have such vivid texture and colour, and this is one area often overlooked in modern productions. Doing so engages the eyes and ears, but you miss fully engaging the heart. Still, audiences will undoubtedly be entertained by the cast's pageantry, costumes and exuberance, even if one does not come out more appreciative of Shakespeare. Now Playing at High Park 1873 Bloor St. West Toronto, ON M6R 2Z3 Running time: 90 minutes. Runs until September 3, 2023 Director: Jamie Robinson Stage Manager: Kate Redding Cast: Shelly Antony, Frank Chung, Steven Hao 郝邦宇, Stuart Hefford, Ryan G. Hinds, Vicent Leblanc-Beaudoin, Megan Legesse, Angel Lo, Jadyn Nasato, Julie Tepperman, Aaron Willis and Louisa Zhu Previous Next

Back Kelli Fox Looking Ahead David Cooper Joe Szekeres Although it was an early morning 9 am interview with Kelli Fox in Vancouver, B.C. (and noon hour for me in Toronto), she had me laughing so much during our 40 minutes. It was heartening to hear how she is conscious of the good fortune she has had within her 35 year career, but you’ll see from some of her responses she (like many artists) have had their love of live theatre come to a crashing halt. On her personal web page (which I will include at the conclusion of her profile), Kelli speaks of how her work is always centered on language. And that language was glorious to hear when I had seen her production of ‘Between Riverside and Crazy’ which she had directed at Coal Mine Theatre and her appearance in ‘Sweat’ for Canadian Stage. Kelli has worked for 13 seasons at The Shaw Festival and 3 seasons at The Stratford Festival. She is the recipient of the Gina Wilkinson Prize in 2016 established to recognize women’s transitioning to directing in mid-career. Once again, make sure you access Kelli’s website to see samples of her work over her 35 year career. We conducted our conversation via Zoom. Thanks again, Kelli, for taking the time and for adding your voice to the conversation: It’s a harsh reality that the worldwide pandemic of Covid 19 has changed all of us. Describe how your understanding of the world you know and how your perception and experience have changed on a personal level. Wow! It’s so complex! I’ve been ruminating a lot on the fact that, before this happened, I was feeling incredibly burned out. The last couple of projects that I did, I felt like I approached not as prepared as I wanted to be because I was just tired. I was longing for an opportunity to plant myself somewhere and not pack a bag for a few months. All of that was in my head. And then this (Covid) happened, and I thought, “Oh, my God, what have I brought upon us all? What have I wielded into being?” It’s been frustrating and scary and lonely, really. But I’m also trying to embrace the fact that I needed this rest. I needed to spend every night in the same bed for a year. And get a bit of breath and a routine happening in my life. And now, a year in, and I’ve also been resistant, and I know a lot of people have been doing some incredible work online; people are keeping theatre companies alive, keeping themselves present in the virtual world. I’m so impressed and have such admiration of people who have been able to do it. And I just felt like I could barely keep up with the old way of doing things. I can’t start re-inventing the wheel right now. I’m too tired, too burned out. And it’s not my world. I don’t understand it and don’t know how to operate in it. And then this winter I was invited to take part in a reading of a play ‘An Acorn’ by Caridad Svich through Impel Theatre in Toronto and organized by a young woman whom I know is just remarkable. They invited me to take part in this, and I had said. “Sure, of course” as it wouldn’t require very much of me other than to show up on the Zoom webinar and read the play. And the play spoke to me on such a kind of fundamental level, and for the first time in a year I felt like just being present with these other artists and reading these words, I felt nourished. I felt remembered what it was to be an actor again. I’m now in very early stages of trying to figure out if I can work in this media. The other thing that is beginning to come clear now is that when we do come out the other side of this pandemic, what the world looks like then is going to include this digital theatre work. It’s not going to go away. It’s going to get folded into our practice. So, I might as well start to get comfortable on how to work with it and what to do. With live indoor theatre shut for one year plus, with it appearing it may not re-open any time soon, how has your understanding and perception as a professional artist of the live theatre industry been altered and changed? Well, that’s the sad part for me. I come from a city (Vancouver) where theatre has not ever, in my experience, been really centered in the cultural life of the city. That’s why I moved to Toronto 25 years ago because I remember the first year I moved out to Toronto, within the first couple of years. I saw the influence of theatre in the city. A friend of mine, Corrine Koslo, was in a show at Tarragon. I called her up and said I’m attending the Sunday Pay What You Can and I’ll see you after the show. She told me, “Just so you know, the show was ‘Memory of Water’, it’s selling really, really well and when we do these Sunday performances the box office opens at noon, and you have to be in line by 11:30 am at the latest because the line starts to go around the block.” I showed up at 11 am and the line was already going around the block and the people at the front of the line had lawn chairs and thermoses. I thought, “I’m in a city where people care about this art form.” These aren’t theatre artists who are lined up, these are theatre lovers and theatre goers. I was so enthralled that it made me fall in love with Toronto. What’s making me sad now, a year in and it’s a complete erasure of the industry. We don’t hear a lot about it. Not that I’m dissing any of these people who are also just trying to survive during this difficult time. We hear a lot about the restaurant industry, we hear a lot about sports and the teams, and how they and the athletes are going to be able to carry on. It doesn’t seem to matter what steps people take to try make things safe in theatre. Even the film industry is somehow able to get an opening to move forward. It doesn’t seem to matter what the theatre does, nobody cares enough whether it survives to put a real political cultural will behind it. That makes me sad if I think about it too hard. As a professional artist, what are you missing the most about the live theatre industry? Ooooo…..I miss, strangely enough, I miss sitting in an audience. I sometimes think back to previews of ‘Riverside’ at Coal Mine Theatre and sitting in that cramped little space with 70 other people, shoulder to shoulder, and feeling and breathing with other people. And in that space, it wasn’t the blood and sweat of the actors, it was the audience too engaged in that. I miss that jamming in of humans together into a shared experience. I would call ‘Between Riverside’ my first mainstage directing project even though Coal Mine is an indie company, it’s one with a lot of profile. I knew this was one people were going to see, and I was nervous. I was just so in love with the entire cast of ‘Riverside’. (At this point, Kelli named each of them with a big heartfelt smile) As a professional artist, what is the one thing you will never take for granted again in the live theatre industry when you return to it? Just the privilege of being a working theatre artist. I think I’ve thought I understood what that meant. I know I’ve said to many people over the years I’m conscious of my good fortune, and that I’m one of the few that gets to make a living at this. I would never guess that 35 years in that a whole year would pass and I wouldn’t work at all. I’m not making a living at this. I’m in fact now going to have to start thinking about some alternative way to get some income because I can’t. I’m not going to hold out much longer. And that’s been a bit of a shock to me as to how much I had taken for granted even as I thought I was being consciously aware and grateful of my good fortune. Describe one element you hope has changed concerning the live theatre industry. Well, this was already started to happen before the pandemic: “The keys to the gates are in different hands” and that’s going to change what it all looks like and how it all operates. And I think that’s a good thing as it’s been a long time coming. I don’t really know what to expect when that happens when we all do show up to work together again. It’s not gonna be the same old guard putting us back on the same track to do the same kind of thing. It’s going to be different. And people like me are not going to be running that show so, I’ll see what the party looks like and who’s invited to it and what kind of work gets done. It’s a conversation too, and that’s partly what I love working live is that it makes the conversation interactive. It feels like real questions get posed and people walk away with real and live conversations in their heads about what they’ve seen and heard. Those are going to be different. I’m being a little bit cagey about how I’m wording this because I don’t want to get in to a too much detailed conversation about what we’re seeing. But what I’m seeing is a lot of change, and a lot of change at the gatekeeper level, and I think it’s good. I hesitate to talk about it too much because I don’t want to invest myself too much into a particular either-or form of outcome. I want to see what happens. Even if you have no problem with what was going on at Soulpepper before Weyni Mengesha (Artistic Director), just the fact she comes with a completely different perspective and completely different set of curiosities and interests and wants to focus on different areas that would never have occurred under previous artistic leadership, that to me is incredibly valuable. We need that. I’m so delighted that more and more of that is happening. Explain what specifically you believe you must still accomplish within the industry. Ooooooo….. what must I still accomplish within the industry? (Note: I stumped Kelli for a few seconds as I could see she was really thinking) Apart from in the late 80s when I visited the Shaw Festival and saw the work and had a deliberate conscious idea that I need to work there, to work with that company. I want to be in that milieu. And I worked really hard to accomplish that specific goal. And I was really pleased it worked out. I had a great time there. But apart from that, I’ve never really made a plan. I got very lucky when I started to direct because I had enough of a track record as an actor that people went okay, sure, let’s see what you do with this show. As things started to work out, people started to ask and that worked out. I asked Gina Wilkinson how she made that transition. And she said, “I just wanted to. And people let me.” I thought that sounded great and good for Gina. And in turn that’s exactly what happened to me. Some artists are saying that audiences must be prepared for a tsunami of Covid themed stories in the return to live theatre. Would you elaborate on this statement both as an artist in the theatre, and as an audience member observing the theatre. (Kelly let out an Uuuugghh)… I want to be surrounded by humanity and share in a live experience together. That’s mostly what I want. But God, I hope we don’t get a whole tsunami of Covid themed plays. I see a lot of stuff on Twitter, and these are conversations I try not to get involved in too much, about I hope we don’t see that. Or when we get back to the theatre, people are saying we’re going to do meaningful work, meaningful work, and the company’s program is ‘Sound of Music’ or ‘Singing in the Rain’. We just need to bring an audience back. And is an audience going to be a post World War 2 audience? We just want to see dance and a comedy. We don’t want to deal with death and destruction. We’ve had enough. We’ve been through a collective trauma, and it would make perfect sense for people to say, “Just do a tap dance. Please.” I would empathize with an audience that wants music and laughter, and artists that want to work in that capacity. I just want to be in a room with people and share a laugh. That said, there’s going to be the need to have a conversation about what audiences want to see. The important thing to me is that we get to a place where we’re comfortable. This is what worries about me about how long it’s going to take because we need to get to a place where people feel good about walking into The Coal Mine Store Front space and sitting shoulder to shoulder with 80 other bodies, and not feel concerned about that. That’s where we need to get back first before we get back to the theatre. I feel that’s going to be a long time. We need to be patient with each other and take a little space, breathe, smile and have that conversation. As an artist, what specifically is it about your work that you want future audiences to remember about you? Wow!! I think what would be most important to me is if people thought of me as somebody who centered the work over herself as an artist. I think I’ve always tried. Obviously, I walk into the room with an ego, and all actors enter the room with an ego, and you can’t deny that. But I think, I’ve always consciously tried to say if I’m having an issue, is the issue I’m having about my ego or is it a problem I need to solve in the work. I never wanted to be too concerned about what people thought of Kelli after they saw a play in which Kelli played a racist. I never wanted people to walk out of a theatre after ‘Sweat’ worrying about what they thought of me as a human being. I want them to look at Tracy as a human being. To learn more about Kelli, visit her website: www.kellifox.ca . You can also follow Kelli on Twitter: @KelliFox14 /Instagram: @nelsonsdotter Previous Next

Back Michaela Jeffery, Playwright "I think of theatre as compassionate spaces of communal action." National Theatre School of Canada Joe Szekeres Oshawa’s Durham Shoestring Performers (DSP) will perform Michaela Jeffery’s ‘WROL’ (without rule of law) on March 24, 25, 29, 30, 31 and April 1 at the Arts Resource Centre behind City Hall. Recently I had the opportunity to share a Zoom chat with the Calgary-based playwright where she completed a more general drama undergraduate BFA degree. She is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada (NTS). Her father is a retired Drama teacher so Michaela proudly states she has been thriving in drama for a lot of years beyond her formal training. When she finished her undergraduate program, she interned for a couple of years with New Play Development-based Calgary company called Alberta Theatre Projects before applying to the National specifically to do playwriting. The National Theatre School has a three-year intensive playwriting program of two students working on plays all day. It was a wonderful experience for Michaela, and she feels incredibly fortunate to have been a part of this opportunity. What exactly does playwright training look like? Jeffery describes the ‘lovely, decadent’ process as the most organic extension of human storytelling. Her studies at NTS involved working one-on-one with playwright artists, being in constant conversation with them, and getting to have a backseat view of their working on developing work. It felt like a lateral professional-to-professional conversation which felt wild as a young student because nobody had treated her like a professional up to that point. However, she was brought up very quickly to that professional level standard of NTS and learned about standing up for herself in her growth as a playwright. How has Michaela been feeling about this gradual return to the live theatre as a playwright even though we are still in Covid’s embrace? With Alberta known for its own complex ecology, Jeffery pointed out the province has been referred to as ‘America North’ as it was the first to “pitch a fit” about mask-wearing. The current provincial government (until May) is really pandering to some of the very specific pockets of the Alberta population that are not interested in doing things for the greater good. Jeffery works for Arts Commons, a performing arts centre and art gallery in Calgary, which houses four theatres in the immediate complex of the building. Throughout the beginning of the pandemic, she was on teams setting rules about what to do with the bare base mandate level of the province. Do these teams go above and beyond what should be expected or just go with the bare base provincial recommendations? Jeffery said many of Alberta’s vulnerable population come to the Commons to see touring artists. It’s peace of mind and why wouldn’t a business try to do what it can to protect people: “I think of theatre as compassionate spaces of communal action. The space we are in while we make theatre is one where we take care of each other. What is appealing to me about writing for the theatre? There is something very important about a live experience. I’m not dismissive of some of the incredible online work that has been done. We’re all coming together to think about how we might make a better world or imagine a solution. So, let’s take care of each other while we do this.” Our conversation then turned to WROL since it will be performed in Durham Region in March. WROL was a recent finalist for the international Jane Chambers Excellence in Feminist Playwrighting Award (2021) and Alberta Playwrights Network Alberta Playwrighting Committee. The play has already been produced forty times most of that in the United States. Michaela bills the play as a dark comedy. There are some amusing moments while there are some dramatic elements and issues these girls will have to end up facing for the rest of their lives. The plot involves a handful of Girl Guides who have essentially gone rogue. It’s a story of young women finding their voice and fighting for something they believe in while trying to make the world better. Whether the audience agrees with their tactics to accomplish this is the reason to come see DSP’s production. Jeffery describes the literal layer of WROL’s plot: “Technically the girls are trying to get to the bottom of something. They live in a rural area with a history of a kind of cult that existed and then vanished. The girls are playing Nancy Drew in trying to solve this survivalist cult and in the process find a hideout of a single guy who could come back at any moment. Is this guy part of this cult that vanished?” Combine this understanding now with how these young women feel about themselves to be in a world that isn’t taking their concerns or their fears seriously. Things can’t stay as they are at this current moment. WROL becomes a look at how decisions are made. Are they made equitably and justly? Although it is never expressly spelled out, there is an allusion to things that can’t stay the way they are in this current moment. Is it the apocalypse? The world is changing and as Jeffery says: “Shit could go sideways at any moment”. Whatever these girls are struggling with, it’s all rooted in love, and a desire to care for each other and the planet. There is also an element of fear and anger the girls have to deal with too. Michela knows there have been some gentle and combative versions of WROL produced, and she loves how her script has been brought to life in these two ways. The way it’s written in the text has led to some directors going the tender direction with WROL while others have gone the hard, revolution route. Michaela stated there is an argument for staging WROL either way. It will be quite interesting to see which route the Durham Shoestring Performers take. The genesis for WROL came from a few places for Jeffery. She was asked to take part in an Alberta Theatre Projects Playwrights Unit during her first year out of NTS. She chose the age of 12-13-year-old girls for her play instead of the ages of 16-18 because there is something really striking about that point in ourselves and the self-discovery where we’re not cynical at 12-14 yet as we are when we’re at 16-18. Michaela gave further thought to danger and young children and an understanding of urban myths. She gave further thought to what the mythologies of 12-year-old girls are. WROL became the genesis of what were the earliest moments Jeffery felt angry as a young female person. What messages does Michaela hope audiences in Durham will take away from WROL as they leave the theatre? She said WROL has a very complex ending in the sense it’s really open-ended. Past audience members have been asked what the last image was or what was the last thing they remember. Each audience member will tell a different story about the action that occurs at the end of the play. Is it an action of defeat or is it an action of hope? Her final words about WROL: “I really hope that audience members are excited and engaged in thinking about fighting for things they believe in their own lives and relationships and the world they live in. Will audience members think about how they protect their own inner child? What do courage, bravery and risk all look like? And what would I want to do for the world I live in?” To learn more about Calgary-based playwright Michaela Jeffery, please visit her website: www.michaelajeffery.com . Previous Next

Back 'Tyson's Song' by Peter N. Bailey Presented by Pleiades Theatre and now onstage at Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst Street, Toronto Credit: Cylla von Tiedemann. Foreground: Kyle Brown Background: Jamar Adams-Thompson Guest reviewer Peter Mazzucco "An important story about men’s mental health smartly directed with sensitivity and precision.” As May is Mental Health Awareness Month, Peter N. Bailey’s “Tyson’s Song’ examines the dominant thoughts surrounding Black masculinity and mental health. Bryan (Jamar Adams-Thompson) and Tyson (Kyle Brown) are two best friends out on their last boys’ night together. When the evening goes awry, the two Black men are compelled to examine their pasts and the genuine bonds of their friendship. Peter N. Bailey has penned a powerful play that achieves his goal of establishing the need for a positive dialogue and new conversation around mental health for Black men that could potentially provide “the necessary love and care needed for them to heal and flourish.” “Tyson’s Song” also pays homage to Toronto. This thought-provoking piece opens with the two men running on the stage chasing a Toronto Transit Commission bus that has just hurriedly pulled out of a stop on its route. Friends since childhood, Bryan and Tyson traverse the city to different parties to celebrate Bryan’s last day in Toronto before he, his wife, and their young daughter move to Vancouver. As they wait for another bus, they begin to discuss topics they have not addressed for many years, if ever. One of Bailey's play's foremost and fundamental themes is mental health. Tyson has a history of incarceration resulting from and consequently affecting his mental health. In his discussion with Bryan regarding this period in his life, Tyson asks Bryan, “How come you never visited me?” Tyson’s empathy has created a view of himself and his world that comes across as antipathy when it is self-loathing. The life-long antagonism he has developed toward himself bares itself when he tells Bryan, “Everyone I love leaves me and takes their love with them.” He mentions to Bryan that he, as well, has his own plan to leave. Another principal theme is the question of what it means to be a man, specifically a Black man. Bryan believes being a man revolves around having a family and a steady job. He chastises Tyson for being unable to maintain a steady job or a relationship since his release from the detention centre. At the onset of the play, Bryan seems like the jovial, easygoing one, and Tyson appears to be brooding and serious. We see Bryan dancing on the bench at the bus stop, talking about the party they just attended. Tyson is not impressed with Bryan’s behaviour at the party because he believes it is inappropriate for a married man to carry on like that. He asks Bryan if he would like it if his wife behaved that way at a party. It seems odd to have Tyson empathize with Nathalie, Bryan’s wife, when we discover Tyson believes that she does not like him. Bryan explains to Tyson that he needed this one night because his life has become one of “daycare and diapers.” He believes Tyson needs a real plan for his future. At one point, Bryan tells Tyson to “Man up.” We discover Bryan’s idea of being a man comes from his father’s notion of being a man, a cycle that Bryan is trying to break. Visually, Anahita Dehbonehie's design is sparse yet effective on the Studio Theatre stage, which is ideal for a vision of a crowded, impersonal metropolis that can be inaccessible or insular. A bench positioned at stage left provides the two men with a place to sit and talk while they wait for another bus. The placement of the bench becomes vitally important. It was a substitute for a dancehall stage. Another time it became a provisional pulpit during their Bible verse exchange. Dave Degrow’s lighting design emphasizes the calmer moments between Tyson and Bryan by narrowing the light on the bench or the bus stop to draw the audience in and focus on the earnest conversation between the two men. As quickly as the lighting brings us into those intimate instants, a quick lighting change dissonantly transports us back to the reality of their current situation. Overall, the lighting creates a sense of urban isolation at night. The combination of the lighting, stage, and Stephon Smith’s sound design made the urban setting at night palpable with its bus and police car lights, the T.T.C. bus stop, and the revving engine of buses. I felt as if I was watching the drama unfold from an apartment building across the street. Costume Designer Des’ree Gray dresses both actors stylishly. Tyson wears a denim jacket with many pockets, one of which holds a revelation. Bryan wears fashionable pants and a checkered shirt that contains secrets he openly reveals to Tyson during their conversations. Director Ash Knight directs smartly with sensitivity and precision. He has challenged the two actors to find a compassionate and empathic way to express their character’s voices. Jamar Adams-Thompson genuinely plays Bryan with charm and a carefree attitude. As the play unfolds, Bryan's complexity develops, and Jamar does a beautiful job of bringing out the many layers of his character. He even creates some arresting mannerisms that are fun and unexpected. As Tyson, Kyle Brown makes me feel the internal conflict within his character with his parley, movements and body language. On stage, we see a caring man who feels misunderstood by society. During one of the hostile, harsh verbal and physical exchanges with Jamar as Bryan, there is a sensitivity rather than brutishness to which Kyle as Tyson performs his actions and accomplishes his intention. He portrays Tyson with poignancy and pathos, not as a common thug. Running time: approximately 70 minutes with no intermission. ‘Tyson’s Song’ runs until May 19 in the Studio Theatre at Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst Street. For tickets, visit factorytheatre.ca or call the Box Office at (416) 504-9971. PLEIADES THEATRE presents the World Premiere of TYSON’S SONG by Peter N. Bailey Directed by Ash Knight Set Designer: Anahita Dehbonehie Costume Designer: Des’ree Gray Sound Designer: Stephon Smith Lighting Designer: Dave Degrow Fight Director: Siobhan Richardson Production Manager: Shawn Henry Stage Manager: Heather Bellingham Performers: Jamar Adams-Thompson, Kyle Brown Previous Next

Back 'Guilt: A Love Story' written and performed by Diane Flacks Now onstage at Tarragon Theatre Credit: Cylla von Tiedemann Joe Szekeres ‘Wickedly hilarious and poignantly engaging. Diane Flacks’ remarkable timing regarding the hilarious and serious is noteworthy.” Smartly dressed in a comfortably stylish pantsuit by designer Jung Hye-Kim, Diane Flacks enters from the back of the auditorium on this opening night. She’s carrying tequila shots on a tray, which she hands out to some audience members. You don’t have to partake if you do not wish to do so. It’s a hell of an opening to grab the audience’s attention. Who doesn’t love a tequila shot, especially if it’s complimentary? Flacks looks ready to have a good time. Let’s remember why tequila shots are taken, shall we? One, it’s meant to get the party started. Two, it can also mean forgetting troubles by downing alcohol quickly. We’ll come back to this shortly. Hye-Kim’s set is diamond-shaped with a deep blue hue courtesy of Leigh Ann Vardy’s effective lighting design. Several props laid on sand can be found around the stage. Scene transitions are smooth thanks to Vardy’s careful attention. Deanna H. Choi’s sound designs are sharply clear and timed perfectly to underscore the emotional impact of the moment. At first, Flacks begins with her understanding of guilt. It’s funny as she launches into equating both being Jewish and constantly feeling guilty about something, whether it be from her children, her ex or perhaps an advised and trusted older individual in her family. There are some riotous references regarding motherhood where I laugh out loud. A few innuendos went over my head, but women sitting around me started to chuckle, as did my female guest. Her facial expressions are a treat to behold. Her energy and stamina deeply propel the pacing forward naturally and realistically. Nothing ever appears rushed. Even in those heightened moments of humour and sadness, I could hear and was on every word Diane spoke. I hesitate to share too much of the humour. That would spoil the remarkable comic timing and delivery about her faith, being a gay parent and trying to do her best to raise her children with her ex in what might have been construed as an unconventional home setting in the twentieth century. That thinking doesn’t fly in the twenty-first century as children can be raised in a loving home no matter who the parental authority is. ‘Guilt: A Love Story’ is not a comedy show, however. According to the programme: “It is a deep dive into a complex, uncomfortable and highly human feeling.” In Director Alisa Palmer’s capable hands, Flacks’ first-class script exudes tremendous compassion with a dash of sass on the side. Palmer says in her Director’s Programme Note how important it is to look, listen and share our struggles with each other. And Palmer doesn’t forget to add humour when things get serious. There is a line from ‘Steel Magnolias’ where one of the characters says: “Things were getting far too serious, and we needed to laugh.” Flacks does just that. Admirably and bravely. When she pours into some personal experiences that have pained her and made her feel guilty, these hit home with me. Those sitting around me remained silently still and listening intently. As Diane launched into her memories bravely and with such clarity, I could see them play out in my mind. One moment occurred when she was at a hospital. There are several gasps from the audience when the truth finally comes out about what happens there. Let’s just say that, at this point, said tequila shot that opened the show was well timed. Flacks’ charisma and charm won me over. She is a bona fide raconteur of perception, humour, warmth, and charm. And that’s the reason to see ‘Guilt: A Love Story’. And another thought: On an interesting side note, I’ve also heard the same joke about those who practice Catholicism and are always made to feel guilty (The Catholic Guilt). Given this personal connection, Flacks certainly got my attention, and I’m all ears to hear what she says. Attention all Catholics – pay a visit to Tarragon to see what Diane Flacks has to say. Running time: approximately 85 minutes ‘Guilt: A Love Story’ runs until March 3 at Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Avenue, Toronto. For tickets, visit tarragontheatre.com or call the Box Office (416) 531-1827. GUILT: A LOVE STORY written and performed by Diane Flacks Directed by Alisa Palmer Movement Coach and Intimacy Coordination by Rebecca Harper Set and Costume Design by Jung-Hye Kim Lighting Design by Leigh Ann Vardy Sound Design by Deanna Choi Stage Management by Sandy Plunkett Previous Next BACK TO TOP

Back The Lion King Now on stage at Toronto's Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King Street West Credit: Matthew Murphy. Pictured: David D'Lancy Wilson as Mufasa. Joe Szekeres "Long live Toronto’s ‘Lion King!’—a joyous communal celebration of the circle of life between the actors and the audience." Finally, Toronto can experience a daily 'royal' coronation at the Princess of Wales Theatre with its Canadian production of 'The Lion King.' After seeing this performance twenty-five years later, what strikes me most is its connection to events south of the border, which may soon unfold in our own country. The American people seem to have chosen to restore order amid the chaos they have experienced over the last four years. In ‘The Lion King,’ that sense of order permeates the nature of the African Pride lands. All’s well within the world of nature. That order becomes toppled in chaos when the evil lion Scar (a deliciously slick and slimy performance by Salvatore Antonio) usurps his position within natural order and causes the death of the rightful king of Pride Rock, Mufasa (a kingly and regal David D’Lancy Wilson). When it appears that the young Simba (Lucien Duncan-Reid, at this performance) is to be the next king, Scar has difficulty accepting that edict. He tricks the young Simba into believing he is the cause of his father’s death, and the young cub runs away. Ultimately, justice wins in the end. The adult Simba (Erick D. Patrick), with the help of the adult Nala (lovely work in ‘Shadowland’ by Camille Eanga-Selenge), returns to restore order to his homeland with the help of friends. ‘The Lion King’ remains a veritable feast for the eyes and the ears a quarter of a century later. What an exquisite musical opening number! It continues to bring tears to my eyes. Sung extraordinarily by mandrill Rafiki (an adorable Zama Magudulela), who gathers all the creatures of Pride Rock together, ‘The Circle of Life’ reminds the audience that everything is in its rightful place in the order of nature. The presentation of the young cub of Mufasa and his lioness wife Sarabi (Lisa Michelle Cornelius) to the animals present at the end of the song in a tableau leaves an indelible image before the blackout. Director Julie Taymor's stunning costume designs stand out beautifully under Donald Holder’s rich lighting. The masks and puppetry created by Taymor and Michael Curry are captivating, drawing my attention and making it hard to look away. They are truly a remarkable sight. Additionally, Richard Hudson’s scenic design of the rising sun remains breathtaking. Because I know most of the songs, I also know their lyrics. For the most part, I could hear the actors sing, but there are moments when the orchestra drown the lyrics. Hopefully, Steve Canyon Kennedy will continue to work in balancing the orchestra and the singers. What occurs on the Princess of Wales stage is a testament to the creative team. Director Julie Taymor and Associate Director Anthony Lyn's steadfastness in envisioning a story that speaks to children and to young and older audience members touches my heart. Garth Fagan’s choreography and movement remain exciting to watch. Sean Mayes’ musical direction of Mark Mancina’s additional score and Lebo M’s additional vocal score, vocal arrangements, and choral direction soars high to the roof of the theatre several times. Two of the most notable are ‘They Live in You’ and in the second act’s opening of ‘One by One.’ There are performances also worth noting for their comic theatricality. Will Jeffs is a sharp and quick-witted Zazu. As Timon and Pumbaa, Brian Sills and Trevor Patt become irresistible charmers in their appreciative nod to two famous comedian duos – Laurel and Hardy. As the idiotic hyenas, Shenzi (Jewelle Blackman), Banzai (Joema Frith) and thick as a post with his tongue sticking out, Ed (Simon Gallant) are endearing reminders of the Marx Brothers' comedy from long ago. The singers and dancers are extraordinary. There are moments when I closed my eyes so I could listen to the various harmonies in the songs. Final Thoughts: On the GO train ride home, I did a lot of thinking about the show. What came clear to me within the hour ride home: The production upholds conservative, solid values. For example, it upholds the family unit. The male/father figure protects his family against all harm. The female/mother will care for those in her immediate life. Together, mother and father will help their young cub/children grow. This value is also reiterated by the adult Simba and Nala in the end. Other thoughts kept returning to my mind about the journey from order to chaos to order once again. First, ‘The Lion King’ assumes a respected understanding of the "Divine Right of Kings," a medieval Christian political doctrine that holds that God designates rulers to govern the land justly. These rulers are expected to fulfill their responsibilities with integrity, and at times, they may need to engage in conflict to ensure that these duties are upheld. Second, the only way to maintain an established order is to embrace Christian values, prioritizing service to others. These values are centered on love, respect for parental figures, and reverence for a higher power. The importance of these values is demonstrated in "Circle of Life," where the characters show their appreciation by bowing and nodding to one another. Ultimately, there is a call to prayer, most evident when adult Simba speaks to the dead Mufasa, seeking a sign to return to the Pride Lands and fight for what is rightfully his. These Conservative and Christian values are precisely what the American people voted for in the next four years. I wonder if the same will happen in our country next year. In any event, stories that connect to Christianity make this writer smile again and his heart leap for joy. In the meantime, go see ‘The Lion King.’ Running time: approximately two hours and 30 minutes with one interval/intermission. ‘The Lion King’ currently runs until August 30, 2025 at Toronto's Princess of Wales Theatre. For tickets, visit mirvish.com or call 1-800-461-3333. DAVID AND HANNAH MIRVISH, in association with DISNEY THEATRICAL GROUP, present: Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ Music and Lyrics by Elton John and Tim Rice with Additional Music by Lebo M., Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor and Hans Zimmer Book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi Directed by Julie Taymor Choreography: Garth Fagan Music Director: Sean Mayes Costume Design: Julie Taymor Scenic Design: Richard Hudson Lighting Design Donald Holder Mask and Puppet Design: Julie Taymor and Michael Curry With so many tremendously awesome performers. Previous Next

Back Courtney Ch'ng Lancaster Moving Forward LV Imagery Joe Szekeres When we all emerge from this pandemic, I would really like to have a glass of wine, beer or coffee with so many of the artists whom I’ve interviewed over the last several months. A good majority of the time I’m unable to place everything they’ve shared with me in this column because we sometimes veer off on different tangents if the subject warrants. Although artist Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster and I chatted over email, you’ll see from her answers below she has whetted my appetite to find out more and I wish I could ask more. She and her husband are new parents, (congratulations and best wishes, by the way), plus she has also been able to continue in her work as Assistant Artistic Director at Tarragon Theatre. I’ve reviewed several of the terrific productions in which Courtney appeared: ‘Innocence Lost’, ‘Idomeneus’, ‘Spoon River’, ‘Of Human Bondage’, ‘The Crucible’ at Soulpepper. She is a theatre maker from Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and the current Assistant Artistic Director at Tarragon Theatre in Toronto. Courtney is also a founding member of The Howland Company. During Covid-19, she has directed radio play versions of Three Women of Swatow, 7 Stories, and upcoming productions of Shape of a Girl and Democracy (Expect Theatre for Tarragon Acoustic). Her theatre direction includes The Wolves (Howland/Crows, Toronto Theatre Critics Best Ensemble 2018 and MyEntertainmentWorld Best Production 2018), Cannibal (Scrap Paper/Next Stage), 52 Pick-Up (Howland, Best of Fringe 2013), Gray (Inamorata) and Three Women of Swatow (Tarragon – delayed due to Covid-19). Her acting credits include Cyrano de Bergerac and Man and Superman at the Shaw Festival, seven seasons with Soulpepper Theatre and credits with Public Recordings, Canadian Stage, Citadel Theatre, Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre, Cahoots Theatre, Native Earth, and Tarragon Theatre. She is a graduate of the UBC BFA Theatre program, the Banff Citadel Theatre Program and the Soulpepper Academy. Courtney has twice been named a ‘Top Ten Theatre Artist’ by NOW Magazine and is a grateful alumna of the Loran Award and a recipient of two Dora Awards for Best Ensemble. Thank you for participating, Courtney: It has been an exceptional and nearly eight 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? People can get used to anything. It’s our worst trait. Isn’t that terrifying? Already, I’m used to endless zoom play readings. I’m almost starting to like it. I never have to put on real clothes. In April, I was frantically washing my groceries. Now, the numbers are higher than ever, and yet I can’t seem to muster the same panic I felt in those early days, even as we hit numbers far beyond what we saw in the spring, and even as Toronto’s medical officer of health warns us to assume the virus is everywhere, right now. I think back in August, September even, I was still in a mental state of emergency, but humans aren’t built to live like that. I’ve normalized this. But I’m not sleeping well. How have you been faring? How has your immediate family been doing during these last six months? My family is mostly healthy, my family is safe, my family is not on the front lines of this pandemic. We are immensely privileged to have that kind of safety right now. I was already prepared for 2020 to be a strange year: we had our first child in February. I went into parenthood with very little experience of children. I had changed one diaper, I had never babysat. I had never been ASKED to babysit, my aura of discomfort around children is so palpable! So 2020 already seemed like a gaping pit of unknown. This reminds me of graduating from theatre school in 2008. All the business graduates around me were leaping into a depressed job market, a far cry from what they’d been promised. The theatre graduates were pretty sanguine in the face of limited opportunities and an uncertain future, we’d been preparing for that reality throughout our training. Artists are resilient. I digress. My husband is a musician, so much of his work performing and touring through the year was cancelled, but he has been able to access some of the government support and keep some work. I had taken on a learning position as Assistant Artistic Director at Tarragon Theatre in the fall of 2019, and so I had a maternity leave which I wouldn’t otherwise have had access to as a freelance artist (hot tip, artist friends, if you’re expecting, try to accrue those 600 hours of employment somewhere). This fall, post mat leave, I returned to my position at Tarragon, but the company has given employees the option to work from home through the rest of the season, so that’s what I’ve been doing. It’s sometimes hard with the baby but mostly great. So, while we’re anxious about the future, worried about our families, and a little sad that friends and family haven’t been able to share in this first year of our child’s life, we’re okay, more than okay. We’ve had much more concentrated family time than we would’ve had. As an artist within the performing arts community, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally I miss people. I miss the community of ‘hug-in-a-lobby’ theatre folks. And there are big doubts, a career in the theatre, already so difficult, now seems even more daunting. Kristina Lemieux of Generator said in the Toronto Star “My advice for gig workers and artists is to expect that your ability to live off the gig economy in the arts will not return for seven to 10 years at best,” This strikes me alternately as pessimistic and wise depending on the hour of the day. 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? In 2019, when I found out I was pregnant, I’d already signed on to direct the world premiere of Three Women of Swatow at Tarragon at the beginning of 2020. In a rather hubristic decision, I fudged my due date oh-just-a-wee-bit (both in my own mind and with my producers), consulted with many theatre parents who were wonderfully encouraging (but maybe a little wary about my timelines), enlisted my mother and husband’s support, and decided to go ahead with the job. Tarragon followed my lead and set up a sweet nursery for me (Richard Rose turned his office over to the cause, insisting the heat was better in there), I arranged shorter rehearsal days and longer breaks, and it was full steam ahead. Despite best-laid plans, baby was late, quite late, and I started rehearsals 9 days after birth. Which I don’t exactly recommend to anyone. But we were very fortunate in all aspects – a healthy child who was a good eater and sleeper out of the gate, a fairly easy recovery for me, my husband and my mother game to hold down the fort, and a wonderful team of artists working on the show diligently and sometimes independently as I took extended breaks to nurse. I set out for work every day tired, but giddy because somehow, it was working out. Of course, things started feeling wobbly that second week of March. The bottles of hand sanitizer appeared on every surface, hushed conversations between me and my SM bloomed into full cast dishes about what little information we had at that point. The producers checked in with me to ask if I had concerns about my safety or my baby’s safety, but I was much more concerned about my mother. By March 12th I knew enough to book her a flight home to Nova Scotia, and we put her on a plane the morning of March 14th, before I started my second day of tech. We got through teching the very last cue of the show right before lunch, and then my wonderful SM, who later told me he’d picked up the pace “because we were going to get to the end of the show, dammit”, took me aside and said we needed to go speak to the Managing Director. And so we were shut down, “for a month”, and we all went to drink and drown our sorrows at the thought of having to delay our opening for a whole month which of course became six months, and then indefinitely. The set is still up, as far as I know. And until recently, I still felt quite stuck in the mourning of that show, and the baby-art shuffle which was the first six weeks of my child’s life. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? I’m working a lot, learning a lot. Many not-art type things, with a few pleasant art things thrown in like readings and workshops and radio plays. I’m parenting. I’m teaching, I’m questioning and planning with my colleagues at the Howland Company. Everything, save the parenting, happens on zoom. I’m agonizingly texting other new parents in the middle of the night. I’m very fortunate to not have to go out into the world much. I stare at screens a lot. I’m examining a shift in my interests, and a gap in my training. I’ve been a freelance artist throughout my career, hustling for myself. Now, I feel that I haven’t done enough to strengthen my community. A new friend reminded me of this (https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1336891971503) project led by the late, great, Ker Wells, wherein he activated a whole community into a pageant around the River Clyde and the state of its waters. This moment calls out for that kind of community building, for neighbours and friends to check up on you, feed and fight and march with you, and know your humanity. 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? Oof. I think the usual advice still applies – diversify your skillset. Do lots of things. Write, direct, design. Learn an instrument. Make videos, make virtual reality…stuff (and then teach me how), make plays. Going into the theatre was always going to be a hard row to hoe, but if you do lots of things, there are lots of ways in. But honestly, the next few years are unknown to me too. Also, honestly? I think about quitting all the time. ALL THE TIME. It’s an option, amongst many. When I was about 20, someone I looked up to quit the theatre to run a non-profit for youth, and I was so MAD about it. I was venting to another established artist who gently told me “Courtney, life is long” and I huffed and puffed and swore I’d never quit. The artist I admired was back a few years later, refreshed, refocused. But it would’ve been okay if they hadn’t returned, too. Community theatre is theatre. School plays are theatre. Theatre as a hobby is no less valuable than theatre as a calling (this idea was anathema to me until embarrassingly recently). Theatre schools make great, smart, engaged, justice-seeking, art-loving PEOPLE, regardless of whether they stay in the industry. So, I would tell a new graduate, if you want to pursue other skills right now, that is not a failure. Life is long. Do you see anything positive stemming from Covid 19? Theatre people: can we really go back to a 6-day work week after this? I don’t think I can. Do you think Covid 19 will have some lasting impact on the Toronto/Canadian/North American performing arts scene? Smarter people than I have said and will say smarter things about this. I think the zoom reading might be here to stay. In certain contexts, it’s wonderful to be able to read a play with artists from across the continent. Our artistic borders are more permeable than ever. Though maybe we’ll need a zoom hiatus for a bit when this shit is over. 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 winge (wince and cringe) about this because it’s not the same and I don’t always or even often love it, and I’m confused about how to monetize it to adequately compensate artists in a country where the arts are chronically, majorly underfunded, but I recognize the doors that are being opened. The ACCESS is amazing, seeing things that would have been impossible due to geography, money, and other barriers. Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that Covid will never destroy for you? We’ll get back to it. Tonight, as I write this at 4:37am (it’s not the baby keeping me awake, it’s anxiety and too much blue light from my screens) I miss the sweat. I miss the rented period costumes that can’t be washed, and only the alcohol-water spray to keep the odours at bay. I miss talkbacks even though I hate talkbacks. I miss nice lobbies and shitty greenrooms. I miss making weird eye contact with audience members at the bathroom sinks after the show. I miss the shiver of a scene going well. I miss whining about everything, the inadequate heating backstage, the injustice of matinees, the wigs, the shoes, the cellphone in the audience, the paycheques, the reviews. I swear when we get back to it, I won’t whine for at least a week. Oh, I can’t wait to get back to it. Previous Next

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

Back Monty Python's 'Spamalot' The Festival Theatre at the Stratford Festival David Hou. Centre: Jonathan Goad and members of the ensemble Joe Szekeres A VOICE CHOICE Smashing! Absolutely smashing! This ‘Spamalot’ blows the roof off the Avon Theatre from its dazzling choreography to delicious double entendre innuendo. Although 'absolutely smashing' may sound like a borrowed British coined phrase, it fits this theatrical context. The Stratford Festival's production of 'Spamalot' is so much damned fun. Set in medieval England, a land filled with strife, plague, and an abundance of shrubbery, King Arthur (Jonathan Goad) and his loyal servant, Patsy (Eddie Glen), embark on a quest to find brave knights to join the Round Table. Along the way, they recruit Sir Robin (Trevor Patt), Sir Lancelot (Aaron Krohn), Sir Dennis Galahad (Liam Tobin), Sir Bedevere (Aidan deSalaiz), and even Sir Not Appearing (McKinley Knuckle), who decides not to join the Knights at Camelot. The mysterious Lady of the Lake (Jennifer Rider-Shaw) bestows the name Galahad upon Dennis. After arriving at Camelot, a female-voiced God instructs the Knights to find the Holy Grail, the cup used during the Last Supper. The quest leads Arthur and his Knights on a journey filled with encounters with all sorts of strange beings, including cattle-tossing French soldiers, the infamous Knights who say "Ni," and even an evil bunny rabbit. The Knights decide to stage a musical not unlike ‘Spamalot’ and will eventually settle down with those whom they love. I was never a huge Monty Python fan during my undergraduate years because I didn’t get the humour some thirty-five years ago. And it finally dawned on me why I enjoyed this ‘Spamalot’ and encourage you to see it. Throughout these last few weeks, we’ve been over-saturated with an exhaustive list of information ranging from flying the Pride flag, the future of Catholic schools, and silencing people who do not share similar beliefs. A month that is supposed to bring people together seems to divide and tear many asunder. Director Lezlie Wade, Music Director Laura Burton, and Choreographer Jesse Robb’s triumvirate collaboration gloriously blew the roof off the Avon Theatre opening night. Their vision of Eric Idle’s book, music and lyrics, and John Du Prez’s music maintains the lightning pace required of farce with precision. Everything in the show continues to be a delectable lampoon from sex to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, to ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and even, yes, theatre reviewers. Come prepared to have a solid belly laugh ‘of ridiculousness’ that Lezlie Wade speaks about in her programme notes. Each of us truly needs to laugh right now. As soon as I heard the coconut-clopping sound of the horses off stage when Patsy and King Arthur proudly ride on their imaginary horses, I put my pen down from writing notes and just sat back and laughed. From start to finish, the visuals created by Designer David Boechler, Lighting Designer Renée Brode, and Projection Designer Sean Nieuwenhuis are breathtaking. The medieval castle walls look cartoony with a Pythonesque flair. Although there is no mention of a Costume Designer in the program, it appears that Mr. Boechler has also taken on this responsibility. The medieval clothing is a remarkable recreation, from the knights' armor to the Lady of the Lake's stunning and flowing gowns. The execution of emily c. porter's Sound Design remains solidly consistent when needed. Jonathan Goad is a charmingly silly Arthur and impresses with his strong vocal abilities, effortlessly keeping up with Jesse Robb's dazzling choreography performed by an extraordinary company of terrific dancers. Eddie Glen's portrayal of Arthur's sidekick Patsy is comedic gold, especially in the hilarious expressions he gives his King during 'I'm All Alone'. Jennifer Rider-Shaw's impeccable comic timing shines through in her performances of 'Diva's Lament' and 'The Song That Goes Like This' (which playfully pokes fun at Lloyd Webber's shows). I would love to see Rider-Shaw showcase her talent in other well-timed comedic productions like 'Noises Off'. It's worth mentioning the amusing and lively Knights. Trevor Patts' performance of 'You Won't Succeed on Broadway' is particularly hilarious when the real meaning of the lyrics becomes clear. Aaron Krohn impresses with his energetic disco moves in 'His Name is Lancelot'. Liam Tobin’s ‘The Song That Goes Like This’ with Rider-Shaw is an on-point poke at how musical theatre can drag out some duets interminably long with no end in sight. Great fun. Final Comments: Theatre is meant to make audiences think and that’s so very important. Theatre can also make us just sit back and laugh. We can’t help but laugh at all the nonsense of our woke world right now. As David Seljak says in the Programme: ‘Spamalot’ holds its [skewered elements] up to the sobering light of ridicule and asks us to “always look on the bright side of life”. And to think.” See, good comedy does allow us to think. And that’s why you should go see ‘Spamalot’ at The Stratford Festival. Running time: approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission. Monty Python’s ‘Spamalot’ runs until October 28 at the Festival Theatre, 55 Queen Street. For tickets stratfordfestival.ca or call 1-800-567-1600. MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT Book and Lyrics by Eric Idle Music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle A new musical lovingly ripped off from the motion picture ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’. Director: Lezlie Wade Music Director: Laura Burton Choreographer: Jesse Robb Designer: David Boechler Lighting Designer: Renée Brode Projection Designer: Sean Nieuwenhuis Sound Designer: emily c. porter Producer: David Auster Performers: Henry Firmston, Eddie Glen, Jonathan Goad, Trevor Patt, Aaron Krohn, Liam Tobin, Aidan deSalaiz, Jennifer Rider-Shaw, McKinley Knuckle, Jason Sermonia, Josh Doig, Devon Michael Brown, Carla Bennett, Amanda De Freitas, Evangelia Kambites, Bethany Kovarik, Ayrin Mackie, Previous Next

Back Andre Sills Looking Ahead David Cooper Joe Szekeres It was a couple of months before the pandemic hit where I first saw André Sills’ work in what I felt was a daring production of Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’ at Toronto’s Crow’s Theatre in 2020. I wanted to learn more about his work and was grateful when André participated in a profile series I was compiling at that time on how Equity artists were faring. You can read his profile here: https://bit.ly/3GTG7Dp. During a recent Zoom conversation, I asked him what he would like to say to the Covid/Omicron variant as we approach Year 3 of the pandemic: “Oh, God, I think we’ve had enough. I think we’ve all been traumatized enough. The big ol’ dream of trying to get back to normal? I’m just done with it.” Hopefully, according to the recent news reports, it looks as if the provincial government is done especially with premier Doug Ford reiterating what Sills said. Covid has not destroyed what Andre loves about the live performing arts. Although family time was very important to him as he helped his kids during homeschooling, Sills is glad they are back in school because kids being in person to learn makes all the difference. For Sills, the same thing exists for theatre. Audiences need to be in the seats and seeing the actors on stage with the artists feeling the audience there. It’s part of the experience. A resident artist of ARC (Actors Repertory Company), André is currently in rehearsals as Director with his cast preparing for a March 1 Canadian premiere opening of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s ‘Gloria’, an ARC production in association with Toronto’s Crow’s Theatre. Sills has always wanted to direct and had an interest in it for years, but the ‘actor-beast’ in him is always first. For Andre to direct a play, there would have to be something that inspires him so much that doesn’t have something for him in it. That play would have to give him the drive and challenge as if he was in it because that’s the type of theatre he likes to do. Plays that cost something of the actors and something to investigate within themselves is that challenge Sills craves. Sills then backtracks a bit to speak about ‘An Octaroon’ a play written by Jacobs-Jenkins at Shaw Festival. Feeling that experience to be on the inside of ‘An Octaroon’ was of prime importance and then trying to get a hold of the playwrights’ plays wasn’t an easy task. He finally got a copy of ‘Gloria’ but hadn’t read it until ARC was putting together a list of plays to produce. When he finally picked ‘Gloria’ up to read it, Andre felt there wasn’t necessarily anything for him in it, but he could direct it. He pitched it to ARC where everybody read it and loved it. Andre believes ‘Gloria’ is a good fit for ARC because it’s an ensemble piece that requires a strong cast to help tell the story together. The ARC website describes the plot of ‘Gloria’: An ambitious group of editorial assistants at a notorious Manhattan magazine office vie for a starry life of feature articles and book deals, all while the internet is completely upending their industry. When an ordinary humdrum workday becomes anything but, these aspiring journalists recognize an opportunity to seize a career-defining moment. Sills is fine with this play description, but he’s extremely careful about spoiling the plot for all audiences. ‘Gloria’ has been labelled as a satire. It’s the writing, the ‘echoes’, the questions, and the wit that drew Sills to this play and Jacobs-Jenkins’s dialogue is amazing especially from a recall of ‘An Octaroon’. Sills feels that we’re all living in a kind of satire right now. For him he compares ‘Gloria’ to putting up a mirror for ourselves and seeing ourselves through that mirror. Since we all want to get back to theatre, the one thing Andre is encountering right now is a lot of fear in how we take on theatre. He explains how we might be afraid of our audience and of offending them through Shakespeare and up to modern day stories. At the same time, the world isn’t afraid to offend us. So, putting the mirror up is showing ourselves on stage. There’s a line from ‘Gloria’ Sills remembers: “People don’t read magazines for the truth.” Hearing this from a playwright, Sills also hears that people don’t attend the theatre for the truth. It’s time to get back to the truth and stop beating around the bush so much. Jacobs-Jenkins isn’t writing anything to be grotesque in ‘Gloria’ or any of his plays. He has an intent. By working on ‘An Octaroon’ at Shaw and helping with ‘Everybody’ (by Jacobs-Jenkins) at Montréal’s National Theatre School, and then with the satire of ‘Gloria’, the intent has stayed the same in all three plays. There should be no fear in showing the world as it really is while challenging us to be better. I’ll list the cast at the end of this profile, but André continues to tell the artists to continue being bold and brave, and anything that the characters do that the artists might be afraid of, the acting partner needs it for their part to continue. André continues to tell the actors to trust the play as opposed to us judging it. For the journey of ‘Gloria’, the actors have to step into it and do it for their acting partner in order to see where the journey ends. Did the cast have to undergo any preparation before rehearsals began? Andre spoke about something he believes in when he prepares for a role himself. He calls it the building of a foundation. He added that ARC likes to have an ‘open room’ meaning it is a workshop week in November where there is a read through of the play where community collaborators and design team come in regarding themes of whatever the play is about. With reference to ‘Gloria’, a woman from Macleans and Chatelaine came in to explain and share what office life is like, and how people either take care of each other or they don’t within the office. Having this particular reference of what the office climate life was like was valuable to the cast. What’s next for André Sills once ‘Gloria’ is done? I’m hoping there is a Season 2 of ‘Private Idiots’ and was imploring there to be one. If you haven’t seen it, do a You Tube selection. For now ‘Private Idiots’ is on hold, but the aim is to find a way to take these two cops a step further by getting them out of their cars. After ‘Gloria’ opens, André heads to Stratford to step into rehearsals for ‘Richard III’ and ‘All’s Well that Ends Well’ this summer at the Festival where he looks forward to continuing telling the truth on stage. DETAILS: ‘Gloria’ an ARC production in association with Crow’s Theatre runs March 1 – 20 in the Guloien Theatre, 345 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto. For further information and to purchase tickets online, visit www.crowstheatre.com . The Cast: Deborah Drakeford, Carlos Gonzalez-Vio, Jonelle Gunderson, Savion Roach, athena kaitlin trinh, Nabil Traboulsi. Previous Next

Back Krystin Pellerin "I couldn't be in better company with incredible artists from 'Casey and Diana' " Provided by The Stratford Festival Joe Szekeres A delightful conversation with Krystin Pellerin. This month she appears as Diana, Princess of Wales, at the Stratford Festival’s ‘Casey and Diana’ by Nick Green. The production opens June 1 and runs to June 17 at the Studio Theatre. During our Zoom conversation, I told the National Theatre School graduate she and I went way back. She smiled and quizzed me a bit further. I saw her work back in 2009 when she appeared on CBC’s ‘Republic of Doyle’. I was off on cancer leave from work that year and Tuesday nights were my ‘me time’ spent watching her, Allan Hawco (Jake Doyle), and a cast of wonderful actors tell the weekly story of the Doyles, their work as police officers, and all the other familial machinations. A big smile then came across her face as she was so grateful to hear how the show provided some relief for me and my family. Fast forward past 2010, I have seen Krystin’s work in Soulpepper’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ and at Stratford where she played a sultry Lady Macbeth. By the publishing date of her profile, Pellerin will be in performance of ‘Casey and Diana’. The play is a Stratford Commission. The story follows the Toronto AIDS hospice, Casey House, and the anticipation of the Princess of Wales’s arrival in 1991, the hope she brings, and the effect her visit has on the house residents. This historical moment saw the world in fear over the AIDS and HIV pandemic. Nick Green’s story vividly captures when a rebel Princess, alongside less famous caregivers and advocates, reshaped the course of a pandemic—and how those stricken by the virus found hard-won dignity, community, and love in the face of astonishing hardship. Krystin feels so fortunate to be a part of the production. It has been completely inspiring and fulfilling for her in ways that she could never anticipate. With an incredible script by Nick Green, Pellerin feels this is a perfect opportunity to return to the theatre: “This has been one of the smoothest rehearsal periods. I feel so well taken care of as an actor. I couldn’t be in better company with incredible artists. [Director] Andrew Kushnir has been facilitating all that. It has been a heartfelt and heartening experience. His vision has been crystal clear but entirely collaborative." As an actor, Pellerin acknowledges Kushnir’s mindfulness has allowed the artists to go deep into the intensity of the story. And on playing the late Princess of Wales? Pellerin took a moment and paused to try and find the right words: “It’s daunting and very, very big shoes to fill. It’s such a privilege to be inspired by her for a whole nine months. I was cast in September, and I’ve been absorbing as much as I can in keeping her close to my heart. I intend for Diana’s spirit to stay with me always. She is a gift.” She also spoke about how healing the research and rehearsal process has been. When Krystin gets past the initial moments of feeling scared, she says there is such a calming effect Diana exudes on the actor and the people in Nick Green’s script. Pellerin has said it has been a real treat researching online the videos of Diana and her work in visiting and being with others. There is so much out there, but what has been remarkable in this research was finding those candid and private moments of the Princess. These documentaries where Diana is herself and at home speaking privately were the most informative for Krystin. Any word from Buckingham Palace or the Princes about their mother? Rumours will always float around, and they can’t be verified. However, Krystin has heard there might have been reaching out to Harry and Meghan but that is unfounded. Who knows? One of us just might be sitting next to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. As Krystin says: “That would be surreal.” What are some important messages audiences will take away from ‘Casey and Diana’? One thing Krystin has noticed is the lived experience many of the audience members have had about this time in the early ‘90s. She hopes the performance will bring healing to them. For those who are coming without any lived experience of this time, she also hopes the performance gives a glimpse of the people who lived with HIV in the past and those in the present. She trusts the play will remove that stigma that might remain today. How’s she feeling about the return to the theatre? She follows the advice she gives to anyone entering the industry: “Take care of your spirit and be always looking for ways to be inspired on a daily basis. If you’re living well and taking care of yourself you have so much more to give.” Change has been a part of the theatre industry. Nevertheless, Krystin feels this is the first year we are starting to come out on the other side bit by bit. The proverbial next five years of the theatre will be making up for lost time and she appreciates now more than ever to be with an audience again and how changing it can be. She avows we need the theatre industry now more than ever. It takes time for all to adjust and become comfortable again, and yes Krystin at times feels a bit tentative; however, that sense of relief with the personal connection of being in front of a live audience again after having been without it for so long has become a visceral experience. It’s ELECTRIC and so VITAL. Although ‘Casey and Diana’ is a short run, Krystin can sense she and many of the cast feel the play will have a life after its run at the Studio Theatre. Will it tour around the province? Krystin can only speak for herself but she’s almost positive everyone would be there in a heartbeat if it moves forward in that respect. As we concluded our conversation, what’s next for the busy artist once the play concludes its run: “Right now, it’s an open book. We’ll see what happens. I am looking forward to getting back to my family life. My husband and I have a two-year-old daughter. I’ve been away from her during the days and nights and am looking forward to having a summer and quality time with her. I’m open to anything.” To purchase tickets to see ‘Casey and Diana’, visit www.stratfordfestival.ca or call 1-800-567-1600. Previous Next