A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Paul Constable and Steve Ross “Something as light as a panto takes away the darkness of this time” – Paul Constable Selfie provided by Messrs. Constable and Ross Joe Szekeres These two personable guys kept me smiling during the Zoom call. I had the opportunity to profile Steve Ross at the height of the pandemic almost three years ago. A National Theatre School graduate, I’ve seen Steve’s work on the Stratford Festival stage. He’s been a member of the company for fifteen-plus years now. Go here for Steve’s first profile: https://www.onstageblog.com/profiles/2021/2/3/theatre-conversation-in-a-covid-world-with-steve-ross Paul Constable appeared as Gary in the Canadian Tire commercials for ten years. He attended the University of Windsor and attained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from the School of Dramatic Art. His comedic training came from Second City classes, just doing improv shows in Toronto. With a smile, he stated he’s done other things, and his work as Gary was only one job. What draws these two affable guys together? They’ve recently opened in Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre’s annual panto during the Christmas/holiday season. This year’s production is ‘Jack: A Beanstalk Panto’ written and directed by Rebecca Northan. There’s singing and dancing. The story is a very loose presentation of the fairy tale with loose meaning many liberties can and will be taken. The Capitol’s panto has two versions: the Family and the Naughty. Naturally, I chose the latter. Audiences can decide which one they would like to attend. I will attend the show this week. Look for my review to follow. From seeing Paul’s limited work in commercials, he had a wry sense of humour as Gary. I’ve seen more of Steve’s comedic work at Stratford – Amos Hart in their production of ‘Chicago,’ Mr. Mushnik in ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ and as the Narrator in ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show.’ Who can forget those fishnet stockings, Steve? What perfect timing for writer/director Northan to put these two together in a panto. This is Constable’s first time performing on the Capitol stage. Ross did a reading of Yasmina Reza’s ‘Art’ years ago but never an entire show. Rehearsals went well. According to both, everyone was in a really good space before opening. Paul said it’s amazing what can be accomplished in two weeks and comically mentioned how the first day lifting a rock in front of him might not have been possible. Two weeks later, the rock is over his head, and he’s doing okay. He added further: “We’ve run the show many times. Now we got to tech week, and everything became stop and start, that’s wrong, take two steps, and now take three steps back. It didn't push us back because we were in such a great place for tech week. There’s always the excitement of the preview crowds coming to the show, hearing the laughs, and figuring out where the pacing is and timing issues, it put us in a really good place for opening.” Compliments galore from both Paul and Steve about their cast members. Steve called Rebecca a great ship captain; he took this gig because he’s been a fan of hers. Every day, she knew what she wanted to get done, and it was completed. For him, an exciting part of working with Northan was noticing she was in the cleaning process of the show on the second day. Cleaning is something usually not done until a tad closer to show dates. Steve also commented on how quickly the rehearsal process went for the show. It’s a three-month process at Stratford, but there’s been a brain shift in thinking about how to tackle the panto. It was an intensive two-week process, but it went well for him. The talent of the cast still amazes Paul. He jokingly said he is becoming a two-and-a-quarter threat. Steve said that Paul can get the t-shirt because it’s true. Both agreed Rebecca wanted clean comedy. That’s what she’s getting, and that’s what audiences will be getting. Everyone is having fun; it’s a good time, which has made this show a good opportunity for everyone involved. The two coyly said chickens weighed into the show and would leave it there. If you’re a chicken fan, you will like the show. Was there any distinction about the chickens between the Family and the Naughty version? Ross said the show is universal chicken and will be played as such. The two versions are fun, but Constable prefers the Naughty. Steve has never been involved in a show with two versions, so he doesn’t have a preference. For him, it’s virtually the same show with the dial turned up for the Naughty. Along with Rebecca, the guys clarified an essential item for the audiences on how the actors will approach the show's subject material. The Naughty version will not push into a place of blue and dirty for the sake of being blue and dirty. Paul is thankful the naughty version didn’t go there because his parents, wife, son, and friends are coming. He didn’t want them to feel embarrassed, and he didn’t want to cringe at any blue material. Steve also felt the same way as Paul. Instead of being blue: “It’s fun. It’s smart. Rebecca knows a line to walk. You’re laughing because it’s a joke, not harmful or hurtful. Sometimes stuff happens in life, and it’s silly. It’s the kind of show you’ll talk about with your friends and say: “Maybe we shouldn’t say this.” Sounds like double entendres and second glances are on the menu for the Naughty version. Nothing’s hurtful, except ‘anti-chicken people’ might consider it bothersome. I’m sensing the show might just make a few comments on how our woke world has become extremely sensitive to the point where no one feels comfortable laughing anymore. Oh, by the way, now I’m curious how these barnyard animals will figure into the show. The two are excited to gauge the audience's responses from both versions. There’s improvisation involved from everyone. Sometimes, a joking improv on a Tuesday audience might kill, and the actor might consider bringing it back on Wednesday. However, that audience might not respond in the same way. For Paul, that’s the beauty of improv. Are there messages in the show that the cast hopes audiences will take away with them when they exit the theatre? When Rob Kempson (Artistic Director of the Capitol) and Rebecca first approached Steve with the offer, the term ‘forward thinking panto’ was coined. He’d never heard of it. Body shaming gets addressed, and fluidity of sexuality gets addressed (not directly). These are only two messages. None of the messages is ever hammered over the audience’s heads. Doors are open; if people want to see that stuff, it’s there. Steve also shared Rebecca had seen pantos in the UK and even in the GTA, where the dame, always in drag, also gets booed. Rebecca is not interested in someone getting booed. The panto is crafted in such a way that no one will feel the need to boo. Steve admires Kempson and Northan for trying to do something different within the genre. Paul concurred and added that the show will have its own message subconsciously. There are mixed characters and situations, but no one will ever feel as if they are being preached to or told how to feel: “At the end, you’ll probably be exhausted from laughter. Something as light as a panto takes away the darkness of this time, and you’ll forget about whatever you were thinking about when you came to the theatre.” As we neared the end of our conversation, it turned to some changes in the industry that hit the live artists hard. Steve referred to the Writer’s Strike. Since returning to work, he has noticed gratitude at Stratford. He set himself that goal of gratitude for the two years he sat inside his house, not working. If he is lucky enough to be back, he will not complain about anything, whether it’s a 12-hour day or why something might be missing. Steve has also noticed there’s an understanding that artists do work hard and that it’s okay to say one must take care of him/her/themselves for the day. Steve is also quick to add it’s not just him. He sees so much gratitude for the profession because Covid was the reminder it was taken away for two years. Gratitude is easy to forget in the theatre/performing arts industry, and Steve doesn’t want it to happen again. Paul agreed Steve nailed it. The former returned to a different rehearsal process, and Covid permitted people to acknowledge what was bothering them. Paul mentioned a joke I hadn’t heard before – how do you make an actor complain? Give him a job. That joke couldn't be any further from the truth. Since the return, Paul has noticed a check-in at the beginning of each rehearsal. Rebecca and Rob set that tone right from the start. That was something new, but it was welcomed because Paul just saw so much of the attitude of learning lines, showing up, doing what is asked of you, saying nothing, and going home before Covid changed the world we know. Once the panto concludes its run at the Capitol, what’s next for Paul and Steve? A piece of advice was shared I had never heard either – as actors, you just get used to not knowing, and somehow you will land on the ground. Paul was Gary for ten years with Canadian Tire. The actors are in a strange place, and there’s some hope union actors can return to work in commercials. If that happens, Paul hopes to be a part of it. Paul is pleased he took the panto job because it allowed him to step back into theatre. He hopes artistic directors are listening and looking for his talents (hint, hint, call his agent). Steve will put his writing hat back on before returning to Stratford for the upcoming 2024 season. He has two drafts he’s working on. He’s excited to sit at his laptop and write for the month. There will be some free days during the panto run, so he’ll continue writing. (Rob Kempson, are you listening? Steve will send you the drafts). ‘Jack: A Beanstalk Panto’ runs to December 23 at the Port Hope Capitol Theatre, 20 Queen Street, Port Hope. For tickets, call the Box Office (905-885-1071) or visit capitoltheatre.com. Previous Next

A deconstruction of an individual's story. Back 'The Runner' by Christopher Morris Now onstage until November 19 at the Firehall Theatre, 185 South Street, Gananoque Courtesy of Human Cargo Productions Joe Szekeres “ ‘The Runner’ is a courageous and bold performance that must be experienced live.” The final production of the Thousand Island Playhouse’s 2023 season, ‘The Runner’ demands its audiences’ complete attention for its intense storytelling. Playwright Christopher Morris wants to create theatre that explores the extremes of the human condition. He certainly does so with his riveting and enthralling script in this production. ‘The Runner’ becomes unsettling to watch and to listen to Jacob’s disturbing monologue harrowingly delivered to us. Three audience members left last night before the play ended. I wondered if they did so because they were bothered by the subject material since the play deals with the Arab/Israeli conflict. Good theatre can bother you. It’s supposed to be disquieting at times. Unsettling as well. Good theatre makes us confront issues head-on, sometimes uncomfortably. ‘The Runner’ is good theatre. The story focuses on the pushback Jacob (David Patrick Flemming), a Z.A.K.A. volunteer, experiences when his devotion to serving others – regardless of their race or creed – clashes with the divisive beliefs of the community around him. Z.A.K.A.’s mandate is a non-governmental search and rescue team that responds to terrorist attacks and natural disasters. Partly motivated by Jewish burial laws, Z.A.K.A. ensures all human remains are collected and identified. It includes members from all religious and cultural groups. Z.A.K.A’s response to any event is to recover human remains and to assist victims. It is often in assisting victims that people can be put to the test. David Patrick Flemming takes the audience on a haunting journey as Jacob when he is put to the test. He triages an Arab woman (who is supposedly a terrorist attacker) instead of the soldier whom she has supposedly killed. As the story unfolds, Jacob is aghast by the pushback he receives from colleagues and administrators who chide his efforts. There appears to be an unwritten code of victims first and terrorists second which challenges Jacob’s moral fibre of why he is doing what he is doing with Z.A.K.A. It’s a darkened stage when we enter the Firehall Theatre auditorium. Gillian Gallow places a treadmill centre stage. Bonnie Beecher uses a stark spotlight to illuminate the treadmill. There’s an eerie haze effect in the auditorium. After I sat down and studied the stage, my first thought was ‘Where am I?”. Combined with Alexander MacSween’s, at times distinctly jarring sound designs, this creative team smartly keeps me at the edge of my seat, wondering what’s coming next. At the top of the show, the opening words: “What’s happening?” can be heard from the darkness. What’s happening is a bold and brave performance by David Patrick Flemming. He never veers into histrionics for any heightened emotional impact. Flemming remains wholly grounded. He allows the words to speak for themselves and the audience to feel the impact. His Jacob runs a credible emotional gamut of peaks and valleys. He’s shy but knows the importance of teamwork, even though some other volunteers are not nice people. Jacob wants to please his mother, with whom he lives. She has a hot meal ready for him at the end of the evening, but he hasn’t shown up the last two nights. His mother is not physically well, and he feels guilty about that. She nags at her son that he hasn’t given her any grandchildren yet. Flemming’s discussion of the Arab woman and what might or could happen to her is haunting. What’s also remarkable about Flemming’s work is his continued walking on the treadmill. His pacing remains remarkably controlled. It’s fluid and natural. Sometimes, he’s running; often, he is at a leisurely pace, and there are moments when his walking is slow. Flemming never appears out of breath. If he does slow down, it’s for a particular dramatic effect. When this occurs, I’m on every word he’s saying. According to Morris’s playwright note, this production and play were nurtured and directed by the late Daniel Brooks. Morris is credited in the programme as an Associate Director. This is my first time seeing this production, so I will credit both Brooks and Morris. The direction is tight but never feels or looks restrained. The sincerity in Flemming’s performance is a highlight of the show. I trusted that what I was hearing and seeing was a credible person who, according to Morris: “put human decency above division, while knowing full well the consequences they’ll face.” Final Comments: There’s a Catholic hymn with the lines: “Awake from your slumber/Arise from your sleep.” As a practicing Catholic, I find these two lines apropos in seeing ‘The Runner.’ It’s a play that makes me awake and pay close attention to what’s occurring now in the Middle East. Go and see ‘The Runner’. I hear there are talkbacks after specific performances with playwright Christopher Morris. I would encourage future audiences to remain after and discuss. I had many thoughts and comments running through my head that I wish there had been a talkback last night. Running time: approximately 60 minutes with no intermission. ‘The Runner’ plays until November 19 at the Firehall Theatre, 185 South Street, Gananoque. For tickets, https://www.1000islandsplayhouse.com/firehall-theatre/ or call 1-613-382-7020. THOUSAND ISLANDS PLAYHOUSE presents A HUMAN CARGO Production ‘The Runner’ by Christopher Morris Producer, Human Cargo: Samantha MacDonald Directed by Daniel Brooks/Associate Director: Christopher Morris/Assistant Director: Stephie Mazunya Set and Costume Designer: Gillian Gallow Lighting Designer: Bonnie Beecher Composer/Sound Designer: Alexander MacSween Stage Manager: Arwen MacDonnell Performer: David Patrick Flemming as Jacob Previous Next BACK TO TOP

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Patrick McKenna Canadian Chat Janis Harvey Joe Szekeres My immediate family and I recall how much we really liked Patrick McKenna’s work in two shows for which he is well known: despicably ruthless and underhanded Marty Stephens on ‘Traders’ and as loveable nerdy bespectacled Harold Green on ‘The Red Green Show’ broadcast from fictional Possum Lodge. My family and I were impressed at the performance range McKenna revealed in these two opposite characters. Of most important note is the fact he was recognized for his versatility with 2 Gemini Awards in 1998, for best performance in a comedy series and in a continuing dramatic role for these two roles. A recent Zoom call with Patrick revealed just how down to earth this guy is, and what a good sense of humour he has. He put me at ease quickly. He’s extremely thankful for the opportunities he has been given. Like all of us, Covid made Patrick think about what is very important to him as you’ll see from one of his responses. Patrick has recently completed some voice cartoon work with Sesame Street and YTV. I also learned about his traveling improv group, ‘The Yes Men’, and yes, I do plan to catch one of their shows when they are in the region. I’ve included contact information for ‘The Yes Men’ at the conclusion of the profile. He is a spokesperson for the Golden Horseshoe Marathon for wheelchair athletes, the MS Society, McMaster Sick Kids, Lupus Canada, and Adult ADHD. Thank you so much for taking the time, Patrick. Very much appreciated: Tell me about one teacher and one mentor in your life for whom you are thankful who believed in your pursuit of your career as a performing artist. The teacher would definitely be Steven Gaul; he was my Grade 11 English teacher. He took me to Second City because I was a pretty poor student. I wouldn’t do theatre because you had to wear tights in my mind. He said there was a lot of different kind of theatre so his wife and he were going to see Second City and he took me and another troublemaker to go see the show. I went, “Ohhhh, oh that’s what I want to do. I want to be on that stage (Second City).” He opened that door. And professionally, it was Andrew Alexander from Second City who at that particular time, because I have no training whatsoever, none. Other than being the class loud guy (not necessarily the clown, but I was loud). Andrew was the only one who said I’ve got something. I was the doorman at Second City for a couple of years, and people thought what I was even doing at an audition. I snuck in and away we went. Andrew was the one who said, “Let’s hire Pat.” Andrew was high enough up on the ladder to say, “Let’s put Pat there and see how it’ll go – he’ll sink or swim.” And luckily enough I swam, which was great. 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 eighteen months on a personal level? How have you been changed or transformed on a personal level? I guess I’m probably more cognizant of personal time and giving my time away to people. Work can sometimes do that. You get locked in that wheel and just start running and you realize that everybody is happy but you. I think these last eighteen months have given me the opportunity to say there’s way more I want to experience yet. Giving my time away to other people – that changed a lot. I’m slowing down and prioritizing to decide what I want to dedicate my time. How have these last eighteen months of the pandemic changed or transformed you as an artist professionally? Well, quite a bit. A couple of things happened all at once. I turned 61 so you’re into a whole new category as an actor to begin. I’m an old white guy so that’s also happening in the new world and making me step back a few in the line. And Covid stopped production everywhere for quite awhile and made audiences go elsewhere and look for different things to entertain themselves and to fill up their time. You’re splitting any hope you had of coming back that there was going to be a new normal because everyone found a new normal. By the time we come back say with a new CBC show, audiences might be saying they’re into Netflix or Hulu. It’s going to be harder to find a dedicated audience, I think. I also got into a lot of voice work because I have a studio at home. I’m doing seven different cartoons right now. I never really did that before, so that was great. I was nominated for a couple of Screen Actor awards for voice work which is fantastic for me when you start something and you’re acknowledged for it right away knowing you’re going in the right direction. So this has opened a few doors for me. I’ve written a couple of screenplays that are floating around out there too. I wouldn’t have done this unless I had the time to follow through on some ideas. Professionally (and personally), it’s been a hand in hand of walking down the lane and wondering what’s next. In your opinion, how do you see the global landscape of the professional Canadian live theatre scene changing at all as a result of these last 18 months? It’ll be interesting because I’m also working with an improv group. We’re called ‘The Yes Men’, we’re three old guys who go out and have some fun. Before the pandemic, we were booked every weekend. It was a lot of fun with crowds. Even in the early stages of the pandemic, we still had a few crowds even though there were some people who weren’t too sure if they could go out or not, do we wear masks? As a group, we decided to just stop as did the world. But watching now when we go back to book the theatres, we hear the hesitation in the voices over the phone of “We’re not sure yet. We’re not sure we can be open.” So there’s a real hesitancy on the part of the management as to when promotions can start once again. I think audiences are going to be sceptical being nudged shoulder to shoulder. Will audiences have to be so far apart that artists and the audiences themselves don’t get a community feeling and understanding that laughter and empathy can bring? That magic might be changed a little bit. I was just up in Iqaluit doing some improv shows and, because of Covid, the audience had to be so far back from the stage and they had to be six feet from each other, there was no laughter, no infectious energy. It became small individual groups around the room who might laugh but there was no collective laugh. That was a real learning curve of how do you communicate now to these people and will theatre do that? Can theatre do that? I think it’s going to be harder for the theatres themselves than the audiences. When they come back, I think shows are going to be huge, glorious shows, a lot of celebration. We saw this in the 20s, 30s, 50s, after the wars. All these big shows in history were a reaction to being shut down for awhile. It’ll be interesting to see how we’ll all pop back. From a Second City background, there will be reaction on every level. I think Second City will take a hard punch because it is such a cabaret experience with audiences shoulder to shoulder. There’s also a real division now of what we can laugh at in the real world. Two years ago it was Trump, anti Trump; now it’s mask, anti-mask. What excites/fascinates/intrigues Patrick McKenna post Covid? Well certainly audiences – that will make me excited to be in front of an audience and for audiences to be there and who can be there to feel free enough to experience that community again. Being on a set that doesn’t feel sick. I’ve been on a few sets where everyone has to go through so many protocols, it’s half a day to go through protocols. By the time you’re ready to shoot, some of us are tired on account of the protocols we’ve had to go through to get there. And if you have to leave set to go get something, then you have to go through the protocols again. I know we’re all over-reacting at times because we don’t want to be that place that perhaps gave Covid to an audience member or to a performing artist. So it makes it so difficult to proceed in an artistic way, there’s no flow. We’re constantly interrupted by reality. The ripple effect over the next five years is going to be felt tremendously within the industry. And that’s been interesting to watch on a set of how that functions. What disappoints/unnerves/upsets Patrick McKenna post Covid? To be honest, I’m going to have say the loss of some friends. There’s been a line in the sand of where some people stand on vaccinations. People whom I personally know who have passed away on account of Covid. I have a lot of close friends who surprised me in the way they are challenging the vaccinations and Covid. They challenged me on who I thought they were, and they were also challenged on who they thought I was. It really brought politics, beliefs and who you really to the forefront, and made you stand there and confront what’s happening. It’s more of a conservative world right now than my liberal point of view. I have to respect that as Conservatives believe their thoughts and they’re going to have to respect the thoughts and wishes of others. Post Covid, there are going to be a lot of different groups regarding who has been vaccinated and non-vaccinated. 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 or favourite teachers who encouraged you to get to this point as an artist, what would it be? “Good eye.” (and Patrick and I share a good laugh). That’s probably too American. I’d have to say, “Thank you” especially to any teacher along the way who blows support and confidence into an individual rather than negativity. I look back to those people who nurtured strength and confidence in me, thank goodness for them. 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? In an odd way, I’d have to say “Thank you” to them as well. Humour is such a subjective thing and that’s a huge lesson to learn especially if you’re going to be in this business. Just because you said something in a certain way doesn’t mean it’s going to be funny. There’s an audience and there are always going to be different ears. I remember there were those who did try to belittle me and say I wouldn’t make it, and I don’t miss that, but I have to acknowledge they made me work harder at being funny. What’s your favourite swear word? “Shite”. If I’m working somewhere and people think I might use the four letter “s” word, and then I surprise them with ‘shite’. What is a word you love to hear yourself say? “Absolutely” What is a word you don’t like to hear yourself say? “No” With whom would you like to share a meal and dialogue about the Canadian performing arts scene? It’s such a big table, really… “Erin O’Toole” What would you tell your younger personal self with the knowledge and wisdom life experience has now given you? “Listen more.” With the professional life experience you’ve gained over the years, what would you now tell the upcoming Patrick McKenna from years ago who was just in the throes of beginning a career as a performing artist? “You have everything you need.” What is one thing you still wish to accomplish both personally and professionally? Personally, I want to be able to tour Scotland with my wife. We promised ourselves that, and then Covid just stopped everything. That’s our go to right away. Professionally, I would like to see one of these scripts I’ve written produced. As I said I’ve been lucky with acting and with voice work, and I’d like to conquer this new mountain of writing scripts and getting them produced. Name one moment in your professional career as an artist that you wish you could re-visit again for a short while. Ooooh, there are so many great sporadic ones… To be completely selfish, I would say a second show doing stand up comedy at Punch Lines in Vancouver in 1988. There’s nobody on the stage but you, and if it’s working it’s because of you. What is one thing Patrick McKenna will never take for granted again post Covid? Friends. Would Patrick McKenna do it all again as an artist if given the same opportunities? Yes, but…(and again we share a good laugh) There are a lot of things that I would do better if given the same opportunities as an artist. The opportunities I was given were great, I might tighten things up a little such as listening more. To learn more about Patrick McKenna’s improv group “The Yes Men” (with Neil Crone and Kevin Frank), please visit the website: www.yesmenimprov.com or Facebook: The Yes Men Improv Comedy Troupe or Twitter: @TheYesMenImprov. Previous Next

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. Back 'Sequence' by Arun Lakra Produced by Thousand Islands Playhouse, Gananoque, and now on stage at the Firehall Theatre Credit: Randy deKleine-Stimpson. Pictured: Kevin Bundy and Krystina Bojanowski (back to camera) Joe Szekeres “I have no idea how to begin this review—absolutely no idea, as there’s so much brain- heady stuff going on. Just wait. Allow ‘Sequence’ to work its truth and reality over you.” Playwright Arun Lakra’s ‘Sequence’ fleshes out an understanding of good and bad luck. Is it genetic? If it is, can we change that luck? How mutable is our DNA? Are we stuck with the sequence of our DNA at birth, or can it be altered? Is there a God, and if so, what is that role in our destiny? Did God or that god create the universe, or was it the Big Bang Theory? Does DNA control our fate? Which came first – the chicken or the egg? After mulling over the Thousand Islands Playhouse’s opening night production for a few days, I realized that one doesn’t need a technical understanding of abstract mathematical, philosophical, or ontological concepts to complement seeing this thought-provoking production. Sometimes, a play simply needs to be experienced. That’s precisely the case at Gananoque’s Firehall Theatre. Kathryn MacKay finely directs a thoroughly engaging presentation of astutely intellectual and intelligent dialogue, encouraging audiences to think for themselves about what they have just seen. What a novel idea. Two clever stories run parallel. When one is in performance, the other remains still. The first involves Theo (Kevin Bundy), who Time Magazine calls the luckiest man in the world. He has been able to predict a perfect twenty-year record on the Super Bowl coin toss. Along with being the luckiest man in the world, Theo is also the richest because he has bet double or nothing every time. While giving a lecture on how to gain some of his well-documented luck, Theo meets Cynthia (Krystina Bojanowski), a young woman who has discovered she’s pregnant. Cynthia is quite concerned because she has a genetic eye disease that runs in her family, which can cause blindness. She carries a sealed envelope that contains the baby’s test results, and she wants Theo’s assistance, or his luck, to open the letter and read the results. The other involves Dr. Guzman (Julie Stewart), a science professor who likes to joke and poke fun. She has lost 92 percent of her vision due to her own genetic issues. Guzman missed it by ‘that much’ (for Maxwell/Get Smart aficionados) in identifying the gene that caused the disease, after which another scientist claims responsibility for the discovery. Guzman is visited by Mr. Adamson (Phoenix Fire), a faithful religious student who has had the bad luck of getting a failing grade on a test because he got all 150 multiple-choice answers wrong. Steve Lucas utilizes the Firehall Theatre’s performing space to its fullest extent for his clever set and brightly focused lighting designs. This time, the audience sits on both sides of the playing space. A beam crosses diagonally above the stage, which helps delineate the parallel stories' two playing areas. Both spaces advantageously use rolling ladders and see-through boards. An office desk and chairs for visitors are found on both sides. The checkerboard floor catches the eye. I sat at the far-left end of the auditorium, and it looked as if the checkerboards morphed into diamond shapes in the sloping middle. Richard Feren has selected some interesting musical compositions that add to the play's mystery. Kathryn MacKay’s fine direction remains taut. Her four actors passionately deliver clear-headed performances grounded in truth. As a practicing Catholic, I’m genuinely invested in any play’s question of God’s existence. As the student who receives a failing grade on a complete multiple-choice test, Phoenix Fire’s Mr. Adamson initially questions a divine being’s involvement in what occurred. This spills over into Guzman’s targeted and uncalled-for response. Julie Stewart’s Dr. Guzman counters those ideas head-on, sometimes a tad uncomfortable to hear, but they make great sense concerning God's existence. Stewart and Fire nicely handle the stage business of who’s in control. Cynthia and Theo’s story catches my eye the most from my seat in the audience since it plays out directly in front of me. Kevin Bundy’s Theo is masterly smarmy, but Krystina Bojanowski’s work as Cynthia shines brightly. Her Cynthia is the math ‘nerd’ that I never was. However, Bojanowski also brings a sultry, seductive look that she uses to her full extent, most noticeably in her direct conversation with Theo. Bundy inherently picks up when Bojanowski does this. It’s quite revealing to note how he deals with it. Final Thoughts: After the opening night show, I spoke with Arun Lakra briefly and mentioned that I had no idea how to begin my article. Mathematics was never my strongest subject in elementary school. The script references of the Fibonacci sequence go entirely over my head. Lakra’s response: “Why not start it [your article] that way?” As you can see, I did. That’s when it dawned on me that this brave opening night production got me to think for myself and not get bogged down by number patterns and sequences. Bravo, Thousand Islands Playhouse, director Kathryn Mackay and playwright Lakra for allowing audiences to do just that. To think. The theatre can do that exceptionally well. We need more of that. Running time: approximately 80 minutes with no interval/intermission. ‘Sequence’ runs until October 27 in the Firehall Theatre, 185 South Street, Gananoque. For tickets visit www.1000islandsplayhouse.com or call the Box Office (613) 382-7020. THOUSAND ISLANDS PLAYHOUSE presents ‘Sequence’ by Arun Lakra Directed by Kathryn Mackay Set and Lighting Design: Steve Lucas Costume Designer: Jayne Christopher Music and Sound Designer: Richard Feren Stage Manager: Rebecca Eamon Campbell Performers: Krystina Bojanowski, Kevin Bundy, Phoenix Fire, Julie Stewart. Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Sarah Orenstein Looking Ahead Howard J Davis-Haui. Joe Szekeres Sarah Orenstein’s extensive and impressive resume caught my attention. I saw her work in ‘Oslo’ and a simply fine production of one of my favourite scripts ‘God of Carnage’ through the Mirvish series – a fascinating play with tremendously talented artists who soared that performance high. We shared some good laughs while I listened to Sarah’s at times candid and frank responses. Born in Halifax into a well-known local arts family, her mother an actress, father a visual artist, Sarah began her own professional career at five years old. She is a familiar face on stages across Canada. She studied at the Vancouver Playhouse Acting School. By email, Sarah stated it was a “fantastic institution. Short lived, but amazing group of artists came out of it.” Veteran of The Shaw Festival (13 seasons) and The Stratford Festival (6 seasons), Sarah has starred in ‘Possible World’, ‘Heartbreak House’, ‘The Millionairess’, ‘Shakespeare in Love’, and ‘Playboy of the Western World’. She makes frequent appearances on Toronto stages, most recently in ‘The Normal Heart’ (Studio 180 /Mirvish) ‘The Message’ (Tarragon). She is thrice nominated for Dora Mavor Moore awards for her work in ‘The Retreat’, ‘The Hope Slide’ and ‘The Collected Works of Billy the Kid’ and won for her roles in ‘Patience’, ‘After Akhmatova’ and ‘Scorched’. She won the Capitol Theatre Award for ‘The Doll's House’. Other favorites are ‘My Name is Asher Lev’(HGJT) and ‘The Glass Menagerie’ (Grand Theatre, London, Ontario) Sarah is committed to development of new Canadian works over the decades and giving her time as script dramaturg and actor in writing workshops in Vancouver, Banff, and Toronto. Recently, Sarah starred in the independent feature film ‘Albatross’ and co-stars in Incendo's ‘You May Kiss the Bridesmaid’. She is currently filming Paramount's ‘Station Eleven’. She makes her home in Toronto with her husband, actor Ric Waugh. We conducted our interview via Zoom. Thank you for adding your voice to the discussion, Sarah: 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. I would say utterly. Not to be overly dramatic, but my new mantra is ‘I don’t actually know anything about anything anymore’. I used to think I knew things, and I don’t know anything about anything. I grew up in the theatre (my first gig was at Halifax’s Neptune when I was five). I grew up in a family that worked in the theatre so it’s where I went after school instead of babysitters and waited for my mother if she was at a rehearsal before we went home. I’ve been lucky enough that I’ve worked in theatre all my life. I think this is the longest time (aside from finishing grade school) that I’ve been not involved in a production of some sort at same level. I only took a year out when I had my children, and this pandemic has made things longer. So, it’s a bit like walking around in an alien world. I don’t understand myself without that. It’s been a time of huge reflection, some days great and some days not, sometimes I’m quite philosophical about it but it is a little bit of going, “Well, who is Sarah when she’s not in the theatre?” I don’t have an answer for that yet. I was going so full tilt with a very heavy schedule, not just acting but doing some assistant directing and script work that it really took a while to realize that I felt quite lost. Now that doesn’t mean I don’t love my life and my family and there’s always stuff as I keep very, very busy. Personally, it has been incredibly challenging to re-define myself, I suppose. That’s the long answer. (and Sarah and I share a good laugh) I’ve been very lucky as I’ve also been doing some filming so it’s not that I’ve been without work. 98% of my work is in theatre. I’ve quite enjoyed the filming and I’ve been involved with some Zoom readings and some Zoom script work. Every time I do it, I enjoy the connection, but it doesn’t replace it. 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? I will say I feel it is yet to be revealed. Truly. I know absolutely that theatre will come back. It’s just who we are as human creatures – we need it. It’s how we tell stories and we’ve always done it in some version, and we always will. Theatre can’t be replaced digitally because it is a very different experience for the audience, and what society and humans get from going to the theatre with that hope of being transformed and carrying away, in the best cases, we’ve placed a little flame or little idea in everybody who has agreed to come together to be transformed. And then you take it away and people process it as they do, sometimes immediately, sometimes it takes years, and we still say that story stays with us. Why does it? In that sense, I do know that theatre will always be. But because of the shuttering stoppage, it’s like stopping an ocean liner in the middle of the ocean, that start up is going to be a little messy. I don’t think everyone will come back. Some people will do it of their own choice, some will not. Some theatres won’t be able to come back. I worry about some of the smaller theatres, but I hope they do. There will probably be a few lean years in the start up again. But my hopeful side is that change is in the air. Change is always good; it is also very scary. The particularities of that change, I think we can guess that some of them will lie in the opening of walls which is always good for art, inclusionary practices but not just with the faces on the stage but right up to the administration. I think some of that was starting before the pandemic hit, but it’s really sharpened the pencil on that. All of the arts, including theatre, love to be on the van guard of society must change so, goddamn it, so are we. I imagine there will be some missteps and some mistakes in moving forward, but I think in the end it will give us a lot more richness but there’s certainly going to be some rough times in getting everything up. I’ve been lucky enough, and I don’t mean decision wise, but to be involved in a lot of the conversations towards what Stratford is doing. I imagine all theatre people everywhere who are responsible to keep the institutions going, when I hear how exhausted they are by how many white boards they have made, erased them, started again, and erased again, and wiped and redone. The spirit is very alive to open the arms of theatre to all of the social changes that must be addressed but also with that desperate awareness of how hard it is to pay the bills on a theatre. I am full of hope. When everything is up and running, I know in the theatre we will have some rough times. I think it’s a brave act of hope with every shortened production, smaller casts, being outside. A brave act of hope. As a professional artist, what are you missing the most about the live theatre industry? Every single part of it because I’ve been around it so much all of my life. I miss the buildings. Of course, I miss the people. I miss the rhythms of rehearsal, that’s my calendar usually. I miss the collaborative and the collective way of living because every single show has its own set of problems that you come together to solve to tell the story, whether full production or just a reading. When I think of it, I truly miss everything, I miss sitting inside empty auditoriums before everything is happening. And why is that? I think it harkens back to when I was a kid and wait for my mom to be done work, and I’d sit at the back waiting, and there’s a certain sound and a certain air, a theatre that’s not ready for the public yet. I miss the tannoy being turned on and hearing the audience talking and mumbling. 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? I think it will be how much I need other people to tap into my own creativity. I suspected it, but I didn’t realize how deep that symbiotic relationship was. Describe one element you hope has changed concerning the live theatre industry. So much has been happening with change right now over this last year. This has been part of my awareness since I was young because I am a woman in the industry. And I’m not even going to say that I’ve been particularly or poorly treated in a certain kind of instance, but I’m always looking for and hoping for more women in directing and, therefore, that leads to artistic directorship, not as a replacement but it’s not equitable, and there are very different stories that will come out. I’ve joked with my very dear, dear friend David Fox (he’s older than me) that over our careers of working together that I’ve played his daughter. I’ve moved on to play his wife. We keep pretending if I’m ever going to play his mother. It has something to do with the seven ages of women are yet to be truly explored. I don’t want to discount some of the roles that are out there for women because it is part of society, but they start tapering off because you can’t be the love interest. More women in writing, directing, and at the artistic directorship level, please, so that we can explore the female stories later in life without it just being Grandma making something in the kitchen. Explain what specifically you believe you must still accomplish within the industry. That is the hardest question you gave me to think about before our conversation today. The flip thing is I wouldn’t mind a fantastic run in a show that I’m a lead in that’s an amazing Tony award winning, writing piece of Broadway or the West End. That would be nice (and Sarah makes this wide grin that makes me laugh) On a serious note, I just want to work for as long as I want to work AND as late in life as I want to work. 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 a theatre goer yourself. I will elaborate. I do not think this will happen. (and Sarah emphasizes each of these words) I don’t, at least I hope it won’t. We are so tired of it all. Everybody’s home is a 12 act play on experiencing Covid personally. It’s not to ignore it, but personally I would not be rushing to theatre to see shows that I know are someone working through how they lived through Covid. That being said, I think it is undeniably part of the fabric of any story that is written from here on. I don’t think we need to shoehorn it into every re-staging of ‘Taming of the Shrew’ or something. I think anything written from now on, even if it’s not a central theme, it will have to refer to that time, or where you were, or what happened to you, or what crazy psychological thing that character is wandering around, in the same way that wars have done that or political movement or any kind of trauma. A lot of people are getting through this pretty good. Depends on who you talk to. Some are messed up, some aren’t. We also recognize how lucky we are if we’re able to hold on to your stuff and not have to sell anything and figure something out. In the best case, this time of Covid will become fodder for good writers to find another universality for us as humans. If a writer gets the right idea of what Covid and the pandemic shutdown, loss and the mismanagement and what it has done to society, that kind of theme if it finds it way into some real psychological drama, that would be interesting to see. I want to stop talking about Covid when this is all over. As an artist, what specifically is it about your work that you want future audiences to remember about you? Oh, you’re wicked…. (and we share a good laugh again) Let’s hope they find my work fahhhhhhbbbbuuuullloouussss. (and another good laugh) Okay, if I’m going to be good and serious, I would say I hope that the people, because I do a lot of mentoring and coaching, I’ve worked with whether they’re actors or from other departments of the theatre, remember me as someone who delved deep into the work with them, but also helped pass on the trade. I really believe in that. I come from a family of creatives and different aspects. One of my sisters is in textiles, costumes, and designs. We talk about we find it interesting that we are at the point of our careers where we are really passing on the trade, without formally teaching in a classroom which is also good. Acting is a trade. The best way to teach someone is to do it in front of them and have a little conversation about why that is tricky over there. I’d like to be remembered that way by my fellow workers. I just hope audiences, even if it’s not remembering me, I hope my work resonated enough that they remember a moment on stage, a scene, a play. (I can attest at this point Sarah is correct as ‘God of Carnage’ at the Panasonic Theatre was astoundingly good.) Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Bahia Watson Looking Ahead Courtesy of Crow's Theatre Joe Szekeres First time I saw Bahia Watson’s stage work was in two extraordinary productions of ‘The Last Wife’ and ‘The Virgin Trial’ at Soulpepper which had transferred to the Stratford Festival. There was a sharpness and clarity in her performance delivery in these two productions which made me pay attention to each word she said. Our recent Zoom conversation led me to learn more about her background and training as a performing artist. Watson proudly shared her theatre practice and learning of the craft came through d’bi.young anitafrika and their storytelling practices and the traditions from which they pull. d’bi.young broke it down to Bahia that it’s the storyteller and the village, and this ancient relationship has always been a part of the human experience and always will be. Bahia avers no one can take d’bi.young’s practice of storytelling away from us. When she breaks it down as d’bi.young has done, Bahia says we will always have the storyteller and we will always have the village. That relationship and understanding will endure. Watson has also written monologues and started performing them and learning about the storytelling relationship from d’bi.young. This relationship has empowered her. There is a story to tell, and people want to hear it and they just become. People want a story to be told and appreciate it being told. With this understanding of storytelling, Bahia built her craft as a theatre/performing artist. In September, she appears in Chekhov’s ‘Uncle Vanya’ at Crow’s Theatre. As always, I like to ask the artist how rehearsals have progressed to this point. Bahia confidently assures me they’re going well. She also adds: “It’s a really beautiful group of people and I feel very lucky to be in this process with them. It’s a journey, every day is a full, big, long journey to go on in the play. Today we did our second stumble through so it’s starting to be woven together and how it feels as one piece rather than separate, broken-up scenes during rehearsals. I’m very grateful to be working on this play right now.” Bahia loves the rehearsal process and the rehearsal room. For her, the rehearsal time has been such a gift as an actor to spend these weeks of playing through exploring, taking risks, failing, working on the story, talking about it and deepening it bit by bit. What is it about ‘Uncle Vanya’ that Bahia believes speaks to her as an artist? “Well, this production is an adaptation by Liisa Repo-Martell, and she’s done an amazing job. The way she has adapted the script feels very contemporary – easy to relate to. There are some timeless human themes in the story. No matter the era, there are people who are longing for love, longing for the dreams they had that they didn’t achieve, and longing for their youth. That longing doesn’t go away no matter how vast our lives become. The human experience in ‘Uncle Vanya’ remains true then as it does now.” Bahia smiled and said at one point there’s talk in ‘Uncle Vanya’ about deforestation and its relationship to the earth. She’s amazed there was talk about deforestation hundreds of years ago and a similar conversation still goes on today in the twenty-first century. How appropriate and timeless indeed because Bahia stated things don’t change as fast as we sometimes think they do. How true. Watson goes on to speak on how the play feels very present for her. Repo-Martell’s adaptation does not feel old at all because it honours Chekhov’s original story and intent, but it has been worked to feel very alive and present. Additionally, Watson favourably speaks about the work surrounding Chekhov’s details about being human. As humans, we reach for the stars and sometimes we are disappointed and have to accept things the way they are. On top of the rehearsal process and the upcoming ‘Uncle Vanya’ performances, a thing called Covid still remains omnipresent all around. The live theatres are still maneuvering on how to move forward, especially as the weather begins to change slowly and we all move indoors. Where does Bahia Watson see herself in the trajectory of this change in the theatre industry going forward? She paused briefly and said she found that an interesting question. She explained further: “I still love the live medium and I feel that audiences still want to come and experience something live. Now, how do we go about it? There are a lot of reasons why things might change. Yes, there were opportunities to see productions outdoors throughout the pandemic when things appeared to be slowly under control. I did an outdoor show recently that could be taken to different communities. Live experiences are more important than ever.” Bahia further reiterated how theatre will be a part of our lives and that we need to be in a place where audiences can’t be on their phones. Our minds need to be able to focus on one thing. It’s special to be able to gather once again, especially since we haven’t been able to gather over the last two-plus years. Watson also commented on how her cast members in the green room were speaking about the state of theatre coverage. She wonders about the financial cost of live entertainment going forward and whether it will be able to sustain itself or will it be priced out because it can be seen as expensive. True, funding does come from the federal and provincial governments along with sponsorships and individual donors which is always appreciated. Artists want to make live theatre and Watson believes audiences are ready after two plus years to come back and be in a room together, but it still plays in the back of her mind about the long-term effects going forward. Will live theatres and their business have to move out of bigger cities for a while to regional areas where the torch will be carried? During the pandemic, Bahia developed an interest in radio to continue storytelling. It felt as if theatre communities were in their own little group and Watson wanted to connect storytellers across the country during the pandemic and beyond. She developed a digital radio station for storytelling called ‘Program Sound FM’ (https://www.programsound.fm/). This project took overall eight months. The radio station connected with storytellers across the country. There was a full 12-hour all-day broadcast. She shared she just found out the station received its next phase of funding so the station will now be able to be developed further. As we concluded our interview, I asked Bahia if she felt theatre was all sunshine and autographs. She had a good laugh hearing that analogy because theatre and the performing arts are a lot of hard, humbling work. An artist must dig deep and become extremely vulnerable and be very open. This process of learning and accumulating enough information to create this world that other people can see and then letting it go at the end of the day, coming back and rebuilding it again in a new day takes stamina. Bahia says theatre is a working-class art form. It’s not the big bucks. An artist has to do theatre because he/she/they LOVE it (and Watson emphasized ‘love’). There’s something about the journey. There’s nothing else like it at this point in rehearsals for ‘Uncle Vanya’ and developing the bonds with the other artists who will make this story come alive. Chekhov’s ‘Uncle Vanya’ in a new adaptation by Liisa Repo-Martell and directed by Crow’s Artistic Director, Chris Abraham, runs from September 6 to October 2 in the Guloien Theatre at Crow’s Theatre, 345 Carlaw Avenue. For tickets and other information about the production or the new season, visit crowstheatre.com. To purchase tickets, please call (647) 341-7390 ex. 1010 or by email: boxoffice@crowstheatre.com . Previous Next

What makes a comedy work - plot, characters, setting and theme. Back 'The Wrong Bashir' by Zahida Rahemtulla Now onstage in the Guloien Theatre at Crow's Theatre, 345 Carlaw Avenue. Now onstage in the Guloien Theatre at Crow's Theatre, 345 Carlaw Avenue. Joe Szekeres Photo credit: Dahlia Katz. Pictured: Sugith Varughese as Sultan and Bren Eastcott as Nafisa. “Thankfully, director Paolo Santalucia does not allow the nine-actor cast to become stock characters in playwright Zahida Rahemtulla’s sitcom-like script.” According to the Crow’s Theatre website, ‘The Wrong Bashir,’ a farce, is Zahida Rahemtulla's first play about the Ladha family within Toronto’s Ismaili community (commonly known as followers of the Aga Khan). ' The play premiered in Vancouver to a sold-out run and critical acclaim in spring 2023 with Touchstone Theatre. Knowing this, the play would seem ideal for a Toronto premiere. A farce is always welcome, especially in our world, which sometimes needs laughter. Indeed, raucous laughter sometimes rang throughout the Guloien Theatre within this opening night audience. I smiled for a few moments and felt the odd chuckle here and there. But raucous? Hmmm… I didn’t experience that at all. Bashir Ladha (Sharjil Rasool) is a bohemian philosophy podcaster hosting his show ‘The Smiling Nihilist.’ He is just about to graduate from university. He is thrust into the spotlight when chosen to assume a distinguished religious position that his parents, Sultan (Sugith Varughese) and Najima (Nimet Kanji), have eagerly accepted on his behalf. Before Bashir can object, two committee representatives, Al Nashir (Vijay Mehta) and Mansour (Parm Soor), are at his door to congratulate him. As the representatives suspect a mistake has been made, Bashir’s jubilant grandparents Dadabapa (Salim Rahemtulla) and Dadima (Zaittun Esmail), Gulzar (Pamela Mala Sinha) and sister Nafisa (Bren Eastcott) commemorate the honour. There is a sneaking suspicion that the wrong Bashir may have been selected for this honour within the prayer community. Theatregoers already know humour can be a powerful tool for addressing societal issues in theatre. There are prime moments where Zahida Rahemtulla’s script does just that, most notably when reps Al Nasjhir and Mansour realize their error about selecting the wrong Bashir. As Mansour, Parm Soor’s wide-eyed response when he realizes his part in the mistake is funny. Moreover, ‘Bashir’ also touches on the universal theme of intergenerational conflicts within families. The play also raises thought-provoking questions about the role of culture and religion in shaping family and community dynamics, making it relevant and engaging for audiences of all backgrounds. The Crow’s Theatre website states a charming farce ensues in ‘Bashir.’ Another hmmm… I don’t see it as a farce. Instead, this opening night performance became more broad situational comedy-type humour and not a farce. Yes, the dramatic technique of mistaken identities has been utilized in the theatre (most notably in Shakespeare) for comic effect. It’s nothing new. It’s up to the script to make this technique appear fresh and novel. Zahida Rahemtulla’s script didn’t do that for me. Why? She has written the ‘right’ Bashir to be caught in a situation in his family from which he believes he cannot escape. This appears to be the focus of the piece, which is more sitcom and not the ludicrously improbable situation that is a farce. Some farcical moments are worth noting, such as Parm Soor’s hunched Mansour and Vijay Mehta’s conversation in the kitchen when they realize they may have picked the wrong Bashir for this religious honour within the community. Sugith Varughese and Nimet Kanji’s comic banter back and forth as husband and wife contains terrific moments of farce as the two have their timing down pat. Ken Mackenzie’s set design of a split-level kitchen and sunken living room with a doorway entrance is an accomplishment and feast for the eyes resplendent with Lisa Nighswander’s props. Ming Wong’s costume selection finely delineates the differences between the nine characters. What did make me utter a low laugh was the reference to Sultan’s Costco pants. Mackenzie's lighting design focuses attention where it is needed. The strength of this opening night performance is learning more about the Ismaili community that I didn’t know. Thankfully, Director Paolo Santalucia wisely does not allow the nine-actor cast to become stock characters. Santalucia keeps the pacing moving briskly along to enable the audience never to forget the characters become real, ordinary people who reveal their genuine emotions with conviction. One moment occurs between Sultan and Bashir when the father finally opens his son’s eyes. Sharjil Rassol’s Bashir becomes that apt, cocksure, and full-of-himself young adult who thinks he knows it all when he doesn’t know Jack. Bren Eastcott is the wisecracking Nafisa, Bashir’s younger sister. Salim Rahemtulla and Zaittun Esmail are adorable as Bashir’s paternal grandparents Dadabapa and Dadima. There is a heartfelt moment in the second act between Dadabapa and Bashir. And Another Thought: From this opening night audience reaction, it was apparent people were out for a good time and to have a good laugh. Yes, ‘The Wrong Bashir’ does that, and I’m pleased the audience around me sincerely enjoyed it. I found this opening night performance more akin to the situational comedy of the '60s “Lucy Show” episode in which the beloved redhead is mistaken for a LOU C CARMICHAEL and drafted into the army. Running time: approximately two hours with one intermission. ‘The Wrong Bashir’ runs to June 9 in the Guloien Theatre at Crow’s Theatre, 345 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto. Call the Box Office at (647) 341-7390 or visit crowstheatre.com for tickets. Crow’s Theatre presents ‘The Wrong Bashir’ by Zahida Rahemtulla Directed by Paolo Santalucia Assistant Director: Zahida Rahemtulla Set and Lighting Design: Ken Mackenzie Costume Design: Ming Wong Sound Design: Jacob Lin Head of Props: Lisa Nighswander Head of Wardrobe: Ellie Koffman Stage Manager: Neha Ross Assistant Stage Manager: Victoria Wang Performers: Sharjil Rasool, Bren Eastcott, Sugith Varughese, Nimet Kanji, Vijay Mehta, Pamela Mala Sinha, Salim Rahemtulla, Zaittun Esmail, Parm Soor. Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Herbie Barnes Theatre Conversation in a Covid World Red Works Photography Joe Szekeres Toronto’s Young People’s Theatre new Artistic Director Herbie Barnes talks about the movers and shakers of the next generation to follow him at the end of this profile. Even before this occurs, I am eagerly anticipating and waiting to see where he will take Young People’s Theatre just over the next five years itself because I would also call him a ‘mover and a shaker’ in the theatre industry. According to YPT’S website: “Mr. Barnes is an accomplished playwright, performer, director and arts educator whose 30-year-career spans stages across North America. He was among the generation of young Indigenous artists in the 1990s breaking down barriers to forge professional careers in Canadian theatre. Mr. Barnes will officially begin his tenure at YPT in the fall of 2021.” An Anishinaabe theatre artist from Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation on Manitoulin Island, Mr. Barnes was raised in Toronto. His theatre career began in 1989 with Debajehmujig Theatre Group, touring Ontario with the first run of Drew Hayden Taylor’s Toronto at Dreamer’s Rock. Since then, he has collaborated with some of North America’s largest theatre companies and was nominated for a John Hirsch Director’s Award. His new play, Bent Boy, was workshopped at YPT and shortlisted for the Sharon Enkin Plays for Young People Award in 2020. We conducted our conversation via Zoom. Thank you so much, Herbie, for the interview and for sharing your voice to the discussion: We’re now one year without live theatre where the doors have been locked for who knows how long, Herbie. How have you and your family been faring during this time? I have to say I’ve been one of the lucky ones, knock on wood. It started out where I thought it was going to be a two-week holdup when we got sent home from Magnus Theatre in Thunder Bay. And I went, “Oh, this is okay. I’ve been working a lot, and this is good, I’ll take a two-week break and then I’ll move on as we were supposed to take a tour from Magnus down to Nova Scotia.” I further thought we’ll pick up the tour in Nova Scotia and we’ll be fine and then I was going to go off last summer to work at the Charlottetown Festival. No thought of this closing down for a year. And then it just kept going. So, I took a little bit of a break at the beginning and then I thought I should find some work since I’m not working. I ran around and did a bunch of things online. We did children’s mysteries on the telephone through the Ministry of Mundane Mysteries. We would call kids on the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and create this mundane mystery. It was a great idea and the kids just latched right on to it and we got to play so many different characters. Brilliant, brilliant idea. So much fun. I started teaching and taught all the way through. I did a program online where I was teaching young people. Theatre that I just filmed in this crawl space in my basement where you see me now that I get to kick around in. I’ve been very, very lucky. My partner Marjie has been working almost straight through. My two kids were lucky, and they’ve been working right through too. Everyone’s healthy. What we did was we took the pandemic seriously. The hardest thing: my two kids live outside the house and so they weren’t part of our bubble. We have been masking from the porch to see them. Their grandparents put a big heater in the garage for visits. I can’t wait until we can hang out with our kids again. Outside any theatre stuff, what have you been doing since the industry has been locked up tight as a drum? I’ve been doing a number of interviews and have been teaching in the evening from 3 pm – 9 pm. My afternoons are full so I’m booking a lot of morning events. I’m also writing for Charlottetown Festival right now and also sorts of little things all over the place. I didn’t realize I was going to be that busy. One of the things I did I took a writing course for ‘Writing for Television’. I decided I was going to take guitar lessons online. I’m in the midst of building a guitar. I kind of got heavily online. We have three storeys in the house. Marjie’s got the upstairs level where she is teaching classes in an office space she has. Down here, this has always been my space. I come down in the morning, make a pot of tea and then get lost down here for most of the day and then realize it’s 6:00 pm. so I go upstairs for supper. Marjie’s been great because she does all the cooking. I’m a horrible cook. Every day, Marjie takes me for a long walk. We got to know our neighbourhood really, really well. Every once in awhile we’ll drive to somewhere else and walk around that neighbourhood. The late Hal Prince has described theatre as an escape for him. Would you say Covid has been an escape for you, or would you call this time something else? This is definitely not an escape. I haven’t escaped theatre. I’ve escaped…this is an awful way to put it but I’ve escaped the audience. Unfortunately, they’ve been on the other side of this screen which is totally different. As a theatre artist THIS (Herbie points to the screen where we are talking) doesn’t compensate for what the theatre does. There’s nothing like a live audience. Even when I did film and television, I was always performing for the camera guys or the lighting guys. I never thought of that little box recording all of that. If the crew was laughing, then this must be working. I miss the audience. I miss sitting beside somebody and having that same effect as the person next to me. I’ve been telling this story quite a bit. We know the audience’s heartbeat is synchronous while they watch a show so that all 150, 300 whatever number of people, their heartbeat beats at the same pulse during theatre. That’s an amazing feat live theatre accomplishes. I love that. What I’ve been doing is developing. I’ve been working really hard having stuff lined up here; I’ve been teaching classes. There’s going to be a group of students coming out of this pandemic hopefully more prepared. My writing: I’ve finished writing a native adaptation of ‘Tartuffe’ which is getting produced this year at Magnus Theatre at least. I’m also doing an adaptation of ‘My Fair Lady’ in a native context as well. I think it’s really interesting how the white guy or the settler in that case is saying that your language isn’t good enough and what it did to the First Nations people. And also preparing to get ready to take over Young People’s Theatre in Toronto in October. I’ve been more busy now since I haven’t been travelling. What travel used to do to me was I could block off three weeks while I was directing in Vancouver and not take work since I was directing. Now I’m free so I can take work up until 230 pm. I’ll write that, direct that, teach that and there are days when I come out of my basement Zoom tired. I’ve interviewed a few artists since the pandemic began who have said they cannot see live theatre returning fully (or what might some call ‘normal’ or ‘back to normal’) until at least 2022. Yes, there may be pockets such as what the Stratford Festival is proposing. What are your thoughts about this? Will live theatre return before 2022? I think theatres will open. I think by September 2021 we’ll start to see a crack with public spaces being open. I think audiences are thriving to be together. I firmly believe that. But… Audiences will be a little afraid to get into a space with each other. That will happen. Certainly, we will know, not in my case with YPT, a lot of theatres rely on older audience members. They’re going to make sure they’re safe first. But I think the audiences are striving for that feeling. I think we are a communal animal. I think we need each other. We desperately need each other, and people are missing that. That’s the big thing. A lot of people are willing to risk in order to be with human contact. I’m hoping it comes back even stronger. I fear for our film industry. I think our film industry, and we’ve realized we can watch most movies on our home systems because we’ve got these great tv screens and being able to hook them up with incredible sound systems which don’t need to be that expensive, but the more expensive the better the sound. You can build a theatre in your own basement now with very little money. Superhero movies are the big blockbuster now. They aren’t making the great small screen stuff now. Our tv shows are phenomenal. ‘Game of Thrones’ would have had to be a movie 25 years ago. Now we can watch this incredible journey. I fear for our film industry, but I don’t fear for live theatre because there’s nothing like being in the same space waiting for that production to begin and feeling the same thing. I had a discussion with an Equity actor who said that not only should theatre entertain, but more importantly, it should transform both the actor/artist and the audience. How has Covid transformed you as a theatre artist and in your new role as we all move forward post pandemic? It’s given me a huge respect for theatre, that’s one thing for sure. I miss it. I’ve been working in the theatre for over 30 years now. It’s been something that’s been a part of me. We’ve all had goals to do film and television, and I’d love to do more film and television because it pays well, it’s lucrative, there’s the instant gratification of knowing who you are. Whereas in theatre, you slug it out. Theatre, you’re a plumber. You go to work every day, put a satchel over your shoulder and walk into the theatre. Few people recognize you. Even after the show, you can walk past people out into the middle of your audience, and they don’t know who you are because they are not on that stage. With tv, it’s the instant recognition perhaps in a commercial. Yes, we do go into the arts in order to get recognized a bit. Being without theatre and that fear of it never coming back, yes, it’s a little bit but it’s still there, it’s re-grown my love for the theatre. I love being with the audience. I love opening nights being unsure of what the product you’ve got, that edginess. I come from an improv background. When you’re out on that tightwire, not knowing how an audience will react, it’s the best. There’s nothing like it. 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 artist the audience both feel it. Would you agree with Ms. Caldwell? Have you ever felt danger during this time of Covid, and how will this danger influence your work as we re-emerge from the pandemic? Do I agree with Ms. Caldwell? I somewhat do. We’re going through a different time right now. I grew up in an era where actors who were constantly put in danger emotionally, psychologically (it’s like pushing the envelope and trying to get deeper and deeper into the character). Now, when we’re training, we’re doing less of that. Safety first, everything is about your emotional well being. I’ve seen lots of trauma in the theatre. Many of the actors before and during me endured a trauma being misdirected or harmfully directed in that sense. We’re taking greater care now to ensure actors can get on with their lives as students and as people in the arts. I think theatre should push as far as we can. I think emotionally that’s our job to take audiences on an emotional journey. That’s it. Other than that, any of the arts – music, painting -it’s not about painting inside the lines. Great painters don’t paint inside the lines, they colour outside the lines. When I see a certain painting, I might go ‘Wow! Okay! I don’t know why but that’s different than that.” Same with music. Right now with all of these television competitions, I hear amazing voices. What I miss is the emotion attached to it. When Neil Young and Joni Mitchell sing songs, I go “Wow!” Levon Helm didn’t have the greatest voice, and you can’t hear ‘The Night They Drove ol’ Dixie Down’ without welling up. Or Rick Danko in ‘Makes No Difference’. You can hear the hurting and heartache behind the song. So that’s our role. The actor must take the audience on an emotional journey and feel like there’s danger. I tell my students when I’m writing or directing in the theatre or acting, I want my audience to pay for the whole seat but only sit on the corner of it. I want the audience to feel like they can save the person who’s about to die on stage or to stop that woman from falling in love with that bad man. We need to push the emotion, but we must also keep the actor safe. How is it going to transform after Covid? I think we’re going to be surprised where theatre is when we come out of Covid. I think we’ve had an incredible amount of protesting that’s gone on in this time. A crazy amount of change is going to happen. People on the fringe are going to be let in IN A HUGE WAY, and theatre will transform. We won’t throw the European framework away completely, but we’ll explore other forms of theatre and be able to welcome. The late scenic designer Ming Cho Lee spoke about great art opening doors and making us feel more sensitive. How has this time of Covid made you more sensitive to our world and how will it impact your life when you return to the theatre in your new role as Artistic Director? Marjie and I were talking about this the other day on our walk. There is no way that we cannot think globally anymore. We have all been included in this pandemic and there are no borders and no walls. Those borders are false borders so it’s amazing how quickly the pandemic spread. It makes me aware of countries in the world that are different than me and how I have to be aware of them, how I have to be open with them, and how I have to exist with them. I’ve said this before: I don’t believe in a minimum wage. I believe in a maximum wage. I truly believe we should set up a system where you’re only allowed to make a certain amount of money, and once you’ve hit that level of money (and I don’t know what amount it should be) you have to stop working and travel the world so that you get to see it. And you hit those countries not the Riviera, not England or Hawaii, you go to countries that are desperate and I think you start to see where that cheap piece of clothing comes from or that electronic device and this will change your outlook on life. Covid has made me aware of how much I need people, aware of the rest of the world and aware of how much I want to be a part of it. And we’ve come full circle back to the late Hal Prince who spoke of the fact theatre should trigger curiosity in the artist and the audience. How has Covid sparked curiosity in you as an artist and what will happen with your curiosity as you return in your new role as AD of Young People’s Theatre? Curiosity? I want to hear 100, 000 different voices. That’s my curiosity. As a teacher, I’m interested and want to hear the voices of young voices, BIPOC voices LGTBQ2 voices. My goal is to go into areas we haven’t tapped into yet. As a First Nations artist, I want to go North and go into the communities in the North. I know, growing up on the reserve, young people had little to do. We were good at playing sports, and the fear of going outside that, especially in the arts. We need strong people to keep the interest in the arts going. We need strong teachers and educators to keep that energy going. Those are the curiosities I want to seek out. I’ve always been a curious person so it opens conversations and I want to be a listener in a big way as the Artistic Director of Young People’s Theatre. I think I have a couple of years of just hearing what the world is saying. That’s going to be my job there to listen to what the world is saying and then try to pass it on to the next generation of young people so they are the changers, the movers and the shakers. That’s it. To learn more about Young People’s Theatre, visit www.youngpeoplestheatre.org ; Facebook: @YoungPeoplesTheatre Twitter: @YPTToronto Instagram: @ypttoronto Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Barbara Fulton Theatre Conversation in a Covid World --- Joe Szekeres When I read Barbara Fulton’s biography she had sent to me, I hadn’t realized just how many of the productions I’ve seen in which she has appeared. I’ve recognized her name in programs and it was a delight to be able to connect with her via Zoom today for our conversation. She is a singer and actor who has worked primarily in Music Theatre. Until March of 2020 she played Diane in the Toronto company of ‘Come from Away’ at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. After a year of theatre training at Halifax’s Dalhousie University, Barbara went to England to train at Bird College in musical theatre. Upon returning from England, she spent three seasons at the Charlottetown Festival and then played Grizabella in the Toronto production of CATS. (And I do remember Barbara’s performance.) She worked with the Stratford Festival for 22 seasons with notable shows: Notably, A Little Night Music, The Lion, Witch and The Wardrobe, Fiddler on the Roof, Electra, Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, Into the Woods, The Mikado and The Miracle Worker. Barbara is a recipient of numerous Guthrie awards from Stratford and a Dora award for her work in ‘Life After’. Also, in Stratford, Barbara sang with The Duke Ellington and Glen Miller Orchestras and has produced two jazz standard CDs with her husband Paul Shilton. Thank you so much for your time, Barbara. I look forward to speaking with you in person when it’s safe to return: 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? Well, at first, I have to admit that I was giddy with excitement at the thought we were going to have a month off, and that we would have a nice holiday. But that’s not how it turned out. The week before I had just said to my husband that I was getting weary. I have an apartment in Toronto and my home is in Stratford. I would go home here on Sunday evenings until Tuesday morning. And that was great, but I was getting weary of the entire thing of six days a week for two years. I’ve had three weeks off interspersed in those two years, but it was uncanny that it was the week before the theatres were all shut down when I thought I don’t know if I can carry on and I was weary. Then this ‘thing’ happened, and none of us knew how serious it really was. Yes, the first month was nice to be at home in Stratford. Spring was coming, going for walks, seeing all kinds of people in Stratford whom I haven’t seen in months. And then this pandemic started to get a little tiring and this whole idea of having to stay and separate from people and not being able to gather in the way we used to be able to. That started to really wear on me. And then it started to get a little bit lonely. I have a son who lives in Toronto and I was back and forth a bit but not much. I kept the Toronto apartment until the end of September and then I had to give it up. Closing up the apartment was a real nail in the coffin as well as I have no idea when ‘Come from Away’ will start up again. My husband and I keep saying thank God our parents are not going through this pandemic. It’s a very hard thing for the seniors. My husband and son are doing alright. My son did get Covid early September and it was a mild case, so far he’s fine. It lasted maybe a week and a half. His taste came back and everything came back. His girlfriend didn’t get it all. Paul, my husband, and I had been with our son the day before he was diagnosed, and it was terrifying thinking we could possibly have it. But we were masked and didn’t see our son without masks on. Paul and I had to go and get tested. That was a stressful time. Paul’s fine. He works as a music director at a church and for the longest time the church wasn’t meeting. They don’t have a choir at this time so his workload is much less. But at least they were gathering for awhile. How have you been spending your time since the theatre industry has been locked up tight as a drum? My thing now is walking and listening to audiobooks, and it’s saving my life and getting my 10,000 steps in. It’s beautiful here in Stratford for the walks. I had a lot of enthusiasm for the mask thing initially thinking if this is what is going to be, so I made some masks. I made about 10-15 and gave some away and lost some since masks fall out of your pocket quietly or go flying away without me even knowing because they drop on the ground silently. I was in the middle of rehearsal of a little outside show but couldn’t attend rehearsals until I had a negative test before I could return. This show did go on. There was a dance company called Corpus in Toronto and they do site specific and a lot of outdoor performances. So that’s how we got around this. We did this show in Trinity Bellwoods Park. It was myself and four other women and the show was called ‘Divine Intervention’. We were on a quint bicycle so five of us in a row on one bicycle. It was kind of a crazy thing to try to learn to do, but what a joy to have to learn a new physical skill at this time. We were masked as well the whole time and had to physically distance in rehearsal. The whole show was set up so we wouldn’t get very close to each other. We just told this story through music and movement on this bike. It really got the attention of the audience as we sang on the bike. It was a delight and it got me through. I was so looking forward to it. I knew about it in late May so I knew about it all summer. The show ended October 4 and we were lucky as the weather was perfect in the fall. Paul’s family has a cottage on Georgian Bay, and we were up there for two full weeks – one week in July and one week in August. For the first time, ever for me, I was always unavailable to spend any time at a cottage either because I was working at the Festival or performing in ‘Come from Away’. For me, this was so unbelievable as I couldn’t believe that I didn’t have to be anywhere, that I could just sit and enjoy myself for the two weeks and not worry about missing a show or being late. My family is in Nova Scotia and they are very strict down there as well with no visitors. 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 nearly year long absence as something else? I wouldn’t say Covid has been an escape from the theatre. It has been a cruel captor. For everyone. Now that I’m now not up on the stage offering my heart to the character, the audiences and my colleagues, I often feel empty, not knowing what my purpose is anymore. I’ve been in this industry for 40 years, and all that time there was this natural engine that kept me looking outward towards this unknown and exciting energy that I plugged into daily. Sometimes it was hope, sometimes fear, sometimes sheer excitement and anticipation of what I was about to connect with out there with people whom I loved and respected, whom I laughed with and who infuriated me and so on and so on. All I know of work in the theatre is coming together with a common, tangible purpose – to serve up a story that the audience can connect with. To share a piece of ourselves in the process and finishing the night with appreciation, there’s no other better job in the world. So, it hasn’t really felt like an escape other than that first month. It feels like I’m being kept from the natural rhythm of my life. 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 wouldn’t disagree because I think that’s really logical. I’ve done some investigating into what the 1918 flu was like and what kind of impact that it had and compare it to what’s going on. It was about five years before that virus stopped being a threat at all. That’s a long time but that’s without vaccines. So, I’m hopeful that the vaccine will speed up things up compared to that experience. There’s lots of talk about Broadway coming back in September, and that’s all well and good. It’s not just us we’re talking about. We’re talking about the general public’s comfort level with gathering and being close together for that length of time. Whether or not theatres can or are interested in setting up plexiglass between seats, between the actors on the stage and the audience, there’s so much I can’t fathom about what Mirvish is even thinking at this time and what to do. Their discussions must be all the time in thinking what should we do? There are options and a lot of them cost a lot of money. The other option is to wait this out. That’s fine for those of us who are capable, able, and still the right age (Barbara starts to laugh). I sort of worry that perhaps I’m ageing myself. I think all of us in ‘Come from Away’ are ready to pick up right where we left off. There might be some people who have moved on professionally, but I think most of us are in for the long haul. We’re all going to have to rehearse the show to get it back to where it was before the shutdown. Just to add to all this, in a post Covid world I don’t really know what the theatre will really be like. Naturally, I believe we will be through the worst of this virus but whether or not it will be safe to gather? I don’t know. Part of this is question is if it’s going to change me. I think we’re dependant on connection with each other. Story telling is ancient; it’s a teacher; we need to see ourselves reflected back at us to learn to learn empathy and perspective. Sometimes theatre is described as an escape, but I prefer to think of it as a portal, consciously or unconsciously we’re learning what it means to be human by watching stories unfold. We will not lose the theatre that we knew, it’s just going to take a long time. 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? This is hard because Covid has forced us to separate from each other emotionally as well as physically because you don’t get the emotional without the physical as human beings. That muscle in me, I feel, has gone a little bit dormant. The whole business of connecting in a shared experience. And we’re missing out on a lot of shared experience right now. That’s going to be a challenge, but no better place to do it in a theatre. I’m not too sure as a performer how Covid has transformed me because I haven’t performed in awhile. As a person, I’ve become a lot more aware of other people. The whole idea of wearing a mask, yes, you’re protecting yourself and others. The caring about others is surely more evident right now and necessary. There’s a caution moving forward that I didn’t ever use to have. None of us did. We just assumed that we were all in this big soup together and we were all fine. Being close and involved with each other, I took for granted. I’m not sure I do now. ‘Come from Away’ is going to be an emotional experience for all of us when we return because of what the story entails and details so that transformation will be strongly evident when we return. The director, Christopher Ashley, has told us we are reporters of what occurred after 9/11, but it’s going to be a challenge to not let our emotions get the better of us when we do return to what this production stands for – empathy and compassion for others. 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? It's funny I felt danger in my own life when my son contracted Covid and I had to stay away from work. I lost sleep about my son having Covid. It was terrifying. He’s fine as he only had a mild dose, but it was still terrifying. My world started to spin with understanding just how dangerous a virus this and how much of a danger I might be to others which was something I had never felt before. My presence in other people’s company is potentially dangerous. I had a test and was negative. Until I had that negative test, I felt like I wanted to disappear and not be near anybody and be responsible for anymore of this ‘horribleness’. That’s what it taught me just how we are all connected and so responsible for our actions. When I transfer that danger onto the stage, I totally agree with Ms. Caldwell’s definition. Danger is present only if you are in the moment. The work of an actor on stage is to keep it fresh every night as if it’s your first time doing it. There’s techniques to get through or to just let go and just be fully present. When you are fully present in life as well as onstage, that’s a really vulnerable place to be. And when you’re that vulnerable, it’s dangerous. I wonder if that’s what Zoe Caldwell means by danger in this context. The audience can feel danger if we are fully and truly in the moment. If you’re completely in, it’s almost scary because you don’t know what’s going to come next. If we can all feel that danger, it’s a much richer experience. 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? I’m going to be a lot more sensitive to other people’s level of comfort. I don’t know how it’s going to work when we get back together as a group and be in the same room. I’m terrified of bringing something into that space when we return because of my closeness and proximity to all of us. I’ve learned though this that different people have different levels of comfort or discomfort with this situation. It hadn’t really occurred to me that I could catch Covid just from someone walking by but now, when I walk by people in Stratford on the street, I have to be more aware of other people’s level of comfort. I hope that masks are around for quite some time, just in case. There’s won’t be any possibility of anyone wanting to go to the theatre unless they’ve been vaccinated. Nobody knows how long these vaccinations will last. 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 feel so almost stuck. I don’t feel like I’m living the same life that I once did. It feels like a forced retirement. It might be a good thing, but I’m not ready for retirement yet. I’m always going to be available if anyone wants to pay me to sing. As far as curiosity goes, having this time has been really a gift because I’ve read so many books. I’m now very much okay with sitting down and spending a couple of hours reading. I’m not a news junkie, but it’s something I can click into if I want to. The gift of time has been incredible so I’m curious about all the things going on in the world. Books I’ve been dying to read. There’s also a curiosity about each other and how everybody is feeling emotionally. We’re all riding this thing out in the best way we can, and I love having conversations with people just about how they’re doing. In ordinary times, we talk about what we’re doing, but don’t talk about how we’re doing. Covid has made me curious as to how others are feeling. That’s a human curiosity. I love having the time and freedom to explore and be curious about other things. Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. 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

A deconstruction of an individual's story. Back 'Hypothetical Baby' written and performed by Rachel Cairns Runs until December 17 in the Tarragon Theatre Extraspace Credit: Dahlia Katz. Pictured: Rachel Cairns Zoe Marin ‘An intimate and emotional solo show performance’ Hypothetical Baby is as intimate and emotional as it is politically relevant. Whether it’s the specific details about writer-performer Rachel Cairns’ life or her more TEDxTalk-style explanations of broader feminist issues, I can’t imagine anyone leaving this show without feeling a deeper introspection about themselves or an acute awareness about the socio-political state of the world. When the lights went out after Cairns’ last line, it seemed that everyone was so emotional they forgot to clap. For a few seconds, all I heard was a mix of sniffles and the shaking chairs from people suppressing their full–body sobs. It’s not that I thought a story about abortion would be incredibly light-hearted, but I was surprised by the extent to which it impacted me and the people around me. Hypothetical Baby is a solo-show written and performed by Rachel Cairns, a multidisciplinary artist known for her award-winning podcast “Aborsh” about abortion in Canada. Hypothetical Baby begins with Cairns inquiring about how to get an abortion, and the doctor inquiring about her financial and relationship status to figure out why she would even want an abortion. After discovering that Cairns is meant to fly back home to Vancouver the next day, the conclusion is that this is an issue for Cairns and some other clinic in Vancouver. Ultimately, Cairns finds herself getting a “medical abortion” on Christmas Eve in her family home. Although this specific event inspires the rest of Hypothetical Baby, as Cairns explains in the show, life isn’t just an “event”, it’s a “process”. Therefore, for the remainder of the show, Cairns jumps back and forth in time to analyze what led to her ultimately choosing to get an abortion and how it continues to affect her to this day. She also goes through the history of Canadian abortion laws and other systemic issues to analyze how the “choice” she made isn’t fully hers. Cairns first refers to the titular “hypothetical baby” in the days leading up to her abortion when her signs of a healthy pregnancy make her briefly consider what it would hypothetically be like to have this baby. Obviously, most of the concerns are financial. She’s been told many times that there’s never a “perfect time to have a baby", and she asks: Why not? Despite Canada being such a “progressive” country, its capitalist structure creates various access barriers that prevent people from keeping a child even if they wanted to. And so, although Cairns legally can choose to get an abortion, how much of a choice does she really have? And how much less of a choice do other people have? Cairns is self-aware of her specific privileges and disadvantages as a white woman with a non-salaried job living in Ontario. Through a mix of her personal interactions with other women, as well as her mini-lectures, she shows the audience how the intersections of gender, race, citizenship, able-bodiedness, and class play into reproductive rights. With the mix of so many personal anecdotes and lectures, Cairns covers a lot of ground within the 75-minute time frame. There are moments that could have felt random, like a long section about author Sylvia Plath’s life or a presentation on how women are specifically affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, everything in the show connects strongly to the question of the hypothetical baby. Every moment is deeply personal to Cairns’ story, but also exposes Canadian society and specific systemic issues that I have not seen explored so directly on stage before. The production elements are very simple, but effective. There is a small platform with a rug, chair, and white backdrop. Along with this set, the lighting, projections, and sound transport the audience to various locations including a walk-in clinic, a house party, a Hudson’s Bay, and the bathroom where she experiences her abortion while her family has Christmas Eve dinner downstairs. Director Lancaster keeps the information-packed story flowing, while also giving the audience the time and space to sit with the heavier emotional moments of the piece. Lancaster makes specific choices about when to pull out all the bells and whistles or when to hold back. At times, Cairns is very active throughout the space, and the sound and projections are as overwhelming as what she is experiencing. Then there are other moments when Cairns is simply sitting in a chair and talking to the audience. Each choice made by both Lancaster as a director and Cairns as an actor does justice to how emotional, provocative, intimate, angry, political, educational, and even funny the text itself is. One of my favorite aspects of Hypothetical Baby is Cairns’ portrayals of conversations between herself and other characters, especially with the characters who are a bit harder to sympathize with like her uncommunicative boyfriend or the failed actor turned anti-abortion public speaker she stalks online. Although Cairns doesn’t justify their behavior, by stepping into their shoes, they reveal larger societal issues to Cairns as well as her own internal conflict about her abortion. The heart of the piece, however, is the relationship between Cairns and her mother who is there for the entire story including her abortion, her existential crises about her career, issues with her relationship, and the final moment of the show that left most of the audience sobbing. Cairns’ mother’s story draws many parallels to her own story, and provides a really personal exploration of the concept of motherhood as a “choice”. In the same way that Cairns’ connects with the many people around her regardless of how different their stories may be, I believe that anybody who watches Hypothetical Baby will find something that resonates with them. THE HOWLAND COMPANY presents ‘Hypothetical Baby’ written and performed by Rachel Cairns Directed by Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster Sound Design by Cosette Pin Production, Lighting & Projection Design by Julia Howman Associate Technical Artist: Emily Jung Previous Next BACK TO TOP

Where theatre is not only presented on the stage. Back The Shaw Festival 'The Secret Garden - A Play With Songs' Now on stage at the Royal George Theatre, 85 Queen Street, Niagara on the Lake, Ontario Michael Cooper Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, adjudicator, arts educator "Shaw’s “The Secret Garden” reveals its beauty, charm and whimsy but is genre conflicted." What happens when you take a 112-year-old classic children’s novel, mix in a few dusty old British folk tunes, add some clever puppetry and several inspired performances? You get a delightful world premiere adaptation of a family-friendly show that bogs itself down with songs, providing little support to its narrative of optimism, transformation, relationships and rebirth. Frances Hodgson Burnett was a prolific British-American novelist and playwright whose career flourished throughout the Victorian and Edwardian periods. She’s best known for her three children’s novels, “Little Lord Fauntleroy”, “A Little Princess” and “The Secret Garden”. The latter proved a huge success and saw numerous adaptations; multiple film versions in 1919 and 1949 and a third 1993 film starring Maggie Smith as the housekeeper, Mrs. Medlock. The best-known stage version is the Tony-Award winning Broadway musical written by Marsha Norman and Lucy Simon (Carly’s sister). This is where the genre conflict comes in. This current world-premiere production doesn’t really have a “score”. No themes and power ballads so it’s not really a musical, yet there is too much music to call it a play. Thus, director Jay Turvey and musical director Paul Sportelli dub their dubious hybrid a “play with songs”. More on that in a moment. The Secret Garden tells the story of Mary Lennox (Gabriella Sundar Singh), a spoiled young English girl being raised in India at the turn of the twentieth century. After the death of her parents, she is sent to live with her haughty and dismissive uncle Archie (David Alan Anderson) at his estate in the Yorkshire moors. Mary is disagreeable and used to being waited on. Her maid Martha (Jacqueline Thair) even needs to show her how to dress herself. Housekeeper Mrs. Medlock (Sharry Flett) is cold and unsympathetic with secrets to hide. Mary is mostly ignored and left to wander outside in the gardens, where she meets groundskeeper Ben Weatherstaff (David Adams). The manor is full of secrets as Mary soon discovers she has a cousin in Colin (Gryphyn Karimloo) and friend in Dickon (Drew Plummer). Mary hears rumours of a mysterious garden locked up for over a decade after the death of her uncle’s wife. Together with her two friends, she sets out to discover the secrets of the manor and bring the garden back to life. Director Jay Turvey’s creative direction and clever staging is wondrous. The Royal George is a small theatre but by having actors walk through an ornate door frame rolled about the stage by the ensemble, we are given a sense of moving through vast spaces and locations - from a train station to the Yorkshire moors, to Misselthwaite Manor and its many bedrooms, studies, and hallways. This is stagecraft of the most illusory kind, and it works beautifully. The same can be said for the various birds and land animals that appear as puppets controlled by the ensemble. In this adaptation, the adult characters are almost incidental. The focus is most certainly on the children, boldly played by young adult actors. I wasn’t sure about this choice at first, but their fine committed performances and diminutive stature of some had me sold on their juvenile portrayals. In his program notes, Turvey confesses, “I love the children in ‘The Secret Garden.’They are imperfect: headstrong, scared, sneaky, adventuresome and full of longing. They learn to parent each other where death hovers over their heads.” His focus on this trio is evident and their chemistry is palpable. I wonder why, with such a clear vision of connecting the audience with the modern relevance of so many of the play’s themes – mental health, resilience, preservation of ecology for future generations – that he chose to collaborate with Sportelli to add obscure traditional British folk tunes to an already provocative script? Whither Must I Wander, I Sowed the Seeds of Love, Sumer is Icumen In, Little Robin Redbreast - Does anyone today know these tunes? Turvey claims they “echo an appreciation of the natural world that runs through the story”. Unfortunately, there’s no echo. There’s nothing. The songs in Act 1 in no way enhance the story. In Act 2 they are so vague and esoteric, with lyrics incomprehensibly sung in the Yorkshire dialect, that the pace faltered, and I found my attention wandering. The cast all have vocal chops and are accompanied by a fine sounding quintet in the pit below. But they aren’t given any real chance to show their vocal range, so it’s not a musical per se BUT there are choral numbers with beautiful harmonies and the cast gesture to the musicians at curtain call so it’s not really a play. Like Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’, it just can’t seem to make up its mind. Performances are compelling overall. This is one hardworking company, onstage and off. With one exception, the nine-member cast plays multiple ensemble roles as well as principal parts. It’s more than a challenge to keep the energy and pace quick and bright for this show. Unfortunately, there was a noticeable wane in energy and enthusiasm in the second half. As Mary Lennox, Gabriella Sundar Singh effortlessly exudes the air of a spoiled 10-year-old rich kid who slowly comes to know the power of family and friendships. Her subtle shift in maturity as she realizes nature as a calming and redemptive force is finely nuanced. Gryphyn Karimloo as Colin plays a long-suffering and morose boy, resigned to a life of sickness and confinement, until Mary helps him deal with his melancholy. Dickon, the moor boy with a unique relationship with the land is played adequately by Drew Plummer. Though engaging enough, I was missing a spritelier demeanour, as his character should have an almost ethereal connection to the land and animals. The adult characters serve as supporting roles. As Ben Weatherstaff, David Adams is thoroughly charming as the stodgy but loveable groundskeeper who teaches Mary about gardening. Mrs. Medlock is gloriously played by Shaw veteran Sharry Flett, who seems to delight in her stern, unmoveable portrayal as the housekeeper loyal to the Craven family, intent on keeping its secrets. Jacqueline Thair plays the spunky and spirited maid Martha, whose Yorkshire dialect was so thick as to be mostly incomprehensible. Regarding the accents, they’re mostly consistent. I appreciated that some of the Yorkshire vocal patterns were dialed back for Canadian audiences. Perhaps Thair didn’t get that memo? Note to voice and dialect coach Jeffrey Simlett. Having David Alan Anderson play both the wistful Archibald Craven and his officious doctor brother Neville is a curious and inexplicable choice. Perhaps it’s because the role of Neville is so brief and paltry or perhaps there was no other cast member available. Whatever the reason, Anderson’s portrayals were not different enough in demeanour or appearance, making both characters dull and unconvincing and confusing. Rounding out the cast are Patty Jamieson as Dickon and Martha’s sage and sensible mother, Mrs. Sowerby. Lithe, balletic moves from the exquisite Tama Martin adds mischief and mystery to her ever-present robin and garden nymph. Beyata Hackborn’s minimalist set perfectly places us in the cold, stark hallways of Misselthwaite Manor. Sections of wood panelling seem to be growing shrubs at their bases while large columns flank a large multi-paned window looking out to an abstract landscape of the rolling moor. Garden trellises festooned with vines and leafy branches lean on the left and right edges of the proscenium. Beds, wheelbarrows, suitcases, bookshelves and flower planters are easily slid on and off by the adroit and efficient ensemble. Kudos to the innovative use of full-length panels with the tops cut out revealing ensemble members as creepy portraits of hallowed ancestors. The abstract follows through into the garden with suspended hula-hooped trees while small bushes and flowers are brought on by the cast. Judith Bowden’s costume design nails the Edwardian contrasts of aristocracy and servitude. From crisp suits to nightdresses, capes and top hats to outdoor workwear, her attention to detail is immaculate. The train station scene with everyone clad in black is a powerful opening image. Costuming of the ensemble puppeteers to evoke their animal counterparts is genius! Sharry Flett’s black riding suit with wing swept fascinator as the crow and Patty Jamieson’s red argyle trousers as the fox – marvelous! The lighting for a moody, dark and mysterious show like this one is critical. Kevin Lamotte delivers a superbly atmospheric design. Harsh beams of white light create a shadowy foreboding in the train station and at Misselthwaite. It’s all colourless and cold. Ingenious use of white moving rectangles projected on the stage floor create a labyrinth of corridors as Mary moves throughout the house. I won’t soon forget the powerful image of Mary glaring from a distance at a mysterious door at the end of one of these long corridors. The only thing I was missing was the flicker of a candelabra somewhere – ah well! The garden is starkly contrasted with shades of blue slowly replaced by bright amber as Mary brings her dead aunt’s garden back to life. This new adaptation has moments of sheer creative brilliance. Adding music is not one of them. The main message of healing is something that resonates loudly today. Mary and Colin heal their relationships with themselves and those around them, make their world a better place. It’s all so powerful, so relevant. Why attempt to make it more than it is with folk songs? There’s already a wonderful musical adaptation out there. It’s no secret. This play is moving, Running time: approx. 2 hours 15 minutes including one intermission. Production runs until October 13 at the Royal George Theatre, 85 Queen St, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. For tickets call the Box Office at 1-800-511-7429 or email shawfest.com The Shaw Festival Presents “The Secret Garden – A Play with Songs” Directed by Jay Turvey Music direction by Ryan deSouza Set designed by Beyata Hackborn Costumes designed by Judith Bowden Lighting designed by Kevin Lamotte Movement Direction by Linda Garneau Performers: David Adams, David Alan Anderson, Sharry Flett, Patty Jamieson, Gryphyn Karimloo, Tama Martin, Drew Plummer, Gabriella Sundar Singh, Jacqueline Thair. Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Jani Lauzon Self Isolated Artist --- Joe Szekeres It has been an honour for Our Theatre Voice/OnStage Blog to have reviewed incredibly poignant productions either written or directed by Indigenous artist Jani Lauzon. I had the opportunity to review what I thought was a taut but bloody production of Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’ in which she performed. Along with the black lives voices that are strongly being heard and listened, the Indigenous artist voices must also be given equitable and due respect both in hearing and listening with regard to changes in national theatre. It was in June at the Stratford Festival where Jani had taken the lead in organizing and moderating the “Ndo-Mshkogaabwimi” panel entitled “Ndo-Mshkogaabwimi — We Are Standing Strong: Stories of endurance, resilience and resistance from members of the Indigenous circle at Stratford.” I did get to hear some of the panel discussion as I did the week earlier at the Festival with some black artists. June was a month for Canadian national theatre where I recalled a line from Arthur Miller’s ‘Death of a Salesman’ where Linda Loman tells her sons: “Attention must be paid.” The time is right and long overdue not only to pay attention but also to listen and to hear. Jani, how have you been faring during this seemingly never-ending pandemic for the isolated artist? How has your immediate family been doing during this time? I am blessed in that my daughter and her girlfriend have moved into my home in Toronto. We are pooling resources, cooking for one another, and supporting each other emotionally and spiritually. I am used to being on my own and have a strong spiritual practice and my sage and tobacco, so I am also surrounded by medicine, but I suspect that I would not be as strong and grounded as I am now without the companionship I have at the moment. That being said, there are days when I feel a negotiation with despondency. As a performer, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? When I was little my mother told me that when you hug someone, it creates electromagnetic energy that helps the world rotate on its axis. I think what she meant by that was the power that relationship brings. Navigating relationship is an action. It can be very powerful. Double that with actors navigating with actors (and directors etc) and characters navigating with characters. That’s a whole lot of magic that permeates the room. I miss that magic, that feeling that we are doing something together. 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 play, ‘I Call myself Princess’, was running at the Globe Theatre in Regina. We were heading into an almost sold out final week. And boom. I loved working at the Globe and having the opportunity to direct my own work, which can be a good or bad idea. In my case, it worked out well. I still plan to connect Artistic Directors to the archival but am fully aware that theatre will not resume any time soon and, when it does, there will be a long list of projects that are waiting in a well-deserved queue. I was also heading to Stratford to act in ‘The Rez Sisters’. This would have been the 2nd Indigenous written and directed production at Stratford in its entire history. ENTIRE HISTORY. Just need to capitalize on that. I have been told that Stratford is committed to the production. Whether I will be available for it or not when they do decide to produce is a bigger question. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? I digitized all my old VHS tapes. I am doing the same for my HI8, DVC, and cassette tapes. I have also been doing a lot of beading which keeps my hands busy. And writing of course. I have 2 plays on the go. One is a co-write with the fabulous Kaitlyn Riordan called ‘1939’. The other is in the research phase. I suppose the biggest thing I am involved in right now is advocacy work. Funny that. After almost 30 years of advocating for inclusion and getting tired of the tiny baby steps that we were able to accomplish I decided that I wanted to concentrate on my work. And then my work was taken away and I am back, fully engaged in advocacy work. 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? My daughter, Tara Sky, is one of those recent grads having graduated from NTS in May 2019. She was also going to be at Stratford this season. She was loving the work and so honoured to be cast as Tiger Lily in ‘Wendy and Peter’. The great thing about my daughter is that although she goes through days when she shares in the collective despondency, she is finding ways to keep herself afloat. My naturopath, a brilliant healer, gave me advice that I passed on to Tara and would say the same to anyone, get your tool kit ready. I know that feels redundant having just come out of school but now is the time to focus your mind, body, and spirit as well as your marketing tools. Create your own demo reel, read as many plays as you can, watch what you can on-line, research actors who have come before you, read biographies. Be ready. When this opens up again, in whatever shape that takes, you don’t want to be scrambling. There is great power in silence and stillness. Much can be accomplished with visualization and clarity of thought. Do you see anything positive stemming from COVID 19? My hope is that we crave returning to the power of relationship. And of course, the ability to listen, learn and hear. Do you think COVID 19 will have some lasting impact on the Canadian/North American performing arts scene? Absolutely. There has been a big shift towards artists finding creative expression using a variety of mediums. We are now accessing work in a different way and more content to experience different forms of expression. For the majority of us, faced with desperate financial circumstances, we are doing whatever we can to remain connected to our artistic selves and to find ways of expressing that energy. My biggest hope is that society will cherish the return to the communal experience of live theatre in a way that was forgotten. And that the artist in society will again be valued. After all, it is the artists that the world have turned to. 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 am one of many, I suspect, that have not felt compelled to add to the saturation of the medium. But I have enjoyed watching the work of others. My daughter and I were involved in a project with Urban Vessel called ‘The Homing Project’ which allowed us to collaborate together, combining our film, poetry, music, and editing skills together. That was an amazing experience. My only word of advice would be that quantity does not trump quality. One small project that has a profound impact can be of greater value than a series created not for the art itself but for the purpose of marketing a career. I can see, experience, and taste the difference. And of course, I am laughing because I say this in the era of YouTube celebrities that have a different agenda which has served them well. Perhaps the key to it is to be clear about two things: are you having fun doing in and does it bring you joy? Secondly, what is your hopeful outcome? Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that COVID will never destroy for you? I will always think like an artist. I will always live my life creatively. No one can take that away from me. 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? It’s a tie: In Anishinaabemowin the word “Ahneen” or “Aaniin” is a greeting, like hello. But in English it is an empty greeting. A deeper translation of Aaniin would be, “I see the light in you”. It’s a different way to greet someone. To acknowledge them, truly, in spirit and body. And my second favorite work is “sonder” which means, The realization that each passerby has a life as vivid and complex as your own. 2. What is your least favourite word? Unworthy 3. What turns you on? Nature. 4. What turns you off? Assumption of superiority 5. What sound or noise do you love? Bass. It’s my favorite instrument. That and the oboe. That having been said, I am awake every morning with the birds. 6. What sound or noise bothers you? Construction. A necessary thing but really? 7 am? 7. What is your favourite curse word? What is your least favourite curse word? Fuck and Fuck 8. Other than your own, what other career profession could you see yourself doing? I already have several. Actor, Director, Musician, Puppeteer, Artist Educator, Writer, Arts Administrator. What I regret was not having time to learn the medicines. Herbology I guess you would call it and wilderness survival. 9. What career choice could you not see yourself doing? Police Officer. 10. If Heaven exists, what do you hope God will say to you as you approach the Pearly Gates? I have my own kind of spirituality. I know it exists. And my focus has always been to bring that feeling of “heaven” to this earth. I figure…why wait? Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back James Kall Theatre Conversation in a Covid World Ted Simonette Joe Szekeres What an enjoyable conversation with James Kall who appears as Nick and others in the Toronto company of ‘Come from Away’. And I even got the opportunity to be introduced to his beautiful dog, Harper. Gorgeous looking animal. James Kall holds an MFA in Acting from Yale University School of Drama. He has appeared in numerous TV shows, films and commercials, including "Schitt's Creek", "Suits", "Murdoch Mysteries", "Salvation", "Life with Judy Garland" and "The Christmas Market". He has over 100 professional theatre credits including "By Jeeves" on Broadway, directed by Sir Alan Ayckbourne and national tours of "Mamma Mia", "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" and "Fiddler on the Roof". He was in the original Canadian cast of the Tony Award winning musical "Kinky Boots”. James has worked at theaters throughout the US and Canada as both an actor and a director. He is a dual citizen of the US and Canada. We conducted our conversation via Zoom. Thanks again for taking the time, James to add your voice to the conversation: Many professional theatre artists I’ve profiled and interviewed have shared so much of themselves and how the pandemic has affected them from social implications from the Black Lives Matter and BIPOC movements to the staggering numbers of illnesses and deaths. Could you share with us and describe one element, either positive or negative, from this time that you believe will remain with you forever? I’ve been mulling over this question for over a week since you sent it to me. I think I wanted to stay positive about it. What will stay with me is that I realize how much I took for granted and how blessed I am in so many facets of my life not only professionally in terms of the privilege I had, the white privilege I had. There weren’t times when I worried, “Oh, are there going to be roles for white men in this business” whereas my colleagues do have to worry about that, my colleagues of colour. Having been doing this for over 40 years professionally, it never really hit me like that until the BIPOC movement, and I thought how very fortunate I’ve been. As far as the pandemic, I’ve been blessed that I have a home, I have food, utilities; I have companionship, and the things I took for granted like seeing my doctor whenever I needed or going to the dentist or meet with friends. I realize now this is eye opening for me. I’m a fortunate human being and I need to appreciate it more. Have you learned anything about human nature from this time? What strikes me the most is that it seems like we are divided into two camps: first, those who put themselves first above all else, and the other camp: those who put others first which would lead to betterment for all of us. I’m thankful to be in the second camp, and there are more people in the second camp which allows humanity to survive as long as there are more people in that second camp. I’m a dual citizen as I can vote in both countries. To see what has become of the US and all of the selfishness that has risen to the top and formed a head in regard to masks, vaccinations, politics, white privilege, police violence, you’re either in the one camp or the other camp. That’s what I think I’ve learned about human nature but there is quite a division right now. I’m blessed to be a part of ‘Come from Away’ and its story of people helping others in the face of tragedy. How has your immediate family been faring during this time? As a family, can you share with us how your lives have been changed and impacted by this time? My family in the US has remained safe and healthy and have been able to continue working. My family here, the person I worry about the most is my mother-in-law. She’s 98. She’s in a nursing home outside Ottawa that was hit rather hard early on and half of the residents succumbed to Covid. She’s been good and we were able to visit her until early November because there were socially distant outdoor visits. It was great. We tried to see her every week. Since then, we’ve had to rely on Zoom and virtual calls which has worked, but she has shut down a bit because of the depression of being alone. She has people around her, but not seeing her family has been hard. We try to cheer her up online and keep her going until we can see her again. I’ve lost a few colleagues of people with whom I’ve worked over the years to Covid which is devastating. Harper is fine, and my partner, Randy, is fine. We’re all good here; we’re healthy. I know none of us can even begin to guess when professional theatre artists will be back to work. I’ve spoken with some who have said it might not be until 2022. Would you agree on this account? Have you ever though that you might have had to pivot and switch careers during this time? My answer changes daily, if not hourly, for what I see on the news. I’m going to hold on to the belief that some theatre will come back this year, and I hope the Toronto production of ‘Come from Away’ does just that. We’re fortunate in that our production is sitting there waiting for us. I don’t think we will return until it is truly safe. So that’s why I’m disappointed with the roll out of the vaccines here in Canada. Nobody has really stepped up to the plate to make sure that they’re fixing whatever is not working. In the U.S., Dr. Fauci is quite pleased and believes even with the new strains of the new virus that, by April, anyone who wants to or should get vaccinated can be vaccinated. Right now, they’re doing groups, high risk, seniors. By April, I thought that’s pretty amazing. (Note from Joe: Mr. Trudeau is promising September. Thus, the reason why James’s point and why he is disappointed) We need that up here. In talking to our producers from ‘Come from Away’, we’ve had a couple of Zoom meetings, they really don’t want to compromise the show. They want to do it in the way it’s being done in Australia, intact as written. There’s so much close physical contact in the show that we have to ensure safety with this ensemble of 12 actors. We’ve done the show as a concert, which we’ve done, but it doesn’t serve the piece otherwise. So, I can there being far few audience members until it’s completely safe, but I do think the Toronto production of ‘Come from Away’ will return this year. How do you think your chosen career path and vocational calling will look once all of you return safely to the theatre? Do you feel confident that you can and will return safely? I do feel confident that we will return safely, I honestly do, because they have proven that case by re-opening the show in Australia, but Australia has handled the pandemic a lot better on their continent than we have here. The producers check in on us constantly to keep our spirits up and to ensure us that we have a job waiting for us. The producers want that we won’t return unless it is truly safe for us. Having been working in television since the pandemic came about, there are ways to continue in this business. In the face of the pandemic, it’s easier in film and television, but I think there’s enough energy and enough people behind restoring the arts. The arts are essential. I do believe we will return. I do. And it will be safe. I assume all of us will be returning. And I applaud my friends who have found other creative outlets to keep going whether jewelry making, design, teaching or sewing. I’ve been really impressed with the creations coming out of this pandemic. This time of the worldwide pandemic has shaken all of us to our very core and being. According to author Margaret Atwood, she believes that Canadians are survivors no matter what is thrown in their path. Could you share what has helped you survive this time of uncertainty? First and foremost, my dog, Harper. I have to get out of bed in the morning and take her out. And I love her for that. She keeps me active and sane. We’ve explored new parts of Toronto safely along with new parks whether we walk or drive to them. Certainly having my husband of 25 years, Randy, I thought being trapped together that this could be interesting. Really, it has improved our relationship. I realize how fortunate I am that we are together. It’s the perfect fit because we have gone through this year with just us and the dog and come out better for it, I think. I can’t imagine being alone during this. That worries me because I do have friends who are really struggling because they live alone. I try to reach out to those whom I know are living alone. I’ve been keeping busy because I’m going to learn Slovak. I’ve been brushing up on my Spanish and reading a lot. One of my passions is baking as the cast would probably tell that I would bring in some new baked goods once a week that I’ve experimented with. At first I was doing some baking to take to the nursing homes or to some of my neighbours. Can’t do that now, but I’m still baking. I may not fit into my costume but I’ll deal with that when we’re back at. And the usual stuff too. I sing a lot, talk to myself a lot, I volunteer. I found this organization called VOLUNTEER TORONTO and they send out, sometimes daily, notices where they need help whether delivering food, giving safe rides, or delivering goods to people who can’t get out. I miss that terribly that umbrella from our show COME FROM KINDNESS outreach program we started. I miss that. I miss what we’ve been able to accomplish over the last couple of years. ‘Come from Away’ has become more than just a show. It’s become a movement. I highly recommend volunteering. That’s what I plan to do along with baking and rescuing dogs and enjoying life as much as I can. Imagine in a perfect world that the professional theatre artist has been called back as it has been deemed safe for actors and audience members to return. The first show is complete and now you’re waiting backstage for your curtain call: a) Describe how you believe you’re probably going to react at that curtain call. I think everyone in the cast could answer this. I will certainly be crying but have a big ass smile on my face. I cry a lot. I have become a very emotional person and I cry at the drop of a hat. I cry during commercials, I cry if someone in the audience is crying and I can’t look at them when the show is going on. b) There is a crowd of people waiting to see you and your castmates at the stage door to greet all of you. Tell me what’s the first thing you will probably say to the first audience member: Ya know I'd say (in a Newfoundland dialect), "God bless yer cotton socks for bein' here, b'y", or I'd say "Ďakujem" (Thank you in Slovak), Gracias, Merci, Previous Next

Where music, song and dance all contribute to an enjoyable plot on stage Back Annie The Musical Calgary Alberta's Theatre Storybook J. P Thibodeau Joe Szekeres Each holiday season, I’ve seen online discussion inevitably (and sometimes hilariously) ensue on whether a certain story, film or musical is a Christmas story, film or musical because the setting takes place during the holiday season. Take note ‘Die Hard’ and ‘Lethal Weapon’ fans: I’m now going to add ‘Annie, The Musical’ to this discussion. Film and musical theatre lovers are aware of this 1930’s Depression era story. The young Annie is determined to find her parents who abandoned her on the doorsteps of Miss Hannigan’s orphanage over ten years ago. With the help of the girls from the orphanage, Annie escapes and enters two opposite worlds in New York City from the shantytowns of the Hoovervilles to the palatial mansion of billionaire tycoon and industrialist Oliver Warbucks. Amid this basic story premise, we also have the typical good guys and cruel bad guys, adorable, orphaned children and Sandy, the beautiful golden retriever, who behaved so well on camera from what I could see. Over the years, I always had mixed thoughts about seeing live productions of ‘Annie’ as I’ve found them to overindulge in a saccharine coating of sugary sweetness. I’ve only seen the 1982 John Huston film (wasn’t a fan of it) once. So, when Calgary’s StoryBook Theatre got in touch with me to review ‘Annie’, I wondered what I was getting myself into when I agreed to do it. And am I ever thankful the company got in touch with me. This ‘Annie’ is delightfully charming family fare. StoryBook Theatre’s production in partnering with OCL Studio for the soundtrack poignantly reflects how this is a story of a feel-good musical about a little girl who dreams about the glories and surprises of tomorrow. And that positive message is something we all need to hear right now given the fact we are all patiently waiting for tomorrow to arrive when we can emerge from this global pandemic with a safe vaccine. We will be changed but as Annie sings “The sun will come out and clear away the cobwebs and the sorrow.” Meticulously and admiringly staged by Director Jayme Armstrong (whom I remember from years ago on CBC’S ‘How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?) with adroit film direction by JP Thibodeau, the pacing of this streamed production mercifully flows naturally and smoothly from scene to scene. From what I also understand, the Alberta Health Services provided direct guidance and supervision to ensure the safety of everyone involved from the actors to the technical crew backstage. Hats off to the province for its assistance to support of the performing arts. There is so much to appreciate about this streamed production from behind the scenes to onstage. Rich Davis’ set design along with JJ Peneranda’s decoration filled the playing space appropriately where needed from the claustrophobic Miss Hannigan’s orphanage right to Oliver Warbucks’ palatial mansion. Co-Costume Designers Ralamy Kneeshaw, Catherine Handford and their team created impressive costumes reflective of the Depression era setting. Cat Bentley and Melody Kielek’s work respectively in hair and makeup designs complimented the performers and the development of their characters. Period piece plays are always a challenge to find the right props, but I must compliment the work of Mikee Ames and Brad Laberge. JP Thibodeau’s taut lighting design pleasingly fills the stage when necessary to create desired effects in mood and tone of the scene. One of the things I commend about this production was the important fact I could hear every single word in the song lyrics, so thank you so much to the sound recording from OCL Studio, the film team and the splendid work of Musical Director Joel Schaefer. Angela Benson’s choreography is knock down electric especially in the orphanage’s opening number ‘It’s a Hard Knock Life’ and the sleazy and slinky ‘Easy Street’ performed by Miss Hannigan, Rooster and Lily St. Regis. Comedian W. C. Fields years ago made a comment about never working with children or animals because they are scene-stealing and unpredictable. Guess what, Mr. Fields - this production proved you wrong as these young performers never once upstaged anyone during the performance. And Sandy (Maggie), the dog, I want to bring that animal home with me because she behaved so beautifully. Alexa Andrews is convincing as the roguish Annie. The ensemble of girls in the orphanage are completely adorable ragamuffins right from the childlike Molly (Allysha Nolasco) to the rough and tough Pepper (Aisha Kueh). The adult ensemble chorus dramatically brought to focus the Depression era tension in ‘We’d Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover’ and provided an uplifting juxtaposition in their work at the Warbucks’ mansion in ‘I Think I’m Gonna Like it Here’ and ‘NYC’. As gruff tycoon and billionaire Oliver (Daddy) Warbucks who wanted an orphan boy with whom to spend the Christmas holidays, Brent Gill is grandly imposing when he first appears, and this works to his advantage as the chemistry between he and Ms. Andrews is believably engaging when Warbucks allows the little girl to touch his hardened, business like heart. Janeen Derochie is a plausible Grace Farrell (personal secretary to Oliver Warbucks) who provides that strong female role model influence on Annie. For some reason, many actors love having fun playing the bad guys and I also saw it here. The drunkenly cruel Miss Hannigan is wonderfully played to the hilt by Amanda Rae Cross. I have never heard Miss Hannigan’s ‘Little Girls’ played with such hilarious seduction at one moment and, in a split second later, a woefully amusing elegy of her life passing by. Her shady criminal brother Rooster (David Grof) and his spicy gun moll Lily St. Regis (Jillian Bauer) enjoyably add to the comic mischievousness as the three try to rip off Warbucks’ millions and flee the city. Their rendition of ‘Easy Street’ fittingly and wittingly reflects their tacky and trashy outlook on life and how to make a quick buck. Final Comments: I watched this streamed production on my computer and kept wondering how it would have been better to have reviewed it on my 56-inch television screen as I would have been able to appreciate even more the look of the Hungry Thirties that was captured succinctly on this stage. Both Ms. Armstrong and Mr. Thibodeau spoke at the beginning of the production and delivered some behind the scenes info that I don’t want to spoil here. Make sure you stick around to the end of the credits as you will see some rehearsal footage of the performers as they are working at home through Zoom. To purchase online tickets and to learn more about the production and the cast, visit Annie the Musical | SBT2020 (storybooktheatre.org) The production runs online to January 17, 2021. To learn more about Calgary, Alberta, Canada’s StoryBook Theatre, please visit their Facebook page: Storybook Theatre or their website: www.storybooktheatre.org . Photo of Alexa Andrew as Annie and Brent Gill as Oliver Warbucks by JP Thibodeau. Annie, The Musical: Book by THOMAS MEEHAN with music by CHARLES STROUSE and lyrics by MARTIN CHARNIN Based on Little Orphan Annie by permission of THE MEDIA TRIBUNE SERVICES, INC Directed by Jayme Armstrong Theatrical Team Musical Director | JOEL SCHAEFER Choreographer | ANGELA BENSON Stage Manager | JOY HODGSON Assistant Stage Manager | JENNIFER YEUNG Assistant Stage Manager | MICHAEL LUONG Assistant Stage Manager | MICHELLE DRESSLER Co-Costume Designer | RALAMY KNEESHAW Co-Costume Designer | CATHERINE HANDFORD Hair Designer | CAT BENTLEY Make-Up Designer | MELODY KIELEK Costume Design Assistant | RYAN Musical MASCHKE Lighting Designer | JP THIBODEAU Set Designer & Master Carpenter | RICH DAVIS Set Decorator & Assistant | JJ PENERANDA Stage Painting | LORIE MASUR Co-Properties Designer | MIKEE AMES Co-Properties | BRAD LABERGE Lighting Crew | SKYLAR DESJARDINS Graphic Design | JENNIFER MERIO Public Relations | ALDON Film Team Film Direction | JP THIBODEAU Director of Photography | KRIS MISH Lighting Programmer | IAN McCLELLAN Script Supervisor | JENNIFER YEUNG Location Sound | BRENDA SEVILLA Production Assistant | ADAM FORWARD Production Assistant | LLOYD CADAY Production Assistant | ROBERT HERTZ Production Assistant | SKYLAR DESJARDINS Soundtrack Recording | OCL STUDIOS Music Editor & Supervisor | JOSH GWILLIAM Video Editor | JP THIBODEAU Assistant Editor | GRAHAM KINGSLEY Assistant Editor | KRIS MISH Executive Producer | STORYBOOK THEATRE Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Dahlia Katz Self Isolated Artist Self Portrait Joe Szekeres Dahlia Katz’s name is one I’ve been recognizing for quite some time when I review professional productions from Toronto to London, Ontario. I’ve only seen her still photography of actors from various shows and they are stunning to behold. During running dress rehearsals, Dahlia relayed to me her work is fast paced in following the action of the play. Often during the dress rehearsal she might only get one chance in capturing a natural and believable moment on film. In my opinion, each photo I’ve seen of her work is outstanding. You’ll see from the answers below that Dahlia is also a professional director. She has had three Dora nominations (one this year and two last year). One nomination was for design and the other two for direction. The design nomination received was for puppet design as Dahlia is a thoroughly trained puppeteer. She is one busy lady as she also teaches movement and gesture and was Artistic Director for five years. I look forward to seeing her vision as director very soon when it is safe to return to the theatre. It has been nearly four months since we’ve all been in isolation and now we’re slowly emerging. How have you been faring? How has your immediate family been doing during this time? I was overworking for years and needed a break but didn’t know how to take one. I have intermittently struggled with an autoimmune disease over the past 15 years, I’m very grateful to have my health right now. My family is also alright, thanks for asking. As a photographer for many professional productions, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? Well, as a photographer mainly of people and events, there’s virtually no work if there’s no gatherings. I also do real estate and food photography, so there’s been a wee bit of that. As a director, well, I’m dreaming of a future of making great moments in small rooms but finding inspiration in outdoor spaces and a summer of yearning for the simplest human connections that motivate everything we do as theatre artists. Asking the big questions about what liveness means, what it provides us on a social/psychological/spiritual level. Were you in preparation 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? Having stepped down from the position of Artistic Director at Solar Stage about a year ago, I aimed to launch some independent projects with my husband M. John. We still talk often about those projects and how we might envision/re-envision them, but right now are enjoying our time together *not* working. Running Solar Stage was enormously consuming for both of us for the last six years, we’re still recovering from it and redesigning our life together to provide more safety, comfort, and power. I was also preparing to direct a fabulous production ‘Spring Awakening’ for We Are Here Productions to benefit Kids’ Help Phone. At the time of lockdown, we were just about to announce our cast and were supposed to have gone up in May. The plans to resurrect that project are on hold but very much intending to proceed as soon as possible. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? I’ve been trying to learn how *not* to be busy, and mostly it’s been about cooking, baking, fermenting foods, watching movies, exercise, the outdoors, quality sleep, lots of time with my husband and cat. Lately I’ve had the chance to do a few gigs that have really lifted my spirits and now I’m missing my work and dying to get back into it. Slowly. I hope for a bit more balance this time. 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? Don’t waste time and energy despairing. Get creative. We don’t have to obsess over digital technologies to get out of the black box. There are thousands of years of theatre traditions all over the world that make great examples of the use of outdoor and unconventional spaces. Get busy making stuff and showing it to people. We need connection; take the holy responsibility to provide it. Do you see anything positive stemming from COVID 19? Hopefully some out-of-the-box thinking for producers and boards of directors. A recommitment of donors who appreciate the necessity of theatre for social and community healing. Do you think COVID 19 will have some lasting impact on the Canadian/North American performing arts scene? Well, yes and no. We’re awfully good at falling back into old habits and patterns if we’re allowed. If we have a good and regular infusion of new leaders and thinkers, we can adapt and take advantage of impact and turn it into new beginnings. I hope the ongoing conversations can stay as honest and humane as they have been during the pandemic. Remembering both 9/11 and SARS, life always finds a way to balance out even after immense tragedy. It can be both a strength and a weakness. We should both embrace and interrogate that phenomenon. 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? It’s a great tool for sharing with wider audiences across time and space, it provides a fascinating amount of access. I’ve had the joy of tuning in to streamed archival videos of Sandglass Theater’s old productions, which has been enormously enriching for me because they’re from a time before I trained with them. Tapestry Opera has been seeing their audiences expand geographically through live streaming and smartly built their next season around capitalizing on that. It’s exciting. But we need to keep liveness in mind. Our craft is the instant and constant ritualized exchange of energies with an audience; we are not filmmakers and we don’t need to be. We have always pledged our allegiance to the collective experience of a moment. I wish for us to not lose sight of that. We should adapt the given mediums to serve this necessary purpose. 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: What is your favourite word? Liminal. What is your least favourite word? Diaper. What turns you on? Courage. What turns you off? Entitlement. What sound or noise do you love? A spontaneous shared breath/gasp/sigh in a group of people. What sound or noise bothers you? Dragging feet. What is your favourite curse word? Feck, or any other adorable reshaping of a conventional curse word (frig, frack, fork, fudge, sugar, shizz, butts, heck, dingus). What is your least favourite curse word? C-nt. Other than your own, what other career profession could you see yourself doing? Cult leader! Or maybe personal chef. What career choice could you not see yourself doing? Mother. If Heaven exists, what do you hope God will say to you as you approach the Pearly Gates? “I’m so proud of you.” Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill 'Ultimately, success requires taking action and making choices." Joe Szekeres Three years ago, I was appreciative Lucie took the time to chat with me. You can read her first profile here: https://www.onstageblog.com/profiles/lucie-arnaz-luckinbill. It was a rather humorous experience attempting to connect via Zoom with each other this time. Our email correspondence was filled with comical attempts to schedule due to our different time zones on the West and East coasts. After much online effort, we finally managed to connect and had a good chuckle about the whole situation, agreeing that it was quite the “clusterf&%k.” I felt highly comfortable picking up where we last left off three years ago. Lucie’s wry sense of humour and love of life remain keen and sharp as ever. Everyone is well in her immediate family: “Knock wood, babe. Everybody’s doing great. My brother and I are getting on. I’ll be 72 in July, and Desi’s 18 months younger. He and I are healthy. I have three beautiful grandchildren. My three children are working and happy, and my two stepsons are working and happy. Larry is of a certain age, and he has all of his wits about him. I’m a very, very grateful gal, very lucky.” Lucie calls these last three Covid years a great exercise in the study of impermanence, the good and the ugly. Covid’s always going to be here, so we just had to get used to that going forward. Change is inevitable, and you have to live in the moment and live for tomorrow but be ready for the plans to change. A lot of stuff has happened to all of us in these last few years, and we’ve learned this the hard way. She also had a knee replacement and had just returned from her physiotherapy before our conversation. Calling herself a late bloomer, a come-from-behind horse, as it has taken almost a year to recover, Lucie was up and around a few days after the surgery, but the knee still swells. She coyly stated she’s not tap dancing yet, but her knee is almost back to normal. It’s totally fine at the moment. She’s not in any hurry regarding the other knee, given what she experienced in this first recovery phase. Lucie also travelled to Kenya in February of this year as part of Craft Tours group with Jim West and said it was ‘life-changing.’ It was a culture none of them on the tour could even imagine. In her words, the tour was a hell of a lot more than a safari. She can’t wait to return: “The combination of the magnificence of the wild animals that you see, the tenaciousness and the kindness of the Kenyan people. I was astounded. Every person I met was polite and gentle, and smiling. And they live in such abhorrent poverty most of the time. The children have to walk four miles to school by themselves. Some of them are 5 years old. They’re in the dust and dirt to sell whatever they can make on the streets”. It was an entirely different world outside the walls of beautiful trees surrounding the hotel. The Kibera slum in Kenya was one of the worst seen anywhere. She also spoke of touring a school where it was exorbitantly costly (around $240 US for one year) to send a child. That’s not a lot of money, so Arnaz and a few of her friends took each of the six kids individually and paid for them to attend the school for the next three years. Arnaz rationalized this school fee payment in comparison to shopping weekly at the grocery store. When the tour group returned, the hoops she and her friends had to jump through to send the money for the next three years in support of these six students seemed insurmountable. Finally, a bank account was established where the money would be deposited and then distributed to the students at the school. Arnaz and the group were assured that no money laundering or distributing would go elsewhere except to the students. But tracking down and ensuring the money was going through the proper channels was hard. Arnaz is now back to touring her concert shows across the U.S., postponed during the pandemic. ‘I Got the Job: Songs from My Musical Past’ opens in New York’s 54 Below on July 19 and runs to July 22 inclusive. I’m attending the opening night to review and looking forward to returning to the city and finally seeing Lucie at her nightclub performance. How does she feel about venturing back to the Big Apple? “There’s nothing quite like it. There isn’t another city anywhere that’s like the hub of fashion, industry, finance, theatre, and music. It’s a town that embraced me and welcomed me, and that’s a wonderful feeling. Larry and I have many friends on the east coast, so it’s an opportunity to get caught up, see them, and have them come to see the show…when I’m working there, it’s just like I’m Cinderella at the Ball. There’s no place like it.” Yes, Lucie is cognizant of the constant traffic, construction, and noise compared to the peaceful environs of Palm Springs, where she and Larry live. She balances that by comparing New York to a big campus where all the performers are in a concentrated area. At a particular hour of the night, everyone is walking to work from the nightclubs to the theatres and restaurants, and everyone is waving to each other. How cool is that? As a proud Canadian, I asked when she was planning to cross the border and come to Toronto. She smiled and wished she was in charge of wherever she went. She would love to call up a venue or theatre and say: “I’m ready, willing and able,” but concert bookings don’t work that way. Any interested persons are to go to Lucie’s website and follow the instructions. Toronto producers and concert venue promoters – are you listening? Yet a lot has changed in how Lucie approaches her concert work. Depending on scheduling and if an artist gets sick, it can change on a dime. Lucie isn’t naïve to think Covid is gone because it’s not. It’s still out there. She’s constantly on the alert: “I wear a mask everywhere, not because of getting sick or feeling unwell; I’m afraid that I’m not going to be able to leave. I leave in ten days for New York for my show that has been postponed four times, and I don’t want to get sick. I have to be very cautious.” The aftermath of Covid has also affected Lucie’s concert work. She used to love to come out to the audience to chat, pose for pictures and autographs and sell CDs. She can’t do that anymore. Instead, she wears a mask when she does go out to greet people. She feels guilty if people want to take pictures, but she has to face the reality that she can’t get sick. Larry Luckinbill (Lucie’s husband) is of a certain age, so she also has to be cognizant and aware of him and his health. Lucie doesn’t have any theatre work lined up at the present time except for the concerts. She loves live audiences and feels at home in her concerts. Regarding any upcoming plays in the future, she calls herself a woman of a certain age. She would have to be super passionate about the material to leave Larry or uproot him if she is cast in an 8 show per week schedule. She couldn’t say no to the revival of ‘Pippin’ several years ago. Although she only had one scene where she played Berthe and got to sing that terrific song, ‘No Time at All,’ Lucie also was trained to do a trapeze routine high above the stage. That was an experience she was glad to fulfil. Family is vital to Arnaz. She and Larry are in what she calls ‘the third act,’ and her husband remains rightly so her priority. They want to spend as much time together as they possibly can, so at this time, producing, directing and concert work suits Lucie just fine. But that doesn’t exclude any producers from contacting her if there is an upcoming project. She reads everything, and if it entices her, she, and Larry talk about the project. It all depends on what the project is, where it is and for how long. Although artists cannot earn a decent living at the theatre, Lucie says it’s the place where her heart has always been. If she didn’t love it, she wouldn’t do it anymore. There’s much rejection in this business, and she still would tell up-and-coming artists not to be bothered by that. It’s an opportunity to be tenacious, to learn and practice. Rejection is never personal in the theatre. Arnaz was fortunate to have had her start on her mother's television show, which opened doors for her. She seized the opportunity and never looked back, knowing that having an advantage only gets you so far. Ultimately, success requires taking action and making choices, especially when bills need to be paid. Lucie faced a similar dilemma, as she had a passion for both family and live performing/theatre. Balancing these two aspects of her life was not always easy, and every choice required careful consideration. Speaking of television shows, Lucie also appeared in the early 90s in the terrific comedy/drama ‘Sons and Daughters’ and loved working on it. Is there any talk of her appearing in another show anytime soon: “There are about five and a half people who can plan their television future and 55,000 in the Screen Actors Guild. (and we both had a good laugh). No, I don’t have any plans. Sometimes things come my way, and I turn them down because I’m not passionate about them…I pick and choose my work carefully.” As we wrapped our Zoom conversation, I threw some quickie questions to get an immediate response. 1. If your life was turned into a live performance play/musical, whom would you like to see play you? Larry? Your brother? Your parents? I have the same answer for all these individuals – “The best damn actors of the time with a damn good script.” Who knows when that will happen? It would depend on what ages of Larry, my brother and me. I think enough has been done about my parents, so I can’t see that happening anytime soon. But I’m not in charge. 2. What book(s) are you reading right now? Generally, I’m not a book reader since I don’t have the time. I do the shopping and the cooking and other things, so that’s my priority. When I have an opportunity, I read a lot of books by listening to them, and that has helped me to get through a number of them. I love biographies more than fiction. I’ve been reading everything from Mel Brooks’ autobiography to Michelle and Barack Obamas, Carl Reiner, and Randy Rainbow’s. 3. Is there a particular place you have not been to yet, but feel drawn to visit? Ireland. We’re going next June with the Craft Tours, and I’ll do my show. Larry will come with me this time. He really wants to go. I’ve never been there so I really want to see it. 4. You and Larry have been married for 43 years. What’s one piece of advice you would give to newlyweds? To new grandparents? To newlyweds and married people – ‘Never give up.’ Stuff happens; you get mad at some dumb stuff and can have some really bad fights. Go back into the room and say you’re sorry, even if it’s not your fault. Don’t give up. People don’t know how to talk about stuff today. To new grandparents – “Enjoy every blessed minute because it goes by so fast. Don’t be judgmental. Let your children raise their children and be there for them.” 5. You’ve been elected President of the United States for one week. What would you focus on and try to change in that week? Global warming, helping the planet survive and convincing the world this is a priority. It’s the one thing that scares me more than Donald Trump, more than gun control, more than women’s rights being taken away, more than Russia, more than China. It’s the planet, for God’s sake. If we don’t have the planet, none of this other stuff matters. To learn more about Lucie and her concert work, visit her website, www.luciearnaz.com . You can also follow Lucie on Facebook: @LucieArnazOfficial. ‘I Got The Job: Songs from My Musical Past’ plays at 54 Below, 254 West 54th Street, Cellar, New York City, July 19 – 22, 2023, inclusive. For tickets and more information, visit 54below.org. I’ll post my review after opening night. Previous Next

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. Back 'The Drowning Girls' by Beth Graham, Charlie Tomlinson and Daniela Vlaskalic Now onstage until August 27 at 201 Guildwood Parkway, Scarborough Raph Nogal Dave Rabjohn A haunting production full of subtle terror. This year’s summer season at The Guild Festival Theatre finishes with a haunting production of ‘The Drowning Girls’ – full of subtle terror. We often hear the phrase ‘dramedy,’ but this play tilts far more towards ‘dram’ than ‘medy.’ A solid ensemble of three actors, playing many more roles than their prime responsibilities, grimly displays the horrors of spousal abuse. Three women in the early 1900s share a common horror – each has married and been murdered by the same man. Each woman tells their story of societal pressure to marry at any cost. The stories vary only slightly as we hear of physical abuse, economic abuse, emotional abuse, and not to be flippant – abuse abuse. All three stories end with the same shock – murder by drowning. That brings us to the frightful image of Kalina Popova’s set. Three filthy bathtubs, pulled from some decrepit motel, face the audience with dread. Miss Havisham - looking wedding dresses hang forlornly above each tub. The audience is already anxious when the three brides enter ghost-like and slip into each death bed. Director Helen Juvonen brilliantly manipulates the tubs into social venues, relaxation spas or court proceedings. Actual water in each tub gives a sense of disturbing reality as the actors are wet throughout the production. Water is an effective motif throughout as we hear tormenting dripping sounds and see the victims with wet clinging dresses, much like Ophelia in the pond. Georgia Findlay plays Alice – her expressions have a great range as she can be demure, wilting one minute, and charged with anger the next. Her eyes are constantly intense, preparing us for the monstrous end. Alicia Barban plays Bessie who displays equal range – at one point, she leaves her character and launches into a brilliant scene as a doctor. Blythe Haynes plays Margaret with frightening, forced smiles. She also leaves her character and dives into a dazzling scene, along with Bessie playing lawyers and insurance agents. Humour offers some relief as the girls play silly giggly maids – imitating their future husbands or struggling with minor details such as uncooperative stockings. Each actor demonstrates a wide range of accents offering caricatures of Scotsmen or unseemly lawyers. Countering the horror of their lives (and their ending) is some brilliant poetic language. As we see their common bond, the three actors do a very sensitive recital of some powerful choral work. As mentioned in the director’s notes, the narrative of these tragedies often circles the perpetrator rather than the victims. To focus on the story of the three women gives the play veracity and strength. A final note: This particular evening in the middle of August was unusually chilly with a cooling breeze from the lake. The audience felt for the actors who, as mentioned, were wet throughout the night. We will save the term ‘heroes’ for our hundreds of firefighters, but the three actors showed great pluck in working with difficult conditions. And I’m sure they appreciated stage manager Lauren Allen and her crew running around with urns of warm water and towels aplenty. ‘The Drowning Girls’ by Beth Graham, Charlie Tomlinson, Daniela Vlaskalic Performers: Alicia Barban, Georgia Findlay, Blythe Hanes Director: Helen Juvonen Production Designer: Kalina Popova Stage Manager: Lauren Allen Production runs through: August 27, 2023. Tickets: guildfestivaltheatre.ca Previous Next

Where we hope to help young people develop an intrest and a passion for a futrure in theatre. Back 'The Darkest Dark' adapted for the stage by Jim Millan and Ian MacIntyre and based on the book by Chris Hadfield and Kate Fillion Now onstage at Toronto's Young People's Theatre Credit: Dahlia Katz. L-R: Craig Lauzon, Ziska Louis, Aurora Browne Joe Szekeres There’s no need to fear this ‘Darkest Dark’ Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! ‘The Darkest Dark’ is remarkably feel-good storytelling for its fine performances underscored by Jim Millan’s skillful direction. It’s the summer of 1969 as the world waits for the Apollo 11 lunar moon landing. We are on Stag Island at the Hadfield cottage. We meet nine-year-old very precocious Chris (Ziska Louis) having a rather realistic dream. Chris would one day like to become an astronaut. The problem though, he’s afraid of the dark and his friends Herbie (Xavier Lopez) and Jane (Hannah Forest Briand) don’t know of this secret. At the top of the show, Herbie and Jane are part of Chris’s realistic dream. Dad (Craig Lauzon) and Mom (Aurora Browne) purchased the cottage so they could all enjoy the season together. Chris has an older and sometimes bossy sister, Cindy (Evelyn Wiebe). Along with Chris, Herbie and Jane also hold their own fears of the dark which they keep hidden from each other. The friends spend a great deal of their time playing all kinds of make-believe games and stories. They even come up with the idea of putting on a play involving the lunar landing of Apollo 11 in July of that summer. To help pass the time and to get Chris interested in other things, his Mom and Dad hire local hippie Keith (Shaquille Pottinger) to instruct their son and his two friends how to canoe safely as there was some trouble on the water last summer. Chris’s older sister, Cindy, takes quite a particular interest in Keith which leads to some hilarious moments. I turned nine in August back in that ‘summer of ‘69’ so I was keen to walk into the Ada Slaight auditorium to see what greeted me. Hot Damn! What a hell of a trip back in time. So many memories came flooding to me as I looked at that set and listened to the ‘groovy’ musical soundscape of radio tunes that blared in cars. I couldn’t take my eyes off that stage as there was so much to explore from Anna Treusch’s magical 3-D pop-up setting of the Hadfield cottage right down to watching the rustling trees slightly moving in the breeze courtesy of Daniele Guevara’s video design. Many realistic-looking period props certainly brought me back to 1969. I especially liked the Radio Flyer red wagon. Bonnie Beecher’s selection of gorgeous warmly lit colours on the cottage walls evoked a sense of warm summer temperatures. I even remember wearing those same kinds of shorts both Chris and Herbie wore so thanks to Anna once again for that reminder. Deanna H. Choi’s terrific musical soundscape was absolute perfection. I found myself humming along to the Stones’ ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ and ‘Hot Fun in the Summertime’ and sure as hell was hoping for other audience members my age to do the same thing. Jim Millan and Ian MacIntyre have delightfully adapted Commander Hadfield’s children’s book for the stage with many surprises along the way. Although there are several set changes where the previous plot action stops dead, a terrific decision was made to divert attention away and place our focus elsewhere. Set pieces were seamlessly moved in place by some of the cast with nary the sound of squeaky wheels. I especially liked some of the magic created on the stage thanks to David Ben’s consultantship. What Ziska Louis accomplishes in movement with a tiny ball of light ethereally lights up the stage with tremendous grace and beauty. Jim Millan directs the production with uber charisma. He treats the young Chris Hadfield’s story and his fear of the dark with the utmost charm and warmth. And what a cast Millan has assembled. Craig Lauzon and Aurora Browne are believably credible as Chris’s dutiful parents who selflessly do everything they can to try and break their young son’s fear of the dark. The moment when Chris rings the bell to alert his parents to come to the bedroom is a riot, and what Browne does with that damned thing left me in laughter. Lauzon’s turn as a CBC reporter describing the Apollo 11 lunar landing for some reason reminded me of some of his shtick on ‘The Royal Canadian Air Farce’ which I religiously watched each Friday night. At one point, I was amazed at how Lauzon was able to get out of his reporter’s suit and right back into his dad’s costume in a matter of seconds. Bravo. As Chris’s older sister, Cindy, Evelyn Wiebe has that perfect amount of sassy, bossy and flippant attitude of a teen who thinks she knows it all. Her depiction of a space monster in Chris’s mind is terrific and Wiebe looks like she’s having a good time at that moment. Shaquille Pottinger’s hippie Keith is totally rad (yes, I know that’s a tired cliché). I liked the fact Keith likes theatre when he learns the kids want to put on a play in preparation for watching the Apollo landing on television. Pottinger’s look on his face when he tells the kids his taste in theatre was a solid juxtaposition to what the hippie image stood for. Xavier Lopez and Hannah Forest Briand offer most enjoyable performances as the young Herbie and Jane. The youthful grins on their faces certainly made me smile each time they appeared on stage. It felt personally reassuring that Herbie and Jane’s fears of the darkest dark are not uncommon at all among young people. At one point, I’m sure we’ve all experienced Herbie and Jane’s fears. Whether it was intentional on the part of co-writers Millan and MacIntyre, I thought it was a wonderful tribute to name Chris's friend after Herbie Barnes, Artistic Director of YPT since the world premiere of the play takes place at this theatre. Ziska Louis delivers a heartfelt performance as the young Chris Hadfield. Here is an actor whom I would like to keep an eye on in the future as Louis always remains completely compelling on stage, from narrating Chris’s space adventures to us while in bed to actually living them out in his dreams. Final Comments: A terrific family outing, ‘The Darkest Dark’ is the perfect choice to introduce young people to the wonders of live theatre. One of my picks. Go see it. Running time: approximately 70 minutes with no intermission. ‘The Darkest Dark’ runs to April 2 on the Ada Slaight Stage in Young People’s Theatre, 165 Front Street East, Toronto. For tickets call the Box Office at (416) 862-2222 or visit youngpeoplestheatre.org. YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATRE PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE ‘The Darkest Dark’ Based on the Book by Chris Hadfield and Kate Fillion Adapted for the Stage by Jim Millan and Ian MacIntyre Director: Jim Millan Magic Consultant: David Ben Set and Costume Designer: Anna Treusch Lighting Designer: Bonnie Beecher Sound Designer and Composer: Deanna H. Choi Video Designer: Daniele Guevara Stage Manager: Laura Baxter Cast: Hannah Forest Briand, Aurora Browne, Craig Lauzon, Xavier Lopez, Ziska Louis, Shaquille Pottinger, Evelyn Wiebe. Previous Next

Where we hope to help young people develop an intrest and a passion for a futrure in theatre. Back Moby, A Whale of a Tale Pirate Life, Toronto Raiza Dela Pena Joe Szekeres I must apologize for the fact this review appears late and the show has closed. Through my own fault and not timing traffic, I missed the opening night performance. I finally saw the last Friday night show; however, life got in the way and I was not able to get the review posted until now. I’m also sorry to say that I never read ‘Moby Dick’ during my undergraduate courses in English Literature, but seeing this production made me want to tackle one of the great works of American literature sometime very soon. ‘Moby: A Whale of a Tale’ takes place in 1840. Captain Ahab (a fearlessly ferocious performance by Amaka Umeh) is onboard the whaling ship The Pequod looking for the great white whale, Moby Dick, who bit off his leg on a previous voyage. Ahab is looking for his revenge against the great mammal. Members of the crew who are hired to travel with Ahab believe they will be hunting for whale blubber which, according to the Programme Notes, was a huge business to make oil to light homes and streetlights at night. Captain Ahab had a different view of how things should run onboard, but only told the crew what his intent was after they had set sail. Three years later, the ship and crew continue to look for Moby at Ahab’s insistence as he has charted carefully the whale’s trail in the water. The audience sat on a floating dock either in Muskoka chairs or on a bench at the back in front of an appropriate dark, mysterious and ominous looking whaling ship of The Pequod. A smaller boat is also used a couple of times to signify plot action occurring next to the Pequod. The audience was told if they didn’t care to sit on the dock, then they could return to chairs on dry land. I certainly hope this ‘Moby’ returns for another engagement next summer as I thoroughly admired this fanciful musical adaptation which accomplished two things for me: a) I was a kid again completely immersed in a wondrous sea-faring story complete with vengeful pirates and rough waters b) the literary adult side within me was also made acutely aware of how a dominant obsession and meticulous revenge to find the great white whale make unforgettable characters of classic fiction. So much to enjoy about this production. Clever song lyrics and tuneful period musical melodies from Alex Millaire and Kaitlin Milroy (Moonfruits) nicely underscored and heightened the tension in some of the key plot moments. Director Alexandra Montagnese maintained a snappily energetic pacing momentum with some entertaining performances. Annie Tuma is a bold Ishmael who becomes entranced with the wild adventure of the lure of the sea in the opening song ‘Can You Hear the Call of the Sea?’. Lena Maripuu’s brave first mate Starbuck impressively stands up at one point to Ahab’s obsessive emotional outbursts. Jamar Adams-Thompson’s delightful Queequeg adds that bit of saucy and unrefined humour which effectively balances the hell-bent intensity of Ahab’s destructive compulsions of Moby. It was lovely to hear the harmonized singing of the performers throughout the performance. ‘Moby: A Whale of a Tale’ adapted from the Herman Melville novel: “Moby Dick” Adapted by Annie Tuma and Lena Maripuu Produced by Annie Tuma Music arrangers and writers Alex Millaire and Kaitlin Milroy known as Moonfruits, Lena Maripuu, and Annie Tuma. Directed by Alexandra Montagnese Costumes by Gabriel Vaillant Cast: Lena Maripuu, Moonfruits, Jamar Adams Thomson, Annie Tuma, Amaka Umeh To learn more about Pirate Life, please visit www.piratelife.ca . Production played on a floating dock at 585 Queens Quay West, Toronto Previous Next

What makes a comedy work - plot, characters, setting and theme. 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

Where music, song and dance all contribute to an enjoyable plot on stage Back Just For One Day: The Live Aid Musical Now on stage at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade Joe Szekeres ‘Soaring vocal renditions of rock and pop songs that still resonate today.’ Another jukebox musical that captivates audiences, ‘Just for One Day: The Live Aid Musical,’ offers a twenty-first-century perspective on the events leading to the 1985 Live Aid, a benefit rock concert aimed at raising awareness and funds for the Ethiopian famine. The concert was organized by Bob Geldof (who was present at this opening Toronto performance) and Midge Ure. The musical’s storyline surrounding the events leading to the actual concert (viewed or heard on the radio by 1.5 billion) is fictional. Marsha (Kelly Agbowu), Suzanne (Melissa Jacques), Jim (Ashley Samuels), and Amara (Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky) come together to understand the impact of Live Aid on their lives. Young student Jemma (Fayth Ifil) studies Live Aid in her college history class, eliciting the audience's laughter regarding the connection between 1985 and history. We also meet Bob Geldof (Craige Els). Jemma challenges Bob and the others to explain what happened during the events leading up to Live Aid so that genuine change can be learned from and applied to the world she knows. Directed by Luke Sheppard, who focused on illustrating how music unites the world, John O’Farrell’s book and script feel somewhat flimsy. Character development is minimal, as the characters remain static throughout the musical. They primarily exist to advance the story and provide a sense of cohesion. It is the music and songs that audiences have come to hear and experience. They will not be disappointed, as this opening production delivers excellent concert-quality sound, thanks to Howard Hudson's lighting and Gareth Owen’s sound designs. The soaring vocal 80s renditions of mega-hits under Patrick Hurley’s tip-top musical direction and Matthew Brind’s supervision, arrangements and orchestrations range from George Michael’s ‘Last Christmas’ (in competition with ‘Do They Know It’s Christmastime?’ that initiated the journey to Live Aid) to Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ as well as Geldof’s ‘I Don’t Like Mondays.’ Choreographer Ebony Molina magnificently stages ‘I’m Still Standing,’ featuring Julie Atherton’s Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Els’s Geldof, with the ensemble positioned in a way that makes the standoff between them breathtaking. Some of Andrzej Goulding’s video and projection designs from Ethiopia poignantly pierce the soul of everyone. There are also some impressive projections of the various singers on the back wall that remind the audience that we are in a concert stadium setting, watching the show thanks to Soutra Gilmour’s set design of concert lighting at the top of the show. Nonetheless, there are outstanding performances in certain one-dimensional portrayals of the characters dressed in stunning retro outfits from the 1980s, thanks to Fay Fullerton’s costume designs featuring bright pastels. Drawing from my undergraduate studies in History, Julie Atherton vividly captures the blunt essence of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1985. For some reason, I still picture ‘Mrs. T’ (you’ll get the reference when you see the show) with her stunning gray hair. Atherton has blond hair, but she uses it to her advantage as she and Geldof’s ‘Mr. G’ (again, you’ll get the reference when you see the show) in ‘I’m Still Standing.’ Craige Els effectively reveals the idiosyncrasies of Sir Bob’s direct and sometimes crude expletives, allowing the audience to know—and even respect—him for being a man of his word. He will enlist various artists to perform at Live Aid, even if he has to lie initially. Tim Mahendran’s concert promoter, Harvey Goldsmith, is all bluster and hot air. Jake Small is a prince of a fellow as John Kennedy, who encourages Bob to start a charitable trust. Still, throughout the production, I questioned this show's purpose. Sure, I understand—music brought the world together in July 1985—but there must be more to it than that. And there is. It stems from the audience's laughter at how 1985 is classified as History in some classes at the university and college levels. Jukebox theatre musical extravaganzas like ‘Just for One Day: The Live Aid Musical’ must serve as important ‘historical’ connections for young people eager to learn how music connects and unites us, regardless of who we are or where we live. For that reason alone, it’s worth visiting the show. Running time: approximately two hours and thirty minutes with one interval/intermission. ‘Just For One Day: The Live Aid Musical’ runs until March 15 at the CAA, Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria Street, Toronto. For tickets: mirvish.com or call 1-800-461-3333. ‘Just For One Day: The Live Aid Musical’ by John O’Farrell and by permission of the Band Aid Charitable Trust Directed by Luke Sheppard Musical Director: Patrick Hurley Choreography: Ebony Molina Music Supervision, Arrangements and Orchestrations: Matthew Brind Set Design: Soutra Gilmour Costume Design: Fay Fullerton Lighting Design: Howard Hudson Sound Design: Gareth Owen Video & Projection Design: Andrzej Goulding Previous Next

Where music, song and dance all contribute to an enjoyable plot on stage Back 'Anne of Green Gables: The Musical' Now on stage at the Confederation Centre of the Arts, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island Credit: Louise Vessey and courtesy of Confederation Centre of the Arts. Pictured L-R: Laurie Murdoch, Kelsey Verzotti amd Marlene Handrahan Aaron Kropf “A delightful and splendid adaptation of a Canadian classic. Kelsey Verzotti embodies Anne with gusto.” Anne of Green Gables: The Musical is an adaptation of the classic Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery with the book, music and lyrics by Don Harron and Norman Campbell. Mavor Moore and Elaine Campbell wrote additional lyrics. In this delicate and splendid adaptation at PEI’s Confederation Centre, Anne Shirley is accidentally sent to the home of Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert who have requested a boy to help on the farm at Green Gables. Known for her imagination, temper and ability to charm even the harshest critics, we follow Anne through her many adventures, especially those with her best friend, Diana Barry. This production is a true delight. The company, the beautiful sets and costumes by Cory Sincennes and the direction and choreography by Robin Calvert make this a not-to-be-missed production. Sincennes' brilliant design features a paisley backdrop, various fences, and trees, which move the audience seamlessly from one Avonlea location to the next. The crown jewel is the wonderful Green Gables itself. When rotated, we are brought into the walls of the iconic building. Sincennes transforms and transports an audience to a whole new world. I'm sure Robin Calvert was thrilled to work with the cast of Anne of Green Gables: The Musical. The five primary characters bring this story to life and are supported by incredibly talented folks. The Cuthberts: Marilla (Marlene Handrahan) is the no-nonsense sister of Matthew (beautiful work by Laurie Murdoch) who falls instantly for Anne's charm. His love for the orphan girl is evident throughout and his final scene remains heartbreaking. Emma Rudy plays Anne's bosom friend Diana Barry with such childlike wonder. I should note that Rudy is one of the reasons this was a must-see for me this year; I had the pleasure of working with Rudy on many productions during my years in Stratford with the community theatre group Perth County Players. You're always in for a treat when you find Emma Rudy in a company. Kelsey Verzotti embodies Anne with such gusto that I can only imagine this has been her dream role. Her presence onstage pulls you out of the real world and into Anne's life and imagination. Kudos to this wonderful Avonlea community. And Another Thought: This past weekend, we made a trip to Prince Edward Island to introduce our daughter to the wonderful world of Anne of Green Gables. We started with a visit to Green Gables, followed by a trip to Charlottetown to see Anne of Green Gables: The Musical. It was wonderful to see this production with a little person exporting the story for the first time. I saw the Musical for the first time when my family made a trip to visit the maritime provinces before high school. Anne of Green Gables: The Musical has gone through many changes since i first saw the show. The 2024 iteration of this beloved musical was extra special for a number of reasons. If you can make your way to Prince Edward Island be sure to stop in at Avonlea, you won't regret the trip. Anne of Green Gables: The Musical runs through to August 24 at the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown PEI. Running time: 2 hours and 12 minutes plus 20-minute intermission The production runs until August 31 at the Confederation Centre, 145 Richmond Street, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. For tickets: Call the Box Office at (902) 566-1267 or email boxoffice@confederationcentre.com . THE CONFEDERATION CENTRE FOR THE ARTS presents ANNE OF GREEN GABLES: THE MUSICAL Book by Don Harron, Music by Norman Campbell, Lyrics by Don Harron and Norman Campbell, Additional Lyrics by Mavor Moore and Elaine Campbell Director/Choreographer: Robin Calvert Music Director: Rachel O’Brien Set & Costume Designer: Cory Sincennes Lighting Designer: Renée Brode Performers: Vinnie Alberto, Alex Batycki, Sarah Bell, Lyndsey Britten, Jessica Burrett, Melinda Carroll, Celeste Catena,Tyler Check, Eric Dahlinger, Raleigh Gorka, Marlene Handrahan, Jacob Hemphill, Amelia Hironaka, Aaron Mackenzie, Ha’kenna Maneso, Andrew Mcallister, Laurie Murdoch, Catherine O'Brien, Trevor Patt, Kristen Pottle, Shakeil Rollock, Brian Ross, Emma Rudy, Shawn Van Omme, and Kelsey Verzotti Previous Next

An artistic appreciation for those who have no background in opera. 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

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Brett Christopher "My goal is to loosen up the walls...to allow the audiences to see all the stories told in the season" Provided by Thousand Islands Playhouse Joe Szekeres Not only is Managing artistic leader Brett Christopher one intelligent man who inherently knows his community and their artistic interests, but he is also extremely patient and kind. Especially with me. I was to have compiled this second profile on him months ago. Thank you, Brett, for your patience and kindness. The upcoming 2024 Thousand Islands Playhouse season slate looks rather impressive: ‘Liars at A Funeral’ to be directed by Krista Jackson and runs May 31 – June 22 ‘Mamma Mia’ to be directed by Stephanie Graham and run July 2 – August 4. ‘Mary’s Wedding’ to be directed by Brett Christopher and runAugust 16 – September 8 ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ to be directed by James MacDonald and run September 24 – October 27 ‘Murder for Two’ to be directed by Jeremy Webb and run August 1 – August 25 ‘Doubt, A Parable’ to be directed by Lisa Karen Cox and run September 5 - September 29. ‘Sequence’ to be directed by Kathryn MacKay and run October 4 - October 27 (At this point, the casting of each show has yet to be announced. This is the next bit of excitement to come) What was my initial impression just by looking at these titles? Get yourselves to Gananoque this summer and fall. Plus, there are the Boat tours, so why not make it a couple of nights? Stay in town at some of the bnb homes, see some theatre and go on a boat tour. Since Covid, I can’t imagine how exhausted Christopher must be at this stage. He agreed that he was. But he’s like the Energizer Bunny. He keeps going and going. What did he have to say about these past few seasons? “What was great was that people did return for [the past two seasons] despite having full mask mandates. We had great houses and audiences…there were full restaurants and accommodations. The challenge is that everything costs 30% more than it used to including set materials, housing, and labour. These are national trends, not just in the theatre.” When he built the budget in August 2021 for the 2022 season, Christopher was basing those figures on what had happened in 2019 regarding the scope of the producing model. He wanted to return as fast as possible to what the company had produced in 2019 before the pandemic. Christopher knew materials had increased in cost, but it was shocking how quickly the operating budget went from 2.5 million running cost to $2.9 million. This was all just in the cost of the plays, as administration and facility costs were virtually the same. Producing theatre costs way more than it used to. Yes, the pandemic did eat some of the costs in returning to the performances, but there were some capital reserves that the company could use to help re-establish the foundation. What are the biggest challenges as he advances into this coming 2024 season as the Managing Artistic Director of the Playhouse? “We have to anticipate these increase over the last two years are not going to drop. We just have to match the revenue to keep things going forward. A conundrum facing the entire [professional] theatre community is how to do it. Sell more tickets? Get more public funding? Donations? We must be more creative in diversifying revenue…raising ticket prices is the last resort... I’ve always been adamant that we maintain accessible pricing so that pretty much anybody can come and see a play here…. So, we’ve got to be more innovative.” Well, Brett, just looking at the 2024 season titles tells me you might be on your way to matching the revenue costs. What are some plans for the Thousand Islands Playhouse Christopher has in mind in the future? He’s open to teaming up with other theatre companies or educational institutions in the Haldimand/Dundas/Stormont/Glengarry Region and trying to figure out what sort of projects could be worked on that we’re already paying full-time staff to do. Ultimately, the game right now is finding money, which is awful because that’s not about art. Art is about imagination and creativity. Does Brett have concerns about the theatre industry going forward? Like any theatre administrator and producer, yes, he does. The other big challenge that producers are trying to address is that the producing model has been predicated on a six-day, 8-hour work week: “A conversation is happening in the [theatre] industry as to how to change that. If a week of rehearsals is added, labour costs are exponentially increased, as are housing costs. There has to be a tough conversation in the industry about how long we have leaned on people’s willingness (even with the Equity standards required) to get the play up. Can a working schedule be created that is more humane while, at the same time, not losing our shirts?” The reality of working is that the theatre industry does not follow the traditional 9 - 5 period. There are odd hours, yes. However, education is another area where teachers usually don’t just work the school hours during the day, and that’s it. Teachers also work outside a traditional designated work time frame. Nevertheless, teachers and actors/artists choose to work in this field knowing these conditions. It is an unusual labour situation. Yes, there has to be some give and take and an acknowledgement that it is unusual. Otherwise, the danger in not doing so – the theatre industry will or could lose many excellent individuals dedicated to their craft. Brett was a working artist/actor and remembered his career choice's long hours and ‘unusualness.’ He then went into theatre administration because he missed his wife and kids. He didn’t want to travel across the country anymore in that capacity: “I think a lot of actors are now looking at this same thing. Covid and the isolation allowed all of us (yes, even actors) to be with our families…I think a lot of people have been considering leaving the industry for something ‘normal.’” And none of us wants that to happen. As an artist and theatre administrator, does Brett believe listening to feedback from audience members and reviewers/critics/bloggers is essential? As an artist, he tried as hard as he could not to read reviews or feedback from audience members until after the show run. Positive or negative, the comments always affected his performance. Criticism/feedback cannot be embedded into an artistic process in the moment. But after the fact, as an artist with a bit of time and distance, usually most of the time, Brett agreed with constructive feedback since there is always a spectrum of comments. After the fact, yes, feedback is always helpful for the actor. As an artistic leader now, Christopher’s feelings never get hurt if feedback is not as positive as he hoped it might have been for the show. If feedback is more negatively constructed, he will think about the artists involved in the production. He will also consider his reasons as an artistic leader why that play was selected. I also asked him about Intimacy coaches for productions as they have become part of shows dealing with sensitive subject matter. Brett says it’s all about artist safety and believes entirely in these coaches trained to deal with unsafe moments that actors may have to confront during the play. Discussion takes place during rehearsals with the actors involved and the coordinator. Rehearsals involve choreographing each move, where every intention is discussed to ensure everyone feels as if he/she/they have a voice and to speak up clearly, if there is a feeling of unease. Brett added further: “Intimacy moments are now being choreographed with a great deal of care. No one is in any way confused. Artists are included in the decisions of what’s going to happen on stage, in terms of intimacy, so that they are complicit in the act. It’s not one person doing something to another person. It’s choreography that is discussed, learned, rehearsed, and performed. Safely.” Our discussion then turned to some edgy drama I’ve seen at the Playhouse over the last two summers. The Firehall Theatre (the thought-provoking space) was developed twenty years ago as the counterpoint to the comedy/summer stock musicals on the Springer stage. The Firehall has evolved slowly and is not seen as the ‘poor cousin.’ Brett hopes that as a program leader and programmer, he will continue to mature the relationship between the Springer Stage and the Firehall, where the productions complement each other to create a dialogue with the audience. That takes time, nevertheless, as Christopher does not want a polarizing effect where specific audiences will only go to Springer Stage and the Firehall. He adds: “My goal is to loosen up the wall between these two buildings to allow audiences to see all the stories told in the season.” As we wound down our conversation, where does Brett see the Playhouse and his role as Artistic Director headed, over the next proverbial five-year plan: “I still have many things I want to achieve with the company, both artistically and operationally. I want our audiences to continue to be excited about the breadth of our work, artistically. We must continue growing our relationship with eastern Ontario’s communities, and foster more community-based artists, administration and crew. It’s also vital to continue relationship building with our High School community and conceive how to bring young people forward into the theatre.” To learn even more about the Thousand Islands Playhouse, visit their webpage: https://www.1000islandsplayhouse.com/ and their Facebook page: @ThousandIslandsPlayhouse. Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Ma-Anne Dionisio Looking Ahead Leon Le Joe Szekeres I have been trying to track down Ma-Anne Dionisio for quite some time to profile her work as an artist. I first saw Ma-Anne’s performance in the original Canadian production of ‘Miss Saigon’ which opened Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre. Since then, I have seen her performance as Maria in ‘West Side Story’ at Ontario’s Stratford Festival. I’ve also seen online that she and other artists have given concerts as our world slowly makes its way out of the pandemic. I was so thankful when she agreed to be profiled for this series as she is one busy lady in preparation for an upcoming production in May. Originally studying in the Sciences either to become a doctor or a dentist, Ma-Anne was invited into the world of the performing arts. She has three children and homeschools them during this time of the pandemic. Ma-Anne sees her purpose in life as healer and provider so the science mind within her was highly cognizant of the constant flow of varied conflicting information we were all receiving as a collective race during Covid. She is a self-assured, confident lady who opened up quite a bit about what she called the ‘loaded question’ of year three of the worldwide pandemic and how she and her family have been doing. She candidly spoke how she feels she has heightened and deeper intuitions and has learned to trust them especially when it comes to the safety of her loved ones. Ma-Anne continues to work on her personal well being because the situation of Covid in which we now find ourselves, we put our loved ones first. Ma-Anne spoke about the challenges she has faced during the pandemic, but she also says this time was a blessing for her. With gratitude, she acknowledges several of her family members who are front line workers and with sadness she has also experienced several familial losses during this time both from Covid and other reasons. Personally, this time has given her the opportunity to be with her immediate family members and those close to her, and to look inward where she honoured and made use of that time in the first year to get connected with herself and the planet. She made a definite choice not to perform for that first year. Ma-Anne knew that a lot of artists panicked where they felt they had to move towards virtual performances because they needed to do so. She respects and honours those who felt this way and made that choice because it was a challenging time. She chose not to do this. Instead, in her own words, she said: “Let’s honour the quiet, be quiet and do nothing because why not?” This time away was a real gift for Ma-Anne to honour. She is quite humble in that she doesn’t like to talk about herself so much or to be the centre of attention. She doesn’t consider herself a stereotypical performer and actor. For her, she is grateful to be able to use the theatre to connect with people and to heal both herself and whoever is present. She clarifies the work comes ‘through’ her and it is never about her. I found this latter statement interesting. But as a single mother, whenever Ma-Anne signs on to a project, she is mindful of the fact her children rely on her as caregiver and provider. It is a big decision now to come inside a theatre for everyone because there is a risk involved, but it’s even bigger than before the pandemic. She cannot afford to put herself in a situation where she endangers herself and therefore her children, so the project has to be worth it to make that decision to get involved. It was only last year where she decided to take on a couple of projects. The first production was ‘Follies’ a two-evening concert at Koerner Hall directed by Richard Ouzounian back in October. The second project is the upcoming ‘Lesson in Forgetting’ in May with Andrew Moodie through Pleaides Theatre at the Young Centre in the Distillery District. Ma-Anne took this project on as she learned Pleaides would sell 50% capacity for the run of the production, and that is for the safety of those attending plus the performers. How true, Ma-Anne, especially for all of us who have a keen interest in the live arts. We have seen how things can turn so quickly so we must take things day by day especially when we look to the Broadway theatre scene. What drew her to want to get involved with ‘Lesson in Forgetting’: “Once in awhile in this business you come across certain pieces that are just beautiful. Hopefully we are successful in delivering the intent of this piece and what it has in its very core in this story. The play is a wonderful observation of humanity and devotion." And how is Ma-Anne feeling at this point in the value of rehearsals as she, Andrew and the company approach opening night? Before she answered this question, Ma-Anne reiterated once again the value of work is always in progress. For her, the beauty of theatre is that it is a living, breathing piece, and because it is living it constantly changes in an instant. Rehearsals are still a work in progress for Ma-Anne as she continues to become comfortable with the material in the moment and learn about the character so that, in the end, she can move out of the way so that whatever needs to be delivered through her and the piece can come through. And what does she hope audiences will leave with after seeing ‘Lesson in Forgetting’: “This piece is so beautifully written about the vulnerability and fragility of the human mind and heart, and the human spirit. It’s a wonderful observation of what goes on when your own idea of what love should look like is being challenged.” What’s next for Ma-Anne Dionisio once ‘Lesson in Forgetting’ is completed? She laughed and said there’s a lot happening simultaneously right now for her, and she said that’s the thing about this business because when it rains, it pours. Personally, she is a work in progress all the time. Professionally, Ma-Anne is developing a new musical with a writer from New York and a Canadian co-writer, so a writer/director team from there. Her limited series she shot last year with Apple is coming out soon. Her other series ‘Astrid and Lilly Save the World’ both on Crave and Sy Fy. Andrey Tarasiuk, Artistic Producer of Pleiades Theatre, announces the English language world premiere of ‘Lesson in Forgetting’ by Emma Haché, commissioned by Pleiades and translated by Taliesin McEnaney with John Van Burek, runs live on stage from May 3 to 22 at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto’s historic Distillery District. For tickets visit www. https://tickets.youngcentre.ca . To learn more about Pleaides Theatre, visit www.pleiadestheatre.org . Previous Next

What makes a comedy work - plot, characters, setting and theme. Back 'Three Men On A Bike' by Mark Brownell. Based on the writings of Jerome K. Jerome Now on stage at the Greek Theatre in the Park and Gardens, 201 Guildwood Parkway, Scarborough Now on stage at the Greek Theatre in the Park and Gardens, 201 Guildwood Parkway, Scarborough Joe Szekeres (Credit: Helen Juvonen. Pictured: on bike Suchiththa Wickremesooriya. Behind L-R: Jack Copland and Azeem Nathoo.) “Smart direction by Sue Miner and Mark Brownell’s witty and sometimes whimsical script make for a dandy outdoor summer production. THREE MEN ON A BIKE is worth paying a visit. Funny, sharp and satirical.” I’m a little late to the theatre on this one…like a year. But that’s okay. What’s that adage: “Good things come to those who wait.” I’m glad I did just that. Last summer, my OUR THEATRE VOICE colleague Dave Rabjohn reviewed the Guild Festival Theatre’s production of THREE MEN IN A BOAT, playwright Mark Brownell’s re-creation of the original 1889 farce by Jerome K. Jerome. Rabjohn called last summer’s production ‘unapologetic full-bore schadenfreude (an emotional experience of pleasure in response to another’s misfortune). He travelled down the Thames River and encountered various hijinks with Harris, George and Jay figuratively. This summer, it’s my turn to travel with these very same three lads: Harris (Jack Copland), George (Suchiththa Wickremesooriya), and Jay (Azeem Nathoo). And where did we go? Germany. Only this time, it wasn’t by boat. It’s navigating the open by biking. It’s THREE MEN ON A BIKE. It took a bit of time to get to the country, though. You wanna know why? The reason is another adage I’ve heard: ‘Half the fun is getting there’ in Mark Brownell’s witty and whimsical script. These three adorable buffoons and mismatched friends think they know more than they do about making plans for a holiday to Germany. That’s all part of this specific trip’s amusement and fun. We can all use a little of that humour right now. Was it necessary to have seen THREE MEN IN A BOAT last year to enjoy THREE MEN ON A BIKE? Not at all. If you did, you might be up a bit more on some of the characters’ eccentricities that provide much of the humour; however, I got most of the nods, the nudges, and the wink, winks that punched up the action and some of the commentaries. This time, Azeem Nathoo’s Jay steps forward at the top of the show. He tells the audience that things have changed and that this trip might not be as memorable as the other one. I find it interesting that a writer would say that. Later in the show, one of the characters keeps a secret, but somehow, another has discovered it. The ensuing bickering and arguing are never mean or malicious. When the secret is revealed, it’s silly why the other two would feel the way they do. Perhaps the other two might feel validated and jealous, but it’s guys teasing other guys. The relationship between guys is utterly different from the relationship women have with each other. Director Sue Miner smartly never lets the comic action veer off the rails. Doing so would turn the production silly, infantile, and puerile. She knows there’s more to this production for audiences to appreciate. For one, Copland, Nathoo, and Wickremesooriya adroitly handle the show’s physical demands. This is a testament to their staying power at peak performance level. The three of them also appear to be in remarkably good physical shape. That’s very important. The show's running time is approximately 80 minutes with no break, but my God. I marvelled at the speed with which the three of them motor across the vast length of the amphitheatre stage, with a heaping spoonful of generous dexterity in movement and nary a sound of being out of breath. The three will then run off the stage to the bushes stage right. One of them scales the back wall to speak to us momentarily. There’s no mention of who designed the costumes in the programme, but they are pretty colourful and have a look reminiscent of the Victorian era. Costumes are essential to appreciate in this production. Dave Rabjohn last year called the costumes: “gaudy primary colours of a Mary Poppins adventure through a chalk picture.” This description still holds true. Miner also allows the audience to use their imagination, which will always be a bonus to me. This occurs most notably when the guys are riding their bikes. The way Copland, Nathoo and Wickremesooriya beam with pride made me laugh. Copland especially has this cock of the walk grin as he looks at the audience that still makes me laugh as I write this article. I’m sure rehearsals must have been riotous as they practiced, ensuring they were in complete synchronicity, especially while riding the tandem and single bikes. Additionally, it takes a solid actor to mime and use specific movements to denote certain props rather than having them at hand. Concentrated work in miming ensures the audience and the actor believe the item is in front without seeing it. Copland, Nathoo and Wickremesooriya’s work has paid off. I bought those imaginary articles in the guys’ hands throughout the show. Recently, in an ‘Intermission’ article, Miner said that personally she’s got nothing to do with these guys, but she loves them. She also loves their journey: “They just touch people to come along for the ride. That’s part of the draw for me—they [screw up] for us so we don’t have to. We can just sit and enjoy and laugh at their foibles. Anything that brings us all back to humanity is my hero right now.” Jack Copland, Suchiththa Wickremesooriya, and Azeem Nathoo have that natural chemistry that makes them loveable. As the plot progressed, I sat back, enjoyed, and laughed at their foibles in speaking with many German people on their trip. The one quibble I did have was the men’s enunciation. I sat in the front row. For most of the show, I could hear the dialogue. However, and I’m sure it was probably opening night jitters, the enunciation wasn’t as clear as it could have been near the end, and I had difficulty hearing some of the dialogue. As the performances continue and the actors grow even more confident, their enunciation will significantly improve. And Another Thought: To return to the question asked in the introduction. Did I experience an unapologetic full-bore schadenfreude as Rabjohn? I most certainly did, especially when the three tried speaking German to native speakers—their German sounds like when I go to Montreal or Quebec City to speak French in either city. See THREE MEN ON A BIKE. We most definitely need this story in our world right now. Running time: approximately 80 minutes with no interval. The production runs until August 4 at the Greek Theatre in Guild Park and Gardens, 201 Guildwood Parkway, Scarborough. For tickets: guildfestivaltheatre.ca or call 647-576-7822. GUILD FESTIVAL THEATRE presents THREE MEN ON A BIKE by Mark Brownell. Based on the stories of Jerome K. Jerome Directed by Sue Miner Production Designer: Ina Kerklaan Assistant Director: Alecia Pagnotta Music Director/Arranger: J. Rigzin Tute Lighting Designer: Adam Walters Stage Manager: Jenna Borsato Performers: Jack Copland, Azeem Nathoo, Suchiththa Wickremesooriya. Previous Next

A deconstruction of an individual's story. Back Patti Lupone: Don't Monkey with Broadway Played Toronto's Meridian Hall November 17 and now on tour in the US Credit: Rahav and from TOLive website Joe Szekeres “Patti Lupone is far more than a diva of the theatre. Don’t label her that anymore. ‘Don’t Monkey with Broadway’ is a joyous event and a celebration of storytelling. She is an artist who remains eternally grateful for the opportunities in her career.” She might be billed as a diva of the theatre; however, ‘la grande dame’ Patti Lupone came across as far more than that label on November 17 for one night only of her ‘Don’t Monkey with Broadway’ tour at Toronto’s Meridian Hall. She’s one hell of a grateful lady for the opportunities she’s had and doesn’t take the critical acclaim and reaction of audiences everywhere for granted. When she walked out on the stage, the audience was on its feet in its first of standing ovations. Lupone appeared emotionally moved by this display of affection even before she sang or spoke one word. Billed as a love letter to the Great White Way, ‘Don’t Monkey with Broadway’ initially comes across as a masterclass in song delivered by the founding member of the Drama Division of The Juilliard School. The house programme did not carry the song titles. There’s a reason why, and it’s a good choice we don’t know. It’s the same reason why a vast orchestra isn’t backing her up. She doesn’t need one. Instead, her Music director, Joseph Thalken, beautifully accompanies her on the piano. He gets what she wants to do. In grateful appreciation for that, Lupone periodically acknowledges his work and playfully, at one point, pulls him up with her to take a bow. Instead, like a true teacher, Lupone wants the audience to hear and to listen, two key elements that sometimes appear to be lacking today. Through hearing and listening, Patti gets the audience to think about what they are hearing and listening. How novel! An artist who gets people to think through hearing and listening. Accoutered smartly in a black dress, the first act has Patti interspersing songs with moments from her career. In the second act, she enters wearing a tuxedo, which reminded me of Julie Andrews in ‘Victor/Victoria.’ Patti announced that sometimes men have incredible moments of song that women don’t have. Patti wants to sing them. And she launches right into them full steam ahead. She does so with the bold confidence of a woman who has survived the highs and lows of the theatre industry. When she begins ‘Trouble in River City’ from ‘The Music Man’ I couldn’t help but smile. Patti has caused some trouble in the River City of Broadway. She’s snatched phones from theatregoers in performance. She stopped ‘Gypsy’ when she knew pictures were being taken. She took batting practice in her UK dressing room when she learned she would not play Norma Desmond when ‘Sunset Blvd’ transferred to New York. Sometimes, causing ‘trouble’ gets results and gets people to think. Whether or not we agree or disagree with how she dealt with these troubles doesn’t matter to us. They mattered to Patti, and she dealt with it in the way she did. She cares. That’s why she’s caused trouble over the years. People know that about it. She’s vocal about stating how Broadway has changed in the last 10+ years. But the audience isn’t here to discuss these issues. We’re here to hear, listen to, and hopefully understand how music transforms Lupone and how she can transform an audience. And that’s why you don’t monkey with Broadway or her. Lupone showcases those incredible vocal pipes with some terrific musical theatre numbers. The audience went wild just before the intermission with the unmissable ‘Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina’ from ‘Evita’ for which she won the coveted Tony award. She will be remembered for two other numbers – Rose’s Turn from ‘Gypsy’ and Ladies Who Lunch from her Tony Award-winning performance in ‘Company’. The former suddenly burst forth as a segue from the end of one song to the next, sending the audience into a love frenzy mania for the songstress. But I was waiting for the latter as ‘Company’ has always fascinated me, and ‘Ladies Who Lunch’ is one hell of an eleven o’clock number that I longed to hear. I waited patiently…and waited patiently…and kept wondering if she would do it because we were approaching the second act's end. But the adage ‘Good things come to those who wait’ aptly applies in this case. Lupone didn’t disappoint. Not in the least. The reason why ‘Don’t Monkey with Broadway’ is more than just a masterclass in song? Patti remains a consummate artistic storyteller who inherently senses the power of words and their meaning. Someone who knows how to tell a story well will always make people pay attention and listen. This is Patti. She loves the sounds of words through speech and lyrics. Her rendition of ‘Hey Big Spender’ from ‘Sweet Charity’ is only one example where she incorporated laughter because she finds the humour in words, in the way she pauses and in the way she punctuates in delivering the song that makes the audience roar with approval. Final Comments: I’ve seen Patti live on stage twice – in the early 90s in ‘Sunset Blvd’ in London and the early 2000s in New York in ‘Sweeney Todd’—two very different roles, the former a stormy relationship with its composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. But what an honour to see her, hear her and listen to her again. ‘Don’t Monkey with Broadway’ also means ‘Don’t Monkey with Patti Lupone’. She’s seen it all, heard it all, experienced it, survived it all. And she’s still here. And if ‘Don’t Monkey with Broadway’ plays in your city very soon, see it. CREDITS: Scott Wittman, Director and curator Joseph Thalken, Music Director Previous Next BACK TO TOP

Community Theatres are uniquely diffrent from professional and Equity based companies, but are important to society Back 'The Hen Night Epiphany' by Jimmy Murphy A Toronto Irish Players' production now onstage at Toronto's Alumnae Theatre Heather Walker Joe Szekeres A challenging play underneath as backstories become unravelled and the truth is revealed. For some reason, when I discovered ‘hen night’ is the equivalent of a bachelorette party for the bride, the thought of the film ‘Bridesmaids’ and ‘Irish Girls Gone Wild’ kept playing through my head. Thank goodness playwright Jimmy Murphy had no intention of developing this idea to fruition in ‘The Hen Night Epiphany’. I found it interesting, though, how a male playwright wanted to tell a story of how women really speak to one another during a hen night. The same thing occurred with Robert Harding’s ‘Steel Magnolias’ where he wrote about women and their relationships with each other. And there is a male director who has taken the responsibility to helm The Toronto Irish Players’ production of the intricate nature of these true-to-life real women. I say bravo to these three men for tackling and daring to tell these three different stories. Premiering in September 2011 at the Focus Theatre, Dublin, ‘The Hen Night Epiphany’ is set in the 2008 real estate crash. We journey up a hill outside of Dublin with five uniquely distinct women who initially have one thing on their minds – to have a rousing hen night of activities before bride Una’s (Cora Kennedy) wedding to Kevin, the son of Olive (Jane Hunter). Along for this hen night are two of Una’s best friends Triona (Alison Mullings) and Kelly (Martina Schabron). Anta (Maureen Lukie) best friend of Olive’s and godmother to Kevin also joins in on this journey. Why have these ladies journeyed up this hill? Una and her fiancé have recently purchased a dilapidated-looking hillside cottage overlooking Dublin. She wanted these most important ladies in her life to see what she has purchased before the renovations begin. Co-Set Designers Bernadette Hunt and Sean Treacy have perfectly established that run down, ‘God, what were they thinking’ exterior look of the house badly in need of a paint job. There is so much stuff in the front yard possibly from the previous renters/owners who may have had to leave quickly. There is a gate off its hinges upstage left. Chairs and tables are located around the playing space. There is a portable small bbq which has clearly seen better days in front of the house. Bridget Jankowski’s selection of pre-show/intermission music nicely encapsulated various themes of the play in the song lyrics. John Sellens’ lighting design finely showed the passage of time with lights slowly receding as the day moved on. The costumes worn by the ladies nicely accented their individual personality traits. Earlier I stated ‘Bravo’ to director Alan Hunt because ‘The Hen Night Epiphany’ is a challenging play to undertake. If we are to understand that epiphany is akin to an awakening ‘aha’ moment, then Hunt must ensure the various backstories of these ladies that emerge during this celebration are treated with respect and dignity while still ensuring the story’s pacing appears naturalistic. Hunt succeeds satisfyingly on this account. I don’t want to spoil the revealed information in the backstories for future audiences. Some of the things I learned about these ladies are quite funny, some are poignant, a few made me do a double take while one truly alarmed me. One slight quibble - I found the energy level from everyone onstage appeared to wane halfway through the second act. At one point, I thought I might have heard Alison Mullings’ Irish lilt fade away. This is understandable as the actors and production are coming off what is known in the theatre as HELL WEEK where everything is finally put together, and sometimes patience can run thin. Once people have had a rest for a few days away from the theatre with solid sleep, I’m certain they will be mindful of energy upon return. As the excited bride-to-be, Cora Kennedy’s Una remains grounded as the gracious host of the event and appears to be the ‘fixer’ when relationships break or run amok. All I will say is when we finally learn about her back story – I hope the others are there to help her through. Alison Mullings and Martina Schabron make good choices in their performances. Mullings’ Triona effectively never upstages as she hears a heated discussion ensuing between Olive and Anta. What was especially nice about this moment? Mullings instinctively just showed her response to this distressing news through her facial responses. Schabron’s Kelly handles herself with a tremendous class when her backstory is revealed about her personal health. At one point, I felt myself starting to laugh and so did a few others around me when Schabron reveals what was going on; however, she thankfully did not turn it into a sitcom type of response. Instead, it’s a believable moment where Kelly must deal with what has happened, realize the consequences and move forward. The woman ‘role models’ of the group have their own issues. Maureen Lukie’s Anta reminded me of that ‘deer in the headlights’ when her backstory is revealed about her relationship with her husband. Lukie just uses her eyes in such a comical way that made me laugh out loud a few times. But again, Lukie does not make Anta the comic buffoon especially when she tries to remove Olive from a confrontational scene near the end with Una. There were a couple of times I found when Jane Hunter’s Olive came close to stealing the show. At those moments when the tension was thick, Hunter’s comeback magically brought not only me to laughter but to many sitting around me. Hunter reveals her strength as an actor when she confronts Kennedy’s Una near the end. What I saw at that moment (and I’m trying not to give away the surprise here) – a mother will always come to the defence of a child no matter how old that child is. That confrontation scene had me sitting on the edge of my seat wondering where it was going next. Final Thoughts: An announcement was made before the performance began that since ‘Hen Night Epiphany’ involved the story of five women, the next Toronto Irish Players’ production involves the story of men. A good decision was made here to balance out storytelling. Go see ‘Hen Night Epiphany’, and if you can, see the next one. Would be interesting to compare the similarities and differences in both productions. Running Time: approximately two hours and ten minutes with one intermission. ‘The Hen Night Epiphany’ runs to November 5 at Alumnae Theatre, 70 Berkeley Street, Toronto. For tickets, visit torontoirishplayers.com and for further information. Toronto Irish Players present ‘The Hen Night Epiphany’ by Jimmy Murphy Producer: Geraldine Browne Director: Alan Hunt Co Set Designers: Bernadette Hunt and Sean Treacy Sound Design: Bridget Jankowski Lighting Design: John Sellens Stage Manager: Gina Taylor Performers: Jane Hunter, Cora Kennedy, Maureen Lukie, Alison Mullings, Martina Schabron Previous Next

Where theatre is not only presented on the stage. Back 'White Muscle Daddy' by Raf Antonio Now onstage at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Toronto. Credit: Jeremy Mimnagh. Pictured in profile: Frankie Bailey and Jaime Lujan Joe Szekeres ‘There are moments when the script is clever in its deceptive title. Although it might initially mean what you think it does, there’s an entirely new understanding at the end.’ Raf Antonio’s ‘White Muscle Daddy’ is a horror/thriller ‘film within a film within a play’. My guest and I discussed it intently on the way home. Antonio is bang-on about using the screen format within a play setting. Live and pre-recorded film and video footage are used throughout. Antonio is both clever and perceptive about developing this hybrid use further. Why? Our lives today are intently focused on the screen, whether we are watching a film, sitting in front of our computers for work and careers, or sometimes simply passing the time away on YouTube (I’m guilty of that) or TikTok (Don’t have an account. Don’t want one). Because I don’t want to spoil the surprises behind ‘White Muscle Daddy,’ I will do my best not to give away too much. The press release states that ‘White Muscle Daddy’ uses projection art, live camera feed, and shadow play…to subvert cinema/film and theatre expectations. Was that achieved? More about that shortly. ‘White Muscle Daddy’ is set in Los Angeles, primarily in an exclusive gym. There are moments when we are shown gorgeous photographs of the LA sunset night sky and extraordinary photos of what I assume to be at least $ 3 million US dollar homes. Appreciation to Nicole Eun-Ju Bell, Connie Oreamuno and Khanh Tudo for the specific hours of work that had to be done to search for these photos and then do magic in any editing for specific effects. Alia Stephen’s sometimes perfect lighting design effect underscores the strong visual impact of looking at the photos from where my guest and I sat far stage left. The appearance of camera operators Khanh Tudo and Katerina Zoumboulakis (I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone) was also effective because the LA paparazzi are everywhere with their paraphernalia. It appears that in LA life, to be somebody, one must always be on camera. The notion of privacy is thrown out the window. Cat Calica’s costume selection perfectly reflect the style and finesse of each of the characters. There were moments in the pre-recorded or actual backstage footage where the sound was not aligned precisely when the characters spoke on screen. It was just a split second out of alignment, but it did bring me momentarily out of the scene. Can that also be looked at? In her set design, Echo Zhou places three separate riser platforms on far stage right, middle and far stage left to denote various LA locales. For sight line purposes, Zhou made a good choice to allow for maximum sight line view; however, there were moments when the action took place far stage right, and I could not hear the dialogue as I sat far stage left. The speaker on my right did not appear to amplify the sound, and I could not hear the dialogue. Hopefully, sound designer Stella Conway will be able to fix this going forward with future show performances. At the top of the show, we are watching the filming of one of the Grade B slasher horror flicks. Performer Augusto Bitter plays Stuart in the film. Stuart is reading a book and waiting for the arrival of their boyfriend to come home. In true horror film ‘Scream’ fashion, there are some nifty surprises for the audience that I don’t want to give away. It appears Bitter was having a hell of a good time in the pre-recorded filming. The film's director, Lucy (Chel Carmichael), enters the stage. Chel Carmichael’s Lucy is direct and confident in scenes with the filming. Carmichael’s Lucy is also connected to the rest of the characters in the play’s script. The central story involves Jeremy (Jaime Lujan), an impressionable individual newly hired to work the graveyard shift at the gym. Jeremy’s co-worker Thomas (Shaquille Pottinger) shows Jeremy the ropes of the gym. Thomas was moving out of the gym as he had found another job. One night, Jeremy sees and becomes smitten with Eugene (Ray Jacildo), a fitness instructor who appears to have the kind of LA life Jeremy has always wanted: muscles, good looks, and enviable LA parties. Jeremy’s ‘crush’ on Eugene begins to play havoc. Jeremy begins this insatiable hunger for Eugene and wants to know everything about the dude. Jeremy’s choice to follow the secret desire to know more about Eugene wreaks chaos in his relationship with his partner, Gustavo (Frankie Bayley). In turn, Gustavo looks to Lucy for moral support whenever their relationship with Jeremy appears on the rocks. In a heated moment of passion between Jeremy and Gustavo, the former says something to the latter that is downright nasty and cruel, which begins to alter the course of events not only in their lives but also in those in the story. The question remains right to the end—who is Eugene? Something about this character spells trouble for everyone involved. Directors Raf Antonio and Tricia Hagoriles have selected a diverse cast in their appearance and voice sound. That was another wise choice. For some reason, whenever I hear the name ‘Los Angeles,’ I immediately begin to think of plastic-looking people who are ‘practically perfect in every way’ (as Mary Poppins sang), from their looks to their sexuality and gender. Antonio and Hagoriles have selected real, natural, and ordinary-looking actors who commit themselves to showcase the two-hour and fifteen-minute running time (sans interval/intermission) with intent and focus. Once again, in the press release, Antonio (as one of the directors) spoke of "taking the tropes of the horror film genre and mashing them together to create an experience that will leave audiences chuckling, a little spooked, a little provoked...” Did that vision of mashing create an experience that left me chuckling, spooked, and a little provoked? Well… Yes and No. Directors Antonio and Hagoriles ensured the performers captured the Grade B horror film (over) acting from the sixties and seventies. In watching the pre-recorded film on stage during the performance, I recognized some similar recoiling in horror moments akin to the Vincent Prince scream films and Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho.' That left me chuckling. A couple of captured moments left me a tad spooked, but I hesitate to explain what it is because that would give away the surprise I didn’t see coming at all. All I will say - when it does appear, I had to avert my eyes quickly. It’s the word ‘provoked’ that I want to explore just a bit further. The script and the actors did provoke a bit of squeamishness within me so they succeeded on that account. There is one moment on film when I felt myself just scrunching my face up and putting my head down because it is a tad sickening. But I do have some quibbles. Is it possible for Antonio’s script to be re-examined again? I found it too long to sit for two hours and 15 minutes. There are moments where moments need to be tightened especially in moving from film to the stage. With no breaks at all, the production makes for uncomfortable sitting. A few got up around me to go and then return. Getting up and down is distracting both in the film and the theatre, but I get it – rarely are there intermissions in films. The directors have captured that vision. But if I go to the cinema and have to use the washroom during a long film, I quickly leave the hall, run to do my business and then get back to my seat. That’s not always possible in the theatre. This leads me to explain further the hybrid approach of combining cinema/film and theatre. It’s an exciting concept that deserves to be explored further on the stage. The press release calls ‘White Muscle Daddy’ a cinematic theatre thriller. Antonio says in the release that horror can be a malleable genre, and it is rarely performed on the stage. It’s not malleable here for me at this performance. Not quite yet. I hope a re-examination of the script and another staging might just do the trick. Running time: approximately two hours and 15 minutes with no intermission. Masks are required to be worn for the performance. ‘White Muscle Daddy’ runs until March 31 at the Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander Street, Toronto. For tickets: buddiesinbadtimes.com or call (416) 975-8555. A PENCIL KIT PRODUCTIONS AND BUDDIES IN BAD TIMES THEATRE PRODUCTION Presents ‘White Muscle Daddy’ by Raf Antonio Produced by Claren Grosz Directors: Raf Antonio and Tricia Hagoriles Previous Next

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. 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

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Brad Hodder Canadian Chat Liz Beddall Joe Szekeres Augh!!!!!! I nearly ran out of time on the Zoom clock in chatting with artist Brad Hodder as there was so much I still wanted to ask him. Brad proudly talked about how his parents supported him and didn’t mind when he chose to pursue theatre professionally. He also had teachers in junior high and high school who encouraged him to pursue a path in the arts. He called himself really lucky and is very fortunate in his life that he met people along the way who helped him to this point in his career. Just looking at his resumé, I’ve seen several his performances at Stratford: ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, ‘Julius Caesar’, ‘An Ideal Husband’ were just three. Brad also was Assistant Director on two productions that were quite good: Groundling Theatre’s production of ‘King Lear’ and the Stratford Festival’s production of ‘The Crucible’. Brad has two upcoming productions at Mirvish this season that I am keen to see. In November, he is directing the musical ‘No Change in the Weather’ which opens at the CAA Theatre on Yonge Street November 19, 2021. And he will play Draco Malfoy in the all Canadian production of ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ when it opens at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre on May 31, 2022. Brad and I conducted our conversation via Zoom. Thank you so much for your time: Since we’ve just celebrated Thanksgiving, tell me one teacher and one mentor in your life for whom you are thankful that brought you to this point in your life as a performing artist. Well, two of the same. I had a teacher in theatre school at the University of Alberta, my first year Acting Teacher, was a guy named Charlie Tomlinson. Big connections. Charlie’s family is originally from England, but he’s also lived in Newfoundland. Charlie’s father was at the Med School. Charlie was involved in the early days of CODCO here in the province in the 70s and 80s. I’d never met him before here in Newfoundland until I got to the University of Alberta. He had a profound influence on me, and we started a theatre company together here in Newfoundland that ran for ten years before I moved up to Ontario when I got into the Stratford Festival where I spent eight seasons. The other is Martha Henry who brought me to Stratford as part of the Birmingham Conservatory. I auditioned for Martha here in St. John’s when they were doing a national tour from the festival, and Charlie’s name was all over my resumé. When Martha was the Artistic Director of the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario, Charlie ran the Second Space there. They had quite a strong friendship and he definitely put in a good word for me. So, Charlie was a strong teacher and Martha became a real champion for me and a real mentor. I learned a lot from her. I ran the Langham Program at Stratford under her as well. She cast me in the lead in ‘She Stoops to Conquer’ and gave me opportunities. I got to assist Robin Philips simply because of Martha before he passed away. I was his assistant on ‘Twelfth Night’ that he was directing. I spent six intense theatre weeks with Robin, but he too had a profound influence on me. 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 eighteen months on a personal level? How have you been changed or transformed on a personal level? Well, we moved home to Newfoundland. I have a 12-year-old and a 9-year-old. We were living in Stratford and getting ready to move to Toronto for ‘Harry Potter’. When everything started happening, we made at the time a complicated decision to move back home to Newfoundland not knowing what’s going to happen. In hindsight it’s the best thing we ever did. That changed me that I’ve been home for nearly two years now with my family, my parents, my kids’ cousins, that kind of family time and recognizing (I know it sounds so clichéd, but everyone is so busy and things were happening so fast). Then when we didn’t have to be so busy and so fast, there was the reality that for all those opportunities I had in Stratford, I became Dad too. I was working six days a week in Stratford. I missed getting to go home in the summertime because I was at the Festival working. The kids and my partner would go home every summer for a month or six weeks but I couldn’t. Even at Christmas time, they could go home but I couldn’t because I started working at Groundling Theatre and we’d rehearse over the Christmas break. My time home at Christmas in Newfoundland was short, and my time home in the summer was non-existent. The silver lining during this time for me is being with my family, my kids, and my time to re-connect with Newfoundland which, I’m sure, Joe, you’ve heard from anybody that a connection with Newfoundland is a special place. It’s where work takes me away, but if it wasn’t for that I’m very happy in Newfoundland and it’s a great place to be. I have been transformed these last eighteen months. We were all on hamster wheels, and then all of a sudden, the hamster wheel stopped, and I started baking. I became one of those pandemic bakers and seeing what else I can do with sour dough discard, and how to laminate pastry. I’ve been running a lot. It’s been a good time. How have these last eighteen months of the pandemic changed or transformed you as an artist professionally? The art that comes out of Newfoundland, and the history of our art here is very different from anywhere else in Canada. The idea of a national theatre in Canada I’ve always found to be a little silly because each region is so large, and each region has such a different relationship with theatre history. The cultural icons from each region of Canada are different. The idea of a national theatre in Canada is a topic for another conversation. I’ve been very lucky. Very few people move to Newfoundland for work. There’s a company here called Terra Bruce that’s producing ‘No Change in the Weather’ that I’ll talk about shortly. Terra Bruce was doing a web series so I did a web series with them for a few months in the winter. Terra Bruce has a resident company so they’ve kept about 30 to 40 artists employed during the pandemic and paying them a weekly wage. We’ve got a building here where we’ve been rehearsing ‘No Change’. I also started a Chekhov reading group online with actors at the beginning of the pandemic and we’d meet once a week to reach each of the Chekhov plays, one act at a time. I led that until I ran away from all things online because it was feeding me the same way as live theatre and shows do. There’s been lots of work in Newfoundland, so I’ve come home. I’m working on this production of ‘No Change’ with people I went to high school with; we started out together in going to the theatre and making theatre together. Even though I lost touch with them, I’ve been reunited with them. My sister is doing the costume design for ‘No Change’. I did a movie here. I did a short horror film with my 12-year-old kid where I got to play the killer. I’ve never had the opportunity before. Professionally, I’ve been able to keep food on the table and the family supported. The dog (a rescue dog) gets really expensive dog food to help in digestion (and Brad and I share a laugh over this). I’m aware that so many of my friends have had to pivot and that has been big for them. For me, the biggest change was to leave Ontario with my family, but work wise I’ve been very, very fortunate and it’s not lost on me how lucky I am. It’s been nice to reconnect professionally with so many people here who I cut my teeth with. Getting to work with these people again has been a real, wonderful gift. In your opinion, do you see the global landscape of the professional Canadian live theatre scene changing at all as a result of these last 18 months? I think so. I think it has to. We’re already seeing it in the way we’ve been working here. For ‘No Change’, we’re rehearsing in mask; we’re singing in mask, and that in of itself has been a bit of a game changer. The way we build our rehearsal days, especially working on a musical, we’re building in there has to be time in the day for the room to air out. We can sing for 15 minutes out of the hour without masks on. Practical things have changed. Our rehearsal week has changed. We’re doing five days now instead of six days for this contract. We’re seeing what’s possible and how much time we have together. The rehearsal hall, to me, has to be a place where you can try lots of stuff. It’s safe and respectful. I love parameters and that’s a good thing, but some of these parameters that Covid has put us into can dull the creative impulse. So finding a way to create in these parameters is a challenge. I like the challenge of putting on a musical during this time. I’m really curious to the many social things that have been happening around us. What are the plays that will be here when we are fully back? Are we going to see a bunch of pandemic theatre? What’s going on with equality, and diversity and racialization in so many ways and how that informs our theatre. With theatre do we want to reflect back to audiences the way the world is OR the way the world could be? I don’t know where we go now because the world the way it now is might not be the way the world is going to be. But the world that it could be? It could be so many different things when coming out of pandemic and how difficult it is to get a positive message going globally. Theatre should be responding to the way the world is going around it. It should be for the people. I’m always weary of truth onstage, but LIFE, we want to see LIFE on stage. I still think I’m two years away of realizing how my life has changed right now. It’s emotional during rehearsals right now. In this long-winded answer, Joe, I hope the theatre is very different in a lot of ways in that it reflects all the things we want it to reflect. I was drawn to the theatre; it made a lot of sense to me so I hope we don’t lose that sense of safe space. Maybe we’re trying to open it up a lot more? How are rehearsals going for NO CHANGE IN THE WEATHER? What drew you to want to direct the story? Tell me about the characters and the artists playing them? How has this experience enriched you as an artist? What do you hope audiences will take away from NO CHANGE IN THE WEATHER? As director it’s a challenge. This is a show that they’ve had for a few years. It’s gone through a couple of incarnations and had a lot of work done on it. I was part of very little of it. I was going to be in the cast because I was a member of the resident company of this show. One day out of the blue I got a phone call asking if I would be interested in directing ‘No Change’. Before I moved to Stratford, I was doing a lot of directing than acting here in Newfoundland. When I was at Stratford, I was an actor and did the acting thing. But I have an interest in directing so I did the Langham thing towards the end of my time at Stratford. I started a small theatre company with Steve Ross. We would do late night one acts in the Art Gallery at Stratford, a midnight showing of a one act play for just a small, invited audience every night. I love directing. My insecurities as an actor leave me when I’m directing. When I think of a play, I never think of the part I want to play but the play I want to do. I often think I get hired as an actor, I love acting, but if someone told me tomorrow that I’m not going to be acting anymore, I’d be okay. I’m really curious and hungry about directing. I’m good at it and I want to do it. I enjoy it and I feel comfortable with it. It’s all positive stuff in directing. For me, this was an opportunity. I’m used to directing a couple of actors and no technical support, just to get a good play with a couple of good actors and tour it around. I love rehearsing. One of my goals as a director is how can we bring rehearsal on to the stage? How can we keep this living, breathing, thing of a play alive? Different directors approach that in different ways, and I’m still trying to figure that out. ‘No Change in the Weather’ has been a playground for me with this company that has such wonderful resources and support for its artists. The bells and whistles are here, and I was able to get the company of actors that I was really excited about. In its earlier form, ‘No Change’ was more sentimental and dramatic of a Newfoundland story. One of the things I wanted to do with Steve Cochrane’s adaptation of the story was turn it more towards a comedy and make it more of a farce. I just thought there was more strength in the story the adaptation wanted to tell. I thought the play is a lot funnier that people initially thought it was. Terra Bruce agreed to me wanting to work with the adaptor of the play and to be in control of the cast I wanted, and they were agreeable to that. I’ve a design team that complements the production extremely well. I feel like we’ve got really good people involved. One of the best things I’ve learned as a director is not working alone, but they have their people, they have a team. There was a sense years ago of the director as tyrant, the boss, the all knowing. I don’t run into that – the directors who excite me the most are very collaborative. The director needs the actor to help tell the story as opposed to the director who tells the actor how to tell the story. This process is almost like working on a new play. Getting these actors together and getting them to help me figure out the story – I love that process. I could stay in the rehearsal hall forever. For better or for worse, I’ve never directed a musical so this was just one of those things that is scary, but I should do it. There are lot of people involved whom I respect and I love, and I want to spend time with. It was something I got excited about – the challenge of it. There’s an ensemble resident company of actors here that I did this web series with This group of actors has been together for a year. Outside of theatre school, sometimes at the Festival, you get to work with one group of actors for 8 months to a year. It’s so rare when that happens. When you’ve got that group of people that I had here for a year, and now I get to create a play with them and complement them but filling out the company with other artists, but at the core there is this group of artists here that is of such value to me. ‘No Change’ is a real ensemble piece and it makes it hard to rehearse. Pretty much everyone is on deck the whole time so I can’t rehearse a small group if a dance rehearsal has been called. It’s not always easy, but this is a strong company and they’ve got a leg up since they’ve been together for a year, and I’m just fortunate they’ve accepted me as a director. The collaboration is there, the history is there. It makes the challenge easier but a lot more attractive. I hope audiences will leave ‘No Change in the Weather’ with having a laugh. It’s a comedy in the tradition of CODCO, even ‘Kids in the Hall’. Steve Cochrane who has done the adaptation has had a long history with sketch comedy. There’s a lot of Newfoundland music. There’s a political story at the heart of ‘No Change’ and the high drama surrounding The Churchill Falls blunder. Walter Schroeder, Executive Producer of Terra Bruce, fell in love with Newfoundland music and is passionate about the province and its artists. He is involved with the music he wants in the show, plus the story and politics he wants. There’s been a pretty collaborative and effective way of working with him. I hope the audience will see ‘No Change’ as a Newfoundland comedy but not the plaid shirt and rubber boots. A lot of Newfoundland jokes are old and have been told a lot. Like so many cultural stereotypes these jokes become stereotypes of themselves. We play with this and flirt with it but we’re trying to be aware this production is a Newfoundland comedy; a Newfoundland musical being created in 2021 and not relying on the Newfoundland tropes from 40 years ago. What intrigues Brad Hodder post Covid? Chekhov really intrigues me, and I want to direct. Obviously ‘Harry Potter’ is intriguing me at Mirvish and I’m looking forward to getting going on it. I’m really intrigued about what the next ten years will be like for my kids. I know that sounds cheesy, but I’m really curious about coming out of this pandemic and everything and what the next ten years will be like. 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 or favourite teachers who encouraged you to get to this point as an artist, what would it be? Thank you. 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? Thank you (Brad says with a quick laugh and smile) What’s your favourite swear word? Fuck, but I’m told what I usually say is ‘Shitballs’. What is a word you love to hear yourself say? Satiated What is a word you don’t like to hear yourself say? Patronize because I never know which way to say it. What would you tell your younger personal self with the knowledge and wisdom life experience has now given you? You are enough. With the professional life experience you’ve gained over the years, what would you now tell the upcoming Brad Hodder from years ago who was just in the throes of beginning a career as a performing artist? Be patient and take your time. What is one thing you still wish to accomplish both personally and professionally? Professionally, I want to direct all of the Chekhov plays. It used to be the Shakespeare history plays but after so much Shakespeare, I now want to hang out with Chekhov. Personally, I want to have really good, good adult children. That’s something I keep coming back to. I just want to make sure they’re okay, and they’re making other people okay, and that they’re a force of good in the world. I aspire to give them love and hope each day, and I hope they will do the same to others around them. Name one moment in your professional career as an artist that you wish you could re-visit again for a short while. Playing Edmund in ‘King Lear’ at Stratford because I never feel like I got it. What is one thing Brad Hodder will never take for granted again post Covid? My family or my work and TIME. Would Brad Hodder do it all again if given the same opportunities? Yah, unfortunately (and Brad has a good laugh) I wish, Joe, I wanted to be an action movie star and I honestly think if I wanted something like that I could be rich and famous. I’ve always to do theatre in a small black box. To learn more about ‘No Change in the Weather’ in November, please visit www.nochangeintheweather.com . Brad will appear next year in ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ at Mirvish in May 2022. To learn more visit www.mirvish.com . Previous Next

Where music, song and dance all contribute to an enjoyable plot on stage 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

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. Back 'Innocence Lost: The Steven Truscott Story' by Beverly Cooper Presented by Theatre on the Ridge and now onstage at Scugog Shores Village and Museum, 16210 Island Road, Port Perry Credit: Barry McCluskey. Pictured: Karly Friesen as Sarah Joe Szekeres The strong Theatre on the Ridge ensemble cast handles the dramatic intensity with dignity, tact, and grace. There’s nary a weather of histrionics in the performance. Set in 1959 in Clinton, Ontario, Beverly Cooper’s ‘Innocence Lost’ dramatizes the unfortunate tragedy that erased the innocence of the lives of many young people in the town. Based on the true story of the Steven Truscott judicial case, the play describes the murder and rape of Lynne Harper (Sarah Kaufmann) through the eyes of the fictional character Sarah (Karly Friesen), the story’s narrator. At times, the production describes graphic narration that forever changes the town of Clinton when fourteen-year-old classmate Steven Truscott (Liam Ryan) is charged with Lynne Harper’s rape and murder. ‘Innocence Lost’ recounts how rumours, fearmongering, and lies turn people against an innocent man as the town of Clinton desperately want to close this part of its residents’ lives. The play spans from 1959 – 2007. It’s unfathomable to think it took forty-eight years to dismiss the rape and murder charges against Steven. Additionally, has Lynn Harper's family been able to find any closure? A possible clue is given in the second act I saw ‘Innocence Lost’ at Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre several years ago. At the time, that edge-of-the-seat production begged to be discussed later because a lot happened underneath the characters’ lives, words, and actions. Theatre on the Ridge audiences are fortunate that playwright Beverly Cooper will attend the July 19 performance and be available for a Q and A following the show to discuss these issues. Please check Theatre on the Ridge’s website for further information on Cooper’s speaking engagement. Does the same edge of the seat feeling still hold for Theatre on the Ridge’s production? It most certainly does, save for a few minor technical issues that can be fixed immediately. The strong ensemble cast handles the dramatic intensity with dignity, tact, and grace under Carey Nicholson’s solid direction. Make sure you pay close attention to the pre-show activity that takes place outside the tent. Director Carey Nicholson shows life in this small southwestern Ontario town in 1959 before the awful events. She captures that feeling thanks to Sarah Jewell’s period costumes and props. A young boy and girl walk by, with the boy steering a bicycle. This is Steven Truscott and Lynne Harper. Two boys are playing catch. Two ladies are walking and talking to each other, perhaps gossiping. Lyle Corrigan’s opening musical soundscape aptly captures the era’s tunes. A slight quibble in Act 2 near the end can be fixed. The dialogue is difficult to hear because the song is too loud. Carey Nicholson has designed the set where the audience sits on both sides, and the action takes place on the raised stage in front. There are steps around to allow the actors to exit and enter. Plot action also takes place on the floor in front of the stage. Nicholson makes a wise choice to do this. Not only does it allow for the use of levels to maintain audience interest, but it also becomes a symbolic reminder that people will always see events from different perspectives since the audience sits on both sides. But another slight quibble regarding the set design. From where my guest and I sat, it is sometimes tricky to hear any upstage dialogue or if an actor’s back is turned to deliver dialogue to the audience on the other side. Hopefully, all the actors will take this note as a reminder about audibility issues in playing to both sides. Most of the eleven-member cast assume multiple roles. For the sake of space and time, I cannot comment on all. As the fictional narrator Sarah, Karly Friesen shares her perspective of the events as a believable 14-year-old classmate of Lynne and Steven’s. Sarah’s wavering between believing and not believing Steven and recognizing how the potential of darkness existing in all human souls becomes genuinely heartfelt. As the young Steven and Lynne, Liam Ryan and Sarah Kaufmann eerily capture a sweetness of youthful innocence where I can’t even begin to imagine the atrocities both endured. As the older Steven Truscott, Austin White exudes tremendous frustration in maintaining his hope of innocence. As Lynne’s parents and Steven’s mother, Adrian Marchesano, Emily Templeman, and Annette Stokes-Harris’s palpable fear and the eventual reality of what has happened to their respective children cuts right to the heart. Thankfully, these three performers do not revert to histrionics. Instead, they allow the meaning of their words to sink into the audience’s understanding in formulating an opinion as to what happened. Reid Martin and Briony Merritt are convincing as mother and daughter who view this volatile situation in the town from opposing views. Elyssia Giancola’s eye contact with the audience as she shares her perspective of the story is intently firm. Regarding Isabel LeBourdais’s book concerning the trial in the second act, Michael Serres’ moment as Reverend Bagnall in confrontation with Adrian Marchesano as Mr. Harper becomes riveting to watch for the few minutes it occurs. Serres and Marchesano remain intently strong, especially when the latter discovers how the former becomes involved with LeBourdais’s book. Again, another quibble in audibility issues comes with Emily Templeman as Isabel LeBourdais. The second act focuses on the book she writes. However, there were moments when Templeman is upstage and I had difficulty hearing what she said. I also found moments when some of her line delivery was rushed with garbled words. My guest and I couldn’t decipher what she said. I could also hear others around me saying, ‘What did she say?’ Final Comments: Watching ‘Innocence Lost’ grimly reminds me of the 1984 wrongful conviction and eventual overturning of the Guy Paul Morin case concerning the rape and murder of his neighbour, nine-year-old Christine Jessop, in Queensville, Ontario. Steven Truscott and Guy Paul Morin’s stories and accusations were horrible. Again, I can’t even begin to imagine what the two men endured in the judicial atrocities thrown at them. These stories need to be told and shared. We need to understand how these mistakes were made and avoid this happening again. I applaud Theatre on the Ridge for staging important Canadian theatre and social justice issues like this. ‘Innocence Lost’ is one important story you must see this summer. And, if you can, go to Beverly Cooper’s Q and A. I’m out of town that performance otherwise I would have attended. Running Time: approximately two hours with one intermission. ‘Innocence Lost: A Play About Steven Truscott’ runs until July 29 at Scugog Shores Museum, 16210 Island Road, Port Perry. For tickets to the production and to learn about Beverly Cooper’s question and answer following the July 19 performance, visit https://theatreontheridge.ca/ INNOCENCE LOST: A PLAY ABOUT STEVEN TRUSCOTT by Beverly Cooper Directed by Carey Nicholson Stage Manager: Emma Church Production Assistant/ASM/Lighting Technician: Parker Drebit Costumes/Props: Sarah Jewell Sound Design and Technician: Lyle Corrigan Technical Direction and Lighting Design: Colin Hughes Digital Production Coordinator: Jana Tolmie Performers: Karly Friesen, Elyssia Giancola, Sarah Kaufmann, Andrian Marchesano, Reid Martin, Briony Merritt, Liam Ryan, Michael Serres, Annette Stokes-Harris, Emily Templeman, Austin White Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Elena Belyea "Anything can happen, which means everything is possible." Courtesy of the artist Joe Szekeres Elena Belyea is the Artistic Director of Tiny Bear Jaws, an agile, femme and queer-run cross-Canadian theatre company. Founded in 2015, Tiny Bear Jaws produces innovative, provocative, and engaging new works. It is committed to exploring the creative possibilities that exist exclusively in live performance. Tiny Bear Jaws creates theatre that’s transgressive in content and form. Past shows: Miss Katelyn’s Grade Threes Prepare for the Inevitable; Everyone We Know Will Be There: A House Party in One Act; Cleave; The Worst Thing I Could Be (Is Happy); I Don’t Even Miss You; and This Won’t Hurt, I Promise. Recently, I had the opportunity to email performer Elena Belyer questions about their artistic work and background. Belyea opens at Toronto’s Factory Theatre this week in ‘I Don’t Even Miss You.’ The show runs at Factory Theatre from October 31 to November 10 in the Studio Theatre. It then travels to One Yellow Rabbit’s High-Performance Rodeo in Calgary (co-presented by Verb Theatre as part of their 2024/2025 season). According to the Factory Theatre website, the story centres around non-binary computer programmer Basil who wakes to a new world and devastating loss. Using live music, dance, and video, I Don’t Even Miss You is a bold exploration of grief, love, artificial intelligence, and legacy that asks how gender, identity, and family can exist without anyone to perceive them. Belyea completed undergraduate work in Drama and Creative Writing at the University of Alberta before attending the Playwriting program at the National Theatre School of Canada. What is it about the performing arts that continues to keep Elena focused and interested? Whenever Elena watches or performs a play, one of their favourite parts is the knowledge that a particular moment or scene may or will never happen quite the same ever again, even if it’s a recording or coming back to watch something the night after. For Elena: “Something happens.... we’ll experience it together, then it’s gone forever. I find this really exciting. Before I step onstage, no one, not me, not the audience, knows for sure what will happen. We have an idea, but nothing is guaranteed. Anything could happen, which means everything is possible.” In profiling the artist, I also like to ask who in their own lives has either influenced or mentored them up to this point. Belyea was pleased to share the names of some mentors: Michael Kennard, Christine Stewart, Derek Walcott, Tedi Tafel, Haley McGee, Karen Hines, and Adam Lazarus. They also named artists whose work and writing they are inspired by right now: Makambe Simamba, Young Jean Lee, Anne Carson, Kae Tempest, Sophie, and Nick Cave. I’ll review the Sunday matinee performance. on November 3. The press release for the show calls the production ‘dystopian pop.’ I was intrigued by this label and wanted to know more from Elena about it. They shared the concept of the show. Protagonist Basil exists in a fictitious world where everyone else on Earth has disappeared – hence the word ‘dystopian.’ Basil creates and is now performing an autobiographical play about their life. After a thwarted attempt to star in a musical during their teen years, Basil decides the only way to summarize accurately their chronology is through narration, self-recorded videos, dance, and (pop) songs. Audiences can expect synthesizers galore, boy band motifs, choreographed melodrama, and an electric ukulele from the performance. Whenever Elena starts writing a play, a series of questions comes to mind rather than messages. I find this interesting myself—questions instead of comments. What are some of the questions Elena asks of audiences in ‘I Don’t Even Miss You?’: “What is a legacy? Can love, identity, and family exist with no one to perceive them? Is it possible to develop technology that could replace human connection? What are the physical, psychological, and spiritual impacts of loneliness? How does Basil’s transness inform the play’s content and form? “ Some heady questions, indeed. I’m always a fan of audience talkbacks about these kinds of questions. There is a talkback with the audience on November 3. I like to stay for these as I learn more about the show and the artist. Elena clarified that ‘I Don’t Even Miss You’ had a run of a very different nature in 2022. It ran again in Ottawa in 2024. But it’s hard for Belyea to know how the audiences will react. Their favourite part of the show is “Listening to the audience’s reactions and trying to identify what is landing when.” Once again, Elena clarified there were moments in Ottawa where an audience member would make an unexpected sound in reaction to something happening. Elena finds that impactful as the show's writer, the performer and the character at the moment. The life of a travelling performing artist can be tiring and exhausting. To be honest, I don’t know how these young people do it. What’s next for this ambitious young artist once ‘I Don’t Even Miss You’ concludes its run: “First and foremost— rest. I’m fantasizing about wrapping myself in a thousand blankets for a week at least, napping, reading, and playing non-stop video games with my partner and dog. After that, I will begin prep for “I Don’t Even Miss You” in Calgary and re-learn how to knit.” To learn more about Tiny Bear Jaws Theatre: www.tinybearjaws.com . To purchase tickets for ‘I Don’t Even Miss You’ and to learn more about Factory Theatre, visit www.factorytheatre.ca . Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Maria Vacratsis Moving Forward Trish Lindstrom Joe Szekeres From the Class of 1977, University of Windsor, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Theatre and English, Maria’s forty-seven-year career as a professional performing artist has taken her on many paths, some of which I’m truly envious she has travelled. She appeared in the Hollywood blockbuster hit ‘Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again’ as Sofia. She has also appeared in ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2’ and has made appearances on television in ‘Schitt’s Creek’, ‘Rookie Blue’, ‘Murdoch Mysteries’, ‘The Rick Mercer Report’ and ‘Riverdale’ only to name a few. I’ve also seen her performances both at Soulpepper and The Stratford Festival where she appeared in such classics as ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’, ‘Electra’ and ‘Pericles’. Maris is also a member of the ENSEMBLE of Toronto’s Company Theatre where she is indeed in very good company with some of Canada’s finest talents. We conducted our interview via email. Thank you so much for the conversation, Maria: 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 loath to make any predictions as to how long this will last in its current incarnation but I have every reason to believe that between vaccines, treatments and the virus just wearing itself out, we will be returning to public gatherings in another year or so. In the meantime, the inventive minds of our theatre practitioners will be finding interesting and novel ways to bring stories to audiences. I do hope that we take a lesson from some Asian and African countries who, at the first sign of a transmittable disease, don their masks and take precautions. We need to make this kind of respect for our fellow man an intrinsic part of our society. How have you been faring? How has your immediate family been doing during these last eight months? In truth, by fall of 2019 I knew I had to take a big break. I had two more projects for early winter of 2020 that would be done by the end of February and after that I was going to stop, spend time in my new home and town (we had moved to Stratford in late 2017 and I'd barely been able to settle and enjoy it) but lo and behold, a strangely timed, worldwide pandemic forced me into it anyway. My husband had been retired for a bit, so we just settled in to see what being "retired" together was going to look like. Not without some guilt, we've really been enjoying ourselves. We don't get bored, we have a lot of home projects on the go and we've been reveling in our time together, really getting to know our town and surrounding areas. As an artist within the performing arts community, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? The worst part for a time, was trying desperately to envision the future, how was I going to enjoy going back to an art form that, for me, was all about engaging closely and without fear, with other artists. I had to let that go and allow others with greater imaginations than my own, start to develop these new ideas. I also knew that, with time, my comfort levels would evolve. I had to just pull back from that and just live in the present. 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? As I said earlier, my personal timing was rather fortuitous - I flew home on February 26th and went into isolation on the 29th. In late January, I had been contacted by producers about a film project that was in the works for summer but that has been put on hold. They believe they may go in 2021. I try to make no plans these days beyond what I'm going to make for dinner that evening. Mitigates stress. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? I was able to throw myself into doing work on our new home, building new gardens, having time for my passion for growing food, cooking and baking and improving on those things. We love walking and hiking and with a lot of countryside around us, we were able to indulge. The warmer weather was also great for meeting up with a couple of friends at a time on our patios and porches. I also got to read books that had nothing to do with a project - just pure pleasure and interest. 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? That's a hard one as I think everyone needs to do whatever it is that gets them through. We're all different, at different stages of our careers, our lives. I am in awe of many of the younger artists I know who seem to have thrown themselves into creating art other than theatre - they're writing, making music, putting out content on line or in other interesting ways. Maybe it would be to take this time to "meet yourself" outside of your art. Do you see anything positive stemming from Covid 19? Generally, I believe that as a society we might start thinking that the ecology of the way we live our lives, the way we do our work, the way we engage with our environment is more important or, at least, as important as how economically successful our endeavours turn out. On a personal note, it was great to discover that after 47 years of working, pursuing work, thinking about work, I still had an identity without work, that I'm not completely defined by being an actor. This time is also forcing me to be present in my life - not having to think about doing work, getting work, learning lines, I realize that I have, at times, given my personal life short shrift. Do you think Covid 19 will have some lasting impact on the Toronto/Canadian/North American performing arts scene? Perhaps we will become "preppers" in some way. We'll always think of ways to keep ourselves prepared for these types of disasters. I personally doubt these will be long lasting. We say we learn from history but in so many ways we don't. 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 haven't had much to do with the online theatre world. Coming into this with major burnout, I just wanted to get away from theatre for a while and viewing work online was not satisfying to me - it felt like a bus man's holiday. I understand people's need to do it and I applaud it, but artists and audiences alike crave the real thing. We'll be back in the theatres soon enough - there are already signs of it around the world. Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that Covid will never destroy for you? I've been fortunate to have had a 43 year career so Covid certainly can't take away from me and it can't take away the friendships formed with some incredible artists nor can it erase the memories of all the great theatre I got to see. Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. 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

Dramas encompass the human response to a created life situation on the stage. Back 'Macbeth - A Tale Told by an Idiot' Adapted and Performed by Eric Woolfe Produced by Eldritch Theatre and now onstage at Red Sandcastle Theatre Courtesy of Eldritch Theatre Facebook page Dave Rabjohn Should a classic tale of evil and violence be the subject of parody and buffoonery? A new and unique production unfolds this week at the always alarming and provocative Eldritch Theatre at the Red Sandcastle Theatre in Toronto. Shakespeare’s bloody and shocking “Macbeth” is the perfect vehicle for this theatre always awash in horror, magic, trickery and ghastly puppetry. “Macbeth – A Tale Told by an Idiot” is adapted and performed by the multi-talented Eric Woolfe whose talents do include the design of the former mentioned abhorrent puppets. Should a classic tale of evil and violence be the subject of parody and buffoonery? – that question would advance a range of opinions. But Woolfe’s self-deprecating tone and his ability to balance elevated soliloquys with momentary satirical quips gave us entertaining insights to Shakespeare’s work. Melanie McNeill’s set design fleshes out the macabre from the beginning. A motif of mysticism is described through bloody babies, Ouija boards, ugly skulls and torn tartan. Eric Woolfe is, at times, cartoonish as part Uncle Fester and part Curly. With his puppets, he tells the well-known story of three brooding witches who manipulate the ambitious Macbeth and send him head long into the demise of murder, treachery and bloody infanticide. The pasty, fat-faced Macduff becomes the avenger. The murdered friend Banquo is portrayed as a naïve teddy bear along with a mini-bear as son Fleance. The three witches are cleverly portrayed as almost one three level puppet – a nod to the theory that the witches and Macbeth are actually one entity. They stir up the original prophecy of the crown and then muddy the waters with promises that become hollow. Lady Macbeth’s puppet is dark and brackish – her original strength quickly oozing. Woolfe’s theatrical capacity includes brilliant voice work. He plays Macbeth but also voices the variety of puppet characters. Macduff’s thick brogue and the whining of the witches are highlights among others. As mentioned, there is a veneer of puerilism throughout as Woolfe finds momentary humour in the otherwise ugly revulsion of Macbeth’s acts. The only moment of comic relief in the original play – the porter’s speech – is thoroughly sent up. Shakespeare purists might scoff, but Woolf did do justice to many of the famous soliloquys with superb renderings. Woolfe inserts fun with parlour style card and coin tricks which appear somewhat tawdry. Having said that, his use of coin tricks that leap off the face of his dead wife while he is performing the ‘Tomorrow’ speech was an eerie reminder of how Woolfe finds that balance between the risible and Shakespeare’s majestic solemnity. Although I found no mention of who was responsible for the brilliant soundscape and sound effects, the work should be acknowledged. Especially when paired with puppetry, the sound effects enrich the performance. Highlights include the comic snoring of the drunken guards and the ominous sound of the hacking down of Birnham wood. The earlier mentioned purists may revolt, but Shakespeare’s brilliance has been interpreted in thousands of ways over the centuries. This rendering was both entertaining and thoughtful. “Macbeth – A Tale Told by an Idiot” by William Shakespeare. Adaptation by Eric Woolfe Performer: Eric Woolfe Director: Dylan Trowbridge Set and costume design: Melanie McNeill Lighting: Gareth Crew Performance runs through – February 24, 2024. Tickets: www.eldritchtheatre.ca Previous Next

Where music, song and dance all contribute to an enjoyable plot on stage 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

Where music, song and dance all contribute to an enjoyable plot on stage Back Jesus Christ Superstar Now on stage in the Springer Theatre at the Thousand Islands Playhouse, 185 South Street, Gananoque Credit: Randy deKleine-Stimpson. Pictured in foreground: Nico Solarte as Judas. In background: Michael Cox as Jesus and Melissa MacKenzie as Mary Magdalene. Joe Szekeres “A co-production with Thousand Islands Playhouse and Western Canada Theatre that understands Jesus Christ as counter-cultural in the past and present. Some fascinating and clever directorial choices create visually beautiful pictures and emotional moments.” The 1000 Islands Playhouse bills its co-production with Western Canada Theatre as an “explosive, dynamic telling of the last week of Jesus’ life, full of iconic music, exhilarating dance, and stirring performances. [Superstar is a ‘quintessential rock musical] story of passion and betrayal following the exuberant faith of Jesus’ followers, the betrayal of Judas, and the devastating finale.” Loosely based on the Four Gospels of the Passion of Jesus Christ (Michael Cox) in his last week of life, much of the plot of ‘Superstar’ centers on the brooding disciple Judas (Nico Solarte), who becomes dissatisfied with how Jesus steers his disciples. (ADDENDUM: I have received word from Artistic Director Brett Christopher the sound issues have been fixed and that the artists can be heard. Wonderful news.) There’s good stuff happening on the Springer stage in telling this iconic Catholic-Christian story, both vocally and in performance delivery. There are moments when Andrew Lloyd Webber’s haunting music and Tim Rice’s poignant lyrics convey a direct message. When this happens, it becomes electrifying as I can feel the hair on my arms and the back of my neck stand right up. Music Director Clare Wyatt captures the vocal intensity nicely in the moving rendition of 'Gethsemane.' 'Judas's Death' becomes mesmerizing as the technical elements of sound, design, and actor performance all come together to highlight the wayward disciple's final complete understanding of Christ's influence and the perils of his going against it. This co-production effectively showcases Christ's enduring influence as counter-cultural, both in the past and present. It's truly electrifying when it occurs. The intimate stage at Springer Theatre is well-suited to Robert Sondergaard's scaffold set design, featuring three significant exits and entrances that are used to purposeful advantage. Unlike in a large auditorium where scaffolding might obstruct the view, the audience can easily see the characters' facial expressions as they enter. There is no need for teleprompters to watch the action. Sondergaard's lighting shades are often sharply focused, incorporating shadows and darkened areas to underscore a scene's mood. This is particularly noticeable in the second act, during the scenes in the Garden of Gethsemane and the 39 Lashes when the soldiers carry out their commanded actions towards Jesus. Stephanie Kong has done her homework in costume designs and made confident choices. Michael Cox's blue shirt symbolizes international peace, which is quite fitting. Nico Solarte's dark-coloured costumes depict a brooding young man. The earth-tone colours worn by the ensemble members are also a good choice. The apostles are portrayed as working-class, ordinary men, and their costumes of subtle tears and gentle rips reflect that, another good choice. Nicol Spinola's choreography is executed with precision. There is thoughtful consideration behind the ensemble's movements when the lyrics are heard. The staging of Christ attempting to heal the lepers remains captivating. Director James MacDonald sculpts a clear and clever vision that brings Christ to the people, not the other way around (as Christians are called to do). MacDonald uses effective stage techniques to show the audience where they are in the story. For example, during the Last Supper, ensemble members hold a white linen tablecloth to give the illusion of a table being present when it is not. The '39 Lashes' remains visually breathtaking. I put my pen away in my notebook and watched with simultaneous fascination and repulsion. The energetic and lively ensemble enters from the back of the house at the top of Act One for ‘What’s The Buzz.’ That’s a solid choice because the audience can’t help but not get involved in the euphoria. That also occurs in ‘Hosanna.’ Rob Torr's Pilate is a standout in the show. Torr sings with clear restraint, and his strong intensity and physical presence show that he should not be provoked. Oliver Castillo delivers a playful and campy King Herod. Melissa MacKenzie remains a comforting Mary Magdalene, despite her true nature. However, there are moments in MacKenzie's vocal delivery where she over-emphasizes the vibrato of her voice. It becomes distracting and takes away from the impact of the lyrics. Nico Solarte delivers a rock-star standout performance as Judas. His passionate portrayal of despair and anger truly shines. Michael Cox also impresses with his portrayal of The Christ, exuding subdued regality and charming charisma. The final image of ‘The Crucifixion’ is indelibly etched, with Cox divinely capturing the full implication of the Biblical reference: “It is finished. Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit.” The conclusion of the production is convincingly uplifting, and as a practicing Catholic, it resonates deeply in my heart, reminding me that death is not the end. A Final Thought: In his Director’s Programme Note, MacDonald writes how ‘Superstar’s’ messages of love, forgiveness, acceptance and peace are at the heart of the story. Yet these messages can also be pulled apart by those threatened by them or seek to use them to their own ends. This co-production beautifully highlights MacDonald's former thought. I hope the Playhouse has reached out to all local Christian/Catholic parishes to invite parishioners to share in a story that still needs to be experienced in our troubled world. Running time: approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes with one interval/intermission. ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ runs until October 27 at the Springer Theatre, 185 South Street, Gananoque. For tickets, visit 1000islandsplayhouse.com or call (613) 382-7020. THE THOUSAND ISLANDS PLAYHOUSE, in co-production with WESTERN CANADA THEATRE, presents JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Lyrics by Tim Rice Director: James MacDonald Music Director: Clare Wyatt Choreographer: Nicol Spinola Set/Lighting Designer: Robert Sondergaard Costume Designer: Stephanie Kong Sound Designer: Steve Marsh Stage Manager: Laurel Oneil Band: Clare Wyatt, Michael Capon, Sean Donaldson, Alex Panneton, Winston Vinh Performers: Michael Cox, Nico Solarte, Oliver Castillo, Melissa MacKenzie, Alex Wierzbicki, Lauren Bowler, William Lincoln, David Michael Moote, Rob Torr, Jillian Mitsuko Cooper, Ryan Maschke. Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. 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

Where music, song and dance all contribute to an enjoyable plot on stage Back 'Uncovered - U2 and The Rolling Stones' Now performing at Koerner Hall and produced by Musical Stage Company Credit: Dahlia Katz Photography. Pictured: Kelly Holiff Dave Rabjohn "Go, see this show - see it!" Nostalgia and fierce talent are on full display at the opening of Musical Stage Company’s cleverly named ‘Uncovered – U2 and The Rolling Stones.’ Part of the ‘Uncovered’ series, this stunning night of music features sixteen highlights from the careers of the two rock giants. Performed in Toronto’s exquisite Koerner Hall, it also features eight of the city’s most accomplished singers with an equally talented band of diverse musicians lead by Kevin Wong. A narrative, of sorts, wove through the evening with singers quoting from the main personalities – Jagger, Richards, Bono, the Edge. What gave the work credence was that no one was trying to play a character or do impersonations. This allowed the music to take over and take over it did. Inventive arrangements by Wong elevated the experience even further. Highlights: As the opening number, an infectious ‘19th Nervous Breakdown’ by most of the ensemble, pinned the audience to their seats. ‘I Still Haven’t Found what I’m Looking For’ was regal by Lydia Persaud whose voice is pure. Andrew Penner brought eerie force with hard core versions of ‘Paint it Black’ and ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday.’ Nostalgia reigned with wild guitar solos and head banging vocals. Some very inventive acoustic guitar work displayed his great versatility. ‘Moonlight Mile’ afforded some beautiful harmony from Hailey Gillis, Kelly Holiff, and Enya Watson. A very soulful ‘Wild Horses’ became a beautiful duet from Hailey Gillis and Lydia Persaud. A breathy and sincere ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ came from a riveting solo by Kelly Holiff. She also won the audience with an engaging ‘Beautiful Day.’ Two More: Kevin Wong left his role as bandleader, strode to the microphone and delivered a powerful ‘Ruby Tuesday.’ Memorable. The ever-popular Toronto fixture, Jackie Richardson, ended the first act with her signature bluesy vocals in ‘Satisfaction.’ Near the end of Act 2, she delivered a rousing ‘Where the Streets Have No Name.’ The audience stormed to its feet. What do these two rock icons have in common? The narrative suggested their anthem-like songs that we have all sung, seen or heard. The personal relationships among band members are infamous, but somehow enduring. Their movement from rebellion to accomplished artists is clear. The pairing of these two oeuvres seems random, but somehow the songs burnish one another. This is a tribute to the clever research of the Musical Stage Company. As mentioned, the clever arrangements by Kevin Wong brightened the performance. At some junctures, lyrics that were formerly shadowy, seemed to lift from the page and became clear and newly resonant. Special note: After the performance, I managed to ask the artistic director, Ray Hogg, about an instrumental piece that opened the second act. Some parts of it were recognizable and others less clear. He credited the drummer, Jamie Drake, for mashing together a number of U2/Stones songs that were not used in the main event. Pure magic. Go see this show - see it! Then go home, dust off some old vinyl and enjoy even more. ‘Uncovered – U2 and the Rolling Sones’ Musical Stage Company Music supervision – Kevin Wong Performers: Colin Asuncion, Hailey Gillis, Kelly Holiff, Andrew Penner, Lydia Persaud, Jackie Richardson, Shaemus Swets, Enya Watson. Staging – Kaylee Harwood Lighting designer - Logan Raju Cracknell Performances through – October 25, 2024. Tickets – musicalstagecompany.com Previous Next

Where we hope to help young people develop an intrest and a passion for a futrure in theatre. Back 'The Fixing Girl' by Kevin Dyer Now onstage at Toronto's Young People's Theatre Credit: Dahlia Katz. Pictured: Eponine Lee as Meghan and Eric Peterson as Grandad. Dave Rabjohn 'Recovery from loss is magic in this production' Very short history lesson: Young People's Theatre has been dedicated to bringing theatre into the lives of children since 1966 creating thousands of life long theatre lovers. Golden. This week presents the world premiere of UK playwright’s ‘The Fixing Girl’ – a moving story of a young girl wrestling with loss and change. The centrepiece of the production is the “space” – a backyard shed once the domain of Meghan’s beloved Grandad. Anna Treusch’s set design is an extraordinary highlight – an eclectic variety of cupboards and drawers, old hand tools and, of course, an actual skeleton in the closet. This is Meghan’s environment where fixing things is paramount. Grandad has always resisted the ‘throw away’ world and championed reclamation. Meghan and her Mum’s world has been tragically turned with the loss of Grandad and they both react in different ways. Mum has turned inward and quiet – Meghan rebels by defiantly rushing into the shed and locking herself in with her many memories of Grandad. Meghan takes up Grandad’s cause as she repairs something as innocuous as an old lava lamp. Grandad appears with a brilliant entrance as he climbs out of an old trunk. Played with vigour by the irrepressible Eric Peterson, Grandad shares the joys and hardships of their lives. Peterson’s Grandad is sweet and calm – always full of life and bad “dad” jokes. What did the policeman say to the belly button? You’re under a vest. Sorry! Highlights also include a brilliant jig that energizes the cast and audience. Another fine moment is a video appearance as a saucy pirate complete with shoulder parrot. Meghan is played by Eponine Lee – energy and wonder abound. She does a fine job of running the course of fear, anger, curiosity and eventual reconciliation. Zoe Doyle, as Mum, begins the play with quiet sadness and fear for her distressed daughter. As she pulls herself together, her relationship with Meghan is reaffirmed certainly with the help of Grandad’s memory – he is always “fixing” things. Director Stephen Colella does a fine job of spinning this story and integrating both high and low tech – video designer Joshua Hind cleverly arranges on stage cameras to highlight Meghan’s repair work. The “pirate” video is displayed via a 70’s style 20 inch TV reminding us that Grandad reclaims everything. Some sound issues made for difficult hearing at the beginning of the play – adjustments were probably made through the course of the performance. As mentioned, the heart of this play is the warm and distinctive set. It literally exudes the love of a grandfather and all of his eccentricities. As a side note the audience is made to understand that every component used to make up the set is recovered materials – Grandad’s passion for sustainability is visually right in front of us. Recovery from loss is magic for mother and daughter. ‘The Fixing Girl’ by Kevin Dyer Performers: Zoe Doyle, Eponine Lee, Eric Peterson Director: Stephen Colella Set and costume design: Anna Treusch Video designer: Joshua Hind Performances run through May 2, 2024. Suggested ages for audience: 8 – 13. Tickets: youngpeoplestheatre.org Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. Back Evan Buliung Looking Ahead Pierre Gautreau Joe Szekeres In chatting with artist Evan Buliung (graduate of George Brown Theatre School and the first Stratford Festival Conservatory Program), I felt like I was having a cup of coffee with an old college buddy whom I hadn’t seen in years, but I knew what he was doing up to that point. We laughed so much during our conversation that, yes, sometimes the language did turn a tad ‘colourful’ on both our parts; that was okay because Evan made me feel quite comfortable around him. We also played a game of six degrees of separation when we discovered that Evan had chummed around in his younger years with the son of my first cousin who lives in Brantford. Another point of interest, he and artist, Lisa Horner (who appears in the Toronto production of ‘Come from Away’) are the only actors in history who have played all of the Mirvish theatres. I had seen Evan in a tremendously moving production of ‘Fun Home’ with the Mirvish Series at the Panasonic Theatre several years ago. Evan also appeared in ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ at the Princess of Wales. I was so sorry to have missed that production because I heard it was extraordinary. Evan has also appeared at the Stratford Festival for 12 seasons. Evan believes the world of live theatre will come back. It’ll just be different and that’s probably a good thing because theatre was getting, in Evan’s words, “fucking stale”. I also went off script and asked Evan what he would be doing if he wasn’t an actor and artist. He told me he probably would have been a soldier. He was in army cadets when he was younger and was fascinated with war, even though he was a sensitive kid and probably would have quit the war. As he looked back on that time, Evan now believes he was looking for some kind of discipline. We conducted our conversation via Zoom. Thank you so much for your time, Evan: 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’s been, I hate to say it, actually been one of the best times of my life – allowing for introspection and some more work that needed to be done for myself personally. I don’t mind isolation, so it doesn’t really bear into my soul. I know a lot of people struggle with it, and I get that. I’ve been preparing for it my whole life. I say that from a very privileged standpoint that I’m not in a financial hole. I find it quite profound and quite a time to be alive. Things could always be worse, and that’s the Sagittarius in me, the eternal optimist. My parents are okay, they’re in Brantford. The numbers aren’t really high there. My brother and his wife and their kids, they have a lot and it’s a struggle for them, they’re busy. I don’t have kids so I’m not in that arena. Thanks for asking. They seem to be doing alright. Knock on wood. 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? I’ve always been one that I like to vary my craft and learn new things. Years ago, I stepped into film and tv pretty heavily and I’ve been doing that ever since and more dabble in theatre now. Someone once said to me, “Theatre is a young man’s game.” And I get it. Some of those seasons doing three shows…The last season I was there I performed in ‘Guys and Dolls’ and ‘Romeo & Juliet’ thinking “Yah, I can do this” and forgetting I was 40. By the end of the season, I was exhausted. It’s a lot of work. “Guys and Dolls” is massive. So, I’ve been doing other things to be honest. A wise man said to me years ago, “What’s going to happen if you walk out the door, get hit by a bus, and can’t act anymore?” Because I was. I was identifying myself with my job which is a bit tricky, but we have that ingrained in us as actors. I hope Stratford is able to pull off their outdoor projects this summer. They’ve selected good works and they’ve got great people on board. Those people deserve to work, and I hope things go well for Antoni [Cimolino] (Artistic Director) because he’s put so much fucking work into that place with blood, sweat and tears and the new Tom Patterson Theatre that should have been open for all of us. What a feeling of being kicked in the nuts that so much work has gone in especially to open that brand new theatre along with the work and nothing came of it. (I then asked Evan about the appropriateness of some titles of Stratford productions in a patriarchal world)… It’s funny, well, it’s not funny, when we were performing ‘Guys and Dolls’ in the middle of the summer is when the Harvey Weinstein story broke. I remember walking out the stage and feeling, “Ugh”. It just hit me…“Why do we do it?” I even thought that before. I asked Donne [Feore, director of the production] in the audition why are you doing this show? Now, mind you, it’s a fantastic show. The stuff with the other two is some of the funniest writing in musical theatre, and the music, obviously, is gorgeous. It’s tough to answer this question. I’ve felt this coming on for about ten years. In all of classical theatre, I can’t see this being sustainable in the direction that we’re going in terms of equality. Unless we figure out a way to do it that we have to address the patriarchal nature of the classics. It’s just the way it is and clearly white favoured…yah, it was just a matter of time before it happened. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. I’m not an Artistic Director so they will have a lot to consider. After Antoni’s term is completed, hopefully, it will be a woman who will assume the role of Artistic Director. The Festival needs female energy behind the lens, especially in light of some of the patriarchal nature of some of these plays, and I think it would really help. As a professional artist, what are you missing the most about the live theatre industry? God, I miss the people more than anything, they’re really good people. Opening nights are fun. (Evan laughs and then says) I don’t know if theatre misses me, so I don’t really miss it. There’s new voices and new stories to be told, and that’s great. I’ll be part of it, but I don’t need to be centralized in it. I’m really enjoying doing film. I’m taking a lot of classes and working on that skill. I’m taking classes with a great teacher in Los Angeles. If I’m taking film and tv classes, I thought GO TO THE SOURCE. And I’m learning shit here that I wouldn’t learn in Canada. That’s their game, so why not go right to the source…at times, it’s terrifying and fucked, but really good and really exciting. If you don’t keep learning, what’s the point? I don’t miss ‘The Crucible’. I don’t need to see ‘The Crucible’ ever again (he says with a laugh). I don’t need to see ‘Long Day’s Journey into Night’ ever again. I get it, I get what it’s for, and I’ve performed in it. 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? That’s a really good question. I won’t take the people, the experience, for granted. I don’t know if I ever did. As we all know times moves very quickly and it tends to double as each day goes by. I certainly won’t take for granted the responsibility I have to the next generation to mentor or teach or be of service to them, to be the person that I wanted when I was that age. It’s hard because the younger people can do it themselves. It’s finding that balance. Describe one element you hope has changed concerning the live theatre industry. Well, so much has changed, I don’t think it needs my help. (Evan says with laughter. And then I re-phrase the question with one element Evan is glad that has changed concerning live theatre)… I’m glad that first and foremost, behaviour in rehearsal halls. And the treatment of other artists. I was never really a whipping boy but there were, sometimes I was but I was able to laugh it off and deflect it, but some people weren’t as lucky. So I’m grateful that’s being addressed, and I don’t think people can get away with that behaviour as much as well as like teaching in theatre schools. In theatre schools there’s no need to tear someone apart in order to make them a good actor. That’s just bad teaching because you don’t need to rip the person apart and rebuild them in some sort of structure that makes them an actor. There are other and better ways to get around and not do that destructive behaviour in teaching. Explain what specifically you believe you must still accomplish within the industry. Well, in the past number of years, I’ve really enjoyed teaching Shakespeare. I teach it with Cathy MacKinnon who’s the head of Voice at Stratford and we teach at colleges, and we also taught at Etobicoke School of the Arts, and the Conservatory at Stratford. I love teaching that. I love giving back what was given to me, and I love seeing people go, “Oooohhhh!” because once you get the keys to Shakespeare it’s like (and Evan makes a kaboom sound), “Holy Fuck!” and you get inside the language and come in underneath it and make it a part of me. Then you can actually sound like [Stratford veterans] Tom Rooney or Tom McCamus or Stephen Ouimette speaking Shakespeare as opposed to someone who doesn’t sound like these fucking guys. There’s a way in for everyone and I keep saying to Cathy this is our tagline: “Give me an afternoon and I’ll make you a Shakespearean actor guaranteed.” Now, that being said, it takes about ten years to become a good Shakespearean actor. Teaching is my next foray. I still would love to play MacBeth some day, and Lear and those old fuddy duddies…. I tell you, this pandemic is giving me a whole new perspective on King Lear. 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’d rather shoot myself (with a good laugh) than go to a Covid themed play. God, we’ve all been here. What the fuck do I need that for? This is the last thing I want. Maybe, but who’s gonna go see it? What the fuck are you gonna tell? I don’t know. I can think of a fresher hell than go to a Covid play. Let’s move on. As an artist, what specifically is it about your work that you want future audiences to remember about you? Oh, wow! Jesus. Well, I mean I think what I’ve discovered is that my work has been a journey in actualizing my emotions. Coming from generations of alcoholism and different forms of dysfunction within the family unit, I haven’t had a drink in 15 years, but it’s always gone parallel with my profession is mental health and discovering these feelings that I wasn’t able to discover as a child through no one’s fault. I would hope that, for instance, when I was in Mirvish’s ‘Fun Home’ I had some people say you’re not homosexual so how could you play that. That’s not what it’s about. To me, the play is about shame and living with deep rooted shame regardless of its shame-based living. I’m hoping when audiences see this that this is somebody working through the states of being in their work that mirrors life. Our responsibility is to hold the mirror up to nature, no more no less. If an audience can resonate with that, which a lot of people did especially in ‘Fun Home’, if we can have an effect on an audience as those three girls did at the end of ‘Fun Home’, then that’s successful. Otherwise, what’s the point of doing it? I remember Peter Hutt said that to me years ago when I was younger. He said, “I don’t know why that guy doing it in this business; I know why that guy is in this business.” And he looked at me and said, “I have no idea why you’re doing this.” And it made so much sense to me. Because truly I was never in it for anything other than trying to figure out my life. And it just seemed like a really good way to do it. Previous Next

A Canadian look at an important part of our culture and history. Back Bâtardes by Chloé and Jade Barshee (English translation: Bastards) Theatre Passe Muraille Jules Bédard Joe Szekeres I really wanted to make a connection to this production of belonging, but alas. Sigh! I was really hoping Chloé and Jade Barshee’s ‘Bâtardes’ would make a comment on how important it is for all of us to feel we belong somewhere in a community not divided by race, creed, colour but by who we are as individuals. There were so many positive things going for the play initially that I thought, okay, three times going to be the charm to conclude Passe Muraille’s #BeyondTO series. For one, because I knew the production would be in French with English surtitles, this would have been my opportunity to put my undergraduate knowledge of French to work without looking at the surtitles but knowing I could if I didn’t catch everything. Additionally, I liked reading the e-zine presented for each of the three productions as important information was given as a focus along with the online house programme. When I read in the e-zine that Jade was asked the question where she was from as a child in her grade school, she realized the ignorance of the person who asked the question. When I taught Core French to grade/elementary school years ago, that context (d’où viens-tu?) was part of what we had to teach to the kids. Obviously, this syntax formatted question must now be handled sympathetically as context is so important, even though our woke world today tells us context does not matter in any case. Upon entering the auditorium Sarah-Jeanne Doré’s visually simple set design would allow me to focus on the action of the play. William Couture’s video design of the adorable young Barshee girls and their parents in everyday momentary life situations at least showed me there was a sense of belonging within this family of a Tibetan father and Québecoise mother. I really liked the preshow spot lighting of what appeared to be a transistor radio on the stage. Jonathan Léo Saucier’s costume designs nicely delineated the characters of the Barshee girls at different points in their lives. The school outfits were perfectly fitted for the girls. Mathieu Beauséjour’s monster costume worked extremely well for me as I felt this was the kind of entity that a young child could conjure up in her mind if something (or someone) was bothering her. I especially liked Chloé and Jade Barshee’s introduction to the audience as the top of the show. I bought them entirely as they became truly believable young girls at school just through the various idiosyncrasies of young people both artists adopted. But how did my interest and focus on the story wane? It was the presentation of the English caption at the top of the set. Yes, I have some working knowledge of the French language, but it has been years since I’ve actually sat in a classroom either to teach the language or to focus my attention either in hearing or listening to the language. It became so frustrating for me as the play progressed and I began to lose interest in the plot and any kind of connection I was to make to the characters. From my seat near the back of the house, the font size remains abysmally tiny to read. I kept squinting my eyes (and I wear bifocals) and looking at the top of the set to catch what was being said especially in some of the charged dramatic moments. When it didn’t improve as the show continued, I gave up in trying to keep up. At one point, the girls are speaking one right after the other that sometimes the captioning didn’t keep up with the pacing of the dialogue. That became clear to me with my limited French knowledge and again I continued to lose focus in what was being said. Please, Nina Okens, Sean Baker, and Elizabeth Morris, make the font size larger so audiences can follow the action. Here, in Toronto, neither everyone has a working knowledge of French nor is fluently and/or functionally bilingual. I get that an English translation may not be able actually to express the emotional impact of a line or thought spoken in French. At one point, the term ‘pure laine’ is used, and I remember discussing that terminology in French as a Second Language Faculty of Education classes many years ago and debating that it could not be translated and mean the same thing in English. But it’s a shame that an important play like ‘Bâtardes’ does not have the emotional impact as it should. Running Time: approximately 80 minutes with no intermission. Covid Protocols in effect. ‘Bâtardes’ runs to June 4 at Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson Avenue, Toronto. For tickets, call 1-416-504-7529 or visit www.passemuraille.ca . BÂTARDES written and directed by Chloé et Jade Barshee Artistic Consultant: Patrick R. Lacharité et Phillippe Cyr Dramaturgical Consultant: Pascal Brullemans Video and lighting design/Stage Manager: William Couture Costume Designer: Jonathan Léo Saucier Set Designer: Sarah-Jeanne Doré Sound Designer: Ariane Lamarre English Captioning: Nina Okens Captioning Operator: Sean Baker Captioning Consultant: Elizabeth Morris Cast: Chloé Barshee, Jade Barshee, Mathieu Beauséjour Previous Next

A talk with a professional artist about their career. 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

Community Theatres are uniquely diffrent from professional and Equity based companies, but are important to society Back 'Love, Loss and What I Wore' by Nora & Delia Ephron Production staged by The Borelians of Port Perry at Town Hall 1873 Scott Murdoch Joe Szekeres Smart, savvy, and saucy performances delivered by a technically solid ensemble I’ve never seen this play before, but I’ve heard of its title. ‘Love, Loss and What I Wore’ is akin to A. R. Gurney’s ‘Love Letters’ where the original casts just read from the script, and it was up to the audience to imagine the story playing out in front. This form known as ‘Reader’s Theatre’ would allow for casts to come and go as very little rehearsal time would be needed. In a slow return to the Durham Community Theatre Scene still in Covid throes, director Helen Coughlin and her cast made the choice not to read the scripts but to memorize them. Was this a good choice? More about that decision shortly. Love, Loss and What I Wore’ is a series of monologues by Nora and Delia Ephron and is based on the book of the same title by Ilene Beckerman. The story is a series of monologues focusing on the lives of five women and the clothing they wore at certain times in their lives. There are a few moments where the script shows its age. For example, there is a reference to the singer Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ which the ladies do at one point. But just because the play might be showing its age doesn’t make it any less relevant. What’s that adage? With age comes experience and, for me, that’s a mystique about ladies that can also be seen as a sexy quality. For some reason, women have this inherent instinct they remember what they had worn or what someone might have worn or not. Don’t get me wrong as this is not meant to be ‘mansplaining’ anything. Women just have this unique instinct that men don’t care about at all which I find fascinating about womanhood. The Borelians made some interesting choices for ‘Love’. This is a story about women and what transpires in their lives and in their connections to what they had worn at certain times. Can males find anything to connect with in this script at all? Recently, I had a conversation with the Producer of this show, Carolyn Goff, who is also a performer in the play and believes men can connect with the story. Good storytelling is not gender-biased. Recently the Port Perry theatre company sponsored an online contest where the production was billed as a night out with your best girlfriends. Why would men want to come to the theatre knowing this is a girls’ night out? This might appear that men might not get the story. Off I went to the opening and see if I could make a connection with the show. I also counted 14 men in the audience. If they do read this article, I hope they will comment as I would like to know what they thought. My thoughts – go and see it, guys and yes, ladies make sure you get a ticket. These are all smart, savvy, and saucy ladies who tell a good story. The second choice made by director Helen Coughlin and the cast was to go against the grain and memorize the monologues instead of reading them. Was this a good choice to make? I had no problem with it at all. It worked soundly for me in the Town Hall. From designer Shelley Martin’s neatly attractive and tidy set where every item had its proper place to Amy Caughlin’s fastidious digital designs, the production clips along at a natural sounding pace. Nothing appeared to be rushed or forced. Under Helen Coughlin’s subtle yet controlled direction, these five ladies inherently just knew when to hold for laughter or when to make those appropriate pauses for comic or dramatic effect. They sharply make the most of their time on stage as I saw distinct characterizations of many different personalities. At the top of the show, we are introduced to Gingy (Amy Caughlin) whom I thought becomes the central narrator of the story. She is sketching various clothing designs from her wardrobe that sparked personal memories for her. From there, the various ladies step forward and begin to tell their stories in their voices about events and what they wore. Some are downright hilarious, others poignant, some sad and others troubling. Amy Caughlin corralled my focus immediately at the top of the show. Her consistently calm and in control knowing smile on her face and the twinkling glean in her eye suggested she and these ladies are here to tell you some good stories and tales. And they dutifully delivered. Although the ladies play several distinct characters, I’ll only refer to one here. Go and see how they handle the others. Lara Stokes’ sharp comic sense of timing is pitch-perfect as she talks about shoes. Carolyn Goff also displays keen timing not only on why she hates her purse but also in the tough girl image she shows us about halfway through. Annette Stokes’ story as a breast cancer survivor becomes funny, touching and very poignant, especially for those of us in the audience who have been affected by the disease in any way. Joanne Norman’s frantic search to find the right thing to wear (when she says she has nothing to wear while surrounded by a mound of clothes) is enjoyable. Final Comments: As the Durham Region community theatre scene slowly returns, ‘Love, Loss and What I Wore’ was an appropriate choice to showcase the Borelians are back in business. Lovely to see the tight ensemble work on stage. Running Time: approximately 95 minutes with no intermission. ‘Love, Loss and What I Wore’ runs October 21 and 22 at 8 pm AND October 22 at 2 pm. All performances take place at Town Hall Theatre, 302 Queen Street, Port Perry. For tickets visit www.townhalltheatre.ca . ‘Love, Loss and What I Wore’ by Nora and Delia Ephron, Based on the book by Ilene Beckerman Presented by Borelians Community Theatre. Director: Helen Coughlin Producer: Carolyn Goff Stage Manager: Brenda DeJong Set Designer: Shelley Martin Lighting Designer: Joanne Norman Sound Designer: Michael Serres Digital Designer: Amy Caughlin Cast: Amy Caughlin, Lara Stokes, Annette Stokes, Carolyn Goff, Joanne Norman, Brenda DeJong Previous Next

Where music, song and dance all contribute to an enjoyable plot on stage Back '9 to 5, the Musical' presented by Saint John Theatre Company Imperial Theatre Drew Murdock Aaron Kropf After a day’s delay owing to an illness in the company, Saint John Theatre Company’s final 22/23 Main Stage offering of ‘9 to 5 the Musical’ opened Thursday evening at the Imperial Theatre. It is the crown jewel of the Saint John Theatre Company season. It’s not many times one goes to the theatre where there’s a strong opening night buzzing and even rarer to know that everyone in the packed house had a blast. 9 to 5 the Musical is the story of three women; Violet, Doralee, and Judy who have had more than enough of dealing with their sexist, egotistical, and bigoted boss Franklin Hart Jr. Daydreams of tormenting Hart go from that to reality, as the three women continually find ways out of sticky situations. The set was kept simple with three large pillars that moved and turn to quickly move from one scene to the next. A few desks moved on and off stage when needed. And the piece de resistance: the best use of video to help set the scenes including narration at the beginning and end of the show by the one and only Dolly Parton. Keeping the set simple made for snappy scene changes and kept the show moving at quite a clip. What a company of talented artists this is. Led by three talented women Kizzy Kaye (Violet), Andrea Paddock (Doralee), and Jen Downey (Judy), each made the roles their own, which can be a challenge given the pedigree of those that came before them both on screen and stage. Bertis Sutton embodied the perfect amount of charm and slime needed to pull off Franklin Hart Jr. The show is full of great tunes created by Dolly Parton allowing each character to have a moment to shine. Two moments in the show really stood out. Jen Downey’s rendition of “Get Out and Stay Out” will bring you on a roller coaster ride of emotion. It’s hauntingly beautiful and Downey makes it seem easy. The subtlety with which she performs this number makes it that much better. The other moment, one that I know I will not soon forget, is “Heart to Hart” performed by Chelsea Cusack as Roz. Not only is it a great number for Cusack to really show off her dazzling voice but lets her show off her comedy chops. This was a number that brought the house down, and I’m sure it will do that at each performance. 9 to 5 the Musical is a spectacular way to wrap up a season. It’s guaranteed to be a fun-filled night out at the theatre. The show runs through May 28th (including a new matinee added) at the Imperial Theatre. Visit imperialtheatre.ca for tickets and other information. Previous Next

Where music, song and dance all contribute to an enjoyable plot on stage Back 'Mamma Mia' presented by Thousand Islands Playhouse Now onstage until August 10 at the Springer Theatre, 185 South Street, Gananoque Credit: Randy deKleine-Stimpson. Pictured: Jessica Sherman & the cast of Mamma Mia! Joe Szekeres ‘Destination Thousand Islands Playhouse has done it right yet again. ‘Mamma Mia’ is a bona fide hit. Silly and absurd? Yes, but who cares? This production is joyously fun-filled. I had a terrific time watching this diverse cast do their thing passionately.” On a beautiful sun-kissed turquoise Greek taverna, Sophie (Annika Tupper) prepares for her wedding to fiancé Sky (Brandon Antonio). After reading her mother Donna’s (Jessica Sherman) diary, Sophie is still unaware of who her real father is. The diary refers to at least three men with whom Donna was intimate. Writing in her mother’s name without letting her know, Sophie invites all three, hoping it will become clear who her real father is. There is Sam (David Leyshon), an American architect and divorced father; Bill (Jeremy Legat), an Australian wandering writer and adventurer; and Harry (Rob Torr), a British banker. Years ago, Donna was the star of a musical trio, Donna and the Dynamos, along with her friends Rosie (Laura Caswell) and Tanya (Louise Camilleri). The latter two have arrived to share in Sophie's joyous day. However, the unexpected arrival of the three potential fathers, much to Donna’s surprise and anger, adds a delightful and unexpected twist to the proceedings, keeping the audience engaged as the plot unfolds toward discovering Sophie’s real father. What is it about this 25-year-old jukebox musical that still transcends generations and draws audiences of all ages in droves? ‘Mamma Mia’ is a product of the twentieth century. At times, the plot becomes silly and absurd. Some twentieth-century references will probably go right over young people's heads in the audience. At times, some of the sexual overtness might not sit well. Let’s face it – many years ago, during my undergraduate years, the term ‘hoe bag’ would aptly fit Donna’s behaviour. Director/Choreographer Stephanie Graham states in her Director’s Note why the show still works: “There are many atrocious events happening on this planet. Sometimes, we need a couple of hours to escape, sing some familiar songs and dance together in a theatre so that we can recharge and face the world again tomorrow.” Graham’s right. We gotta lighten up and take ‘Mamma Mia’ for what it is—celebrating the pull-and-tug relationship between mothers and daughters everywhere while hearing and dancing to some terrific ABBA songs. At the performance I attended, a young girl in front of me put her head on her mother’s shoulder during ‘Slipping Through My Fingers.’ The mother wiped tears from her eyes at the end of the song. That, my friends, is the power of theatre and this Thousand Islands’ production. Brandon Kleiman’s terrific set design spans the entire Springer stage. It’s breathtakingly washed in Amber Hood’s sun-kissed lighting designs of aqua blue. Bex Tralli’s pleasant soundscape of waves lapping against the shore with the echo of gulls flying overhead transported me away. Another note of commendation to Tralli – I heard every single lyric of every song this afternoon. The sound balance between the orchestra and the performers is perfect. Julia Kim’s summer clothing designs and choices appropriately create a colourful visual panorama. To the creative team of director/choreographer Stephanie Graham, music director Nick Burgess, stage manager Dustyn Wales, and all crew members behind the scenes. Thank you all for allowing me to experience vicariously being taken away from our hot summer Gananoque afternoon to the serene heat and serenity of the Greek islands. Graham’s evenly balanced direction never slows the show’s pacing. Set changes with ensemble members remain fluid and seamless. Nick Burgess’s solid music direction allows these nostalgic ABBA songs to soar to the heights of the Springer Theatre thanks to Bex Tralli's fine-tuned sound balancing between the orchestra and performers. Graham’s choreography remains sharply and tightly executed throughout. One moment where it shines is ‘Money, Money, Money.” It’s a hole-in-one shot for this terrific cast. They’re having the time of their lives on the Springer stage. That kinetic energy spills over to the audience, and I’m right there with them. Graham has assembled a diverse, spirited ensemble of young performers who contribute to the piece's whimsical and absurdist fun. With hips swivelling, torsos gyrating, and pulses racing, these ensemble members are ones to watch for in future productions. David Leyshon's robust stature adds strength to his performance as Sam. Jeremy Legat’s Bill is a throwback to Paul Hogan’s Crocodile Dundee from the mid-1980s. Rob Torr’s gentlemanly Harry nicely balances Donna’s, at times, temperamental behaviour. Laura Caswell’s Rosie’s hilarious and flirtatious duet of ‘Take a Chance on Me’ with Jeremy Legat, as they play musical chairs hopping, remains one of the show's highlights. Louise Cammilleri is a sexy and seductive Tanya. Her cougar-like flirting with hotel pool boy/boy toy Pepper (Tyler Pearse) in ‘Does Your Mother Know’ comically addresses the age gap between the two. Annika Tupper offers a unique performance as Sophie that works. I’ve seen other productions of ‘Mamma Mia’ with a sweet and demure young woman. Here, Tupper shows a feisty and sometimes tough-as-nails Sophie. Given her unique life with Donna on the island and the distinct challenges of living with a single parent, Sophie has probably grown up experiencing many hardships and challenges. Brandon Antonio’s young hunk of a Sky offers a dramatic complement to Annika Tupper’s feisty Sophie. When Tupper (as Sophie) finally comes clean about what she has done regarding the three invitations, Antonio’s look at his fiancée clearly shows he has thought through the consequences of Sophie’s actions. Sky is not pleased at all with her. It’s a highly intense dramatic moment that speaks volumes, especially when Sam tells Sophie not to go after Sky because he’s right in what he said. Jessica Sherman is one of the reasons to run and get tickets. Her Donna is grounded in complete emotional intensity. She’s gutsy, spirited, and bold as a single mother. Man, oh, man, Sherman also sings and sells a song with complete conviction. Her ‘Winner Takes It All’ remains sublime. Her anger, hurt and frustration with Sam for leaving her spill out with rage, love and hate. This moment became a masterclass in acting and singing as I heard myself quietly say ‘Wow’ at the conclusion of the number. And Another Thought: The production focuses on women's strength and desire to discover their identity. It’s there if you want to look for that. I’m posting a challenge. I dare anyone who does not have a smile come across his/her/their face at least once during this bona fide hit of a show at the Playhouse. It’s a dare and challenge. I hear tickets are scarce, but I have also heard there is availability for the first week of August. Run, beg, plead to get a ticket. ‘Mamma Mia,’ I’m sure, will be one of the highlights of this 2024 season. Running time: approximately two hours and 30 minutes with one interval/intermission. ‘Mamma Mia’ runs until August 10 on the Springer Stage, 185 South Street, Gananoque. For tickets, www.1000islandsplayhouse.com or call the Box Office at (613) 382-7020. THE THOUSAND ISLANDS PLAYHOUSE presents ‘MAMMA MIA’ Music and Lyrics by Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus and some songs with Stig Anderson’ Book by Catherine Johnson Originally Conceived by Judy Craymer Directed and Choreographed by Stephanie Graham Music Direction by Nick Burgess Stage Manager: Dustyn Wales Set Designed by Brandon Kleiman Costumes Designed by Julia Kim Lighting Designed by Amber Hood Sound Designed by Bex Tralli Performers: Jessica Sherman, Annika Tupper, Laura Caswell, Louise Camilleri, David Leyshon, Rob Torr, Jeremy Legat, Brandon Antonio, Tyler Pearse, Taylor Garwood, Eva Petris, Jen Fong, Marco DeLuca, Ali Hand, Jaden Kim, Ryan MacDougall, Kyla Musselman, Michelle Nash, Demi Oliver, Patrick Stiles Previous Next

Where music, song and dance all contribute to an enjoyable plot on stage Back 'Moulin Rouge' The North American Tour Now on stage at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria Street, Toronto Credit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman for Murphy Made. Pictured: Some of the cast from 'Moulin Rouge.' Joe Szekeres “A visually dazzling spectacle of kaleidoscopic colours, textures, shapes, and sizes. It’s too much sometimes, and I had to shut my eyes because I was in sensory overload and had to clear my thoughts. The challenge with fully appreciating this ‘Moulin Rouge’ is John Logan’s book.” ‘Moulin Rouge’ (English translation: red windmill) is one of the nightclub hotspots in the late 1890s, Paris. The exterior of the building is a windmill painted red with spinning turbines. When I first visited Paris in the mid-1990s for the first time, the ‘Moulin Rouge’ was still operational. During a recent trip to New York City, I spoke with someone who had seen the Broadway production of "Moulin Rouge." This conversation prompted me to think more about the touring production at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre. Please note that I have not seen the New York production. This individual to whom I spoke in New York said there is an actual red windmill in the Broadway production. The stage is large and spills right into the audience. None of that exists here because the show is touring. What conclusion did I finally arrive at about the touring production now playing in Toronto after a weekend in NYC? This ‘Moulin Rouge’ resembles the red and white holiday candy prevalent this time of year. It is beautiful to look at and exquisite to enjoy, but the flavour doesn’t last very long. It’s the late 19th century in Paris's bohemian, avant-garde Montmartre district. The opening musical number reminisces of ‘Cabaret,’ where the Emcee welcomes the audience to a seedy nightclub setting in Berlin. In both stories, people come for nightly entertainment, including music, drinks, songs, smoking, and the occasional imbibing in debaucheries. ‘Moulin Rouge’ introduces us to director Harold Zidler (Robert Petkoff), who breaks the fourth wall and speaks to the audience as if we were the audience that night in the late 1890s. We are reminded that the ‘Moulin Rouge’ is a place where all our dreams will come true (no matter what they are) and that we: ‘Can, Can, Can’. You’ll understand that reference when you see the show. Young composer Christian (Christian Douglas) meets the nightclub’s regular guests, Toulouse Lautrec (Nick Rashad Burroughs) and Santiago (Danny Burgos). The latter two are in the process of writing a play with songs in it and would like to see it mounted in the nightclub. Christian has become smitten with the nightclub’s superstar, Satine (Arianna Rosario). Zidler, however, has something else entirely in mind for Satine. He wants to introduce the superstar to the Duke of Monroth (Andrew Brewer), who might be a potential investor in the show created by Lautrec and Santiago to help save the club from closing for financial reasons. Monroth’s interest in Satine becomes deadly. With music direction by Andrew Graham, many of the production’s well-recognized musical numbers are sung with a fiery passion. I especially liked Adele's 'Rolling in the Deep' and 'Your Song' (which appeared in the 2001 film.) The remix at the conclusion gives the audience one final opportunity to hear the music again. However, the sound balance between the orchestra and the performers needs tender, loving care. The orchestra is too loud. It overpowers. I knew the words to some of the songs but not all of them. There are moments where I didn’t catch a thing. At the intermission, my guest turned to me and asked what was going on with the bass. Again, hopefully, sound designer Peter Hylenski can work this out. Visually, some extravagant moments in lighting, costume designs, and choreography are noteworthy. For example, Justin Townsend’s extraordinary lighting design fluidly becomes sharp one moment while seamlessly blending into another shadowy effect moments later. Catherine Zuber’s skin-tight costume designs become fine reminders of the era, accentuating the various builds and frames of the sexy actors, singers, and dancers in the ensemble. I particularly noticed these clothing designs during the pre-show when the actors appeared on stage and began interacting with each other and the audience in the front row. Sonya Tayeh’s choreography is sleek and sharp. Directed by Alex Timbers with a taste for the flamboyant in music and dance, Arianna Rosario is a sultry Satine. Christian Douglas is charming as young composer, Christian. Robert Petkoff’s opening number with the ensemble becomes veritable eye candy. I was trying to take in as much as I could. Andrew Brewer is a swarthy, lanky Duke who creates a couple of frightening moments with Satine. The challenge with this touring production lies in John Logan's script. It provides a superficial take on the classic boy-meets-girl story. Significant gaps in the storyline make it easy to anticipate the plot twists as they approach. Final Thoughts: I tried to sit through the film version of ‘Moulin Rouge’ when it first appeared at the local cinema. I walked out because I didn’t get the story. Regarding DVD, I thought I’d give it another chance. About fifteen minutes in, I turned it off because the story did not interest me at all. What was I supposed to glean from the film? After thinking more about this, I realized that the film’s script just didn’t appeal to me. Yes, the musical numbers caught my attention, but that’s not the only reason people should attend musical theatre. The music is an important part, agreed, along with the choreography and movement. However, if the story doesn’t appeal to me, no amount of singing or dancing will cut it. The Mirvish show programme includes a reference to this ‘Moulin Rouge’ as a work of theatrical imagination. There are moments where imagination and creativity exist in this touring production, no doubts at all. I wish there was more of a believable story. Approximate running time: 2 hours and 45 minutes with one interval/intermission. MOULIN ROUGE runs until January 12, 2025, at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria Street, Toronto. For tickets: mirvish.com or call 1-800-461-3333. Previous Next