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Back 'The Shadow Whose Prey The Hunter Becomes' Now onstage at Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley Street, Toronto Credit: Kyra Kind Centre: Sarah Mainwaring. L: Simon Laherty R: Scott Price Joe Szekeres “Timely production. ‘Shadow’ pierces honestly and openly the human emotions regarding disability.” The story is set in a public meeting in a community hall in Geelong, Australia. In his Programme Note, Director Bruce Gladwin calls ‘The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes’: “the type of public meeting one would hope to happen in a certain kind of democracy. What’s unique about ‘Shadow’ is the use of human conversation between three neuro-divergent actors, Simon Laherty, Sarah Mainwaring, and Scott Price, to move the story forward. The play becomes an emotional gut punch regarding how individuals and mega corporations treat neuro-divergent individuals. It sent me back over forty years ago to my first year of teaching. ‘Robbie’ was a thirteen-year-old student in my class who, like Sarah Mainwaring, had suffered a severe head injury. There was always this sense that ‘Robbie’ didn’t truly feel like others accepted him, just as Sarah had experienced. That’s how powerful this story becomes personally. Good theatre gets its audiences to think, and that’s precisely what this opening night did for me. Had I done enough as a first-year teacher to meet Robbie’s education requirements and help him feel he belonged in the class? I hope and pray so, but ‘Shadow’ makes me think otherwise. Laherty and Mainwaring enter at the top of the show. Costume Designer Shio Otani has the two of them wearing comfortable clothing. Simon looks like he’s trying to follow the latest fashion, as his designer-looking jeans are stylishly ripped and frayed. Sarah is comfortably dressed. About fifteen minutes after Scott enters, he is smartly dressed, wearing a blazer, plaid shirt, comfortable-looking trousers, and shoes. Set Design is basic. Laherty places five chairs side by side on centre stage as he and Sarah converse. Through the assistance of Screen Designer Rhian Hinkley, the audience follows Simon and Sarah’s dialogue through voice activation. Surtitles are projected onto a screen above the stage so the audience can follow. Some amusing moments ensue between Simon and Sarah at the top of the show. Like anyone who feels comfortable with another person, the odd swear word is injected into the conversation. There is also some frank discussion between Sarah and Simon about sexual activity and consent. This discussion gives way to the two of them sometimes snapping back and forth at each other. Sometimes, Scott becomes the referee in a few heated moments between Sarah and Simon. Bruce Gladwin directs with careful sensitivity. He allows Simon, Sarah, and Scott to voice what they have experienced personally or learned on their own. We must listen to them. And it’s revealing when the truth is out. Laherty, Mainwaring and Price admirably deliver honest performance work. I felt my eyes well, and from what? Shame? Embarrassment? Anger over how neuro-divergent people have been treated historically? The honest answer is YES. ‘Shadow’ also examines the controversial use of AI (artificial intelligence), which is troublesome in our twenty-first-century world. It isn’t very comforting to consider its implications. For example, television, film, and stage artists have discussed how AI can unfairly capture their images without fair recompense. These actors have every right to continue the discussion because AI robs these individuals of their likeness. And yet, we’ve embraced AI. Much of the audience appeared to follow the dialogue on the screen for the entire one-hour performance. I certainly did. Was I being fair to these three talented actors on stage? Did I give my full attention to listening and hearing what Simon, Sarah and Scott were saying without looking at the screen all the time? Ashamedly, I didn’t. I relied on AI to help instead of listening and hearing what the three were saying. And that again made me think further about my actions. That’s when the significance of the title became clear. Will AI continue to hunt the essence of who humans genuinely are as it continues to creep slowly into the world we know today? What human voices will become the next prey? Final Comments: I had no clue what this production was about when I knew it was coming. Even its title remained puzzling at first. I left the theatre after the one-hour performance speechless for some time at some historical truths I discovered about the treatment of neuro-divergent people. I will not look upon toy company Hasbro and the games I used to play as a child in the same way ever again. Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries is a horrific time in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. ‘The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes’ becomes an important one to see. The production, thankfully, never becomes shaming and blaming. Instead, it sets out what it intends to do in the Programme Letter from the producing company Back to Back Theatre. It is a play about individual and collective responsibility. We are not self-sufficient. That is the reason why you should go and see it. Running time: approximately one hour with no interval/intermission. ‘The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes’ runs until January 28 at the Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley Street, Toronto. For tickets: canadianstage.com or call 1-416-368-3110. A BACK TO BACK THEATRE PRODUCTION presented by Canadian Stage ‘The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes’ Authors: Michael Chan, Mark Deans, Bruce Gladwin, Simon Laherty, Sarah Mainwaring, Scott Price, Sonia Teuben Directed by Bruce Gladwin Composition: Luke Howard Trio (Daniel Farrugia, Luke Howard, Jonathan Zion) Sound Design: Lachlan Carrick Lighting Design: Andrew Livingston, bluebottle Costume Designer: Shio Otani Screen Designer: Rhian Hinkley, lowercase AI Voice-Over Artist: Belinda McClory Performers: Simon Laherty, Sarah Mainwaring, Scott Price Previous Next

Back Rebecca Perry ​ ... Joe Szekeres My friend, Peter Mazzucco, recommended that I should get in touch with his friend, Rebecca Perry, for an interview as she has led a fascinating career so far. Rebecca’s name sounded familiar to me, and I’ve finally recalled that I saw an interesting solo show in summer 2020 as part of the Hamilton Digital Fringe Festival: Sarah/Frank by Steven Elliott Jackson which toured to the Toronto, Fundy and Halifax digital Fringe festivals. Rebecca Perry is a Toronto‐based actor, singer and writer, best known for her solo work which she writes and performs around the English-speaking world. Her two Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl shows have taken her from coast to coast in Canada and from top to bottom of the UK and Ireland, both receiving critical acclaim. Perry’s most recent solo show, From Judy to Bette: The Stars of Old Hollywood has toured around Ontario, the East Coast, the Prairies and all over the UK. It had great critical and industry success at the 2019 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and most recently toured around the GTA for three months with Toronto’s Smile Theatre and finished a full run in the Sudbury Theatre Centre’s 19/20 season garnering six Broadway World Award nominations. Perry performed a live-streamed, fireside version of the show in March 2020, which won the Broadway World Award for Top Streaming Production/Performance. She can be seen on film in the multi-Canadian Comedy Award-winning web series A Gay Victorian Affair, and the feature films Forest Fairies, Best Friend From Heaven and Baby in a Manger, as well as on television programmes available on streaming services in the UK, Canada and North and South America (including Ponysitters Club, Haunted Hospitals and Killer Affair). Perry’s theatre performances have continued digitally since lockdowns began, and she has toured several shows with Smile Theatre, including From Judy to Bette, and two works created for that exact purpose: Maps of Home: A Folk Cabaret and Christmas in Hollywood. Perry’s most recent works include the role of Ethel LeNeve in Jackson’s The Kindness of Murder, which was filmed for the 2021 digital Next Stage Theatre Festival. We conducted our interview via Zoom. Thanks again, Rebecca: Next month, 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? You know, it’s funny, obviously everybody has had their challenges and to take better care of their mental health, this time has created a space for me to learn more about myself, and also created space for me to get creative. If I didn’t have this space of this time [of Covid] right now, I wouldn’t have been able to follow through on a number of projects. Before our interview, I made a list of about eight things I wouldn’t have done if the pandemic did not occur. I’m already a woman who wears many hats in this theatre industry. Along with being an actor, singer, I’m a playwright, producer, and I’ve had a chance to actively flex all those muscles at different points throughout this year in a way that I don’t think I would have allowed myself the time to do, nor without the time to do any of this without CERB. Artists need funds to do their work so when you take that stress away from them, all of a sudden people can do their passion projects, not just projects that pay the bills. My partner David and I have been extremely careful. After we did our online show, we made the executive decision that we didn’t feel safe where we were living in Toronto in Little Italy. We had the good fortune of having my parents stay with them for a few months and bubble with them. How have you been spending your time since the theatre industry has been locked up tight as a drum? I’m a yearly speaker at George Brown Theatre School about producing your own work. One of the things I’m known for is producing my own solo work and having it travel the world, not just Fringe Festivals but theatre seasons in Festival seasons. I do say to the graduates if you have any idea for a production, write it now because you’re going to need it sooner than you think. It’s the most important thing I can say even to people three years younger than me. My very last contract before the pandemic hit, one I’m very proud of that took a lot of time and hard work was a full length run in a theatre season of my most recent solo show called ‘From Judy to Bette: The Stars of Old Hollywood’ which chronicles the life and times of Judy Garland, Bette Davis, Lucille Ball, Betty Hutton and what they did for the television and film industry that paved the path for other women to do the same thing. This show was a passion project for me, and I’m sure you can tell from the tone of my voice just how passionate I am about it. We had a 2 and a half week run at The Sudbury Centre. That ended, Covid hit, and I went from a 90-minute “bells and whistles” production in Sudbury to my very first pandemic gig being an online version of the same performance, in my living room, and it received tons of support. I’ve turned it into a fireside story telling moment and just found out a week ago it was awarded Top Streaming Production/Performance in the 2020 Broadway World Toronto awards (and nominated for five others for its run at the Sudbury Theatre Centre in Feb 2020). After this, I felt so creatively fuelled that I had this online support. With my partner David Kingsmill, I wrote a folk cabaret called ‘Maps of Home’ that we’ve been meaning to do for awhile. David is from the the UK, I’m from Canada, but we’ve found out all these ways we could have met 10 years before we did. It’s about your roots, your home, what’s special about home, when you leave your home. The biggest plus for me has been this writer/actor relationship and connection I’ve made with Steven Elliott Jackson who wrote ‘Sarah/Frank’ as well as ‘The Kindness of Murder’. And having this wonderful, wonderful relationship furthered when Ryan G. Hinds became part and directed both of these pieces. I was the producer of both these productions. I had such a good time with Ryan in producing ‘Sarah/Frank’ that I wanted to do it again ‘Kindness’. I’ve become excited in moving forward as to how I’m going to adapt to the inevitable changes that will come out of this time of isolation. If we adapt, we will thrive. If we don’t adapt, we’re just going to break our hearts over and over again. I’m excited about digital ideas I want to put out there. We also finished off the year with ‘Christmas in Hollywood’ which was a lot of fun and presented it to seniors’ home across Ontario. Our show was done from Zoom and projected onto screens in seniors’ homes. The pandemic has been a horrible thing to occur, but there is also room to count your blessings. It turns out I have a talent for refurbishing antique furniture, so I’ve been doing that and selling it on Facebook Marketplace. It totally brought me joy. I’m also into selling vintage clothing. For fun, I’ve been creating Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse ears. My health is also better. I’m getting more sleep than ever before. The late Hal Prince described the theatre as an escape for him. Would you say that Covid has been an escape for you or would you describe this near year long absence from the theatre as something else? That’s almost a tricky one because Covid has forced me out of my shell a little bit. I had been creative in ways that I didn’t think I’d have the time to be. I think I have made theatrical alliances that I’d hoped would have happened 5 or 6 years down the road such as two shows by Messrs. Jackson and Hinds. They have been both good friends of mine and an utter joy to work with both of them. I also had a chance to align myself with a community that is adjacent to the musical theatre scene in Toronto which is the Cabaret Performance and Burlesque Community. I’ve always been meaning to make this connection. Cabaret style of performance always enters into what I’m doing so it was wonderful to make some connections in the Toronto community of it as I’m only connected to the communities in Edinburgh, Scotland and London, England (going to the Fringe next summer) My next gig was to tour ‘From Judy to Betty’ for four months in the UK. It was high time to make these connections in TO. I’ve also aligned myself with this wonderful woman, Stella Kulagowski, who goes by St. Stella in the burlesque community. She put out a call because she got a fully funded grant to put out a digital show. She wanted to do a web revue of Canada’s top talent, but in a whole bunch of different sections from Cabaret to Burlesque. I was doing the old-style Hollywood MGM cabaret style performance. It was a smorgasbord of wonderfully talented performers. Check out this link to learn more about Stella’s company: https://pointedcapcabaret.com/performer-bios/ I do come off as an extrovert, but I see myself more as an ‘extroverted introvert’. That’s why I like writing and creating my own solo shows because I can really focus on what I’m doing. I’m a team player and want to work with as many different people as I possibly can. 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 agree and will be honest and say it’s probably more likely the end of 2022 before we have a return to the traditional form of theatre as we have come to know it in a building with a proscenium arch. As a touring artist in the English-speaking world, I know personally I probably won’t get under a British or Scottish proscenium arch until the summer of 2022 unfortunately. That being said, I think it was high time that a lot of things got shaken up a little bit. There were a few companies and people in power who were stagnant and lazy. Now, all of a sudden, every single company had to adapt at the same time, and it has actually created a larger sense of community again. Counting those little blessings, strangely enough we can’t see each other but we’ve never been more connected than ever. I’m not going to say it was necessary as, my goodness, a pandemic is awful. But, it’s interesting the amazing things that have happened. Does it make me sad that I believe theatre won’t be back until the summer of 2022? Of course, it does. The best thing anyone can do in this time is keep training. There are wonderful online classes and talks with speakers Canadians normally wouldn’t have any access to (David Connally and master classes). This has created a sense of unity. The theatre that is going to occur up to the summer of 2022 are solo shows. Since I perform some solo shows, it’s forced me to research how are we going to pull things off safely? – The answer is outdoor theatre with a limited audience (50 people, 15 people). Theatres need to get a bit creative – more shows with less audience? I know that isn’t an answer theatre may want to hear, but it’s a matter of safety for all those who are involved and attend live shows. As a solo show performer, I’m going to be on the front lines this summer and yes I want to make sure everyone is safe. I know it’s an answer people don’t want to hear, but there has to be plexiglass. As a solo performer, I’m going to be seeing so many people, so I have to ensure that I’m safe no matter what. It does make me sad. Actors are going to have to try their darndest to connect with an audience even through plexiglass if used. In a strange way with a limited audience, the performer will be forced to improve their craft even more to get the attention of that small audience. I had a discussion recently with an Equity actor who said that yes theatre should not only entertain but, more importantly, it should transform both the actor and the audience. How has Covid transformed you in your understanding of the theatre and where it is headed in a post Covid world? I think there’s no room for something that doesn’t generally move an audience. I do a lot of stuff on the lighter side of musical theatre, I don’t it generally matters with the subject matter, it’s the connection with the audience that is so very important on multiple levels. There isn’t room for anything insincere that won’t shake the heart. Many subjects can shake the heart, as some commercial theatre has given theatre a bad name but that’s all out the window now. We have to feel the emotion right now. We’ve stopped drinking Diet Pepsi as we want to drink the real thing – Pepsi. As artists we have to be doing something now that matters, not something that is going to further your career. We have to be telling stories that need to be told right now, and that it’s relevant to our society right now. I really hope artists will think about why they are creating what they are creating. Some of the most moving things I’ve seen recently are not what I had expected. And I love that. People have to give credit to all kinds of scales that theatres can be created. I have felt utter joy in all kinds of theatre out there. I really hope for upcoming post pandemic theatre that both audiences and theatre companies are going to take chances. I truly believe that artists are going to create so much more with purposeful intention. It’ll take longer for larger casts to come back and that’s sad. But, when larger casts do return I hope they will think about what they are creating which will give them purposeful intentions. There’s power in taking up smaller casts and exploring what can be offered with them. There’s going to be exciting times ahead. 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? Ooooo….. I like the three parts to this question. I’m actually going to say I agree with the sentiment of it in the sense of it that if you aren’t present in the moment and feeling the thrill of what is happening in the story, the audience won’t feel it either. I think she’s referring to intention to effect and affect an audience. In the last five years, we’ve had some wonderful breakthroughs in making actors feel safe while doing dangerous work. Not only fight choreography instructors, but there are also now intimacy coaches to help you safely navigate bumpy, turbulent relationships within the text. What’s nice is you can be focused on the danger and thrill of the story because the entire band of actors are doing it in a safe way where they trust each other and where everyone feels like they’re not going to be in danger, they’re going to be so good at their job and focus on the text that the audience will feel like they’re in danger. I love the sentiment that you should feel that thrill, but in the past five years we’ve found the way to feel safe and secure no matter the text presented in the script. When I heard that definition, I was harkened back to the 1990s when the Method acting was the way to go for an artist. Now let’s take this from a different perspective on account of the pandemic since the quite is so relevant. I’m going to be so nervous in having someone work alongside me in that initial stage of returning. I’m not sure when doing my job isn’t going to feel like a risk if it’s just more than me on the stage. It’s petrifying but it’s also realistic. It’s going to take a long time for all to be vaccinated and hopefully people will not be skipping any of the safety steps before and after vaccination. I think I’ll be sticking to all of these wonderful digital creations or to my solo shows probably until the summer of 2022 and then hop on stage with other people with the knowledge that all will be vaccinated and, hopefully, if there are any ramifications or not. 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? For me, it’s been appreciating the little things and celebrating the little successes and trying to celebrate those of my family and friends as well. While our industry is in tatters, and many of my closest friends are in this industry, it’s both a blessing and curse to look outside the definition of yourself that includes your career, and more like who you are as a person. It has made me more sensitive to celebrating more than what I just used to celebrate. Alongside another woman, we planned the Zoom baby shower to end all baby showers for a friend, what was nice was the fact she felt safe at home. Of course, it’s tricky to have a shower since we can’t get together. Celebrating things that have nothing to do with the arts has brought me so much joy that I want to keep doing that once we’re out of Covid. I want to intentionally make time to celebrate all of life’s miracles. Before I was so laser focused on the career moments, I was missing some of the beautiful stuff around me, and I don’t want to do that again. It’s not a theatrical answer, but it’s the truth. 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? As I told you earlier, the three side businesses have also kept me going during this time. I want to take better care of my health especially when I’m touring. I’ve actually had the time to figure what I need to sustain myself to thrive since I’m a vegetarian. I’m so excited to apply that the next time I go on tour as I’ll feel more strong, ready and awake. I can’t believe it took me until my thirties to realize this life changing source. I probably should have done it sooner. I’ve realized the mind/body connection in my curiosity as you have to be at your fighting weight. Yes, we have to have good mental health but there are other elements we shouldn’t neglect. To see a teaser of Rebecca in production of ‘From Judy to Bette’, click the YouTube link below: https://youtu.be/Ud7WO49wedY Previous Next

Back Sedina Fiati The Self Isolated Artist Robert Obumselu Joe Szekeres Sedina Fiati held quite an interesting conversation today. Before this pandemic hit, she talks about how she was on that proverbial hamster wheel of ‘busy ness’; we both agreed on the fact that this isolation allowed us that opportunity to sit and just ‘be’ amidst the craziness of it all. Proudly black and queer, Sedina is a Toronto based performer, producer, creator and activist for stage and screen. She is deeply invested in artistic work that explores the intersection between art and activism, either in form or structure or ideally both. She is the former co-chair of Diversity Committee & Councillor – ACTRA Toronto (2013-2017), 2nd VP Member Engagement & Councillor – CAEA (2015-2018) and named as part of 2014 Dyke March Honoured Group – Toronto Fierce Femme Organizers. We held our interview via Zoom: We’ve just past the three-month mark of isolation and now slowly emerging from quarantine. How have you been faring? How has your immediate family been doing during this time? It’s been really difficult for a lot of us, but there’s a lot to be thankful for. I’ve been working throughout and haven’t stopped. I’ve been doing a lot of online facilitation and a lot of online Zoom calls. It’s been hard to be cut off from a lot of things that we used to be able to do and not be able to see our friends or our families. Here in Canada, we’re lucky for the health care system, the emergency benefits. In the grand scheme of things, it’s been a hard-few months, it’s been a hard three months but in the grand scheme of things, I’m 39, I’ll survive three months of hardship (laughs). I’ve been ok and so has my immediate family. I live with my partner, so we’ve just been isolating with each other. My mom is in a retirement residence, so I’ve been able to see her a couple of weeks ago with a physical distance. I’m looking forward to seeing her again, so yeah, everyone’s been ok. As a performer, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? It’s been a time. I wear a lot of hats and it’s hard for me to talk just as a performer. It’s been hard not to go and see shows. I really miss that. It’s also been a good time of contemplation, of next steps. I feel like I was going to be quite busy throughout this spring, so this has allowed me to slow down as a performer, breathe and think through things. During this slow downtime as a performer, I’ve been thinking about training, about craft and how I’ve let that fall by the wayside for the last while and been wanting to reconnect with that and with practicing. Personally, my partner and I have been reconnecting with each other. I’ve been calling people and text on a regular basis with family and friends. I’ve done my share of Zoom calls. I haven’t done many social Zoom calls to be honest, a few for sure, but for professional reasons I use Zoom a lot instead. I appreciate not having to look at a screen if I can help it. 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? Yeah, I was. There were three things that were supposed to happen. One of them has been postponed where I was assistant directing with a friend on a project that she was creating that was going to happen at the Railway Museum in the spring. I was also supposed to do a workshop of a new play at YPT by Alicia Richardson called ‘Sweeter’. Alicia is the Canada Council playwright in residence there. I was supposed to direct a workshop of that play and that has been postponed to the fall. I was producing a reading of a new play called ‘Leopards and Peacocks’ by Gitanjali Lena. We did an online sharing of two scenes a few weeks ago to do something and to commemorate the 11th anniversary of the Tamil civil war. There was a conference in Banff I was supposed to go to. That ended up being online with 3 seminars and video sharings. A lot of things postponed and moved around. Performance wise I had nothing. I had thoughts about putting a cabaret together. I thought about this schedule and thought, “That’s a lot.” I would have gotten through it all and would have been fine, but it’s probably better to chill out. I’ve been appreciating the time to do a few more things. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? Personally, I’ve been cleaning up a lot. So, my apartment is really clean. Just been watching things a little bit – lots of audible podcasts. I have more time to do things. More cooking, lots of baking. The stuff that I would squeeze in here and there I’ve had more time to do. A lot of cleaning. I’ve always been inspired by Marie Kondo and, in general, makeover shows. Watching ‘Queer Eye’ has inspired my partner and I to change our space around. In addition to that, it’s been a lot of Zoom calls and online facilitation. I work at Generator as APT. We moved to online – 2 sessions a week – until mid-May. I’m now in prep for a children’s piece theatre. We’re moved the session to be online this year. I know Camp TO is happening but I’m not anticipating the day camp to be open. The weekends I really don’t have any energy left for work. I feel just depleted by the time Friday rolls around. I don’t think I’ve been on the screen so much since all this happened. 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? It is a time of disruption where what we were doing before is not even possible. To the professional theatre school grads: “To be fair and honest, to be so honest, it takes a long time to build up a career anyway”. That was my experience and thinking back to 2004 when I graduated from theatre school. I did an indie show right out of school and other Fringe shows. I wasn’t paid a lot but that was okay because I wanted to do them. To the graduates and to fellow performers and colleagues – those opportunities will come back. It’ll feel like, “My career is delayed but so is everyone’s”. We’re on such an individual trajectory anyway so who’s to say what you would or wouldn’t have gotten? In the grand scheme of things, if you’re in a career for the long haul, you’ll be fine. Even with a year off, you’ll be fine. Life happens to us for any reason why your career will take a break. Be ready for those moments when your career takes a break. This time of the pandemic has made me aware that we may have to be doing other things with our time. My overarching answer: “You’ll be fine.” Maintain yourself care in terms of your sanity and whatever you can do for your creative practice, but you don’t have to overdo it. I do anticipate live performance for an audience may not return for a little while, unfortunately, but I can’t see performers being off for a really long time. It’s hard to be a performer so that’s why I’m glad to be wearing a producer’s hat as the stars have to align for a show to happen. There are always things you can be doing. Still taking the classes, exploring video performance. Dance class, singing. You should always be doing these things anyway. The work never stops. You can make an audience online. Do you see anything positive stemming from COVID 19? For all of us, it’s just a time of collective pause and think through who and what it is you want to be. I feel personally that I was on a hamster wheel and still on there. Just thinking about my trajectory, I didn’t even take a break until I graduated. So the positives for the new graduates: Journal, refill the well, develop those self-care practices, find positive elements to sustain yourself. You can take that break too. Don’t feel like you’re actually missing out. This is your time, your trajectory, your career. This is a part of how your career has unfolded. Really take the time to contemplate. Others have had their own set of challenges too just like you. When things start back up again, you’re grounded and in a space of joy because that is, I think, the space where some of the best work happens. Do you think COVID 19 will have some lasting impact on the Canadian/North American performing arts scene? Yeah, it will. Tonight, I’m a guest for the Indie Arts Coalition in an open space - a series of ongoing conversations about how we want to move forward in a better and different way. Things are in the air that haven’t been there in awhile. A big thing that’s happening is the contemplation of what we’re doing and why, and who it’s benefitting in terms of the independent artist. The system set up, nonprofits being set up, and making sure independent artists are recognized somehow, financially. With anti-racism, systemic oppression. Black Lives Matter, there’s a real spotlight on issues. I’ve been working on this for quite some time and so have other people before me. I don’t think we can come at this the same as we had. It’s also a tough time because I don’t know how funding will be affected by the economic downturn. Will there be the same amount? Which institutions will be left standing after this? The ones that are left are in a space of reckoning that we can’t do things the way we did before. We’re really going to have to work hard and pull innovative approaches to bring our audiences back to collective spaces, and to welcome people back. 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? There are so many things to say about it good and bad. I have questions about the commissioning of online performance from larger institutions and are people being paid properly for that work. There was an immediate response, at first, of the proliferation of work online to try to address the fact performances were canceled and people were out of work they might have had. Now that things have settled, online performances are a good thing and especially because what alternative is there? I would rather see fewer performances that were well promoted, and artists were well compensated than seeing a bunch of performances. I can’t keep up with everything that I’m seeing online right now, bam, bam, bam…. who’s next? It’s still a valid format, but I would rather people took the time to explore the medium and what the possibilities are and that things were properly promoted. Streaming removes the barrier of participation of people who might not have money and presence for whatever reason for those who can’t attend live performances. The Zoom reading, I don’t know how that will fare when COVID is over. Yes, Zoom has allowed artists to collaborate from all over and that’s good. The Zoom reading will probably not endure to the extent that is happening now. Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that COVID will never destroy for you? The ephemeral nature of performing. There’s something deep within the human history of storytelling that we can never erase that is deep within our DNA as humans. We need to share our stories with each other. We need to share emotions with each other. My parents were quite artistic so it appears that I’ve followed suit. The way we tell stories may differ, but we need to tell them. This will never be destroyed. 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? Breath 2. What is your least favourite word? Moist; it’s just kind of a funny word. It’s a great word, but it’s still a funny word Prime Minister Trudeau even pointed out what kind of a funny word it is. 3. What turns you on? Sharing, honesty, generosity, kindness, joy 4. What turns you off? Dishonesty, misplaced anger, meanness, excluding people, trying to feel better than somebody else. 5. What sound or noise do you love? I love laughter, children’s laughter, and children playing. 6. What sound or noise bothers you? Styrofoam rubbing together. That one really gets me. 7. What is your favourite curse word? Oh, Fuck, for sure. It’s so versatile. What is your least favourite curse word? Cunt ‘cause it’s a good word. 8. Other than your own, what other career professions could you see yourself doing? On line facilitating. Through various means, I’ve been teaching Zoom for Beginners to laid-off hotel workers. It’s all people of colour who worked in hotels who have been laid off so it’s been a joy to help these people figure Zoom. 9. What career choice could you not see yourself doing? Hmmm. This is a good one. I don’t think I’d be a very good accountant. (laughs) Too many details. 10. If Heaven exists, what do you hope God will say to you as you approach the Pearly Gates? Oh, this is a fun one. “Here is all of the foods you love. Here are all the people you love who are now dead. It’s a party.” (laughs) You can follow Sedina on Facebook: Sedina Fiati, Twitter and Instagram: @bwheelsheels Previous Next

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

Back Ballet Edmonton’s “e-motion” tour presented by DanceWorks Guest reviewer Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, arts educator Nanc Price ​ Toronto’s DanceWorks continues its diversely provocative season of dance with an exhilarating triple-bill program from Ballet Edmonton, a contemporary ballet company offering new and original works each season. This 90-minute performance featured eclectic storytelling by three outstanding choreographers interpreted by the bodies of 10 highly skilled and talented members of the company. Act One began with “Persistence of Memory” by award-winning Artistic Director Wen Wai Wang. This 25-minute piece, set on a bare stage and (somewhat under) lit by lighting designer Dorrie Deutschendorf, was conceived out of the pandemic of 2020, fueled by our deprivation of human contact. The company, wearing black suits in the first section, moved quickly about the stage in intricate formations. Sharp staccato movements contrasted with beautiful soft fluidity and unbelievable synchronicity. Wang utilizes the stage to the utmost, cleverly using space between his dancers to evoke separation and desire. Unfortunately, harsh spotlighting from above and behind the dancers kept their faces mainly in shadow, masking the full emotion of their performances. While this seemed an intentional decision, I felt it somewhat incongruous with the explicit physical emotions of the piece. The second part of the number featured 3 couples in pas-de-deux, each telling their own story of connection. With breathtaking fluidity, each couple entwined their bodies, not always making physical contact, yet still moving as one being. The last part of the piece brought the company together again with more finely executed, synchronous and hard-hitting contemporary moves. An enthusiastic and well-deserved ovation for this fabulous company of artists capped off a wonderful start to the show. After a 5-minute pause to re-set, the curtain opened on the second piece, “Black Moon” by Montreal choreographer Dorotea Saykaly. A single male dancer emerges in centre stage spotlight, performing vertical and horizontal contortions in slow motion, exhibiting mighty control, superhuman flexibility and phenomenally sensitive connection with the original score by Riku Mätinen. There’s definitely a mythical, sci-fi approach to this one, something post-apocalyptic even. Dressed in frayed and ripped grey togs, the performers writhe and gesture, elongating their backs, and legs in full extension. They come together in breathtaking unison, each performer an integral part of a larger, living unit. More sharp, distinct movements and provocative tableaus like bodies frozen in what appeared to be a running race, evoked powerful images of faith and desire. This piece showcased the immense condition of the dancer’s bodies as they seemed to effortlessly perform extreme core isolations while on relief for minutes at a time. Fantastic! After a 20-minute intermission Act 2 brought us “Valei-mei” by choreographer Diego Ramalho. Mr. Ramalho brought us a different narrative, exploring feelings of belonging and how music evokes an unconscious connection to a place. Dancing to traditional Brazilian folk music, the entire company once again impresses with stunning synchronous movement under the golden lighting simulating the hot Brazilian sun, once again from designer Dorrie Deutschendorf. This time we could see each emotion, hear each breath, see each drop of sweat. The women had their own exquisite small group section, making powerful and sensitive connections to each other while maintaining the compelling narrative of music and soul. Later, a male dancer entered carrying pales of water, eagerly received by three other male dancers. The water was intentionally sloshed and splashed onto the stage with several members pouring most of it onto themselves at the end of the piece. I wasn’t sure about this part of the narrative here, but it was fitting for the last piece of the evening. As a contemporary ballet company, Ballet Edmonton is breaking new ground. Its vision to explore new ideas with passion and curiosity is equalled only by its immensely talented ensemble of dancers and technicians. Their dedication to presenting thought-provoking works to the community through contemporary ballet while furthering the artistic development of its artists is both laudable and necessary. May they continue their journey to bring reflections of the world to stunning life through movement. Previous Next

Back 'Celestial Bodies' by Jacob Margaret Archer The Studio at Toronto's Young People's Theatre Jimmy Blais Joe Szekeres A challenging dramatic monologue of body imaging which is difficult to discuss, ‘Celestial Bodies’ is treated with the utmost care, dignity, and respect for the human person. Young People’s Theatre once again handles youth issues with care, class, and dignity for the human person. Produced by Montréal’s Geordie Theatre, ‘Celestial Bodies’ becomes a hard-hitting, poignant tale of a young girl entering high school who becomes self-consciously aware of her diverse body image and how she appears different from others. But, though, when we look at the galaxy and the universe, there are diverse shapes, bodies and sizes that are beautiful and extraordinary in their own unique way. As a retired 33-year schoolteacher, I will admit this is an issue which truly hasn’t become any easier to discuss with young people. If anything in our social media age, some young people become fixated on maintaining the perfect body image to the point of health and relationship issues with others. Protagonist Stella is what I will call the normal teenage girl from my years in education – a fast talker because she’s trying to relay as much information as she can and how she is feeling about it. At the beginning of the story, she is sitting in a hockey locker room deep breathing to calm herself down after a panic attack. To calm herself down, Stella shares with us she is interested in the galaxy and dreams of becoming an astronaut. Whenever she feels panicky, she imagines she is wrapping herself up in the universe and the galaxy and this seems to calm her nerves. Stella is at the pharmacy with one of her two mothers conversing with the pharmacist about weight gain. Her mother Imma who is overweight is very warm and accepting while her other mother, Andie, was a former Olympic hockey player from the Turin Olympics who is always giving pep talks to her daughter. She’s going into Grade 9 and like any other young person going into high school wants to fit in. She tells us about a boy who was in her French class in Grade 8 and used to wink at her when he handed out the homework. Stella took a fancy to his winks and hoped more would come from this connection he made to her. Going into Grade 9 poses its new set of problems. The boy who used to wink at her in Grade 8 is now very mean to Stella. He and another girl end up throwing a yogourt cup at the back of Stella’s head. She leaves the room with her dignity intact but loses her composure in the bathroom as she’s trying to get the yogourt out of her hair. A girl, Essie (who is different from the others at the school) comes in to help Stella wash the blueberry yogourt of her hair. They later become friends. Essie encourages Stella to become part of the hockey team with her brother, Noah, whom Stella calls a cute guy. Noah learns of Stella’s interest in the galaxy. The next day, when she is at school, Stella’s science teacher makes a comment about her size and her wanting to become an astronaut which he realizes afterwards was a huge error on his part, but the damage inflicted through words is already done. While in the cafeteria, bullies start taunting Essie and Stella once again and throw another yogurt cup. Because Stella has been practicing goalie moves, she captures the yogourt cup, and tosses it to Essie who then flings it back at the bullies. Essie and Stella are then given detentions even though they are the ones who did not start this teasing incident. A staff-student hockey game in which Stella participates becomes a high point of interest where she maintains her dignity about herself and her place in the world, including the galaxy. As Stella, Riel Reddick-Stevens remains most believably and consistently grounded in the moment and very real in her performance of a young girl who is confronting so much stuff in her life. She never ventures into tears or overacting but allows the words of the monologue and their meaning to speak for themselves. Director Jimmy Blais envisions this story with dignity and compassion for all diverse body individuals because he writes in his Director’s Note: “This play hits home for me and for whoever has struggled with body image.” Thank you so much for your candour, Jimmy. Tim Rodrigues’s lighting design fluidly moves from shadows to warmth with ease from scene to scene and from moment to moment naturally. The multitude of colour hues from the galaxies has been effectively captured on stage. I especially liked Eo Sharp’s set design. On the floor are pictures from the galaxy where there are pictures of planets from space. Reddick-Stevens believably moves from around the Studio playing space sometimes while standing on a planet or at other times in the middle of the galaxy. Reddick-Stevens also maneuvers around the stage in what looks like three mushroom stands. You’ll see them in the picture above. These set pieces are quite effective in providing an interesting visual perspective because nothing in the galaxy ever appears the same. Things are constantly changing shape and size continually. As Blais says in his Director’s Note: ‘We are like stardust’. Final Comments: As a 33-year retired schoolteacher, I would heartily recommend ‘Celestial Bodies’ as a trip for elementary and secondary students, first as an opportunity to discuss with students the importance of self-care, self-image, accepting and loving ourselves in the way we have been formed. Second, this is an extraordinary performance to watch a recent theatre school graduate share a story that gripped the attention span of the young audience members I saw around me. Running Time: approximately 60 minutes with no intermission. There are some Q & A after the performance so check when you purchase tickets if you are interested. ‘Celestial Bodies’ runs until December 9 in the Studio at Toronto’s Young People’s Theatre, 165 Front Street East, Toronto. For tickets, call 416-862-2222 or visit youngpeoplestheatre.org. ‘Celestial Bodies’ by Jacob Margaret Archer Produced by Geordie Theatre Directed by Jimmy Blais Set and Costume Designer: Eo Sharp Lighting Designer: Tim Rodrigues Design Assistant: Sorcha Gibson Production Manager/Technical Director: Aurora Torok Stage Manager: Annalise Pearson-Perry Performer: Riel Reddick-Stevens as Stella Previous Next

Back Dennis Garnhum Self Isolated Artist Courtesy of Grand Theatre, London, Ontario Joe Szekeres The four years pursuing my undergraduate Arts Degree at King’s College, University of Western Ontario (now known as Western University) solidly shaped my personal and professional interests in the Arts. One of those areas where I still believe the city holds its appeal is in the performing arts sector. When I attended Western, Purple Patches was one of the central student theatre groups on campus which provided a creative outlet for likeminded individuals. I also remember the extraordinary Grand Theatre where I saw some wonderful productions nearly forty years ago. When I started reviewing for On Stage, I wanted to make sure the Grand was included. I have seen some terrific world class professional theatre there recently, and I am always grateful when the invitation has been extended to me to come to London to review their opening night performance The Current Covid pandemic has thrown the professional performing arts sector into a tailspin that has many, who hold a vested interest in it, still reeling from the devastating impact. It’s going to take an extraordinarily calm and clear-headed individual to sift through with a firm grasp and clear vision to move forward into an unknown and uncertain future. I spoke about this quality trait in an earlier profile regarding the Stratford Festival’s Director, Antoni Cimolino. I also place The Grand Theatre’s Artistic Director, Dennis Garnhum, in this same category with Mr. Cimolino. Mr. Garnhum became Artistic Director of the Grand in the fall of 2016. His credentials have been profoundly notable within the theatre community. Since his arrival and return home to London, Dennis has created several new programs with the Grand. He has also launched a new partnership with Sheridan College’s Canadian Music Theatre Program that now positions The Grand’s High School for its next phase of development. Across Canada, Dennis has directed many plays, musicals, and operas with a number of companies. At the Grand Theatre, he directed Timothy Findley’s ‘The Wars’, ‘Prom Queen’ and ‘Cabaret’. He was set to direct the premiere of ‘Grow’ before it was cancelled on account of the Covid pandemic. Dennis and I held our interview via email: 1. How have you and your family been keeping during this two-month isolation? We have found some creative ways to fill our days: I work for the Grand in the basement, my husband’s office and broadcast studio (he’s a journalist) is the bedroom, and our daughters bedroom doubles as her school room. We started tiny school: 4 kids, 5 parents all on zoom. One class a day taught by a different parent. I teach drama and art! 2. What has been most challenging and difficult for you and your family during this time? What have you all been doing to keep yourselves busy? The most difficult thing is to not be able to reach out and touch and play. Our daughter, Abby, is most affected by it. We always have a minimum hour of outdoor time daily and I have organized and reorganized the house a few times. 3. In your estimation and opinion, do you foresee COVID 19 and its results leaving a lasting impact on the Canadian performing arts scene and on the city of London itself? We will refer to the time before and the time after COVID no doubt. Ultimately, I think the ultimate impact will be positive: streamlining, priorities and abundant passion. We will focus on doing less, better, and with more imagination and thrill. The City of London too will learn from these things, and I do believe prosper. People will discover London is a perfect city to live in: it has a lot more space than the larger cities, combined with great things to do: Population will rise. 4. Do you have any words of wisdom to build hope and faith in those performing artists and employees of The Grand who have been hit hard as a result of COVID 19? Any words of fatherly advice to the new graduates from Canada’s theatre schools regarding this fraught time of confusion? First of all, I have great compassion for the loyal Grand team whose jobs and lives were interrupted with very little notice. People who work at the Grand live in London and make their lives mostly around being with us - so that is without doubt the most painful thing of this time - not being able to continue to make theatre. My hope is that we return to work sooner than later, that we will return to a company and a city willing to enjoy live theatre. The last thing we did was to have a staff breakfast on that fateful day (March 13) and one of the first things we will do will be to sit together and share a meal again. I miss these beautiful people. This past year the Grand Theatre’s production of GROW was workshopped at Sheridan College and at Goodspeed Opera House. Both events used incredibly talented graduating students. They are now out in the world - waiting. I can see their bright faces. My advice is just to be clear with one thought: We’ll return. You’ve lived this dream this long - keep it in your heart - don’t focus on the dark thoughts - and think how glorious it will be when you are able to be on our stages. And you will. 5. Do you foresee anything positive stemming from COVID 19 and its influence on the Canadian performing arts scene? Only positive things. Everything will be reconsidered. The best part, I think, is how we will appreciate what we had to a greater extent. I think it will make for extraordinary conversations. 6. I’ve spoken with some individuals who believe that online streaming and You Tube presentations destroy the theatrical impact of those who have gathered with anticipation to watch a performance. What are your thoughts and comments about the advantages and/or values of online streaming? Do you foresee this as part of the ‘new normal’ for Canadian theatre as we move forward from COVID 19? I think online streaming was a brilliant first effort and reaction to a need. What do we have? Computers - and go! I think it’s usefulness is nearly done - and won’t play an important part in live theatre in the future. It’s film. I think it will speed up meetings and allow for some very creative shoutouts etc. But, live theatre is live theatre: people sharing stories in a room. 7. What is it about the Grand Theatre that you still adore in your role as Artistic Director? Well, I adore everything about this role. Everything. What I appreciate the most right now, is that it is a complete honour to be working at the Grand Theatre during this point in history - and I know my role is to be part of team who sees it through to bright, bright, better days. With a respectful acknowledgement 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? Beautiful. 2. What is your least favourite word? No. 3. What turns you on? People. 4. What turns you off? Long lines. 5. What sound or noise do you love? My family laughing at the same time. 6. What sound or noise bothers you? Car horns. 7. What is your favourite curse word? Dang. 8. Other than your current profession now, what other profession would you have liked to attempt? Architect. 9. What profession could you not see yourself doing? Giving out parking tickets - too stressful. 10. If Heaven exists, what do you hope God will say to you as you approach the Pearly Gates? “I have a Muskoka chair by the lake waiting.” To learn more about the Grand Theatre, visit www.grandtheatre.com . Previous Next

Back 'SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL' At The Princess of Wales Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade Joe Szekeres With a bemused expression on my face as my guest told me, I spotted some audience members wearing platform shoes, bell bottom pants, sparkly slacks, tops and tees, and the ‘big hair’ from the disco era which brought back some fond and embarrassing moments from my high school years at the opening night of ‘Summer: The Donna Summer Musical’. Just like I did with ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Story’ which also played at Mirvish, I did make strong connections to some of the characters and events from ‘Summer’. The plot deals with the Disco Queen (rumoured that Ms. Summer never liked this title) at three stages of her life. There’s Duckling Donna (played with such ease by Olivia Elease Hardy, and I’m looking forward to seeing her in future shows). Disco Donna (a sexy and seductive Alex Hairston) and Diva Donna (a glamourous Dan’yelle Williamson). What’s clever about this production is the use of Ms. Hardy as Mimi, one of Donna’s future children. Ms. Williamson also plays Donna’s mother, Mary Gaines. At times, the production reminded me of a glitzy Las Vegas show revue. Sergio Trujillo’s choreography sharply reflects the hip swiveling, finger pointing, dance moves of the seventies. When the three Donnas sing together, hot damn do they ever sound good especially in their rendition of ‘MacArthur Park’. Those ladies look terrific on stage backed by a company of a marvelously fit dancers who sometimes appear androgynous. There’s nothing wrong with this revue looking format since I love spending time in Vegas as I’m sure many of us do if we can go. Nevertheless, that glitter and glitz flee quickly away leaving me feeling distant from the emotional element surrounding Ms. Summer’s checkered past in a failed relationship with one of her many lovers. The reason I felt distant (and sorry about the spoiler alert here). Ms. Summer clocks said lover on the face with a coffee table book that has a picture of Barbra Streisand on it. Whether or not Ms. Streisand’s picture is intentional as a joke or comment, here is a point about two strong women in the music industry who have probably had their share of high ranking official men try to take advantage of them in one way or another. I had read many years ago there was tension between Streisand and Summer when they recorded ‘Enough is Enough’ and was hoping there was reference. Nope. There was also a vulgar insinuation of Ms. Summer getting down on her knees, not only for praying, which really bothered me especially since she is no longer with us. This one hour and forty-minute female empowered jukebox musical sans intermission isn’t a terrible show as there are some strong performances throughout. Much like ‘Beautiful’’s mini concert near the end, Ms. Summer’s iconic ‘Hot Stuff’ and ‘Last Dance’ brought the house down. Ms. Williamson’s rendition of ‘Friends Unknown’ brought a nearly minute and a half long audience applause which brought her to tears. Steven Grant Douglas’s performance as Summer’s second husband, Bruce Sudano, is good but I wished there was more character development for him to show that not all men are like the ones Ms. Summer had to deal with in her career. I couldn’t make out the object appearing down centre stage at the top of the show. When the performance began, and it was a stereo turntable with a Casablanca record label recording, I thought that was quite inventive to tweak my interest. The videos on the panels at the back worked fine for me in order to help establish the various locales. I quite liked the images of the paintings Ms. Summer had completed when she stepped back from her career to be with her family and her own personal health diagnosis. SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL Runs to March 22 at The Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King Street West, Toronto. For tickets, call 1-416-872-1212 or visit www.mirvish.com . Songs by Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, Paul Jabara and others. Book by Colman Domingo, Robert Cary and Des McAnuff Music Supervision and Arrangements by Ron Melrose. Choreography by Sergio Trujillo Directed by Des McAnuff Previous Next

Back Cory O'Brien Theatre Conversation in a Covid World Tim Leyes Joe Szekeres I’ve stated it earlier in other profiles from the Toronto company’s profiles of ‘Come from Away’. We need this show now more than ever once it’s safe to return. Hopefully the Toronto company will return again SOON. Cory O’Brien is just one member of a tremendous ensemble of dynamite actors who make me want to see this production so much when it does finally return. Cory holds a BFA Acting from the University of Windsor. While there he studied vocal performance (singing) with Jeannette Dagger. Once he moved to Toronto, he largely studied with David Dunbar. He has completed seven seasons at the Stratford Festival; toured North America in ‘Mary Poppins’ and performed in theatres in Alberta, Quebec, New Brunswick and extensively all over Ontario. Cory was part of the original cast of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ with Mirvish. He appeared in ‘Cats’ at the Panasonic Theatre, performed in the Toronto Fringe Festival as well as the Next Stages Festival. Additional work with Toronto Operetta Theatre. We conducted our conversation via email. Thank you so much for taking the time and to add to the conversation, Cory: 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? This is a tough one. There are so many implications to this time in our lives (point in history really). I think we will continue to feel the vibrations for years to come before anyone will be able to say with any certainty what has ‘happened’ during this time. You mentioned Black Lives Matter and BIPOC movements... I would actually say that Black Lives Matter and BIPOC awareness has grown. And I hope that awareness never goes back to normal. The death of George Floyd happened early in the pandemic, at a point where most people’s lives were on hold. Where during normal times people could keep their heads in the sand and miss things that seem to be outside their daily experience, this happened while people were essentially holding their breath and watching events very closely. And what we witnessed was an undeniable case of racism, with horrifying consequences. In the broader sense I think (and hope) we are moving towards a time where society shrugs off the apathy and self-centred views that allow systemic racism, fringe political extremists etc. We need to stop only seeing things in our personal spheres. Indeed, this time has shown us there is only 1 sphere we need to be concerned with - This planet... and we’re all in it (or on it) together. I heard on the news yesterday that there was a police department in the GTA that has discovered, and been criticized for, systemic racism. The viewpoint seemed a little shocked. I think we need to switch that thinking up... we should be shocked if there WASN’T systemic racism. Accept it and let’s move forward making things better or everyone. Post COVID will be and should be a new reality. Have you learned anything about human nature from this time? Ha! Learned about human nature? The above kind of covers that. People have had a tendency to see the world through the lens of ‘what affects me?’ What a wake-up call to see ‘what affects the world affects me.... and what affects me affects the world’. I think people are generally good. And WANT to be good. During the pandemic I’ve seen it time and time again... from people helping with basic needs when their neighbours are quarantined to people taking more time to say hello and check on their neighbours (in a responsible and socially distanced way!). However,... I’m sadly still shocked from when we were able to actually go in stores to see so many completely ignoring the protocols in place regarding distance and masks. I thought at the beginning of the lockdowns that after 4 weeks the spread should be entirely stopped.... or at least to the point where the origin of new infections should be easily traced and managed. 1 random international flight here or there etc... Obviously, that hasn’t happened .... 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? On a personal family note... we have fared better than many during the pandemic. We’ve been lucky to be able to spend this time together. My wife and I have a daughter who just turned 2 yrs old. So this time is priceless. The sad part is that our daughter isn’t able to play with other kids. We can see how badly she wants to interact with other kids if we take her to the park or see them out for a walk. How do you explain this to a 2 yr old? And what is that impact going to look like on kids at different ages moving forward?? But certainly blessed to be together as a family unit all the time!! 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? I’m hoping for theatre to come back this fall... but time will tell. As far as a pivot goes... I haven’t considered the type of pivot that would be everlasting. I still see myself in this business over the long haul. However - I have had to supplement with doing some construction work on the side. I’ve done lots of renovations over the years and this has merely made it a more regular part of weekly life. I’m hoping to have our own house finished by late spring!! My wife has pivoted by creating a meal delivery company specifically targeting those looking for options on the Keto diet. Ketochickcreations.com. Website isn’t live yet but should be within a week or so. 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? Do I feel confident that I can and will return safely to my career? Yes. How will it look? Not sure entirely.... but I think on the other side of this there will be a collective longing embrace of the arts/theatre/live performance. People are desperate for a sense of community right now, having felt so cut off from one another. It could be an exciting and ‘awakened’ time.... but there will also likely be some building back up through the rubble. 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? In regard to Margaret Atwood’s comment.... I would imagine she has a much more worldly view as to how Canadians are different from others around the world than I have! I’ll take her word for it! For myself personally... I would say family family family... the biological kind and the chosen kind. With so many forces pulling us apart (distancing etc)... the bonds of family and community are proving how strong and supportive they are, and can be. 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: Describe how you believe you’re probably going to react at that curtain call. JOY JOY JOY!!!! I’m one of those actors who generally doesn’t enjoy a curtain call. I prefer to share the life of ‘the character’ with the audience. In that sense I share and help facilitate the communal experience of the story, whereas as a curtain call feels more like I’m presenting myself to the audience. I had a director once say that the curtain call isn’t about you as an actor.... it’s about giving the audience the opportunity to show their appreciation for being a part of that communal experience I just mentioned. So, in that sense, the curtain call was about the audience and not me - that enabled me to be able to do curtain calls all these years without feeling awkward.... On the day we get back to theatre (and I strongly believe that I will be lucky enough to be back in ‘Come From Away’).... the curtain call won’t be about the audience or me... it’ll be about all of us! And I’ll get to participate in that!!! For the first time ever ... I can’t WAIT for the curtain call!!!! 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: “Hi! Thanks for coming!” I’m tempted to insert a joke here such as “Yes I was in the show.” Or...”No I wasn’t in the band - you’re thinking of Jon Maharaj” but with ‘Come From Away’ I have been generally more recognized after the performance than previous shows I’ve done. I think perhaps my personal energy just seems very different than what people see onstage. That first night back in the theatre I can see the stage door actually turning into a bit of a celebration - wouldn’t that be nice actually?!? We should make that happen... Previous Next

Back 'Harper Lee's TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD' by Aaron Sorkin The Touring Company Now onstage at Toronto's Ed Mirvish Theatre Julieta Cervantes. Pictured Richard Thomas and Melanie Moore Joe Szekeres “Ontario Boards of Education need to re-think their position on excluding Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ from school curricula. This fine touring production of Aaron Sorkin’s new play of the ‘slice-of-life’ American classic still speaks volumes about racial inequalities and social justice. Some wonderful performances that are not to be missed.” Directed by Bartlett Sher with gentle compassion and empathetic kindness, Aaron Sorkin’s fresh perspective script of the iconic ‘slice-of-life’ small-town Americana in the southern United States rolls into Toronto for a short run until November 27. This touring production returns to Mirvish at the end of May/beginning of June 2024 for another run. Please get tickets for it. It’s a vital story that still speaks volumes about racial inequalities and social justice for twenty-first-century audiences. Parents, if your child’s school has removed the book from the curriculum for whatever reason, please take him/her/them to this production. Based on Miss Lee’s novel, Sorkin’s script is set in Maycomb, Alabama, in the early 1930s, just after the Depression began. Principal narrator Scout Finch (Melanie Moore), her older brother Jem/Jeremy Atticus (Justin Mark) and their childhood friend Dill/Charles Baker Harris (Steven Lee Johnson) break the fourth wall periodically and talk to the audience. At one point, Scout is an adult when she speaks to the audience. We learn of the childhood games the three youngsters played years ago. One of them was trying to make their unseen and scary neighbour Boo/Arthur Radley (Ian Bedford) come out of his house. The young characters refer to the time Jem broke his arm years ago on account of a horrific attack he and Scout endured. Scout, Jem, and Dill believe this incident and several others within the town stemmed from Tom Robinson’s (Yaegel T. Welch) unfair trial, where he was accused of rape by Mayella Ewell (Mariah Lee) and her father, Bob (Ted Koch). Scout and Jem’s father, lawyer Atticus Finch (Richard Thomas), is asked by Judge Taylor (Jeff Still) to defend Tom. Atticus is aware of Maycomb’s usual disease of prejudice that runs rampant throughout the town. Even though he knows Tom will be found guilty, Atticus takes the case and does his best for his client because it is the right thing to do. Taking on Tom’s case will also show Scout and Jem an essential message about courage – “it’s knowing when you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through, no matter what.” Sorkin’s new production does not follow the novel's linear presentation of plot events. Some have been altered for dramatic effect. I couldn’t help but connect to the terrific production of Christopher Sergel’s dramatization of the novel at the Stratford Festival a few years ago under Nigel Shawn Williams’ direction. That production also introduced Scout breaking the fourth wall and contained one of the most exciting, yet frightening moments captured live on stage – the night Scout and Jem were attacked on their way home from the pageant. What makes Sorkin’s new production of this classic story work if you did not see the Stratford version? Most importantly, is Sorkin’s script worth seeing and doing? To answer the former, the performances are the reason to see this fine play. To answer the latter, yes, Sorkin’s script is worth seeing and doing. Although the production clocks in at three hours, the pacing never seems to drag. The cast moves Scenic Designer Miriam Buether’s set pieces with fluidity and ease. Ann Roth’s costumes are faithful recreations of the Depression era and help delineate the social class structure within Maycomb. Jennifer Tipton’s lighting design assist in creating specific emotional effects especially when Boo/Arthur Radley (Ian Bedford) is introduced near the end of the story. Richard Thomas is remarkable as Atticus Finch. His final address to the jury (where we learn the significance of the title) before it goes to deliberate Tom’s fate still packs a wallop of a punch. Thomas gallantly delivers it with dignity and class. Those moments he shares with Melanie Moore as the young Scout are touching. Moore nicely captures an introspective precociousness of childhood innocence in her performance as Scout, as do Justin Mark and Steven Lee Johnson in their work as Jem and Dill. Jacqueline Williams as the Finch housekeeper, Calpurnia, and Yaegel T. Wilson as Tom Robinson deliver poignant work. Williams and Thomas remain in harmonious synchronicity and respect with each other as the adult role models within the Finch household. When she tells Scout she likes what she sees when she looks at her, the line is delivered with care and love that it brought tears to my eyes. Wilson’s first-rate work as the wronged man unjustly accused of a horrible crime remains one of the highlights. He delivers his courtroom testimony with genuine conviction that it is still hard to see how anyone could find this man guilty. As Bob and Mayella Ewell, Ted Koch and Mariah Lee thankfully do not appear as the story's proverbial ‘bad guys.’ Instead, as Atticus says, Koch and Lee carefully zero in on moments where they are to be pitied for what life has thrown at them. They both make their testimony credibly sound as if they have been rehearsed by their prosecuting and racist lawyer, Horace Gilmer (Christopher R. Ellis). However, that does not give the father and daughter the unforgivable right to do what they did in accusing a sympathetic and caring man of something he did not do. Another highlight of this performance and for this portion of the tour is seeing Mary Badham’s work as morphine addict, Mrs. Dubose. Badham was the original Scout nominated for an Academy Award in the film version of ‘Mockingbird’ opposite Gregory Peck. Badham utters some horrible things as the suffering woman that are extremely tough to hear in knowing her work from the film. Contextually, though, these words are grim reminders of a time when intolerant mentality prevailed in southern US society. The only thing I did wish from this production was Jem’s timed reading to Mrs. Dubose to help cure her addiction to the painkiller. That message about learning courage and knowing when, as Atticus says, “you’re licked before you begin, but you do anyway and see it through no matter what” is lost. Final Comments: Although I’m not one to make comments about latecomers to the theatre, this time I feel as if I must. Future audiences, the evening performances begin at 7:30 pm. Please check your tickets. Granted, I can accept if people are 5-10 minutes late on account of traffic. However, it was about 30 minutes into the show and I was paying careful attention to the performance when five people came to their seats. My guest and I had to stand up to allow these people in. What’s frustrating? Not only did we lose our concentration and attention for that brief moment, so did the audience members behind us when we had to stand and let these people in. There, rant over. I won’t mention it again. Please get tickets for this touring production of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. Call or check daily to see if rush tickets are available or if there are any cancellations. I may just return in May/ June to see it. Running time: approximately three hours with one intermission. The production runs until November 27, then returns May 28, and runs to June 2, 2024 at the Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria Street. For tickets, visit mirvish.com. ‘HARPER LEE’S TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD’ A New Play by Aaron Sorkin Directed by Bartlett Sher Scenic Designer: Miriam Buether Costume Designer: Ann Roth Lighting Designer: Jennifer Tipton Sound Designer: Scott Lehrer Music Director: Kimberly Grigsby Production Stage Manager: Eric H. Mayer Company Manager: Katie Cortez Performers: Richard Thomas, Melanie Moore, Jacqueline Williams, Justin Mark, Yaegel T. Welch, Steven Lee Johnson, Ted Koch, Jeff Still, Christopher R. Ellis, Melanie Lee, Travis Johns, Greg Wood, Anne-Marie Cusson, Ian Bedford, Lance Baker, Stephen Cefalu, Jr. Denise Cormier, Rae Gray, Greg Jackson, Joey Labrasca, David Andrew Morton, Andre Ozim, Dorcas Sowunmi and Mary Badham. Previous Next

Back The Crossover from non-Union to Union actor/artist" Peter Mazzucco and Tony Nappo share their thoughts Headshots provided by Messrs. Mazzucco and Nappo Joe Szekeres The term ‘professional actor’ is bandied around so much that it has often confused me. Anyone can call themselves an actor, and the first two questions asked if you do: “What have you done?” or “What have I seen you in?” If someone hasn’t heard of anything you’ve done, then most people may think you’re nothing. What I have learned about the world of the ‘actor’: one does not have to hold any conservatory or post secondary education to become a member of CAEA (Canadian Actors’ Equity Association) or ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists). If a non-Equity or non ACTRA company contracts and pays non-union individuals to perform, then those actors are technically involved in a ‘paying gig’ and, in that case, are free to call themselves professional if they wish to do so; however, being a member of one of these two labour unions means you are paid union status (which is higher) compared to non-union status. A quick re-cap on these two terms: CAEA is the membership/labour union to which the professional live theatre actor and stage managers belong to perform in union shows here in Canada. ACTRA is a Canadian labour union representing performers in English-language media in film, television, radio, and all other recorded media. Some professional artists are members of both and/or perhaps only one. I also understand there are stringent rules regarding credits attained to gain union status but, for the sake of this article’s length, I won’t bother delving further here. I was recently reminded by a union artist who told me if someone wants an actual career as an actor, then that person must become a member of either CAEA or ACTRA. From his understanding, there’s no way around it. For this article, let’s define career as someplace where the actor will go for work whether it’s to a film or television set or to a live theatre. Credit for this personally learned fact came from Toronto based resident and Union actor, Tony Nappo. He also writes a weekly column for Intermission magazine called ‘Nappoholics Anonymous’ which features twelve random thoughts. Take a look at his column online when you get a chance as it led me further into the world of this complex being. Recently I had the opportunity to have a Zoom call with him and Durham Region resident and non-union actor Peter Mazzucco to gain their perspectives on the challenges of crossing over from non-union to union to legitimize, to be thought of, and to call yourself an actor, as Mazzucco wishes to do. Mazzucco grew up in Etobicoke while Nappo was raised in Scarberia (that’s Scarborough, Ontario to outsiders) and what you see and hear from both these boys is what you get in humour, wit, temperament and yes, the occasional colourful language. I respect that as this is who these guys are. There are no pretentious airs about either of them at all as they kept me grounded during the conversation where Tony playfully said at one point: “Just trying to bust your balls as we did in Scarborough, Joe. You’re doing fine.” Peter and Tony are close in age and knew of each other where they attended the same post secondary institution, (The Scarborough campus of the University of Toronto), but never graduated. Both recalled a similar incident on campus which changed their career paths completely. They were both tapped on the shoulder from Cathy Smith, Movement and Voice teacher at the Scarborough campus, who stated they were wasting their time there and to pursue studies further elsewhere. Mazzucco was flattered with the compliment from Smith but declined as he was content with what he was doing at the time. Nappo, however, took the advice and enrolled in Manhattan’s American Academy of Dramatic Arts programme, completed it, and returned to Canada to begin his successfully rewarding career. For me, it was an interesting process to see how they became connected once again. While wrestling with the question of becoming a union actor for quite some time, Mazzucco values Tony’s experience and agrees with the latter’s advice that “this is a fucking hard industry”. Mazzucco didn’t originally start his post secondary studies immediately in the Arts. He always had a fascination with film but went via a completely different route for personal reasons. He attained dual citizenship and wanted to study theatre at LAMDA in London, England. He later credits the arts as a creative form to which he was drawn when he was in his twenties. Nappo originally came to the Scarborough campus to study English literature. The opportunity to study theatre came later as he jokingly said at one point: “It was a way to meet women back then.” I had heard of Tony’s name over the years and realized later I had seen his performance at Toronto’s Canon Theatre as part of the Mirvish series in a terrific production of Yasmina Reza’s ‘God of Carnage’. I personally had the chance to meet Tony when he appeared in a fiery production at Soulpepper of Stephen Guirguis’ ‘Jesus Hopped the A Train’. Both guys have opted to stay the course and continue their involvement in the arts despite this pandemic and the harsh reality it has brought the industry to a standstill. They recognize the key for success is having a good agent. Peter had one, dropped that agent, and then legendary Casting Director Gloria Mann (whom Mazzucco calls ‘wonderful’) wanted to get him an agent after she booked him on one of the shows she was casting. For personal family reasons, Peter did not seek an agent, and Gloria said she would be his ‘agent’. She booked him two lead roles on two separate shows in the process. They still keep in touch and although she’s not his agent, Peter holds great respect for Gloria. Mazzucco’s day job is in the corporate world. Nappo has worked non-stop during the pandemic under the strictest Covid-19 protocol standards. As a working union actor, Tony makes a healthy living in television and film during the year. When he has nothing to do, he does painting of any type (house/office/touch ups). Peter point blank stated how he would love to become a member of either CAEA or ACTRA but has had experienced some challenges to achieve these goals. For example, members of ACTRA or CAEA may apply for non-union jobs without their union knowing. Again, Peter wanted to clarify that not all do it, only some. He doesn’t like that because he doesn’t just get to go to ACTRA auditions as a non-union actor, but Peter lets it go because he gets enough acting gigs each year to keep him happy. He shared something rather amusing that happened recently. Peter was told he could earn his ACTRA status on a film, if he chose to do so, by appearing semi-nude in one scene. Did he do it? “No, I chose not to do that” he said with a chuckle and offered no explanation because neither he nor I felt one was necessary. In his 40s, Peter was so disheartened by what he was seeing in the corporate world that he quit a lucrative job and decided immediately to pursue his passion in becoming an actor. The challenge? He never discussed with his wife what he wanted to do. If you are in a relationship: “Never, ever, make rash decisions like this without consulting your spouse or partner first. My best year as an actor was $9400, embarrassing, but true as it was not enough to pay the bills around the house.” Nappo fondly recalls his first Equity show at Montreal’s Centaur Theatre: ‘Paradise by the River’ written by Vittorio Rossi in 1998. Tony had met Vittorio where he had seen him in a couple of films, nothing major. When actor Richard Zeppieri wasn’t available for ‘Paradise’, Rossi thought of Tony for the role instead. Tony auditioned and called this first Equity show a great experience in a real house with audiences that were more than just family and friends. Up to this point, Tony had only done some Summer Works shows, even a Fringe and Rhubarb. He was working a lot in film and tv at the time playing what he called ‘bullshit, nothing roles’. In the Festival shows, Tony said he was playing a couple of interesting things, but his focus hadn’t been on theatre at all. He then realized that if he wanted to do anything on stage, any acting that was more than three lines or holding a gun, he had to act on stage. It was a joy to be on the stage for this momentous occasion in his life as Tony was getting paid to do something for which he was passionate. Does Mazzucco hold any regrets that perhaps he should have taken that same route to Manhattan as Nappo or to LAMDA when he had the opportunity? “No, I don’t have any regrets at all as I got married and my wife and I have a beautiful daughter. I also turned down a lead role in a TV drama funded by the CBC for family reasons. The drama was nominated for three Canadian Screen awards. Family responsibilities plus work responsibilities placed that part of my life on a different shelf at that time.” Now that his daughter is in her teens, Mazzucco continues his involvement in the arts through participation in community theatre and in short films because he doesn’t want to look back on this part of his life with regret knowing he wanted to perform but didn’t do it. Several years ago, I’d seen his work in Whitby Courthouse Theatre’s poignantly moving production of ‘August: Osage County’ and in ‘Mambo Italiano’ where Peter was nominated for a community theatre Thea award (the highest achievement for community theatre performance in Central Ontario) for his performance. And I found what Tony had to say next enlightening for me regarding involvement in community theatre and non-union work. While he doesn’t make a point of attending non-union or community theatre, Tony reminded Peter and me that if you just want to act, remain non-union. Tony is the first person to admit he doesn’t judge people and is aware that, yes, there are probably some good non-union actors out there; however, if you want to make any money, to make credits in theatre that count, if you want to be seen in ‘shit’ on stage that people attend and go to, you have to go union. If you don’t, it’s not like you’re a nobody or your work isn’t valuable or you’re nothing, but it doesn’t carry the same weight. Tony acknowledged that he tries to support his friends and what they’re doing and doesn’t care wherever they’re doing it either non-union or community. He has seen some good work outside the union and spoke of a nice little show he saw in Hamilton a couple of years ago, but Tony is not interested in it, doesn’t seek out non-union work or community theatre or wouldn’t do it because union acting is what Tony does for a living. Tony also firmly stated that he’s not against people who perform in non-union/community theatre shows, but the assumption is “The best people are performing on union stages.” At the same time, there are some union productions Tony does not attend. The Stratford Festival is one he acknowledged where nothing there interests him at all either. Tony is interested in what he wants to do and the people he wants to work with, and that’s the stuff he primarily focuses on – watching people he respects, watching people he wants to work with, keeping track of theatres that interest him. He’s not going to work for no money through non-union or community theatre because he can’t afford it. Tony finished by saying it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t respect the work that is done on the non-union/community theatre stage or certain professional stages, it just means he chooses not to follow it, and doesn’t offer any explanation for it. I don’t seek out Tony’s reason because none is necessary. Peter got involved in community theatre to get his feet wet again after being involved in it while at university. He spoke about some work he performed at Alumnae Theatre; however, he sees his involvement in community theatre coming to an end. Both he and Tony spoke about some of the non-union Toronto houses that produce good work, and Alumnae is one. Another one both guys spoke of was the Leah Posluns Theatre. At the end of the day, Tony states that an actor should act and, until Peter gets to act on the union stages, he should act on ‘whatever fucking stage he wants’ because an actor is always learning, and always growing especially since Peter has been in the corporate world for over twenty years. Once this pandemic is lifted, Peter is quite serious about becoming a member of both CAEA and ACTRA because he wants to have a career that he enjoys and loves. This is not to say that the union actor will have a cozy life. Here in Canada, it is difficult to be an actor and rich and famous, unlike Hollywood, California. Earlier in summer 2020, I held an interview with Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill where she stated the industry at times is not all sunshine and autographs. There are down times where a union actor/artist may not work at all and that’s scary in not knowing money is coming in to live on. Tony bravely and honestly spoke about some of his personal struggles and demons he has overcome throughout his career. I thanked him for his candour in sharing them with Peter and me. And I can’t wait to see his next project whether it’s on stage or in film. I plan to follow Peter Mazzucco’s journey carefully from non-union/community theatre performer to union actor. Previous Next

Back Durae McFarlane Moving Forward Mark Binks Joe Szekeres A year ago, I had reviewed an outstanding production of what many in Toronto were calling ‘not to be missed’. Toronto’s Crows Theatre had staged Annie Baker’s ‘The Flick’ terrifically directed by Mitchell Cushman. I had never seen this production, but word on the street and from what I had researched online indicated this play was something that would be remembered for a long time. And to this day, I can still recall that specific production, that awesome set design, and the three powerhouse performers who literally took my breath away as I watched with keen fascination. One of those dynamos on stage for his debut professional performance was Durae McFarlane, and he is one we should all keep an eye on when it is safe to return to the theatre. Mr. McFarlane’s performance was stellar. Durae is an actor and writer originally from Mississauga, Ontario. He is a recent graduate of the University of Windsor’s BFA Program and also trained with Canada’s National Voice Intensive. We conducted our interview via email. Thank you for the conversation, Durae: It has been an exceptionally long seven months since we’ve all been in isolation, and now it appears the numbers are edging upward again. How are you feeling about this? Will we ever emerge to some new way of living in your opinion? To be honest it is what I expected. There were always talks about a second wave and so the numbers raising is not surprising. What is a bit surprising is the way it is being handled by the government (at least in Ontario where I am). It is less than ideal. There was also a part of me that was holding on for some sort of miracle that things would continue to get better and that life would somehow resemble what it used to be in some ways, but that is more idealistic than anything. I think this is going to be our new way of living for a long time. Wearing masks, always washing our hands (which should have always been a thing), and social distancing. Now if we will ever not have to do these things, I’m not sure. I think at the beginning of the pandemic, I just thought that we just need a vaccine and then things will resume how they use to be. But, I don’t believe that anymore. I’m not super informed about what the release of the vaccine would look like, but after witnessing how many people are against even wearing a mask, I’m sure there will be a group of people who will be against getting a vaccine altogether. And I’m sure that will make things complicated. How have you been faring? How has your immediate family been doing during these last seven months? I’m been doing okay all things considering. I really spend a lot of the first couple of weeks watching tv shows and movies and distracting myself from what was happening because it was just too much information and stimulus all the time. I also stopped going on social media and listening to the news for a bit, which was new for me (not constantly going on my phone to go on Facebook or Instagram). And now I limit the amount of time I spend on social media. My family is doing good. I was staying with my grandmother when the pandemic first started, and she is doing good. She wasn’t really stressed or anything but was cautious and was always updated with what was going on, which was the complete opposite of what I was doing. So, if I wanted to know something, I would just talk to her about it. My mom works in a nursing home, so it was stressful for a bit, but she has thankfully been safe and everyone else has been working from home. As an artist within the performing arts community, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? The most challenging thing for me at the start of the pandemic, was that I was feeling really great after coming out of The Flick and, as that was my debut, I was really looking forward to capitalizing on that. But then I couldn’t audition for any theatre things. But I think people will remember things and roles that had an impact on them, and I think I will be okay. Personally, I really hated not having something to do, or something to work on. I’m someone who is always looking for a way to continue to grow and get better both as a person and as an artist. So, having so much time and not knowing what to do with it was challenging. There was the possibility of doing online things, but I also couldn’t afford to do a lot of the things I wanted to do. But then I found myself writing a lot which was something that I have been interested in but wasn’t necessarily my focus. But that’s kind of all I’ve been doing is writing and every couple of weeks it’s like there’s a new idea for a play or screenplay that comes to me. Way more ideas than I’m capable of writing. 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 wasn’t in preparations or rehearsal for anything, I was just working a part time job in the food industry, so I was kind of grateful at the time for things to close because I was staying with my grandmother and I was very concerned about continuing to work while it started to seem more and more unsafe to do so. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? A couple of friends and I started this sort of web series back in the middle of March just as a way to stay creative, have some fun, and just have something to do. But that took a pause in June. And as we all started to go back to work, we haven’t continued it and don’t know if it will continue, but it was a good thing for me to do at the time. I also started meditating which has been such a great practice for me to start. It has really helped me feel less anxious in my day to day life and helped to bring awareness to my habitual thinking patterns and allowed me to tune in to what isn’t helpful to me. I’ve also been reading a lot and writing. I’m part of the Cahoots Theatre’s Hot House Lift Off Unit where I’m with a bunch of incredible artists as we all are writing our own plays. We’ve been meeting on Zoom pretty much since the beginning of the pandemic, and it’s been wonderful to have that space to chat with them all about all things theatre. 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 theatres and studios might be closed for 1 ½ - 2 years? Being such a new artist to this industry myself, I don’t think I’m in any position to give any advice to anyone, but I would just say to find the joy in whatever it is you’re doing. I think the world can seem very dark, so it’s important to find purposeful moments of joy when you can. Do you see anything positive stemming from Covid 19? Yes. I think because everyone was home and not doing much, it allowed certain people who maybe have not paid attention to issues of racial justice to really start listening once the murder of George Floyd was all over social media and the details of the murder of Breonna Taylor started to circulate the internet as well. It caused people to mobilize and fight the systems in place that are hurting BIPOC in a way that I haven’t seen happen before. I think being stuck at home forced people to really have to reflect about who they think they are vs who they actually are and made some of those people go “oh maybe I’m not doing things I need to be doing to align my idea of myself with the actions I take.” And I hope that now that a lot more people are back to work, it doesn’t also mean they go back to their old habits of not really caring or doing anything about these issues. It also allowed BIPOC people to feel more empowered to speak up and not let things slide by. I think we’ve been hearing people speak that haven’t simply been given the platform or space to speak about the issues they're facing and what people can do to help change things. I think I’m seeing a lot more space be given to those voices and that’s been something long overdue, but great to see. Do you think Covid 19 will have some lasting impact on the Toronto/Canadian/North American performing arts scene? I hope with the sort of wake up with the racial inequities of the world, theatre will be more conscious of what it means to be an equitable space for all people. It really goes beyond just saying a bunch of nice things but implementing things in how they run their theatre companies and who makes up theatre companies. 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 think if it works for the artist, do it! If it helps them stay enriched in some way, absolutely go for it. It’s something that I did for a little while and it definitely helped me feel more connected to other people and performing. I think at least for now, theatres have to utilize it in some ways. Some theatres have been. Sometimes I think it works great and sometimes I think it doesn’t, but it’s definitely new territory that places are learning to navigate and it’s not always going to be perfect and that’s okay. Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that Covid will never destroy for you? Covid could never destroy the need for stories. During this time a lot of people turned to their computers/TVs to watch shows or movies or listen to music or read books. The need for stories will always be present to either distract people from their current situation for a little while or to illuminate something about themselves or the world. I think the need for stories will always be present and thus the need for storytellers. The way in which we tell stories and the medium we use may change and adapt but there will always be a need to Visit Durae’s Instagram: @duraemcfarlane Previous Next

Back Review: 'Jake's Women' by Neil Simon Now onstage at Scarborough Village Theatre and presented by the Scarborough Theatre Guild Photo of Will van der Zyl as Jake by Julie Adams Photography Joe Szekeres (Updated September 12) A good choice for Scarborough Theatre Guild to stage Neil Simon’s ‘Jake’s Women’. It certainly spoke to me given the Covid times in which we still find ourselves and the fractured relationships resulting from this uncertainty. But some choices made puzzled me. Some things to applaud the Guild. It was refreshing to see new faces on the stage that I haven’t seen before so thank you for that. I hadn’t realized how appropriate Neil Simon’s ‘Jake’s Women’ is for audiences given these challenging Covid times, and I applaud the Guild for its choice to stage the production as audiences return to the theatre. Just like the central character Jake finds himself in fractured relationships in his mind with the women in his life and wondering if he will be able to repair them, Covid and all its issues have certainly tested our relationship with others. If Jake and his current wife, Maggie, can try to repair their marriage, let’s hope that our world can heal from all the turmoil in which we now find ourselves. It is New York in the 1990s. Jake (Will van der Zyl) is a successful New York writer suffering from psychoses in his relationships with the women in his life. He faces a marital crisis with his current wife, Maggie (Marisa King) by daydreaming and talking with the women from his life. There is his first wife Julie (Carling Tedesco) whom he adored and with whom he had a daughter Molly. Jake has conversations in his mind with the young Molly (Abby Hamilton-Diabo) and the older Molly (Kaitlyn Coulter). Julie was killed years earlier in an accident. We also meet Jake’s bossy, controlling sister, Karen (Cindy Hirschberg-Schon), and his very openly opinionated analyst, Edith (Patricia Byrne). Jake’s current wife, successful corporate climber Maggie (Marisa King) has had an affair with another man and there is talk of her leaving Jake. Finally, we also meet Sheila (Julie Jarrett) a possible third wife for Jake, but a bit of a bubblehead. Still, Sheila wants a relationship with Jake, but she faces so many challenges and headaches with his indecisiveness. Director Larry Westlake has pared back a full-scale set and, instead, opted for certain key props and allows for the grandness of the space to take place within the audience’s minds. I’m all for allowing audiences to do that, but there were some design elements that confused me. I don’t think a man would have a chaise lounge/settee as the focal point within his living space – perhaps a comfortable-looking worn leather couch instead? I was also confused about the director’s chair and its placement. Perhaps some type of wing-tipped chair instead? Jake is also in the midst of writing his next book, and I didn' t see any indication of that. Perhaps a few more items to indicate we are in the home of a writer would be beneficial. Downstage is the present and upstage on risers become the moments where Jake speaks to the women in the past; however, what became confusing to me are the moments where the women move downstage from the past into the present while all in Jake’s mind. I had some challenges in deciding which of the women were being spoken to in the past and which were the ones Jake invites into the present within his mind. The lighting cues here would need to be a tad sharper. Andra Bradish’s colourful costumes are strongly reminiscent of the 1990s. Alan Maynes’ selection of pre-show music nicely reflected the theme of connection we have with each other. A couple of sound cues were mistimed momentarily so, hopefully, that can be rectified for future performances. As well, the voices Jake hears in the second act sound rather tinny and I couldn’t hear clearly what was being said. Director Larry Westlake wrote in his Director’s Note: ‘Agony is the root of comedy’ and this is an extremely important vision to notice and incorporate in Simon’s works. The key, nevertheless, is to imbue the production with agony without it ever going over the top and becoming so unbelievably campy that audiences would simply tune out and stop believing in the moment. Westlake would have had to maintain not necessarily a tightly reined control but never allow his actors to become histrionic to veer so out of control that it becomes laughable. He accomplished what he set out to do. An example of this as proof occurs where in Act 2 Maggie (who is in Jake’s mind) satirically imitates and mimics Sheila’s speech and body language in the present as she and Jack are having an extremely heated conversation about their relationship. As Jake, Will van der Zyl has the daunting task of never leaving the stage for the most part (except for a scripted bathroom break in Act 2). Van der Zyl believably remains completely focused and in the moment with each of the women. There was a moment in Act 2 where I thought fatigue might have been setting in for him, but that’s understandable since he and the entire cast and crew have just come off the opening week. He logically builds Jake’s many qualities of petulance, anxiety, frustration, woes, ambition, and desires without ever upstaging the women in his conversations with them. In fact, on the second performance night I attended, there were some bona fide slices of real-life human connection that were subtly captured and made me smile because what I just saw was truly real. This occurred near the end of Act One where Jake sits with the younger and older Molly on the bench. To me, there just appeared to be this inherent sense where the three of them were zoned into the moment, listening and responding in a way that parents and children do with each other. So good to watch that scene as it became an effective image in my mind just before the intermission. The women offer securely grounded performances for the most part. As Julie, Jake’s first wife who was killed in an accident, Carling Tedesco’s supposed conversation with their older daughter Molly in the present was very touching. As younger and older Molly, Abby Hamilton-Diabo and Kaitlyn Coulter intently listened and realistically responded to comments directed at them. Kaitlyn’s scene with Tedesco was very touching. As Sheila in the present, Julie Jarrett sharply captured the humour of the moment in the dance she does with Maggie. As Jake’s sister Karen and analyst Edith, I felt there was a forced performance delivery from Cindy Hirschberg-Schon and Patricia Byrne. Hopefully, as performances continue, these ladies can settle into the characters and allow the words and context of the moment to speak for themselves. Marisa King has a formidable task ahead in revealing Maggie’s complete character arc in seeing a woman’s angst and agony in not being heard to hopefully becoming an individual who can communicate to her husband how important it is they both listen, hear and understand in their relationship with each other. (Spoiler alert) King and van der Zyl securely do just this at the end of the production and I was left with the feeling that yes both Jake and Maggie will do just what it takes to make the relationship work. Running Time approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes with one intermission. ‘Jake’s Women’ runs September 15, 16, 17, 22 and 23 at 8 p.m. AND September 18 and 24 at 2 pm at Scarborough Village Theatre, 3600 Kingston Road, Scarborough. For tickets, call the Box Office (416) 267-9292 or online www.theatrescarborough.com Jake’s Women by Neil Simon Directed by Larry Westlake Co-Producers: Alison Overington and Linda Brent Stage Manager: Heather Hyslop/ Assistant Stage Manager: Teresa Bakke Set Designer: Larry Westlake Costumes: Andra Bradish Props: Alison Overington Lighting Designer: Jennifer Bakker Makeup/Hair: Gloria King Sound Design and Operation: Alan Maynes Cast: Will van der Zyl, Marisa King, Cindy Hirschberg-Schon, Patricia Byrne, Abby Hamilton-Diabo, Kaitlyn Coulter, Carling Tedesco, Julie Jarrett Previous Next

Back 'Jungle Book', A New Adaptation Young People's Theatre YPT Site Joe Szekeres I’m hoping I’m not that old in pointing out how we’ve all watched the dancing, singing and cuteness version of Disney’s ‘The Jungle Book’. Whenever I’ve seen the film advertised on television, it’s always Baloo’s memorable ditty to Mowgli, “Look for the Bare Necessities”. There’s nothing wrong with this adaptation as it introduces Rudyard Kipling’s stories of Mowgli, the wolf boy, to new audiences. However, don’t allow Disney to be the only experience you have of this story. An exciting, colourful and eye-catching production of ‘Jungle Book’ from creators Craig Francis and Rick Miller opened at Young People’s Theatre with theatrical flair and musical excitement right from the top of the show. According to the release, this production is part of a North American tour after a recent appearance in New York. Four rousing actors entered grandly from the house and moved their way down to the stage in a fanfare of audience participation that even the adults around me clapped along in fun filled unison with the kids. And I was taken on a wild adventure ride through an immersive technology and multimedia to the urban jungle of Mowgli’s childhood in the forests of India. I loved every minute of it and am pleased it’s playing here for just over a month. For me, this touring production was magical as it took me back fondly to my childhood when I first read Rudyard Kipling’s tale. The set design consisted of three see through scrims. Behind the scrims, there is a large rectangular raised platform with a large white hanging screen which I’m assuming will be to view projections throughout the show. Rebecca Picherack’s lighting design was fascinating at the top of the show as the swirl of red and green was intriguing to watch. The reflection through the scrim made it appear as if water was nearby. Irina Litvinenko’s multimedia designs are exquisite to the eyes. Ms. Litvinenko’s work in capturing the fast-paced world of New York City where the adult Mowgli (Levin Valayil) is an architect is exquisite. The multimedia designs colourfully and cleverly place us in the richness verdant jungle where such characters as Shere Khan, Bagheera and Kaa inhabit and roam. What is also remarkably dazzling to watch are the use of puppets co-designed by Astrid Janson and Melanie McNeill. I’ve always been fascinated with puppetry as part of theatre, and the extraordinary creations of these two women is astounding. Make sure you pay careful attention to Tahirih Vejani as Kaa, the snake. With the puppet, she slithers in front of the audience with the elongated ‘s’ sound sinisterly sibilating in her voice as the puppet slithers in front of the audience at one point. Under a guiding vision of dignity for life in co-direction by Messrs. Francis and Miller, this ‘Jungle Book’ gently balances the theme of Respect in exploration of the consequences of colonialism and continuing human domination of the animal world. The four principal ensemble players merrily bring to life (through songs by composer Suba Sankaran and clever lyrics by Kipling/Miller and Francis) several of the famous characters whom we have come to know. Levin Valayil is a charming and affable adult and architect Mowgli who leaps and moves around the stage with gusto. And can he ever sing and hold a musical note. I especially liked Mr. Valayil’s work in the adorable young boy puppet of Mowgli. I heard some audience members around me along with some children utter and affectionate, “Aaaahhhh”. Matt Lacas becomes a comfortable, genial teddy bear as Baloo, the sloth bear. His relationship with the young Mowgli in teaching him to become more than just a wolf boy is sweet. As the panther, Bagheera, who is out to protect the young Mowgli, Mina James is solid in her work as she contorts her body to an animalistic pose in the puppetry costume she dons. FINAL COMMENTS: There is rapturous joy in this ‘Jungle Book’. It’s a definite go to and must see for the family. It’s here for Family Day and the March Break, perfect for day or evening shows. Performance runs approximately 65 minutes. There will be some Q and A sessions following certain shows. Photo of Levin Valayil as the adult Mowgli by Rick Miller. JUNGLE BOOK Runs on the Mainstage to March 21 at Young People’s Theatre, 165 Front Street East. For tickets, call the Box Office (416) 862-2222 or visit www.youngpeoplestheatre.org . Written & Directed by Craig Francis & Rick Miller. Adapted from the Works of Rudyard Kipling. Produced by Kidoons and WYRD Productions in association with The 20K Collective. Creative Team: Co-creator/Director/Stage Manager (select performances: Craig Francis); Co-creator/Director/Production Manager: Rick Miller; Production Manger/Technical Director: James Kendal; Stage Manager: Andrew Dollar; Set/Costume/Props Puppets Co-Designers: Astrid Janson and Melanie McNeill; Lighting Designer: Rebecca Picherack; Multimedia Designe: Irina Litvinenko; Sound Designer/Composer: Debashis Sinha; Puppetry Consultant: Frank Meschkuleit; Song Lyrics: Kipling/Miller/Francis; Original Song Composer: Suba Sankaran; Shadow Puppetry Consultant: Eric Woolfe; Fight Consultant: Siobhan Richardson; Cast: Mina James, Matt Lacas, Levin Valayil, Tahirih Vejdani Previous Next

Back Is My Microphone On? Canadian Stage's Dream in High Park, Toronto Elana Emer Joe Szekeres A bold and courageous production of a controversially delicate script despite some rough spots Canadian Stage took some daring risks in producing Jordan Tannahill’s ‘Is My Microphone On?’ as this opening night performance encompassed many noteworthy things. With gritty and focused direction by Erin Brubacher, I loved how this diverse group of young performers became a highly natural professional ensemble of players to present what I’m going to call Tannahill’s chorally spoken text based on what the Programme Notes state are “excerpts or lines inspired by Greta Thunberg’s speech to world leaders at Davos on January 25, 2019; Thunberg’s speech to British MPs at the Houses of Parliament on April 23, 2019; Thunberg's address to the United Nations on September 23, 2019; a Facebook note posted by Thunberg on February 2, 2019; and Nature Now, a short film by Thunberg and George Monbiot, released September 19, 2019.” I don’t want to call these artists ‘kids’ as they have made a brave choice to be part of an extremely important adult discussion of Greta Thunberg’s ideals which truthfully have been both admired and maligned by many. Just a side note here: I loved the professional looking curtain call delivered by these young people. Classy and impressive as it did not resemble a put together last minute ‘grade school/high school’ bow at the end of a show. There was so much to like about this Canadian Stage production. For one, holding it outdoors was an ideal choice as the sounds of cicadas and birds enhanced some of the silent moments. I’m sure this wasn’t intentional but, just before the performance began, there was the sound of an ambulance siren in the distance. I thought what a clever tie in with the ambulance sound juxtaposing the message of the play in the fact our planet is very ill with the destructive elements of climate change. The actors surrounded the audience on the stage, at the side and at the back (all physically distant from each other) so we would be able to listen and to hear their voices all around us. The use of head mics allowed me to hear the lines clearly delivered so that was extremely important since the performers never or rarely veered from their space during the 65 minutes (except those who went to play one of the musical instruments for sound effects and for the song at the end). Tannahill’s script captures the colourful and sometimes vulgar teenage and young person vernacular style, and Brubacher’s cast handled it with confident aplomb. There were a couple of moments where the ‘f bomb’ was dropped and I wondered how parents might have responded as there were several young children around me. I’m not naïve to think that young children have not heard swearing before, but I’m hopeful parents may have had a discussion with their young lot post show on the way home. You’ll notice that I earlier called Tannahill’s script controversially delicate. Good theatre and good drama will take sometimes delicate social issues hopefully to spark some rational discussion in context. In this case, as Director Erin Brubacher stated in her Programme Note: “This work is a response to the climate emergency, performed during an election in progress. These kids are here to tell you to consider who you vote for and what you demand of your representatives. They can’t vote. They need you to take care.” There are several moments where the cast connects these two elements applicably, and I applaud these young people for making me aware of their understanding of how they see the climate emergency in the face of an upcoming election that could certainly change the course of events for many of us. However, there were some moments where I didn’t feel as strong a connection continually as I wished I had. For example, the cast certainly got my attention when the question was asked at the top of the show for those of us who were born before 1965 to raise our hands. I did as I’m a 1960 baby, but the comment that was returned to us from the stage irked me a tad and made me feel less of that important connection when it is implied that I’m responsible (meaning those from my years) for the present-day situation in which our world now finds itself. I understand what the cast was trying to accomplish in realizing that hopefully anger makes us pay closer attention. But my back was still up about this annoying earlier insinuation even as I listened to some mighty impressive choral work that ventured into a sometimes angry, sometimes bitter, tirade against we baby boomers as to how we are responsible and should be ashamed of ourselves for the choices made over forty, fifty years ago that have now made our planet sick. This isn’t what I was expecting as my invited guest and I later discussed in the car on the way home. Had what we just seen was a prime example of a script of an indoctrinated woke culture which refuses to see things and place them in context of events that had transpired prior to the lives of these young people and their uneducated lack of humility in their understanding? Nevertheless, I persevered through to listen hard to what these young people were wanting to tell me about their fears and concerns for their future. The fascinating individual stories intertwined with the spirited choral narration fully engaged me to want to learn more from their perspective. But I had quibbles with two issues that really didn’t make me connect with what this youthful lot wanted me to understand. The first occurred with what my guest and I called the Elaine Benes (from Seinfeld) dance that one of the characters performs. We both agreed we could not make any kind of connection to this dance and how it even moved the plot forward. The second issue occurred with the song near the end of the production. As a retired teacher, to hear youthful voices join in melodious harmony becomes truly inspiring, and I thought the song would make a strong conclusion. It didn’t happen. Sound balance between the speaker system and the singers was off and I couldn’t hear the majority of the song lyrics at all, and I so desperately wanted to hear what these impressive young people wanted to re-capitulate once more through another highly dramatic musical art form. I do hope this will be fixed for future audiences and performances as I received the impression this song is of utmost and dire importance. Running Time: 65 minutes Production runs to September 19 at Toronto’s High Park Amphitheatre, 1873 Bloor Street West, Toronto. Performances begin at 7:30 pm. For tickets and further information, please visit www.canadianstage.com . IS MY MICROPHONE ON? By Jordan Tannahill and Directed by Erin Brubacher Presented by Canadian Stage With performances by Remi Ajao-Russell, Hiyab Araya, Jack Bakshi, Chloe Cha, Felix Chew, Nia Downey, Sidonie Fleck, Oscar Gorbet, Saraphina Knights, Iris MacNada, Iylah Mohammed, Amaza Payne, Sanora Souphommanychanh, Alykhan Sunderji, Catherine Thorne, Sophia Wang, and Skyler Xiang. Previous Next

Back Jacob MacInnis Canadian Chat Lindsay Parkin Joe Szekeres I’ve known Jacob’s family for a couple of years through the school board where I worked before I retired from teaching. The first time I saw Jacob onstage was in a wonderfully campy performance as the evil Puppet Master at Toronto’s Young People’s Theatre in ‘The Adventures of Pinocchio.’ Just like all of us who were missing live theatre in person, I saw Bad Hats’ Theatre production of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ produced by Soulpepper which included Jacob. Jacob MacInnis is a Tkaronto-based non-binary performer and visual artist. After training for three years at Sheridan College’s Music Theatre Performance Program, Jacob has gone on to entertain audiences all over Turtle Island in countless musicals, concerts, and cabarets. In 2014 Jacob was nominated for a Dora Mavor-Moore award and won the Toronto Theatre Critic’s Award for best supporting actor in a musical for their performance in James and the Giant Peach (YPT). This past summer, Jacob made their Stratford Festival debut in Play On! in the festival’s summer cabaret series. They currently work part-time at Sheridan College teaching acting tutorials. Jacob will next appear this month and next month at London Ontario’s Grand Theatre in its production of ‘Home for the Holidays’. We conducted our interview via email. Thank you so much for the conversation, Jacob: Could you share one teacher and one mentor for whom you are thankful who believed in your chosen career as a performing artist. A mentor/teacher I greatly appreciate—that is so tough to answer. Every contract I do, every show I perform in, every tutorial I teach, I am constantly inspired by my colleagues, directors, and students. The lessons I have learned over the years from each special person I look up to have served (and continue to serve) to shape the artist I am today. 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? The last eighteen months (as I am sure they’ve been for many) have been tough to say the least—The emotional ups, downs have been enough to give a person whiplash! However, there have been a few silver linings: The first few months of the pandemic brought my family of five back together after so many years of living apart, throughout the lockdown I was able to come out to my community as proudly non-binary, I wrote and produced my first pop single ( In My Dreams), I became a teacher at Sheridan College, and I was blessed enough to be a part of a handful of online workshops, and magical projects like Bad Hat’s Alice In Wonderland. Making my Stratford Festival debut was certainly near the very top of the list of blessings! How have these last eighteen months of the pandemic changed or transformed you as an artist professionally? With the murder of George Floyd, we watched as the world was set aflame with anger, disgust, and a cry for justice. We started to listen to Indigenous people and people of colour talk about their lived experiences and the racism they have endured in this colonial world. We finally started to see and understand the atrocities Canada and the Catholic Church inflicted upon Indigenous people with the barbaric Residential “school” system. And now we are starting to see a shift toward anti-oppression in the professional Theatre landscape. We are starting to see stories of people who, until recently, have been ignored altogether. We are starting to see a move toward kindness in the rehearsal space with a focus on mental health. And we are starting to see how art can be made while avoiding trauma. We still have a long way to go, but we must not go back to how things were…. I am a human before I am an artist. What intrigues/fascinates/excites Jacob MacInnis post Covid? What intrigues me is seeing how theatre will be shaped as we start implementing more and more of the lessons we are learning … I am intrigued to see just how much we can decolonize this beloved art form and make it of use for the world we want to see. 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? To my mentors—thank you for believing in me when I wasn’t able to myself. 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? To any naysayers, I say nothing! —“If they aren’t paying your bills, pay them no mind” What’s your favourite swear word? F**K! What is a word you love to hear yourself say? Delicious What is a word you don’t like to hear yourself say? Taxes What would you tell your younger personal self with the knowledge and wisdom life experience has now given you? Save your money and lay off the sugar! With the professional life experience you’ve gained over the years, what would you now tell the upcoming Jacob MacInnis from years ago who was just in the throes of beginning their career as a performing artist? Keep going! What is one thing you still wish to accomplish both personally and professionally? I would love to pay off my debt, do a show on Broadway, star in some film and television, and own a house complete with a wiener dog named Dijon. Name one moment in your professional career as an artist that you wish you could re-visit again for a short while. I don’t think I would go back to a time in the past even if I could… I have had so many beautiful experiences, but I am always looking ahead! What is one thing Jacob MacInnis will never take for granted again post Covid? I will never take my friends and family for granted post Covid. Would Jacob MacInnis do it all again if given the same opportunities? I don’t think I would do it all again! Like I said above: what’s next? Bring on the future. You can follow Jacob on instagram @jacobmacinnis. You can check out their visual art @jacobmacinnisart, or listen to their original music on Spotify, Apple Music, or anywhere you listen. Previous Next

Back Amy Keating Looking Ahead --- Joe Szekeres Amy Keating’s affection for live theatre has not abated at all on account of the pandemic. If anything, her unabated enthusiasm is so contagious that I caught it and was reaching that same height of missing the theatre crowd. You could read theatre ‘geeks’ in here if you wish because Amy said she loves them and misses them so much. Me too. Our recent conversation kept me smiling and laughing throughout the 45-minute interview. There was no pretentious air about her at all, and she made me feel very comfortable during our Zoom call that we even dropped some colourful language as we discussed so much. We were both surprised that time had slipped by so quickly without us even knowing because we had so much to say and to hear. First time I saw Amy on stage was at the Stratford Festival as Cathleen, the Irish housekeeper, in a hard hitting ‘Long Day’s Journey into Night’. And then to see her in a completely different role in an outrageously bloody good production of ‘Hand to God’ at Toronto’s Coal Mine Theatre. And finally, Amy’s appearance in ‘The Flick’, at Crow’s Theatre which was the first production I reviewed there. You wanna talk about a show where I did not write any notes down on paper during a jaw dropping three hour running time because I couldn’t avert my eyes from the onstage action, not even for one second. She is a Toronto-based actor originally hailing from the Prairies. Amy works in both theatre and film and is three-time Dora Mavor Moore nominated actor. She is a founding member and associate artist of Outside the March with credits: The Flick, Mr. Burns, Passion Play, Mr. Marmalade. Favourite Film/TV credits: Murdoch Mysteries; Ginny & Georgia; Killjoys; P!GS (short film); SUCCULENT (short film). Fave theatre credits: Long Day's Journey into Night and Julius Caesar (Stratford Festival); The Glass Menagerie (Grand Theatre); Wormwood (Tarragon Theatre); The Importance of Being Earnest (Capitol Theatre). Thank you so much, Amy, 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. It’s interesting, Joe, to talk about how it has changed on a personal level, but I also want to talk about how it’s also changed on a macro level as my mind has also gone there in reflection. I feel there’s been a lot of changes and awareness with all of the social justice movements this year. I really do believe and I’m really grateful for the time that we’ve all had to take as the ‘big pause’ allowed us to re-think. Capitalism’s ideology is, “Go, go, go, make the money, make the money, do the hustle, do the side hustle”. I believe, without this ‘year old pandy’ (as my friend says), we wouldn’t have had the opportunity as we would have been too busy and still too caught up in ourselves to slow down and pay attention to what’s happening in the world. In terms of my bigger life, and I imagine this is what many of the artists have probably said, the chance to slow down and, of course, I’ve been privileged enough to have a safe house, to have running water, to have a home and TV to watch Netflix on at night. (Amy and I share a quick laugh because I’ve also done the exact same thing.) But the time to slow down, I’m really, really grateful for it. It’s been refreshing in a way, and I’m both incredibly excited, obviously, but also nervous to go back to that hustle. I think in this profession too there’s always the feeling, both in a beautiful way and in a sometimes-stressful way, of always having to be somewhere and do something and to be creating, and putting yourself out there, and meeting people. It’s time to slow down, and I’ve learned to say No as I may want to sit down and open a book of poetry one morning and read. Or maybe I might just want to lie in bed one Saturday morning or walk to the water. To have that time has been really, really cool. 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? Joe, I see the precariousness of it all. I try not to stop and think about it. When I think about the repercussions, I get really worried as an artist. I told my partner, Mitchell, that it’s also possible the year I just spent was a year I would spend in normal times. You never know that I could have had five plays, five shows back-to-back, a couple of days on set, some workshops OR I could not have had any of these. I could have been working in my three other Jane jobs the whole time or could have had nothing. As an artist, you’re used to that life in a way anyway. When I think about Crow’s Theatre, Canadian Stage or any of the smaller companies, students who have graduated from theatre school, I worry about all of this. For the theatre graduates, are we going to lose them because the pandemic may have dried up opportunities? I’m worried about this precariousness. It’s a profession, it’s a job, it’s a joy, this business but it’s so tenuous sometimes. I hope it’s going to recover because when it does, it’s going to be glorious. When I saw Stratford’s announcements of outdoor theatre, I gasped with excitement because yes, it’s coming back, get me back, please. As a professional artist, what are you missing the most about the live theatre industry? The community. The everyday play with people. During this time when we’re outside walking on the sidewalk, we see others and yes, we too, we move to the side. It’s our calling as artists to move closer, not just physically but with our hearts, with our breath, with our minds. I miss that. Trying to lock in and connect. It’s connecting with people and playing with them. 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? (There was a long pause from Amy as I could sense she wanted to say it right) It will be the ability of a large group of people, audiences, and creators of a piece to be in the same room together. Because that’s the magic. That is what we have missed this past year and a bit, especially me with Netflix. (and we too share a quick laugh). It’s that, and that’s what scary right now is the gathering of big groups of people. Who knew even two years ago we would have said, “You know, next year is going to be really difficult and really dangerous to get over 20 people in a room together.” And I would have said,” No, what are you talking about, that’s my job to do that.” This also includes the audience too because they will wonder if it’s going to be safe for them. Yes, actors can rehearse outside but is an audience safe to watch you? Every day and every performance I will thankfully say, “Look at all the people who are here, even if it’s five of them.” We may not be sold out but we’re here, that audience is here, how lucky are we!!!!!! Describe one element you hope has changed concerning the live theatre industry. I feel as if this last year plus has forced us to slow down in multiple ways. I hope that when we get back to working, creating, and playing, we’re also going to slow down. And that, to me, means being able to take care of everyone who is in the room and be able to be present with everyone who is working on the project, everyone who has come together. That means meeting people where they’re at; that means dealing with anti-racist actions and making sure that people are being seen and taken care of. It must be noted where people are coming from and what they need on any given day. And if there’s something hurtful in the work, said in rehearsal or in the script that we’re able to (and money is always a thing, Joe, you know) that we’re able to call it IN or OUT first off and then take the time and say, “Hey, this doesn’t work. This isn’t helpful for us. Let’s take the time to do something different, to re-evaluate it and to change it.” We’ve done this already for the last fifteen, sixteen months outside the theatre. We now must bring this into the theatre. It can only be a good thing for any production if people are being seen, we meet them where they are coming from and to hear them. Explain what specifically you believe you must still accomplish within the industry. Oh my God, what a cool question. One thing – EVERYTHING!!!!! (And again, we had a good laugh) Oh, Joe, this is the hardest question because I actually do believe it’s everything. Here’s my thesis (and again Amy took some time because I could sense she wanted to say it right and to get it right) I started doing a bit of film and tv. I just finished my first short film, and I would like to find different ways to work and collaborate with people. So, I’d love to be part of a process or to lead a process that would stretch the container of the three – four-week rehearsal process. I feel I’d like to work in a playful way. I think I would like to write. I would like to direct. I directed once before and nearly killed myself, Joe. I was living off coffee and cigarettes and wasn’t sleeping. I want to go back and try it again. I think it would be fun, but I would like to pick the play. It would have to be a play I could see that I would want to do. Here’s the last thing I’ll say – I want to work in big communities of people. I think a lot of shows are kept small on account of budget. When we did ‘Passion Play’, it was a cast of 12. There were 3 directors. It was very large, and I would love to work in that way again, kind of on an epic scale and do plays that are 5, 10, 12 hours long with five directors and a cast of 20. (and I start smiling and laughing as Amy’s enthusiasm is contagious) We’ve been at home for the last year and a half doing nothing, and I want to work on a big, big scale. That’s what I want to do. 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. Joe, let’s re-phrase this question, okay? “Am I prepared to participate both as a professional artist and as a theatre goer in the potential tsunami of Covid themed plays and stories when we immediately return to the theatre? I’m going to echo several of the artists whom you have interviewed who have quoted the same thing…” Fuck, no!!!!!!!!!! (With uproarious laughter from both of us) Definitely not! I don’t want it! I actually wonder if down the road, say ten years from now, a Covid play might be interesting. Right now? No, no no… What I am a fan of now is Black Mirror on Netflix. There’s a cool thing about this show in that it’s not science fiction but more like a drama where it takes the world we live in today and just switches one little thing, just one thing about society. For example, what if in advertising we put a chip in you and see what happens, or your whole social status was based on how many LIKES you received daily. What I find interesting in this comparison of the show to Covid are the connections to some of the anti-vaxxers, anti- mask individuals. If we take the themes from this time of Covid and explore into a play. I don’t want to see any kind of Covid re-creation, but I do think there’s some interesting things revealed about people and society in general at this time. Those themes would be interesting to explore OUTSIDE of a Covid backdrop. I don’t want that. Now, if someone wrote a Covid themed play with me in mind and offered it to me for next year, I might say, “Too soon, too soon.” But if it’s my first theatre job offer in a post Covid world, I might just say, “Yes, please.” As an artist, what specifically is it about your work that you want future audiences to remember about you? For me, specifically, this is such a self-reflecting In Memoriam. I feel the thing for me that makes live theatre so exciting for me and what I want to see in the actors when I watch, and what I want to bring to the stage, is a certain playfulness, aliveness and electricity that makes people feel that this interaction at this moment is new every time. It’s that kind of work that Outside the March reflects in that it was important that you were here on this night (or, in a matinee, this day) to see this interaction at this moment. This night is different because of you, the audience member, because you’re here. I’m really leaning into this In Memoriam question, Joe. I trained in Clown. I studied a lot of Clown in school. That’s all about breath, being in the moment, following impulses and listening. It’s not about trying to be funny, but it’s about being open and receptive. That’s what I aim to do – to be present, to be playful and open with the people I’m creating with on stage, and the people that I work with through rehearsal, and the audience as well. It’s bringing that magical electrical feeling into the room. You can follow Amy Keating online at Instagram: @lil_keats. You can also follow Amy’s first short film account SUCCULENT on Instagram: @succulentthefilm. Previous Next

Back TH’OWXIYA: The Hungry Feast Dish by Joseph A. Dandurand Now onstage at Toronto's Young People's Theatre Javier R. Sotres Photography. These actors are not in this production, but this photo gives you an idea of the costumes. Joe Szekeres “A delightful First Nations tale. Amiable and genteel performances of its Indigenous storytellers are one of the highlights.” The traditional Coast Salish and Sto:lo music sets the stage for ‘Th:owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish’ on the Ada Slaight stage. Th:owxiya is a giant spirit. In this production, the mouth of Th:owxiya’s statue holds lovely foods from around the world. However, if anyone steals from the mouth of the statue, they will pay a terrible price as Th:owxiya has developed a taste for children. A hungry Mouse (Cassandra Bourchier) takes a piece of cheese from Th:owxiya’s mouth and is caught. To appease the ire of Th:owxiya, the mouse must bring two children for her to eat before the second moon rises. If this does not occur, Th:owxiya will eat the mouse’s whole family. The mouse seeks assistance on her journey to trick Th:owxiya with the help of Raven (Damion Leclair), Bear (Braiden Houle) and Sasquatch (Danica Charlie). There’s quite an array of colourful objects, set pieces and props, thanks to Production Designer Jay Havens’ careful consideration in selecting these items. When I sat down in my seat, I scanned the stage, and some items caught my attention – one was the large spindle whorl near the back. The other was the statue of Th:owxiya. At first look, it doesn't appear very comforting. However, something is intriguing about the statue each time I look at it—extraordinary colours on both props. Havens’ set design compactly fits the Ada Slaight stage. Nothing appears cramped as the actors can maneuver around with ease of movement. The costumes are lovely. Damion Leclair’s Raven is remarkable from my seat in the house. The headpieces on Bourchier, Houle and Charlie uniquely give vibrancy to the animal characters they have created. For the most part, playwright Joseph Dandurand’s script uniquely captures the vernacular language of children, which will sustain interest in the story. There are moments, nevertheless, when some First Nations vocabulary is introduced that could be confusing for young viewers. I had to use the Vocabulary list provided in the Study Guide before and after seeing the show for clarification – for example: Sasq’ets (Sasquatch); Kw’at’el (Mouse); Sqeweqs (Raven); Theqa:t (tree); Spa:th (Bear); Sp’oq’es (Eagle); Chitmexw (Owl). Hopefully, if children are brought to school matinées, then teachers may want to review this vocabulary prior. Parents, if you do bring children unfamiliar with the vocabulary, you may want to ask for the vocabulary list. The underlying messages behind the story are important ones of overcoming adversity together and problem-solving. Young People’s Theatre also supports the Ancestral Teachings of First Nations. I’m pleased the company continues to fulfill this important connection, especially for those of us in the audience who want to know more about the culture. In this production, the teachings of Wisdom and Respect are reinforced. Chris McGregor’s direction and pacing succinctly capture the whimsy and curiosity of childhood. As an adult, I got caught up in the story. Kudos to McGregor’s vision of curiosity to include everyone in the audience. The strong actor ensemble remains committed to the moment and in the moment. Several child-participatory sections are fun to watch. The actors didn’t appear unnerved by the children’s responses. The cast instinctively knew what to do to maintain the focus and to get the story back on track when necessary. Final Comments: Charming! Creative! ‘Th’owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish’ is another example of an appropriate storytelling moment in the First Nations culture. Even for adults like me who wish more First Nations stories were taught when I was in high school, this production provides teachable moments for adults who want to learn more. Thank You, Young People’s Theatre, for your continued work showcasing the stories and culture of First Nations. Running time: approximately 45 minutes with no intermission. There may be some Q and A sessions following the performance, so check when you book tickets. The production runs until November 6 on the Ada Slaight Stage at Toronto’s Young People’s Theatre, 165 Front Street East. For tickets, call the Box Office at 416-862-2222 x 2 or email at yptboxoffice@youngpeoplestheatre.org . To learn more about the theatre, visit www.youngpeoplestheatre.org . TH’OWXIYA: The Hungry Feast Dish An Axis Theatre Production Written by Joseph A. Dandurand Directed by Chris McGregor Production Designer: Jay Havens Music Composer: Marguerite Witvoet Stage Manager: Sophie Kaplan Performers: Meela Alexis, Cassandra Bourchier, Danica Charlie, Braiden Houle, Margo Kane, Damion LeClair Previous Next

Back The Man That Got Away (A Special Appearance) by Martin Julien Buddies in Bad Times Theatre HAUI Joe Szekeres An absorbing performance of a gutsy, complex individual who has lived life the way he wants in all its glory, its warts, and its divineness. This is my first time seeing Martin Julien in a live performance. Why have I waited this long? According to a release I received, ‘The Man That Got Away’ was developed in the Buddies Residency Program. It’s a “genre-subverting piece deconstructing the cabaret and confessional forms, delving into Julien’s queer upbringing as the child of a lesbian and gay man in mid-twentieth century Toronto, as well as the loss of his father to HIV/AIDS in the late 1980s.” There’s a great deal going on just in this description alone. Suffice it to say Julien took me on a deeply personal journey with him through a Toronto I remember reading about it in the papers and seeing the various stories on the news. As a young teacher at that time, I remember the tremendous heartache, the fear of the unknown and the personal suspicions about those deemed different which irreparably destroyed lives. Martin ably and heartfully captured these emotional highs and lows with respectful class and dignity. ‘The Man that Got Away’ took on a completely different meaning for me in hearing it from an individual who was there, who lost loved ones, and who will forever be changed by what he saw, heard, and encountered during the AIDS crisis. And as a member of this opening night audience, I was richer for listening to Julien share and sing his fascinating story about his family supported by two fine artists, Tat Austrie and Ben Page. Austrie played a vocally astounding Judy Garland while Page ably accompanied on the keyboard (and provided the odd voices from Julien’s past). ‘The Man that Got Away’ is not simply a cabaret piece. In his Playwright’s Notes from 2020, Martin writes he wanted both “to use and subvert the tropes of cabaret/nightclub/concert hall performance.” For me, the show is more than just that. It becomes a call to action to truly hear and listen to not only this story but all stories that are not like our own. Director Peter Hinton-Davis subtly directs with intimacy and compassion as he moulds and shapes Julien at various stages of his life that are sometimes moving, sometimes heartbreaking but most often always credibly real. Stephen Woodjetts’ musical arrangements are soundly placed at crucial points in Julien’s life as the song lyrics led me further into going deeper in understanding this complex individual. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard Judy Garland sing ‘The Man That Got Away’ from the 1954 film ‘A Star is Born’. Here, I found this rendition mesmerizingly haunting and permeated the auditorium walls and remained with me long after I got home. Sean Mulcahy’s starkly simple set design gripped my attention immediately. A lone spotlight hazily reveals a chair centre stage. It reminded me of those tv talk shows from the mid–late 1950s where the host smoked a cigarette and interviewed his guests. Bonnie Beecher’s full-on cabaret style of lighting at one point sets the stage fiery ablaze as Julien sings in a style that reminded me of Liza Minnelli’s rendition of ‘Cabaret’ in the Fosse film. HAUI’s striking video designs referenced, when necessary, the time frame or Julien’s state of mind at various points in his life. The press release also states, “while the play is deeply personal, the production grapples with broader questions of queer identity, struggle and history exploring the liminal spaces between the unobserved and the public, the closet and the stage, escape and encounter.” Once again, a great deal to ponder from my audience’s perspective on how I am to look at the subject material with an open mind, eye, and heart. The odd bits of humour especially in how Martin and his father used Broadway show tunes in their personal lives did make me smile and utter a low chuckle behind my mask as it did, according to Hinton-Davis’s programme note “described a time, distant and unrecognizable to another generation…we challenge and teach each other in the exchange.” Final Comments: An engaging performance, ‘The Man That Got Away’s’ success remains incumbent on us to listen to other voices, to hear their stories, to digest and to think really about what is most important in life. For Martin Julien, he’s lived life the way he wants in all its glory, its warts and its divineness. I respect that truly. Running Time: approximately two hours and 10 minutes with one intermission. ‘The Man That Got Away’ (A Special Appearance) runs until December 18 at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander Street, Toronto. For tickets, visit buddiesinbadtimes.com or call the Box Office at (416) 975-8555. ‘The Man That Got Away’ (A Special Appearance) by Martin Julien A Buddies in Bad Times Theatre Production Director: Peter Hinton-Davies Musical Arrangements and consultation: Stephen Woodjetts Assistant Director and Dramaturge: Monice Peter Stage Manager: Fiona Jones Set and Costume Design: Sean Mulcahy Lighting Designer: Bonnie Beecher Video Design: HAUI Sound Design: Wayne Hawthorne Performers: Martin Julien, Tat Austrie and Ben Page Previous Next

Back Gerard Gauci - Resident Set Designer for Opera Atelier "I'm not sure where AI technology will go in scenic design, but eventually it will have some role on stage for future productions." Bruce Zinger Joe Szekeres From Gerard’s website and our Zoom conversation: “Gerard Gauci is the Resident Set Designer for Toronto’s Opera Atelier. Educated at the Ontario College of Art and Design, he graduated with Honours in 1982. He was in the Communication and Design Department. Gerard wanted to work in the applied arts, and he studied to become an illustrator. The theatre has always been at the back of his mind. His work encompasses art, theatre, and museum design. He has worked with Atelier since its first fully staged production in 1985. He has designed the company’s complete repertoire, spanning Monteverdi to von Weber. His work for the stage has been seen across Canada, throughout the United States and Europe. Gauci’s sets have been presented by Houston Grand Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival in New York State, and the Opéra Versailles.” During our conversation, Gerard mentioned that his designs are all done by hand and rarely uses a computer. Ever since I’ve had the opportunity to attend some of Atelier’s productions, I’ve been highly impressed with Gauci’s designs. How did Gerard connect with Marshall Pynkoski and Jeannette Lajeunesse-Zingg from Toronto’s Opéra Atelier? While working as an illustrator, he was commissioned to do a magazine cover for the monthly CBC Radio Guide (the TV Guide for Canadian radio). There was always an illustrated cover, and Gerard was asked to produce one about theatre. He’s always been interested in the fine arts and decorative arts of the eighteenth century, particularly in France and Italy. Gerard created a published cover that featured a Baroque dancer in a kind of allegorical costume set on a stage. Marshall and Jeannette subscribed to this monthly Radio Guide, saw the cover, and found it interesting. They tore it off and stuck it on the fridge door. Jeannette happened to be working with some photographers, and one of them said she and Marshall should meet this ‘guy’ who’s interested in all this Baroque stuff “you’re interested in.” Through one connection leading to another, Gauci received a phone call from them and wanted to meet one day. He did. Marshall and Jeannette asked if Gerard would design some props for “The Choice of Hercules,” a production they were doing in the theatre at the Royal Ontario Museum theatre. Gerard agreed and enjoyed the experience. Marshall and Jeannette then continued to ask Gerard to work on set designs. Thus, his connection with the two of them began, and a new chapter opened: “Thirty-five years later, I’m still here.” Where does Gerard see the world of opera and theatre’s trajectory over the next five years? He paused for a moment. First, he said that’s a good question as the industry is still in recovery from Covid. Many of the artists whom I’ve interviewed have also agreed with this, along with the fact everyone wants to establish once again where they were before 2020. He then added: “Technology is becoming a bigger and bigger factor on the stage itself. In terms of scenic design, projection is a huge part of what one now sees on the stage. There’s talk of exploring AI scenically on stage. I’m not sure where that will go, but eventually, it will have some role on stage for certain kinds of productions.” Gauci can’t speak as a director. In terms of set design, the world of printing is changing everything. For his entire history with Opera Atelier, Gerard has everything painted on stage: backdrops, set, and flats. He has a team of painters who do all this work. Gerard creates a small-scale rendering, and the painters reproduce it at a large scale on canvas with scenic paint. This is all changing now dramatically. In the early days, one couldn’t print anything at that scale. Today, if something is 25 feet by 25 feet, it can be sent out and printed. Gerard foresees that printing will probably overtake the world of scenic painting. Atelier did a production in Italy several years ago where all the drops would be printed in Germany. Gerard had to send scans of paintings. He called this both technological and concerning because he had no idea what the quality would be like coming from a printing press instead of the hands of a team of painters. Gerard was astonished when he saw the quality of the work: “These were drops that were 60 feet X 25 feet. They were enormous. The quality was superb, and it looked exactly like my painting. When you have someone physically paint it, there’s a kind of translation that has to happen because their hand is not the same as my hand. It doesn’t look exactly like me. What I had printed looks exactly like me and done in a fraction of the time and cost fraction of what it would cost to have something painted by a team of painters.” Gauci concurs something is lost because there’s an ineffable quality about a painting versus a print. It’s not the same thing. Printed versions usually have a bit of sheen, whereas scenic paint is designed to be very flat and not reflect light but absorb it. This kind of technology in the theatre has revolutionized the world of scenic art and will continue to do so. Unfortunately, as Gerard sees it, the world of scenic painting becomes less and less of a profession. It has been used less and less over the years because scenic designers have been thinking digitally for an entire generation. Why should people continue to see the opera? The pandemic proved to everyone the value of live theatre. Everyone watched online offerings when everything shut down, yet Gerard found that experience unsatisfying. He couldn’t be engaged with that screen in the way he was engaged in the theatre. When everything ‘returned,’ Gerard said he rushed back like everyone. He saw some shows – in his words, they were fine, but they weren’t great productions. The experience of being back in the theatre reminded him of how irreplaceable it is. As audience members, we participate in that production because there is an energy exchange between the performers and the audience. Then, there is the added exchange of energy among audience members. It’s a human resonance. There’s some life-affirming about the experience of being in the theatre. Gerard added something that many artists I’ve profiled have intimated the same thought: “I found I was moved far more in the theatre than I was looking at the screen.” For Gerard, opera strives to combine all the arts. The exciting thing about Baroque opera? It was seen as a synthesis of the arts – scenic, orchestral, vocal, and balletic. Emotions were big. It allowed spectators to participate in the opera. It’s about life, but it’s bigger than life. He also added: “It was an age of invention in the theatre. The Italians were the great genius of scenic design. They could create very magical effects that would happen before the eyes of spectators. Seeing these changes on stage was an exhilarating experience for an audience.” Gerard admires Marshall and Jeannette's commitment and tenacity. It takes incredible energy and determination to run any theatre company, even if for a very short period to keep it running and lively for almost forty years is an amazing achievement. They are high-energy people and have never wavered in their commitment to the company and its vision. Marshall and Jeannette’s energy is infectious, and most of all, it’s fun. For Gerard, these qualities are scarce, and he has always admired them for these qualities. As we concluded our Zoom conversation, I asked Gerard where he sees himself within the next proverbial five years: “Oh, gosh. That’s a good question. Throughout my career, I’ve worn three different hats – a theatre designer, a painter and a museum exhibition designer. I just like to keep going. I love juggling all of these things because ultimately one thing influences the other. There’s a nice relationship between these three things.” Gerard still loves painting. He has always been interested in curation and decorative arts of museums. The theatre has been his life for so long. Opera Atelier is not going anywhere so he hopes he will continue designing sets for the company. His final words: He’s just going to continue going on. To learn more about Gerard Gauci as artist, visit his webpage: https://www.gerardgauci.com/ To learn more about Opéra Atelier: https://www.operaatelier.com/ Previous Next

Back 'Wedding Band' by Alice Childress Now onstage at The Tom Patterson Theatre at the Stratford Festival David Hou. Featured: Members of the Company Guest writer Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, arts educator A thought-provoking, profound examination of racism, intolerance, violence and injustice in the American south of the early twentieth century and how love reigns victorious. Some familiar-sounding themes make a lot to love - and think about - in Stratford’s production of Alice Childress’s “Wedding Band”. “Wedding Band” is effectively staged on the thrust of the Tom Patterson theatre with actors making full use of every side and corner of the rectangular playing space. Some superb performances from Stratford stage veterans and newcomers alike make for powerful scenes of shocking intensity and, curiously, some that need more intensity. Set in Charleston, South Carolina, near the end of the First World War, the story follows the illegal interracial romance between Julia, an alienated black seamstress hoping for peace in an out-of-the-way rooming house and a white baker named Herman. Julia is desperately trying to avoid the prying eyes and ears of gossipy neighbours. On their 10th anniversary, Herman visits Julia with a celebratory cake, a wedding band on a chain and a plan for both to leave the south for New York City, where they can be legally married. But soon, Herman is stricken by the great influenza pandemic brought home by American soldiers returning from the trenches in France. Julia’s landlord is afraid to call for a (white) doctor, and soon Herman’s mother and sister arrive on the scene to care for their ailing kin. When they learn of Herman’s relationship with Julia, tensions boil over, and secrets are revealed! The American south of 1918 was a very dangerous place to be for an interracial couple. Racist social conventions and the threat of violence for such a union were omnipresent. The only option for many was to leave the south for the more “liberal” northern states where they could wed and be deemed a “legal” couple. Director Sam White beautifully crafts the old spiritual “Jacob’s Ladder” (beautifully sung throughout the production by the cast) as a metaphor for humans - black and white - for reaching our highest potential, our brightest future. According to her program notes, socioeconomic status, race, and gender, forces us to live on a rung by a system that oppresses the less powerful. Though she references 1918, you can’t help but connect the precarious race relations in America today. Kudos to her very deliberate placement of little girls, black Teeta and white Princess, who scamper on and off-stage holding hands, playing patty cake, blissfully unaware of race and prejudice. Their brief but essential appearances starkly contrast the hostilities of the adult world. White deftly sculpts her supporting characters and cultivates lovely performances from each. She avoids the potential pitfall of a thrust stage by positioning her actors to avoid extended periods with their backs to the audience, mostly. There were two disappointing exceptions in Act 2 with scenes between Julia and her friends Mattie and Lula. They were statically placed facing “downstage,” from my vantage point on the left side of the stage, I couldn’t always make out what seemed to be rather critical dialogue. Richard H. Morris Jr.’s set provides lovely hints that allow us to fill in the gaps - a few picket fences, a chair and table and a tree stump. Upstage boasted a detailed, era-appropriate boarding house façade with an ingenious bedroom suite that glides silently to centre stage and back, giving the audience the full effect of some shocking scenes. Lighting by Kathy A. Perkins provides subtle texture, reflecting the emotional intensity of the scenes with well-chosen amber and blue values. Sarah Uwadiae’s fabulously authentic and detailed period costumes, including a fully equipped soldier bound for the trenches, effortlessly demonstrate the class structure of the affluent and the oppressed. Shout out to the original music by Beau Dixon and Music Director Franklin Brasz. Dixon’s fusion of twangy blues with classic spiritual, and Brasz’s direction of the cast’s choral work on Jacob’s Ladder, set the tone brilliantly and maintain it through scene transitions and incidentals. A fine cast of actors takes on these disparate characters, all with their own unique storyline. The female characters are a joy to watch - whether faced with adversity or being the cause of it. These women are all well-defined and performed to perfection, mostly. As Fanny Johnson, the fiery landlady of the rooming house who pretends to belong to a better social class as a property owner while “representing her race in an approved manner”, Liza Huget is excellent, injecting humour, disgust, apathy, and judgement in equal measure. Ijeoma Emesowum as Mattie, a poor single mother with a husband away in the merchant marines, wonderfully portrays a woman beaten and struggling to make ends meet. Joella Chrichton’s portrayal of Lula Green, another poor woman who lost her first child in a tragic accident, is delicate and emotional. As Julia, the uneducated, outcast seamstress, Antonette Rudder gives a brave and heartfelt performance that doesn’t quite hit the mark. I wanted more risk-taking in her portrayal. Julia is a poor black woman, rejected by her own race showing the strain of social isolation. But I didn’t see it. Her scenes with Herman lacked similar depth and subtly. Sadly, by the end of the play, I wasn’t as invested in her character’s journey and outcome as I was in everyone else’s. Maev Beatty is compelling as Annabelle, sister of Herman, desperate to break free of her mother’s influence to marry the man she loves. Lucy Peacock is a marvel as Thelma (Freida), the racist mother of Annabelle and Herman, a social class pretender and supporter of the KKK. Her expert performance is authentic and compelling. Her shouting match with Julia over the theft of money from Herman’s wallet escalates into a verbal battle of racial insults so intense it leaves this reviewer breathless. Cyrus Lane as Herman embodies his role as the poor, hardworking baker who doesn’t see race, just people. He loves Julia, to be sure, but I wasn’t convinced she’s his soulmate. This was my biggest problem. Though White’s vision of colour-blind love is abundantly clear, the private bedroom scenes between Herman and Julia lacked subtle tenderness and natural passion. This couple has had a clandestine relationship for a decade, but my companion and I weren’t sold on their passion. However, an intimacy director is credited in the program. As Nelson Green, the adopted son of Lula on leave from the trenches, Micah Woods is a revelation. This young actor’s work is a joy to behold, injecting the right amount of bravado, fear, and intimidation as a young black soldier with a dubious future. An exceptional multi-layered performance. The rest of the cast - Aliya/Aria Anthony as Teeta, Jonathan Mason as Shrimp Man, Kevin Kruchkywich as Bell Man and Madison Taylor Mackenzie as Princess - handle their respective supporting roles with aplomb. “Wedding Band” is thoroughly enlightening, relevant, educational, and entertaining. Its themes of racial injustice and intolerance, miscegenation, segregation, single motherhood, alienation, and loneliness amid a virulent pandemic, make me think nothing much has changed in America in 105 years. But the beauty of this play is its simple message. It wasn’t written to victimize black people or make white people feel guilty. It was written to spotlight the history of black people, to remind us of the past so that we can (hopefully) enjoy a better future together. Running time: approximately two hours and twenty-four minutes. The production runs until October 1 at the Tom Patterson Theatre. For tickets, visit stratfordfestival.ca. Previous Next

Back Matthew G. Brown Self Isolated Artist David Leyes Joe Szekeres I first saw Matthew’s work on stage at the Stratford Festival in an extraordinarily moving ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ (directed by Nigel Shawn Williams). Matthew’s marvelously anguished performance as the wronged Tom Robinson earned him a Broadway World Award nomination for best performance by a male in a featured role. Matthew’s brief appearance and image as the eerie Soothsayer in ‘Julius Caesar’ that summer was haunting. Here is someone whom I hope to see on stage in the future when it’s safe to return to the theatre. And holy moly, Matthew Brown is one busy guy after I read his biography. His diversified project work in television, theatre, and film are solid. Along with these projects, Matthew has also received excellent training at fine institutions across the country including the Canadian Film Centre. Matthew and I conducted our interview via email: It has been the almost three-month mark since we’ve all been in isolation. How have you been faring? How has your immediate family been doing during this time? My immediate family and loved ones have been good and healthy which is lucky. I’ve been doing ok…for the first part of the pandemic I would swing from ‘completely unbothered’ by everything to ‘I want to pull all of my hair out! When will this be over?!’ It would all depend on the day that you caught me. Since the topic of race has come into the global conversation, it has brought up a whole new set of challenges and mental health hurdles to navigate. That being said: I am hopeful that this wave of activism and the calls for change won’t just disappear when it’s no longer trendy and things open up again. As a performer, what has been the most difficult and challenging for you professionally and personally? Not having access to any gyms or dance studios has been rough. I’ve invested in a tap dance board just so I can have somewhere to dance and stay fit. It’s also a challenge when it feels like there is no end in sight. We’re sort of programmed as performers to hustle and always be on, looking for the next thing. While I believe sitting still is a very good thing, it can cause anxiety when you don’t think there is any end in sight. 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? Just before the lockdown, I had shot a series of commercials for a major company. They had asked me if I was available to shoot another one at the end of March, which was obviously canceled. The commercials that I’ve already shot are currently in limbo as the company is putting the ad campaign on hold. I was in the planning stages of having a reading of a Web Series that I’ve been developing for the past two and a half years at the end of March (again, canceled) and I was about a month away from starting rehearsals for Musical Stage Company’s “Kelly V. Kelly” at the Canadian Stage’s Berkley St Theatre. Once’ Kelly V. Kelly’ was finished I was set to play Antipholus of Ephesus in ‘Comedy of Errors’ in Toronto’s High Park this summer. COVID blew a lot of things up for me :D We’ll see if the commercials see the light of day…hopefully they will, I thought they were funny. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time? As I mentioned above, I tap dance to try to keep myself moving (apologies to my neighbours). I’ve also participated in some Zoom readings of film scripts and Shakespeare just for fun. I’m trying to move the read-through of my Web Series to Zoom so that I can finish developing the show and begin to work on pitching it. Speaking of pitching, a friend of mine (John Virtue) has written a great feature film that I hope to be in. Funny enough, the movie is about being trapped in a room, so you know…topical! During quarantine, he and I have chatted about how we can possibly make this movie/get funding…so I’ve been trying to remain positive and keep myself busy. I’ve also invested in a home studio with a microphone so I can try to do some voice work from my home. I’ve also been playing a TON of video games as that’s my favourite form of escape. Currently, I’m playing ‘Persona 5: The Royal’, ‘Samurai Shodown’ and building up a sweet island in ‘Animal Crossing’. Any words of wisdom or advice you might /could give to fellow performers and colleagues? What message would you deliver to recent theatre school graduates who have now been set free into this unknown and uncertainty given the fact live theaters and studios might be closed for 1 ½ - 2 years? I can’t imagine just coming out of theatre school and into this climate, so that’s a bit of a tough one. I would say take this time to do the work and research you can from home. Read plays, research roles that you would like to one day play, dabble in some writing if you can. Finding ways to stay artistically motivated during times like this are hard, but they will be helpful. That being said, be kind to yourself on days where you don’t have it in you. Take the time for self-reflection, don’t feel guilty if you didn’t do any work today. There’s no “machine” running right now, so just do what you can so you’re prepared for when things start again. Do you see anything positive stemming from COVID 19? I think that, whether we like it or not, COVID-19 has forced the world to collectively pause and examine itself. I genuinely think that’s why so many white people are finally hearing us about police brutality right now. There are no other distractions, no theatre to see, no sports to watch, no room for blissful ignorance, and that may end up being a good thing. I hate that it took a global pandemic that equals thousands sick and dead, and the death of more black people, for society to take racism seriously; but I definitely hope that it will make people really examine the systems that we have in place and how they negatively affect our society. If not now, then when? Do you think COVID 19 will have some lasting impact on the Canadian/North American performing arts scene? Yes, both negatively and positively. As I said, it has forced us to examine our industries and their practices. I think this can lead to a positive change. We’re already seeing that begin with the proposed changes to “as Cast” contracts. Hopefully, more action will be taken to make performing arts across all platforms more inclusive. I also think that there will be a negative impact on house sizes and getting people to return to the theatre because there will be the worry of feeling safe from COVID. Not to mention the financial hit the industry is taking by closing all of its sets, theatres, and sound stages. However, if we bring new and exciting voices to our big stages and give BIPOC an opportunity to tell their stories as well, the positive impact could fix the negative impact as people will want to rush back to the theatre to hear their voices represented…if that makes sense. 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’ve thought hard about this one since Quarantober began (that’s what I’ve been calling this since March…it’s just one long month…right?). Nothing will replace live theatre. The experience of sharing the same oxygen as the performers you’re watching cannot be duplicated. However, I do think it may not be a bad idea to examine other ways to make theatre more accessible to more people. Take sports for instance: for better or worse, sports are going to find a way back. They will play with no fans in the crowd and rely on their TV deals and merchandise to make money. If you watch a sporting event on TV, it’s fun, you enjoy it. However, I think most sporting fans will agree that there is nothing like being there. Sports have been televised for years, and yet they still are able to sell their live experience as well as sell their product on television. Why can’t theatre do the same? Maybe if we had the infrastructure in place to shoot our shows, there would be a path to get back to work sooner? Perhaps a pay-per-view service of some kind where a season subscriber could have access to shows online, but everyone would know that to get the best experience you have to be there live. Of course right now, we’d be doing theatre with no audience, but we could still do something and be able to (hopefully) keep performers safe at work, while providing theatre to our audiences in the safety of their own home. Also, I’m fully aware that this kind of thing could only apply to really big-budget theatres like Broadway, Stratford, Shaw, Mirvish, and the like. If something like COVID-19 has the ability to shut down our entire industry for a year, it might not be a bad idea to revisit how we get our medium out there for people to experience. Despite all this fraught tension and confusion, what is it about performing that COVID will never destroy for you? Family and friends. We’re blessed to live in a time where a loved one is just a phone call or video chat or text away. We’re also blessed to have the outdoors, books to read, internet to stream with, hours upon hours of television to consume and tons of video games to experience. Although this pandemic really does suck, we have a lot to be grateful for if we just slow down and appreciate all of the small ways that we are privileged. COVID can’t take away the little things. 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? Excellence 2. What is your least favourite word? Necessarily 3. What turns you on? Ambition 4. What turns you off? Bigotry 5. What sound or noise do you love? Singing 6. What sound or noise bothers you? Sliding a full metal water bottle across a table. You know the sound… 7. What is your favourite curse word? It’s a Jamaican curse word and my mom would kill me if I dropped it in this interview, so I’m a chill. (laughs) What is your least favourite curse word? See you next Tuesday 8. Other than your own, what other career profession could you see yourself doing? For a while I really wanted to be a massage therapist. 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? “Welcome home!” You can reach Matthew at his social media handles of Twitter and Instagram: @ItsMrMGB. Previous Next

Back 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens Produced and Performed by the Book of Light and Darkness Productions now onstage at the BMO Studio Theatre Credit: Drew Murdock Aaron Kropf “A hauntingly wonderful retelling of a classic tale” Right on the heels of ‘Elf the Musical’, Saint John Theatre Company is clearly doing everything in their power to get theatre patrons into the Christmas spirit. And what better way than to share a story that has been told and retold over the years. This year, patrons were treated to a one man performance of Dickens’ most famous tale that revitalized the season of Christmas. This production of ‘A Christmas Carol’ was produced and performed by The Book of Darkness & Light Productions from the UK. Adam Z. Robinson created and performed this production of “A Christmas Carol” that is a little spookier than we are used to seeing. It’s the classic story of miserly old Ebenezer Scrooge who, after encounters with four ghosts, has a change of heart toward family, the poor, and Christmas. This story is so influential. Why? Were it not for Charles Dickens, Christmas might look very different to us today. There are a couple of things that make this production stand out. One is the greater focus on the ghostly/macabre side thanks to Storyteller Adam Z. Robinson’s onstage work. This staging is really more of a dramatic retelling of the Dickensian tale highlighted by the name of the only “character” to appear on stage. The set was simple, haunting, and Victorian in essence. The stage is outlined on three sides with candles and greenery. Right of centre is a small scribe's desk with a letterbox, cup, candles, and other bric-a-brac. A solitary chair sits next to the desk along with a coat tree with a night cap, and robe. Unfortunately, the night cap was never used in the production...which felt a little strange. Especially strange given how synonymous a night cap is with Ebenezer Scrooge and his ghostly visitors. There is something to be said about stripping a classic to its core. Simply telling the story made it special. Robinson’s delivery is captivating and draws you into the story because he is an exceptional storyteller. The show moves along at a quick pace, being only 90 minutes long. The Book of Darkness & Light Productions telling of “A Christmas Carol” is a hauntingly wonderful telling of the much loved story of Scrooge and his Christmas Eve visitors. “A Christmas Carol” runs until December 9th at the BMO Studio Theatre. Previous Next BACK TO TOP

Back Astrid van Wieren Self Isolated Artist --- ​ I finished my Zoom conference call interview with Toronto artist Astrid Van Wieren with a big smile on my face and felt a huge sense of accomplishment. She is a lady who is truly thankful for the gift and grace of her performing arts career. Just hearing the titles of some of the productions in which she has performed are quite impressive. Plus, I also found out today that she and I attended the same alma mater (King’s College at University of Western Ontario – yay!!) and we also earned the same degree while at King’s. Upon her graduation from UWO, she then attended the theatre program at Ryerson University. (in the process of a name change at this time) The first time I saw Astrid on stage was at the Royal Alexandra Theatre over three years ago when the extraordinary ‘Come from Away’ was on its North American tour eventually heading to Broadway. When I was in New York City last year, I went to see the production and the original cast was still playing. Ms. Van Wieren will continue in her Broadway run of the show at the Gerald Schonfeld Theatre in New York City once the all clear has been given. And will I go see the show again when in NYC? You bet your sweet bippy I will. How many people remember that line?: 1. How have you been doing during this period of isolation and quarantine for the last two months? What was life in New York City like right up until the decision was made to close the theatres? I’m taking it that you are still in New York at this time since ‘Come from Away’ was playing right up until the lock down? Is your immediate family doing well? No, I’m here in Toronto, in my house in Leslieville. I was on my first vacation in forever, down in Buenos Aires where I was invited by the Artistic director of The Stage Company Theatre, Carla Calabrese to see their rehearsals of ‘Come from Away’ which was to be the first non-English licenced production. I was treated so beautifully while I was in Buenos Aires. Then everything got a little strange towards the end because that’s when the pandemic was starting to really hit. When I got back to New York, Broadway had already shut down so I went to my apartment in Harlem, packed a bag thinking I’d be gone two, three weeks because that’s what the producers were telling us at the time. I came up to Canada as it was a chance to be home. And It just felt safer. And if I got sick, I didn’t want to be a burden on the New York health care system which already had numbers that were starting to climb quickly. It’s strange, but I do feel I abandoned her, New York. It’s a city that just feels like a sentient being. Like everybody else, it’s been a real roller coaster. Yes, roller coasters can be exciting and fun but it’s the opposite of whatever that is. It’s the emotional up and down that is hard to navigate. There are days when I feel great. Today the sun’s shining and that immediately brings an uptick in mood. I feel better, more alert. There are days when every joint in my body hurts, I feel tired and think ‘What am I gonna do? What am I gonna do?”. Then it all rains down. I’m learning to navigate and to give in to what my body tells me. Some days I might get only one or two things done and there are other days where I’m fired up, getting creative things done, on Zoom calls, doing my workouts. Exercising helps clear the mind. I’m also doing morning pages (‘The Artist’s Way’). It really helps a lot. What I’ve been thinking about recently are the numbers of those who have been hit hard by the pandemic. It occurs to me the word ‘numb’ in ‘NUMBers’. But there is a story behind every number/person who has lost their life, or families who are helping and coping either in loss or keeping a watchful eye on family and friends. All those stories, gone. And actors we live by stories, really we all do. My immediate family is doing fine. My sisters on the west coast are fine; and my brother is fine in St. Thomas. . My dad is 86 and in London, Ontario, and is doing alright. I’ve been Face timing once a week with our dad as a check in. It’s been one of the positive shifts during this isolation. My sisters made masks for me and my dad. He is still ambulatory and loves his walks, but he wears his mask when he is in the elevator or his apartment building’s hallways. I’ve had some friends who have been touched by the virus but so far, I’m fine. 2. Were you involved in the planning stages of any upcoming/future projects before the pandemic was declared and everything was shut down? What has become of these projects? We had our third-year anniversary for the Broadway production of ‘Come from Away’ recently. I thought I wish I could be in this long running show for as long as I can. And I also thought it would be nice to have a month off to re-energize. Well, be careful what you wish for, eh? Because now we have months and months of being off. There’s a sequel to a musical I’ve been working on called ‘After Baal’. I performed ‘Baal – A Rock and Roll’ play at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre many years ago. The playwright (Rose Cullis), director (Jon Michaelson) and I are working on it, so that’s fun to explore. Where would this rock and roller be 20 years or so down the line? What happens to an artist who stood her ground and gets older? This is fascinating to me as I begin to age and consider our usefulness and stories and how people shift as they get closer to the end of their lives. Also, in between playing ‘Come from Away’ in Seattle and Washington, I did an independent feature film with my creative partner and best friend, John. Now, we’re pulling a pitch together for a potential series. 3. What has been the most challenging part of the isolation and quarantine for you? I’m a real social creature. Strangely enough, I also love time out, zoning out and going into a place of complete rest. I think not being able to be with people has been the most challenging. People get interrupted in Zoom calls and they can feel so awkward. I love an Algonquin round table of people sitting around with so much conversation, talk and discussion going on about ideas of theatre and art. You can’t get that same discussion going on a Zoom call or podcast as you can when you are together. Technology doesn’t allow it. I miss being in a rehearsal room. I miss the social aspect. I miss the audience who is so important. It’s the need of the audience which creates this wonderful, delicious tension, and that need to be told a story or to hear a joke that makes live theatre crackle. The applause is nice but that immediate connection is what I really miss. Just the not knowing when this pandemic will end and how things will reshuffle, I think, is the hardest point. Who am I if I’m not acting or creating? What purpose do I have? 4. What have you been doing to keep yourself busy during this time of lockdown? I work out five days a week. I’ve been doing some promo videos, pod casts and on line cabarets; lots of these for ‘Come from Away’ because we want that investment there when we return. The fun challenge with these videos is trying to use the medium in a different way to create immediacy and intimacy. As of yet, I can’t find the focus to read a book. I think there’s still stuff in my brain that I’m processing. I’m sure it’ll come back to me. I read a lot of articles and things people post online. I follow certain friends online and see what they’re doing. I’ve also watched some Netflix shows. I’ve watched ‘RADIO:30 and SHE GREW FUNNY from the NAC. It’s impossible to get to see everything. There’s so much content on line. It's hard to get to see everything. I’ve been visiting with friends and neighbours and keeping that proverbial two metre distance. Some days I feel so, so busy but I rarely feel like I get anything done. 5. What worldly advice would you give to other performing artists who are concerned about the impact of COVID-19? Any sage advice for new theatre school graduates? Allow yourself to be vulnerable. Allow yourself to be scared by all of this. But don’t retreat, if you don’t have to. Be innovative. Create art. Art will out. If you have time and energy, do it. We have some much privilege to take the time and be grateful for it. And yes, be grateful, but also be really aware of the inequality that this pandemic has pointed out. Listen to your heart. Don’t judge yourself too harshly. Look for the little waves of inspiration. Ride those little waves of inspiration. I feel badly for the young theatre graduates but lean on your classmates. Create work together. Stay in contact. These are the people who will push you. Find a way to connect. Being a good actor is vulnerability, risk and don’t be afraid to fail. There’s no one right way to do it. But having said all this, it’s also more than okay to cocoon and chill and regenerate. Everything is about adaptability and flexibility. Listen but also fight for those things that are important to you. 6. Do you see any positives coming out of this pandemic? The necessary recognition of injustice: racism, misogyny, recognizing the true value of essential workers; from health care professionals to the pizza delivery driver. This pandemic is a chance for the planet to take a breath. The more work I do with young people, and I’ve met some incredible theatre kids, they can see the bigger themes. I think there are some big innovators coming up. I choose to be optimistic because we can’t live in darkness. 7. Do you believe or can you see if the North American/Canadian performing arts scene will somehow be changed or impacted as a result of COVID – 19? Yes, there has been an impact. People have lost their jobs. Hopefully people will realize theatre and the arts stimulate the economy. I know art will survive. People are story tellers. The appetite for stories will never change, but how they’re delivered might shift. The community element will come back. Broadway will come back, but it can’t come back too soon. Broadway has to be careful how it moves forward. Our ‘Come from Away’ producers are talking every day trying to think of strategies to bring us all back to New York to perform sooner. But safety and health, first. 8. Many artists are turning to streaming/online performances to showcase/highlight/share their work. What are your thoughts and comments about this? Are there any advantages or disadvantages? I think artists have to do it. Story telling is in the blood. You need to put it somewhere. You will try in any way to connect with an audience. I have noticed a distinctly different feeling if you watch something online as it is streaming live or catch the piece after the fact. Because of the pandemic, a lot of things have different resonances for people now. Song lyrics and text pop differently. 9. What is it you still love about performing that Covid will never alter or destroy? That sense of community will never be destroyed by Covid even as we mourn the loss of people together. I’m a good teacher and a great coach and Covid will never destroy that. Covid will never destroy the incredible writers, artists, designers, performers, and their need to create. Covid will never destroy the problem solving involved in how to tell the story with all key people involved from actors to technical people. With a respectful acknowledgment to ‘Inside the Actors’ Studio’ and the late James Lipton, here are the 10 questions he asked his guests at the conclusion of his interviews: 1. What is your favourite word? Trust 2. What is your least favourite word? Unprecedented (du jour) . 3. What turns you on? Humour 4. What turns you off? Rudeness and arrogance. 5. What sound or noise do you love? The cardinal in my backyard. (du jour) It’s so bold. I love it. 6. What sound or noise bothers you? Buzz saws on a quiet afternoon, especially construction buzz saws on a Sunday afternoon. Although right now, every day is a Sunday afternoon. 7. What is your favourite curse word? Classic – fuck, just fuck. (and then Astrid just strung a bunch of curse words in a run-on sentence. LOL) 8. What profession, other than your own, would you have liked to attempt? Something arts related or I’d love to run a coffee shop, it would be a specialty coffee shop where people would stop by, feel safe and just be creative. Coffee would be free. I’m a millionaire in this scenario. 9. What profession would you not like to do? Anything to do with being a bureaucrat, paperwork, numbers – an accountant. A paper pusher. I love paper, but I would not want to push it around. 10. If Heaven exists, what do you hope God will say to you as you approach the Pearly Gates? “Bettie would like to sing a duet with you and hug you. Hugs first.” Bettie is my mom. You can follow Astrid Van Wieren on her Instagram @astridvw2020. You can also follow her on Twitter: @astridvanwieren. Previous Next

Back The Nutcracker Toronto International Ballet Theatre - Toronto's Meridian Hall Photo courtesy of Toronto International Ballet Theatre Facebook page Guest writer Geoffrey Coulter actor, director, arts educator What a lovely night at the ballet! I don’t know how many Christmases have come and gone since I’ve seen a production of The Nutcracker in Toronto. As a child, I marvelled at this seasonal tale of a young girl who befriends a nutcracker, brought to life on Christmas Eve by her magical godfather, and wages a battle against the evil Mouse King, all told with exquisite dancers, larger-than-life sets, glorious costumes, and Tchaikovsky’s inimitable score. Saturday’s one and only performance by the Toronto International Ballet Theatre was a delightful return to my youth. This production, directed and choreographed by Artistic Director, Tatiana Stepanova, had all the spectacle and wonder to delight and tantalize the senses. TIBT’s mandate is to bring young talented dancers and international stars together to perform in glorious extravaganzas. This production was certainly all that! Act one featured the young company in the dazzling Christmas Eve party scene replete with toys, candy canes and a brightly decorated tree upstage centre, all courtesy of designers Shannon Khan and Keith Hill! The beautifully authentic early 19th-century costumes, designed and constructed by Shannon Khan, flowed elegantly as the dancers executed the choreography with precision and aplomb. Special mention to Madelyn Blois (Young Clara) and Angelo Durante (Fritz) who danced their roles with maturity and sure-footedness beyond their years. Kudos as well to the lovely technique of featured “dolls”, Mayuki Ichikawa, Nubia Gonzales, Haruka Kyoguchi and Ksenia Krouzkevitch. The battle scene between the Mouse King, toy soldiers and Nutcracker was athletic and inventive, followed by the wonderful Snow Adagio danced with grace and precision by Teagan Hadcock (Snow Queen), her corps of Snowflakes along with Ukrainian guest artists, Olga Posternak (Adult Clara) and Vladyslav Romashchenko (Nutcracker Prince). Beautiful dance for a beautiful tale! Act two featured the senior and adult performers in a celebration of international dances in the Land of Sweets. With dazzling, authentic costumes and innovative and athletic choreography, we sampled with Clara and the Prince the traditional Spanish, Arabian, Trepak, Chinese and Marzipan dances performed by some of the most exquisite young dancers I’ve ever seen! The last half of the act featured the breathtaking Waltz of the Flowers and Principal Dancers Posternak and Romaschenko’s brilliant Pas De Deux, a marvel of technique, fluidity, and interpretation. Just lovely! The production ended with a much-deserved standing ovation! TIBT states in their program that they are passionate about instilling in their students and audiences the “wonder and value of the art form of dance”. Wonder indeed! Mission accomplished! Brava and thanks for the lavish and spectacular memories! Previous Next

Back ARC presents MARTYR by Marius Vn Mayenberg (translated by Maja Zade) Aki Studios Sam Moffatt Joe Szekeres ARC’s unsettling ‘Martyr’ left me with unanswered questions, and that’s a good thing. In his recent appearance to promote his memoir ‘Spare’, Prince Harry told nighttime host Stephen Colbert: “Context means everything.” This statement certainly rings true for understanding religious matters from a Christian faith perspective, and its link to understanding objective versus subjective truth is shockingly realized in ARC’s first production of 2023, Marius Von Mayenburg’s MARTYR (translated by Maja Zade). I’d like to clarify one very important point first. Religious and moral truths are objective, not subjective, from a Catholic/Christian perspective. There exists TRUTH (there’s no such thing as ‘my truth’ or ‘your truth’) which applies to all of us, and the teachings and doctrine of the Catholic/Christian Church are part of this search for objective truth. MARTYR is an at-times uncomfortable and darkly comic gaze at the horrifying prevalence of subjective Christian extremism and radicalism that denotes an intent to transform through changes whether they be social, structural, or revolutionary. It is from my experience that many individuals appear to misunderstand the difference between objective versus subjective truth, and I was concerned MARTYR was going to become another Christian/Catholic bashing play on account of it. As a practicing person of faith and retired Catholic school secondary teacher, I did question some unbelievable plot moments that would never happen today in an Ontario secondary school setting. For example, the atheist Biology teacher/Guidance counsellor Erica White decides how a lesson on sexuality will proceed in her class using a condom and a carrot and how to place the former on the latter. The students in the class are each given a carrot and a condom to demonstrate a ‘supposed’ learning outcome. When such explicit intimate sexual issues are discussed with persons under the age of 18, parental consent is required for a child to be present during the lesson. The mother Ingrid Sinclair responds as if this is the first time she has ever heard about this so this element did not ring true for me. But after a full twenty-four-hour thinking, pondering, and examining my informed Catholic/Christian conscience, I’ve realized there’s more to this fascinating yet unsettling play that left me with further unanswered questions. And that’s a good thing as that’s what theatre is supposed to do – poke and prod us to think, to question and to consider. MARTYR does not Catholic or Christian bash. Director Rob Kempson smartly tackles this production with the utmost care and sensitivity in what he calls an ‘ideas ‘play in his Programme Note. The play examines radicalization, religion, education, power, queerness, and isolation forthright and in-your-face so be prepared sometimes for the unexpected. I applaud the actors for their work here. In his Programme Note once again, Kempson states: “[the play] doesn’t rely solely on these ideas to compel the audience.” Instead, he compelled me to recognize and see that a martyr does not necessarily need to have a particular faith belief. He turned my understanding of what a martyr is upside down especially when it becomes apparent who is the martyr of this story. Jackie Chau’s theatre in the round setting beautifully allowed for ample and clear sightlines. The eight actors sit on stages left and right (four chairs on each side) when they are not involved in the plot action. James Dallas Smith’s haunting musical score selection at the top of the show sharply captured my ear as I listened while looking at the set. About halfway through the story, the overlapping sounds heard within Benjamin’s rushing mind are stark reminders of the tortured young boy. Michelle Ramsay’s lighting designs effectively capture the starkness of the moment when necessary. The ensemble cast remains stellar throughout. Under Kempson’s subtly nuanced direction, the actors’ bold choices left me breathless in wondering how far the emotional intensity of the moment would play out to its maximum potential. As the tortured and misinformed Benjamin Sinclair who turns to religious zealotry and newfound fervour in cherry-picking Biblical verses to fulfill an abyss within himself, Nabil Traboulsi is terrifyingly haunting in the full development of his character arc. Deborah Drakeford is heartrendingly credible as Benjamin’s distraught single mother who is at her wit’s end in coping with her son’s idiosyncratic behaviour. Aviva Armour-Ostroff remains compelling as atheist teacher Erica White who confronts Benjamin and graphically meets him on a distinctively harsh face-to-face level. Richard Lee is Marcus Dixon, Erica’s colleague, and her boyfriend who gets her to confront head-on the personal issues surrounding her professional handling of the issues with Benjamin. Ryan Allen’s smug school headmaster Willy Bedford becomes that ingratiating so-called educational leader who sadly and ironically in the end is only interested in his own personal agenda, and not the welfare of those young people at the school. In Biblical terms, Ryan Hollyman as school Vicar Dexter Menrath dutifully does what he is supposed to do in his calling to help look for the lost sheep (meaning Benjamin) and bring him back. Hollyman calmly, believably, and bravely tries to harness and corral Benjamin’s misguided understanding of Biblical text, but the growing frustration of Menrath to Benjamin’s reluctance is a grim reminder of those whose task it is to go out and spread the Good News of the Gospel in a secular world. Adriano Reis convincingly reveals his vulnerability as the quietly eccentric George Hansen, Benjamin’s supposed only friend at school. Reis’s performance of simmering and heartbreaking naivete magnifies and underscores the shocking conclusion of the story. Charlotte Dennis is a dynamic force as the sexually charged Lydia Weber who flirtatiously teases Benjamin and warps his understanding of any kind of intimacy with others be it physical or otherwise. Final Comments: ARC’s MARTYR is a disturbing, puzzling, and fascinating work of theatre that poked and prodded me with unanswered questions and new thoughts about faith and religious influence in an increasingly secular society. That is exactly what good theatre is supposed to do. Running time: approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. ‘Martyr’ runs to January 29 at the Aki Studio in Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas Street East. For tickets, visit arcstage.com. ARC presents the Canadian premiere of MARTYR by Marius Von Mayenburg (Translated by Maja Zade) Produced by Julia Dickson Directed by Rob Kempson Set/Costume Designer: Jackie Chau Lighting Designer: Michelle Ramsay Sound Designer: James Dallas Smith Fight and Intimacy Director: Jack Rennie Technical Director: B. C. Batty Blood FX Consultant: Alex Gilbert Performers: Nabil Traboulsi, Aviva Armour-Ostroff, Ryan Hollyman, Richard Lee, Ryan Allen, Adriano Reis, Charlotte Dennis, Deborah Drakeford. Previous Next

Back 'The Resurrection' by George Frederick Handel Presented by Opera Atelier Bruce Zinger. Soprano Meghan Lindsay as Mary Magdalene and Artist of Atelier Ballet Edward Tracz. Joe Szekeres Please note I have no educational background or training in the world of opera and ballet. I will comment on the staging of the production. A visual and sumptuous telling with grace and dignity. Exquisite to watch and extraordinary to hear. News of Christ’s death has invaded Heaven. The Archangel (Carla Huhtanen) and Lucifer (Douglas Williams) hold a heated argument with the latter claiming victory over Christ’s death while the former insists that death is a victory for heaven and all of humankind. On earth, Mary Magdalene (Meghan Lindsay) mourns Christ’s death. The arrival of Cleophas (Allyson McHardy) leads these two women to consider what they have seen during the last hours of Christ’s life: the crown of thorns, the nails that pierced his feet and his face. St. John the Evangelist (Colin Ainsworth) arrives and reminds the women that Christ said he would return to them. He encourages the women to visit Christ’s tomb while he goes to care for Mary, Christ’s mother. In heaven, the Archangel calls from purgatory all souls who have existed prior to Christ’s crucifixion and encourages them to follow in the Lord’s footsteps. The Archangel leads them out of purgatory triumphantly. In turn, the Angel celebrates Christ’s resurrection and invites all the world to rejoice. Lucifer is both horrified and defeated by the news and continues to threaten vengeance on all humanity. He soon realizes he is defeated and without recourse falls once again into the depths of Hell. The women arrive at the tomb and are greeted by the angel in white who assures them Christ has risen. The angel encourages the women to spread the joyful news. St. John meets Cleophas and describes his meeting with Christ’s mother – Christ has revealed himself to his mother. There is a great joy. In conclusion, the entire company celebrates the resurrection which allows Earth to rise to Heaven. Gerard Gauci’s set design and Kimberly Purtell’s lighting design resplendently create a wonderful world of hues, tones, shades, and magnificent colours. There are two opposing stands on stage left and right from which the Archangel and Lucifer hurl operatically awesome debates back and forth. Christ’s tomb is centre stage covered with a gold curtain. It is a two-level set. There are staircases left and right from which some of the performers ascend and descend. Beautiful golden drapes at the top of the stairs indicate Heaven from which the Archangel descends to speak with Lucifer. The richness of Alessia Urbani’s costume designs is another visual feast. My eyes were continually moving when new characters entered. An initial look of ten seconds can give a strong first impression and this was most present in Douglas Williams. His dark t-shirt fitted his muscular structural frame. Long black boots and tight-fitting pants indicate a character who is in complete control. Marshall Pynkoski directs the production with an effectively controlled passion for the work. Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg’s avowed respect for dance and movement has been finely captured in the work of the Atelier Ballet artists. I recognized two names of artists whom I’ve seen in other productions. I hope I can catch the names of the other artists whom I did not recognize in other shows in future. It was also marvellous to catch Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg on stage at one point doing what she obviously loves doing. David Fallis conducts the music with a passionate and emotional intensity. Douglas Williams is a sexy and seductive Lucifer who, at one point, tries to win over the Archangel with his suave and debonair nature. As the Archangel, Carla Huhtanen remains a vocal powerhouse in the back-and-forth vocal debate about who remains in control of Heaven after the death of Christ. Colin Ainsworth offers an extraordinary contrast to Douglas Williams’ Lucifer. Ainsworth’s St. John the Evangelist remains grounded in temperance and faith in not losing hope in a promise made. Allyson McHardy and Megan Lindsay credibly respond and react to each other as Cleophas and Mary Magdalene. They are incredible women of strength and fortitude. Final Comments: This production of ‘The Resurrection’ had been gorgeously filmed during the pandemic. It was fine to watch the filmed adaptation but nothing beats a live performance. I do hope to see more of Opera Atelier in the future. Running time: 115 minutes The production has now closed but I encourage all of you to attend Opera Atelier productions. For more information, visit operaatelier.com. OPERA ATELIER presented George Frederick Handel’s THE RESURRECTION at Koerner Hall, Telus Centre for the Performing Arts and Learning. Conductor: David Fallis Stage Director: Marshall Pynkoski Choreographer: Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg Resident Set Designer: Gerard Gauci Lighting Designer: Kimberly Purtrell Head of Wardrobe: Alessia Urbani Production Stage Manager: Tamara Vuckovic Company: Colin Ainsworth, Carla Huhtanen, Meghan Lindsay, Allyson McHardy, Douglas Williams. Artists of Atelier Ballet: Eric César De Mello Da Silva, Juri Hiraoka, Elizabeth Katashnikova, Kevin Law, Courtney Law, Kealan McLaughlin, Julia Sedwick, Cynthia Smithers, Edward Tracz, Dominic Who, Xi Yi, Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg Previous Next

Back Lesson in Forgetting, English Language Premiere Pleiades Theatre, Young Centre for the Performing Arts Cylla von Tiedemann Joe Szekeres Sometimes, works of artistry defy commentary. In the right hands of a committed artistic team, live theatre is skillfully crafted to become either beautifully cerebral and/or sharply felt within the heart. This is Pleiades Theatre’s ‘Lesson in Forgetting’. But I will do my best to comment. I attended this production with a friend who was intrigued as I was. We dissected as many theatrical elements of the production during the car ride all the way back to Oshawa following and then wondered if we were doing justice and being fair regarding this extraordinary presentation. If anything, we hope there might be future talkbacks (at least one?) for future audiences as the depth and breadth of this, what I will call, ‘mystical production’ remains with me even as I write at this moment. HE (a stunning, marvelous performance by Andrew Moodie) has suffered a massive brain trauma as a result of a car crash some years earlier. At the top of the show, we hear the crash so a possible trigger warning for future audiences. Ever since, the only thing HE can remember is how much he loves his wife SHE (immeasurably poignant and emotional character arc work by Ma-Anne Dionisio). SHE is confined to caring for him for the rest of her days and wishes nothing more than for him to forget that he loves her so that she might yet start over on her own path of life. Initially Reese Cowley as the Narrator puzzled me. Why is the person there? I needed to sit overnight on this question. When I re-read Ash Knight’s Director’s Programme note, then it suddenly made sense to me. Cowley’s confident performance at the top of the show where we are introduced to these two characters is noteworthy. The Narrator becomes the split in SHE’s mind and (spoiler alert for the rest of this paragraph), thus the reason why SHE is dressed in red and the Narrator is dressed in white. SHE has been broken and bleeding for so long as she does what she can to be of assistance to HE. The Narrator becomes that split in SHE’s mind as she is constantly wondering if there is something else for her beyond the struggles she now faces. How often have each of us wondered about this when we believe we can’t deal with our own personal struggles and challenges? Jackie Chau advantageously places the set in the middle of the auditorium with the audience on both sides. This sense of free flow allows for actor maneuverability and for the audience to be drawn immediately into the story action. Stages left and right are mirrors of each other as we see rectangular risers and boxes placed equidistant from each other. Marissa Orjalo’s selection of eerily sounding music coupled with Arun Srinivasan spectral lighting design foreshadows unearthly and metaphysical visions and movement. I loved that feeling of anticipation in hearing something and then wondering what might occur shortly. Denyse Karn’s Projection designs are breathtaking to watch as they appear so true to life that I felt like I wanted to reach out and feel the leaves falling into my hands. At one point, when SHE mentions how everything just stopped after the accident, the falling leaves are perfectly timed to cease at that moment. Exhilarating to watch and to take it all in visually. Jackie Chau’s costume designs suitably reflect the other worldliness captured in her set design. Dionisio majestically utilizes her deep red dress in a definitive, regal like movement. Moodie’s subtle earth tones of matching pajamas, beige housecoat and comfortable looking slippers offer a visual juxtaposition of two individuals who care deeply for each other but are worlds apart on account of the trauma and its aftermath. According to Andrey Tarasiuk, Pleiades’s Artistic Director, Haché’s script is super poetic and delicately written. How veritably true is this statement. Periodically, I found myself closing my eyes and just listening and hearing each spoken word of the text delivered with clarity, definition and understanding. Not once did Moodie or Dionisio’s monologue delivery ever sounded rushed. They instinctively allowed the words to speak and to sound what they mean and infer, an important task for all good actors to attain. To me, it appeared Director Ash Knight tenderly cares very much about the three individuals in this production. Might I even say he loves this piece as he asks us, in his Director’s Programme Note, if love is enough because by going deeper into the complexities of love between this man and woman, we realize love’s complexity challenges our minds and hearts. Both Ma-Anne and Andrew are certainly up for this challenge. I had the chance to interview her a few weeks ago and asked her how rehearsals are going. She stated the piece is a wonderful observation about the vulnerability and fragility of the human mind and heart, and the human spirit. And it is, but I’ll go one step further. What makes this production memorable for me is Knight’s vision in centering real grounded performances from Dionisio and Moodie. One example occurred in the dancing choreographed by Nicola Pantin. From my seat in the house, just watching Ma-Anne and Andrew move and sway themselves, their bodies and, ultimately, their souls in time with the music and with each other was sensually and sensitively arranged through Intimacy Director’s Siobhan Richardson’s coaching. There was nothing erotic or sexy about the dancing or movement between HE and SHE. It’s all about that spiritual and soulful connection we all wish to have in our lives, and that made the dancing bewitching to view. Again, in her recent interview with me, Dionisio reiterated how she has trained herself for the work to come through her, and never making it about her. How true this statement is for both actors. Never once during the heightened, tender, anguished, and wrenching emotions did either of them ever venture over the top into unbelievable melodramatic emoting, not once. Near the end of the production, I felt a gasp of breath as if I had been slapped in the face when we learn something about HE from SHE, but Dionisio moves forward as if to say it’s important to know, but going forward is it really worth it to know and to remember? Final Comments: There is a line from the play that resonated with me and I wrote it down in the dark hoping I could decipher it later: ‘Your body has forgotten desire, but not love.” In her playwright’s Progamme Note, Emma Haché asks of us if love is sufficient given what we may encounter in our lives? What kind of love then? Familial love, selfless love, unconditional love? Questions upon questions upon questions….but that’s what makes good theatre. This ‘Lesson in Forgetting’ is good theatre. Running Time: approximately 75 minutes with no intermission Masks in effect at the Theatre Production runs to May 22 in the Michael Young Theatre at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane, Toronto. For tickets, visit www.youngcentre.ca or call 1-416-866-8666. LESSON IN FORGETTING by Emma Haché Translated by Taliesin McEnaney with John Van Burek Commissioned by Pleiades Theatre Director: Ash Knight Choreographer: Nicola Pantin Set & Costume Design: Jackie Chau Lighting Design: Arun Srinivasan Projection Design: Denyse Karn Sound Design & Composition: Marissa Orjalo Intimacy Director: Siobhan Richardson Stage Manager: Laura Lakatosh Production Manager & Technical Director: Madeline McKinnell Performers: Reese Cowley, Ma-Anne Dionisio, Andrew Moodie Previous Next

Back 'Jack: A Beanstalk Panto' (The Naughty Version) Written and Directed by Rebecca Northan Now onstage at Port Hope's Capitol Theatre, 20 Queen Street, until December 23. Credit: Sam Moffatt Joe Szekeres "Just plain ol’ good and naughty fun with the occasional eyebrow-raising double entendre mixed in. Allow this terrific cast to whisk you away with its slapstick and shenanigans and leave your troubles outside." Barista Jack (Zoë O’Connor), short for Jacqueline, gets the day underway for customers at ‘Beanie,’ the local Port Hope coffee shop, with a warm, inviting smile. She’s also known for helping the town's residents if they are down on their luck, sometimes by giving free coffee away. Gus (Steve Ross), a local and friendly guy, comes to the coffee shop daily. Although he is down on his luck, Gus likes to see and speak with Jack, talk to other customers, and spend time there, often reading. Milk is desperately needed for the café. For some reason, the café cow (Milky White) cannot produce enough milk for the business. Gus knows why cows might have this problem. He massages the cow’s udders and finds the animal dry. The owner of the café and villain Pearson (Paul Constable) orders the cow to be sold and the money brought to him. Instead of doing this, Jack trades Milky White for some beans from a mysterious stranger. When Pearson hears this, Jack is fired from the coffee shop. Jack scatters the beans, and a beanstalk grows skyward. Jack climbs the beanstalk and meets a not-so-nice Giant (Paul Constable), his frenzied housekeeper (Christy Bruce), and some disco line-dancing Hens where one of them lays a golden egg. There’s also an always-in-heat rabbit and a handsome coffee shop patron (Robbie Fenton). If you recall the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, a harp plays lovely music to put the giant to sleep. A deadpan, gorgeous, and buxom, Steve Ross appears as the harp. One of my personal highlights in getting ready for the Christmas season these last few years has been the travel to Port Hope to see the Capitol’s panto. Always the naughty version, especially this year. I needed to laugh after surviving my first-ever bout of Covid. ‘Jack: A Beanstalk Panto’ is just plain ol’ good fun with the occasional eyebrow-raising double entendre mixed in. Make it a night to watch some slapstick and shenanigans and “leave your troubles outside” (as the Emcee tells us in ‘Cabaret’). With an excellent creative team behind the scenes, writer/director Rebecca Northan and Music Director Chris Barillaro add a decent amount of rum to this delicious eggnog of a celebration of the panto. The resulting taste in performance work never overpowers. The script and song lyrics are cleverly and tautly delivered with a piquant punch of several double-entendre meanings that had my guest and me laughing hard. For example, at the top of the show, when the stage goes black, we hear Jack ‘moaning in pleasure’ (I don’t think I need to say more) before she bursts into song. It certainly sets the tone without needing to go into specific details, but my guest and I, at that point, were howling with laughter. But the naughty nature never ventures over into the dirty for dirty’s sake. That was an intelligent choice because such puerile thinking can and does grow tiresome. The script ventures into spot-on comments about gender fluidity and pronoun usage where it’s possible the show could turn woke. I also wondered how far the adult nature would go when Gus massaged the cow’s udders rather suggestively in a manner that could appear to be something else. I held my breath. That’s the beauty of the panto in the naughty version. It suggests without ever being dirty or vulgar. Bravo to a cast that knows when and for how long to revel in these delectable double-entendre moments. Adam Campbell’s terrific sound design remains a bonus. His selection of pre-show music took me back to my years at high school, where disco and platform shoes remained the style. I could hear every word of the song lyrics thanks to Campbell's meticulousness in design. Too often, I’ve attended several musical productions where the sound balance was out of sync, and that’s frustrating, especially when the plot and humour push forward through the songs. That did not occur at this performance. Some of Anna Treusch’s set and props designs gloriously remind the audience that a fairytale is being told to us. Many of the props appeared larger than life from my seat in the house which adds to the comedy. Hollywood Jade’s choreography succinctly keeps in time with the music. I was amazed at how Steve Ross could walk down those steps in high heels and wearing a dazzling gold evening gown. Joyce Padua’s costume designs are reminders of the story as a fairytale. For example, Milky White’s costume is a reminder of Julie Taymor's character designs from ‘The Lion King.’ Nick Andison’s lighting design nicely creates specific locales. The lighting in the Giant’s castle remains shadowy to underscore the ‘drama’ of wondering when he will appear to wreak havoc. The cheeky cast remains delightful throughout. They’re well-versed in improvisation in front of a live audience. They continuously break the fourth wall. We boo at Pearson and yay with Jack in the Giant’s castle. Yes, they’re corny sometimes, especially in the disco line-dancing of the Hens and then asking if the audience wants them to continue returning to the music of a given specific era. But who cares if it’s corny at times? That’s the appeal of the panto, and that’s what brings people back to the theatrical form. Zoë O’Connor is lovely as Jack. She initially introduces this concept of gender fluidity, but O’Connor wisely does not make her performance revolve solely around that. Steve Ross is excellent in his juxtaposing performance work as the goofball, slow and dimwitted Gus (who is sharp when understanding the workings of a cow) with the deadpan, drop-dead, ‘bosomy’ Giant’s Harp. What a treat to see Paul Constable live on stage for the first time. Yes, he was Gary from over 150 televised Canadian Tire commercials; however, his comic timing remains smartly in tune throughout, especially when he is bad guy Pearson and improvising with the audience. Clea McCaffrey played the Magic Hen with the perfect dash of sass and silliness at this performance. As the Giant’s Housekeeper, Christy Bruce never ventures out of her control in her frenzy and harried nature. Robbie Fenton and Hal Wesley Rogers round out the ensemble and keep the zaniness clipping along without ever making the play's pacing feel rushed. Final Thoughts: It has been a long time since I’ve heard ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’. Thank you to this company for sharing your twist on the story with such abandoned glee. I’ll never look upon this fairy tale in the same way again. Great fun. We all need this kind of entertainment to get us into the Christmas/holiday spirit. Get tickets, dine, and spend a few moments in downtown shops. Running time: Approximately two hours with one intermission. ‘Jack: A Beanstalk Panto’ (The Naughty and Nice versions) runs until December 23 at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre, 20 Queen Street. For tickets, capitoltheatre.com or call 905-885-1071. JACK: A BEANSTALK PANTO (The Naughty Version) Runs in repertory with the Nice Version Written and Directed by Rebecca Northan Music Director and Arranger Chris Barillaro Choreographer: Hollywood Jade Sound Designer: Adam Campbell Set and Props Designer: Anna Treusch Costume Designer: Joyce Padua / Associate Costume Designer: Arielle Voght Lighting Designer: Nick Andison Stage Manager: Alice Ferreyra Galliani / Assistant Stage Manager: Charlene Saroyan Musicians: Chris Barillaro (Pianist), Alex Panneton (Guitars, Drums & Synth) Performers: Christy Bruce, Paul Constable, Robbie Fenton, Clea McCaffrey (at this performance for Madison Hayes-Crook), Zoë O’Connor, Hal Wesley Rogers, Steve Ross. Previous Next

Back 'Sweeter' by Alicia Richardson Now onstage to December 17 at the Aki Studio, 585 Dundas Street East Credit: Foreshots Photography. Pictured: Daren Herbert as Ralph and Alicia Plummer as Sweet Pea Zoe Marin, Contributor “With the ongoing discourse about whether or not kids should learn about race in schools, ‘Sweeter’ proves that it’s not only necessary, but also doesn’t have to be difficult.” ‘Sweeter’ takes place in American South in 1887, only two decades after the abolition of slavery. Ralph (Daren Herbert) widowed and newly emancipated, seeks a better life for him and his daughter, Sweet Pea (Alicia Plummer). This brings him to Mr. Zucker’s (Sébastien Heins) small farm in Eatonville, Florida, where he is currently unable to afford the small patch of land Zucker offers him. Eager to have something of his own, Ralph agrees to “lease” the land and work for Zucker until he’s able to buy it. Here. Ralph begins to tend to a withered mango tree that he promises will prosper with the right care. As it turns out, “Mango Tree” (Emerjade Simms) can talk, leading to a close bond with Sweet Pea and making an enemy out of Zucker. ‘Sweeter’ approaches the topics of slavery and anti-black racism with a directness that makes it easy for children to understand, as well as a humour that eases them into the more intense discussions of these issues later in the play. Director Tanisha Taitt further elevates that joy through her usage of music and dance that is sure to keep children and adult audiences equally engaged. I also thoroughly enjoyed how she kept the energy going through her transitions that often involved unique portrayals of the tree growing (through ladders with leaves attached), or flipping the flowers “planted” on the set (designed by Sim Suzer) to show a change in season. With the mix of human characters, along with with a talking sun Dee (Uche Ama) Mango Tree, the show never loses its playfulness, even as it delves into serious issues The Mango Tree metaphor works incredibly well as a clear way to portray the anti-black rhetoric of the time, while also not suscepting the audience into two hours of ‘trauma porn’. When Zucker, a light-skinned black man, first sees the Mango Tree, he calls her ‘ashy’, ‘dark’ and ‘scary’. When he first hears her talk, he says she’s demonic and spews Bible quotes at her. Then when he finds out how much money he can make off her fruti, he starts exploiting her. The metaphor is clear. The treatment is still vile, but the mango tree allegory cushions the hateful rhetoric without ever censoring it. Although ‘Sweeter’ is intended for young audiences, there are many nuanced layers to Richardson’s script that invite different audience interpretations. In addition to portraying anti-black racism, ‘Sweeter’ also touches on how class, proximity to whiteness, and gender can lead to certain privileges or further subjugations within the black community. I don’t think a small child would explain it like that necessarily, but the play definitely opens up the floor to those discussions. In the programme’s Playwright’s Note, Alicia Richardson says her purpose for writing ‘Sweeter’ was: “to explain the adult Black experience to a Black child.” As someone who is neither black, nor a child, I can’t speak to whether that specific mission was fulfilled. However, at ‘Sweeter’’s opening performance, there were so many moments where I heard the audience become disgusted by something Zucker said, or gasp, give a big “Aww” at a moment between Sweet Pea and Ralph, or even just laugh at a joke about Florida. Sometimes it was many people, other times it was just a few. Either way, it’s clear that Richardson’s very speific writing for her target audience led to a deeply personal and nuanced story that engulf’s the entire audience for each of their own reasons. A really memorable moment for me happened when Mango Tree talks about previously not benign able to grow fruit, and she says: “Can’t nobody expect you to grow if you’re too busy surviving.” Although the use of the mango tree metaphor could have risked deluding the show’s message, witnessing the collective ‘Mmh” and nodding of heads after this moment realy solidifed the importance of this story right now. Slavery may have already ended by the time ‘Sweeter’ begins, but its lasting effects continue to prevent Sweet Pea, Ralph, and even the antagonistic Zucker from ‘growing’. By focusing on the years after the abolition of slavery, ‘Sweeter’ fights against the anti-reparations/anti-affirmative action/anti-CRT/ pro-bootstrap myth crowds of today who believe that society is far removed from slavery, or the Jim Crow era, or police brutality incidents from a coupl of years ago. The same crowd who believes that people need to just ‘move on’, and that there’s no need to teach kids about it. By showing how bad society still was decades after abolition. ‘Sweeter’ puts a magnifying glass up to how society is still not removed from this dark history, and how it needs to be educated. On the note of education, I would also like to appreciate the ‘Study Guide’ provided by Cahoots, written by director Tanisha Taitt with contributions from playwright Alicia Richardson. The Guide includes further context about the characters and setting, discussion questions, curriculum connections, and additional themes for students in Grade 3-6 and 7-12. The Guide isn’t necessary for appreciating the play, but I would encourage teachers, parents, or even less-educated adults to read it over to have a more profound understanding. Running time: approximately two hours with one intermission. ‘Sweeter’ runs to December 17 at the Aki Studio, 585 Dundas Street East, Toronto. For tickets, https://www.cahoots.ca/production/sweeter SWEETER by Alicia Richardson A Cahoots Theatre Production in association with Roseneath Theatre. Directed by Tanisha Taitt Set by Sim Suzer Costumes by A.W. Nadine Grant Lighting by Shawn Henry Sound by Miquelon Rodriguez Featuring: Daren Herbert, Alicia Plummer, Uche Ama, Sébastien Heins, Emerjade Simms. Previous Next

Back Andrew Kushnir Looking Ahead Nolan Bryant Joe Szekeres I’ve seen Andrew Kushnir’s name on many live theatre sites over the years. I did get to review one play he had written ‘Toward Youth’ at Crow’s Theatre, but that has been the only work of his I’d seen. When I saw that he had responded to one of the artists whom I had profiled, I thought well, get in touch with him to see if he is interested in being interviewed. And he was most appreciative of the opportunity. Andrew is quite proud of his latest project This Is Something Else — an investigative podcast ‘love letter’ to theatre in this country, produced by the Arts Club. They’re nearing 4000 downloads.. ‘Project: Humanity’ is also nearing the 1-year anniversary of their CAPP (Covid-19 Artist Partnership Program) -- soon to be renamed PH 1:1. They’ve provided meaningful employment to 48 professional artists this past year as mentors to youth in the shelter system (in an arts discipline of the young person's choosing). Andrew is an actor, playwright, and director who lives in Toronto. He is artistic director of the socially engaged theatre company Project: Humanity. His produced plays include The Middle Place (Toronto Theatre Critic’s Award), Small Axe, Wormwood, The Gay Heritage Project (co-created with Paul Dunn and Damien Atkins, 3 Dora Award nominations) and Freedom Singer (co-created with Khari Wendell McClelland, toured nationally to 14 cities). His most recent work Towards Youth: a play on radical hope premiered in February 2019 in a co-production between Project: Humanity and Crow's Theatre. This past year has had him collaborating on a verbatim musical about competitive eating, leading a 7-week masterclass “Verbatim Theatre: Working with the Realness” with Ghostlight, creating an original limited podcast series for the Arts Club Theatre entitled This Is Something Else, directing the graduating class at the National Theatre School in the New Words Festival, and working on Dr. Kathleen Gallagher’s Audacious Citizens project – which researches the drama classroom vis-à-vis climate justice. His co-directed documentary film Finding Radical Hope was released in February 2021. He is a graduate of the University of Alberta, a Loran Scholar and alumnist of the Michael Langham Workshop for Classical Direction at the Stratford Festival. In April 2019, he became the first-ever recipient of the Shevchenko Foundation’s REACH prize. We conducted our conversation via email as he is one busy guy. Thanks for adding to the conversation, Andrew: 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. My brain zigzags wildly with this…what a year (and more) of flux. I think of the things that were once easy and are much more difficult, if not impossible, now. And then the inverse – how things that seemed implausible (big systemic reforms, for instance) feel not only more possible, but imperative. I have more appetite for change now than ever before, I’d say. More appetite for variations. For new stories. For moving away from the things that weren’t working. One thing does occur to me, as I turn over your question, is my perception of boundaries or borders. That has shifted for me. The notion of a safe space, one I can move freely through. In November 2019, I undertook a big research trip through Europe. I retraced my late grandfather’s journey from a small village in Western Ukraine, through Poland, Italy and England. He was a celebrated watchmaker, he designed the last railway-grade pocket watch in North America, and I covered something like 19,000 km by foot, train, plane and car rental with his pocket watch on me. I interviewed dozens of people about their sense of Time – some in their 90s – and photographed them handling his timepiece while I did it. That sort of trek through the world then felt so relatively effortless. Those meetings with perfect strangers felt so uncomplicated, relatively speaking. I think about how lucky I was to move through the world as I did then. It’s a different physical world now. Feels tighter, more bordered, for the time being. 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 found myself realizing how much I get from ‘showing up’ in a shared space with the work; how much theatre is co-created between artists and audiences, and how we’re consequential to one another in that ‘room’. I’ve said this before: why is it heaven when you walk into a sparsely attended movie? Why is it hell when you walk into a sparsely attended play? It’s just heavy-lifting when you’re without a crowd in the theatre – and often, digital iterations of theatre have felt like that kind of heavy-lifting for me. There have been notable exceptions, of course –moments of pure medicine! But that’s all to say, this pandemic has reinvigorated my affection for audiences, to remember that we do it all with them. This past year has also highlighted for me how much more, as a sector, we have to centre care in our work. Care for our fellow artists, care in our ways of working, our ways of producing, our ways of engaging with the public. Theatre is not lucrative, it’s not high-profile, it’s in many ways a fragile ecology, all we have is relationships. How do we take best care of our relationships so that everyone can show up maximally in the spaces we gather and make work in? As a professional artist, what are you missing the most about the live theatre industry? I got to direct at the National Theatre School this spring. We were safely distanced at all times, masked at all times, following very strict protocols around space and sanitization. It was kind of miraculous. And it gave me a dose of the thing I missed so much (and miss now!): the daily joy of a rehearsal hall working on a new play. The collective effort of making sense of new and original writing, testing revisions, dreaming up possibilities through performance and design. The requisite banter that comes with coping with uncertainty. The getting good at loving uncertainty. I think a life in the theatre primes you for various forms of not knowing. It makes theatre people good in a crisis. But I miss the very spaces and projects that help us get good at dancing with the unexpected. The helpful edges that keep the sand in the sandbox. 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? Seeing the lower hemisphere of a person’s face! Ok, maybe that will wear off, eventually. I suppose I’ll never take for granted how interconnected we are as a theatre ecology across this country. We aren’t that big of a sector. I think we punch well above our weight, but we’re a relatively small entity, a kind of village. My feelings around this was heightened recently through a history-related podcast I created for the Arts Club -- just seeing how interrelated we are by certain events and cultural forces. I’ve come to newly appreciate the space that large cultural institutions hold in the social imagination, and how their survival has tangible impacts on companies off all sizes. My esteem for smaller companies has also deepened, those who’ve been so skilled at responding to the immediate needs of their artistic communities. Keeping artists from creative atrophy (and from losing their livelihoods) is critical to our recovery, and to ensuring stages of all sizes get populated by exciting and diverse work. I do think we’re all enmeshed, from a theatre survival standpoint. Describe one element you hope has changed concerning the live theatre industry. I hope we’ve come to better recognize the barriers that have been in place in our industry for a long time: barriers to diverse perspectives, lived experiences, ways of working. Barriers to a more equitable distribution of power and resources. Barriers to access. I was speaking to my mother about the Free Theatre Report – this stunning document that I came across created by Savage God (John Juliani and Donna Wong) in the 1970s. My mother said “I bet if theatre had been free when I was growing up, I would have gone.” There was a kind of sadness when she said it. I think we in the theatre know that it can be a magical thing in your life, it can be hope-and joy-inducing. Can we come back to it now with an eye to broadening its reach and its presence in our social fabric? Can we democratize theatre more? Explain what specifically you believe you must still accomplish within the industry. Super tough question. I do love teaching and mentoring. My own teachers, mentors and collaborators over the years have loaded me up with so many insights and concepts and ways of going about theatre. I treasure the spaces where I get to share the collage of my ‘receipts’, what constitutes and constellates and influences my approach to theatre. There’s something so satisfying when I see someone excited by something I’ve inherited, that I’ve passed something useful along. Some artists are saying that audiences must be prepared for a tsunami of Covid themed stories in the return to live theatre. Would you elaborate on this statement both as an artist in the theatre, and as an audience member observing the theatre. I’m not so sure about that. We’re seeing a surge in pieces of art about the 1980s AIDS crisis in recent years. I know there’s a confluence of factors around that – not least of which the broader social acceptance of queer stories. But I think there’s a kind of profound shock that needs to wear off (I mean we’re still in the middle of this global pandemic), and it’s going to take some time and distance yet before we’ll be able to appreciate and welcome narratives about what we’ve undergone. Robert Caro says “Time equals truth”. I’d like to think we’ll give ourselves some time. In another, weird way, maybe any play produced upon the “return to live theatre” will be COVID-themed, insomuch as we’ll be a bit self-conscious in the dark, talking down our mortal fear of that cough we hear across the room, clocking the actors coming more than 2 meters from each other, making contact. The most unrelated content will relate to our historic moment, because the event of theatre is always so Local and Now. As an artist, what specifically is it about your work that you want future audiences to remember about you? Ah, the awkward memorial question. I don’t really know how to respond. I have been to memorials for theatre artists who’ve achieved so much more than I will, and I wonder how much they occur to general audiences now (their ‘future audiences’). Maybe not much. And maybe that’s not a sad thing. There’s something inherently ephemeral about our art form, it comes and goes, you’ve got to be there. If any audience were to remember my work…I don’t know… “he was playful with hard questions” sits ok with me. To learn more about Andrew, visit his personal website: www.kushnirandrew.com Previous Next

Back Allen Macinnis Toronto Profile Young People’s Theatre Facebook page. Joe Szekeres Sadly, as I write this, I never had the opportunity to meet Allen in my short time reviewing at Young People’s Theatre (YPT) for On Stage Blog. I only began reviewing for YPT in May 2019. I wished I had now. “Le sigh”, as my niece says. Why the glum sound? The company press release showcases Mr. MacInnis’ extensive forty-year theatrical career in which he has devoted nearly half of it (nineteen years, specifically) to YPT. I had no prior knowledge of the impact he has left on the face of Canadian theatre across the country most notably on the youngest audience members, including babies. However, as Executive Director Nancy Webster stated in this same release, Allen will first program YPT’s 2020-2021 season as well as direct before he steps down. It will be a “long good-bye in order to allow for a smooth transition into the company’s next chapter with a new artist at the helm.” I better get moving in YPT’s new season to track him down, to introduce myself, and to wish Allen well in the new chapter of his life. Hey, as a retired high school teacher, I will let him know that this new phase opens endless possibilities and further opportunities. But I’m certain he’s already aware of them. When I taught high school English and Dramatic Arts in the late 80s and 90s, I remember bringing my students to YPT especially if a play we were studying was to be performed live. I always believed it was important for students and young people to see the world of literature come alive dramatically. That was then. Today, Ontario schools have shifted tremendously in their development of meeting overall and specific curricula expectations. This year, in consideration of reconciliation to our Indigenous people, the YPT slate of productions was to have focused on the Seven Ancestral Teachings of the Anishinaabe. No one could have ever predicted how two major events this season – unrest in the provincially funded education system and the pandemic of COVID – 19 – would turn all live theatre seasons upside down. Despite these tumultuous months provincially, MacInnis’ artistic vision in joining YPT in 2002 has remained steady. YPT took these Ontario Ministry of Education expectations and fully brought them to fruition and focused on the emotional, social and intellectual development of young people which influenced all artistic choices as well as the company’s core values of purpose and audience. Additionally Mr. MacInnis, together with Executive Director Nancy Webster, established the company’s ‘Innovative Education & Participation Department, connecting every element of YPT’s educational work with the company’s professional productions. This job and calling taught Allen it’s “all about maintaining an authentic relationship with young people and the people who care about them.” Ah, there’s the key word right there – authenticity. As a retired schoolteacher, I also saw firsthand that young people truly do know when something or someone is authentic and genuine and when they’re not. You can’t pull a fast one on youth because they will automatically sense and know if it’s done. They just somehow do. I reviewed five YPT productions this year, four of them during the current upheaval of teacher unrest and threat of COVID-19: ‘Antigone’ (from the 2018-2019 season), ‘The Mush Hole’, ‘A Million Billion Pieces’, ‘The Adventures of Pinocchio’ and ‘The Jungle Book’. The last four believably, genuinely, authentically and realistically appealed to the diverse audiences of children and adults specifically in the following four out of seven teachings of the Anishinaabe – Love, Honesty, Truth and Respect. If anything, on a personal note of reflection, these four teachings became ironic reminders of how important it is to maintain them especially in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic in which we now find ourselves worldwide. I will most definitely track down Allen MacInnis to speak to him more about where he believes our Canadian theatre industry is headed. He is quoted as saying in the company press release that “it’s time for someone like me to get out of the way for a new generation, especially those who face barriers to accessing leadership roles.” You have me intrigued, Allen, about this statement. I can’t wait to pick your brain and to talk theatre with you. Young People’s Theatre can be found at 165 Front Street East, Toronto. Visit www.youngpeoplestheatre.org for further information or their Facebook page: Young People’s Theatre Previous Next

Back 'Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes' by Hannah Moscovitch Now onstage at Gananoque's Firehall Theatre, Gananoque Credit: Randy deKleine-Stimpson. L-R: Romi Shraiter and Jonas Chernick Joe Szekeres A boldly calculated risk in tackling this edge-of-the-seat drama. It’s a sexy production at the Firehall. Yet, there’s nothing sexy about the implications of the characters' actions. Gananoque’s Thousand Islands Playhouse presents Hannah Moscovitch’s daring two-hander ‘Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes.’ Written in 2020 and winner of the 2021 Governor General’s Award for English language drama, the bold script is told from the third-person narrative viewpoint of Jon (Jonas Chernick), a lauded and well-respected college professor. He’s slowly completing a novel about turn-of-the-century lumberjacks while teaching and grading assignments. Jon is twice divorced and separated from his third wife. He’s filled with self-hatred. He continually refers to himself in the third person while sharing his emotional myriad of rambling thoughts running turbulently through his head. Throughout all this personal upheaval, Jon continues to teach and try to go about his business. The arrival of first-year student Annie (Romi Shraiter) in Jon’s class alters his life. She wears a blood-red coat. He develops an obsessive interest in this young woman who lives down the street from his house and passes by it daily on her way to and from the college. One day, Annie is locked out of her apartment. She hurts herself trying to crawl through the window and is severely cut. She shows up at Jon’s house, and he assists in helping her clean the wound. This encounter dangerously notches up the sexual tension. The two begin a tempestuous and consensual affair in a matter of days. Even though Jon knows how highly unprofessional his behaviour has become, he embarks willingly, which could have dire consequences for his personal life and career. I saw the premiere of this production in Toronto and had written that Moscovitch viscerally overturned the #metoo movement on its head with a sizable goose egg bump. This ‘Sexual Misconduct’ still does that. It remains an uncomfortable story of power dynamics dealing with the abuse of trust between a teacher/instructor and a student. I finally see more behind Moscovitch’s script regarding narrative points of view. The uniqueness of Jon referring to himself in the third person appears rather timely and odd (especially in our woke world of preferred pronoun usage). To refer to oneself in the third person means to distance oneself. To refer to oneself in the first person implies there is a proximity. If something is distant, there is no need to recognize its closeness. Implications of actions can be avoided in the third-person narrative. These implications are not nearly as immediate as if the first-person narrative is used. Because Jon refers to himself in the third person, he does not have to accept full responsibility for his actions. Director Krista Jackson reflects this recognition in her vision of the play, but she’s inspired by going one step further. She skillfully maneuvers Annie’s quiet presence everywhere on the stage. If she’s not seen physically, Annie’s voice is amplified from the standing microphones on the stage. She's gracefully swanlike when she must exit the stage, and my eyes watch as she leaves. Annie will always be that grimly felt reminder of Jon’s inexcusably unprofessional actions that cannot be ignored this time around. Jackson’s creative team of artists behind the scenes helped achieve this intense vision. Michelle Bohn’s set design effectively resembles a strategy game board. Jon’s college office is on risers and appears to be the apex. Stage right of Jon’s desk (which also doubles as a hotel bed in another scene), there are books galore piled high, nearly right to the ceiling. The floor design is intriguing. There appears to be an ‘X’ with patches of artificial grass in the spaces between. However, where the two lines meet in the letter ‘x’ centre stage becomes a crossroads for Annie and Jon. That crossroads becomes an empty pit of torrid and dynamic sexual passion with a sense these events will not end well. And what do you know? They don’t. The periodic use of shadowy lighting design by Louise Guinand continues to notch up the heated intensity. There are two costume items Bohn incorporates which catch the eye. Annie’s blood-red coat indeed represents a fiery passion within the woman. Additionally, her skirt and blouse are shades of red at one point. A nice touch. The other item is Jon’s belt. At first, it caught my eye as it wasn’t placed in Chernick’s waist pant loop and kept flopping. And then it dawned on me why this works for Jon’s character – the man has probably lost so much weight and is not eating because he is stressed. Now, it makes sense. Anita Nittoly’s work as Intimacy Director must be courageously acknowledged. Those moments of implied sexual chemistry and acts between Jon and Annie strikingly capture what’s going on; however, as I had written earlier, there is nothing sexy about this ‘Sexual Misconduct.’ It’s misconduct on both characters, as Moscovitch’s title clarifies. Jonas Chernick and Romi Shraiter are the reasons to experience this Thousand Islands production. They deliver brave and daring performances and remain fully committed to the believable reality of the moment under Jackson’s subtle direction. There are many moments where Chernick’s Jon remains clearly in control. He senses and knows when Annie is coming on to him. Chernick’s Jon is the first to act on his animalistic response, while Shraiter’s Annie follows in kind. There are even moments of Jon gaslighting Annie. There is one extraordinary moment when Shraiter’s Annie grandly pulls the power of the moment from Chernick, and she remains in control. At one point, she silently and determinedly exits from Jon, not saying a word, with her head held high and a look on her face which beamed, ‘This is not over.’ Chilling to hear the silence at this point, but it is a highlight because Annie could destroy everything about Jon. Final Comments: ‘Sexual Misconduct’ is another piece that should be discussed. I know the Playhouse has held post-discussions with actors following performances. I hope there is one for this production. A reminder that the play is not for impressionable youth. This production is, at times, unsettling. It does ask questions. But that’s a sign of the impact of a good play when questions are raised. It’s worth a visit to the Firehall Theatre. Running time: approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. The production runs until October 1 at the Firehall Theatre, 185 South Street, Gananoque. Call the Box Office at (613) 382-7020 or visit www.1000islandsplayhouse.com for tickets. THE THOUSAND ISLANDS PLAYHOUSE presents ‘Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes’ by Hannah Moscovitch. Director - Krista Jackson Set & Costume Designer - Michelle Bohn Lighting Designer - Louise Guinand Sound Designer & Composer - Sara Jarvie-Clark Stage Manager - Loralie Pollard Intimacy & Fight Director - Anita Nittoly Performers: Jonas Chernick and Romi Shraiter Previous Next

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

Back 'De Profundis: Oscar Wilde in Jail' The World Premiere Now onstage at the Young Centre, 50 Tank House, Distillery District. Produced by Soulpepper Credit: Dahlia Katz. Pictured: Damien Atkins as Oscar Wilde Joe Szekeres ‘Damien Atkins delivers a thrilling performance.’ This world premiere is billed as a musical fantasy based on author/playwright Oscar Wilde's letter to his love, Lord Alfred Douglas. Wilde was incarcerated for two years at Reading Gaol, hard labour in prison for the crime of gross indecency with Bosie (Alfred Douglas). The longer letter, ' De Profundis’ (From the Depths), was written a page daily over the last three months of Wilde’s imprisonment. Each page was collected at the end of each day and handed over to Wilde on his release from prison. The longer letter detailed Wilde's loneliness of life in prison. To combat this feeling, he also wrote his philosophy on art, love and devotion to Bosie, and the excess and pleasure of life experienced outside the jail. The latter part of the letter details Wilde’s understanding of religion. More about this shortly. Robbie Ross (Wilde’s best friend) had edited sections of the letter that pertained to the relationship between the author and Bosie. The entire letter was released for publication in 1960. Damien Atkins plays Oscar Wilde, Colton Curtis plays Lord Alfred Douglas, and Jonathan Corkal-Astorga plays Robbie in Soulpepper’s production. Lorenzo Savoini's designs are always distinct. His work in set and lights is once again creative in this production. The moveable walls of the intimate Michael Young Theatre shift back and forth from the jail cell to other events in Wilde’s mind as he writes. The claustrophobic cell remains stark and lifeless, beautifully lit by the shadows. The walls shift, and the space increases. When this occurs, it’s as if fresh air enters Wilde’s mind, even for an allotted time frame. Ming Wong’s costumes are stylishly fashionable tuxedos. Wilde’s prison outfit looked like comfortable pajamas from where I was sitting. Olivia Wheeler’s Sound and Frank Donato’s Projection Designs excel in underscoring heightened dramatic moments in Wilde’s mind. I profiled Adaptor and Director Gregory Prest before show opening and discussed how ‘De Profundis’ is unlike most theatre shows in Toronto. Why? Because it’s a letter. A play's traditional linear or narrative format does not drive this production. Instead, ‘De Profundis’ remains emotionally driven with the creative team’s selection of dramatized material that is sometimes abstract in nature. Audience experience in reaction to the letter is of extreme importance. Bottom line? Does this reading of a letter work in front of an audience? It does. At times, the production is incredibly moving within Prest's imaginative, assured hands as Adaptor/Director, Mike Ross as Composer, Music Director, Arranger and Orchestrator, and Sarah Wilson as Lyricist. This Creative Team valiantly captures the angst, the romance, the passion, and the eventual downfall of two people caught doing something for which they have no intention to apologize. Corkal-Astorga effectively underscores Mike Ross’s compositions at the piano to highlight the emotional impact, especially in those moments between Bosie and Wilde. Sarah Wilson peppers several smart lyrics with clever wording and precise intonation. The moment when Wilde sings what we think is going to be an Irish ballad and then quickly veers off is amusing. The opening moments of the play supply the right amount of humour to pique the audience's interest. As Oscar’s best friend, Corkal-Astorga has the formidable task of grabbing attention and making us want to learn about Wilde. Corkal-Astorga gives a solid performance as Robbie throughout the production, but there are moments when I couldn’t hear him as I sat on the other side of the auditorium. The audience learns a bit about the iconic author from Robbie until Damien Atkins, as Oscar, appears behind a door in a dressing gown. Wilde asks his friend what he’s doing. When Robbie announces he’s trying to make the audience understand more about Oscar, Damien announces pompously to get another audience. Much appreciated humour to open the show. Mind you, the production does not make Wilde and Bosie heroic by any means. These men may appear elegant in their demeanour, but they can be mean-spirited and duplicitous, and their ensuing dialogue remains pointed and sharp. Colton Curtis plays a dignified Bosie but also infuses a mean and nasty spirit within, especially when the audience learns why Wilde is thrown into jail. Curtis suggestively uses his eyes to convey a lot. Movement Director Indrit Kasapi proudly showcases Curtis’s artistic talent as a dancer. The specific choreographed ballet is stunning to witness. Prest says Damien Atkins was born to play Oscar Wilde. I couldn’t agree more. Atkins delivers a thrilling performance as the title character. Not once does he try to look or even mimic how Wilde might have sounded. His Oscar is sometimes campy, a tad enigmatic, boyishly charming, and somewhat petulant. Sounds a bit like true human nature to me. The Christian references near the show's end make this understanding of Oscar Wilde’s ‘De Profundis’ unique for me. From what I recall, during my undergraduate years studying English language and literature, Oscar Wilde converted to Catholicism on his deathbed in Paris. I wanted to make sure I had this understanding correct since undergraduate studies occurred over 40 some years ago. The Vatican Official Newspaper, ‘L’Osservatore Romano, recounted that "[Wilde] not just a non-conformist who loved to shock the conservative society of Victorian England," …"[he was also] a man who behind a mask of amorality asked himself what was just and what was mistaken, what was true and what was false." (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/the-vatican-wakes-up-to-the-wisdom-of-oscar-wilde-1750093.html) Atkins exactly accomplishes this. Near the end of ‘De Profundis,’ Oscar considers the times he may have made mistakes in his relationship with Bosie. Things might have been handled differently. In doing so, he introduces this important concept about what is truth and what is false. It’s true; there is no need for Oscar (and Damien) to apologize justly for who they are, nor should they from a 21st-century perspective. Oscar also didn’t feel the need to apologize for who he was in the 19th century. In our woke twenty-first-century world, this pull between truth and false continues to wreak havoc. Those who understand an objective truth and an objective false appear at peace and will not cater to the whims of those who try to change to suit a particular narrative. It’s reassuring that this ‘De Profundis’ and its reading do not become Christian bashing. And Another Thing: Soulpepper bills this world premiere as ‘The Greatest Love Letter Ever Written.’ At first glance, I wasn’t sure if this statement was a fair analysis of the piece. Further consideration leads me to believe that it’s the beginning of looking at understanding even more what objective truth and falsehood are. For that reason, ‘De Profundis’ is an important production to see. Hopefully, there will be some talkbacks for audience members. Running time: approximately 100 minutes with no interval. The production runs until February 23 at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in the Distillery District, 50 Tank House Lane. For tickets: https://tickets.youngcentre.ca/overview/14125 or call 416-866-8666. To learn more about Soulpepper: soulpepper.ca. DE PROFUNDIS: OSCAR WILDE IN JAIL (World Premiere) Adapted by Gregory Prest. Original Music & Lyrics by Mike Ross and Sarah Wilson Adaptor/Director: Gregory Prest Composer, Music Director, Arranger & Orchestrator: Mike Ross Lyricist: Sarah Wilson Set and Lighting Design: Lorenzo Savoini Costume Design: Ming Wong Sound Designer: Olivia Wheeler Projections Designer: Frank Donato Movement Director: Indrit Kasapi Stage Manager: Tamara Protic Performers: Damien Atkins, Jonathan Corkal-Astorga, Colton Curtis Previous Next

Back Room Now onstage at Toronto's Princess of Wales Theatre Dahlia Katz Joe Szekeres, Canadian Theatre Critics' Association This ‘Room’s’ emotional gut punch is still strongly evident for the most part at the Princess of Wales After seeing the emotionally jaw dropping ‘Room’ at London, Ontario’s Grand Theatre several weeks ago, I was making the sign of the cross and hoping I would receive another invitation to look at it once again. I’ll include the link to the Grand Theatre piece I had written at the end of this article. Thank you to Mirvish for extending an invitation to return and see this extraordinary cast perform this almost near emotionally gut punching production which, despite its traumatic and possibly triggering storyline, remains triumphantly wonderful. Kidnapped as a teenage girl, Ma (memorable work by Alexis Gordon) has been locked inside a purpose-built room in her captor’s garden for seven years. Her five-year-old son, Jack (played at this performance by the up-and-coming Lucien Duncan-Reid) has no concept of the world outside what he calls ‘Room’ and happily exists being there with the help of Ma, her games, and his vivid imagination where Rug, TV, Lamp, Plant, Bathtub, Table, Sink and Wardrobe are his only friends. The young Jack knows of the world through watching it on television but doesn’t grasp that it is possible for him to experience the world directly. Ma makes an intense decision for she and her son to escape and face their biggest challenge to date: to learn to exist and be outside Room and to reconnect with the world she once knew over seven years ago. When I saw the show at The Grand, there was so much to examine about the play regarding the plot, the characters, and the theatricality of the presentation. To watch the stage adaptation again with fresh eyes in knowing the plot has made me pay closer attention to important elements and fully appreciate them even more. One example is the extraordinarily fascinating performance by Brandon Michael Arrington as SuperJack. For those who have read ‘Room’, SuperJack does not appear in the novel. In her Playwright’s Programme Note, Emma Donoghue states: “Adding SuperJack was a pragmatic device to avoid making our very young actors deliver long monologues, but [his addition] turned out to be a rich way of showing what superpowered ever-questioning minds can inhabit little bodies.” Arrington’s inherent richness as an actor was powerfully reflected on this opening night, and most splendidly during the second act especially in his emotionally tortured musical solo. He and the adorable Lucien Duncan-Reid’s top-flight synchronicity in the gelling of child movement throughout the first act was a wonderful sight to behold and hear. It is in the second act where we see Arrington’s impressive work as an actor when he breaks the fourth wall and speaks to the audience compellingly. Alexis Gordon’s triumphant performance as Ma continues to remain consistently compelling throughout as she so fearlessly revealed at The Grand. Her vocal solo at the end of Act One involving her son continues to soar past the rafters of the POW and still drew a tear from my eye. Ms. Gordon never one ventured over the top into histrionic shouting and crying in so many dramatic moments as she soundly remained in believable emotional control and always remained bravely aware in the present moment. From my seat in the house, I could just feel a credible and assured maternal connection she has made with the young Duncan-Reid through the passionately stirring gamut of feelings. Marvelous! Supporting players continue to remain in superfine form. Ashley Wright is a weasly, terrifying and creepy Old Nick. As Ma’s parents who are experiencing familial and tense discord themselves, Tracey Ferencz’s Grandma soulfully searches within herself to do what’s best for Jack while Stewart Arnott’s Grandpa restores faith that one can truly change his vision of seeing things especially when the life of a child is at stake through no fault of his own. In her brief appearances as the police officer, television interviewer and Popcorn Server, Shannon Taylor serves as a stark warning of those individuals who may think they are doing their best to help understand the effects of trauma but in fact are only continuing the problem. The sickeningly claustrophobic sound, look and feel of the ‘Room’ where Ma and Jack have struggled to live prevails and looms on the Princess of Wales stage. I had the perfect vantage point from my seat where I could see and study it carefully so once again attention must be paid to Bonnie Beecher’s subtle lighting design and John Gzowski’s distinct sound designs. Projection Designer Andrzej Goulding black silhouetted scrim with simple child drawings on stage right and stage left are clear reminders of the importance of knowing this story is told from a child’s perspective. The eerily humming and buzzing noise of what sounds like fluorescent lighting has been gorgeously captured audibly in the auditorium. That marvelous choice to incorporate music and song for character development was an excellent choice so a huge credit of acknowledgment continues to be extended to Cora Bissett and Kathryn Joseph. I continued to glean so much about the characters from listening to the lyrics and hearing the music surrounding the plot action on stage. At the Grand, I spoke how Gavin Whitworth’s music direction sometimes overpowered the singers and I couldn’t clearly hear some of the song lyrics. That didn’t occur at all this time as I could clearly hear the words. However, one component near the end of the play left both my guest and I feeling just a bit disappointed. In the Grand production, there was a final onstage tableau in Act Two with Arrington, Duncan-Reid, and Alexis Gordon that remained embedded in my mind even as I wrote the article the next day. I don’t want to give that moment away, but a very important plot component was missing from the Toronto production where that final tableau did not punch gut me hard as it did at the Grand. Just a slight quibble, that’s all. Final Comments: This primo ‘Room’ cast deserves to be visited and experienced firsthand. Room is an unforgettable experience and reminder of the power of resiliency in extremely trying circumstances. Covid Protocols in effect at the theatre. Running Time: approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission ‘Room’ runs to May 8 at Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King Street West. For tickets visit www.mirvish.com or call 1-800-461-3333. My review of The Grand Theatre production: https://insidelookingin60.wixsite.com/mysite/post/review-room-now-onstage-at-london-ontario-s-grand-theatre ROOM by Emma Donoghue, adapted for the stage by Emma Donoghue In a co-production with the Grand Theatre, London, Ontario, and Covent Garden Productions, UK With songs by Cora Bissett and Kathryn Joseph Directed by Cora Bissett Set and Costumes: Lily Arnold Lighting Design: Bonnie Beecher Movement Coach: Linda Garneau Projection Design: Andrzej J. Goulding Sound Design: John Gzowski Fight & Intimacy Director: Siobhan Richarson Associate Director: Megan Watson Performers: Stewart Arnott, Brandon Michael Arrington, Levi Dombokah, Lucien Duncan-Reid, Tracey Ferencz, Alexis Gordon, Shannon Taylor, Ashley Wright. Starr Domingue, Thom Marriott, Christopher Parker, Alix Sideris Previous Next

Back Zorana Sadiq Canadian Chat Aleksandar Antonijevic Joe Szekeres Toronto’s Crow’s Theatre has produced some provocative and some rather controversial productions since I’ve begun reviewing. And that’s the beauty of attending live productions as sometimes we don’t know what we’re getting. There have been some titles that just, for some reason, appeal to me and I want to find out more about them. ‘Mixtape’, the next production at Crow’s running November 9 – 28, is one of them. What appealed to me about this upcoming production is the picture of the cassette tape that I would have purchased many moons ago which contained the popular songs of the day. I remember those tapes made some of the greatest musical sounds to my ears. I even remember pulling together rather crudely songs from other sources to put on the one cassette tape. Crow’s bills this production of ‘Mixtape’ as part memoir, part scientific inquiry and part love song to listening. Okay, you’ve got me hooked and I want to learn more. I am pleased to have had the opportunity to profile writer and performer of the piece, Zorana Sadiq. A multidisciplinary artist of Pakistani descent, Sadiq’s work is wide-ranging and spans different types of performance including theatre, television, chamber music, contemporary music, and opera. Sadiq has performed extensively in Canada and the Unites States alongside many of classical music’s leading conductors and vocalists including Bramwell Tovey, Robert Spano, Alex Pauk, Dawn Upshaw, baritone Daniel Okilitch, and tenor Colin Ainsworth, as well as appearances with Music Toronto at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Vancouver Symphony, L.A. Philharmonic, Calgary Symphony, Indian River Festival in Prince Edward Island, Boston Musica Viva, Vancouver’s Turning Point Ensemble and New York’s Da Capo Ensemble. Zorana has received training at Montreal’s McGill University and at the University of Toronto with specializations in Music History and Music Performance – Voice. We conducted our interview via Zoom. Thank you so much, Zorana, for taking the time and for the smiles and laughter as I know you are busy with rehearsals right now: Name one teacher and one mentor in your life for whom you are thankful that brought you to this point in your career as a performing artist. Oh my gosh! This is a great question, actually, because I think we all have these kinds of people in our lives. In as much we can run into chaos and turmoil with people, there are those beacons that have a longer impression on you. When I was a young singer, I went to the Aspen Music Festival and School and did their program there, and I got to study with the mezzo soprano Suzanne Mentzer. She was really important for me to run into at that point in my life. You can have teachers who say, “I’ve always sung like this, and now I’m going to show you how I do it without any impediment; it was never any trouble for me. It was very natural for me and I’m going to show you how”, and that’s lovely. You can also have teachers and mentors who have had obstacles and have had to traverse the reality of something vulnerable and ‘tight ropey’ as classical singing. Suzanne had had something that lots of singers have while she’s singing at the Met. She had some kind of vocal thing and had to stop for awhile, and she rebuilt her voice to the gorgeous instrument that it is today. She taught me something both technically and emotionally about the cost of holding back to protect yourself. If you have something in your past that you worried about technically, if your way of solving that is to hold back and close yourself, there’s a cost. And so, there’s a thing you have to do, this beautiful ‘jump out’ risk that is actually better, and healthier and more safe for you than holding back, both technically but also just as philosophy as an artist. Suzanne is so gracious, and she is just such a superb singer and artist. I loved that she levelled with me and got into the trenches with me. This is far more useful for me than someone on a pedestal and telling you how they do it. That’s a very different kind of teacher. I was so lucky to have her as a teacher and mentor. 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 think we all were tolerating a level of busyness before the pandemic that was really not good for us; multitasking and sort of saying “If I have the actual time, then I can do it”. It’s not about minutes, it’s about whether you actually have the space in your mind to do something. I was about to go into the craziest balance of rehearsing something in the day, doing a show at night and teaching at the same time. All this crazy stuff that came completely to a halt with the pandemic. It made me go, “That’s not good just because you can do it all”. We’re all multitaskers and it’s a true feature of the profession that work doesn’t always come, and sometimes you have to do more than one thing. But I feel somewhat, and I hope it lasts that things are starting to feel like it’s time to do this again. But I think that thing about having space around the tasks that you do means you can really get down into the centre of them. Of course, you have a certain level of professional acumen so you can kind of do that, but I don’t know. There’s something right in the centre you might miss if you overschedule. There’s something about time, and my relationship to time has shifted in the pandemic, and I hope that it lasts. How have these last eighteen months of the pandemic changed or transformed you as an artist professionally? Well, I had this unusual situation, a kind of KISMET around the timing of 18 months off while I was writing “Mixtape’. I don’t know how I could have done it otherwise or blocked out my performance, my teaching stuff. I’m a parent so I had to have time there. It was actually kind of lovely artistically for me in some ways, but I’ll tell you something. I’ve just seen some live theatre recently in the last two weeks, and I feel like I spend the first 10 minutes in this low gratitude weep, just silent sobbing. Because what we realize after we watch all the Netflix shows and eaten too much and drank too many cocktails is that art is like vitamins. I started to feel like I had a vitamin deficiency. We need to see ourselves reflected in art. And so, professionally, I came to realize we’re not an add on. The provincial government can make us feel that way, but we’re not. We’re an essential part of all of us seeing ourselves, not in a highbrow way, but what is the function of art? To reflect us, to make us feel a spaciousness, to make us feel understood, and when you don’t have that… Yes there’s good stuff on Netflix, and there’s great television and film, true. But that witnessing process of live art, or even being in a gallery in front of that painting, it’s the way our mind goes with art…this is like oxygen. In your opinion, do you see the global landscape of the professional Canadian live theatre scene changing as a result of these last 18 months? I was piecing what you might have thought of that question, and I’ll answer it this way and I think it’s the whole industry whether film, tv, theatre. Because we were all glued to our screens and because COVID was an equal opportunity virus that affected people of privilege and disproportionately BIPOC people in the States particularly, I think we all felt what it was like to be in peril with the virus that we had this real tight lens on racial inequity, in a way that our busy lives had made it so that very big problem which has always been big, people were not paying it enough mind. And so, I hope that it is not a fad that we are really asking who gets to tell the story. What stories are we not hearing? What should we think when we go to a show and we see a cast of entirely white people which formerly we just took as nothing. That’s a choice, we need to see that as a choice not as a representation of who we are certainly in Canada, certainly in Toronto. That’s what I think has changed. I think it’s hysterical the amount of self tapes, we’re just doing it all. The shows are hustling. In the theatre too, there’s been some beautiful and mindful stuff going on in the re-jigging of seasons. CANSTAGE is doing some beautiful, Crow’s certainly with Cliff Cardinal’s recent presentation of ‘As You Like It’. Beautiful stuff going on of who gets to tell the story, and what story is that, and what do we mean by universal stories because they’re not all really universal. How are rehearsals going for MIXTAPE? How has this experience transformed you as an artist? What do you hope audiences will take away from MIXTAPE? Rehearsals are going SOOO WELLL they’re a delight. I wake up every day excited before I’m even awake enough to know what I’m excited about. It’s wildly exciting and very stimulating. Chris (Abraham) is an excellent, excellent wingman to have as a dramaturg and as director. Then we have this beautiful team assembled: Thomas Ryder Payne is doing sound, Julie Fox is doing the set, Arun (Srinivasan) is doing the lighting. It’s just beautiful. The rehearsals are a delight. I’ve never written a show myself. I’ve always been in someone else’s creation. I’ve sung recitals myself, but I’ve haven’t written a narrative play so that expression as writer has been a revelation to me. I’ve always been a person who loved and parsed and was a wordsmith, but never applied it in this way. That’s a very delicious thing to be writing because it’s really amazing and you can control it in a way that the spoken word is affected in a certain way and reactive. It’s beautiful. Without giving away too much for audiences, I want them to come in with ‘open ears’ to this show. I don’t want to stack it with too much assumption and expectation. I would love it if the audience became aware of their own instrumentality. I actually think we are little instruments walking around making sounds, hearing sounds and learning language. I would love it if audiences have this in their mind plus the universal journey, in my case, to make the sound of who we are, and more universally be who we are and how to express who we are. What fascinates/intrigues/energizes Zorana Sadiq post Covid? This is the same kind of question as I said before about the landscape of theatre. What’s intriguing me is the possibilities that have been opened up, again in regards of who gets to speak. We’ve had to become creative again post Covid like ‘do it yourself’ creative and ‘scrappy little things’ with theatres figuring out how to do online stuff, how to do in person stuff that is still distanced. What that means is that is not the only way it can go, it can go a number of ways when chaos strikes and we have to be resourceful and scrappy. Then the red tape falls to the floor and it’s like ‘It’s okay. We have an opportunity to do it a different way’, and I find that really exciting all over the place. Scrappy, less institutional kind of policy, I find that amazing. I have to say that Crows is the first theatre to be doing this in person thing this fall, and Chris and Crows in particular are very good at re-imagining the paradigm and building in comfort and safety. What disappoints/unnerves/upsets Zorana Sadiq post Covid? Well, you know, some of the theatres aren’t going to make it. Some of the artists are not going to keep going. I’m really worried about who left and can’t come back. Is it just going to be the big dogs that have government funding that will survive, and what’s going to happen because it’s really hard. Anybody who is doing theatre now is going to do it at a loss. I’m worried who will not survive as it is still a perilous condition. We continue to have a provincial government that is not particularly supportive of the arts, and our federal government is doing an okay job. I’m worried about the financial shakedown of the theatre community for me. Think of the young people, Joe, who have just graduated from theatre school and wondering if they’re going to be able to get a job in all of this. I worry about these young emerging artists because we need them. 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 for the map of the journey.” If you could say something to any of the naysayers who didn’t think you would make it as an artist, what would that be? So this would be for teachers: “Thank you for helping me to be a really good arts educator and teacher by showing me what not to do.” I don’t mean this in a spiteful way as I really mean that because I teach too. I ‘m a good teacher and part of it is going, “I remember how that felt. I remember what that did to me” and that is something I am not going to do. What’s your favourite swear word? Absolutely for sure - “Fuck” – without a doubt. What is a word you love to hear yourself say? This is a great question as it is a perfect question for ‘Mixtape’ actually. The word I love to hear myself say is ‘wild’. What is a word you don’t like to hear yourself say? This might surprise you. ‘Always.’ I say that word when I’m thinking black and white and then I know I’m in trouble when I hear “It always turns out like this” or “I always think that it’s…” It’s never ‘always’…it’s just ‘sometimes’. What would you tell your younger personal self with the knowledge and wisdom life experience has now given you? “Don’t forget to laugh.” With the professional life experience you’ve gained over the years, what would you now tell the upcoming Zorana Sadiq from years ago who was just in the throes of beginning a career as a performing artist? “Don’t wait for someone to tell you what you’re good at.” What is one thing you still wish to accomplish both personally and professionally? Like a million and one things…how can I even begin to say just one thing????? (and we have a good laugh) Who answers this question with just one thing???? Well, I guess personally, fearlessness. I would love to decrease the amount of hesitancy that is an initial filter for me. Professionally, (and this is also funny in relation to ‘Mixtape’), “consistent listening”. It’s not easy as we often aren’t listening even when it’s your profession as often other things might be clouding what’s going on. The best thing would be just to be listening. Name one moment in your professional career as an artist that you wish you could re-visit again for a short while. You know what…I would actually like to re-visit the first time I performed in front of a live audience because that addiction to communication and that first feeling of a circle of energy, from the performer to the audience and back. I would love to see if I was picking that up even then. What is one thing Zorana Sadiq will never take for granted again post Covid? Small talk with strangers. I miss talking to strangers, kibitzing with people, talking with people on the bus, taking the bus. It’s almost like speaking English as a second language because EVERYTHING IS LOUD!!!!!!! AND YOU DON’T WANT TO CONFUSE PEOPLE!!!!! so you can’t make a little joke. Humour is a big thing in my life. I talk to people I don’t know all the time. It was very hard when Covid hit, and that’s the human race. I want small talk with strangers. As a professional artist, would Zorana Sadiq do it all again if given the same opportunities? I would do it all again in a heartbeat. Follow Zorana on Twitter: @zoranasadiq and on Facebook: @zoranasadiq Previous Next

Back 'In Dreams, A New Musical' Music by Roy Orbison and Book by David West Read Now onstage at Toronto's CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre Credit: Pamela Raith. Featured: Lena Hall as Kenna Joe Szekeres A touching jukebox musical which becomes more than just a ‘feel good’ show. This Broadway-bound inspirational ‘In Dreams’ goes one step further. The production confronts a mortality issue that I’m sure we’ve all personally encountered in some manner. Thankfully, the creative team does not allow that to damper the enjoyment of the songs. Instead, the show becomes an important reminder for audiences to be thankful and appreciate music and for those who provide their unique gift to all of us. How appropriate this ‘In Dreams’ is for the Canadian Thanksgiving season. Using the songs of musician Roy Orbison, the story follows Kenna (Lena Hall), the former lead singer of country rock band Heartbreak Rodeo. Upon receiving news that will change her life forever, she discovers a Mexican family restaurant run by Oscar (Manuel Pacific), his expectant wife, Nicole (Nasim Ramírez), effeminate cook, Tom (Leon Craig) and assisted by Oscar’s grandmother, Ana Sofia (Alma Cuervo). The restaurant caters to those individuals who wish to celebrate their memorial service in the way they would like to be honoured and respected. Kenna likes what’s happening at the restaurant, so she hosts her memorial party there. She wants to enjoy it while she is still alive and reconnect with old friends who were members of her band: drummer Ramsey (Oliver Tompsett), Jane (Sian Reese-Williams) and her husband, Donovan (Noël Sullivan). Set and Lighting designers Arnulfo Maldonado and Howard Hudson capture that traditional Spanish flair of the restaurant setting of neon lighting and what I’ll call blinking old-fashioned Christmas tree lights. This specific eatery ain’t no greasy spoon dive, that’s for sure. Fay Fullerton’s costume designs perfectly reflect the individual characters. Kenna’s jet-black tight concert outfit at the top of the show screams a country rock feel. Director (Luke Sheppard) and Book Writer (David West Read) were responsible for the Toronto, and now New York hit ‘& Juliet’, which premiered last year at Mirvish. They have teamed once again with several highly creative individuals to create ‘In Dreams,’ which appears to be another audience pleaser. No disagreement from me there. There are moments throughout the show where I could feel a big ol’ smile slide across my face (underneath my mask). I looked around and saw others sitting around me, moving their heads, keeping time to Orbison’s songs. Judging from my experience and what I saw, this production will undoubtedly do just that. Luke Sheppard’s subtly controlled direction allows for the maximum impact of character development, and Catherine Jayes’ terrific sounding orchestrations under Patrick Hurley’s solid musical direction. Fabian Aloise’s electric choreography remains sharp and clean. The show’s pacing and set changes remain remarkably fluid throughout. Several vocal numbers are outstanding. Mere words cannot describe the heavenly bliss of the pure clarity and audibility of the vocals. ‘You Got It’ is only one example where I put my pen down from writing notes and just sat back to watch and enjoy. Lena Hall delivers an electrifying performance as Kenna, and her poignant rendition of ‘Crying’ blows the roof off the Mirvish theatre. On a personal note, this show rendition of the song sent the proverbial shivers down my spine. As a cancer survivor and someone who lost a younger sibling to the disease, the lyrics just struck a nerve within my being and made my eyes well. Additionally, the song also becomes a showstopper. While Hall’s glorious sounding vocals soar past the rafters, this moment truthfully reveals how Kenna never got over the feelings she still has for her drummer and now Uber cab driver, Ramsey. Oliver Tompsett nails that proverbial bad-boy image as Ramsey in his performance. The sexual chemistry between him and Hall smoulders hotly. Their first encounter in the room where Kenna is asleep is rather funny. Ultimately, as the play continues, their attraction’s hidden intensity between them simmers and heightens in each passing moment. The moving sub-plots allow the audience to empathize with some supporting characters. As expectant parents, Oscar and Nicole, Manuel Pacific and Nasim Ramírez realistically show how having a child alters the relationship between husband and wife. Pacific believably reveals an emotional intensity as he has continually dealt with losing his parents, while Nicole feels Oscar has shut her out of his life. Their rendition of ‘Love Hurts’ remains powerful. The relationship between band members Jane and her husband, Donovan, becomes comic relief. Sian Reese-Williams and Noël Sullivan are a riot. When they enter the restaurant, the couple amusingly proclaims to be away from their children for two days and wants to enjoy every second, especially when they announce they will have sex. Another important theme of ‘In Dreams’ is friendship and how it might develop into something further. The subplot of Oscar’s grandmother, Ana Sofia and restaurant frequenter, George, is lovely to watch. Alma Cuervo and Richard Trinder are sweetly bashful around each other initially. However, their showstopping rendition of ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’ evidently reveals that one is never too young to experience the heights of burgeoning feelings for one another. It’s quite the musical number, and again, I just sat back and watched two artists having fun with each other on stage. I also wanted to acknowledge Cuervo’s astounding vocal work in ‘Blue Bayou’ and ‘Only the Lonely.’ In the leadup to this song, Kenna reveals the devastating news she has received about her health to Ana Sofia, who listens at first with tender compassion. What a perfect choice to conclude this ‘moment’ with these two songs. Again, I closed my eyes momentarily to hear Cuervo reach for the high notes in both pieces. She doesn’t disappoint. At all. Not forgetting that love can strike anywhere and anytime for anyone, restaurant cook Tom (Leon Craig) and Police Officer Lee (Mark Peachey) begin to develop feelings for each other during the last few minutes of the play, and the intensity of their relationship burns during the remix finale of ‘You Got It.’ Final Comments: ‘In Dreams’ is an absolute joy to experience. Give yourselves a treat. Go and see it. Running time: approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes with one intermission. ‘In Dreams’ runs until November 12 at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria Street, Toronto. For tickets, visit mirvish.com or call 1-800-461-3333. DAVID MIRVISH AND JOHN SACHS for Eclipse Live and Sony Music present IN DREAMS, A NEW MUSICAL Music by Roy Orbison and Book by David West Read Directed by Luke Sheppard Musical Director: Patrick Hurley with Orchestrations by Catherine Jayes Choreographer: Fabian Aloise Set Design: Arnulfo Maldonado Costume Designer: Fay Fullerton Sound Designer: Tom Marshall Lighting Designer: Howard Hudson Video Designer: George Reeve Performers: Lena Hall, Oliver Tompsett, Sian Reese-Williams. Noël Sullivan, Manuel Pacific, Nasim Ramírez, Alma Cuervo, Richard Trinder, Leon Craig, Hannah Ducharme, Mark Peachey, Fabiola Occasion, Ache Hernandez Previous Next

Back 'Little Shop of Horrors' Music by Alan Menkin. Book and Lyrics by Howard Ashman. Directed by Rob Kempson Now onstage until September 3 at Port Hope's Capitol Theatre Credit: Sam Moffatt. Pictured L-R: Joel Cumber as the Puppeteer and Amir Haidar as Seymour Guest writer Geoffrey Coulter, actor, director, arts educator “Little Shop of Horrors” is a hot super shrub of a show. It’s Big. Bright. Silly. Sad. Schlocky. Nutty. Take a particular man-eating plant bent on human destruction, mix in a nerdy flower shop worker, his self-conscious, dreamer of a co-worker, a manic dentist, three harmonious street urchins, and a toe-tapping Motown-inspired score, and you’ve got yourself a crowd-pleasing Broadway classic at the Capitol Theatre in beautiful Port Hope. “Little Shop of Horrors” is a hot super shrub of a show and delighted fans with its mix of dynamite vocals, clever choreography, and prodigious performances—a hugely enjoyable summer evening of musical theatre. Because of its small cast, “Little Shop” has become popular with community theatre, schools, and other amateur groups. Artistic director Rob Kempson’s professional treatment soars this show to new heights. He has assembled some of the finest performers, designers and technicians from Toronto, Stratford, and Broadway for his version of this genially gruesome classic. His inspired vision and tight direction keep the pace of the show flowing. His press package promises to be the “biggest summer show” at the Capitol. It’s a promise he’s on track to keep. If you’re unfamiliar with this horror, comedy, rock musical or are one of the few who haven’t seen the 1986 feature film (itself based on Roger Corman’s 1960 cult film), the show centres around Seymour Krelborn (Amir Haidar), a poor young man and orphan living in an urban skid row. Audrey (Tahirih Vejdani) is a pretty gal whose fashion sense leans towards tacky. They’re co-workers at a run-down flower shop owned and operated by the cranky Mr. Mushnik (Tyler Murree). After a sudden eclipse of the sun, Seymour finds a mysterious plant that looks like a giant Venus flytrap. Seymour is secretly in love with Audrey, but she doesn’t seem to notice, so he names the plant Audrey ll to capture her attention. It does - and everyone else’s. This production doesn’t have the scares or plethora of guts and gore from its original Broadway iteration, but it’s every bit as campy if more sweet and sugary. This isn’t a bad thing. This is a family-friendly show with “planty” to keep the younger set laughing and clapping. The two little girls sitting in front of me were proof positive. Visually, it’s beautiful, starting with Brandon Kleiman’s brilliant, forced perspective tenement block. A colour scheme of bright primary colours and a severely angled door stoop (and garbage can!) is unconventionally quirky. The walls open like a giant storybook to reveal the interior of Mushnik’s struggling flower shop. It’s roomy and minimalist, but I wanted more evidence that it’s a struggling business. The walls and sign, “Mushnik’s Flowers,” seemed too fresh, clean, and bright from where I was sitting. Though ingenious in design, the set seems a tad too big for the Capitol’s stage. Scenes on stage left, right, and downstage seem crowded and confined. Lighting by designer Michelle Ramsay nicely enhances the set with colourful gels, adding texture and mood with subtle window gobos and breakup patterns. Costumes by Joshua Quinlan add authenticity to the swinging 60s era, although Orin’s red leather jacket seems at odds with his narcissistic persona of a sadistic greaser. Sarah Kolody’s props mainly were spot on, though Orin’s portable gas mask and Seymour’s snub-nosed revolver looked like flimsy plastic toys from my vantage point in the 6th row. Genny Sermonia’s high-energy do-wap choreography is right on the money, high energy and period specific, starting with the delightful number “Little Shop of Horrors” and never lets up! Musical director Jeff Newberry and his band are perched atop the tenement set and accompany the vocalists wonderfully, although sometimes the band was too heavy to hear lyrics. Even the last-minute addition of a borrowed keyboard, due to a power failure earlier in the evening that took out their original, couldn’t keep this cadre of musicians from happily delivering Alan Menken’s (Little Mermaid) terrific score. The cast worked hard making sure we had a great time on opening night! As klutzy nerd Seymour, Amir Haidar has a pleasant enough voice and a good enough handle on his character. However, I wanted to see a more distinct transition in his journey from schlubby store clerk to reluctant, murderous psychopath. As Audrey, Tahirih Vejdani plays the confidence-challenged damsel with an abusive boyfriend with equal parts charm and chintz. Despite struggling with a barely-there Bronx accent, she's in excellent voice and performs a flawless, emotionally grounded rendering of “Somewhere That’s Green.” More excellent voices (and moves!) come from the fabulous Chiffon, Crystal and Ronnette played by Taylor Lovelace, Michelle Yu, and Sierra Holder respectively. These gals appear in almost every song, acting as narrators or “Greek Chorus.” This trio of highly talented young ladies have incomparable synchronicity, heavenly harmonies, and girl power attitude to spare. Phenomenal! A highlight! As the sadistic dentist Orin, Michael De Rose is unapologetically scene-stealing. He’s manic, loud, and brazen - mugging, gyrating and chewing the scenery in this and other roles. Mirvish and Broadway veteran Tyler Murree is thoroughly entertaining as the unsympathetic but loveable Mr. Mushnik. His impressive tango-inspired duet with Seymour in “Mushnik and Son” is a hoot and reveals he’s remarkably light on his feet. As the voice of Audrey ll, Chris Tsujiuchi channels his inner Chuck Berry/Barry White. While his singing voice is bang-on, his speaking voice curiously lacks the same resonance. Kudos to Joel Cumber for doing double duty as an over-the-top store customer and gonzo puppeteer for the large Audrey ll, manipulating that gulping, carnivorous maw with hungry aplomb. “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Capitol is a gas. Big. Bright. Silly. Sad. Schlocky. Nutty. A feel-good show with a dark side that doesn’t take itself too seriously. This is the musical comedy our climate-denying age requires. Who knows? You may be rooting for the murderous shrub by the show's end. Running time: approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes with one intermission. ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ runs until September 3 at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre, 20 Queen Street. For tickets, call the Box Office at (905) 885-1071 or visit: https://capitoltheatre.com/events/little-shop-of-horrors-2023-08-17-800-pm/ Previous Next

Back Dion Johnstone Theatre Conversation in a Covid World Corey Berry Joe Szekeres ’ve seen Dion Johnstone’s work on stage in several Shakespearean productions at Ontario’s Stratford Festival. I was particularly taken with the very bloody ‘Julius Caesar’ presented by Groundling Theatre at Toronto’s Crow’s Theatre just before the pandemic hit. When I checked his biography from his website (included at the end Dion’s profile), I also discovered he has also been a part of some very fine productions in the US under some extraordinary directors. Dion made his Broadway debut as the Duke of Albany in ‘King Lear’ with Glenda Jackson as the titular character. That is a performance I would have loved to see Ms. Jackson tackle. Dion plays the recurring role of Erik Whitley for ‘Sweet Magnolias’ now streaming through Netflix. Another one to watch during this time of provincial stay at home orders. Dion has also played in other Canadian shows including ‘Frankie Drake Mysteries’ and ‘Flashpoint’. In December 2019, Dion made his Hallmark Movies and Mysteries debut starring in ‘A Family Christmas Gift’ opposite Holly Robinson Peete and Patti Labelle. Dion’s training included The University of Alberta and The Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre. We conducted our interview via Zoom. Thank you again so much for taking the time on a Sunday morning, Dion: The doors to Toronto live theatre have been shut for over a year now with no possible date of re-opening soon. How have you and your immediate family been faring during this time? You know, when the focus of the pandemic hit and we went into lockdown and isolation, the focus really changed for me because my wife and I knew we would be having a child. On July 28, 2020, my wife gave birth to a baby boy who’s now on his way to nine months. That’s been an amazing experience for us. He’s really changed our outlook because we really wanted, especially during the time of great anxiety, for him to meet the best version of ourselves, and I think when you look at him and the level of joy, freedom, comfort and confidence that he already possesses and exudes is a testament to the work that we’ve been doing. We had to get control of our mind space and internal space through all of this. One of the things we focused on right away - there was a meditation group that was going around hosted by Deepak Chopra right at the beginning of the lockdown called ‘Twenty-One Days of Abundance’. And that was the first things we did and thought this is great. With the fear of there being no work and when everything was going to open up again, to just take time and focus on inner work and thinking no matter what the external appearances may be you can always tap into a source of abundance, that’s an energy that you put forth into the world and that returns to you in some form or other. We started by doing that, and that really set the template for our frame of mind through all of this. Despite what we see out there, what’s more important is how you feel internally. If you feel yourself going off the rails, do the work to bring yourself back to your centre. And we want to do that because those are the lessons we want to pass on to our son, especially in a world prior to the pandemic that was moving at a blazing rate and continues. We wanted to help provide a space for our son where in the future he could step away where he can be a part of this world but doesn’t have to be consumed by it. I think we’ve doing quite well, all things considered. How have you been spending your time since the theatre industry has been locked up tight as a drum? I just arrived in Atlanta and can’t talk too much about it for all the non-disclosure agreements I signed. I can say in brief we’re shooting Season 2 of ‘Sweet Magnolias’ (now on Netflix Canada). I just arrived and just about to begin. I’ve done the period of quarantine with the multiple testing and once cleared all set to go. The film industry has been quite progressive in finding the template necessary in order to continue filming. Modifications have been made along with heavy safety protocols, and the film industry has been largely successful. It puts a lot of pressure on the actor/artist to ensure that they are in top health to continue and honour the contract signed and to ensure the shooting schedule is kept on task. Outside of being a new father and career responsibilities, during the early part of the pandemic there was a lot of binge-watching Netflix. Certainly, when our son came into the world, that changed a lot of the binge-watching as he doesn’t allow us to watch tv unless he’s out cold for a nap. But the moment he wakes up we gotta unplug our devices. Our son doesn’t even like us being on our cell phones. Our son calls us to being present. I do try to find time on my own for meditational time through daily training, not necessarily weights since everything is closed. I do yoga, I use resistance bands training. I’ve been doing a lot of yin yoga, very relaxing with deep, deep, tissue work and that’s been good. I don’t get out a lot but now that I’m filming in Atlanta, there’s a park across the street from where I’m staying. It’s similar to New York’s Central Park, and there’s lot of open space and opportunities for social distancing so I can spend some time there. In Toronto, we live across the street from the Harbour on Queen’s Quay, so my wife and I were able to take our son out for walks on pathways. The late Hal Prince described the theatre as an escape for him. Would you say that Covid has been an escape for you, or would you describe this year long plus absence from the theatre as something else? You know, in some ways I would say, yes, it has been an escape, and it’s been an escape from the world in the way that we knew it which has really caused me to examine it and question it. So much of my life is influenced by being a new parent and considering what things might have been were the pandemic not happening. I remember many seasons at Stratford watching other actors become parents. They would get the performance off to go and be there for the birth and would be back on stage the next day in both performances and rehearsals. In Stratford, the week is divided in slots. So, there could be 12 slots in a week, and you could work 11 of those and then they have to give you an extra slot off periodically. That’s a lot of work and you get one day off a week. This period of time I’ve been able to share the load of parenting with my wife; obviously there’s only stuff she can do as the mother but there’s a lot of stuff I can do on the peripheral and allowed me the opportunity to create a very deep bond with my son. I’m adopted. My beginnings were quite rocky. I don’t know my birth father, and my birth mother lost custody of me when I was quite young. So, it’s been really important for me to create a stability and foundation to end that cycle so that doesn’t pass on to my son, and that’s not a reality that he has to know. I think about if I weren’t there, if after the birth I had to go straight into rehearsals, and I only came home at night and wholly focused on preparing for the next day, I would be there physically, but I wouldn’t be accessible to my partner, Lisa, as a parent as all that load would be put on her and I realize how big a load that is. It gets a little bit easier now that he’s a little bit older so me being out of town is a little bit easier. We do have a very good network support and he’s not quite as dependent as he was in the beginning. Those early couple of months, you realize how our world is not geared up for that, not geared up to usher new life into this world. You’re ripped away from your children too quickly, that’s the way of the world. But the pandemic stopped that. It stopped the world and we’ve got a chance to look at what’s important and what do we value. For me, it’s an escape for what it could have been in that sense. On another level, it’s an opportunity to question when it all comes back, what’s the kind of life I want to have, and how can I create a life that gives me more of a balance so that it’s not wholly work heavy. If that means I do condensed periods of time so we can take a couple of months off and go take a family vacation together, I don’t know what that form will be, but making sure I can be there for my family in a big way is very important. I’ve interviewed a few artists several months ago who said that the theatre industry will probably be shut down and not go full head on until at least 2022. There may be pockets of outdoor theatre where safety protocols are in place. What are your comments about this? Do you think you and your colleagues/fellow artists will not return until 2022? Given that we’re dealing with a virus, going in and out of lockdown, and you just told me today the numbers in the province are up over 4400, it’s impossible in my mind to predict when we will be back. I would say 2022 is a safe bet. It could be longer. I think the reality is that theatre as we knew it has changed. And we may never quite see it in that same way again. But I do have hope for what theatre will evolve into. Right now, seeing Stratford and Shaw come back in interesting and careful and limited fashions is a good thing. Both my wife and I worked with Obsidian Theatre and they did a co-production at the beginning of the year with CBC Art called ’21 Black Futures’ which brought theatrical work to the screen. I think that’s another avenue that’s been successfully explored. Theatre isn’t dead. It’s under the ground and working it out and figuring it out what can it do. How can it manage in this period and how can it re-invent itself for what’s to come. My life has changed. I don’t think I’ll be able to walk into my house again without ensuring I wash my hands down. Our experience of the flu may be radically changed in the time to come. Our world is going to be radically different, and we will always be under the reality this happened once, and we reached a threshold where it could happen, and it shut down the world. That’s now a possibility. We don’t know what else is coming, what further things are coming down. We have to be prepared and safe. The excess that we knew may not happen in the same way, but I do think theatre will evolve nevertheless to meet the capacity of the time, whatever that form is going to be. I had a discussion recently with a Toronto Equity actor who said that theatre should not only entertain but, more importantly, it should transform both the actor and the audience. How has Covid transformed you as an artist? That’s so interesting. It’s hard to know as an artist how Covid has transformed me. It’s certainly made me look at different avenues and explore what else I have inside to offer. I sit down and go, well, if I’m not performing on a stage, what’s my purpose? Why do I act? If I can’t do it in that form, what’s another form I can do it in? That led me to explore teaching opportunities. I love to see people empowered and transformed by different thoughts and different ideas. I like being the vessel that can contain those ideas so that people can reflect and see it. I can achieve that same feeling through teaching what I know. Ghostlight Theatre came out of the cage really strong when we went into the lockdown initially and offered an opportunity to teach a class of whatever I wanted. And I decided to put a class together on rhetoric using Shakespeare as a platform to really explore the ideas of ethos, the logos and pathos and the pillars of argument. My intent was whether you were an actor looking to sharpen their skills or an audience member who wants to know more about what the craft is, it didn’t matter what walk of like you came from. In the end we are being affected by messaging all the time and we are being played on intellectually, emotionally, and ethically all the time. You open your Twitter feed and think about what triggers you. Some of the images we see there are pathos, and some are facts and figures that make your brain spin whether they are true or not but present themselves as true. To have the ability to have more discernment about what’s coming at you and more choice as to how you want to play something as an artist, and how you want to play upon your audience, I thought was a very fun thing to explore and share and had been really introduced to me when I was at Stratford doing The Conservatory Program. I give full credit to the knowledge and training I received there, and also from the late Ian Watson who was one of our instructors and was a master of argument. And so, really sharing the way those principles that affected me and how I now use them in my work is how I put together this course and I found that a satisfying discovery, and I probably wouldn’t have done. Covid has created an online opportunity where you can work with people from around the world. I’ve been able to do play readings with a company in New York. People can now be pulled from anywhere say to do the reading of a Jacobean play, and audiences now have access to be able to log in anytime to those writings and artists. It’s really brought the opportunities to use your craft in different ways globally. The late Zoe Caldwell spoke about how actors should feel danger in the work. It’s a solid and swell thing to have if the actor/artist and the audience both feel it. Would you agree with Ms. Caldwell? Have you ever felt danger during this time of Covid and do you believe it will somehow influence your work when you return to the theatre? I definitely agree with Ms. Caldwell’s notion of danger. And certainly in performances, something has to be genuinely risked in order for the stakes to be real and in order for the audience experience to be transformative. If there’s nothing happening in the artist, and it’s just acted, then what happens is a separation between the audience and the performer where the audience is just watching you, and not breathing with you and experiencing with you. The more that the artist can access a true feeling of risk and danger, the danger. The best directors I’ve had are those who have really pushed me in my performances to risk more, to go further in order to draw and drop deeper in myself in challenging and frightening work because you don’t know how you’re going to get there. Now, in terms of Covid, it’s a strange thing because it affects everybody differently. Some people have had direct experiences with it, some people have had or have the virus. Others have had close family members or friends pass away from Covid, so they feel differently. Others have had no direct experience with it and haven’t been in an ICU so it’s a challenge for those who do not understand what it like or have the experience with it. Living with this invisible threat which has been very disorienting and weird and certainly frightful on those days when I have to have a Covid test, and I fear if I get a positive result that’s it for my ability to be on set, to provide financially for my family, and my contract is now gone. I really had to challenge myself to ensure that I don’t bring this negative and destructive energy into my reality, well that stop telling that story because it’s not serving me. Yes, fear has been triggered in me on account of this virus but I haven’t had a direct personal case or a family member so I can’t speak of it from that angle. In many ways, it’s been a bizarre thing that’s there, but I respect how many have been affected by it but it’s so strange because it feels like nothing is happening. In terms of how Covid will affect my work? I don’t know. Everything that happens in life is going to affect your work. It filters in ways that we’re not aware of. Sometimes, for an actor, the best problems are solved when you’re working on a role in your dreams when you start to dream about a part because that’s your sub conscious working it out in better ways than your intellect can. I’m sure subconsciously the way I have grown and changed over this period of Covid will bleed and is bleeding into my work, but I couldn’t intellectually say how. The late scenic designer Ming Cho Lee spoke about great art opening doors and making us feel more sensitive. Has this time of Covid made you sensitive to our world and has it made some impact on your life in such a way that you will bring this back with you to the theatre? Well, certainly in a beautiful way, having a child and we made a real commitment to validate his feelings to recognize, acknowledge and understand what his needs are. Even though he doesn’t have the language to communicate just yet, we wanted him to feel that he was being heard and responded to. In a way, he’s been very communicative from the very go. There is this thing called baby sign language and you can help them communicate early in life. We tried that and that didn’t really work for us, but we can feel his energy and been in communication from go. He doesn’t cry very often. He’s not a crier but when he does it’s because we’ve missed a lot of signals that he’s been given along the way. More often than not, we’re able to figure out those signals before the crying so that is something important to figure out. Just that level of sensitivity, that relationship we share with him is so profound, so unlike; I love in a deeper, fuller way than I have before. I’m fiercely protective in ways. I laugh. This kid makes us laugh. He’s brought so much to our world and that’s a beautiful thing. Looking at this world through the pandemic, I’ve become really sensitive to the messaging that comes our way. There’s so much confusion. I’ve never learned through anything where there have been so many mixed messages – lockdown versus lockdown and all that illogic that has been followed through, it’s no wonder there are anti maskers, anti-vaxxeers, hoax, an opportunity to decimate society and a re-set. We live in mass confusion. We are in great need of discernment, and it’s made me very sensitive to what I take in. I want to pay attention to how I’m feeling internally, and if I’m getting too worked up maybe it’s time to take a step back and look at something else OR to explore all sides of the argument. We’ve lost how to debate because everyone is so entrenched in their camp with no cross discussion. We’ve a lot of work to do to find shared common ideals as opposed to where we are different if we’re to get anywhere in this mess of confusion we’re living in. Again, the late Hal Prince spoke of the fact that theatre should trigger curiosity in the actor/artist and the audience. Has Covid sparked any curiosity in you about something during this time? Has this time away from the theatre sparked further curiosity for you when you return to this art form? Really, it's a furtherance of what I just broke into. There was a time on my social media feed where I wouldn’t follow anyone of different beliefs and ideals than mine. But then I realized I don’t know what other people are thinking and so when things happen, I don’t understand why it’s happened. In terms of curiosity as an actor, we’re very often playing individuals who don’t share that same ideology that we hold, how can we do this if we don’t allow ourselves to see things in another light or way, and allow ourselves to go through that ideology that we don’t understand? I started including in my feed people who hold opposing views to my own, just to keep tabs to the rhetoric they’re using and what others are thinking. There seems to be a fear that in doing this we lose our own identity or you are affirming other people’s beliefs that are right or wrong, and who’s to say what’s right or what’s wrong. But nonetheless, you can’t have a conversation if you can’t find common ground. Because we’re all human beings in the end, somehow in our world it makes sense to try to see the other side, to see the logic there. Where do we connect? Where is our common humanity? How can a bridge be made from one common ideal to the next without trying to see another point of view? Through me doing this, I can potentially have the same affect on someone else trying to see from where I cam coming. To learn more about Dion, visit his personal website: www.dionjohnstone.com , To follow Dion on his social media: Facebook: @DionJohnst ; Twitter: @DionJohnstone ; Instagram: @dion_johnstone Previous Next

Back Rob Kempson "[I] want to make sure everyone has access points to arts and culture so that we can all be asking those questions together rather than amplifying those things we already know.” Andrew Rowat Joe Szekeres Port Hope Capitol Theatre’s Artistic Director, Rob Kempson, is one hell of a nice guy who puts you at ease very quickly. He exudes strength and confidence in his work with the professional live theatre industry. He knows how to plan, strategize, and deliver quality work within the theatre community. I firmly believe that Kempson, a game-changer (and lover of Dolly Parton’s music, among other things), has altered the professional theatre scene in Port Hope. His innovative approach remains reason enough to be excited about the upcoming 2024 spring, summer, and fall seasons. There appears to be a freshness and excitement surrounding the forthcoming season. He answered questions via email three years ago as Covid was in full swing. You can find that link here: https://www.onstageblog.com/profiles/rob-kempson?rq=rob%20kempson. Recently, I drove to Port Hope on International Women’s Day, which was also a gorgeous spring day, to check in with ‘da man’ and get his take on how things have progressed when the world changed. It was a glorious day outside, and I wished I had someone with me to record our conversation so that Rob and I could walk along Port Hope's streets and talk about all good things theatrical—next time. In his highly organized office, where everything has its proper place, I was also introduced to a significant individual who plays an integral part in Kempson’s life. His dog, Delilah. She’s a cutie and a keeper. The first thing you will notice is her beautiful eyes. If you see Rob walking Delilah on the Port Hope streets, stop, say hello, and give some skritches and pats on Delilah’s head, too. Kempson and I also share a common respect for the public education system and our love of the theatre. We are both graduates of the Queen’s University Faculty of Education Program. Rob completed the Artist in Community Program at the Faculty. He was a supply teacher for 15 years and stopped in 2021 when he became the full-time Artistic Director of the Capitol. He knew he couldn’t maintain the minimum days required for supply teaching and running a theatre. Rob has always loved teaching and still does, although this time, it’s in a different capacity when he directs or leads workshops in preparation for theatrical works: “Supply teaching taught me a lot about facilitation, direction and getting people on your side. It also taught me a lot about how to know when to take bullshit and when not to take bullshit.” That last statement speaks volumes, especially the latter part. Rob is doing well, given all these changes in our world over the last four years. He bought a house during the pandemic. When he looks back on things he called new, fresh and unsettled, he feels so lucky to be in a job that he loves, working with a team that he thought he could not have possibly imagined at the Capitol, and he gets to play pretend: “I have the best job in the whole world.” He recognizes the diversity within his work as Artistic Director. He spends way more time working on budgets, grants and application forms that may not be, at first glance, what people think of theatre artists in comparison to rehearsal hall work. Kempson finds it all engaging and equally creative in the ownership and autonomy that people really and genuinely care about the theatre is affirming: “The fact that I am in a place where I get to use all of those creative muscles and to be able to use them in the [Port Hope] community that is so welcoming, so culturally alive, and so connected to the Capitol Theatre organization is the greatest gift. I am very, very lucky to be here.” Rob, the artist, is a big advocate for getting out of the big city and seeing the theatre work happening across this country, in small places, big places, and places in between. When he sees a show in Toronto, Rob recognizes the diversity of audiences, which is excellent. But they are probably homogeneous in terms of their progressive policies. The way the audience votes is perhaps the same as that of Rob. Big city audiences probably come to the theatre to reinforce the ideas they already have or ask questions they haven’t heard before. Still, the big city audiences come to the theatre for that cultural connection a bit more so than to be changed. For Rob, the big city audiences have already been changed. The great value of Port Hope is the heterogeneity of the community. When Rob sits next to someone at the Capitol, that person probably does not vote the same way as Rob, isn’t the same age, or doesn’t look like him. The person in Port Hope has different life experiences from Rob. But in his role as Artistic Director, Rob gets something to put on stage where all get to share in the experience together, and that’s the power of theatre at work in Port Hope - to create a shared experience for people who are different and to let those people come to that shared experience with their backgrounds, expectations and questions and to be maybe even changed, poked and prodded by it: “While [audiences] are laughing, they might be thinking about the message of the shared experience. While tapping their toes, they might also be questioning that casting choice. I think it’s not only a great privilege but a great responsibility to do that work in smaller communities… and wanting to make sure everyone has access points to arts and culture so that we can all be asking those questions together rather than amplifying those things we already know.” What has artistically changed for Rob these past three years? The most significant change is his ability to zoom out and think about the big picture of the work and its impact. It’s always a director’s job to zoom out and look at the whole picture of what is created. Now, not only is he looking at that from the perspective of individual production, but he also looks at it from the overall vision for the company and the journey of the Capitol and the Port Hope community. In his role as Artistic Director, Rob must now zoom out within the context of how a production sits financially, how it’s being talked about in the public, and how it fits into the artists living in the Port Hope community. All these things are artistic choices and require logistical knowledge. The focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion has tremendously influenced the theatre industry's progress these last three years. As a queer person, Rob also recognizes that he is a white man. This recognition gives him tremendous privilege, and Rob sees that responsibility to use that privilege to uplift and uphold traditionally marginalized voices. And that’s being done at the Capitol. Queer stories are being put on stage; there are stories by BIPOC writers being put on stage and stories by women on stage. There are women in leadership positions at the Capitol. There are queer people in positions of leadership at the Capitol: “I think having a mind to this is something that people think doesn’t happen in small communities, BUT IT DOES. [The Port Hope] community is concerned about that, and this organization is also concerned about it. We are constantly taking steps towards improving our relationship with equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives. That was long needed in the theatre industry.” The danger here, though, is that you are assuming one thing—casting someone whom you would never have thought about casting before. But that’s not what it means. What Rob gets really excited about is deepening the journey of this expectation. more. This year, Rob was elated to report a 40% increase in audience at the Capitol, a considerable number he is proud of. Anecdotally, Rob also noted the audience is younger and more diverse, queer, and these people live in Northumberland County. It is the job of the Capitol to do its best to serve all kinds of people in Port Hope and the surrounding area. Rob is already proud of that through the constant challenge of audiences with the programming he has planned as Artistic Director. When you get a chance, visit the Capitol Theatre’s Facebook page to see how active the organization has been within the community. And what’s coming up at the Capitol in 2024? Rob is slated to direct two shows for summer 2024: BED AND BREAKFAST, which opens on June 14 and runs until June 30 and CHRISTMASTOWN, which begins on August 16 and runs until September 1. Here are the other upcoming live theatre productions: A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD, directed by Fiona Sauder and running May 17 – June 2 THE FULL MONTY, THE BROADWAY MUSICAL, directed by Julie Tomaino and running July 12 – 28. RAPUNZEL (A Merry, Hairy Holiday Musical), directed by Cherissa Richards, runs from November 22 – December 23. GABS SINGS BABS, conceived and performed by Gabi Epstein which runs July 31 – August 11. To learn more about the 2024 Season Rollout from April 22-25 with a Gala on April 27, visit: https://capitoltheatre.com/season-rollout/ Finally, to learn more about the Cameco Capitol Arts Centre in Port Hope, visit www.capitoltheatre.com . You can also follow their X/Twitter account, @CapitolPortHope and their Facebook page, Capitol Theatre Port Hope. The theatre is located at 20 Queen Street in Port Hope. Telephone: (905) 885-1071. Previous Next

Back Hamlet by William Shakespeare The Festival Theatre at the Stratford Festival 2022 Jordy Clarke Joe Szekeres Despite a few puzzling choices, there are moments where this ‘Hamlet’ shines; however, it’s not what it could be. When ‘Hamlet’ was taught at the school where I worked, teachers of English used to call the play a tragedy. Director Peter Pasyk makes an interesting comment about this production which he helmed: “The play is arguably Shakespeare’s most experimental and metatheatrical work, but what is it?...one thing is certain, at its core it is an existential work. The play puts our mortality into stark focus.” Two things about Pasyk’s comment. First, I think it’s an important one that should be definitely shared with high school teachers of English in understanding ‘Hamlet’. Too often, the trap is to fall into whether ‘Hamlet’ is the proverbial tragedy or not. Next, did Pasyk’s production reflect what he says? Well, yes and no. I know I used to tell the students whom I taught that one can’t sit on the proverbial fence post and agree with both sides. Make up your mind when you defend something. Well, this is arguably one of these yes and no times where it’s important to see what worked well and what requires some polishing. How so? When we remember Pasyk’s comment about ‘Hamlet’ as existential and then consider Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino’s comment the theme for 2022 is New Beginnings and ways to start a new journey, sometimes the connective task isn’t as clear as it could be. Hamlet (Amaka Umeh) is clearly mourning the death of his father (a powering and towering Matthew Kabwe). He is disgusted and abhorred by how quickly his mother, Gertrude (Maev Beaty) quickly remarried her late husband’s brother, Claudius (Graham Abbey) who now wears the crown of Denmark. In turn, Hamlet sees his father’s ghost and vows revenge against Claudius while pretending to be mad until the crown can be rightfully restored. Herein lies the downward spiral where Hamlet’s actions affect Lord Chamberlain Polonius (Michael Spencer-Davis), Laertes (Austin Eckert) and Ophelia (Andrea Rankin) for whom Hamlet pines, but whether he is serious about it or not becomes an important element of the story. The story is set modern so we have guns instead of knives. Michelle Bohn’s costume designs are chic looking on the ladies and nicely fitted suits on the men which help delineate the characteristics of the individuals. Umeh is dressed appropriately in black for most of the play which reflects the mood of Hamlet. Upon entering the auditorium, Patrick Lavender’s stark set design immediately grabbed my attention as the body of the deceased king lies in state under glass. It looks as if there is preparation for the viewing by the family and then the public. Kimberley Purtell’s lighting design effectively reflects the majesty of this moment. The blackouts in some of the scenes did not distract my attention. Richard Feren’s sound design throughout remains solid. One thing about the set design which puzzles me is the upper level of the stage. It looks like a mirror is on top and then I wondered if it was an indication of holding a reflection up to the audience to show how these lives on stage are similar to our own. Then the upper area becomes a moment where Hamlet refers to Gertrude and Claudius and we see them dancing. I was confused because I couldn’t decipher if the dancing was occurring in the moment OR if this was occurring in Hamlet’s mind. Then the mirror is used to announce the arrival of the Players and we see them enter. There was some laughter from the audience at certain moments that made me think something was missing. For example, at the top of the show we know the sentries on guard have twice seen the ghost of the dead king. It’s one of the greatest moments where tension is established immediately to grab the audience’s attention. The sentry guard dressed in a dark-coloured suit wearing a dark-coloured mask gets to the top level, looks around and then removed his mask. The audience roared in approval with laughter but I didn’t. Was Pasyk perhaps giving a knowing wink to the audience about mask removals, hopefully very soon? If he made that choice, yes it’s clever BUT it didn’t set what was supposed to be a tension-filled scene of seeing ghostly images to pique my interest. The same thing occurred just before the ‘play’ of the travelling troupe performs for Claudius and Gertrude. The humorous musical ditty and the swaying of the players reminded me if this story for the king was taking place in Hawaii or Maui? As the audience is in the know about the ‘play’, we are waiting intently for how the king might respond. Didn’t feel any of that. There are some hearty performances all around. Amaka Umeh’s Hamlet remains grounded in reality with the various emotional swings given the heated moment. This was strongly evident in the Grave Digger’s scene. Andrea Rankin’s doe-eyed Ophelia poignantly runs the gamut of emotions when the reality of the situation hits her full on which struck my heart. Maev Beaty and Graham Abbey are regal as Gertrude and Claudius but also reveal their insecurities and fears with believable intent and focus. Michael Spencer-Davis is a warm-hearted Polonius. Austin Eckert is a feisty and fiery Laertes especially when he learns what happens to his father and seeks revenge. As Horatio, Jakob Ehman’s loyalty Hamlet is steady. As Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Norman Yeung and Ijeoma Emesowum are dutiful friends to Hamlet while also showing they can be easily swayed through their interactions by the powers at hand who are in charge. Final Comments: I do hope that future audiences will not continue laughing at inopportune moments that appear incongruous with the emotional level and intensity of the moment. Peter Pasyk is a gifted director who has worked with so many talented and gifted actors in this ‘Hamlet’ that I am hoping to see on stage in future. Running time: Three hours with one intermission. As of the publication of this article, Covid protocols are in place at the theatre. ‘Hamlet’ runs to October 28 at the Festival Theatre. For tickets, visit www.stratfordfestival.ca or call 1-800-567-1600. ‘Hamlet’ by William Shakespeare Director: Peter Pasyk Producer: Dave Auster Set Designer: Patrick Lavender Costume Designer: Michelle Bohn Lighting Designer: Kimberly Purtell Composer and Sound Designer: Richard Feren Performers: Amaka Umeh, Matthew Kabwe, Maev Beaty, Graham Abbey, Michael Spencer-Davis, Andrea Rankin, Austin Eckert, Jakob Ehman, Norman Yeung, Ijeoma Emesowum, John Kirkpatrick, Tyrone Savage, Kevin Kruchkywich, Josue Laboucane, Anthony Santiago, Celia Aloma, isi bhakhomen, Rachel Jones, Ngabo Nabea, Hilary Adams, Mary Jay, Janice Owens, David Campion Previous Next

Back 'Casey and Diana' by Nick Green. The Toronto premiere Presented by Soulpepper and now onstage at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in the Distillery District Credit: Dahlia Katz. Pictured: Sean Arbuckle and Katherine Gauthier Joe Szekeres “The tremendous humanity and compassion are the reasons to see this critical theatrical work.” One of last summer's Stratford Festival’s successes, Nick Green’s ‘Casey and Diana,’ which played June 2023 during Pride Month, celebrates its home city, Toronto premiere. Word got out fast last summer about Green’s emotionally haunting script, and tickets flew because the talk was incredible. The play was one of the Festival’s highlights, and I overheard conversations that many wished they had the chance to see it but couldn’t. Now’s the chance to see this critically acclaimed theatrical work for its tremendous humanity and compassion. ‘Casey and Diana’ remains a story of relationship building amid the tumultuous early 90s surrounding the supposed and irrational stigma that people couldn’t touch or be near those who suffered from AIDS. Thankfully, Green’s script contains humour to balance the sadness and fear of that time that many of us still recall. The Stratford creative team and cast have returned except for Krystin Pellerin, who played Diana, Princess of Wales. Katherine Gauthier now plays the role. The time is 1991. The place is Casey House, the Toronto hospice for those suffering from AIDS. Word has gone out to the residents that Diana, Princess of Wales (Katherine Gauthier), will visit on October 25. The place is abuzz about her Royal Highness’s arrival. Joshua Quinlan usefully maximizes the Baillie stage to its fullest extent. The institutional greyness of the walls has been beautified by the hanging-stained glass and the window that opens to let in fresh air. It’s as comfortable looking as can be for a hospice. An extremely loud sound miscue brought me out of the moment of returning back in time, and I had to work at it again. After that slight one-off, Debashis Sinha’s sound design and composition finely set the appropriate tone for each scene. Louise Guinand’s lighting design strongly emphasizes the tone and mood. The cast continues to remain firmly grounded in their performance work. Patient and resident Thomas (Sean Arbuckle) is gobsmacked by the news of the princess’s arrival. He lovingly recalls the British Royal Wedding of the then Prince Charles to Diana and her long wedding gown train. Thomas meets his shy and reticent new roommate, Andre (Davinder Malhi), who is deathly afraid of being at the hospice. Nurse Vera (Sophia Walker) is no-nonsense. She has a job to do and does her best to remain professional while not getting emotionally involved in the lives of her patients. Hospice volunteer Marjorie (Linda Kash) is Vera's opposite. Marjorie is cheerful and cheeky and wants to make people smile. Thomas’s estranged sister, Pauline (Laura Condlln), creates confusion and anger within her brother. Once again, Andrew Kushnir directs with effusive compassion for the subject material. The tremendous humanity of the piece has been deepened this time. These are very real people with genuine emotions. Playwright Green even includes the late Princess in this revelation. At one point, Diana removed her shoes while she spoke with Thomas. Although that might seem a bit odd, within the established context of the scene, it makes complete sense when the Princess does. Sean Arbuckle’s performance carefully remains balanced in emotional intensity. He never ventures into histrionics as Thomas even when sometimes triggered in his estranged relationship with sister, Pauline (sharply played by Laura Condlln). Thomas continues to be biting, sarcastic, witty, and funny, with a slight touch of catty. His comic references to the film ‘Steel Magnolias’ and the television hit ‘The Golden Girls’ may seem dated; however, their underlying meanings still convey an element of truth in our twenty-first-century woke world. Seeing the production six months later, Arbuckle this time reveals a strong sense of the fighter within Thomas. He wants to ‘rage, rage against the dying of the light’ that poet Dylan Thomas had once written. When Thomas does rage against Pauline, it becomes a fine performance moment to watch Arbuckle and Condlln stand off in complete silence momentarily. The tension remains palpably thick, and oh, so good to experience. As Diana, Katherine Gauthier keenly listens and gives her undivided attention to Thomas. When she is introduced to him, she slightly pauses at first, then smiles warmly, crosses to the bed and gently takes his hand and compassionately holds it. A heartfelt moment of riveting complete silence throughout the Baillie Theatre. Wonderful! As Andre, Davinder Malhi offers an effective counterbalance to Arbuckle’s work. At first, Andre appears to want to wither away. However, that strong sense of Thomas wanting to “rage against the dying of the light” becomes subtly reflected in Malhi’s performance. A nice bit of unexpected humour from Andre in the second act momentarily reminds us that he is just as every bit cheeky as Thomas. Sophia Walker and Linda Kash continue to remind us of the importance of healthcare. This time round, these terrific performers have, like Arbuckle, wisely chosen to deepen their work. Walker’s Vera remains committed to being of service to the patients at the hospice, but she’s human. The cost of healthcare on a personal level does become taxing and there are subtle moments where Walker shows that nursing remains challenging. The same holds true for Kash’s Marjorie. She continues her selflessly admirable volunteer work because it’s important to remain positive in an environment where death reared its head consistently. Kash also selects those moments where she tugs at the audience’s heartstrings especially in the second act. And it’s powerful when she does. Final Comments: In his Director’s Programme Note, Andrew Kushnir states how honoured he is to bring the story here. Andrew, it was my honour to revisit Nick’s poignant work. I’m richer for having experienced this human connection story again which is sadly missing today in a world of people glued to screens and believing that is personal communication with others. Running time: approximately two hours and thirty minutes with one interval/intermission. ‘Casey and Diana’ runs until February 11 in the Marilyn and Charles Baillie Theatre at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane in Toronto’s Distillery District. For tickets, call 416-866-8666 or visit youngcentre.ca. To learn more about Soulpepper and the upcoming season, see soulpepper.ca. ‘Casey and Diana’ by Nick Green. The Toronto premiere presented by Soulpepper. Originally produced by The Stratford Festival Directed by Andrew Kushnir Set & Costume Designer: Joshua Quinlan Lighting Designer: Louise Guinand Sound Designer & Composer: Debashis Sinha Stage Manager: Michael Hart Performers: Sean Arbuckle, Laura Condlln, Katherine Gauthier, Linda Kash, Davinder Malhi, Sophia Walker Previous Next

Back ALAN LUCIEN ØYEN Looking Ahead Massimo Leardini Joe Szekeres To speak with dance artists from across the globe has become personally enlightening as I learn more about this intricate art form. A recent press release I received from Harbourfront Centre spoke about artist Alan Lucien Øyen's upcoming production of 'Story, story, die' at the Fleck Dance Theatre June 28-29 as part of his company Nordic Bridges. The Harbourfront Centre release stated: “[Alan] is a master of staged performance. Based in Bergen, Norway, Øyen and his labyrinthine work straddle dance, theatre, opera and film, and his hybrid approach to all forms is acclaimed for their highly emotional and dramatic drive.” I’m unable to attend this upcoming production at the end of this month but the more I read about Alan, the more I wanted readers to see how he incorporates the world of dance to tell a story. Alan came across as a very humble man during our conversation. I received the strong impression he is extremely grateful for the opportunities given to him professionally. For him, dance and the creation of the performing arts becomes a social experience both for the artists and audiences and Covid did certainly change the trajectory of the art form going forward into an uncertain future. At this point in time for him, Alan wonders about the long-term effects of Covid and will audiences at this time return. He also remarked about a strange phenomenon that musical theatre has seemed to return with audiences present while theatre is still trying to gain its hold with audiences. What makes movement and singing different from someone who speaks? Even within this conundrum, he's hopeful audiences will return. I am as well since the Harbourfront press release also states that Story, story, die is a work that questions who we (really) are and who we pretend to be. It’s like an open wound. Both artists and audiences will have to tread carefully as we begin to emerge slowly and return to performing and sharing stories. Personally, Alan believes after being shell-shocked at the result of Covid, it taught him how the artist had to flex the imagination. He first showed his humility while sharing a laugh with me in stating he wasn’t going to be the most creative in the Tik Tok territory venture. After we shared a quick laugh, Alan then stated he felt like a ‘bad creative’ for a bit when he felt like he didn’t want to venture into the Tik Tok territory or into any creative streaming presentation online. Why? That third dimension of the physicality and energy of dance is not great on screen. Alan then shared how he was able to capture this third dimension of the physicality of dance filmed which was quite exciting for him. Hopefully, moving forward, the creative and immersive work of dance can continue in the theatre once again as safely as possible for all involved. What does Øyen still believe he must accomplish in the world of dance? For him, it’s both simple and complicated. For him, the ambition and the goal have always been the same. He wants to move people. When Alan attends any theatre, he hopes he can forget about himself for a while and immerse himself in the lives of those on stage. While he works in dance, he also works in theatre. If dance and theatre can move him emotionally when he watches something, this is exactly what Alan hopes as well for audiences when they see his work. By forgetting oneself and immersing oneself in the work, Alan hopes he walks away with a new perspective. This is exactly what he would like audiences to do with his dance works as well – to walk away with a new perspective. Usually, when I comment or review something, I like to ponder and ask why the story needs to be told at this time. The Harbourfront press release states: “Story, story, die. features seven extraordinary dancers in a charged choreography that looks at the complicated synergy between lies and love and the staged images we create to be accepted [through] a raw, unfiltered and a deeply vulnerable take.” I asked Øyen to explain further why it needs to be told: “It’s a piece that in very many ways is a response to our time. I don’t know if we intended to do that with it, but it became that way. We started looking at fictionalization in everyday life. I’m always deeply fascinated by the concept of staging and the element of fiction and where they meet and how they affect each other. Whether it’s a true story or not, fiction always comes into play. When it’s a true story, then it’s the how and why it is fictionalized.” Alan claims the artists involved did not set out to create a social media piece, but in many ways, it can be looked at through the social media lens. It is through social media this piece is clearly articulated through the staging. When he worked on the preparation of this production, he watched YouTube selections of young kids and how their various channels were strategized for relaying their life. What became clearly obvious in all Alan’s preparation was the fast-paced element of the world in which we now find ourselves. One message he hopes audiences will take away from Story, story, die? It’s okay, it’s totally fine that whatever happens in your life, you will be fine. You’re not alone. The FJORD REVIEW described “‘Story story die’ as admirable for its sexiness and startlingly original highlights.” When I asked Alan what this comment meant, it appeared he might not have seen that comment as he laughed for a quick second and then said: ‘Well, sexiness is very subjective, isn’t it?” I think I put Øyen on the spot initially because he didn’t know what to say. He accepted the compliment readily and stated he agrees the dancers in his production are very sexy people as they are truly phenomenal dancers. There is an intimate connection between the person and the body with dancers that actors in a stage production might not have. That connection comes from touch and physicality for the entire day through rehearsals. whereas theatre, for Alan, is an intellectual exercise that may not involve the same degree of physicality and touch. Nathalie Bonjour, Director, Performing Arts at Harbourfront Centre stated: “Øyen’s Story, story, die. is a theatrical experience that both challenges our notions of love and happiness and unites us in our collective search for meaningful connection in an increasingly disconnected world.” Alan smiled and felt she encapsulated rather well what the presentation was all about. He said he would describe what Bonjour stated in lay person’s terms so that it could be understood by all. Alan stated if there are two people in a relationship, then the question arises of who am I with you? And what is the real me? And is it ever possible to get to this realization? And who are we together? Story story die runs June 28 and 29. For tickets and further information visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com Previous Next

Back John Ng Ng's honesty and candour are stark reminders we're still not out of Covid. ​ Joe Szekeres John Ng appears next month in the Canadian premiere of ‘The Chinese Lady’ by American playwright Lloyd Suh. It was one of those rare occasions when I was running late to interview John as traffic was terrible and I felt awful about my tardiness. An actor’s time is precious especially if he or she has had a full day of rehearsal and then has other responsibilities. What a most accommodating individual. John was more concerned about me because I ran into the room huffing after running from the taxi to get to the rehearsal room where we would speak. After I composed myself, we got into John’s love of performance and why he wanted to be an actor. He has appeared in CBC’s ‘Kim's Convenience’ (2016), ‘Rising Suns’ (2020) and ‘The Swan’ (2020). Ng completed his training in the Honours Programme in Directing at the University of Ottawa. He laughed and told me it was a five-year plan for him in theatre studies. His goal was not to go to New York City but to come to Toronto and do a show at Theatre Passe Muraille, at Factory and Tarragon Theatres. He has done all that. In that respect, John feels he has fulfilled a goal upon graduation. Coming out of university, he was getting roles in acting. He wrote plays, one of which was performed at the Toronto Fringe in 2001. The production did quite well, and John proudly stated the Fringe play was his launching pad into the Toronto scene which was the start of the golden era of Chinese Canadian theatre in the city. Marjorie Chan who will direct John in ‘The Chinese Lady’ appeared in Ng’s Toronto Fringe play. ‘The Chinese Lady’ (a two-hander) is his first show in three years. This time around, he is working with Rosie Simon and director Marjorie Chan (Artistic Director of Theatre Passe Muraille) at the helm. He’s worked with Rosie before and describes her as fearless. She fights for things and she always comes out ‘rosy’. He has so much confidence in Simon and Ng draws on that. John describes Marjorie Chan as ‘a great people person’. She gives an actor lots of room and is very perceptive. Because she has worn every hat in the theatre, Marjorie has such a vast toolkit for the actor. An actor can trust Marjorie when she speaks because she knows what she is talking about. After a three-year absence from the theatre, (his last show in the fall of 2019), John smiled when he said he thought he still knew what was involved in the theatre rehearsal process. He also joked he hasn’t performed in a two-hander since his undergraduate years, so he has been quite attentive. For him, there has been a seismic change in the theatre at the top post-Covid. Many theatre companies and artistic directors have stepped aside and opened up to be more inclusive. These changes in the theatre are for the next generation of theatre artists and theatregoers. John then shared a personal story about how he felt with the return to the theatre even though we are still in Covid’s embrace: “I have to be honest. I was ready to give it up. I was ready to just pack it in. I didn’t think I would return. I didn’t think theatre would return even to the extent that we’re in now. Those were dark days. How would we ever get back to theatre especially when I had heard of actors getting sick when theatres were allowed to return? So many shows were lost over these past few years.” Ng’s honesty and candour are startling but a stark reminder we’re still not out of Covid. He still muses ‘The Chinese Lady’ might very well be his last show. Or, if he does another show, that could be his last one. That’s how he’s looking at it. The rehearsal room has been exciting and fun. John praises director Marjorie Chan for keeping rehearsals light in the room. Everyone is comfortable with each other and there is no pressure to perform. There’s a sense of creation and exploration. According to John and Crow’s website, ‘The Chinese Lady’ is the first documented Chinese female, Afong May, to arrive in the United States from Guangzhou Province in 1834. She is 14 years of age. She has been hired to promote merchandise. Purportedly the first Chinese woman to set foot on U.S. soil, Afong May has been put on display for the American public as “The Chinese Lady.” As the decades wear on, her celebrated sideshow comes to define and challenge her very sense of identity. Alternatingly dark, poetic, and whimsical, the play is a searing portrait of Western culture seen through the eyes of a young Chinese woman. John compares ‘The Chinese Lady’ to being an absurdist play. Periodically, the fourth wall is broken and the characters speak to the audience. What message does John hope audiences will take away after seeing ‘The Chinese Lady’: “That’s a metaphysical question for discourse and, for me, that’s what the play’s about. I hope audiences will leave and think about in terms of how they perceive things in reality and question how much they have been influenced by advertising by propaganda and social influencing.” What’s next for John once ‘The Chinese Lady’ has completed its run? Nothing has been confirmed, but a couple of projects will hopefully get the green light. The one thing John will confirm - he will go home and tend to his cat. Produced by Studio 180 Theatre in association with fu-GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company in association with Crow’s Theatre. ‘The Chinese Lady’ runs May 2-21 in the Studio Theatre at Crow’s Theatre, 345 Carlaw Avenue, Toronto. For tickets, visit crowstheatre.com or call (647) 341-7390 ex. 1010. To learn more about Studio 180 Theatre, visit studio180theatre.com. To learn more about fu-GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company, visit fu-gen.org. Previous Next

Back 'The Phantom of the Opera' staged by London Ontario's Grand Theatre High School Project A 25th Anniversary Celebration now onstage Dahlia Katz Joe Szekeres A Dazzling and Twirling spectacle reflecting the Grand’s theme this year of ‘Pure Imagination’. The High School Project’s complete commitment to 'Phantom', along with the clever directorial/musical vision of the show, make this opening night a pick for Voice Choice. Two wondrous things occurred on September 22. First, ‘Phantom of the Opera’s back. This time, the youth of the Grand Theatre’s High School Project (HSP) celebrates its 25th anniversary by tackling the behemoth nature of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe’s story in all respects. Second, this 40+ member cast makes the show work! Amazingly! Typically, I don’t review youth shows and was skeptical about ‘Phantom’s staging because mega bucks are needed to pull off the spectacle of the production. Agreed, there was money here to produce the show; however, could young people who have not been vocally trained to sing this score even bother attempting it? I’ve been proven wrong and am proud to admit it. Sure, there were odd technical glitches during the show. Periodically, the singing might not have been as strong in some musical numbers. I’m willing to overlook these issues and cut some slack. Why? These young people are a reminder of the power and transformation of the arts on themselves and the world they know. That’s the goal behind HSP, as it provides a solid base for emerging artist training. I hope to see some of these people on live stages again. See this ‘Phantom’ because word of mouth will occur and tickets will fly out the door quickly. Gaston Leroux’s tale of the facially disfigured musical genius (Kieran Prouty at this performance) roams the catacombs of Paris’s Opera Garnier. He falls in love with young soprano Christine Daaé (Camila Rodriguez at this performance), who becomes the star of the new production of ‘Hannibal’ after diva Carlotta (Stella Yanga) walks out on the company of artists during the final dress rehearsal. New theatre managers Messrs. Firmin and André (Isaac Szoldatits and Ryan Shaw) try to assuage the cast members' fear of the Opera ghost. Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny (Will Cramp at this performance), re-enters Christine’s life. They knew each other long ago when they were children. Raoul and Christine fall in love, much to the dismay and anger of the Phantom who plots his revenge to ensure Christine will remain with him forever. Director Andrew Tribe chooses to steer away from that creepy, possessive element of the Phantom towards Christine. Instead, the story is seen from the young female protégé’s point of view, and it makes sense in this production. Before the auction opens the show, Christine eerily crosses downstage from stage right toward the ghost light. Very effective. Tribe also stages brief moments from Christine’s past when she was a little girl with her now-deceased father. This is another solid choice as it connects the audience to the heartbreak Christine experiences in the trauma of losing her father. The visual aesthetics in the production remain stunning throughout, one being the grandeur of London’s Grand Theatre with its plush red velvet seats and gorgeous ornamental work throughout the space. Scott Penner’s set design nicely captures the Opera Garnier stage. The famous chandelier rises in front of the audience into the theatre’s fly space. Thanks to the stage's motorized turntable, every inch of space is used to its maximum. Kimberly Purtell’s lighting design beautifully captures that ghostly and gothic look from long ago. Aaron Ouellete’s sound design remains sharp, especially in that moment when the doors of the theatre are secured to keep the Phantom in the auditorium. Lisa Wright’s magnificent costume designs become a glorious feast for the eyes with the colours and textures of the clothing fabrics. Floydd Ricketts must be duly acknowledged for his concerted work making these 14-18-year-old youth sound excellent vocally. There are some primo moments when the company and individual members shine, and I give a round of appreciative applause. At the end of Christine’s aria, ‘Think of Me’, a cadenza showcases the vocal range of the young woman. Is it going to be altered for this production? Not at all as young Camila Rodriguez gives it her all, and it sounds lovely from my seat. Additionally, the opening of the second act with the New Year’s celebration of ‘Masquerade’ becomes a visual feast for the eyes as the actors enter from all corners of the auditorium. The choral singing at the song’s conclusion sent shivers down my spine. One of the most noteworthy elements of the High School Project’s production is incorporating the 40 + students on stage. Director Tribe blocks the actors so that there are good sightlines from the house. Choreographer Nicola Pantin stages many of the dance numbers that enhance the opulence of the story. The eight-member Corps de Ballet remains en pointe during the Hannibal dress rehearsal sequence and in the number just before the murder of flyman Joseph Buquet (Blake Carey). Pantin’s staging of ‘Masquerade’ at the top of the second act is visually remarkable. Again, every inch of space is fully used to maximum effect. Nothing ever appears crowded. There’s a great deal of promise in the performances on opening night. Kieran Prouty’s Phantom remains haunting and mysteriously childlike. When Christine removes his mask to see him for the first time, Prouty’s credible utterance of a subdued and whispered cry is touching. Camila Rodriquez’s Christine remains sweetly naïve until she is pushed to the breaking point of choosing between the Phantom and Raoul. Will Cramp is a charming and daring Raoul ready to prove his love for the woman he adores. Stella Yanga remains a delightfully stereotypical diva in Carlotta. Yanga’s vocal range is also as impressive as Rodriguez’s. Leo Sigut’s Piangi is a terrific complementary blowhard to Yanga’s Carlotta. Hosna Emami’s Mme. Giry, the ballet mistress, is that proverbial workhorse of a teacher who only wants perfection from her ‘petits rats’ in the Corps de Ballet. Isabelle Parent is darling as Meg, Mme. Giry’s daughter and Christine’s confidante. The final tableau at the end of the play with Meg and the company in the Phantom’s lair remains etched in my mind as I write this article. Isaac Szoldatits and Ryan Shaw are delightful as Firmin and Andre, the silly comic managers of the Opera, especially in the series of letters written by the Phantom. Credit must also be given to the strong ensemble of the Opera Company members and the Corps de Ballet. They create unique and specific characters throughout the show, even for a few minutes. Final Comments: What a treat to watch these young people do what they love to do – perform in front of an audience. At one point, I felt my eyes welling. As a retired teacher, I felt pride in watching young people succeed when they set their minds and hearts to complete an assigned task. I spoke with Director Andrew Tribe the day before. He said he worked hard because these High School Project members deserve the best. These young people gave their best opening night. It showed. They have a formidable task ahead these next three weeks to continue giving their best in each performance. I have every confidence they will. And that’s why you should get tickets. Running time: approximately two hours and twenty minutes with one intermission. ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ runs on the Spriet Stage at London, Ontario’s Grand Theatre, until October 7, 471 Richmond Street. For tickets, call the Box Office at (519) 672-8800 or visit www.grandtheatre.com . The Grand Theatre’s HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT production of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Lyrics by Charles Hart Additional Lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Book by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber Based on the novel ‘Le Fantôme de l’Opéra’ by Gaston Leroux Director: Andrew Tribe Music Director: Floydd Ricketts /Associate Music Director and Conductor: Matthew Atkins Choreographer; Nicola Pantin Set Designer: Scott Penner Costume Designer: Lisa Wright Lighting Designer: Kimberly Purtell Sound Designer: Aaron Ouellette Stage Manager: Alice Ferreyra Galliani Performers: Emma Bishop, Tristan Brew, Blake Carey, Will Cramp, Evan Doerr, Hosna Emami, Spence Jackson, Jordyn Gowling, Isabelle Parent, Ethan Pickett, Kieran Prouty, Camila Rodriguez, Ryan Shaw, Leo Sigut, Oliver Stanton, Isaac Szoldatits, Stella Yanga (plus more names in the Opera Company and the Corps de Ballet) Previous Next

Back Arkady Spivak "[TIFT] would love to continue enhancing and improving the impact of our work and putting artists into leadership positions in the world." Scott Cooper Joe Szekeres Here’s the first link to Talk is Free Theatre (TIFT)’s profile of Artistic Producer Arkady Spivak: https://www.onstageblog.com/profiles/2021/3/12/theatre-conversation-in-a-covid-world-with-arkady-spivak?rq=arkady%20spivak. Time is moving on, oh, so quickly these last three years. Again, I appreciated that Spivak was available to answer more questions about where the theatre industry was headed. We conducted our conversation via email. TIFT’s mandate as an artist-driven company is to support the emerging artistic community by producing a wide range of ensemble-based, off-center, inventive, and rare programming. That’s quite a lofty mandate to envision, but I like that TIFT always keeps it burning brightly. At the bottom of his electronic correspondence, Spivak includes a quote from Christopher Hoile at Stage Door, who calls Barrie’s professional theatre vibrant and innovative. I’ve attended a few TIFT productions and agree with that statement. On that note, I’m going to plug the following two upcoming TIFT productions: ‘La Bête’ runs at The Harbourfront Centre in Toronto until March 16. I saw the show in Barrie last year and loved it. I’m headed to see it again and stay tuned for my newest review of the production. ‘Cock’ runs April 18-27 in Barrie at a surprise location yet to be revealed on TIFT’s website. Arkady states it will be a funky site-specific production with some favourite TIFT artists. Spivak remains very proud of what TIFT has accomplished and states: “It’s quite awesome to continue to glorify the underdog.” Like any theatre company coming out of Covid, nevertheless, some issues must be addressed. Spivak spoke about them. TIFT is now dealing with a renewed sense of disappointment - of audiences not coming back as quickly as needed as many have lost the habit of regular attendance. But this is also an opportunity for companies to figure out how to broker a place of purpose between the artists who are now creating or performing at a much deeper level, and the audience who are looking for a new sense of purpose and direction. There might be a tendency to go populist and lure in an audience – but the question is – is this the audience needed? While Ontario theatre companies continue to figure things out as a result of the last three years, Spivak shares what TIFT has done. The company was able to navigate COVID turbulent years more easily than other companies perhaps, and in fact grow capacity and scope. TIFT’s structure and model are incredibly nimble and varied. Historically the company has proven that we are able to produce many different types of works in several different settings and under widely varying circumstances and levels of funding. The company itself can reconfigure and assess any given situation quite quickly because it is how we have functioned for years regardless of a global pandemic. This recognition has served TIFT a great deal. Rather than being stuck in a strict, structural reality that then needs to be undone and changed because of the ever-shifting state of the world, TIFT was able to navigate these changes fluidly as they arose. For example, there was not an overwhelming loss of focus or resources when performing to a physical, paying audience was no longer an option because most of our revenue already came from outside ticket sales. Although an audience is fundamentally and critically important to serve as a gateway to support mechanisms (donations, new Board members, etc.), TIFT does not need a box office figure to survive fundamentally. For this reason, TIFT was able to launch free admission to our expanded main programming, instead using a deposit system to ensure attendance from those who pre-book. This helps dismantle economic barriers to attendance, drastically diversify our audience and position us to derive greater revenue through contributed sources because of wider audience access. In the 2023-2024 season, TIFT continues to operate some free performances of every production but has also returned to paid admission for the rest. Spivak continues to hold tremendous respect for theatre artists. He believes they are more important material than the material they are working on. At TIFT, when artists are given proper agency and authority, they have the capacity to change the world more readily than anyone. TIFT is guided by a mission to encourage, support and uplift artists to be the best they can be through transformative experiences on and off the stage, and to inspire artists and audiences alike to find deeper connection, appreciation and love for live theatre. TIFT works to preserve and promote the art form as a fundamental component of life in Barrie and beyond by providing an unparalleled level of diversity of works and experiences that arouse awe and wonderment about what potential theatre has to transform the human spirit. That respect for artists is most readily reflected in TIFT’s Artist BIG (Basic Income Guarantee Project). Arkady said the inaugural BIG was wonderfully successful, and TIFT has recently launched the second three-year cohort. The Inaugural BIG quickly yielded a full roster of creative proposals and offerings - enough to fill two outdoor performance festivals in 2021 and three in 2022 - along with multiple successful on-line offerings, like the popular Dinner à la Art. BIG artists also conceived and developed several art-adjacent programs and service projects. I won’t be able to name them all here, but I’ll include a few: - an Audition Reader program in which actors are paid to act as virtual readers for each other’s self-taped auditions for non-TIFT projects - the First Day Series: Zoom readings of challenging works facilitated by BIG participants, giving work and purpose to artists throughout the lockdowns of 2020. - the Two-Way Paid Mentorship program: over-turning the traditional top-down mentorship model, this program connects theatre practitioners of different generations, disciplines, and regions across the country to lay the groundwork for a more communicative, inclusive, and compassionate professional milieu. - Canadian Musical Theatre Database (CMTdB): an interactive website to archive, support and promote Canadian musical theatre. Remember, these are only several. If you wanted to contact Arkady personally via email, I’m sure he would happily share other BIG accomplishments. Where does Spivak see TIFT headed over the next three-five years: “We would love to continue enhancing and improving the impact of our work and putting artists into leadership positions in the world. But doing so without institutionalizing or growing for growth’s sake. In other words, we want to transform to be even more free to change the world.” As we came to close the conversation, Arkady made another comment that I found intriguing Historically, the vast majority of cutting-edge, widely influencing theatre was presumed to be produced in the downtown core of major cities (Toronto being only one) or by major theatre festivals. And this is understandable as there is a greater congregation of an audience in such settings to warrant significant artistic experimentations, plus there has been a greater presence of national theatre coverage to popularize such attempts. I’ll go one step further and ask that you take the opportunity to step outside the Toronto scene and see what TIFT offers audiences, especially with its production of ‘La Bête’ running to March 16 at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre. And take that trip to see ‘Cock’ in April at the yet-to-be-disclosed Barrie performance location. To learn more about Talk is Free Theatre, visit www.tift.ca or visit their Facebook page: @TalkisFreeTheatre or on X: @Talkisfree. Previous Next

Back (Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them) Written and Performed by Cliff Cardinal Now onstage at Videocabaret in the Deanne Taylor Theatre, 10 Busy Street, Toronto Michael Cooper Joe Szekeres The pervading bizarreness of ‘A Terrible Fate’ is duly matched by an ironically twisted and candid ‘matter of fact’ haunting performance by Cliff Cardinal. Cliff Cardinal is Robert. Robert tells his story about the various individuals to whom he says those three important words we all like to hear – ‘I love you.’ What becomes incredibly bizarre about the turn of events for these individuals whom Robert says he loves? Each expires suddenly. Be prepared to laugh, at times rather uncomfortably, throughout this solo panoply of varied human reactions about life and death and (what the Crow’s website bills as), the ‘terribleness [that] lives in between.’ I snickered when “It’s the End of World as We Know It’ played just before Cliff entered at the top of the show. Cheeky but appropriate. ‘A Terrible Fate’ remains an existential story at heart. Cardinal’s candid script allows audience members to consider their mortality. The production will probably either trigger or anger some audience members for its frank observations about a final event that will inevitably occur to all of us. Nevertheless, the play also celebrates life periodically. Costume Designer Sage Paul has Robert sharply dressed in a burgundy wine-coloured jacket, pants, matching shirt, and dark shoes. Get it? Amidst the sudden death of each of these loved individuals, Robert celebrates their lives in the ‘burgundy red’ clothing he wears. Cheeky again, but it makes sense to me. Raha Javanfar’s shadowy lighting and JB Nelles’ stark set designs catch the eye at first glance. Three different chairs are equally spaced between them. Three burlap-looking banners hang behind each of the chairs. Stage right has the word ‘Love’ and what appears to be hands cupping a human heart. A simple wooden-looking kitchen chair is in front of the chair. Centre stage has the word ‘Cursed’ and what appears to be a sword plunging through a human heart. In front is a grey, comfortable-looking individual passenger car seat. Stage right has the word ‘Fate’ and a picture of dark-looking clouds with a lightning bolt shooting down and hitting a person. In front is a circular wicker chair with a comfortable cushion. There are moments when Javanfar’s stark lighting hits the banner and lights the heart so that I thought I could see various arteries and the organ pumping blood—a rather clever dramatic technique succinctly captured. Karin Randoja directs with an acute sense of boldness. She demands that the audience confront the sudden and unexpected moments that life can throw at them. Randoja’s vision for the play remains rebellious and subversive. Sometimes, it’s amusing, but often it’s not pretty. It can be terrifying and profound. Where did this latter occur for me? At one point, Cardinal pulls back the banner centre stage and reveals a blazing white object. (I won’t spoil it here) To see it at first is startling. To hear Alex Williams’ sound design of the object’s voice reverberating in the intimate Videocabaret theatre is gripping. It sent shivers down my spine. Again, another clever dramatic technique captured on stage. Cliff Cardinal delivers a haunting and resonating performance of a tortured man teetering on the edge. At times, his Robert is sane and lucid. There are other times when his Robert intimidates and frightens, especially in his relationship with Sarah, the ambulance driver. Along with his performance as Robert, Cardinal becomes other characters in this journey simply by pulling his long hair back or adjusting his clothing. And I bought it ultimately. I haven’t seen much of Cardinal’s work – only his controversial 'Land Acknowledgement’ twice and this opening night performance. From what I've seen, he’s a fine storyteller, and I want to see more of his work onstage. He moves with the most remarkable ease in addressing each side of the audience. There are moments when Cardinal/Robert makes eye contact with audience members, and his piercing ‘I’m looking right at you’ stare is alarming initially and then mesmerizing. Those moments when Cardinal sits in the car seat centre stage are intriguing. It is here where he acknowledges his fears. It is here where the audience begins to witness Robert’s troubled nature. To sit in the passenger seat means one will arrive at the destination; however, said passenger has no other control over the arrival at the destination and must accept what happens along the way. At one point, Robert moves the seat lever to push the backrest back. That action shows he is willing to accept whatever comes his way. Final Comments: I’m still pondering the following question even as I complete this article: ‘What does it mean to be human?’ Can any of us even answer it truthfully? If anything, Cliff Cardinal gets the audience thinking about that final act of death we will face, impacting us whether we’re ready for it or not. He and Randoja remain subversive and daring in approaching this topic of death and whether a terrible fate will befall us at our given moment. It's bizarre to get us to think about this topic, but that’s a good thing. Cliff Cardinal is one sharp fellow. He also makes good theatre. Running time: approximately 80 minutes with no intermission. ‘(Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them)’ runs until November 4 at Videocabaret’s Deanne Taylor Theatre, 10 Busy Street, Toronto. For tickets, crowstheatre.com or call (647) 341-7390 ext. 1010. A Videocabaret Production in Association with Crow’s Theatre presents the World Premiere: (Everyone I Love Has) A Terrible Fate (Befall Them) Playwright and Performer: Cliff Cardinal Dramaturge and Director: Karin Randoja Set and Props Designer: JB Nelles Costume Designer: Sage Paul Lighting Designer: Raha Javanfar Sound Designer: Alex Williams Technical Director: Andrew Dollar Stage Manager: Jennifer Stobart Producer: Layne Coleman Producer & Production Manager: Aaron Rothermund Previous Next BACK TO TOP

Back 'Baskerville' by Ken Ludwig Presented by Gananoque's 1000 Islands Playhouse at the Springer Stage Presented by Gananoque's 1000 Islands Playhouse at the Springer Stage Joe Szekeres (Photo Credit: JPG Photography. L-R: Jamie Cavanagh and Colin Doyle) This ‘Baskerville’ is a tickle-the-funny bone sleuthing mystery. The story takes place in Victorian England and revolves around the mysterious death of Sir Charles Baskerville, a wealthy landowner in Devonshire. Sherlock Holmes (Jamie Cavanagh) and Dr. Watson (Colin Doyle) are called upon to solve the case. Sir Henry Baskerville, the heir to the estate, enters Holmes’s office to seek his help. Holmes instructs Watson and Sir Henry to proceed to the estate to claim the inheritance and investigate the murder. As they investigate, they come across a theory that a dangerous bloodhound is responsible for the crime and is still at large in the moors. Along the way to solving the mystery, there are nearly 40 characters whom Holmes and Watson meet all played by Cydney Penner, Karl Ang, and Tim Walker. The mystery is eventually solved but not without many, many laughs along the way. ‘Baskerville’ recalls Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘The 39 Steps’. In both plays, actors take on multiple roles and there are elements of farce and slapstick humour that can be highly effective if executed properly but can also fall flat if not done well. There’s no concern about that at the performance I saw. What an apt choice to open the 41st season of Gananoque’s Thousand Islands Playhouse. The set design by John Dinning is truly impressive. I couldn't help but appreciate how well the Springer stage is utilized to its fullest. The faux stones and brick were so realistic that I had to touch them during intermission to see what material was used. An usher came by due to my actions, and I apologized for my curiosity while acknowledging her dutiful presence. Moreover, a motorized travellator, like a moving sidewalk, helped to move set pieces on and off. It seemed a bit sluggish at the beginning of the play, but it soon became clear just how effective it is. In feature films, scenes often slowly fade from one to the next. A travellator allows the same effect to be achieved on stage. Dinning’s costume designs accurately reflect the Victorian era. One example is the dresses worn by Cydney Penner in her various roles, from a lady to a maid. The cap and cloak worn by Holmes appear authentic, as do Watson's dark and earth tone suits which fit him perfectly. Kevin Tanner's use of shadowy lighting creates an eerie atmosphere of the house on the moors, and Steve Marsh has chosen appropriate orchestral music from the period to open both Acts One and Two. Directed by Brett Christopher, ‘Baskerville’ becomes a delightful display of just plain ol’ good-fashioned fun. Such performances of Sherlock Holmes stories are rare. One of the most important things that theatre can offer is the chance to be intrigued, and this play certainly delivers. Christopher's Director's Note reveals that he aims to take it one step further by ensuring that audiences are wildly entertained by the exceptional comedic acting ensemble, as fine as any in the country. He certainly delivers on his promise. Although the first act took some time to set up the mystery and events (with the odd joke thrown in) it was necessary for the plot to unfold. But when the magic of the comedy takes off as it does in the second act… The production works. There are many terrific moments that Christopher thankfully never allows to deviate out of control. The actors play the moment for real even though the context appears outlandish. In playing the contextual setting for real, the pacing must remain at lightning speed but delivers humour. That consistently happens throughout the second act, and the ensemble is to be commended for its due diligence. During the performance I attended, there were some unexpected on-stage moments that may or may not have been intentional. For instance, Karl Ang's mustache was slightly lopsided and started to come off and flutter as he spoke, which caused the audience to laugh. However, Ang remained unfazed by the mishap. Similarly, Tim Walker's mustache fell off while he was speaking in the second act, which also caused laughter from the audience, but he carried on professionally without letting it faze him. Did I care about these gaffes that sometimes happen in live theatre? Of course not! They’re all part of the excitement of watching ‘Baskerville’ live. It reminds me of ‘The Carol Burnett Show’ where the actors would continue despite their gaffes. During the second act, I witnessed some on-stage improvisation to quickly adjust a costume change, which was entertaining. The cast's ability to think on their feet and keep up with the pace was truly admirable. Kudos to the remarkable talent of Cydney Penner, Tim Walker, and Karl Ang for their seamless ability to shift between various characters. Penner's Madeline Khanish Barrymore from 'Blazing Saddles' is ridiculously comic. Karl Ang's Texan 'Sir Charles' continues to be a hoot. Meanwhile, Tim Walker's portrayal of Barrymore, which closely resembles Max, Norma Desmond's servant in 'Sunset Blvd.', is hilarious. Colin Doyle and Jamie Cavanagh are the steady anchors amidst the chaotic fun happening around them. Their confident performances exude a charming literary appeal that brings the fictional characters to life on stage. But they too find their moments to poke fun. Doyle does this when he breaks the fourth wall and tells Designer Steve Marsh: “Enough” for a sound effect. Cavanagh’s holding of a hat in the air in the second act while mayhem erupts around him is priceless. Final Comments: Once again, in his Director’s Note, Brett Christopher writes this production of ‘Baskerville’ pushes the boundary between the audience and the art. I really admire directors and theatre companies who will push the boundary between the audience and the art. In this production, the breaking of the fourth wall does that but it’s not excessive and overdone. And that’s a good thing. Another good thing? Go see ‘Baskerville’. It’s a terrific afternoon or evening at the theatre. Running Time: approximately two hours with one intermission. ‘Baskerville’ runs until June 24 in the Springer Theatre of The Thousand Islands Playhouse, 185 South Street, Gananoque. For tickets, call the Box Office at 613-382-7020 or visit www.1000islandsplayhouse.com . THE THOUSAND ISLANDS PLAYHOUSE presents BASKERVILLE by Ken Ludwig Director: Brett Christopher Set and Costume Designer: John Dinning Lighting Designer: Kevin Tanner Sound Designer and Composer: Steve Marsh Stage Manager: Rebecca Eamon Campbell Performers: Jamie Cavanagh as Sherlock Holmes; Colin Doyle as Dr. Watson; Tim Walker as Actor 1; Cydney Penner as Actor Two; Karl Ang as Actor Three. Previous Next

Back 'The Two Noble Kinsmen' by John Fletcher and William Shakespeare Presented by SHAKESPEARE BASH'd and now onstage at Theatre Centre Credit: Kyle Purcell Pictured l-r: Emilio Vieira and Michael Man Zoe Marin "By fleshing out the sexual repression of the original characters in Shakespeare and Fletcher’s ‘Two Noble Kinsmen’, SHAKESPEARE BASH’d makes a case for why this seldom-performed dramedy deserves a place in the popular Shakespeare canon." Unlike other Shakespeare productions that are begging for modernization, the plot of ‘Two Noble Kinsmen’ already feels straight out of an HBO young adult series. In short: Two sexually repressed bisexual men fight over a lesbian. To expand: In Athens, three widowed queens interrupt the wedding of Hippolyta and Duke Theseus to ask him to go to war against King Creon of Thebes for denying their husbands proper burials. Despite being against his cruel tyranny, the ‘two noble kinsmen,’ cousins Arcite and Palamon, fulfill their duty to protect the city of Thebes and fight on Creon’s side. However, after Theseus wins, the cousins are imprisoned. While imprisoned, the cousins catch sight of Hippolyta’s sister, Emilia, and immediately fall in love with her – inciting the rivalry that tears their relationship apart. Eventually, Arcite is released while Palamon escapes with help from the Jailer’s daughter who is in love with him. When the cousins meet again, they agree to fight to the death, with the winner marrying Emilia. Theseus catches them but ultimately revokes his death sentence. Instead, there is a tournament to decide which cousin marries Emilia and which gets executed. While there continues to be a series of complicated events in the second half of the play, in the end, one of them dies, and one of them marries Emilia. Mind you, at no point does Emilia express interest in either of them. And yet, she feels that it is her duty to marry one, just as Arcite and Palamon think it’s their duty to either marry Emilia or die. While the original text may have focused more on the ‘chivalric code’ of its source material (Chaucer’s ‘The Knight’s Tale’), this production really leans into its criticism of compulsory heterosexuality and toxic masculinity. Michael Man and Emilio Vieira’s portrayals of Arcite and Palamon, respectively, are as hilarious as they are heart-wrenching. Director James Wallis further showcases the different ways the two characters repress their feelings for each other through their physicality. Palamon is more prone to violence, moving in large gestures and speaking boldly, while Arcite is much more subdued. Arcite rarely initiates touch, but always leans into it when he can – whether that be when Palamon embraces him or when the two are dueling to the death. In these moments, we see how their chivalric sense of duty forces them to be violent or avoid intimacy when they very clearly want the opposite. At one point, we watch Arcite reach out to put his hand on Palamon’s shoulder but then decides against it at the last minute. These missed opportunities to be earnest remind us that we’re watching a Shakespearean tragedy, and these characters have no hope of happiness. As she explicitly states, the funniest and most tragic part about these two cousins fighting over Emilia (Kate Martin) is her absolute lack of interest in all men. She shows a clear indifference to both cousins throughout the play, and in the end, her marriage to Palamon is just as tragic as Arcite’s death. Throughout the play, the entire cast has great energy that never falters during the almost 3-hour running time. ‘Two Noble Kinsmen’ is performed on a thrust stage, which Wallis uses effectively, especially during the dances (Breanne Tice) and fight choreography (Jennifer Dzialoszynski). The show opens with a great movement sequence that serves as an overture, full of images alluding to moments the audience sees later. However, since the rest of the staging was more straightforward, I was left craving more movement. I also enjoyed the productions, metatheatricality with the actors entering as themselves and putting on costume pieces to become their characters. ‘Two Noble Kinsmen’ in itself portrays an unclear time period, historically taking place in Ancient Greece, with all the action and characters presenting medieval times. Therefore, rather than leaning into either, the costume design captures the inherent anachronism and metatheatricality through its mix of modern clothing and Elizabethan elements. I will admit that some costumes were much better than others. I particularly enjoyed the Jailer, the Jailer’s Daughter, and Pirithous because the elements mixed well together. On the other hand, I found myself distracted by anybody wearing a jogger or a long belt. I also think actor Kate Martin was not set up for success with that skirt so long she’d step on it anytime she had to change levels. Overall, I really enjoyed SHAKESPEARE BASH’s production of ‘Two Noble Kinsmen’ and felt that its portrayal of masculinity and sexuality makes the original text extremely relevant to a modern audience. The production runs until February 4 at the Theatre Centre Incubator (1115 Queen Street West). For tickets: https://theatrecentre.org/tickets/?eid=110137 or call 416-538-0988. ‘THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN’ by John Fletcher and William Shakespeare Presented by SHAKESPEARE BASH’d Directed by James Wallis Stage Manager: Milena Fera Sound Designer: Matt Nish-Lapidus Fight Director: Jennifer Dzialoszynski Choreographer: Breanne Tice Lighting: Sruthi Suresan Jailer’s Daughter Songs: Hilary Adams Performers: Daniel Briere, Joshua Browne, Tristan Claxton, Jennifer Dzialoszynski, 郝邦宇 Steven Hao, Madelaine Hodges (賀美倫), Melanie Leon, Michael Man, Kate Martin, Julia Nish-Lapidus, Breanne Tice, Le Truong, Emilio Vieira, Jeff Yung 容海峯 Previous Next