Monthly Archives: August 2012

Progress, and changes Reply

Editorial comment

Comment by Terry Gaisin

Some of our readers have written to ask why we call our listing of happenings “UPCOMING” when they are currently being staged! Doubly neat observation as it means folks actually read our stuff (just kidding, we get about 1,000 hits per week!), and are interested enough to pass on their thoughts; and it enables us to correct a syntax-ical error.

So, we will be changing the banner-head to either ‘worthwhile’, or ‘recommended’ or ‘selected’ EVENTS.  If any of you have a preference, please email me with your choice [or other choices] and we’ll go with the majority, but we DO want your imput.

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Pearl Company’s ‘Canadian Theatre Festival’ Reply

Theatre

Reviewed by Tony Kilgannon

Several months ago I attended an evening of plays at the Pearl Company, under the apt title of “HamilTEN”. The plays were short (about ten minutes each, as per the title)and were great fun. The pick of the litter, by ballot, was an entry by Ryan M. Sero; a comedic conflict about a quarrel between two hyper-polite snobs arguing over a piece of cheese. It was a riot, and I have been hoping to see more of this writer’s work.

Saturday night, once again at the same venue, I had my chance.  The Pearl Company’s Canadian Theatre Festival presented Sero’s “Romeo and Juliet, An Escapist Comedy” More…

A Verdi wonderful night & a successful closer Reply

Choir, Concert, Orchestra

Reviewed by Tony Kilgannon
The folks of the 2012 Brott Festival must have gone home very, very pleased on Thursday night, after their season closer at the McIntyre Performing Arts Centre, and they certainly deserved to. Entitled Finale- The Magnificent Masterpiece, it featured the Verdi Requiem in its entirety, with a full orchestra, massed choir of almost eighty singers, and four exquisite soloists.

the massed choir,N.A.O.musicians & soloists on stage

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“Rum Runners” in Port Dover (naturally!) Reply

Musical, Play

Reviewed by Judith Caldwell
Aug.-17th –‘12
The Festival Theatre in Port Dover is premiering Rum Runners, a musical by Derek Ritschel & Steve Thomas. It is set in the 1920s and as the name implies is a story about running alcohol across Lake Erie during prohibition, so there were lots of allusions to local geography and stories.  Although it is a musical and there were some hilarious moments, it is really quite a moving drama with the villain of the piece turning out to be the lake itself.   More…

Local theatre takes ‘best shot!’ 1

Musical, Play

Review by Danny Gaisin
Irving Berlin’s “ANNIE GET YOUR GUN” was a Broadway success story from its opening curtain back in 1947 and is still a sure-fire draw today. Much of the music is still enjoyed even out of the play’s context, and some have even become standards. Shooting Star Theatrics now bring it joyously back to Hamilton.

the cast of “ANNIE GET YOUR GUN”

This tale of William Cody’s Wild West Show and his two sharpshooting feature attractions takes some liberties with the actual story of Anne Oakley and her relationship with Frank Butler, but is fairly close to their actual story. They did begin as competitors, then mutual act supporters and ultimately married. Both died in 1926. More…

“The Best Brothers”, funny and poignant Reply

Play, Theatre

Reviewed by Blair Zilkey
‘They really are best brothers… Playwright, also lead actor Daniel MacIvor has created a funny and poignant 80 minute experience that you should definitely see. The show reinforces once again that some of the most enjoyable theatre at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival is found on the Studio Stage. Many readers may be familiar with this Canadian playwright’s work. I wasn’t, but believe me, I’m glad I am now. Photo by Cylla Von Tiedeman

John & Daniel as THE BEST BROTHERS

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