Category Archives: Musical

Hansel and Gretel, another BPOC operatic foray Reply

Musical, Opera

Review by Danny Gaisin

               Engelbert Humperdinck,  born May 1936.  Real name – Arnold Dorsey.
Engelbert Humperdinck,  born Sept. 1854.  Real name – Engelbert Humperdinck!

Why the above; because this year’s Buchanan Park Public School’s Opera club certainly includes nineteenth as well as 21st century compositions. The original singspiel has been supplemented with 60’s & 70’s pop hits. I’ve been an opera fan, & traditionalist, for seven decades, thus somewhat biased. Thus, we’ve decided to include opinions from some erudite 11-year olds!

Humperdinck's operatic siblings, portrayed by real siblings Deanna & Dylan Wardell

Humperdinck’s operatic siblings, portrayed by real siblings Deanna & Dylan Wardell

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Summer’s coming…, Reply

commentary, Concert, Musical, Theatre

Summer’s coming, so – [PLAN Ahead]

Preview by Danny GaisinreviewerDGcolor

Yup, the solstice horribilus seems to be over. The buds are budding and the birdies are doing their birdie things. So, dear readers, let’s ‘plan ahead’ for our cultural summer, i.e. SHAW, the Toronto Fringe; STRATFORD & the Brott Festival.

In recognition of Brott’s being invited to conduct this month before Pope Francis, let’s mention the BROTT FESTIVAL’s line-up first. June will have Beethoven’s 9th; Valerie Tryon; an all-day Brandenburg banquet with 4pm & 7pm sessions on the 29th. More…

Avenue ‘Q’ – revisited Reply

Musical, Play, Theatre

Review by Danny Gaisin

To find Avenue ‘Q’ on a map of Manhattan, look for the intersection of Lymph Road and Axilla Blvd. In other words, the ‘armpit’ of NYC! It’s the downtrodden locale for the 2002 Lopez/Marx/Whitty collaboration of non-PC dialogue & lyrics; music and puppetry…satire, but with a message.
HAMMER Entertainment’s take on this off-Broadway—gone mainstream hit does not try to re-invent the wheel, but rather amuse and charm the audience, all the while subtly educating. The plot deals with three separate relationships;

The folks of "AVENUE Q,; real & otherwise!

The folks of “AVENUE Q,; real & otherwise!

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The music still lives; “BUDDY” Reply

Musical, Play

Review by Danny GaisinreviewerDJG

Early February 1959; Montreal was in a deep freeze, constantly around -27°F.  My car-poolers kept commenting that my Studebaker had a central heater so the back seat also received warmth. Tuesday February 3rd was just another frigid day; too cold to pay much attention to the CFCF news about a crash in Clear Lake. Charles Holley -22; Jiles Richardson aged 28; and 18 year-old Richard Valenzuela, failed to register.
The afternoon’s Montreal Star gave more details…The Bopper; Buddy & Richie Valens were dead.

Bleyendaal, Sorochan & Knowles; the early days!

Bleyendaal, Sorochan & Knowles; the early days!

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“Merrily we roll along”… to Theatre Sheridan Reply

Musical, Play, Theatre

Review by Danny Gaisin

When Stephen Sondheim tackles a subject; he goes straight for the jugular…and not just in Sweeney Todd! The psychoses in ‘Company’; the underlines in ‘A little Night Music’; and the prejudices of ‘West Side Story’; while never negating the music, are nevertheless intrinsic to the plot. Ditto for MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG.
The narrative concerns a successful Hollywood producer, his two best friends; wives 1 & 2, plus an A-List of acquaintances & hangers-on. The audience is taken from contemporary (circa 1976) back to the mid-fifties when the trio first meet.

Nethersole, Rorabeck & Agnew during better days

Nethersole, Rorabeck & Agnew during the early days

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“GYPSY”, by Steppin’ Out Theatre Reply

Musical, Play

Review by Tina GaisinreviewerTina

We knew we were in for a great Broadway evening! Gypsy’s origins are based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee- a famous 50’s striptease artist!  The original music was by Jule Styne with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and based on the book by Arthur Laurents.  This play adaptation focuses on Gypsy’s mother- Rose, who is the ultimate “Show Business bossy Mom”!

the future GYPSY learning about 'gimmicks' from the older strippers

the future GYPSY learning about ‘gimmicks’ from the older strippers

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