Theatre Woodstock to tackle comedy Harvest
By Mark Schadenberg
That's Entertainment!
I'm not talking about a
DVD movie or a video game or perhaps the Saturday night TV comedy
show formally named Hockey Night In Canada for Leafs fans.
Everyone needs to be
entertained outside of their home. I'm one person who has always had
interest in watching stage productions. After I departed The
Woodstock Sentinel-Review, I wrote reviews, including Shakespeare
works at Stratford. I recall having people tell me they didn't like
my comment on The Merchant Of Venice and how the Shylock was
'demanding a pound of flesh' as the money lender was demanding
payment.
Here is a brief overview
of some area upcoming shows.
WOODSTOCK
I'm not sure when the Woodstock Little
Theatre became simply Theatre Woodstock, but their next work is
Harvest, April 10-18.
Harvest is penned by Ken Cameron, who I
think is based in Alberta and has written more than 15 plays. Harvest
is generally based on his parents who had a farm in Elgin County, so
I would imagine this production will recognize that fact as Elgin is
adjoining to Oxford. Since the play is on stage in April, the
director will have to import the raspberries in the storyline. The
other crop dominating the dialogue is readily available around the
calendar.
The Market Theatre has a terrific
location as its one block south of Dundas and behind City Hall, and
also across the street from the County of Oxford admin building.
Next Up: The Elton John and Tim Rice
collaboration Aida is slated for late May.
LONDON
The Grand Theatre is certainly not
London's only stage, but with the 2015-16 season just announced, they
are currently promoting subscriptions. The new season kicks off with
2 Pianos 4 Hands (Oct. 13 -31), and also includes A Christmas Story
(Nov 24 – Dec 30), Fly Me To The Moon (Jan 12 – 30, 2016), The
Mountaintop (February), Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea (March
of '16), The Buddy Holly Story, and Hello Dolly!
With a run of Sept 22 – Oct 3, Hello
Dolly is actually the first show of the new season, but it's also the
high school project musical.
The current season is actually not
completed yet as the Mama's And The Papa's inspired Dream A Little
Dream has its timetable set for March 17 – April 11 of this year.
Written by Denny Doherty – the Canadian member of the famed 60's
rock band – Dream A Little Dream features the music of Doherty,
Cass Elliott, and John and Michelle Phillips.
London also has the Broadway series at
Budweiser Gardens, featuring the ABBA inspired musical Mama Mia from
May 23-24, Blue Man Group from March 18-19, and Potted Potter
(Condensed Harry Potter series) from July 14-19.
The Palace Theatre (710 Dundas Street)
is the home of London Community Players and London Youth Theatre
Education. The LYTE group has Beauty & The Beast set for March
18-22. A show called Talley's Folly (Pulitzer Prize winner) by
Lanford Wilson is on May 22-30, and their 15-16 season debuts with
Steel Magnolias in October. The Palace Theatre itself dates back to
1929 and was originally a movie house for silent films.
www.grandtheatre.com
Note: Mamma Mia is playing at Centre In
The Square in Kitchener, May 25-26.
INGERSOLL
ITOPA is Ingersoll Theatre Of
Performing Arts and their home is at the Park Place Theatre at 88
Thames St South.
In The Time Of Old Age is their next
production, April 24 – May 3. Gord Carruth is a Canadian writer and
this storyline is a comedy about two retired men and the antics they
create after finding a fortune.
STRATFORD
I describe going to Stratford as
putting on your Shakespeare helmet or quite simply your 'game face'
to use a sports analogy.
Stratford will have four Shakespeare
shows in 2015 – Hamlet, Taming Of The Shrew, Love's Labour's Lost,
and The Advenutures Of Pericles. It's curious to me that Love's
Labour's Lost doesn't open until July 30.
Carousel and The Sound Of Music are
also on the schedule – both by Rodgers & Hammerstein.
The Diary Of Anne Frank would appear to
be a solid choice.
If you like a comedy about con artists
and conniving antics maybe The Alchemist is your preference.
If you remember studying ancient
history in high school, Oedipus Rex is also on the play bill.
TORONTO
Check out www.mirvish.com
for seats to the musical Once, which includes co-star Donna Garner of
Embro, who is a WCI grad. Garner has been playing the role of Baruska
for quite some time as she was in the North American touring troupe
as well. The show – all about Guy and Girl – and billed as a
fully Canadian cast, continues until at least May 31 at the Ed
Mirvish Theatre.
Garner's ability to play the accordian
certainly assists her, but watch the link below of interviews with
the cast on CityTV as she reveals that she learned to play the
instrument in just eight days for the role.
DRAYTON ENTERTAINMENT
Giving credits where credits are due,
the Drayton group has evolved in recent years to include seven
theatres – located in Drayton, Cambridge, Grand Bend, St Jacob's
and Pentanguishene's King's Wharf Theatre.
The 2015 roster offers quite a variety
– Anne Of Green Gables, The Odd Couple, Chicago, Footloose, The
Music Man, Spamalot, The Last Resort, Snow White, Looking (Norm
Foster play), The Wizard Of Oz, Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates
Of Penzance, and a tribute to Canadian music called Canadian Legends.
Even a full-time Realtor needs to be entertained !
Mark
Schadenberg, Sales
Representative
Senior
Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)
Royal
LePage Triland Realty
757
Dundas St, Woodstock
www.wesellwoodstock.com
(519)
537-1553, cell or text
Email:
mschadenberg@rogers.com
Twitter:
markroyallepage
Facebook:
Mark Schadenberg, Royal LePage Triland
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