encoreNOW is a new bi-weekly column by Paul Rellinger where he features upcoming music, theatre, film, and performing arts events and news from across the Kawarthas.
This week, Paul highlights Steve Paikin’s talk for the Lakefield Literary Festival, the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s production of Willow Quartet, Lindsay Little Theatre’s production of Bunny, Big Sugar’s concert at Lindsay’s FLATO Academy Theatre, the Billboard In Concert: 1973 show at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre, the Peterborough Museum & Archive’s TIFF film screening at Galaxy Cinemas, Victoria Yeh and Mike Graham’s residency at the Black Horse Pub in Peterborough, Trent Radio’s latest “Radio From The Stage” episode at Dreams of Beans in Peterborough, and more.
Lakefield Literary Festival welcomes Steve Paikin’s insights
When you want to catch people’s attention, it’s never a bad idea to welcome an influential and respected heavyweight to the ring.
On Friday, March 22, the Lakefield Literary Festival will do just that, hosting A Conversation With Steve Paikin at Lakefield College School’s Bryan Jones Theatre. Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. event, moderated by festival chair and author John Boyko, cost $30 at Happenstance Books and Yarns in Lakefield and online at lakefieldliteraryfestival.com/.
Paikin is best known as the longtime anchor of TVO’s flagship current affairs program The Agenda, but the Hamilton native has also produced a number of feature-length documentaries and is an accomplished author. His latest book is 2022’s critically acclaimed John Turner: An Intimate Biography of Canada’s 17th Prime Minister.
At the Lakefield event, Paikin will share his thoughts on the current state of Canada’s political leadership as well as take questions from his audience. In addition, he’ll host a book-signing session.
And here’s a bonus — those in attendance will learn details of the author lineup for this year’s Lakefield Literary Festival July 19 and 20. The festival began in 1995, now paying annual homage to the village’s literary heritage of which Catherine Parr Trail, Susanna Moodie, and Margaret Laurence were very much a part of.
Choices, consequences and forgiveness at the Guild Hall
This coming weekend will mark your last chance to catch the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s production of Willow Quartet at the Guild Hall on Rogers Street in Peterborough.
The curtain rises on award-winning Canadian playwright Joan Burrow’s drama on March 22 and 23, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $30 for adults, $27 for seniors and $20 for students. Call 705-745-4211 to reserve or order at www.peterboroughtheatreguild.com.
The fifth presentation of the theatre company’s six-play 2023-24 season, the story centres around Kim (Tristina Haines) who moves back to her childhood rural farm home in the aftermath of a family tragedy three years earlier.
As she struggles through her grief and eventually begins to explore her buried feelings, her interactions with her mother Marjorie (Laine Williams), her estranged husband Ben (David Adams) and an interloper in the form of visiting violinist Jim (Peter Cain) serve to, well, complicate matters.
Directed by Tami Whitley, this is a tale of connection, healing, love and forgiveness — a much more sombre offering following the company’s rollicking presentation of Fiddler On The Roof back in February.
Lindsay Little Theatre’s gives a stage to one woman’s desires
This weekend also marks the final presentations of Lindsay Little Theatre’s production of Bunny, with performances March 22, 23 and 24, 7:30 p.m., at its 55 George Street East home in Lindsay.
Tickets cost $22.05 at www.lindsaylittletheatre.com/.
Written by Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch and directed by Logan Gerzymisch, Bunny offers an intimate look into the sexual life of a young woman, Sorrel (Sandra Hallford). Her relationships with men, and her connections to them and sex are explored. Hence the warning that this production is for those aged 18 and up.
Sorrel must ultimately make a difficult choice between desire and love, discovering who she is deep down in the process. In the meantime, her ‘bestie’ Maggie (Em Legate) is an anchor in her life that she keeps returning to.
Often lost in the hype attached to larger local theatre companies, Lindsay Little Theatre is one the oldest troupes in the region, dating back to the early 1960s. Yup, they know what they’re doing and do it well.
Spoonfuls of rock sweetness in Lindsay courtesy of Big Sugar
VIDEO: “Ride Like Hell” – Big Sugar (1993)
If there really is a resident ghost at Lindsay’s historic Flato Academy Theatre, he or she won’t get much rest Saturday, March 23rd as Big Sugar breaks the silence, and then some, for it’s 8 p.m. concert.
Billed as An Evening With Big Sugar, Gordie Johnson’s power trio, which dates back to its Toronto founding in 1988, will perform a generous selection of its many hits, including selections heralding the deluxe vinyl release of 1993’s smash Five Hundred Pounds.
Johnson says “The theatre setting gives us the opportunity to explore a much wider range of styles but it is still a Big Sugar rock and roll show.” Translated? If your heart is in need of a thumping, this is the place to be. Tickets are available at www.flatoacademytheatre.com.
The music of 1973 at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre
Those who claim the 1970s brought forth the best popular music of any decade before or since will see their case strengthened March 22 and 23, 7:30 p.m., at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre in the form of Billboard In Concert: 1973.
Conceived by Jeff Newberry and Rob Kempson, and featuring local and regional artists, the concert offers a generous playlist of the top Billboard hits of that year. Songs by Carly Simon and Gladys Knight and the Pips and any one of the year’s other hit makers will make for some serious flashbacking. While bellbottom jeans and halter tops are optional, they are in no way discouraged, so style away.
Tickets cost $55, $45 for those under 30, at capitoltheatre.com.
TIFF film screening series continues at Galaxy Cinemas
VIDEO: “Ru” trailer
Bringing TIFF To You, a partnership between the Peterborough Museum and the Toronto International Film Festival Circuit Groups, continues Monday, March 25th with a screening of Ru at Galaxy Cinemas in downtown Peterborough.
Based on the Governor General’s Award-winning novel by Kim Thuy and directed by Charles Olivier-Michaud, the film details the arduous journey of a wealthy family fleeing Vietnam and settling in Quebec. Filmed in 2022, it premiered last year at the festival.
While passes are sold out for the series, ‘rush’ tickets at $20 each will be available at the museum on the day of the screening and 30 minutes prior at the movie theatre (credit card only).
Victoria Yeh and Mike Graham return to the Black Horse
As musical duos go, it doesn’t get much better than Victoria Yeh and Mike Graham.
On Wednesday, March 27th, she of the electric violin and he of the acoustic guitar will work their music magic at the Black Horse, 452 George Street North in Peterborough. They’ll take to the stage at 6:30 p.m.
New takes on classical jazz standards, modern fusion, and original music is on the menu. There’s no cover but the tip jar will be open for business, so show your appreciation.
Radio From The Stage presents Episode Six at Dreams of Beans
The next episode of the ongoing Radio From The Stage series from Trent Radio is set for Sunday, March 31, 1:30 p.m., at Dreams of Beans, 138 Hunter Street West in Peterborough.
Staged before a live audience as well as aired by Trent Radio, this episode, titled “Dreams,” features musicians Taylor Abrahamse, Joslynn Burford, and David Newland. Admission to attend is free but, if you can’t make it and want to enjoy, tune in to 92.7 FM or visit www.trentradio.ca.
Funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada and curated by Charlie Glasspool, the series debuted last October. Among the local audio artists featured to date have been Kate Story, Benj Rowland, Victoria Yeh, and Peterborough poet laureate Ziysah Von Bieberstein.
Encore
VIDEO: “Ghosts” by Irish Millie
More than a few are rooting for Millie Shadgett a.k.a. Irish Millie as she prepares to head to the Canadian Folk Awards in early April in St. John’s, Newfoundland. The 17-year-old fiddle master, who just released her new single “Ghosts,” is nominated for a third time, this time in the Young Performer(s) of the Year Category. “Ghosts,” which sees Millie stretch her musical legs as a vocalist, pianist, and guitarist, is available for download on Spotify and Apple Music.
The 78th annual Peterborough Kiwanis Music Festival will take place March 25 to 28, with the final showcase concert set for April 1st, 6:30 p.m., at the Salvation Army on Simcoe Street.
Four years ago this month, everything we knew changed as COVID became a thing. Everything was shut down for an extended period, including pubs, entertainment venues, theatres ,and other homes of local entertainment. It’s true. You don’t know what you have until it’s gone.
