encoreNOW is a 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 a unique tribute to the late Rita MacNeil in Bancroft, the staging of Bed & Breakfast at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre, a new musical take on an Oscar Wilde short story at Westben, a live version of one of Canada’s most popular sports podcasts in Bancroft, a benefit for musician, comedian, and storyteller Dan Fewings at The Pig’s Ear, a rousing musical farewell to Rick Fines at Market Hall, and the return to Trent University of the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival.
Remembering Rita MacNeil through song and spirit
VIDEO: “Dear Rita” at Bancroft Village Playhouse
In 1990, as country music entered a decade that would give the music genre a bold new energy, artists the likes of Garth Brooks and Clint Black ruled the roost pretty much everywhere. Canada, however, proved to be a tough nut to crack as a singer-songwriter from Big Pond, Nova Scotia stood in the way.
Rita MacNeil was the top selling country artist on this side of the border that year, earning three Juno Award nominations and winning Best Female Vocalist. Her biggest hit, “Flying On Your Own,” had been released three years earlier.
Shortly after she passed in April 2016, MacNeil was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. Over the years prior, she released 24 albums, and won three Juno Awards, a SOCAN National Achievement Award, four Canadian Country Music Association awards, and 11 East Coast Music Association awards. Add to that resumé her induction into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, and her being named to the Orders of both Nova Scotia and Canada.
In 2021, for the Charlottetown Festival, the Confederation Centre of the Arts first produced Dear Rita: A Musical Toast To Rita MacNeil. After its Ontario premiere at the Marble Arts Centre in Tweed from June 5 to 8, Tweed & Company Theatre is bringing the show to the Bancroft Village Playhouse from June 12 to 16.
The cast features actor-musicians who channel MacNeil’s stories and spirit through their own identities, as opposed to offering a literal depiction of the singer. There is no ‘Rita’ in the show per se. The performers and audience share that role collectively, with MacNeil’s hits and lesser-known songs providing the soundtrack.
The show opens at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12th, with additional 7 p.m. performances from June 13 to 15 and 2 p.m. matinee performances on June 13, 15, and 16. Tickets cost $38.50, with a discounted ticket price for arts workers, seniors and students/youth, and are available at www.villageplayhouse.ca.
Brett and Drew try hard to adjust … and it’s hilarious
My vote for the hardest working people in showbiz changes from show to show but, at present, I’m giving the nod to Amir Haidar and Kyle Golemba.
As the sole actors in the Capitol Theatre’s staging of the riotous comedy Bed & Breakfast, they portray a dizzying 22 roles — male and female, young and old, including the main characters of Brett and Drew, a big city couple who decide to give it a go in a small tourist town after Brett’s inheritance of his aunt’s historic home. The plan? Transform it into a bed and breakfast.
What follows is a crazy year marked by renovation hell, a farcical opening weekend, and encounters with small-town prejudice centre around their gay lifestyle. Ultimately, Brett and Drew have a decision to make — stay or go?
Written by critically acclaimed Canadian playwright Mark Crawford, Bed & Breakfast premiered in 2015 at the Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque and was the best-selling show in the history of its Firehall Theatre. The Capitol Theatre production is directed by Rob Kempson, who is also the theatre’s artistic director.
In a recent interview, Kempson told kawarthaNOW that bringing Brett and Drew’s relationship before its audience checks a lot of boxes for the historic Port Hope venue.
“It’s about taking a stand and being an organization that wants to live true to its values,” he explained. “If this (the Capitol Theatre) is an organization that says it values equity, diversity and inclusion, if this is an organization that says it values artistic excellence, if this is an organization that values community engagement — all of which are key directions in our strategic plan — then work like this isn’t even remotely provocative. Why? Because it does all those things beautifully.”
Bed & Breakfast will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on June 14 (preview night) and 15 (opening night), June 21 and 22, and June 27 to 29, and at 2 p.m. on June 16 to 20, June 22 and 23, June 25 to 27, and June 29 and 30.
Tickets are $48 or $40 for those under 30 (pay what you can for preview night on June 14) and are available at the Capitol Theatre’s box office in person at 20 Queen Street (open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday), by phone at 905-885-1071, or online at capitoltheatre.com.
Oscar Wilde’s short story transformed into a musical
When talk centres on the literary contributions of Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), it’s rare if ever that “The Selfish Giant” crosses anyone’s lips. That isn’t a surprise, considering that the late Victorian Irish writer gave the world such enduring works as his play The Importance of Being Earnest and his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray.
But Wilde wrote a fair number of short stories as well, “The Selfish Giant” among them.
All these years later, Westben co-founder Brian Finley and musician Ken Tizzard have written The Selfish Giant’s Garden, an original musical based on Wilde’s short story that explores the precarious beauty and power of nature, and our collective responsibility to future generations.
‘Trespassers will be prosecuted!’ warns the sign at the base of the new wall surrounding the giant’s beautiful garden. What will the children do without their beloved playground? Can one child make a difference?
Starring Robert Longo, Donna Bennett, and Gabriella Prata, the production also features the talents of the Westben youth and teen choruses as the singing flowers in a colourful garden at The Barn at Westben, located off County Road 30 near Campbellford.
Performance dates are Fridays (June 14 and 21) at 7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays (June 15 and 16 and 22 and 23) at 2 p.m.. Tickets cost $45 for adults, $43 for seniors, $30 for adults under 30, and $5 for youths and children under 18. To order online, visit www.westben.ca.
Three men and a whole lot of entertaining sports talk
Billed as “an irreverent look at one day in sports history, and hosted by three men who think they’re funnier than they are and probably know less than they think,” the This Day In Sports podcast debuted in November 2022 and, from the very crowded chat field, has emerged to become one of the country’s most popular sports podcasts.
That said, it only makes sense to bring a live version to the masses. That is exactly what Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre will do June 14 to 16 at the Lakeview Arts Barn off Pigeon Lake Road.
In the stage production, the original podcast hosts — Sandy Jobin-Bevans, Mike Shara, and Matt Kippen — will take a look back over the years at all things sports, delivering a load of laughs for sports fans as well as those who love (or tolerate) their fandom.
“It seemed the perfect fit for our stage for Father’s Day,” says Globus Theatre artistic director Sarah Quick. “The audience will get to be part of a live taping and enjoy a lot of sports-related banter. This show is definitely more fun than facts. It’s hilarious and irreverent yet knowledgeable.”
And oh yes, there’ll be special guests and even a few prizes to be won.
Performance times are 8 p.m. on June 14 and 15, with a 2 p.m. matinee show on Father’s Day (June 16). A 5:30 p.m. dinner option is available for the evening shows, and a noon lunch option for the matinee. Tickets to the show are $50, or $100 for the show and dinner or lunch. For tickets, visit www.globustheatre.com.
Yes Dan Can! And you can too at his June 15 benefit
There are many who claim, rightly so, that no community rallies around those going through a tough time better than Peterborough.
That’s particularly true in the music community, with past benefits for Buzz Thompson, Bobby Watson, and Rick Young (of Rick ‘n’ Gailie fame) — to name a few — still remembered for the love and encouragement that were at their centre. And let’s not forget that once each month at Dr. J’s BBQ & Brews, the Peterborough Musicians’ Benevolent Association (PMBA) raises money for artists in need of a hand-up.
Now it’s time to turn out in support of Dan Fewings. The clown, musician, storyteller, and former longtime teacher at PCVS and Crestwood, is beginning treatment for cancer. In a bid to lift his spirits, and raise a few dollars to help offset the costs of constant trips to a Hamilton hospital, Dan’s sons Buster and Coby, along with musician Jimmy Bowskill, have organized “Yes Dan Can!” from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 15th at The Pig’s Ear Tavern in Peterborough.
The suggested admission is a donation of $20 but, based on the stage lineup, another $20 or two is well warranted. Scheduled to perform are Blue Rodeo’s Greg Keelor, James McKenty, Nicholas Campbell, The Bonus Numbers (Trevor ‘Tiny’ Davis and Wyatt Burton), Sleevehaus, Ian McKeown, Boogie Time Ramblers, Brooks and Bowskill, and Buster. Pretty impressive, for sure, but bet on a few other music notables taking to the stage as things progress.
Dan has been out of Peterborough for a bit but many still remember how he made them laugh like no other, as a member of The Three Martinis or during an informal encounter on George Street. It’s time to repay that gift, with interest. This is going to be one terrific time for a very special human.
And if you can make it to both, make sure to drop by this month’s PMBA event at Dr. J’s on the same Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m., as PMBA has committed the proceeds from that event to help Dan.
Revered Peterborough musician says so long (for now) in style
VIDEO: “Never Let Go” – Rick Fines (2021)
Another Peterborough music treasure will be in spotlight, for a whole different reason, on Friday, June 21st at Market Hall in downtown Peterborough.
Three-time Juno Award-nominated roots/blues musician and Jackson Delta member Rick Fines, is headed to Germany with his family later this summer. With his wife Lise having accepted a teaching contract in Bonn, Fines will be gone for two years.
Fines isn’t going out with a whimper. Quite the opposite with his “Farewell For Now” concert bringing to the stage a number of local music collaborators including his longtime friend, the legendary blues, boogie-woogie, and jazz pianist Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne. The musical menu will be sprinkled with many of Fines’ original songs and, no doubt, some rousing covers.
Glass Tiger musically pleaded “Don’t forget me when I’m gone.” Fines is doing his damnedest to ensure that doesn’t happen, as if there was really any chance we would forget.
Tickets to the 8 p.m. show cost $30 (cabaret seating is sold out). Visit www.markethall.org for tickets.
Indigenous performance celebrated over three days
With June designated National Indigenous History Month, the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival (NIFF) could haven’t been timed any better.
Set for June 21 to 23 in and around Trent University’s Enwayaang building, the festival will feature more than 20 performances, special events, family activities and vendors. Artists have been chosen through a lottery process, which is a customary element of fringe festivals.
NIFF’s mandate “is to provide a space for Indigenous artists to showcase their uncensored work, while developing their artistic practice and having access to Indigenous mentors and artistic development opportunities.”
According to festival general manager Lee Bolton, this is the only Indigenous festival “in the known world.” That makes it uniquely ours and that is pretty terrific.
For more information, including the three-day schedule and advance tickets, visit www.indigenousfringefest.ca. Tickets for each performance are $12 and are also available on a cash-only basis at the door.
Encore
VIDEO: “Famous” – Elyse Saunders
- What’s left for Elyse Saunders besides world domination? The Peterborough-raised country singer-songwriter came home from the June 2nd Country Music Association of Ontario awards show as the Female Artist of the Year — one year after winning for Music Video of the Year. With her new single “Dirt” already catching fire, her early 2024 song “Never Have I Ever” continues to garner strong radio play, particularly in, of all places, Australia. Saunders has enjoyed a steady year-to-year rise in popularity, no doubt bringing a smile to the face of Peterborough’s Cyril Rawson, Saunders’ vocal coach when she was just another teen with a Nashville dream.
- Applications for grants offered by the Electric City Culture Council are being accepted. Grants of up to $1,500 and $3,000 are available for professional artists in the Peterborough region. Visit www.ecthree.org/program/grants-for-individual-artists-2024/ for the grant application form. The deadline to apply is July 11. Now in its third year, the grant program has awarded more than $105,000 to 44 artists working in a broad range of disciplines.
- Last time around, we raved about the Gazebo patio in back of the Peterborough Holiday Inn as a great spot to catch live music this summer. Well, there’s another. The Gazebo at Riverview Park and Zoo is the venue for free concerts on several Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. Next up is Harold Wylie and Radio Flyer on June 23. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy. Be sure to check out kawarthaNOW’s concert and live music listings for shows as they near.
