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 Good Ol’ A Capella featuring the Peterborough Pop Ensemble, a night of jazz fusion in Peterborough featuring Paul DeLong’s ONE WORD, last call for Lunch At Allen’s in both Port Hope and Lindsay, J.P. Cormier in concert at Bancroft’s Village Playhouse, Peterborough poet PJ Thomas’ reading of her newest work in progress, and the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s season-closing presentation of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Who needs instruments? Not the Peterborough Pop Ensemble
VIDEO: “Dancing Queen” – Peterborough Pop Ensemble (2014)
There’s a reason the Peterborough Pop Ensemble continues to draw well for its concerts.
Besides being very entertaining, the choral ensemble is comfort food of sorts, its long history serving as a reminder that our local cultural organizations have had, and continue to have, a revered place in our lives.
Now the Peterborough Pop Ensemble is back at it anew, presenting “Good Ol’ A Capella” on Saturday, April 12 at Market Hall in the downtown core.
With the always-entertaining Linda Kash serving as emcee, the ensemble will perform sans instruments, their voices alone featured. On the menu are some pieces the choral group has sung for years and newer pieces arranged by group members.
Invited for the last two years to perform in Toronto at SING!, an international a capella festival, the ensemble has lost a step since first performing in 2000 as the Peterborough Singers Pop Ensemble under the direction of the late Barb Monahan. It wasn’t until 2009 the Peterborough Pop Ensemble came to be.
Tickets to the 7 p.m. concert cost $30 ($20 for students and children) and can be ordered online at markethall.org.
Experience a night of ’70s jazz fusion with Paul DeLong’s ONE WORD at Sadleir House on April 16
VIDEO: Paul DeLong’s ONE WORD promo reel
If you missed Canadian drum legend Paul DeLong’s jazz fusion band ONE WORD when they performed at Peterborough’s Gordon Best Theatre in May 2023 and again at the Market Hall in October of that year, you’ll get another chance at Sadleir House in Peterborough on Wednesday, April 16.
April is Jazz Appreciation Month, so it’s a great time to check out this show, billed as “A Night of Fusion”. A Juno award-winning drummer, Paul DeLong formed ONE WORD seven ago to perform rarely heard classic tunes from the great jazz-rock fusion bands of the 1970s, including the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Chick Corea’s Return to Forever, Allan Holdsworth, Weather Report, the late guitarist Jeff Beck, jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, and more.
Award-winning electric violinist Victoria Yeh, who moved from Toronto to Peterborough a few years ago and now performs regularly around town including with guitarist Mike Graham, is one of the members of the band, along with Grammy nominee Steve Lucas on bass, Michael Murray on guitar, and Marco Luciani on keyboard, and band leader Paul DeLong on drums.
Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. show are $35 in advance at ticketscene.ca/events/51335/ or $40 at the door.
Guitarists will also want to check out a masterclass with ONE WORD’s Michael Murray at Sadleir House prior to the concert at 3:30 p.m. All ages and skill levels are welcome to attend and bring their guitars for what is promised to be “an interactive learning experience that will maximize your creativity and push you to new heights on the guitar and in your music.”
Tickets are pay what you can, with a suggested price of $15, and are available at victoria-yeh-violin.tickit.ca/events/28849. All participants will save $10 at the door for the evening concert.
Lunch At Allen’s finale features stops in Port Hope and Lindsay on April 17 and 24
VIDEO: Lunch At Allen’s Farewell Tour in Ontario 2025
The number of now years-old endeavours, musically or otherwise, that started as a one-off is really quite remarkable. Take Lunch At Allen’s, for example.
It was back in 2004 that Canadian recording artists and songwriters Cindy Church, Marc Jordan, Murray McLauchlan, and Ian Thomas came together for a one-off eight-city tour.
Here we are now, two decades and countless performances on, and the quartet is on the road for its final tour — a farewell celebration that includes a stop at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre on Thursday, April 17 followed a concert at Lindsay’s Academy Theatre on Thursday, April 24.
Having taking its name from Allen’s Restaurant on Toronto’s Danforth Avenue where Jordan, MacLauchlan, and Thomas often met for lunch, the group formed at the bidding of MacLauchlan after he was diagnosed with serious heart issue requiring surgery.
As individuals, its members have written for, or sung on, a staggering 25 million recordings. This concert will see them perform many familiar hit songs as well as new selections, all while sharing stories of their music journey, both as individuals and as a group.
Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. Capitol Theatre show cost $88 at capitoltheatre.com and $86.75 for the 7:30 p.m. Academy performance, available at www.flatoacademytheatre.com.
Bancroft Village Playhouse welcomes Canadian treasure J.P. Cormier on April 23
VIDEO: “Hometown Battlefield” – J.P. Cormier (2014)
It’s difficult not to be impressed by the calibre of entertainment that the Bancroft Village Playhouse habitually brings to its stage.
Add J.P. Cormier to that long list of terrific performers.
On Wednesday, April 23, the London-born bluegrass-folk-Celtic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist will perform, drawing upon a huge catalogue of his songs.
It was back in 1997 that Cormier released his debut album Another Morning to rave reviews, earning himself a Juno Award nomination.
Sixteen albums followed, bringing him 13 East Coast Music Awards, another Juno Award nomination, and a Canadian Folk Music Award. Along the way, Cormier’s mastery of a variety of instruments — guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, piano and the like — has been a constant.
Not even serious injuries resulting from a 2009 truck accident slowed down Cormier. While he had to put a halt to touring in 2012, he kept up his songwriting ways, releasing a new album that same year.
Tickets to the 7 p.m. concert, presented by Tweed & Company, cost $32.50 plus tax at www.villageplayhouse.ca.
Peterborough poet PJ Thomas shares her latest work-in-progress at April 24 reading at Take Cover Books
VIDEO: “Emerging” – PJ Thomas (2022)
I count myself among the many who have enjoyed PJ Thomas’ company. Her down-to-earth persona immediately puts one to ease.
But more than that, I’ve come to admire Thomas’ dedication to her craft, and the self-discipline it takes to daily sit down, pen in hand, and create images, and capture thoughts, with a few well-chosen words.
Thomas regularly shares her poetry on Facebook — a most welcome break from the divisive and antagonistic diatribes that thrive on social media.
But every now and then, she ventures out to share her work in person. One of those times is Thursday, April 24 (rescheduled from April 10) when, at Take Cover Books on Hunter Street East, she’ll host a live reading of her half-finished manuscript for Afterwaves.
A work-in-progress that has been funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, Afterwaves examines the Peterborough arts community as it navigated the challenges of the pandemic years. Incorporating both poetry and creative non-fiction, it’s described as funny, lyrical, and heartbreaking.
Reading Thomas’ work will be Laurel Paluck, Frank Flynn, and Hilary Wear. Audience feedback will be sought afterwards during a question-and-answer session.
With the grant, Thomas was able to ask friends, and artists she had never met, for their experiences during the pandemic, providing $50 for 10 who responded. The questionnaire is still accessible at pjpoet.ca for any artist who wants to share.
Advance tickets to the 7 p.m. reading cost $10 at eventbrite.ca/e/1245614599799 or pay what you can at the door.
Joseph’s bringing his remarkable dreamcoat to Showplace Performance Centre from April 24 to May 23
VIDEO: “Any Dream Will Do” – Donny Osmond (1999 Film)
You know anything that Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice worked on together is going to be good. Really good, actually.
Take Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, for example.
First staged on Broadway in 1982 where it was nominated for seven Tony Awards, the musical — based on the character of Joseph from the Old Testament’s Book of Genesis — is as family-friendly as it gets, its retelling of Joseph’s story, familiar themes, and catchy music numbers ensuring a lively night at the theatre.
To close out what’s been a very good 2024-25, the Peterborough Theatre Guild is presenting the musical that has seen many revivals — including a film version that many recall starring Donny Osmon — at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough.
The Guild has called upon the considerable talents of Robert Ainsworth to direct the production. Since emigrating here from England in 1980, he’s collaborated in producing musicals and children’s plays, and written plays too, including Dirty Little Secrets, Autumn Leaves, and The Mouse House. His bookshelf is chock full of awards for his work. Joseph et al are clearly in the very good hands of the Peterborough Pathway of Fame inductee.
With Brian Macdonald as musical director and Julie Fallis as choreographer, the spring musical’s leading cast members include Brayden Ellis as Joseph, Macayla Vaughan as the Narrator, Mark Hiscox as Jacob, Brian MacDonald as Reuben, Keevin Carter as Simeon, Harry Clark as Judah, Keith Goranson as Potiphar, Patty Best as Mrs. Potiphar, and James Burrell as the Pharoah.
Performances are April 25 and 26 and April 30 to May 3 at 7:30 p.m., with 2 p.m. matinees on April 27 and May 4. For tickets, visit www.peterboroughtheatreguild.com.
Encore
- Not unlike any one of a number of Folk Under The Clock concerts since 1986, the April 11 show headlined by Lennie Gallant is sold out — but this one is particularly special as it marks the grand finale of the 38-year concert series. It’s sure to be an emotional evening for series founder Mike Barker and his wife Sonja, who turned their passion for all things folk music into a cherished Peterborough live music tradition. More than one folk music fan remains grateful that the couple pursued their love of the genre after moving here from Edmonton, the result being 141 concerts featuring a who’s who of Canadian and international artists. Well done, Mike and Sonja … and thank you.
- While one music tradition is ending, another may be in the offing with the Canadian Canoe Museum announcing its inaugural Music in the Museum concert. On May 24, two-time Juno award-winning singer and songwriter Old Man Luedecke will perform in the museum’s lovely and intimate atrium space. According to museum programs manager Peter Vooys, it’s the first of a number of concerts planned. That said, they’ll only proceed with support, so visit www.canoemuseum.ca/music-in-the-museum to order your $45 ticket.
