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 Megan Murphy’s play Wild Irish Geese at Millbrook’s 4th Line Theatre, Juno-awarded jazz and boogie-woogie pianist Michael Kaeshammer at The Barn at Campbellford’s Westben, Peterborough Musicfest’s Irish Week concerts at Del Crary Park, legendary Big Sugar at Fenelon Falls’ Grove Theatre, the one-day Port Hope Arts Festival, and Jersey Boys on the Bancroft Village Playhouse stage.
Megan Murphy’s much-anticipated Irish settler play premieres at Millbrook’s 4th Line Theatre
In a creative sense, is there anything Megan Murphy can’t do? As a talented actor, comedian, storyteller, director, filmmaker, and former morning radio show co-host, the Peterborough native can now add another notch to her belt: playwright.
From July 29 to August 30 at the Winslow Farm near Millbrook, 4th Line Theatre will lift the curtain on yet another world premiere in the form of Murphy’s Wild Irish Geese. It’s the second of the outdoor theatre company’s two-play summer bill.
Directed by 4th Line managing artistic director Kim Blackwell, Wild Irish Geese relates the story of the 1825 emigration of hundreds of impoverished Irish families to Scott’s Plains, and their subsequent struggles making a home, and surviving, in a new land. It’s being presented as a part of year-long wider commemoration of the bicentennial of Canadian politician Peter Robinson’s emigration plan that saw more than 2,000 Irish settlers escape brutal poverty by crossing the Atlantic Ocean in nine ships in search of a fresh start in the Peterborough region.
Knowing that anniversary was on the horizon, 4th Line Theatre founder Robert Winslow tapped Murphy on the shoulder to write the play. Following extensive research, which included a trip to Ireland to where the emigrants set off from, Murphy did just that. Among the roles she wrote in was that of a seanchaí, a traditional Irish storyteller — a role she fills in the play.
The cast also includes stage veterans Paul Crough, M. John Kennedy, Sebastian Sage, Lindsay Wilson, Indigo Chesser, and Darragh O’Connell. For Crough, Wild Irish Geese marks his 4th Line Theatre debut, but the others have appeared in past productions at the farm.
During my recent sit-down with Murphy for kawarthaNOW, it dawned on me that here’s an accomplished creative force who has well earned the right to have a little swagger; perhaps puff out her chest a bit. But Murphy remains as down-to-earth as ever with no pretensions and an over-the-top personality that lights up any room she’s in. It’s a true pleasure to spend any time with her — something that 4th Line patrons will again experience firsthand with Wild Irish Geese.
Curtain for Wild Irish Geese is 6 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays from July 29 until August 30, with an additional performance on Monday, August 25. But don’t delay getting your tickets — the two preview nights on July 29 and 30 and opening night on July 31 are already sold out, as are six dates in August.
Tickets are $52 for adults and $45 for youth and are available by phone at 705-932-4445 (toll-free at 1-800-814-0055), online at 4thlinetheatre.on.ca, and at 4th Line Theatre’s box Office location at 9 Tupper Street in Millbrook
Ivories tickler supreme Michael Kaeshammer performs at Westben in Campbellford on August 2
VIDEO: Michael Kaeshammer (2015)
Back in the day, my brother and I made a point of annually taking Dad to the Beaches International Jazz Festival held near the family home in Toronto.
Over the years, we took in some terrific acts at the free event, including legendary Toronto blues guitarist Paul James, who I bumped into — quite literally — in the Kew Beach washroom and subsequently had a great chat with. That’s a whole other story.
More to the point, one of the performances that had us talking for days afterwards was that given by Michael Kaeshammer. The jazz and boogie-woogie pianist, singer, and composer had us mesmerized, his fingers at one with the 88 keys before him. I hadn’t never seen, and have never seen since, anyone play the piano like that before. It really was something.
A native of Germany, Kaeshammer moved to Canada and put his classically trained skill to full use, performing at festivals across the country in his late teens. He released his debut album No Strings Attached in 2001, which earned him a Juno Award nomination for Best Contemporary Jazz Album – Instrumental. Twelve more albums have since been released, including Days Like These which won a 2008 Juno Award for Jazz Album of the Year.
Leave it to Westben in Campbellford to bring Kaeshammer our way, which is exactly what will happen Saturday (August 2) when he headlines at The Barn at Westben off County Road 30 in Campbellford. Don’t take my infatuation with Kaeshammer’s talent as gospel — check him out for yourself. You won’t be anywhere near disappointed.
Tickets for Kaeshammer’s 2 p.m. matinee performance cost $58, $56 for seniors, $30 for those under 30 and $5 for those under 18, at www.westben.ca.
Peterborough Musicfest presents an Irish Week series of shows
VIDEO: Acrobat – The U2 Tribute Band
As mentioned, this year marks the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the Peter Robinson Irish emigrants to these parts — a settlement that countless local families have ties to through their ancestors who arrived on one of the nine settler ships.
When the Nine Ships 1825 committee met to discuss the special events that will be held to mark the bicentennial, Peterborough Musicfest was on its radar. Rightly so — the summer music festival, with its twice weekly concerts at Del Crary Park, draws thousands.
To its credit, Musicfest was totally on board with a portion of its 2025 stage lineup having a decidedly Irish focus. Thus, Irish Week was born.
Irish Week at the park begins Saturday (August 2) with Acrobat – The U2 Tribute Band headlining. Channelling Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr., the quartet will run through the many hit songs of what is arguably Ireland’s greatest rock music export. If you’re curious about just how good Acrobat is, consider that U2 had them join them for a concert at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena.
VIDEO: “Who My Friends Are” – Mudmen
That show is followed on Wednesday (August 6) by Mudmen, with Peterborough’s own fiddling prodigy Amelia “Irish Millie” Shadgett opening.
Fronted by bagpipe-playing brothers Robby and Sandy Campbell, Mudmen has rightly earned its place as Canada’s premier Celtic rock band. With a driving sound and high-energy stage presence, the band brings it in a very big way. Buoyed by 11 albums, Mudmen typically sell out wherever they play, and for good reason. Their show is a non-stop rollicking good time that demands as much energy from the audience as it does from the band members.
VIDEO: “Red-Haired Mary” – The Celtic Tenors
Closing out Irish Week the following Saturday (August 9) is an act directly from Ireland in the form of The Celtic Tenors.
With their unique blend of classical, folk, pop, opera and traditional Irish music, Matthew Gilsenan, Daryl Simpson, and George Hutton bring their unmatched harmony, charm, and heartfelt storytelling to bear. Originally known as Three Irish Tenors, the trio adopted its new name in 1999 and have sold more than a million albums since, gaining chart success on both sides of the Atlantic, and in Australia too.
As always, each concert is an 8 p.m. start, and admission is free, with Musicfest’s 38th season supported by a number of sponsors, kawarthaNOW among them.
Fenelon Falls to be energized as Big Sugar plays the Grove Theatre
VIDEO: “Ultra-Violet” – Big Sugar
We now take you to sleepy Fenelon Falls, a village of some 2,500 permanent residents where life is good — peaceful, safe, and very laid back.
Nicknamed “The Jewel of the Kawarthas,” the village does know how to host a good time, with its Grove Theatre typically at the centre of the action. That trend will continue in a big way on Sunday (August 3) when Big Sugar visits the outdoor amphitheatre.
Led by founder Gordie Johnson, the powerhouse roots rock-reggae trio dates back to 1988. Over the years since, Big Sugar has released 11 albums, and from 1996 to 2016, was among the top 25 best-selling bands in Canada and amassed five Juno Award nominations, their music’s socially conscious lyrics resonating.
Joined by drummer Root Valach and bassist Anders Dreup, Johnson is bringing the band to Fenelon Falls as part of a tour marking the worldwide release of the deluxe vinyl of its 1993 groundbreaking album Five Hundred Pounds. Fans can expect to music from that album as well as hits such as “Diggin’ A Hole,” “If I Had My Way,” “Turn The Lights On,” and “Roads Ahead.”
This concert marks a great opportunity to catch a classic and beloved Canadian act close by. The wise will take full advantage.
Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. show cost $75 plus fees, and can be purchased at www.grovetheatre.ca.
Port Hope Arts Festival set to entertain and enthrall on August 9
VIDEO: Port Hope Arts Festival
I know I’m not alone when I say you don’t need an excuse to visit pretty Port Hope, but if you don’t share that sentiment, I challenge you to visit the municipality on Saturday, August 9 for the annual Port Hope Arts Festival.
With August designated Arts Month in Port Hope, there’s wide range of events, displays, and activities scheduled for the day. Of note, the Port Hope Arts Festival earned a place in the 2024 Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario list compiled by Festivals and Events Ontario.
One look at the schedule and you can figure out why. There’s a lot going on, but I want to highlight three of the featured events.
First, the 10-Minute Play Series that features 12 theatrical stagings at six outdoor downtown locations. The subjects run the gamut, with something for all tastes being presented from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the hour and the half-hour. Organizers assure attendees will “meet some of the warmest and most charming people in the theatre business” while being wholly entertained.
And Port Hope’s Capitol Arts Centre is getting into the spirit of the day in two ways.
At 1 p.m., Cale Crowe and Genevieve Adam will host “The Making of Rez Gas.” As the co-writers of Rez Gas which will run at the Capitol from August 22 to September 7, they’ll share what it takes to write a musical “that can take the world by storm” by relating backstage stories, the highs and lows of the writing process, and how to create a musical out of a kernel of an idea. General admission is $5.
And then at 7 p.m., Under The Marquee, a street party featuring Ennismore’s Melissa Payne and her band, will be held exactly where stated — at, and in the vicinity, of the theatre’s Queen Street entrance. It’s a ticketed event, with tickets available at https://capitoltheatre.com/events/under-the-marquee-2025-08-09-700-pm/seats/.
Attend one event at the Port Hope Arts Festival, or attend as many as you can. Either way, you won’t be disappointed. See all the details at www.porthope.ca/arts-festival
“Jersey Boys” brings Frankie Vallie and The Four Seasons to Bancroft Village Playhouse from August 13 to 24
VIDEO: “Jersey Boys” at Bancroft Village Playhouse
Someone at Tweed & Company Theatre was on the ball when they decided to bring Jersey Boys to the Bancroft Village Playhouse.
The musical dramatization of the formation, success and break-up of 1960s rock ‘n’ roll quartet Franki Vallie and The Four Seasons ran on Broadway from 2005 to 2017 — a remarkable run of 4,642 performances — and won four Tony Awards, a Grammy Award and, in 2014, spawned a film version.
A big reason for that success was the music brought to the world by New Jersey lads Frankie Vallie, Bob Gaudio, Nick Massi, and Tommy DeVito. Think “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” and “December 1963 (Oh, What A Night).” Those songs, and several more, formed a huge part of the decade’s soundtrack, and remain cherished by many.
Vallie, at age 91, is still touring, and typically selling out his performances. Tweed and Company Theatre is hoping for the same result with this staging, and will likely be very happy with the result.
Directed and choreographed by Julie Tomaino, with Caleb Di Pomponio starring as Vallie, joined by Griffin Hewitt as Gaudio, William Lincoln as DeVito, and Mayson Sontag as Massi, Jersey Boys opens August 13, and continues August 14 to 16 and 20 to 23, 7 p.m., with 2 p.m. performances August 13 and 14, 16 and 17, 20 and 21, and 23 and 24.
Tickets are $39.50 for adults, $35.50 for seniors, and $25.50 for students, youth, and arts workers, and are available at www.villageplayhouse.ca.
Encore
- The Kawartha Youth Orchestra has opened auditions for its Junior Kawartha Youth Orchestra, its Intermediate Kawartha Youth Orchestra, and its Senior Kawartha Youth Orchestra. There are two audition dates to choose from: Wednesday, August 20 from 4 to 7 p.m. and Sunday, August 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sign up for an audition at forms.gle/ch7a4SohL53dwR1Q7. Since forming in 2002, some 700 supported musicians have performed more than 70 concerts. For more information, visit thekyo.ca.
- It’s great to see that Ribfest has been revived, and even better to see live music remains at the centre of the meat-loving affair. Set for August 22 to 25 at Del Crary Park — a switch from the event’s past home of Millennium Park when it was presented by Peterborough Kawartha Rotary Club — the event also marks, on August 23, the return of Hootenanny, which was held on Hunter Street West for many years. Headliners Tebey and Elyse Saunders will garner a lot of attention, but also taking a stage turn that day are Georgia Rose, the Steve Waters Band, Harry Hannah, Haley McNeil, Chris Clark, Ella Campbell and Lauren Ann Yule.
