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 Spamalot at Fenelon Falls’ The Grove Theatre, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Bancroft Village Playhouse, Come From Away at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre, Lighthouse at Peterborough Musicfest, the Lakefield Jazz, Art and Craft Festival, and Sore Losers at Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre.
Monty Python rules all summer long at The Grove Theatre in Fenelon Falls
VIDEO: “Spamalot” promo
There are some comedy films that, if you don’t laugh out loud at least once while watching them, you best check yourself for some sign of life.
Take Monty Python and the Holy Grail, for example. The 1975 British comedy film, written and starring the ridiculously funny Monty Python comedy group of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin, is still widely considered one of the best comedy films of all time. In fact, in 2011, ABC’s Best In Film: The Greatest Movies Of Our Time listed it second to front runner Airplane!
It took 30 years, but the hilarious spoof of Arthurian legends made its way to Broadway in the form of Spamalot, where it amassed close to 1,600 performances, made a ton of money, and was nominated for 14 Tony Awards, taking home three including for Best Musical.
More than two million people took in Spamalot on Broadway. That certainly bodes very well for The Grove Theatre which, starting Friday (July 3), is staging Spamalot all summer long at its outdoor venue in Fenelon Falls.
Audiences can expect all the laugh-out-loud moments associated with the related film, including killer rabbits, the knights who say Ni, and the bridge-keeper’s ridiculous three-question test. And, course, there’s lots of music, including the signature song “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” that was repurposed from the 1979 film Monty Python’s Life of Brian.
Curtain is 8 p.m. from July 3 to 6, 10 and 11, 13 and 14, 22 and 23, and 28, and August 5, 14 and 15, 18 and 19, 27, and 30. Tickets costs $64.50 at www.grovetheatre.ca.
Spelling bee pressure mounts at Bancroft’s Village Playhouse
VIDEO: “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” promo
Oh boy, local theatre lovers are being spoiled big-time this summer, with yet another Tony Award-winning musical comedy to take in, with this one in Bancoft.
With book by Rachel Sheinkin and music and lyrics by William Finn, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opens a 14-show run on Wednesday, July 8 at the Bancroft Village Playhouse.
The winner of both Tony and Drama Desk awards, the musical comedy takes us to Putnam Valley Middle School where six precocious elementary school students, guided by three equally quirky adults, compete in a spelling bee.
While disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the kids spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake.
Six enter the bee and one emerges a champion, with a juice box awaiting the others. The result is “a riotous ride, complete with audience participation.” I’m guessing that, like the Broadway production, a few audience members will be invited onstage to compete.
Curtain is 7 p.m. from July 8 to 11 and 15 to 18, with 2 p.m. matinee performances on July 9, 11 and 12, 16, and 18 and 19. Tickets cost $41 ($36.50 for seniors and $26.50 for students/youth/arts workers) and are available at www.villageplayhouse.ca. Of note, the show isn’t recommended for younger children as it does contain some mature content and themes.
“Come From Away” lands safely at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre
VIDEO: “Gander’s Ripple Effect: How a Small Town’s Kindness Opened on Broadway”
Amidst all the tragedy, despair, and fear that September 11, 2001 will forever be associated with, there’s the remarkable kindness and empathy that the people of Gander, Newfoundland showed that day, and over the days following the terrorist attacks south of the border.
Of course, that had to be brought to the stage, and it was in the form of the multi-awarded musical Come From Away. Based on events in Gander following the arrival of 38 rerouted passenger planes carrying almost 6,600 people that landed in quick order at Gander International Airport, Come From Away is nothing short of a tribute to the remarkable spirit and welcoming open arms of Newfoundlanders.
Conceived by Toronto lawyer and theatre producer Michael Rubinoff, he reached out to the Canadian writing team of Irene Sankoff and David Hein to get the story down on paper after he was turned down by several writers. Sankoff and Hein, who lived in New York City at the time of the attacks, were all in, visiting Gander in 2011 to interview residents. While the characters are “a tribute” to the real people involved, every event in the musical is based on a corresponding real-life event.
Leave it to Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre to stage this ambitious production, which it is doing for an extensive run starting Friday, July 10.
Directed by Rob Kempson with musical direction by Jeff Newberry and choreography by Genny Sermonia, the sizable cast includes Peterborough musicians Beau Dixon and Melissa Payne — both far from being strangers to local audiences. The result is a touching story that speaks to the indomitable human spirit that so often prevails in the midst of despair and uncertainty.
Broadway World assures “You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll be a better person when you leave the theatre.” That’s a pretty good endorsement.
Curtain is 7:30 pm on July 10 and 11, 16 to 18, 23 to 25, July 30 to August 1, and August 6 to 8, with 2 p.m. matinee performances on July 12, 14 to 16, 18 and 19, 21 to 23, 25 and 26, 28 to 30, August 1 and 2, 4 to 6, and 8 and 9. Tickets cost $50 ($40 for those under 30) and are available at capitoltheatre.com — if you can get them, given that many performances are already sold out.
Lighthouse again promises one fine night during Peterborough Musicfest at Del Crary Park
VIDEO: “One Fine Morning” – Lighthouse (1972)
When it comes to staying power, Lighthouse is in a league of its own.
The horn-heavy Canadian rock band made its debut on May 14, 1969 at The Rock Pile in Toronto following an introduction by, of all people, Duke Ellington. Band co-founder Skip Prokop died in 2017 but his partner, keyboardist Paul Hoffert, is still at it at age 82.
The recipient of Juno Awards for Best Canadian Group of the Year in 1972, 1973, and 1974, Lighthouse’s combination of rock, jazz, swing, and classical musical elements gave it a distinct sound and a resulting huge following on the strength of mega-hits such as “One Fine Morning,” “Sunny Days,” “Hats Off To The Stranger,” and “Pretty Lady.”
While Lighthouse hasn’t recorded an album in decades, it remains a beloved Canada Walk of Fame legacy act with nine gold records and three platinum discs in its rearview mirror.
On July 11 at Del Crary Park, the 39th season of Peterborough Musicfest will welcome back Lighthouse, featuring Hoffert and fellow original member Russ Little on trombone. As always, admission is free to the 8 p.m. sponsor-supported concert, which will be preceded at 6:30 p.m. by local jazz and blues singer Carling Stephen doing a turn on the Future Sound Series stage just inside the George Street entrance to the park.
For more information about Peterborough Musicfest, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca.
Stellar music lineup at the Lakefield Jazz, Art and Craft Festival
VIDEO: “Need a Little Sugar in my Bowl” performed by Carling Stephen
For all its warts, I love that Peterborough is my home and has been since 1989. It’s been a great place to raise our kids and a city that has offered me so many opportunities, professionally and personally.
But, and it’s a big but, if I was fixing to move somewhere else, Lakefield would be squarely in my sights. Millbrook is quaint, as is Omemee and Norwood, but Lakefield is one happening place, and anyone who knows me knows I like happening.
The village that is home to the Lakefield Literary Festival, Performing Arts Lakefield, and a great venue in Lakefield College’s Bryan Jones Theatre is also home to the annual Lakefield Jazz, Art and Craft Festival, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 11 at Isabel Morris Park, cradled next to the Otonabee River.
As its name implies, the all-ages festival will feature lots of art and crafted items to browse, but the jazz part of the equation is the big draw.
To that end, organizers of the summer celebration have again gifted us a great lineup, starting at 11 a.m. with Peterborough quintet Carpe Noctem, featuring Pete Woolidge on keys, Craig Paterson on bass, John Climenhage on drums, Mark Davidson on tenor sax and, filling in for Andy Cragg, Steve McCracken, also on tenor sax.
Following, in order, are New Orleans sound-inspired The Dixie Demons, fabulous Peterborough-based jazz/blues singer Carling Stephen, two-time Juno Award-nominated pianist Steve Holt leading his Jazz Impact Quintet, Toronto jazz fusion ensemble Snaggle led by multi-award-winning pianist Nick Maclean and, closing things out at 8:10 p.m., the Keith Guy Band and its homage to R&B greats such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and Stevie Wonder, to name a few.
That is one diverse and stellar music lineup for the very reasonable $12 admission at the gate. For more information, visit lakefieldjazzfest.ca.
Strikes, spares, and misses make for laughs at Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon
One of my favourite winter things to do, besides cursing the @&$#@% Leafs, is bowl — specifically bowling of the 10-pin variety on Tuesday nights at Lakeview Bowl.
So it is that when a play about bowling is coming to these parts, you have my attention. Bowling has been the subject of feature films, the hilarious Kingpin and The Big Lebowski being two notable examples. It’s about time my winter obsession received its due on stage.
Written by Bradley Austin, new Canadian comedy Sore Losers opens on Wednesday, July 15 at Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre, and it’s a world premiere to boot.
Sore Losers tells the story of a family-run bowling alley, operated by Burt and his niece Angie, that is facing financial ruin due to the opening of the sleek and modern Galaxy Bowl. Unlike their famously successful fathers who were bowling champions, Burt and his pal Jim have won squat.
Desperate to save the business and their pride, Jim comes up with an outrageous plan to win the provincial title that hinges on recruiting the town’s clueless new dentist for a ragtag team that hopes to finally come in on top. Strikes, spares, and misses ensue, as do a lot of laughs.
Curtain is 8 p.m. from July 15 to 18 and 22 to 25, with 2 p.m. matinee performances on July 18 and 25. Tickets cost $50 at www.globustheatre.com, with a $100 dinner and show package also available before evening performances.
Encore
- Billed as “a day of faith, music and community,” Gospel Fest 2026 will be held on Saturday, July 11 in Campbellford at Old Mill Park. Presented by Second Chance Ministries and starting at noon, a number of gospel music acts will be featured right through to 7 p.m. Admission is free with a non-perishable food item for the Campbellford Food Bank. Donations to this year’s benefactor The Children’s Foundation are requested, so bring a few dollars along.
- Also on July 11, “a hot time in the old town” is assured as family and friends of singer Jane Archer gather at the Black Horse Pub in downtown Peterborough for her 75th birthday bash. The blues/R&B/classic country/Americana singer will be joined by her son Michael, who arrives fresh from vibrant music scene in Austin, Texas. Things get underway at 9 p.m., but do yourself a favour and arrive for 5 p.m. to catch Emily Burgess headlining the early show. Happy Birthday, Jane!
