Every Thursday, we publish live music and performance events at pubs and clubs in Peterborough and The Kawarthas based on information that venues provide to us directly or post on their website or social media channels. Here are the listings for the week of Thursday, June 1 to Wednesday, June 7.

If you’re a pub or club owner and want to be included in our weekly listings, please email our Nightlife Editor at nightlife@kawarthanow.com.

A tortoise and a snail are the same thing.

Just roll that idea around your head for a moment. Does it make sense? Does it not? With that phrase, The Theatre on King (TTOK) welcomes audiences back into the bizarre world of Eugène Ionesco with their production of Frenzy for Two, or More.

Directed by Ryan Kerr, Frenzy for Two, or More brings Kate Story, Dan Smith, Lindsay Unterlander, and Andrew Root — who starred in TTOK’s first Ionesco piece, The Bald Sopranos, in October 2016 — together again. This time, they are joined by Shannon McKenzie in her first foray into Ionesco’s madness, in what is easily one of the most ambitious and explosive productions I have seen at TTOK to date.

Written by Ionesco in 1962, there isn’t much information online about Frenzy for Two, or More and, according to Ryan, it’s a show that isn’t often staged. Without giving anything away, it will become very clear to the audience by the end of the show just why many theatre companies pass this one over. However, like all of the Ionesco plays that TTOK has produced so far, Frenzy for Two, or More is extremely funny while still being deeply profound. But there is a dark and at times disturbing element to this farcical drama.

I am hesitant to write about the most frenzied moments of the production, as not to give any of the big surprises away (and believe me when I say this entire show is one big surprise). I can say is that this show is truly something to behold and one of TTOK’s most experimental shows.

In regards to this, TTOK will be not allowing more than 31 people into a performance due to the nature of the on-stage action. There will be no standing room, extra chairs, or yoga mats pulled out to accommodate overflow. If so, someone just might lose an eye, and that’s not the theatre experience TTOK wants. No, that is not a joke — it could really happen in this show.

Although the play does have a cast of five performers, for the most part works as a two hander. Dan Smith and Kate Story play an unhappy couple who are living in the middle of a war zone between two opposing factors. As a gruesome battle wreaks havoc outside, a different battle is taking place within their home.

It is revealed that “She” left her husband for “He” 17 years ago and, within that time, the two have become confrontational. However, just as they cannot leave their home due to being in the middle of a war zone, they are trapped inside their own fading love affair. At each other’s throats, the couple are constantly fighting about what was, what never was, what can never be … and if snails and tortoises are the same thing or not.

Seriously, think about that one. The idea might just blow your mind.

Eventually the war outside, in all of its stages, becomes an allegory for the failure of love, with element of conflict, victory, liberation, madness, and death. But as the battle rages on, the characters become lost in their own words and find themselves trapped in their own miserable world.

The majority of the on-stage action is taken on by Dan and Kate who, having worked with each other many times, have that superb chemistry that can only be created by two people who are completely in sync with one another. During the chaos of this show, it’s even more important each actor does not lose track of where the other is within the performance. Both strong and funny performers, Dan and Kate join their individual strengths together throughout the show.

While Kate and Dan dominate the stage in front of the audience, Lindsay, Shannon, and Andrew create the sounds of war behind the scenes, adding perfectly timed screams, chants, mumblings, and other sounds of war and victory. The three also eventually provide hilarious on-stage antics in pure Ionesco style, but their roles could only be called well-placed cameos.

Their appearances become some of the funniest moments of the play, but their behind-the-scenes work creates the bigger world taking place in the drama.

A special shout out goes to Annie Jaeger, who designed and built the set with assistance from Paul Oldham. An impressive piece of scenery, it goes far beyond any set I’ve seen at TTOK before. The set’s ambitiousness is important for the success of the show, and the set itself becomes a part of the on-stage action. I can’t explain it more than that, but it is a set that evolves with every scene.

Ionesco shows have a certain rhythm to them, filled with bizarre word play and complex ideas presented in surreal dialogue. Ryan Kerr has a talent for visualizing these productions and, with most of his cast having gone through Ionesco with him before, they understand the timing. Once again, Ryan manages to create something very memorable on the TTOK stage.

Over the past nine months, TTOK has made a Eugene Ionesco fan out of me. I truly hope that this is not the last Ionesco play that we see in this space. Ryan Kerr and his cast of players have really created something wonderful with these shows.

I find Ionesco quirky and he speaks to my personal sense of humour, but his shows are not always for everyone. Ionesco’s work is filled with surreal humour that leans towards Monty Python or Napoleon Dynamite. But while some of his other shows may have had more open-ended interpretations, Frenzy for Two, or More is a more straightforward in its meaning.

Due to the frantic on-stage spectacle, this is easily my favorite of Ryan’s Ionesco productions to date. It really is something that has to be seen to be believed. Trust me when I say I left all the most dynamic bits out of this write up. You need to go to see what I’m holding back.

If you love bizarre humour, don’t miss this one. It’s a show that everyone who sees it is going to remember. At the very least, you’ll never think about the relationship between snails and tortoises the same way again. That’s the kind of thing that could keep you awake at night.

Frenzy for Two, or More runs from Thursday, June 1st to Saturday, June 3rd at TTOK. Shows start at 8 p.m., with an additional 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday. Tickets are $15 or pay what you can.

This month, the theme is history. Accordingly you can check out a retrospective show of newly discovered work by the late Erik Loder, an artist who has a history of involvement in the early arts scene in Peterborough. Artspace will host a curator’s talk about an exhibit dealing with family history, as well as the history of Canada, and there will be an historical art show in Warkworth, with a fun-filled festival to follow.

More attractions this June include a new series of interesting work by Sarah Gibeault, a showing of some lovely landscape work by Connie Van Riijn, who has recently thrown herself back into producing art after a 20 year hiatus, and Mary Derrick ‘s latest series ‘Dreamscapes’. Last but not least a group show of local artists with a focus on light and shadow, will be opening near the end of the month. So get out there and see for yourself what the area has to offer this June.

Evans Contemporary presents a recently discovered series by painter Erik Loder

If you are involved in the arts in Peterborough you may well have heard of Erik Loder. A well-known teacher and painter and quite a character as well, Erik left his mark on the community, living, and working in Peterborough through the ’70s until the end of his life in the early ’90s.

This month, Evans Contemporary will be showcasing a series of seven still-life paintings by the late artist that have been recently discovered. These newly unearthed paintings represent the everyday spaces in which Erik lived and worked. An opening reception takes place at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 2nd.

Evans Contemporary is located at #2 Banker’s Common in downtown Peterborough. For more information, visit www.evanscontemporary.com or contact Paolo Fortin at evanscontemporary@gmail.com.

Star X presents Connie Van Rijn’s ‘Re.Formation’

On Friday (June 2), Connie Van Rijn will unveil a series of oil-based landscape interpretations at the Star X gallery.

This will be Connie’s first exhibition in 20 years — she has returned to her studio practice after relocating to Peterborough and re-connecting with the arts.

The show will until Saturday, July 1st, with an opening reception held in the gallery from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, June 2nd.

Star X is located on the 3rd floor at 129-1/2 Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough. The gallery is open from noon until 6 p.m. on Saturdays or by appointment.

Acme Art & Sailboat Company presents ‘Faces’ by Sarah Gibeault

Acme Art & Sailboat Co. will be hosting ‘Faces’, a show of new work by prolific artist Sarah Gibeault for the month of June.

Also in the space will be work by Joe Stable, and Joe will be giving private tours of ‘the big room’ where he has a large collection of artwork, among other things!

Don’t miss the opening reception, to be held in conjunction with those of Evans Contemporary and Star X, on Friday, June 2nd from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. The gallery will be open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Acme Art and Sailboat Company is located at 129 ½ Hunter St. West

Curator’s Talk at Artspace discussing Dylan Miner’s latest show

On Thursday, June 22nd, Artspace curator and director Jon Lockyer will give a talk about Dylan Miner’s latest show ‘Aanikoobijiganag’.

Dylan is an accomplished artist, published author, and associate professor who holds a doctorate from the University of New Mexico. Accordingly, his work is rich in cultural meaning, both personal and political, and his artistic process interesting in its own right. In this body of work he delves into his own family history, using his great-great-grandfather’s arrest 110 years ago, for poaching on traditional hunting grounds as a point of entry for the exploration.

The opportunity to learn more about this artist and his work will be provided to the public, free of charge, at 7 p.m. on June 22nd.

Artspace is located at 378 Aylmer Street in downtown Peterborough. Regular hours of operation are Tuesday to Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Parking is available in the municipal lot on Hunter Street between Aylmer and George. For more information, call 705-748-3883 or visit artspace-arc.org.

Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio presents ‘Dreamscapes’ by Mary Derrick and the ‘Sunlight and Shadow’ group show

From Saturday, June 3rd until Sunday, June 18th, the Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio will be showing a series of paintings by Mary Derrick entitled ‘Dreamscapes – Paintings from My Mind’s Eye’.

Please drop by the opening reception that will be held on Sunday, June 4th from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.

‘Sunlight and Shadow’ is a group show, with a focus on the ways that artists depict light and shadow and how these factors inform their work. The show will be on display from Wednesday, June 21st until Sunday, July 9th. An opening reception will be held on Sunday, June 25th from 1 p.m until 4 p.m.

The Kawartha Artist’s Gallery will then be closed as of July 10th for three weeks and will open again on Tuesday, August 1st.

Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio is a not-for-profit artist’s co-operative, located at 420 O’Connell Road in Peterborough. Hours of operation are Wednesday to Sunday from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. and Thursdays from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.kawarthaartists.org.

Ah! Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth presents ‘Warkworth’s Heritage – Artist in the Community’

Take a trip back in time this June as Ah! Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth joins forces with Keene’s Lang Pioneer Village to present a show by J.D. Kelly and Audrey Caryi called ‘Warkworth’s Heritage – Artist in the Community’.

J.D. and Audrey have prepared a show about the development of Trent Hills, and also the early days of Canada. The exhibit will be on display from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays to Sundays between June 2nd and July 30th.

An opening reception will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 3rd at 7 p.m. This event will also kick off the new street festival ‘Warkworth by Night’, featuring live music, professional dancers, art, food, and more. Earlier that same day, will be a celebration of Percy Centennial Public School’s 50th anniversary.

So if you’re in the neighbourhood, there is a lot to see and do in Warkworth on Saturday, June 3nd!

Ah! Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth is located at 35 Church Street in downtown Warkworth. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For more information, please contact Rebecca Baptista, Arts Administrator, at info@ahcentre.ca or 705-925-4450.

After months of preparation, TAS Musical Theatre — the Musical Theatre Program at Peterborough’s Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School — opens its highly anticipated production of Curtains tonight (May 31). Directed by Sarah Tye, Curtains is both a musical comedy and a murder mystery that cleverly spoofs itself every step of the way.

Ironically, the background of Curtains has nearly the same body count as the play itself. The play was first developed by mystery writer Phillip Stone, whose films Charade and Mirage were some of the best mystery films of the 1960s. Before he could finish the book, Stone died and Rupert Holmes was hired to finish and rewrite it.

The successful Broadway songwriting team of John Kander and Fred Ebb — who had hits with Cabaret, Chicago and Kiss of the Spider Woman — were brought in to write the music for the show. Before they could complete all the music, Fred Ebb also died, which saw Holmes stepping in to do double duty working on the book and music.

While still in production, the show’s orchestrator Michael Gibson also died. However, despite all of losses, Curtains opened at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles in 2006 starring David Hyde Price in the lead role of Lieutenant Frank Cioffi. Despite mixed reviews, the production moved to Broadway in March of 2017 where it was nominated for eight Tony Awards, with Price winning the award for Best Performance by a Lead Actor.

Curtains is a big show that has a number of different layers, a large cast of characters, and multiple sub-plots running through it. Situated in the fictional Colonial Theater in Boston in 1959, Curtains revolves around the cast and crew of a brand new musical titled “Robbin’ Hood”, a western version of the classic story. However, on the show’s opening night its star, Jessica Cranshaw (Keeley Wilson), drops dead right after the curtain call.

The next morning it is revealed that there have been two murders in the night: Jessica Cranshaw, whose death is deemed suspicious, and the play itself, which has gotten terrible reviews.

Enter Lieutenant Frank Cioffi (Parker Slaunwhite), who is not only a crackerjack detective, but also a Broadway enthusiast who dreams of being on the stage himself. With a theatre full of suspects, Cioffi confines the entire company to the venue while he investigates the murder.

As the company tries to rework the play with new leading lady Georgia Hendricks (Jayde Taylor), Cioffi discovers that nearly the entire company had reasons to want to bump off Jessica Cranshaw. Now, with the company trying to save their show and the body count continuing to rise, Cioffi finds himself searching for a killer, reworking a musical flop, and falling in love.

While visiting the set of Curtains a week before its opening, I was struck by how big this production was. Sarah Tye’s students are not only talented but extremely professional, and it shows in the largeness of this production. Each of the actors on the stage also doubles as crew, be it for set construction, costuming, props, corpse handler, and other various stage duties.

But this isn’t normal high school theatre. The professionalism and quality of this show go far beyond normal expectations. The TASS students went big on this one and it shows in every moment.

The production has a huge cast of 29 students, and a lot of colourful characters with their own sub-plots who make up the world of Curtains. Each of the students involved in the show brings something to the stage, creating a vivid world of intrigue, music. and comedy.

However, the show firmly sits on the shoulders of Parker Slaunwhite in the role of Lieutenant Frank Cioffi. In his stage debut, Parker tackles the role with great zeal, creating a character that is more theatre nerd than hardboiled detective, but still has the skills to get his job done.

Sometimes it seems that Cioffi is more interested in the backstage drama of the show rather than catching a killer, which adds to the show’s comedy. Parker creates a really great character and instantly becomes an audience favourite.

Parker also has endearing stage chemistry with Lindsay Rudkins, who plays actress Niki Harris. Admitting he is a fan in their first meeting, Cioffi and Niki make up one of the shows romantic sub-plots.

Although it isn’t the biggest musical number of the show, Parker and Lindsay’s second act performance of “A Tough Act to Follow” is possibly the most enchanting number in the show. A real Ginger Rogers/Fred Astaire moment, their performance together just made me melt, and Lindsay’s funny little dance made me smile so wide my face hurt.

Maggie Grant gives another outstanding performance as hardened co-producer Carmen Bernstein. It’s an interesting performance that I would describe as being “brash”. Playing a woman who hates her explosive husband Sidney Bernstein (Vasco Silva) and is constantly dashing the theatrical dreams of her daughter Bambi (Chelsey Elle-Carberry), Carmen is a woman who seems to have her own motives to keep the show alive. Maggie plays her with a sense of strength and has a huge presence while on the stage.

Furthermore, Maggie gives a number of commanding musical performances with “Show People” and “It’s a Business”. Her singing is as unique as her character, with a largeness that sits somewhere between Ethel Merman and Liza Minelli. I absolutely loved watching Maggie and I hope I see her on the stage again soon.

In another important subplot to the show, Curtains introduces the songwriting team of Aaron Fox (Tyler Evans-Knott) and Georgia Hendricks (Jayde Taylor), a divorced couple who are reunited to write the music for “Robbin’ Hood”. While Georgia has moved on to a romance with “Robbin’ Hood’s” star Bobby Pepper (Simon Mazziotti) and is talked into taking over the lead after Jessica Cranshaw’s murder, Aaron pines over his ex-wife and the relationship he lost.

Beyond playing these colourful characters, Tyler and Jayde bring to the stage some of the biggest musical numbers of the show. Jayde has her biggest moment with “What Kind of Man”, and shines in the show’s biggest production number “Thataway”.

But Aaron brings down the house with his solo “I Miss the Music”. With a huge voice and an emotional delivery, Aaron comes out of nowhere with a performance I didn’t expect, leaving me utterly speechless, making his solo the de facto musical moment of the show.

With such a large cast, Curtains is full of colourful characters brought to life by an extremely talented company.

In outstanding character roles are Will Tedford as larger-than-life director Christopher Belling, Vason Silva as explosive co-producer Sidney Bernstein, Chelsey Ette-Carberry as ambitious dancer Bambi Bernet, Brenan Bailey as despised theatre critic Daryl Grady, and Olivia Smith as secretive stage manager Jenny Harmon. Each of them has a reason to kill. Could one of them be the killer?

I also want to give a shout out to Keely Wilson for her performance as Jessica Cranshaw. As the first murder victim of the show, Keely gets killed off pretty quickly, but not before giving a “terrible” performance — proving that sometimes to be so bad, you need to be at the top of your game.

Another shout out to Simon Mazziotti who, while playing double duty as Bobby Pepper, choreographed the show. The large production numbers are fantastic and inventive, with Simon giving certain degrees of dancing to cast members based upon their individual strengths.

The dance highlights go to Simon and Chelsey Elle-Carberry who are just delicious together. I absolutely love watching them dance. Simon has a big future in dance ahead of him.

I also want to make mention of the full orchestra in the show, which not made up on TASS students but volunteer musicians from the community. Directed by Ben Jackson and Justin Hiscox, the orchestra creates a big sound for the production, adding to the theatrical experience. It was fantastic seeing these experienced musicians supporting a student production.

Finally, one of the most eye-popping elements of Curtains are the wonderful costumes worn by the cast. In all, the 29 students have approximately 130 different costumes. With western gear for “Robbin’ Hood”, and 1950s-era clothing for backstage scenes, the cast looks fantastic in their vintage outfits.

Costumes were provided by a number of local theatre companies, including The Peterborough Theatre Guild and 4th Line Theatre, as well as created by the TASS sewing class. Curtains is a huge costume drama and everybody looks fantastic.

There is no denying that Curtains is a big show. Sarah Tye is an amazing director who knows how to keep young performers engaged and dedicated, and is able to push them to their best. Together with her company, she has made Curtains one of the musical highlights of the theatrical season.

This is a production that everybody involved in should be extremely proud of, and it raises the bar in regards to student productions. High school musicals definitely were not as good as this when I was in school.

Curtains runs from May 31 to June 2nd in the TASS Theatre. Public performances begin at 7 p.m. and tickets are $12 for students and $15 for adults.

Peterborough’s Beau Dixon is a man of many talents and they are once again being recognized.

After receiving a Toronto Theatre Critics Award last week for his performance in the critically acclaimed comedy-drama rock musical Passing Strange, Beau has now also been nominated for a Dora Award for the same role.

Passing Strange is a coming-of-age story told through sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. In the late 1970s, a black teen is driven from Los Angeles to Amsterdam and Berlin in search of himself and a place to call home. The musical, produced by Acting Up Stage Company and Obsidian Theatre Company, ran for 12 performances at The Opera House in Toronto during January and February this year.

At last week’s Toronto Theatre Critics Awards, Passing Strange picked up two awards: Beau Dixon as Best Actor in a Musical and Vanessa Sears Best Supporting Actress in a Musical.

Yesterday (May 30), the nominations were announced for the Dora Mavor Moore Awards, better known as the Doras, which honour Toronto’s theatre, opera, and dance community.

While the hit Canadian Broadway musical Come From Away received a lot of media attention for its eight Dora nominations, Passing Strange was also nominated for eight Doras — including Beau for Outstanding Male Performance:

• Outstanding Production, Musical Theatre Division
• Outstanding Ensemble, Musical Theatre Division
• Jahlen Barnes, Outstanding Male Performance, Musical Theatre Division
• Beau Dixon, Outstanding Male Performance, Musical Theatre Division
• Sabryn Rock, Outstanding Female Performance, Musical Theatre Division
• Philip Akin, Outstanding Direction, Musical Theatre/Opera Division
• Kimberley Rampersad, Outstanding Choreography, Musical Theatre/Opera Division
• Steve Lucas, Outstanding Lighting Design, Musical Theatre/Opera Division

The Dora Awards will be presented on Monday, June 26 at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto.

Beau isn’t spending much time in Peterborough these days. He’s currently performing in two productions at the Stratford Festival: HMS Pinafore in the role of Bob Becket and Guys and Dolls in the role of Big Jule.

Guys and Dolls opened yesterday (May 30), the same day Beau received his Dora nomination for Passing Strange, and runs until October 29th. HMS Pinafore opens tonight (May 31) and runs until October 21st.

One of my yearly summer highlights are my trips to the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon to attend performances by Globus Theatre. Only a short scenic drive away, it’s a beautiful space I return to year after year, where I not only see some of the best theatre performed in the Kawarthas, but where I reunite with people and performers I have come to think of as friends.

Although not the only professional theatre company in the area, Globus Theatre has the distinction of producing the most professional shows per year, staging five shows per summer season. However, this year artistic producer James Barrett and artistic director Sarah Quick have put together their biggest season yet.

Beyond the normal five shows, this year Globus has added an additional three kids’ shows and have extended their operations outside of the barn and into the greater Bobcaygeon community itself. The result is an ambitious summer season designed to draw more people into Globus’ devoted family of subscribers.

While Globus always picks a number of Canadian shows to produce each season, this year Sarah and James have decided to produce only shows by Canadian playwrights.

“The whole season is a Canadian season to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary,” Sarah explains. “We always look at Canadian plays first every year, and we want to hire Canadian artists and playwrights. It’s kind of the equivalent of shopping locally. We’ve obviously gone and chose the best plays internationally as well, but this year we decided to just strictly pick Canadian shows.”

Real Estate (June 28 – July 8)

Globus’ season opens on Wednesday, June 28th with Allana Harkin’s play Real Estate. Running until July 8th, the play is about Emma, an inexperienced realtor who is attempting to sell a home owned by Joel, a mystery writer who finds himself bogged down in back taxes. The already complicated task of selling the house get more sticky when Joel’s soon-to-be-ex-wife and Emma’s new boyfriend arrive on the scene.

“It’s a very funny play,” Sarah says of Real Estate. “It’s quite topical because of all the realtors out there and the hot property market.”

“We are doing that show in the round, so we are very excited about that,” James adds. “We didn’t do one last year, so we are excited to do one this year We enjoy doing theatre in the round, but you’ve got to make sure you have a show that will work, and this one does.”

Oh, Canada! We Sing For Thee (July 11 – 22)

From July 11th to 22nd, Globus Theatre welcomes performer Leisa Way back to Globus for her latest show Oh, Canada! We Sing For Thee! For the past number of seasons, Leisa’s performances have become a yearly event at Globus. A gifted singer with a spirited stage presence, Leisa’s show are more concert than drama, but are truly amongst the most delightful performances I see each year. I can honestly say I have become a huge fan of her shows, but it’s not only me — audiences return year after year to see Leisa.

In previous years, Leisa has performed her unique tributes to Judy Garland, Dolly Parton, and Patsy Cline at Globus. However, in her new show, Leisa and her band The Wayward Wind Band are celebrating a plethora of Canadian artists including Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young, k.d. Lang, Anne Murray, The Barenaked Ladies, Leonard Cohen, Shania Twain, Stompin’ Tom Connors, Joni Mitchell, and tons more in a special celebration of Canada’s most beloved musical icons.

“It’s just spectacular,” James says of Oh, Canada! We Sing For Thee!. “We’ve had subscribers who have seen it already elsewhere who have said to us ‘You have to bring that show here.’ It also features her band a lot more as well. It’s a great piece.”

Raising the Barn (July 26 – August 5)

July 26th to August 5th will see what may not only be Globus’ most ambitious show of the season, but possibly the most unique show they have featured at the Lakeview Arts Barn to date.

James and Sarah will be presenting Raising the Barn, a brand new show they are writing that pays tribute to the history of the Lakeview Arts Barn as well as the community of Bobcaygeon. Furthermore, with a cast made up of seven returning performers from some of Globus’ previous shows, as well as three cameo performances from another Globus project, Raising the Barn will have a cast of 10 actors, making it the biggest production Globus Theatre has yet produced.

Originally a working cattle barn, the Lakeview Arts Barn was transformed into a dance hall in 1967 by its owner Fabian O’Neil. For years the community of Bobcaygeon used the barn for weddings, celebrations, and dances until James and Sarah transformed it into a theatre after they purchased it.

By maintaining it as a restaurant and bar space, they still rent the barn out for weddings and dances, continuing its long tradition as being a place wjere the community can celebrate.

This year marks the barn’s 50th anniversary as a community space, and Sarah and James are producing Raising the Barn as a way to celebrate the unique role the Lakeview Arts Barn holds in the community.

“Fifty years ago this barn went from being a cattle barn to a dance hall,” Sarah says. “Since then, it really been the central hub of the community. Many generations of families have been married here, there have been big dances, and people have fallen in love, and now we have theatre happening which continues the social aspect of it.

“So we thought we’d write a play which is purely fictional, but involves all the different characters that you’d imagine would have come to this barn in the last fifty years.”

The Fixer Upper (August 8 – 19)

From August 8th to August 19th Globus welcomes Lorne Elliott, host of the long-running CBC radio show Madly Off in All Directions, who will be starring in his play The Fixer Upper.

Taking place on Prince Edward Island, the play tells the story of one man’s attempt to rent his decaying cottage to summer tourists.

“It’s a really good play,” Sarah says of The Fixer Upper. “And it’s also very suited to cottage country as well because so many people are all involved in renovations, even if a small amount. This is a cottage that requires a complete overhaul, and the character in the play is someone who is not particularly able to do that.”

Halfway There (August 23 – September 2)

Globus’ final production of the season is popular playwright Norm Foster’s newest production Halfway There, which runs from August 23rd until September 2nd.

Making its debut at last year’s Forster Festival in St. Catherines, Halfway There is about Dr. Sean Merrit who comes to the small town of Stewiackle, Nova Scotia in search of a new start after a devastating break up. There he meets four local women, each of whom have their own stories to tell.

“Halfway There is set in Nova Scotia in a little town which is half way between the equator and the North Pole,” Sarah explains. “It’s basically a love story about a doctor who comes to town and falls in love with one of the residents there. It’s gossipy and dramatic and hilarious and it’s really about friendship.”

“It’s a beautiful story,” James adds. “It’s very funny and it’s touching. It’s a really great play.”

Although final casting to some of the shows has yet to be announced, James and Sarah will be welcoming back a number of Globus’ regular performers, but will also a lot of new faces to the theatre.

“This summer we have a ton of new actors starting with us,” Sarah states. “Actors who are firmly established in the acting community in Toronto, but new to Globus.”

2017 Children’s Series: The Dog Pound (July 8), Raising the Barn – Kid’s Style (August 8), Peter Pan (August 26)

While producing five professional shows is a huge enough task for one season, this is only a fraction of the unique theatrical projects Globus is working on for the summer. Globus is also opening its doors to a series of productions aimed toward children ages six to 12 throughout the summer.

Each show runs for one performance only and costs only five dollars plus HST —, thanks to sponsorship from Stewart Morrison Insurance and Business for the Arts for their matching funds through the artsVest Kawartha Lakes program.

The first of these special shows is presented by Toronto-based group Bad Dog Theatre and is an improv show called The Dog Pound, which will be performed on Saturday, July 8th.

“It’s an improvisation show which is the same if you went to see Who’s Line is it Anyway, but it’s for kids,” Sarah says. “So it’s the kids who give the suggestions, and who get up on the stage with the performers. It’s so hilarious. Even the performers are laughing half of the time because the kids often come out with the most random things. So that’s fun.”

On Saturday, August 5th, James and Sarah will be presenting a children’s version of Raising the Barn featuring many of the actors from the regular production, and inviting a younger audience to explore Bobcaygeon’s past through the Lakeview Arts Barn.

The children’s summer season will wrap up on Saturday, August 26th when Toronto-based company Dufflebag Theatre brings its production of Peter Pan to the Lakeview Arts Barn.

Globus Theatre in the streets of Bobcaygeon

But Globus Theatre’s theatrical projects continue outside of the barn throughout the summer and into the streets of Bobcaygeon. Teaming up with the Boyd Museum, Globus is hiring three performers who will be walking about the streets of downtown Bobcaygeon this summer, interacting with people and putting on a daily street show. This is a repeat of a successful theatrical experience that Globus and the Boyd Museum undertook in 2010.

“Seven years ago we partnered with the Boyd Museum in Bobcaygeon and we did a living history with three actors who walked through town and sang and interacted with each other,” Sarah explains.

“They got the attention of people who were shopping downtown and then they acted a short play about the history of Bobcaygeon, and the logging industry and the people who lived there. It was a really fun experience and the merchants in Bobcaygeon liked it. It was just an interesting thing to look at. The museum applied for some funding this year in part with the Canada 150 celebrations, and we are going to reprise the living history.

“It is scripted, but also interactive. It’s loud and energetic. You might be shopping in Foodland, and all of a sudden a woman wearing clothes from 1850 will be standing next to you and you will be caught up in this. It’s to publicize the museum and downtown Bobcaygeon and to also let people know that, just out of town, there is this theatre that has exciting things going on.”

Sarah also reveals that the three actors in the living history performance will also be appearing in Raising the Barn, in a unique way.

“I thought it’d be nice to bring in these three historical figures from town into Raising the Barn,” Sarah says. “They’ll play the next generation of the characters they are playing in town.”

In addition to the living history performance, James and Sarah are bringing one of their most beloved creations from the Lakeview Arts Barn to Bobcaygeon Farmers’ Market every Saturday throughout the summer.

Sarah’s famous Sticky Toffee Pudding has become the most popular item on Globus’ already decadent dinner theatre menu — almost as popular as the plays themselves.

Believe me when I say that Sarah’s Sticky Toffee Pudding is truly something to be desired, and it is the type of desert that deserves to be legendary.

By making the dessert available to the public outside of the theatre for the first time, this gives residents who have not visited the theatre to connect personally with James and Sarah.

“The Sticky Toffee Pudding was on our first theatre menu twelve years ago using a recipe I cobbled together from a number of different ones,” Sarah says. “With some other various experimentation, I managed to land on a successful recipe. Straight away, it was everybody’s favourite. People would come back every year and ask ‘Which play has the Sticky Toffee Pudding on the menu? That’s the one I’m coming to!’

“I wouldn’t tell them which one had it on the menu, so they’d have to come to all the plays,” Sarah jokes. “We always toyed with doing the farmers’ market so we could be out there telling people about the theatre, so it occurred to me that a way of doing that would be to retail this thing that everybody wants to get their hands on. That way I can tell them about the theatre while they are buying it and eating it.”

James says selling the dessert at the Bobcaygeon Farmers’ Market is proving to be a great way to promote Globus Theatre.

“The first weekend was very successful, with talking to people about the theatre,” he says. “People kept telling us they enjoyed the Sticky Toffee Pudding.”

With the summer season opening only a few weeks away, 2017 be a landmark season for Globus Theatre, filled with theatre, food, music and celebration. If you haven’t visited the Lakeview Arts Barn before, this is the summer you need to make the trip to this wonderful place.

There’s a reason why I regard this theatre as one of my favourite places in the Kawarthas. Not only is it a warm and inviting space presenting high-caliber entertainment, but it’s also a place filled with good people.

This year, make Globus Theatre and the Lakeview Arts Barn part of your summer. Just like me, you will want to go back.