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 The Newfoundland Songbook’s return to Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre, The Grove Theatre’s summer-long staging of The Buddy Holly Story in Fenelon Falls, Canadian cultural icon Susan Aglukark’s concert at the Barn at Westben in Campbellford, the improv hilarity that is Hookup at Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre, the return of the Lakefield Jazz, Art and Craft Festival, and Peterborough Musicfest’s welcome of Steven Page to Del Crary Park.

Why go to Newfoundland when its music and stories are so close at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre?

You can travel to Newfoundland to take in the timeless sea shanties, triumphant ballads, and fun sing-along numbers that Canada’s 10th province is well known for, or you can save a little time and hit the road to Port Hope instead.

Your choice, but when a generous slice of Newfoundland music and culture is being served very close by, taking full advantage is awfully tempting.

Created and performed by Shipyard Kitchen Party, The Newfoundland Songbook comes to the Capitol Theatre, putting down roots in the venue’s intimate Sculthorpe Theatre, from Thursday (July 3) until July 13.

Featuring John Eaton (guitar, bass, mandolin, and vocals), Sacha Law (bass and vocals) and Jason Murphy (bodhran and vocals), Shipyard Kitchen Party serves up favourites by Great Big Sea, Ron Hines, Buddy Wassisname and the Other Fellers, and Johnny Burke. Helping things along are Derek McLean (guitar, mandolin, and harmonica), Jason Redman (banjo and guitar) and, violins in hand, Peterborough’s own Saskia Tomkins and Victoria Yeh. The result is a rollicking two hours of music artistry and good humour with a side dish of history.

While a kitchen party is defined as “a social gathering that sees people congregate in the kitchen of a home for socializing, music and food,” with music, dancing and storytelling at its centre, you don’t need an actual kitchen to pull it off. This venture offers full proof of that.

Performance dates are July 3 to 6 and 10 and 13 with matinee and evening performances at 2 and 7:30 p.m. each day, except July 4 and 11 with evening performances only. Tickets cost $45, $35 for those under 30, and are available at capitoltheatre.com/events/the-newfoundland-songbook/.

Buddy Holly’s music and short but impactful life are the subject of a musical at The Grove Theatre in Fenelon Falls

When tragedy takes a rising young talent from us, it’s easy to ponder what could have been. But what if the focus instead was on what was, and how wonderful the ride was while it lasted?

With its summer-long staging of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, The Grove Theatre in Fenelon Falls invites us to do the latter, relating the Texas native’s remarkable story, from his 1957 breakthrough hit “That’ll Be The Day” until that cold and snowy February day in 1959 when a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa took him from us at age 22 — still widely referred to as “the day the music died.”

Written by Allen Janes, the musical premiered in 1989 at the Plymouth Royal Theatre, and was subsequently staged for 12 years in London’s West End before making its way to Broadway.

Expect all the hit songs Holly recorded during his abbreviated career, including “Peggy Sue,” “Oh Boy,” “Everyday,” “Not Fade Away” and Raining In My Heart,” along with “La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens and “Chantilly Lace” by J.P. Richardson (a.k.a. The Big Bopper) — both of whom also died in the plane crash shortly after their last concert with Holly.

Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story is promoted with the tagline “Before The Beatles, Before The Stones, Rock & Roll Was Born.” I’m sure more than one Elvis fan would argue Memphis’ favourite son had a hand in that, but there’s denying that the bespectacled singer who fronted The Crickets did his fair share laying foundation for what was to come.

Opening Thursday (July 3) to Saturday (July 5) with sold-out preview performances, the musical continues July 6 and 7, 11 and 12, 15 and 16, 21, 25, 28 and 29, August 2, 7, 10 and 11, 16 and 17, 25 and 26, and 31. All shows are a 7:30 pm start. Visit www.grovetheatre.ca for tickets.

Canadian cultural icon Susan Aglukark performs at Westben’s The Barn in Campbellford

VIDEO: Susan Aglukark – 30th Anniversary Tour Promo Video

If Westben in Campbellford hasn’t captured your attention by now, it hasn’t been for a lack of trying.

The Barn at Westben has been home to more than a handful of incredible performances since the 1999 formation of the Westben Arts Festival Theatre and the subsequent Concerts at the Barn series the following year.

On Sunday (July 6), that determination will to present the finest in Canadian culture and entertainment will continue in the form of Susan Aglukark.

With three Juno Awards, an Order of Canada, and the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement in her possession, the Inuk singer-songwriter is a national cultural icon. Her blending of Inuit folk music traditions with country and pop music songwriting has brought forth seven albums.

Aglukark arrives at Westben 30 years after the release of the album This Child and “O Siem,” her most successful single to date which reached number one on both the country and adult contemporary charts in 1995. That brought her the distinction of being the first Inuk performer to have a Top 10 hit.

Six albums followed This Child, and while none came close to attaining that album’s wide appeal, they kept her front of mind for millions of fans, both here in Canada and abroad. Her music, distinguished by her gentle voice, upbeat melodies and inspirational lyrics sing in both English and Inuktuit, has remained refreshingly consistent, and a most welcome breath of fresh air at a time when much of what was is no longer.

Tickets to Aglukark’s 2 p.m. performance are available at www.westben.ca.

Unexpected romance in the air highlights improv comedy hit at Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre

If you’re thinking it’s time for something completely different, Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre has you covered, and then some.

From July 10 to 12, the professional theatre company’s venue on Pigeon Lake Road will be the scene of hearty laughter and surprising twists galore during Hookup.

Created and directed by Paul Bates, the improv theatre show explores modern dating by zeroing in on the lives, likes and dislikes, and turn-ons and turn-offs of two random audience members. The result is a totally unscripted romantic comedy, from awkward first encounters to fiery break-ups to unexpected reunions.

Coming to Globus Theatre following its successful run at the Factory Theatre in Toronto in February, Hookup features a cast of Canada’s most hilarious (and dreamiest) improv performers and answers the question “What would it be like to date that charming stranger next to me?”

What ensues is good fun, whether you’re single, taken, or somewhere in the middle.

Curtain is 8 p.m. for each performance, with an optional dinner available before the show at 6 p.m. Tickets are $50 for the show only, or $100 for dinner and the show, and are available at www.globustheatre.com/shows-all/hookup.

Jazz, crafts and food collide at Lakefield’s Isabel Morris Park

VIDEO: “Summertime” – Denielle Bassels

From “The Little Festival That Could And Has” file, we present the Lakefield Jazz, Art and Craft Festival.

Returning to the village’s Isabel Morris Park on Concession Street on Saturday, July 12, the festival continues a tradition started way back in 1999 and which, last year, saw some 1,500 visitors turn out for a full day of fun in the summer sun.

Opening at 10 a.m., the schedule features six music acts in the form of the Curtis Cronkwright Quartet, Ernesto Cervini’s Turboprop, Denielle Bassels, the Kevin Goss Quintet, Noah Abrahamse and The Mumbo Jumbo Combo, and closing things out after 8 p.m., harmonica master Carlos de Junco fronting The Blue Mongrels.

That’s a lot of entertainment for the $10 admission fee.

In between, festival attendees can browse works for sale by artisans and crafters, and enjoy food and beverages served by local eateries.

Festival co-chair Al Grant told me the key to the festival’s success has been keeping things simple, noting a side benefit is the festival’s draw which sees many visitors explore all that Lakefield has to offer. That’s pretty darn good by anyone’s standards.

For a full music schedule and a list of participating artisans and vendors, visit lakefieldjazzfest.ca.

Note that The Link rural transit service is offering a free shuttle service to the festival from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., running around every 15 minutes and stopping at designated Link bus stops throughout Lakefield. Look for the festival signs at these stops and keep an eye out for the yellow Hamilton Bus Line school bus featuring The Link logo.

Appearing at Peterborough Musicfest, Steven Page proves there is life after Barenaked Ladies

VIDEO: “Indecision” – Steven Page

He may or may not know it, but former Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel played a small but important role in the formation of one of Canada’s most beloved rock bands.

Back in the late 1980s, Steven Page held a grudge against high school classmate Ed Robertson, who allegedly stole away his best friend. There things sat until after a Gabriel concert when Page bumped into Robertson at a Harvey’s restaurant and discovered he too was a huge fan of the English singer and songwriter. That common fandom brought them together and ultimately led to the formation of Barenaked Ladies.

A bevy of Juno Awards and Grammy nominations later, Barenaked Ladies is still at, albeit without Page who left the band in February 2009 to pursue a solo career. Page returned to the fold in 2018 for Barenaked Ladies’ induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, but otherwise has been doing his own thing, and doing it very well.

On Saturday, July 12 at 8 p.m., the Scarborough-born Page headlines a free-admission concert at Peterborough Musicfest at Del Crary Park. He’ll bring to the stage the same undeniable talent that was so much a part of Barenaked Ladies’ success. With six solo albums to his credit, including 2010’s Page One and its singles “Indecision” and “Over Joy,” Page has enjoyed big-time success since bidding Robertson et al farewell.

As a creator, Page is indeed well-rounded, having released, in 2021, “A Different Sort of Solitude” as part of the soundtrack for the Canadian comedy film Immersion which was nominated for a Genie Award.

Having a successful career as a member of a band is one thing. To be able to find equal success as a solo performer is quite another, but Page has done just that. Good on Musicfest for bringing him to its stage. Long overdue. Who knows? If we shout loud enough, Page may treat us to a few of the Barenaked Ladies classics he had a hand in.

Also don’t forget that Peterborough Musicfest has launched its Future Sound Series, which features local musicians performing free concerts on a second stage near the entrance to Del Crary Park at 6:30 p.m. before the headline performer at 8 p.m. Peterborough’s own blues and roots rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Emily Burgess will be taking to the Future Sound Series stage, sponsored by Cogeco, before the Steven Page concert.

For more information about Peterborough Musicfest’s 2025 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca.

Encore

• I’m delighted to see my friend Tom Eastland creating and thriving. I first met Tom years ago when we sat down for an article and was immediately impressed by how comfortable I was in his presence. He has a calming aura that has no doubt served him well as a terrific songwriter and an excellent singer. For proof, check out his just-released single “Change Has Come” on Spotify. If one can best be judged by the company one keeps, that Ryan Weber and Emily Burgess are featured on the track tells you all you need to know about Tom. Good people gravitate toward good people, and Tom is one of my favourite humans. I don’t see him nearly enough, but his ongoing success makes me happy from afar.
• OK, this is a little self-serving, but what the hell. The date for Peterborough Performs VI has been set, with the annual United Way-supported fundraiser for local shelters and homeless relief returning to Showplace on February 26 of next year. Those who were there for the fundraiser this past March, which raised just shy of $38,000, will attest to what a great night of community and local music it was. Expect much the same this time around. More details as to who’s headlining will follow in due course. In the meantime, I remain grateful to the United Way for seeing fit to stay the course.