The Theatre On King's artistic director Ryan Kerr shakes hands with property manager Kristi Dick at Cherney Properties after renewing the black-box theatre's lease for another two years. In support of The Theatre On King, Cherney Properties owner Michael Cherney renewed the lease at 2018 rental rates. (Photo courtesy of The Theatre On King)
The Theatre On King (TTOK) is still standing, thanks to support from the Peterborough community.
Artistic administrator Kate Story announced in an email on Tuesday (June 6) that artistic director Ryan Kerr has renewed the organization’s lease for its 171 King Street location for another two years.
“Earlier this spring, Ryan and I weren’t sure if reaching this milestone would be possible,” Story writes. “Turns out, there’s an incredible community of people out there who declared — loud and clear — that TTOK matters!”
The future of Peterborough’s only black-box theatre was thrown into doubt in March when Peterborough city council voted 7-3 against providing any funding for TTOK, after Kerr and Story and several arts leaders and supporters had appeared in front of council with impassioned pleas appealing an earlier decision to deny TTOK’s application for funding under the city’s community investment grant program.
“My lease is up in the summer and so depending on what happens between now and June, we’ll determine what happens in the future,” Kerr told kawarthaNOW after the decision.
“I also need to talk to my landlord to see how long the lease will be … if it’s going to be a five-year lease or a two-year lease or stuff like that. That will also affect the decision about going forward, because we can’t do this — we can’t live like this for the next five years.”
Following the city’s denial of funding, the community stepped up with donations to ensure The Theatre On King could continue to operate.
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“Thanks to an overwhelming amount of support from each and every one of you, TTOK is renewed, re-charged, and ready to take on the future,” Story writes in her email. “I cannot stress enough that TTOK is still standing — stronger than ever before — because of your steadfast belief in and support of art. Thank you. So much.”
No small measure of that support has come from Michael Cherney of Cherney Properties, who Story calls “TTOK’s amazingly supportive landlord.” According to Story, Cherney has renewed TTOK’s lease at 2018 rental rates.
To celebrate TTOK’s 10-year anniversary, Kerr and Story will be hosting a party at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 14th. Both the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area and the City of Peterborough have provided funding for the 10-year anniversary party.
The Theatre On King’s artistic director Ryan Kerr signs a two-year lease for the organization’s 171 King Street location. The future of Peterborough’s only black-box theatre was thrown into doubt earlier this spring when Peterborough city council decided against providing any funding, until the Peterborough community stepped up with donations. (Photo courtesy of The Theatre On King)
“This celebration is a special tribute to each and every one of you who has played a vital role in ensuring the longevity of this beloved black-box theatre,” Story writes. “It’s your unwavering dedication and belief in our cause that has made TTOK what it is today — an enduring symbol of artistic expression, community, and resilience.”
Planning is still underway for the celebration, with Story promising “more details and surprises” are to come.
Despite the earlier uncertainty about TTOK’s future, the organization has continued to mount productions over the past two months. This week, Tom Stoppard’s The Real Inspector Hound will run for five performances from June 7 to 10.
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Directed by Sarah Tye, the hilarious Agatha Christie-like melodrama spoof features Chancellor Scott McGuigan, Daniel Smith, Dianne Latchford, Eddy Sweeney, Lela Fox-Doran, Lindsay Unterlander, Hani Yakan, Noah William, and the voice of Andrew Root. Tickets are $20 or pay what you can, available in advance at eventbrite.ca/e/635003983007.
In other TTOK news, Sarah McNeilly’s critically acclaimed debut solo show Titty Cakes: A Recipe for Radical Acceptance, which she performed to sold-out audiences at TTOK last October, is now available online at tittycakes.ca, where you can also find out how to bake and eat your very own titty cakes.
To support the work of TTOK, you can donate through Public Energy Performing Arts’ page on CanadaHelps. Public Energy is a charitable organization, and all donations collected on that page will be allocated to The Theatre On King through Public Energy’s charitable trustee program.
The City of Peterborough's new chief administrative officer Jasbir Raina (fifth from right) with Peterborough city council after his appointment was approved by council on June 5, 2023. (Photo courtesy of City of Peterborough)
Almost a year after he was first hired by the City of Peterborough, Jasbir Raina has been appointed the city’s new chief administrative officer.
City council unanimously approved the appointment during a special meeting after the general committee meeting on Monday night (June 5).
Raina was originally hired as the city’s commissioner of infrastructure and planning services on June 12, 2022.
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“Mr. Raina’s commitment and dedication to the citizens of Peterborough has clearly been demonstrated in his previous role as commissioner of infrastructure and planning services,” said Peterborough mayor Jeff Leal. “We look forward to his leadership and guidance in his new role as chief administrative officer.”
Raina replaces former CAO Sandra Clancy, who retired after 38 years with the city, including her last four in the CAO role. The chief administrative officer is the city’s top bureaucrat, overseeing the delivery of city services and the implementation of policies set by city council. The position reports directly to city council.
Raina’s appointment as CAO comes after executive search agency Phelps Group was hired by council to conduct national search for the CAO position. A sub-committee of city council conducted interviews of short-listed candidates before making its recommendation to council.
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Raina has more than 30 years of public sector experience including as commissioner of public works and engineering for the City of Brampton, director of facilities services/operations and maintenance for the City of Brampton, manager of capital planning and asset management for the City of Mississauga, and manager of facilities operations and property management for the City of Mississauga.
Prior to coming to Canada in 2002, Raina served for almost 17 years with the Indian Navy, including as chief engineer of naval infrastructure. Raina has a master of engineering from the Naval Institute of Technology and a master of business administration from Athabasca University. He also holds a project management designation through the Project Management Institute and a law certificate from Harvard University.
“I am beyond excited to take on this value-creating role at the city,” Raina said. “I would like to thank the mayor and members of council for entrusting me to be the city’s next CAO. I look forward to working collaboratively with the mayor, council, our community, and all stakeholders to advance priorities of council to build a future-ready Peterborough.”
After suffering a traumatic brain injury that uprooted her life and changed her career trajectory, Akshana Katoch and her young family chose to relocate in Peterborough where she opened a franchise location of The Ten Spot. Financing support from Community Futures Peterborough helped her hire more staff at her Lansdowne Place Mall salon, a one-stop spot for beauty maintenance. (Photo courtesy of The Ten Spot Peterborough)
After years spent battling personal and professional hardships, franchise owner Akshana Katoch is gearing up for a busy summer at The Ten Spot in Lansdowne Place Mall with the help of Community Futures Peterborough.
A women-led business from top to bottom, The Ten Spot is a “one-stop spot” for beauty maintenance. With locations from coast to coast across Canada and internationally in the United States, The Ten Spot’s services include laser hair removal, facials, nails, and brow and lash treatments.
Though Katoch had always been familiar with the brand, becoming a franchise owner wasn’t something she would have predicted for herself even as recently as five years ago. Living in Pickering, she had spent most of her adult life working for a financial institution.
Akshana Katoch’s The Ten Spot location in Peterborough’s Lansdowne Place Mall. According to Community Futures Peterborough, franchises have a high success rate because they are a turn-key business model with corporate support for operations, marketing, and strategy. (Photo courtesy of The Ten Spot Peterborough)
“I felt comfortable so I didn’t think there would ever be a need to look anywhere else,” she says.
But at the end of 2017, a devastating accident led Katoch on a whole new career trajectory. The resulting traumatic brain injury prevented her from working or being “a proper mother” to her young children.
“It got so bad to the point where it was very difficult for me to even hold a conversation,” Katoch explains. “I couldn’t find the words and then I would have these attacks where my husband would have to literally pick me up and place me into our hot tub just to shock my body out of the attacks. It was a very, very rough period of our lives and we had to re-evaluate our whole life. My husband needed to pay attention to me, and I needed to be able to heal.”
Some of the beauty products available at Akshana Katoch’s The Ten Spot location in Peterborough’s Lansdowne Place Mall. The Ten Spot has close to 100 locations spanning from coast to coast and internationally into the United States. As a one-stop spot for beauty maintenance, The Ten Spot offers nails, facials, brows, lashes, and laser hair removal. (Photo courtesy of The Ten Spot Peterborough)
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When Katoch and her husband first decided to move so they could “slow down and focus on family,” they were torn between living in Peterborough and Leamington. But the answer became clear when they were on the way to a house viewing in Peterborough. With the roads still partially frozen, the couple misjudged a turn and ended up in a ditch.
“Within minutes, all cars stopped … everyone was asking if we were OK,” she says, explaining that a stranger immediately started hooking up his truck to pull out her car.
She says she was inspired by these gestures and the people who helped her.
“My husband and I looked at each other and realized ‘This is it, this is where we’re raising our kids’,” she recalls. “We fell in love with Peterborough.”
Launching The Ten Spot’s Peterborough location felt natural for owner Akshana Katoch, who has always loved getting her nails done and was experienced in corporate work. (Photo courtesy of The Ten Spot Peterborough)
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Once they were settled in their new home, Katoch took the time she needed to heal before eventually looking into franchise opportunities. She felt that franchising would allow her to create jobs, fill a gap in the city, and invest in a business that would give her flexibility and time for her young family.
“For us, because of the life journey that we’ve had, our appreciation for every single day and our appreciation for life is very, very deep,” says Katoch. “So we needed to make sure that we chose a business that embodies our values as well.”
That’s why she was drawn to The Ten Spot. She was already familiar with the brand and felt connected to the company’s mandate, which was centred around making clients feel confident in their own skin.
“Our core values are phenomenal,” she notes. “Our purpose is to make everyone feel like they’re living life as a 10 out of 10. We’re all about making the most out of life and feeling the best, both inside and out.”
The Ten Spot Peterborough owner Akshana Katoch, right, received support from Community Futures Peterborough, allowing Katoch to grow her team from eight to 14 employees including two guest coordinators and full-time manager Rachel Cox, left. (Photo courtesy of The Ten Spot Peterborough)
As someone who would regularly get her nails done and always had a positive experience while doing it, The Ten Spot was a natural fit for Katoch.
“The Ten Spot brings two worlds together — that corporate world plus the world of aesthetics,” she says. “So to be able to bundle that together, what more could I have asked for?”
Since Katoch was accustomed to a corporate world but still struggling with a brain injury, she liked that owning a franchise meant she’d be given a “blueprint” with the company’s award-winning business model, though she would still have creative liberties.
The product wall at The Ten Spot Peterborough features professional high-end products and brands, some of which can only be purchased online. The Ten Spot’s aestheticians provide free skin consultations. (Photo courtesy of The Ten Spot Peterborough)
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“It just made me feel a lot safer knowing that I have resources to fall back on and have that support, but from there I can just turn it into my own,” she explains. “People might associate The Ten Spot with something big box, but it’s actually a small business. It’s a family-run business. With franchising, it’s operationally documented, but it’s 100 per cent up to you to make it flourish.”
“Becoming a franchise owner is a great option for someone interested in becoming an entrepreneur,” says Devon Girard, Executive Director of Community Futures Peterborough. “And it’s also important for us to educate our community on what local ownership means when it comes to franchises and show the face of the local owner behind the business.”
As a not-for-profit organization that provides financial and advisory support to growing businesses, Community Futures Peterborough is always eager to help all entrepreneurs — those looking to expand, build a business from the ground up, or start a franchise.
Akshana Katoch says being the owner of The Ten Spot in Peterborough allows her some creative liberty while the corporate branding and support provides a blueprint for success. (Photo courtesy of The Ten Spot Peterborough)
Though Katoch officially became a franchise owner in January 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic halted her plans. Even once she began construction two years later, uncontrollable delays including soaring construction rates and a drywaller strike continued to push back The Ten Spot’s opening date.
Still, Katoch embraced The Ten Spot’s core values and maintained positivity throughout the obstacles. Finally, at the tail end of last summer, the store finally held its grand opening. Though the salon received a great response and had immediate success, Katoch says it had opened too late to fully gain momentum going into the winter.
“The objective is to open right at the beginning of spring because that’s when you get the influx of everyone wanting to get ready for summer,” she says. “But because of the delays, we missed that. We never got an opportunity to gain momentum and gain the traction that we needed to carry us into the slower season.”
The Ten Spot in Peterborough is a one-stop shop for all beauty maintenance needs. Services include laser and wax hair removal, nails, brows, and facials. The salon also offers a product wall full of high-end brands, with professional options that are vegan, cruelty-free, and non-toxic. (Photo courtesy of The Ten Spot Peterborough)
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That’s when Katoch approached Community Futures Peterborough for financial support to help make it through the slower winter months. Without that assistance, Katoch says The Ten Spot wouldn’t be where it is today.
“With their help, we’ve been able to hire more staff,” says Katoch who explains that, unlike other spas, the aestheticians at The Ten Spot receive “extensive” training and monthly coaching. Though she says it’s necessary, this training takes the staff off the floor and lowers the spa’s revenue.
“Being able to balance the training is so phenomenal and I’m so grateful for Community Futures for that,” she says. “They see our vision.”
Akshana Katoch opened The Ten Spot Peterborough in summer 2022 because she was drawn to the company’s core values of making customers and employers feel “like a 10” in their own skin. (Photo courtesy of The Ten Spot Peterborough)
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As for Community Futures Peterborough, offering support for Katoch was an easy decision because a clear business plan was in place.
“In general, franchises have a higher rate of success than a start-up because they are a turn-key business model,” says Braden Clark, Business and Loans Manager at Community Futures Peterborough. “The Ten Spot is an established brand with a corporate team in place to guide owners through the operations, marketing, and strategy in order to be successful.”
Not only has the support from Community Futures Peterborough allowed The Ten Spot to grow from a team of eight to what will become 14 next month, but it’s allowed the salon to give back to the community — something Katoch says is at the core of The Ten Spot’s values.
With the support of Community Futures Peterborough helping the business through the slower winter months, The Ten Spot was able to hire more aestheticians for the spring. All employees go through extensive training and monthly coaching, which is not something other spas and salons offer. (Photo courtesy of The Ten Spot Peterborough)
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In less than a year since it has been open, Katoch’s salon has already collected for Kawartha Food Share, done the Peterborough Butterfly Run, and contributed to One Million Meals.
“I’m all for giving back,” she says. “It just goes to show when you become part of a community, it’s a family of support.”
Peterborough’s The Ten Spot is located in unit 150B in Lansdowne Place Mall at 645 Lansdowne Street West in Peterborough. For more information on The Ten Spot’s services and products offered, visit thetenspot.com. To contact The Ten Spot’s Peterborough location, call 705-741-1010 or email peterborough@thetenspot.com.
Community Futures Peterborough has a mission to support small businesses with flexible financing in the City and County of Peterborough. It has invested more than $40 million in over 1,100 small businesses since 1985, creating or maintaining more than 4,100 jobs in the City and the County. Community Futures Peterborough is a not-for-profit organization funded by the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).
This branded editorial was created in partnership with Community Futures Peterborough. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
Beau Dixon, Kait Dueck, and Christopher Allen are three of the eight actors performing in New Stages Theatre Company's staged reading of the Pulitzer prize-winning play "Sweat" by Lynn Nottage at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on June 11, 2023. (kawarthaNOW collage of supplied photos)
For the final production of its 25th season, Peterborough’s New Stages Theatre Company is bringing American playwright Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer prize-winning play Sweat to Market Hall Performing Arts Centre for a one-night-only staged reading on Sunday (June 11).
New Stages has recruited an all-star cast for the staged reading, where the actors perform the script without sets or costumes. In addition to well-known Peterborough actors Beau Dixon and Kait Dueck, three actors who starred in previous theatrical productions of Sweat will perform in the reading: Christopher Allen and Ordena Stephens-Thompson, who starred in the 2020 production by Studio 180 Theatre and Canadian Stage in Toronto, and René Escobar Jr. who performed in the 2020 Theatre Aquarius production in Hamilton.
Rounding out the cast are celebrated Canadian actors Catherine Fitch (Butterbox Babies, This Is Wonderland, Murdoch Mysteries, Designated Survivor, Reacher, Family Law), Tony Munch (Shoot ‘Em Up, Cube Zero, The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, The Expanse, Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities), and Andrew Chown (Burden of Truth, Lakewood, Slasher, and many theatrical productions including Shakespeare In Love, Mary Stuart, and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo).
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Set in Reading, Pennsylvania in 2000 just as the effects of NAFTA are beginning to ripple through America’s industrial heartland, Sweat follows a group of friends working at a steel mill as they blow off steam at a local bar. When rumours surface that their company is considering layoffs while flyers are being posted to recruit non-union workers for less money, tensions boil over and the workers become embroiled in a war between capitalism and community.
The play premiered at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2015, and was produced Off-Broadway the following year before premiering on Broadway in 2017, when Sweat won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for being “a nuanced yet powerful drama that reminds audiences of the stacked deck still facing workers searching for the American dream.”
It was the second Pulitzer for playwright Nottage, whose work often focuses on the experience of working-class people (particularly working-class people who are Black). She previously won in 2009 for her play Ruined, making her the first and only woman to have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama two times.
VIDEO: “Sweat” – Oregon Shakespeare Festival trailer
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After being commissioned by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival to write a play about an American revolution, Nottage decided to write about the de-industrial revolution, which she called “the biggest shift in American sensibilities since the 1960s.”
She was inspired to choose Reading, Pennsylvania as the play’s setting after reading in the New York Times that the Census Bureau had found Reading to be the poorest American city of its size, with a poverty rate of more than 40 per cent.
Nottage spent two and a half years interviewing residents of Reading before completing Sweat.
Ordena Stephens-Thompson and Christopher Allen with Allegra Fulton and Ron Lea in the 2020 production of “Sweat” by Studio 180 Theatre and Canadian Stage at the Marilyn and Charles Baillie Theatre in Toronto. (Photo: John Lauener)
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“These were people who felt helpless, who felt like the American dream that they had so deeply invested in had been suddenly ripped away,” Nottage told Michael Schulman of The New Yorker in March 2017. “I was sitting with these white men, and I thought, ‘You sound like people of colour in America.'”
Schulman called the play “the first theatrical landmark of the Trump era,” referencing Nottage’s prescience in distilling the frustration and rage of American blue-collar workers that played no small part in the 2016 presidential election of Donald Trump.
“The play seemed to analytically grasp what too many political pundits had missed: the seething anger that turned a reliable blue state such as Pennsylvania red,” Charles McNulty wrote in The Los Angeles Times in 2018.
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“The topicality of the drama sadly hasn’t diminished,” McNulty added. “Economic fears and rising inequality are still polarizing Americans. In its lucid examination of how these divisions have activated other fault lines, Sweat offers the healing balm of a probing and compassionate playwriting intelligence.”
Presented by Cambium Consulting & Engineering and Peterborough Optometric and supported by the City of Peterborough, Sweat is the New Stages’ final production of the 2022-23 season before the summer break.
At the staged reading, New Stages artistic director Mark Wallace will be announcing the plays lined up for New Stages’ 2023-24 season beginning in the fall.
Playwright Lynn Nottage accepts the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in Drama for “Sweat” from Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger. (Photo: Columbia University)
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The staged reading of Sweat takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 11th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough.
General admission tickets are $22 ($11 for arts workers, students, or the underwaged), available in person at the Market Hall box office at 140 Charlotte Street from 12 to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday or online anytime at tickets.markethall.org.
Content advisory note:Sweat contains themes of racism and uses words that are offensive and demeaning, including the n-word, and is not recommended for audience members under the age of 14.
The staged reading of Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer prize-winning play “Sweat” on June 11, 2023 is the final production of New Stages Theatre Company’s 25th anniversary season. (Poster: New Stages)
kawarthaNOW is proud to be media sponsor of New Stages Theatre Company’s 25th anniversary season.
Due to the extreme forest fire hazard, a total fire ban is now in place in much of the northern Kawarthas region.
Several townships in Haliburton County were already under a fire ban before a county-wide fire ban was implemented last Thursday (June 1), when the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry also declared a restricted fire zone that includes Haliburton County.
Both Hastings Highlands in Hastings County and North Kawartha Township in Peterborough County, which are adjacent to the restricted fire zone, declared total fire bans on Monday (June 5).
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Under both a restricted fire zone and under municipal fire bans, no open air fires are permitted, not even for cooking or warmth. Campfires are not permitted at any time, charcoal barbeques are not permitted, and fireworks are not permitted. All open burn permits are suspended.
As of June 5, other municipalities in Peterborough County have yet to declare total fire bans, although both Douro-Dummer and Trent Lakes have declared high or extreme fire hazard ratings. Havelock-Belmont-Methuen and Cavan Monaghan have restricted open air burning except for small evening campfires. Asphodel-Norwood and Selwyn have not updated their fire hazard ratings since April. For the most recent updates on fire bans in individual townships, visit the Peterborough County website and select the corresponding township.
The fire hazard rating in the City of Kawartha Lakes is currently set to extreme, but a fire ban is not yet in place.
Fire bans are also in place at a number of provincial parks, including Algonquin, where two out-of-control fires were burning as of June 3.
The new Quaker Oats QUAKERborough commercial includes the branded bus driving around the City of Peterborough, including across the Hunter Street bridge beside which the Quaker Oats plant is located. (Photo courtesy of Citizen Relations)
PepsiCo Canada’s Quaker Oats has released a new commercial filmed in Peterborough that stars real-life employees of the Hunter Street Quaker plant along with members of the community.
The commercial, which promotes the QUAKERborough brand, shows a QUAKERborough van driving around the city and includes a scene with neighbours helping a newcomer family move a piece of furniture into their home.
“Acknowledging the warmth and support that Quaker has received over the years, the brand is on a mission to personally welcome newcomers to the city with open arms (and oats!) with the help of its dedicated employees and the Peterborough New Canadians Centre,” reads a email from Citizen Relations, a public relations agency.
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In April, New Canadians Centre Peterborough shared a casting call for the commercial on social media.
“We’re looking for a family who just moved to Peterborough,” the call reads in part. “We would compensate you for your time and purchase a new piece of furniture for you.”
The commercial can be viewed on the QUAKERborough website at www.quakerborough.ca.
The new Quaker Oats QUAKERborough commercial features a scene with a family that just moved to Peterborough. (kawarthaNOW screenshot)
Peterborough author Erica Richmond (middle) with Peterborough Youth Services child and youth mental health program director Matt Sheridan (left) and executive director Gordon Langill with copies of Richmond's children's book "Pixie and the Bees". Richmond raised $670 for the organization by donating half of the proceeds of sales of the book during May 2023. (Photo courtesy of Erica Richmond)
Peterborough author Erica Richmond, the founder of Open Sky Stories, has raised $670 for Peterborough Youth Services.
In May, Richmond announced she would donate half of the proceeds ($10) of each sale of her children’s book Pixie and the Bees during the month of May to the organization, which provides accessible services that engage youth in a respectful, professional, and therapeutic relationship to foster emotional and social health.
“This agency has been life-saving for both of my kids and I want to give back to them and in turn, help other families who rely on them for support,” Richmond says. The month of May marked the anniversary of the death of the father of Richmond’s children to suicide.
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This is the second year in a row where Richmond has donated half of her book proceeds to a local charity. Last May, she raised $530 for the Trans Peer Outreach program at the Canadian Mental Health Association, Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (Richmond’s youngest child is transgender).
Richmond says her goal was to match last year’s donation, but she ended up exceeding it by $140 due to the community response to her fundraiser.
“I knew it would be tough but thanks to local media and businesses we kept getting the word out and our community listened,” she says. “I’m happy, relieved, grateful, exhausted and just so incredibly honoured to live in a community that cares so much.”
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Published in November 2020, Pixie and the Bees tells the story of a happy Pixie who has an encounter while picking wildflowers that leaves her with constant pain and discomfort that nobody else understands at first. The book is illustrated by Peterborough artist Brooklin Holborough.
Peterborough native Elyse Saunders performs at the 11th annual Country Music Association of Ontario awards show on June 4, 2023 at Hamilton's Theatre Aquarius, where she won the Music Video Of The Year award for her song "Genes". (Photo: Grant W. Martin Photography)
Two local musicians were winners at the 11th annual Country Music Association of Ontario awards, held on Sunday (June 4) at Hamilton’s Theatre Aquarius.
Peterborough native Elyse Saunders took home the Music Video of the Year award for her song “Genes” — which is about inclusivity and celebrating people for who they are — and Bailieboro native Jade Eagleson won the Fans’ Choice award.
Along with the musician awards, Peterborough’s Pure Country 105 won the Radio Station of the Year (Medium Market) award.
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The big winners of the night were Robyn Ottolini, who took home the Single of the Year and Female Artist of the Year awards, and The Reklaws (siblings Stuart and Jenna Walker) who won the Group or Duo of the Year award and The Compass award (based on the most album sales, digital song downloads, audio streams, and more).
Both Eagleson and Saunders performed at the awards show, along with Robyn Ottolini, Nate Haller, Karli June, Graham Scott Fleming, Sacha, Vincent Bishop, Jason Blaine, Genevieve Fisher, Andrew Hyatt, Ryan Langdon, Owen Riegling, Julian Taylor, and The Western Swing Authority.
The show, which was hosted by Jason McCoy and Shannon Ella, also included a special performance by McCoy and Nicole Rayy in honour of 2023 Impact Award recipients The Family Brown, and a tribute performance to Gordon Lightfoot featuring The Good Brothers.
Bailieboro native Jade Eagleson with the Fans’ Choice award at the 11th annual Country Music Association of Ontario awards show on June 4, 2023 at Hamilton’s Theatre Aquarius. (Photo: Grant W. Martin Photography)
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Here is the complete list of the 2023 winners:
Single of the Year – “Say It” – Robyn Ottolini
Album of the Year – Party In The Back – Nate Haller
Songwriter(s) of the Year – Steven Lee Olsen, Brandon Day – Nashville Or Nothing (recorded by Steven Lee Olsen)
Female Artist of the Year – Robyn Ottolini
Male Artist of the Year – Tim Hicks
Group Or Duo of the Year – The Reklaws
Record Producer(s) of the Year – Karen Kosowski – Karli June
Radio Station of the Year (Large Market) – KX-947, Hamilton
Radio Station of the Year (Medium Market) – Pure Country 105, Peterborough
Radio Station of the Year (Small Market) – 100.1 FM The Ranch, Listowel
Roots Artist or Group of the Year – Mackenzie Leigh Meyer
Rising Star – Josh Ross
Music Video of the Year – “Genes” – Elyse Saunders
Music Industry Person of the Year – Dave Woods
Francophone Artist or Group of the Year – Reney Ray
Fans’ Choice – Jade Eagleson
Compass Award – The Reklaws
Holly & Steve Kassay Generous Spirit Award – Kayla Wilging
Heavy smoke from forest fires hangs in the air on Route 117 toward Val d'Or, Quebec. (Photo: Boualem Hadjouti / CBC Radio-Canada)
Environment Canada and the Province of Ontario’s special air quality statement for the Kawarthas region remains in place because of high levels of air pollution due to smoke from forest fires.
The special air quality statement is in effect for Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Haliburton, and Hastings Highlands.
Smoke plumes from forest fires primarily in Quebec but also in northeastern Ontario have resulted in deteriorated air quality.
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The poor air quality began on Sunday afternoon (June 4) and may persist through the rest of the week.
Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour.
Wildfire smoke can be harmful to everyone’s health even at low concentrations. People with lung disease (such as asthma) or heart disease, older adults, children, pregnant people, and people who work outdoors are at higher risk of experiencing health effects caused by wildfire smoke.
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People respond differently to smoke. Mild irritation and discomfort are common, and usually disappear when the smoke clears. Drinking lots of water can help your body cope with the smoke.
Stop or reduce your activity level if breathing becomes uncomfortable or you or someone in your care feel unwell. Contact your health care provider if you develop severe symptoms,
Reduce sources of indoor air pollution. If you can, avoid smoking or vaping indoors, burning incense and candles, frying foods, using wood stoves, and vacuuming. Dust on indoor surfaces can be removed by wiping and wet mopping during a pollution episode.
This story has been updated to include the latest forecast from Environment Canada .
Connor Boa and Rick Kish will perform songs made famous by some of the world's greatest male singers in "The Crooner Show", running for seven performances from June 6 to 10, 2023 at Globus Theatre at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon. (Photo: Shutter Studios)
You can hear songs made famous by some of the world’s greatest male singers when Globus Theatre brings The Crooner Show to the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon for seven performances from June 6 to 10.
Coming to Bobcaygeon from London, Ontario, The Crooner Show is a nostalgic journey featuring vocalists Rick Kish and Connor Boa performing hit songs by iconic crooners including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Michael Bublé, Perry Como, Bobby Darin, and Johnny Cash.
You will hear Kish and Boa sing classic tunes such as “Mack The Knife”, “Feeling Good”, “I Left My Heart In San Francisco”, “Beyond The Sea”, “I Walk The Line”, “That’s Amore”, “Witchcraft”, “Love Me Tender”, “Fly Me To The Moon”, “Come Fly With Me”, “My Way”, and more.
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“We are not a tribute act — rather we are honouring the crooners who sang these songs,” says Kish, who has created, produced, and performed in a variety of jazz, swing, and musical theatre shows for decades. “It’s very intimate and brings the audience in to feel as if they’re part of the show. We are thrilled to be bringing this show to Globus.”
Artistic director of Link Theatre & Concerts in London, Kish has performed at the Grand Theatre in London, Huron County Playhouse, Drayton Festival Theatre, Port Stanley Festival Theatre, Blyth Festival Theatre, and Bluewater Summer Playhouse.
In 2019, Kish received the 2019 jazz vocal (solo/group) award from the Forest City London Music Awards, and was nominated for the same award again in 2020 and 2021. Both he and Connor Boa have been nominated as The Crooners for the 2023 jazz vocal award, which will be announced at the awards ceremony at London’s Aeolian Hall on June 18.
VIDEO: “The Crooner Show” promo trailer
Boa, who has performed with Kish for almost 10 years, has appeared twice in the Link Theatre & Concerts productions Saucy Jack & the Space Vixens and JUDY: Stonewalled.
His credits with The Grand Theatre in London include Les Miserables, Hello Dolly, The Addams Family: A New Musical, My Fair Lady, Much Ado About Nothing, and Julius Caesar.
Kish and Boa are backed by the Nevin Campbell Trio featuring musical director Nevin Campbell on piano, Larry Ernewein on stand-up bass, and Sandy MacKay on drums and percussion.
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Campbell is a jazz pianist from London who graduated from the prestigious jazz performance program at Humber College and has studied with some of Canada’s top jazz pianists including Dave Resitvo, Brian Dickinson, and Mark Eisenmann.
Having spent several years touring the world while performing on Holland America and Celebrity cruise ships, Campbell now performs regularly at local restaurants and music venues in the London area.
The rhythm section of the Nevin Campbell Trio features Larry Ernewein, who has spent more than 40 years touring Canada and the U.S. as a classic rock bassist, and Sandy MacKay, drummer for the Juno-nominated Oliver Whitehead Quintet, who has appeared at jazz festivals in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and Detroit.
Vocalists Rick Kish and Connor Boa will be backed by the Nevin Campbell Trio featuring musical director Nevin Campbell on piano, Larry Ernewein on stand-up bass, and Sandy MacKay on drums and percussion for “The Crooner Show”, running for seven performances from June 6 to 10, 2023 at Globus Theatre at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon. (Photos: Link Theatre & Concerts)
Sarah Quick, Globus Theatre’s artistic director, says the Lakeview Arts Barn “is a great spot for a show like this” and is confident audiences will love The Crooner Show.
“The show premiered at Port Stanley Festival Theatre which has a similar vibe and audience demographic to Globus,” Quick explains. “Audiences there have demanded The Crooners return again and again, so I thoroughly look forward to introducing our patrons here in Bobcaygeon to this wonderful night of great entertainment.”
The Crooner Show runs at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon at 8 p.m. from Tuesday, June 6th to Saturday, June 10th, with additional 2 p.m. matinee performances on Thursday and Saturday. An optional dinner is available before the evening performances at 6 p.m. Tickets are $45 for the show only, or $90 for dinner and the show, and are available by calling the Globus Theatre box office at 705-738-2037 or online at globustheatre.com.
“The Crooner Show” runs for seven performances from Tuesday, June 6th to Saturday, June 10th at Globus Theatre at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon, with evening performances (with optional dinner) at 8 p.m. and 2 p.m. matinee performances on Thursday and Saturday. (Graphic: Globus Theatre)
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