For 4th Line Theatre's 2019 season, Peterborough musician and actor Kate Suhr will make her 4th Line Theatre debut as Tess in Beau Dixon's "Bloom: A Rock 'n' Roll Fable" in July, and Peterborough musician and actor Melissa Payne will make her debut as Audrey Barstow in Ian McLachlan and Robert Winslow "Carmel" in August. (Supplied photos)
4th Line Theatre in Millbrook has announced the casting for its two world-premiere plays this summer, including a play written by Peterborough actor and musician Beau Dixon and the latest in 4th Line’s popular series of plays about the Barnardo children.
Peterborough musician and actor Kate Suhr will make her 4th Line Theatre debut as Tess in Bloom: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fable, written by Dixon and directed by 4th Line’s managing artistic director Kim Blackwell.
The play, which features original songs by Beau Dixon and David Tough with arrangements by Dixon, stars real-life bandmates Owen Stahn and Griffin Clark as Eli and Neph, the bandleaders of the fictional rock band The Spruce Street Ramblers from Assumption, Ontario.
In Beau Dixon’s “Bloom: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fable”, real-life bandmates Owen Stahn and Griffin Clark will star as Eli and Neph, the bandleaders of the fictional rock band The Spruce Street Ramblers from Assumption, Ontario. (Supplied photos)
Based on stories collected from some of Peterborough’s most renowned rock and roll personalities, Bloom: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fable follows the lives of the two best friends from their childhood in the 1950s to the heady music days of the 1970s.
The play also features the 4th Line Theatre debuts of Sebastian Sage and acclaimed Toronto actor and musician Jack Nicholsen, one of the original members of the 1980s Toronto folk-rock band Leslie Spit Treeo.
“Bloom: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fable” also features the 4th Line Theatre debut of acclaimed Toronto actor and musician Jack Nicholsen, one of the original members of the 1980s Toronto folk-rock band Leslie Spit Treeo. (Supplied photo)
Also returning to the 4th Line stage to perform in Bloom: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fable are Liam Davidson, Matt Gilbert, Geoff Hewitson, Justin Hiscox, Mark Hiscox, and Shelley Simester (and the lead actress in 4th Line’s 2012 production of Queen Marie). In total, the ensemble cast will feature 22 professional and volunteer actors.
Bloom: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fable runs from July 2nd to July 27th at the Winslow Farm in Millbrook.
The second world premiere is Carmel, the third in the Barnardo children series of plays (Doctor Barnardo’s Children and Wounded Soldiers).
Written by Ian McLachlan and 4th Line Theatre’s creative director Robert Winslow (who also directs), Carmel will feature four actors in their 4th Line Theatre debuts: Kristina Nicoll as Abigail, Kevin Bundy as Walter White, Peterborough musician Melissa Payne as Audrey Barstow, and Jonathan Shatzky as Billy Fiddler.
Kristina Nicoll and Kevin Bundy will make their 4th Line Theatre debuts as as Abigail and Walter White in the world premiere in Ian McLachlan and Robert Winslow “Carmel”, the latest in 4th Line’s series of plays about the Barnardo children. (Supplied photos)
Set on the Carmel Line in Cavan Township in 1937, the play follows the struggles of a family to hold on to the farm during the Great Depression. This bittersweet work also explores Peterborough labour history and features original music inspired by country and folk music traditions of the 1930s.
Also returning to the 4th Line stage to perform in Carmel are Mark Hiscox, Andrew Pedersen, Kelsey Powell, Courtenay Stevens, and Danny Waugh. In total, the ensemble cast will feature 22 professional and volunteer actors.
Carmel runs from August 6th to August 31st at the Winslow Farm in Millbrook.
4th Line Theatre managing artistic director Kim Blackwell will direct “Bloom: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fable” and 4th Line Theatre creative director Robert Winslow will direct “Carmel”. (Supplied photos)
Both plays feature musical direction by Justin Hiscox (with Carmel also featuring his original compositions) with costume design by Meredith Hubbard and set design by Esther Vincent.
Bloom: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fable includes choreography by Monica Dottor and Carmel includes fight direction by Edward Belanger. The stage management teams include Sarah Flanigan, Alanna Wrenshall, Emily Brown, and Tristan Peirce.
Tickets, gift certificates, and picnics for 4th Line Theatre’s 2019 season can be purchased by phone at 705-932-4445, online at 4thlinetheatre.on.ca, or in person at 4th Line Theatre’s Box Office at 4 Tupper Street in Millbrook or at the ticket outlet the Peterborough Museum and Archives at 300 Hunter Street East in Peterborough.
2019 Women in Business Award winner Monika Carmichael (second from right) and 2019 Judy Heffernan Award winner Kim Appleton (right) along with Tara Spence from Trent University and Jo Oanh Ho from Fleming College, the recipients of the 2019 Female Business Student Award. Not pictured: Erin McLean and Bridget Leslie, the two finalists for the 2019 Women in Business Award. (Photo: Bianca Nucaro / kawarthaNOW.com)
This week’s round-up of regional business news includes Trent Valley Honda’s Monika Carmichael receiving the 2019 Women in Business Award, a second intake now open for the Million Dollar Makeover program in the City of Kawartha Lakes, the Bank of Montreal closing its branch in downtown Peterborough, and the opening of nominations for the Lindsay Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 Awards of Excellence.
Every week, our managing editor collects business-related news and events from across the Kawarthas. If you’d like us to promote your business news or event in businessNOW, please email business@kawarthanow.com.
Also featured this week is the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough’s new expanded executive team, the Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group donating $5,000 to Alzheimer Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton, Sweet Beast Fine Meats & Fish opening in Peterborough’s East City this week, and Milltown Mini Golf in Peterborough opening for another season in 2019.
New regional events added this week include the Peterborough DBIA’s breakfast network meeting with Celine MacKay of Sustain on April 17th in Peterborough, the Trent Hills Chamber’s members-only breakfast meeting with MP Kim Rudd on April 18th in Campbellford, the Port Hope Chamber’s breakfast meeting on the Ontario budget with MPP David Piccini on April 24th in Port Hope, the Bancroft Chamber’s Biz after Biz networking event on April 24th in Bancroft, and Kawarthas Northumberland hosting regional ambassador training on May 13th in Peterborough.
Trent Valley Honda’s Monika Carmichael receives the 2019 Women in Business Award
2019 Women in Business Award winner Monika Carmichael (second from right) and 2019 Judy Heffernan Award winner Kim Appleton (right) along with Tara Spence from Trent University and Jo Oanh Ho from Fleming College, the recipients of the 2019 Female Business Student Award. Not pictured: Erin McLean and Bridget Leslie, the two finalists for the 2019 Women in Business Award. (Photo: Bianca Nucaro / kawarthaNOW.com)
Last Tuesday (April 9), the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough (WBN) presented the 2019 Women in Business Award to Trent Valley Honda owner and general manager Monika Carmichael.
The award recognizes outstanding female business leadership. The two runners-up for the award were Erin McLean of McLean Berry Farm and Bridget Leslie of My Left Breast as the two finalists.
Local businesswoman, mentor, and volunteer Kim Appleton received the 2019 Judy Heffernan Award for her efforts at empowering other women.
Tara Spence from Trent University and Jo Oanh Ho from Fleming College were the recipients of the new Female Business Students of the Award, honouring one student from each institution.
Second round of Million Dollar Makeover program in the City of Kawartha Lakes now open
The City of Kawartha Lakes’ Million Dollar Makeover offers up to 50 per cent in matching funding for properties that completed a Downtown Revitalization project, including Lindsay (pictured), Omemee, Coboconk, Norland, and Fenelon Falls. The initiative is also offering loans to property and business owners across the City of Kawartha Lakes at a low interest rate over a five-year term. (Photo courtesy of the City of Kawartha Lakes)
A second intake for the City of Kawartha Lakes’ Million Dollar Makeover program is now open.
The funding program supports property and business owners who want to improve the visual and functional aspects of their commercial, mixed-use commercial/residential, or heritage-designated residential buildings.
The first intake for the program ended in January 2019, and 17 business and property owners were successful applicants in the first round of the program. So far, almost $400,000 of the $1.1 million in funding for the program has been allocated for 2019.
Makeovers for the 17 businesses in the first round are expected to begin this spring in Bobcaygeon, Coboconk, Fenelon Falls, Kinmount, Lindsay and Omemee. In total, eight loans totalling $300,325.80 were executed or conditionally approved and 12 grants totalling $67,114.25 were allocated. The most popular programs approved were façades, signage, and building repair renovations.
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In addition to the initial funding, another $100,000 in grants has been approved by City of Kawartha Lakes council. The funding is open to all areas within Kawartha Lakes, with a priority on downtown and main street areas. Previously available only as a loan, the city has opened the accessibility improvement program for grant applications.
The application process for the second intake of Million Dollar Makeover program will remain the same. Business and property owners are encouraged to complete an expression of interest prior to submitting their funding application.
Bank of Montreal branch in downtown Peterborough is closing in August
The BMO Bank of Montreal building at Water and Simcoe Streets in downtown Peterborough is closing on August 9, 2019. The building was constructed for the bank in 1960 and was designed by German-Canadian architect Eberhard Zeidler. (Photo: Google Maps)
The BMO Bank of Montreal branch at 130 Simcoe Street in downtown Peterborough will be closing on August 9th, according to a notice posted at the branch last Tuesday (April 9).
Regulations under the Bank Act require federally regulated financial institutions to provide four months’ notice when they are planning to close a branch.
Various banks have continued to close branches, particularly in rural communities, citing changing client behaviour as people switch to online banking.
BMO has two other branches in Peterborough, one in Lansdowne Mall at 645 Lansdowne Street West and one in Portage Place at 1154 Chemong Road (which will be moving to an expanded location in the mall in September).
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BMO owns the building at 130 Simcoe Street, which was constructed for the bank in 1960. The building was designed by German-Canadian architect Eberhard Zeidler, who worked for the former architectural firm with Blackwell and Craig in Peterborough. Zeidler also designed the Beth Israel Synagogue, the Peterborough Memorial Centre, the Peterborough Museum & Archives, and the Cherney House at 99 Roper Drive.
The BMO building is considered a landmark modernist building, notable for its frieze executed in gold mosaic tiles and the book-matched panels in black marble on the south and east elevations. It is currently not protected by a heritage designation. However, the building is listed on the City of Peterborough’s heritage registry, which would require 60 days’ notice to the city if the current or future owner wanted to demolish or significantly renovate the building.
Nominations open for Lindsay Chamber’s 2019 Awards of Excellence
Nominations are now open for the Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 Awards of Excellence.
All residents, businesses, and organizations within the City of Kawartha Lakes are eligible for the awards, which include the following categories: Marketing Excellence, Arts And Cultural Excellence, Customer Service Excellence, Innovation Excellence, New Business Of The Year, Agricultural Excellence, Not-For-Profit-Excellence, Tourism Excellence, Health And Wellness Excellence, Youth Excellence, Design Excellence, Employer Of The Year, Business Leader Of The Year, and Citizen Of The Year.
Nominees do not need to be members of the Lindsay Chamber, and self-nominations are encouraged. The awards will be presented at a celebration on Friday, June 7th at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon,
Nomination forms for each award category are available at lindsaychamber.com. The deadline for nominations is Friday, April 26th. You can also purchase tickets for the June 7th Evening of Excellence celebration.
Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough announces expanded executive team based on shared leadership model
The Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough’s new expanded executive team consists of Nicole Gagliardi, John Good, and Jennifer DeBues. (Photo: Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough / Facebook)
The Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, a charitable organization that invests in improving the quality of life in the City and County of Peterborough, has announced an expanded executive team based on a new shared leadership model.
The organization’s existing staff, Jennifer DeBues and Nicole Gagliardi, will be joining John Good, who has served as executive director since 2014, on the executive team.
As director of operations and granting, DeBues will oversee the foundation’s granting activities and internal operations. As director of strategic initiatives, Gagliardi will direct the foundation’s community relations and special initiatives. John Good will take on the role of director of fund development to help local donors realize their philanthropic goals.
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According to a media release, the foundation’s board of directors adopted the new leadership model after a year of careful planning and deliberation with staff and stakeholders.
“As a board, we feel strongly that the new executive team will provide the foundation with the knowledge and experience that we need to continue building our vital community in the years to come,” says board chair Diane Richard.
The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group donates $5,000 to local Alzheimer Society
From left to right: Courtney Hope and Allison Walsh of the Alzheimer Society, Karen Willette and Teri Lawrence of The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group, Pamela Wilson or the Alzheimer Society, and Miki Paczek of The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group. (Photo: The Commonwell)
Insurance company The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group has donated $5,000 to the “Minds in Motion” program of the Alzheimer Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton.
The donation was made under the company’s C.A.R.E. (Create A Ripple Effect) philanthropy program.
The Commonwell has regional offices in Lindsay, Alexandria, and Perth.
Sweet Beast Fine Meats & Fish opens in Peterborough’s East City this week
Sweet Beast Fine Meats & Fish is a new butcher shop opening soon in Peterborough’s East City. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
Sweet Beast Fine Meats & Fish, a new butcher shop in Peterborough’s East City, hosted a soft launch on Saturday (April 13) in advance of their official opening this week.
Owned by Grant Slavin, the former head butcher at the Community Butcher Shop in downtown Peterborough (which closed in 2017 after two years of operation), Sweet Beast promises “traditionally raised” beef, pork, and chicken from southern Ontario and the Kawarthas.
Sweet Beast is located at 95 Hunter St. E., in the plaza at the southwest corner of Hunter Street and Mark Street.
For updates on their official opening, visit them on Facebook or Instagram.
Milltown Mini Golf in Peterborough opening for another season in 2019
Originally scheduled to be closed in 2017, Milltown Mini Golf is opening again in 2018 due to delays for a new development on the site. (Photo courtesy of Milltown Mini Golf)
One of Peterborough’s favourite family attractions, Milltown Mini Golf (933 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough), is staying open for yet another season.
Owners Barry and Lynda Cross originally announced they would be closing in the fall of 2017 after 33 years in business when their landlord sold the two-acre property to local developer. However, an application for redevelopment was delayed, allowing Milltown Mini Golf to operate again in 2018.
As the developer still lacks the necessary rezoning to proceed with a proposed 35,000-square-foot grocery store on the site and is awaiting a decision from the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal,
Milltown Mini Golf will be reopening for the 2019 season on Wednesday, May 1st, weather permitting.
Milltown Mini Golf, which calls itself a “family fun centre”, doesn’t just offer mini golf. They also have batting cages, rock wall climbing, treasure hunts, and more. It’s also been a popular location for wedding proposals and receptions, birthday parties, family gatherings, and more. The business has 12 employees.
Peterborough DBIA breakfast network meeting with Celine MacKay of Sustain on April 17 in Peterborough
Celine MacKay of Sustain, pictured with her husband and co-owner Jonathan, is the guest speaker at the Peterborough DBIA’s Breakfast Network on April 17, 2019. (Photo: Sustain)
The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA)’s next breakfast network meeting takes place from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 17th at Empress Gardens (131 Charlotte St., Peterborough).
Celine MacKay of eco-lifestyle Sustain will be the guest speaker. The winner of the 2019 Win This Space competition, Sustain sells eco-friendly and sustainable household and personal care products.
Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. with the guest speaker at 8 a.m.
Tickets are $5 at the door, and the meeting is open to everyone.
Peterborough Chamber hosts lunch seminar with Ashley Lamothe of Creative Kwe on April 17 in Peterborough
The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce’s next Lunch Box Learning session takes place from 12 to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17th in the chamber’s boardroom (175 George St. N., Peterborough).
Ashley Lamothe of Creative Kwe will host the seminar on the topic “Creative Team Building Made Simple”.
Lunch Box Learning is free to attend for Chamber members and members of the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough. Bring your own lunch.
Kawartha Lakes Community Futures Development hosts meet and greet on April 17 in Fenelon Falls
Kawartha Lakes Community Futures Development Corporation (KLCFDC) is hosting a meet and greet from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17th at Home by Tim + Chris (44 Colborne St., Fenelon Falls).
You can find out about some of the recent projects KLCFDC has supported in Fenelon Falls and hear more about what the organization does for the community.
Light refreshments will be served and everyone is welcome to attend.
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Kawartha Lakes Arts Council hosts community celebration and annual general meeting on April 17 in Omemee
The Kawartha Lakes Arts Council is hosting its 4th annual community celebration and annual general meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17th at Coronation Hall (1 King St. W. Omemee).
The annual general meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed at 7 p.m. by a tribute to artist Michael Poulton, a live auction of original artworks and creative experiences, a Neil Young tribute by Gerald Van Halteren, and more.
The Kawartha Lakes Arts Council is a not-for-profit volunteer organization of volunteers dedicated to serving the arts community in Kawartha Lakes by advocating for artists and the arts, promoting a vibrant arts community, fostering professional development and educational training, and cultivating investment and support of the arts in the community.
Trent Hills Chamber hosts members-only breakfast meeting with MP Kim Rudd on April 18 in Campbellford
The Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce is hosting a members-only breakfast meeting with Northumberland-Peterborough South MP Kim Rudd from 8 to 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 18th at Riverview Restaurant (6 Front St. S., Campbellford).
The event is free for Chamber members to attend, and a continental breakfast will be served.
Register by Monday, April 15th at 2 p.m. by calling 705-653-1551 or emailing admin@trenthillschamber.ca.
Haliburton Highlands Chamber hosts a breakfast meeting with MPP Laurie Scott on April 23 in Haliburton
The Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce is hosting The Breadkfast Club with MPP Laurie Scott from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23rd at Mckeck’s Tap & Grill (207 Highland St., Haliburton)
Scott, who is MPP for Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, will talk about her role as Ontario Minister of Labour and what she is planning on for 2019.
Port Hope Chamber hosts breakfast meeting on Ontario budget with MPP David Piccini on April 24 in Port Hope
The Port Hope Chamber of Commerce is hosting a breakfast meeting with Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24th at Railside Restaurant (112 Peter St., Port Hope).
Piccini will discuss the Ontario budget that was announced on April 11th and answer questions.
The event costs $20, which includes a hot breakfast, coffee, and juice.
Kawartha Chamber hosts Business After Hours on April 24 in Young’s Point
The Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism is hosting its next Business After Hours event from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24th in Young’s Point.
The “Young’s Point Hop” will visit several businesses in the area, including Old Bridge Inn, Young’s Point Personal Training Services, Clearview Cottage Resort, and Kinetic Therapeutics.
Admission is free for Chamber members. Non-members can attend once for free and then $25 for any following Business After Hours event if they do not join the Chamber.
Bancroft Chamber hosts Biz after Biz networking event on April 24 in Bancroft
The Bancroft Chamber of Commerce is hosting a “Biz afer Biz” member networking event from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24th upstairs at Canadian Tire (341 Hastings St. N., Bancroft).
The spring-themed Biz after Biz will be hosted by Ron Landry of Canadian Tire Bancroft and will feature guest speakers and special treats.
Venture13, the Business Development Bank of Canada, and the Northumberland Manufacturing Association are presenting the Venture13 Funding Forum from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Thursday, April 25th at Venture13 (739 D’Arcy St., Cobourg).
Meet with various funding organizations, including the Northumberland CFDC, FedDev, OMAFRA, and more, to learn about the funding programs and services they have to offer.
Innovation Cluster hosts breakfast meeting on clean energy and technology on April 26 in Peterborough
The Innovation Cluster’s next “power breakfast” event takes place from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Friday, April 26th at Best Western Plus Otonabee Inn (84 Lansdowne St. E., Peterborough)
The topic will be “Clean Energy and Technology” and will feature organizations working in the clean tech industry: Marcelo Sarkis of Prima IP and Jason Wight, director of engineering at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station (Ontario Power Generation).
Trent Hills Chamber hosts Celebration of Business Excellence Awards Ceremony on April 27 in Hastings
The Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its Celebration of Business Excellence Awards Ceremony from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 27th at The Grand Maple (19 Abert St. E., Hastings).
Awards will be presented in the following categories: Excellence In Business (Retail-Based Business), Excellence In Business (Service-Based Business), Pride And Progress, Customer Experience Award (Service Business), Customer Experience Award (Retail Business), Community Impact, Non-Profit Organization, and the Chair’s Award.
Bobcaygeon & Area Chamber of Commerce Awards of Excellence on April 27 in Bobcaygeon
The Bobcaygeon & Area Chamber of Commerce presents its 2019 Awards of Excellence dinner and awards ceremony from 6 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 27th at Lakeview Arts Barn (2300 Pigeon Lake Rd., Bobcaygeon).
The event includes a cocktail reception, a sit-down three-course meal, and the awards presentation.
Tickets are $55 per person (table purchases of eight or 10 tickets also available). For more information and for tickets, visit www.bobcaygeon.org/AOE2019.
Bears’ Lair Entrepreneurial Competition hosts final pitch event on April 30 in Peterborough
The Bears’ Lair Entrepreneurial Competition is hosting its final pitch event from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30th at The Venue (268 George St. N., Peterborough).
Six finalists in two categories (Transit One, AVROD, and Alexander Optical in the Innovation category: Electric Juice Factory, Emily Mae’s Cookies & Sweets, and PedalBoro in the Goods and Services category) will pitch their businesses to a penal of judges.
One winner from each category will be announced at the end of the event.
Deadline for nominations for Kawartha Chamber 2019 Business Awards of Excellence is April 30
The deadline for nominations for the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism’s 20th annual Business Awards of Excellence is Tuesday, April 30th. The nomination period for this year’s awards has moved from the fall to the spring.
Any business, individual, or organization within Peterborough County or the City of Peterborough can be nominated in one of 10 categories: Citizen of the Year, Young Professional, Outstanding Business Achievement, Commercial Development or Renovation, Customer Service Excellence, Entrepreneur Innovation, Not-For-Profit Excellence, Retailer of the Year, Service Sector Excellence, and Tourism/Hospitality. The awards will be presented at a gala event on October 10, 2019.
Sold out – Inclusive Advisory hosts “Conscious Shift” workshops on May 10 in Peterborough
Inclusive Advisory, a multidisciplinary firm practising accounting, law, and wealth management with offices in Peterborough and Port Perry, is hosting a series of workshops called “Conscious Shift” from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, May 10th at The Mount Community Centre (1545 Monaghan Rd., Peterborough).
With the tagline “leadership and management uncensored”, the workshops will feature four speakers sharing their experiences on leadership. Each speaker will give an original 20-minute presentation followed by a 20-minute question-and-answer session.
The speakers are: Paul Bennett, owner of Ashburnham Realty; Mike Skinner, president and CEO of the Innovation Cluster; Cheif Kelly LaRocca of the Mississaugas of Scucog Island First Nation; and Sacha Lai-Svirk, director of digital health at Outpost379.
The workshops, which promise to “challenge the participants to step outside of their comfort zone” by introducing them “to alternative insights that challenge the status quo in management”, are designed for business owners, executives, managers, and community leaders.
Tickets are $200 each, with $150 from each ticket donated to The Mount Community Centre, Peterborough’s sustainable and inclusive urban village (charitable receipts will be provided).
Kawarthas Northumberland hosting regional ambassador training on May 13 in Peterborough
Kawarthas Northumberland (Regional Tourism Organization 8) is hosting a training session for regional ambassadors from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Monday, May 13th in the boardroom at the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce (175 George St. N., Peterborough).
The half-day course is free to attend and open to all Kawarthas Northumberland tourism operators and tourism businesses.
Space is limited. To register, contact Julie at partner@rto8.com or 705-874-8505 ext. 102.
For more business-related events in the Kawarthas, check out our Business Events column.
Peterborough native Murray James-Bosch will perform lead vocals when Classic Albums Live returns to Showplace Performance Centre in Peterborough on April 24, 2019 for a song-for-song and note-for-note creation of Elton John's 1974 "Greatest Hits" album. (Photo courtesy of Murray James-Bosch)
More often than not, when one reflects on where life has taken him or her, a moment in time from the past comes clearly into focus, no matter how many years have passed.
Classic Albums Live presents Elton John Greatest Hits
When: Wednesday, April 24, 2019 at 8 p.m. Where: Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: $42
Tickets are available in person at the Showplace box office (290 George St. N., Peterborough), by phone at 705-742-7469, or online at www.showplace.org.
For singer Murray James-Bosch, that moment occurred in the mid-1970s in Peterborough when youthful curiosity and a touch of mischievousness led to his raiding his older sister’s album collection.
It was then that he first laid eyes upon Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, Elton John’s ninth album release.
“The album cover blew me away,” recalls James-Bosch, who attended St Peter’s Catholic Secondary School in Peterborough.
“I opened it up and there was a booklet inside with lyrics. That was really the first album that I listened to. There was just so much emotion there. Elton gives a vocal performance that perfectly fits what (lyricist Bernie) Taupin was trying to say. When I sing Elton now, it’s with a reverence for the working relationship between them.”
On Wednesday, April 24th, James-Bosch returns to his childhood home to perform lead vocals when Showplace Performance Centre presents Classic Albums Live’s recreation of Elton John’s 1974 Greatest Hits album.
Tickets to the 8 p.m. concert are $42, available in person at the Showplace box office (290 George St. N., Peterborough), by phone at 705-742-7469, or online at www.showplace.org.
Murray James-Bosch performs with a full band to perform a note-for-note recreation of Elton John’s 1974 “Greatest Hits” album when Classic Albums Live returns to Showplace Performance Centre in Peterborough on April 24, 2019. (Photo courtesy of Classic Albums Live)
“To be able to stand on stage, as someone who loves his music so much, and sing Someone Saved My Life Tonight, and have the full power of the band playing with the same reverence, is incredible,” says James-Bosch. “It’s a very spiritual experience for me.”
James-Bosch, who has a three-and-a-half octave vocal range, has incredibly never received formal training as a singer.
That was, and still is, of no consequence to Toronto native Craig Martin, who founded Classic Albums Live in 2003 and has since presented thousands of concerts that see musicians perform classic albums in their entirety — song for song and note for note. It was in 2004 that Martin reached out to James-Bosch after receiving a recording of him singing “Roxanne” by The Police.
Toronto’s Craig Martin founded Classic Albums Live in 2003 and has since presented thousands of concerts that sees musicians perform classic albums in their entirety, song for song and note for note. (Photo courtesy of Classic Albums Live)
“I was working at the time as a technical writer and I got a call from Craig at my workplace,” James-Bosch says.
“He said, ‘We’re going to be doing a Police show. Can you get into rehearsals in two weeks? We’re going to do the show in about a month. Can you sing a little bit of The Police over the phone?’ So it came together pretty quickly. I did my first show with Classic Albums Live in July 2004 at The Phoenix Club in Toronto. We did the first two albums by The Police (Outlandos d’Amour and Reggatta de Blanc).”
Elton John’s current worldwide farewell tour — and the much-anticipated late May theatrical release of biopic Rocketman — has the 72-year-old five-time Grammy Award winner with 300 million-plus album sales very much in the news, providing host venues a nice boost in terms of Classic Albums Live: Elton John ticket sales. That said, the show has been toured for some 10 years now.
VIDEO: Classic Albums Live – Elton John featuring Murray James-Bosch
Martin is quick to point out that Classic Album Live is all about recreating the music exactly as it was originally recorded. It’s not a typical tribute concert where the performers try to replicate the exact vocal style and appearance of the artist or group.
“My job is to give audiences exactly what we said we were going to give them, and that’s a note-for-note performance of the greatest albums ever recorded,” says Martin, noting that has been the objective since day one and remains the focus. “If you come to our show and you want to see a guy wearing a white glove doing the moon walk, you’re going to leave disappointed. But if you come thinking ‘I really need to hear Someone Saved My Life Tonight performed perfectly, you’ll be thrilled.
Greatest Hits (often referred to as Elton John Greatest Hits in North America) was Elton John’s eleventh official album release and the first compilation. Released in November 1974, it spans the years 1970 to 1974, and includes “Your Song”, “Daniel”, “Honky Cat”, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting”, “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time)”, “Bennie and the Jets”, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”, “Border Song”, and “Crocodile Rock”.
VIDEO: Classic Albums Live – “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” featuring Murray James-Bosch
“We live in a society where everything looks like American Idol and Canadian Idol; everything’s all glitzy and glammy. We’re so used to seeing these huge light shows. We need a return to more purity. You don’t need any of that stuff if you have excellent musicianship.
“If you want that, there are tons of crap bands out there. Spend your money there. But if you’re a music lover, if you care about the music, come see our show. We’ll take you back to a time in your life when you had the time to listen to an entire album.”
As for James-Bosch, Martin says he nails the musicality of Elton John.
“Murray is the best. He grew up with this music. Sometimes you get a guy who’s like ‘I’ve got to sing this show; I grew up with this music.’ Murray’s that guy and, wow, when he starts singing Elton, it’s so beautiful. You can just tell that it’s natural. The audience can smell a phony. Being in the room with that voice, that’s pretty good.”
For his part, James-Bosch says while he loved singing as a youth (‘My mom says I used to sing on the potty’), he never envisaged singing before an audience. After high school, however, he formed the band Endpieces with some high school friends. Over three years in the early 1980s, it performed in Peterborough bars, got airplay on CKPT, and recorded some demo tapes as well as an EP.
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When Endpieces folded, James-Bosch set his sights on college, eventually taking journalism at Centennial College in Scarborough. All the while, he kept at it on the music side of things, singing with Genesis and Police tribute bands, but things were taken up a huge notch when Martin interrupted his workday in 2004.
“It’s not a question of whether you can sing, it’s a question of whether you can communicate,” he says of the template at the root of Classic Albums Live’s success.
“Because Elton John is an honest singer, I try to bring honesty to it. I don’t try to sound like him. I don’t pretend I’m him. What I try to do is understand his honesty and convey and uphold that. I’m not just up there singing.”
VIDEO: Classic Albums Live – “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” featuring Murray James-Bosch
Still, there are challenges.
“Your Song is very low,” James-Bosch says of Elton John’s 1970 single that also appeared on his self-titled second studio album. “I’m a high tenor. I have to work really hard to sing that song.”
To understand Martin’s drive to maintain the high standards set by Classic Albums Live over 16 years, with 170 shows scheduled across North America this year, is to understand Martin’s fierce and somewhat reckless determination to start the concert series.
“I didn’t have a business plan, I didn’t have any money. I just decided I’m going to do this. I maxed out my credit cards, I went into lines of credit, I cashed in my RRSPs, I spent my inheritance. I just went further and further into debt. I didn’t even think about it. I had to do it and it all worked out.”
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“This is classical music by definition. It’s music that has endured. It’s not going to go away. No other generation cared as much about their music as our generation. The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones … all this music will endure. Fifty years from now it will still be talked about and performed.”
Both Martin and James-Bosch are looking forward to the Peterborough performance, albeit for different reasons.
For James-Bosch, seeing longtime Peterborough friends and performing at what was one the Odeon Theatre where he watched moves as a teen is “pretty special”, while Martin remains “thankful for being able to share this with everyone.”
“I really feel there’s a community being built around what we do,” Martin explains. “It feels like it’s important to people. This is important music to so many of us. It’s our job not to fuck it up.”
Police are investigating after human remains were discovered on Saturday (April 13) inside a wooded area of Lions Club Park on County Road 50 north of Campbellford.
On Saturday evening at around 6:30 p.m., officers from the Northumberland Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were called to the area after citizens discovered the remains.
Police say the investigation is in the early stages and the identity of the remains is still unknown.
However, CHEX News reports on Twitter that family and friends of Nicole Smith “are confident” the remains are hers. The 25-year-old woman was last seen in Campbellford on August 23, 2018.
OPP say human remains have been found in a Campbellford Park on Saturday. OPP say the investigation is in its early stages and haven't confirmed who's remains it is, but friends and family of Nicole Smith (a 25-year-old woman who went missing in August) are confident it's her. pic.twitter.com/BQvm19c8ko
— CHEX News on Global Peterborough (@CHEXNewswatch) April 14, 2019
On Saturday afternoon, freelance photojournalist Harrison Perkins reported on Twitter that family and friends of Nicole Smith were conducting a search for the missing woman in the Campbellford area.
Family and friends of Nicole (Niki) Smith are doing a search around Campbellford this afternoon. Smith was last seen August 20 2018 #missingpersonpic.twitter.com/1D62qyZpbe
Police say the provincial coroner attended the scene and the human remains have been sent to the Centre of Forensic Sciences, where a post-mortem examination will be conducted.
Police advise that there is no public safety concern at this time.
The investigation is ongoing and police will release further information when it becomes available.
This stunning photo of a majestic bald eagle in Selwyn Township, taken by scientist and photographer Robert Metcalfe, was the top post on our Instagram for March 2019. (Photo: Robert Metcalfe @robert.a.metcalfe / Instagram)
Spring officially arrived in March but, while the snow has now finally melted in Peterborough and areas to the south, there’s still plenty of the white stuff in the northern Kawarthas.
We took a trip to our cottage north of Apsley this past weekend and, would you believe it, there was still four feet of snow on our driveway! Luckily, we brought our snowshoes.
But there are some sure signs spring is finally here. It’s getting light earlier, birds are singing in the morning, robins are building their nests, and I even saw two loons on Little Lake in Peterborough. While our top March photos are still heavy with snow, I promise no snow pictures for April — I hope!
Do you want to get on our photographer list? All you need is an Insta account and to tag us using our hashtag #kawarthanow when posting your photo.
We share photos from across our readership area, which is the five-county area surrounding Peterborough which includes Peterborough, Northumberland, City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, and Hastings (we sneak in the occasional Algonquin Park picture as well, particularly if it’s by a Kawartha photographer).
To see our daily shares of photos, follow us on Instagram @kawarthanow and check out our feed’s monthly highlight reels for recaps of every month in 2019.
Environment Canada is forecasting significant rainfall on Sunday (April 14) and Sunday night across the Kawarthas, with a messy mix of wintry precipitation possible for northern regions.
An approaching low pressure system is expected to move into eastern Ontario by early afternoon on Sunday and persist until Monday morning.
For Northumberland County, Environment Canada has issued a rainfall warning, with total amounts of 30 to 40 mm expected.
For Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes, 15 to 25 mm of rainfall are likely.
As the still-frozen ground has a reduced ability to absorb this rainfall, localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible. Keep children and pets away from creeks and river banks.
Further north, in Haliburton and Hastings County, a messy mix of snow, ice pellets, and freezing rain is possible. Some areas may also change to rain if temperatures rise above the freezing mark.
Since the temperatures will be close to the freezing mark, there is a high degree of uncertainty regarding potential snowfall amounts, but Environment Canada is forecasting 5 cm of snow, with the possibility of freezing rain on Sunday night.
PTBO Northern Originals owner Mike Watt has created a pin and patch to continue the legacy of the late Jonathan Hall, with proceeds from their sale going to support The Twisted Wheel, the bar and music venue in downtown Peterborough that Hall co-owned with Mike Judson and his wife Jennifer. (Photos: PTBO Northern Originals)
“Wherever you go, you can carry Jonny with you.”
So says the website for PTBO Northern Originals, which has just created a new patch and pin to “continue the legacy” of the late Jonathan Hall, known by his DJ nickname Jonny Trash.
All proceeds from the sales of the patch and pin will go to support The Twisted Wheel, the downtown Peterborough bar and music venue that Hall co-owned with Mike Judson and his wife Jennifer.
PTBO Northern Originals owner Mike Watt, who was a close friend of Hall’s, says he originally created the pin and patch design for the 2018 opening in Peterborough of The Twisted Wheel, which was named after the Manchester, England nightclub that operated from 1963 to 1971. Watt says that Hall’s own father used to frequent the U.K. nightclub.
Commonly called The Wheel, that club was one of the first in the U.K. to play “northern soul”, a music and dance movement that emerged in northern England in the late 1960s from the British mod scene. It was based on a particular style of black American soul music with a heavy beat and fast tempo.
Watt’s design reflects the poppy logo associated with the original Twisted Wheel and the northern soul movement. The clenched raised fist on the patch is also associated with the northern soul movement (often accompanied with the slogan “Keep The Faith”) and originates with the 1960s Black Power movement in the U.S.
PTBO Northern Originals owner Mike Watt created the pin and patch designs based on the poppy and clenched fist symbols associated with the original The Twisted Wheel nightclub in Manchester, England that operated in the late 1960s, along with the northern soul dance and music movement that emerged from the English mod subculture of that era. (Photos: PTBO Northern Originals)
The blue and white of the patch is “a nod to mod”, Watt says — the subculture that spread through England in the 1960s and from which northern soul eventually emerged. The mod subculture was centred on fashion and music, with mods wearing suits and other clean-cut outfits and listening to genres such as soul, rhythm and blues, ska, beat music, and British blues-rooted bands — a vibe that Hall modernized at The Twisted Wheel.
“Jon has done too many things for too many people to be forgotten,” Watt says, when asked why he created the patch and pin. “We want people to remember him and with the pin they can carry him with them and remember.”
Jonathan “Jonny Trash” Hall DJing at The Twisted Wheel in October 2018. (Photo: Jack Martin)
After Hall died suddenly of a heart attack on March 22, 2019, only a few days after celebrating his 44th birthday, Watt notes there was an outpouring of grief from Hall’s fans from around the world.
PTBO Northern Originals is selling the pins and patches online so everyone can purchase them, but they are also available locally at Watt’s other businesses, Providence and Flavour Fashion in downtown Peterborough.
Watt points out he is donating the proceeds from the sale of the patch and pin to The Twisted Wheel to honour Hall’s legacy, not because the venue is in any financial trouble.
While Hall’s passing has had a huge impact on The Twisted Wheel as well as the community, the venue continues to thrive and is actively booking live music acts and more.
“We want people to know that The Twisted Wheel is open for business and carrying on,” Watt says.
The Otonabee Region Conservation Authority (ORCA) has issued a flood warning for all water courses and bodies within its geographical jurisdiction, which includes Peterborough and Peterborough County and portions of the City of Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland County.
A flood warning is issued when flooding is imminent or occurring.
Ouse River, Indian River, and tributaries of the Kawartha Lakes and Otonabee River
Throughout ORCA’s geographical jurisdiction, the ground is both saturated and frozen, and therefore incapable of absorbing additional rainfall.
As a result of forecast rainfall of 50 to 70 mm forecast over the next seven days (Friday April 12th to Friday April 19th), and in particular the 25 to 40 mm forecast for Sunday, April 14th, significant pooling and ponding in low-lying areas is expected.
In addition, local rivers (Indian River and Ouse River), streams, and creeks (Squirrel, Baxter, Cavan, Jackson, Meade, Rays, etc.), which are already flowing at above normal rates, will continue to experience high flows, and will possibly even exceed their banks in some areas.
Wetlands are also expected to swell beyond their normal confines thereby flooding adjacent roads. Hence, area businesses and residents located in historically flood-prone areas are advised to prepare for localized flooding caused by forecasted rainfall, saturated and frozen ground, and poor drainage conditions.
Also, area residents and visitors are advised to not travel roads, paths, or other routes that are inundated with water.
Kawartha Lakes, Otonabee River, Rice Lake
As a result of snowmelt in the Haliburton Lakes and Reservoir Lakes region, inflows to the Kawartha Lakes from areas to the north have been increasing for the past several days. Accordingly, the Kawartha Lakes have been experiencing a gentle increase, and outflows from the Kawartha Lakes through the Otonabee River have also increased.
Flows on the Otonabee River at Lakefield on Friday (April 12) are in the order of 235 cubic meters per second, where average spring flows are 300 cubic meters per second. As a result, flooding of low-lying areas along the shores of the Otonabee River has begun.
These low-lying flood-prone areas can expect water levels to hold more or less steady for the time being, but water levels and flows will increase in the near future, especially as a result of increased rate of snowmelt coupled with a seven-day total rainfall forecast of 50 to 70 mm in the Bancroft and Haliburton areas, including forecasted rains of 25 to 40 mm on Sunday (April 14). Inflows to the Kawartha Lakes from the Gull, Burnt and Mississauga Rivers, as well as Nogies, Eels and Jack Creeks, are expected to increase in the coming days.
As a result, flows and levels on the Kawartha Lakes, Otonabee River, and Rice Lake will also increase. Residents and businesses occupying low-lying and flood-prone areas on the shores of the Kawartha Lakes, the Otonabee River, and Rice Lake are advised to prepare for imminent flooding in the coming days as water levels and flows along the Trent-Severn Waterway continue to increase.
The Otonabee Region Conservation Authority will continue to monitor current conditions and issue updates as required. The flood warning will be updated by Tuesday, April 16th.
Toronto indie dance rockers Goodnight, Sunrise (David Kochberg, Vanessa Vakharia, and Paul Weaver) perform at Simcoe Ptbo in downtown Peterborough on Saturday, April 13th, with special guests Dandy Lyon Wine and Crowfööt. (Photo: Ryan Brough)
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, April 11 to Wednesday, April 17.
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.
Saturday, April 27 5-8pm - International Jazz Day presents "Dine with Jazz" ft Carrie Chesnutt and Mike Graham
Arlington Pub
32990 Highway 62, Maynooth
(613) 338-2080
Saturday, April 13
9pm - Russell deCarle ($25 in advance in Maynooth at the Maynooth General Store and at Sunrun Café and in Bancroft at Harvest Moon Whole Foods and Guitar Nuts Music Shop, $20 at door)
Coming Soon
Friday, April 19 8pm - Hoot In M'noot open mic w/ guest host Jesse Hannah
Saturday, April 20 9pm - Hungerford Station ($10)
Saturday, April 27 8pm - Anything Goes Café ($5, half of proceeds to Home Again animal rescue)
Arthur's Pub
930 Burnham St., Cobourg
(905) 372-2105
Thursday, April 11
8pm - Karaoke w/ The Travelling Wilburs
Friday, April 12
9pm - High Waters Band
Saturday, April 13
8pm - DownBeat
Sunday, April 14
4:30-8pm - Celtic Sunday w/ Steve Lamb and Matti Palonen
Monday, April 15
7-9pm - Jazz and blues w/ Rob Phillips
Tuesday, April 16
7:30pm - British Invasion w/ Don Owen & Bruce Longman
Wednesday, April 17
8pm - Open mic hosted by Bruce Longman
Coming Soon
Thursday, April 18 8pm - Karaoke w/ The Travelling Wilburs
Friday, April 19 9pm - Busker Brothers
Saturday, April 20 9pm - Hanson & Savoy
Sunday, April 21 4:30-8pm - Celtic Sunday
Bancroft Eatery and Brew Pub
4 Bridge St., Bancroft
(613) 332-3450
Coming Soon
Friday, April 26 9pm - David Byrski and Riley Towns
Friday, May 31 9pm - Steve Stacey & The Stump Splitters
Black Horse Pub
452 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 742-0633
Thursday, April 11
7:30-11:30pm - Jazz and Blues ft Rob Phillips Trio w/ Marsala Lukianchuk
Friday, April 12
5-8pm - Rick & Gailie; 8:30pm - The Emburys
Saturday, April 13
5-8pm - Benjamin Dakota Rogers; 8:30pm - Fabulous Tonemasters
Sunday, April 14
3-6pm - Sean Hully Jazz Group; 6:30pm-9:30pm - Jitensha
Monday, April 15
7pm - Rick & Gailie's Crash & Burn
Tuesday, April 16
7pm - HI5
Wednesday, April 17
9-11pm - James Higgins
Coming Soon
Thursday, April 18 7:30-11:30pm - Jazz and Blues ft Rob Phillips Trio w/ Marsala Lukianchuk
Friday, April 19 5-8pm - Rick & Gailie; 8:30pm - Bailien
Saturday, April 20 5-8pm - Matt Gunn; 8:30pm - Christine Atrill
Sunday, April 21 12-2:45pm - Po'Boy Jeffreys; 3-6pm - Cindy & Scott; 6:30-9:30pm - Joe Bulger
Saturday, April 20 1:30-5pm - PMBA Deluxe Blues Jam hosted by Jane Archer & Heart of the Blues (donations accepted for Peterborough Musicians Benevolent Association)
Saturday, May 11 8pm - Doc Yates w/ Greg Williams & Kansas Stone ($20, available at www.docyates.com)
Dreams of Beans
138 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 742-2406
Thursday, April 11
8pm - Open mic hosted by Jacques Graveline
Frank's Pasta and Grill
426 King St. E., Cobourg
(905) 372-2720
Friday, April 12
9pm-12am - Karaoke; 12am - DJ
Saturday, April 13
8pm - Urban Angel; 11pm - DJ
Wednesday, April 17
8-11pm - Open Mic
Coming Soon
Saturday, April 20 8pm - 5W Drive; 11pm - DJ
Ganarascals Restaurant
53 Walton St., Port Hope
905-885-1888
Saturday, April 13
7pm - Float Your Funny Comedy Festival ft 8 stand-up comedians ($10)
Coming Soon
Saturday, April 27 7pm - Kim Doolittle
Saturday, May 11 7pm - Steve Marriner
Ganaraska Hotel
30 Ontario St., Port Hope
(905) 885-9254
Thursday, April 11
7pm - Float ur Funny Comedy Festival fundraiser for Oliver "The Stache" Steins ft. 12 comics ($25)
Friday, April 12
7pm - Float ur Funny Comedy Festival ft. 10 comics ($10)
Saturday, April 13
2pm & 10pm - Brave and Crazy
Wednesday, April 17
8-11pm - Open Mic Night w/ Clayton Yates & Rob Foreman
Coming Soon
Friday, April 19 8pm - Sheer Heart Attack (Queen tribute)
Saturday, April 20 2pm & 10pm - Marty and the Mojos
The Garnet
231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 874-0107
Thursday, April 11
9pm - Canyun w/ Jackets & more
Friday, April 12
5-7pm - Forselli Fridays w/ Last Men on Earth; 9pm - Michael C. Duguay (solo), Run Coyote, Falcon Jane
Saturday, April 13
8pm - Collette Savard and The Savantes w/ Little Fire
Sunday, April 14
7:30pm - Singer-songwriter Night with Christine Jakel, Caitlin Currie, Maple Grove
Monday, April 15
8pm - Liam Duncan, Kris Ulrich, Johnson Crook
Tuesday, April 16
5-8pm - Show and Tell Poetry Series Does NaPoMo: Art for Introverts & Chapbook Launch (free or PWYC); 8-11pm - Kyle Ivan w/ MJ & The Beetus and Duncan Ivany & The North Coast Band
Wednesday, April 17
8-10pm - The Watched Pots ($5-10 or PWYC)
Coming Soon
Thursday, April 18 8pm - Mad Dalton
Friday, April 19 5-7pm - Forselli Fridays w/ Ben Rough & Hot Cross Buns
Saturday, April 20 8pm - Album Listening Party for Death by Art School
Sunday, April 21 7-10pm - Quote the Raven, Jessica Pearson, East Wind
Golden Wheel Restaurant
6725 Highway 7, Peterborough
(705) 749-6838
Saturday, April 13
8pm - Rye Street ($5)
Wednesday, April 17
6:30-8:30pm - Line Dancing w/ Marlene Maskell ($7)
Gordon Best Theatre
216 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 876-8884
Coming Soon
Friday, April 26 7:30pm - International Jazz Day Peterborough Committee presents Jazz Film - Finding Carleton
Saturday, May 4 9pm - Lucky Monkey w/ The Classic 45s ($10 at door)
Saturday, May 11 8pm - Limestone ($10 at the door, or $15 for two)
Friday, May 17 Garbageface, Mokomokai
Friday, May 24 9pm - The Kents and Basement Revolver w/ Rhys Climenhage Band ($10)
Hot Belly Mama's
378 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 745-3544
Thursday, April 11
8pm - Live music
Junction Nightclub
253 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 743-0550
Friday, April 12
10pm - Nothing But the 90s w/ DJ Bill Porter (no cover)
Kawartha Coffee Co.
58 Bolton St., Bobcaygeon
(705) 738-1500
Friday, April 12
7pm - Karaoke
Local No90
90 Mill St. N., Port Hope
(905) 269-3373
Saturday, April 13
11am-3pm - Parking Lot Party ft. DJ Chris Martell, family-friendly activities, brown bag bingo, kids crafts, and more ($5 adults, $2 youth, free for kids 5 and under)
McGillicafey's Pub & Eatery
13 Bridge St.. N., Hastings
(705) 696-3600
Friday, April 12
8pm - Shaun Savoy
Mckecks Tap & Grill
207 Highland St., Haliburton
(705) 457-3443
Friday, April 12
6:30-8:30pm - Broken Clock Collection (no cover, reservations recommended)
Coming Soon
Friday, April 24 7-9pm - The Swingin' Blackjacks (no cover, reservations recommended)
McThirsty's Pint
166 Charlotte St., Peterborough
(705) 743-2220
Thursdays
9pm - Live music hosted by Tony Silvestri and Greg Caven
Fridays
10pm - Live music with Brian Haddlesey
Saturdays
10pm - Live music with Brian Haddlesey
Sundays
8pm - Open stage hosted by Ryan Van Loon
Mondays
9:30pm - Trivia Night hosted by Cam Green
Wednesdays
9pm - Live music hosted by Kevin Foster
Moody's Bar & Grill
3 Tupper St., Millbrook
(705) 932-6663
Coming Soon
Saturday, April 20 2-5pm - Max Mouse & The Gorillas
Next Door
197 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(647) 270-9609
Friday, April 12
9-11pm - Mike & Whit (from Paper Shakers) w/ Lance Isaacs (no cover)
Coming Soon
Friday, April 19 9-11pm - Hunter Sheridan
Oasis Bar & Grill
31 King St. E., Cobourg
(905) 372-6634
Sundays
5:30pm - PHLO
Pappas Billiards
407 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 742-9010
Thursday, April 11
7-10pm - Open Mic
Saturday, April 13
1-3pm - Shipwrecked Saturdays w/ Jacques Graveline
Pastry Peddler
17 King St., Millbrook
(705) 932-7333
Coming Soon
Friday, April 26 5:30pm & 7:45pm - Jazz Dinner Weekend ft Lenni Stewart, Michael Monis, Howard Baer ($50 per person)
Pie Eyed Monk Brewery
8 Cambridge St. N., Lindsay
(705) 212-2200
Coming Soon
Friday, April 19 1-5pm - Linda "Pinky" Brown
Saturday, May 4 8pm - The Seven Man Trio ($15 in advance, $20 at door)
Saturday, May 25 7-11pm - Two for the Show (no cover, reservations recommended)
Publican House Brewery
300 Charlotte St., Peterborough
(705) 874-5743
Friday, April 12
7-9pm - Shai Peer
Saturday, April 13
7-9pm - House Brand
Coming Soon
Friday, April 19 7-9pm - Mike Graham Duo
Saturday, April 20 7-9pm - Cindy & Scott
Saturday, April 27 7:30-10pm - International Jazz Day presents "Dine Later With Jazz" ft Rob Phillips Trio
Puck' N Pint Sports Pub
871 Chemong Rd., Peterborough
(705) 741-1078
Friday, April 12
9pm - Andy McDonald and friends
Coming Soon
Saturday, April 20 High Waters Band
Red Dog Tavern
189 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 741-6400
Saturday, April 13
9pm - Latin Party (salsa, merengue and bachata lessons from 9-11pm)
Friday, April 26 8pm - Death by Art School album release w/ St. Homer and Bellyflop ($10 or PWYC)
Saturday, April 27 MJ & The Beetus
Thursday, May 9 9pm - Adam Gontier of Three Days Grace and Saint Asonia acoustic show ($15 in advance at www.ticketscene.ca/events/24136/, $20 at door)
Friday, May 10 Kasadors
Riley's
257 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 750-1445
Thursdays
Travis Berlinbach
Fridays
Travis Berlinbach
Saturdays
Josh Gontier
Sundays
Josh Gontier
Mondays
Josh Gontier
Tuesdays
Josh Gontier & Cale Gontier
Wednesdays
Guest performers
Sapphire Room
137 Hunter St., Peterborough
(705) 749-0409
Coming Soon
Wednesday, April 24 8-11pm - Peterborough Poetry Slam NaPoWriMo Edition (sign-up at 7:30pm,$5-10 or PWYC)
Serendipitous Old Stuff Lounge
161 Old Hastings Rd., Warkworth
(705) 924-3333
Coming Soon
Saturday, April 27 12-9pm - Helping BJ Rebuild benefit ft David Papple, Cheryl Casselman, Fiddling Jay, Al Kirby, Mark Sepic, Marsala Lukianchuk, Rob Phillips, Saskia Tomkins, Steafan Hannigan, Al Lerman, Jane Archer & many more (free, donations encouraged)
Simcoe Ptbo
172 Simcoe St., Peterborough
705-874-3825
Friday, April 12
9pm - Bleu Nuit w/ Trashbags, Stillness and Stars, DJ bodyhorrorgenre ($10)
Saturday, April 13
9pm - Goodnight, Sunrise w/ Dandelion Wine & Crowfööt ($10 in advance, $15 at door)
VIDEO: "Catch Up" - Goodnight, Sunrise
Coming Soon
Friday, April 19 9pm - Doors & Fours w/ Cudbear, Vinyl Hero, Deviants and The Odd Man Out ($10)
Saturday, April 20 9pm - League of Wolves and F.Scott and The Nighthawks w/ Joan Smith & the Jane Does
Friday, April 26 8pm - Onionface, Bowtie Killers, Antixx, Latest V
Saturday, April 27 9pm - The Castor Troys and Hot Lips w/ The Crooked and One In The Chamber ($10)
The Social
295 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 874-6724
Wednesday, April 17
10pm - Ace and The Kid
Coming Soon
Friday, April 19 9pm - The Beresfords
The Thirsty Goose
63 Walton St., Port Hope
Thursday, April 11
7pm - Conor Gains
Friday, April 12
8pm - Brian Bracken
Saturday, April 13
8pm - JJ Thompson
Turtle John's Pub & Restaurant
64 John St., Port Hope
(905) 885-7200
Saturday, April 13
2:45-4:15pm - DJ Spinmart and Luke Force
The Twisted Wheel
379 Water St., Peterborough
Thursday, April 11
7-10pm - Back Room Bazaar hosted by Washboard Hank ft George Douglas & Marcus Star
Coming Soon
Thursday, April 25 7-10pm - Washboard Hank's Backroom Bazaar w/ Tami J. Wilde and Jimmy Deck
Friday, April 26 7-10pm - People with AIDS Foundation fundraiser ft Nick Procyshyn and the Bad Milk, Lance Isaacs, Niall, Conner Clarkin ($10)
Saturday, May 11 7-10pm - Future History w/ Say Ritual and Tijuana Jesus
The Venue
286 George Street North, Peterborough
(705) 876-0008
Chris Jardin as Earnest and Robyn Smith as Ernestine, newlyweds who move into their first home and soon discover each other's annoying foibles. Directed by Ryan Kerr, "The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine" runs at The Theatre on King in downtown Peterborough from April 11 to 13, 2019. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
On Thursday, April 11th, director Ryan Kerr presents Leah Cherniak, Robert Morgan and Martha Ross’ dark comedy The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine at The Theatre on King (TTOK) in downtown Peterborough.
Featuring Robyn Smith and Chris Jardin, the play take a comedic look at love and anger — and the old idea that you don’t truly know someone until you live with them.
The Theatre on King presents The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine
When: Thursday, April 11 to Saturday, April 13, 2019 at 8 p.m. Where: The Theatre on King (171 King St., Peterborough) How much: $15 at the door or pay what you can
Written by Leah Cherniak, Robert Morgan, and Martha Ross. Directed by Ryan Kerr and featuring Robyn Smith and Chris Jardin. Costumes by Kate Story. Produced by special arrangement with Playwrights Guild of Canada with some funding provided by Theatre Trent.
The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine was written more than 30 years ago by Leah Cherniak, Martha Ross, and Robert Morgan. After training with French physical theatre master and clown Jacques Lecoq, Leah and Martha returned to Canada where they formed Theatre Columbus and developed the play through a process of improvisation. They debuted the play at the former Poor Alex Theatre in Toronto in 1987 and subseqeuently remounted it several times.
This show is distinctly different from the type of plays Ryan usually directs, and as a result is potentially accessible to a wider audience. The play is highly relatable to anyone who has ever lived with another person, be it a friend, a relation, a lover, or a spouse.
It’s a show about how opposing lifestyles can cause cracks in a foundation created by mutual love, as well as the dangers of unhealthy communication. But most of all, we recognize our own foibles through the characters of Ernest and Ernestine, allowing us to laugh in spite of ourselves.
The Anger is Ernest and Ernestine takes a look at the lives of well-dressed quirky young couple Ernest (Chris Jarden) and Ernestine (Robyn Smith). Recently married, the couple rents a basement apartment with a small kitchenette and a fussy water heater. As they are unpacking their possessions, Ernestine points out that while all their individual possessions can fit on a shelf, not all of their possessions fit on the shelves together.
When the newly married Ernestine (Robyn Smith) and Earnest (Chris Jardin) move into their first home, they are deeply in love. However, they soon discover each other’s annoying habits. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
Very soon it becomes obvious that it’s not only the possessions that don’t fit together, but it may also be their lifestyles. The next morning, as the couple eats breakfast, it becomes painfully obvious that Ernest and Ernestine have very different ways of living.
The two become more and more aggravated with one another but, in order to keep the illusion of their “perfect love”, each contains their own inner rage until it comes bursting through like an explosive gas fire. Can love be saved, or is it curtains for Ernest and Ernestine?
The narrative of The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine is an interesting one. Not only do the early scenes set the audience against the characters, but they also have potential to set audience members against each other as well.
“The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine” is a dark comedy exploring the cracks that form in a couple’s relationship. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
In the beginning of the play, there is a certain cute obnoxiousness to the couple. They embody a beautiful hipster couple whose lives seem so perfect that it’s almost nauseating. The audience can’t help but delight at the cracks in their relationship the moment they start to appear. But as their love turns to anger, the show takes a darker turn and suddenly the loss of love seems more tragic.
Audience members may also find themselves siding with one of the two characters during the drama. It’s not that one is right or wrong but, depending on which of the two characters you relate to, you may find yourself vilifying the other. Personally, I found myself being an Ernestine type of person, although I know Ernest-type people. It really is a ingenious way of presenting two different character types whose strange habits agitate the other.
The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine not only rely on its clever script, funny monologues, and eccentric characterization, but also on physical humour and the actors’ ability to relay emotion. Both Robyn and Chris do this very well.
Earnest (Chris Jardin) troubleshoots the water heater while Ernestine (Robyn Smith) provides her own opinion. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
Chris is not only a great emotional actor, but he’s also excellent at physical comedy. At the beginning of the play, he brings a kooky Ned Flanders quality to Ernest, along with a funny little laugh and a huge smile. A perfectionist with keen observations and a place for everything, Ernest is the first of the couple to crack and, just as Chris is able to create the quirkiness in his character, he can also generate primal rage.
Robyn’s character seems a bit more human, but her own eccentricities take her character way over the top. Emotional where Ernest is vacant and removed, Ernestine’s need for attention is often not recognized by her spouse, which feeds into her own rage. In Ernestine, Robyn creates a perfect foil for Chris’s character
Their on-stage chemistry make Chris and Robyn so entertaining to watch as Ernest and Ernestine. These two characters with extreme issues and no anger management skills are adorable yet annoying, vicious yet lovable, and terrifying yet relatable. In other words, they are a lot like all of us and the people we know, and our ability to recognize that is what makes Ernest and Ernestine so awful yet so endearing.
Chris Jardin and Robyn Smith’s on-stage chemistry Ernest and Ernestine make “The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine” an enjoyable show. (Photo: Andy Carroll)
A special shout out to Kate Story for assembling Ernest and Ernestine’s outfits for this show. Beautifully dressed, they have a sort of space-aged retro look as if they walked off of a White Stripes album cover. And for Bruce Springsteen fans, be prepared to enjoy a midshow performance featuring the music of The Boss that becomes one of the true highlights of the show.
If you’ve never been to a TTOK show, The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine is a great one to see. More contemporary and less avant-garde than many of the plays at TTOK, this one will appeal to a wider audience but still packs the power and punch of the shows that have given TTOK its reputation.
The show is very funny and well acted, but contains extreme emotion and a dark hint of tragedy. I loved The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine and have added it to my list of all-time favourite TTOK productions.
The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine runs from Thursday, April 11th to Saturday, April 13th at The Theatre on King (171 King St., Peterborough). All performances begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 or pay what you can and are available at the door.
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