The announcement was made in a statement issued by Trent University president and vice-chancellor Leo Groarke to students, faculty, and staff on Sunday (March 15). In the statement, Groarke said the first positive case of COVID-19 in Peterborough — a man in his 30s who had travelled to Spain and Portugal was seen at Peterborough Regional Health Centre after developing symptoms — was associated with Trent University’s Peterborough campus.
“I am writing to inform you that a confirmed case of COVID-19 has been associated with our Peterborough campus,” he writes. “The public health unit conducted a detailed investigation and has reached out to those who had close contact with this individual and encouraged them to self-monitor for any symptoms.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Groarke also shared the steps the university is taking to protect the health of students, faculty, and staff, consistent with provincial direction to increase social distancing and increase remote work.
Trent University will be closing most campus buildings in Peterborough and Durham at the end of the day on Monday (March 16) to all but essential services.
With classes moving online and campus buildings closing, Trent University is directing Peterborough residence students who can move back home to do so. Housing Services will be communicating details to residence students shortly.
Essential services including residential accommodation that supports social distancing and food services will be provided for students unable to return home.
Trent University continues to plan for the alternate delivery of courses and exams. Students will hear from their instructors with further information by Wednesday (March 18).
All student placements are suspended for the remainder of the term.
Graduate students who require access to facilities for their research should speak with their supervisors to arrange access.
Trent University will be asking employees who are able to do so to work from home beginning Tuesday (March 17), and to contact their supervisors for further instructions.
Groake encourages anyone who is concerned they may have come into contact with the virus to consult the recommendations from Peterborough Public Health at peterboroughpublichealth.ca.
“We understand that this is a stressful time and we are committed to supporting our students, staff and faculty,” Groarke writes. “I have been impressed by the sense of calm and cooperation exhibited by our entire campus community.”
The measures are intended to protect patients, visitors, healthcare professionals, staff, and volunteers in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the first positive case of COVID-19 in the Peterborough area.
PRHC will limit public access to the hospital building. Patients and visitors should use one of two public entrances: the Emergency Department (ED) entrance or the Cancer Care entrance (next to the main entrance).
Once construction on the main entrance is complete, it will reopen and the Cancer Care entrance will be closed to public access.
PRHC healthcare professionals and staff will have separate designated entrances available 24/7 by secure card access.
All other entrances will be closed until further notice.
Active screening of patients and visitors at public entrances
All PRHC patients and visitors will be screened at the two public entrances.
Anyone with symptoms and travel history that indicate they may be at risk of having the virus will receive direction from the screener, and may be directed away from the hospital or advised to contact Telehealth Ontario or Peterborough Public Health for additional information and direction.
This process is intended to keep everyone safe within the hospital.
Patients asked to delay non-urgent appointments, procedures, or visits
PRHC is asking people to delay coming to the hospital for any non-urgent appointments, procedures, or visits.
One visitor allowed per patient
Visitors will be limited to one person per patient.
Exceptions may be made for patients in palliative care.
PRHC volunteers to be removed from hospital
Out of an abundance of precaution, all PRHC volunteers will be removed from areas of service throughout PRHC.
Advertisement - content continues below
Procedure to follow if you suspect you may have COVID-19
If you suspect you might have COVID-19, do not come to the PRHC Emergency Department.
Fleming College has campuses in Peterborough (pictured), Lindsay, Haliburton, and Cobourg. (Photo: Fleming College)
Fleming College has announced it is suspending on-site classes on all campuses for the remainder of the winter semester, which ends on Friday, April 17th.
On Sunday (March 15), Fleming College president Maureen Adamson issued an update about the public educational institution’s plans for the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic,
There will be no in-person classes held on any of Fleming campuses in Peterborough, Lindsay, Haliburton, and Cobourg.
Advertisement - content continues below
On Friday (March 13), Fleming College announced plans to suspend classes until Tuesday, March 17th, and to implement online and alternate delivery of courses on Wednesday, March 18th.
Now online and alternate delivery of courses will now begin on Monday, March 23rd.
“Please note that this has changed from our original announcement to allow more time to prepare for online and alternate delivery of courses,” Adamnson writes.
Students are not expected to return to campus for the remainder of the semester. The semester will be completed through online and alternate delivery.
Students will receive program information from their faculty by Friday, March 20th. Fleming College is preparing plans to address final exams, projects, and assignments and will share this information in the coming days.
Other developments shared in Adamson’s announcement include:
Student placements are suspended for the remainder of the semester. Students should contact their faculty if they have any questions.
Students in residence are encouraged to return home; however, residence buildings will remain open. Assistance will be provided for those requiring alternative accommodation. Further communication will be sent to students who live in residence in the coming days.
College buildings will be closed with limited access to students and employees for the period from Monday, March 16th to Friday, April 3rd unless otherwise notified. Students and employees will have limited access to the buildings from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will be required to sign in and out starting Tuesday, March 17th.
On Monday, March 16th, employees can access the building to pick up materials and technology to support their working from home.
Except for some employees who have been identified to provide required services, all employees will be expected to work from home during the period from Monday, March 16th to Friday, April 3rd. Employees who are expected to work on-site will be contacted by their managers directly.
Unless they have heard otherwise, employees should assume that their attendance on campus on the morning of Monday, March 16th is not required and they should follow up with their manager to receive directions for the remainder of the week.
Managers are expected to be at work onsite on Monday, March 16th and throughout the closure period.
Due to these exceptional circumstances, all staff (full, partial-load, part-time and student employees including work study students) who would normally be scheduled to work during this period will receive pay consistent with their regular schedule. No one will suffer a loss of pay of their regular earnings as a result of limiting on-site work during this time period.
On-campus recreational facilities at the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre and the Lindsay Recreation Complex are closed.
As per the Government of Canada travel advisory, anyone returning from any travel outside of Canada is required to self-isolate for 14 days and will not be allowed on campus.
Additional information for international students will be available on Monday, March 16th.
Advertisement - content continues below
“I want to thank all students, parents, employees and community partners for their patience and understanding,” Adamson concludes in her statement.
“We are in uncharted territory and our goal is to help stop the spread of COVID-19. I must say how impressed I have been by the response and support from our employees and partners as we rapidly develop our responses to this unprecedented health crisis and do the utmost to protect our communities.”
On Sunday (March 15), Peterborough Public Health confirmed the first positive case of COVID-19 in the Peterborough area.
On Thursday (March 12), a man in his 30s presented himself at Peterborough Regional Health Centre’s emergency department with a travel history to Spain and Portugal.
As per established infection prevention and control protocols, the patient was cared for at the hospital using all appropriate precautions, including being isolated as he was tested for COVID-19.
Advertisement - content continues below
The man was discharged home the same day and, per protocols, went into self-isolation where he remains with follow-up from Peterborough Public Health.
The patient experienced fever, dry cough, and headache.
The first positive case of COVID-19 in the Peterborough area follows two positive cases reported this weekend, one in the City of Kawartha Lakes and on in Northumberland County. The case in Northumberland County was a woman in her 60s who had also travelled to Spain and Portugal.
Peterborough Public Health is actively engaging in contact tracing and case management, including following up with the individual and his close contacts.
“Having a confirmed case in our area is not unexpected given the transmission of this virus around the world,” says Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, medical officer of health for Peterborough Public Health.. “As a community and as a health system, we have been preparing for COVID-19.”
“Hopefully, this news about the first local case helps reinforce the importance of public health measures in place such as school closures and event cancellations, as well as personal precautions like social distancing and regular handwashing.”
Following the news of the first positive case of COVID-19 in Peterborough, the City of Peterborough’s Twitter account posted a video from Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien providing an update on the COVID-19 situation in the city.
Social distancing is one of the best ways to slow down the spread of COVID-19. I know the residents of our City will be calm and compassionate as we face this situation together: Mayor Diane Therrien @mayorptbopic.twitter.com/PBVBunmxFV
Similar to the response of Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay following the first positive case of COVID-19 there, Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) will be implementing enhanced measures to protect patients, families, and health care workers.
“Beginning Monday, March 16th, patients and visitors will see additional active screening measures, limited hospital entry points, and restrictions for visitors and volunteers,” says Dr. Lynn Mikula, PRHC chief of staff and chief medial officer.
“We continue to ask people to delay coming to the hospital for any non-urgent appointments, procedures or visits. Thank you in advance to the people of our community and region for their cooperation and diligence, including practising excellent hand cleaning and social distancing, as we work to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and keep our patients, visitors, healthcare professionals, staff and volunteers safe.”
Advertisement - content continues below
The Public Health Agency of Canada and the Ministry of Health advise all travellers to monitor their health for fever, cough, and difficulty breathing for 14 days after arriving back in Canada.
If symptoms develop within 14 days, returning travellers are directed to self-isolate as quickly as possible and immediately call their health care professionals or public health to make arrangements to be tested.
Symptoms of COVID-19 can range from mild to severe and include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing (shortness of breath). Complications from the COVID-19 can include serious conditions, like pneumonia or kidney failure, and in some cases, death.
If you suspect you have symptoms of COVID-19 and have recently travelled, contact your local public health unit. In the Peterborough area, call Peterborough Public Health at 705-743-1000, ext. 401 or email covid19@peterboroughpublichealth.ca Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., or Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
For medical advice after these hours, contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 (TTY 1-866-797-0007). Be sure to mention your symptoms and your travel history, including the countries you visited. If you are ill and must visit a health care professional, call ahead and tell them that you have a respiratory illness.
If you need immediate medical attention, call 911 and mention your travel history and symptoms.
Peterborough resident Kayti Emery created the "Peterborough Shares" Facebook group on March 13, 2020 as a place where people in the area can post things they need and offer things to share during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group already has more than 3,800 members, with many people looking for essentials such as toilet paper. Because of hoarding, local grocery stores are having difficulty keeping their shelves stocked with toilet paper, as pictured here at No Frills on George Street in downtown Peterborough on March 14, 2020, when the day's supply of toilet paper sold out within 30 minutes of the store opening. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
A new Facebook group has been launched for residents in the Peterborough area to help offset the effects of local hoarding during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Peterborough resident Kayti Emery created the group, called “Peterborough Shares”, on Friday (March 13).
“This group is a place where people in the area can post things they NEED and if you have things to share in this time of need,” Emery writes in the group’s description.
Advertisement - content continues below
“Because of people hoarding things during this difficult time, there are people who actually need things, families needing baby items, food, toiletries,” she writes. “Let’s help each other out!!”
Members of the group are posting information such as local stores where toilet paper, diapers, disinfectant wipes, and other in-demand personal care products are available.
Ross Memorial Hospital is located at 10 Angeline Street North in Lindsay. (Photo: Ross Memorial Hospital)
On Saturday (March 14), the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) District Health Unit confirmed the second positive case of COVID-19 in the Kawarthas.
The affected person is a woman in her 60s who is a resident of the City of Kawartha Lakes.
The woman was seen at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay on Thursday (March 12) after presenting with symptoms after returning from Germany. The woman had travelled on Air Canada flight 877 from Frankfurt, Germany to Toronto on Tuesday (March 10).
Advertisement - content continues below
The patient was discharged home and remains in self-isolation with follow up from the HKPR District Health Unit.
Health unit nurses have been in contact with the woman and are working with her to identify anyone she may have been in contact with while ill.
If anyone who travelled on Air Canada flight 877 on that date develops flu-like symptoms, they are asked to call their local public health unit.
Dr. Lynn Noseworthy, medical officer of health for HKPR District Health Unit, says the health unit has been working closely with Ross Memorial Hospital to ensure measures were put in place in anticipation of a positive case, and that hospital staff took the appropriate precautions to isolate the woman so there was no risk to anyone else at the hospital at that time.
This is the second confirmed case of COVID-19 in the Kawarthas. The first case was announced on Friday (March 13) in a resident of Northumberland County who was seen at Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg. That person, also a woman in her 60s, had travelled to Spain and Portugal before developing symptoms. That patient was also discharged home and remains in self-isolation with follow up from the HKPR District Health Unit.
“Although we are now seeing travel-related cases in our communities, it’s important for people to remember that most people who have had COVID-19 have had mild symptoms and recovered fully at home,” says Dr. Noseworthy.
If you have travelled and develop flu-like symptoms, contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-000, or call the HKPR District Health Unit at 1-866-888-4577, ext. 5020. If symptoms are severe, call 911 and alert the dispatcher to the potential concern regarding COVID-19 so they can be appropriately prepared.
Advertisement - content continues below
As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, Ross Memorial Hospital is implementing enhanced measures effective Sunday (March 15) to protect patients, families, and health care workers.
“We are introducing active screening measures, limiting hospital entry points, and introducing restrictions to visiting and volunteering,” says the hospital’s interim president and CEO Veronica Nelson.
Active screening means anyone whose travel history and symptoms indicate they may be at risk of having the virus will be redirected away from the hospital, and advised to contact Telehealth or Public Health for advice on next steps. This process helps to keep everyone safe within the hospital.
To enable active screening, entry to the hospital will be restricted to four entrances: the Emergency Department entrance (24 hours daily), the main entrance (6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.), the dialysis entrance (for dialysis patients only, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.), and the staff and physician entrance (east side of the building, 24/7 card access). All other entrances will be closed until further notice.
Visiting hours will be restricted to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visitors must enter through the main entrance of the hospital. Except for palliative care patients, patients will be limited to one visitor at a time.
The hospital is also asking its auxiliary volunteers, “volunteens”, and patient experience partners to refrain from volunteer service effective Sunday (March 15). As the hospital’s main lobby cafe and gift shop are run by volunteers, these two services will be closed until Sunday, April 5th.
Advertisement - content continues below
COVID-19 Assessment Centre
The hospital has also opened a COVID-19 Assessment Centre, located at the hospital (10 Angeline St. N., Lindsay) within the ambulance bay. It is a ‘drive-thru’ centre, with marked entrance from Angeline Street North. The hours of operation are between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
At this time, patients seeking assessment at the centre are not required to make an appointment. However, patients should attend the centre only on the advice of Telehealth or the local health unit. Contact Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000 or the HKPR District Health Unit at 1-866-888-4577 ext. 5020.
Patients must enter by vehicle in the marked entrance from Angeline Street North and follow direction from staff or security to enter “Lane 2” (Lane 1 is reserved for ambulances). An assessment will be completed by clinical staff, with patients remaining in their vehicle. Patients must remain in their vehicle at all times, unless instructed to exit the vehicle by staff.
The COVID-19 Assessment Centre will assess and direct patients on next steps. These directions may include to follow self-monitoring instructions, to go home to await test results under self-isolation, or to be escorted in to the Emergency Department for further assessment.
The new COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg is located in the Ambulatory Care Clinic area of the hospital at 1000 DePalma Drive, immediately inside the main front entrance. The centre is intended for those who are displaying mild symptoms associated with COVID-19 and who have either returned from international travel or who have had contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days. (Photo: Northumberland Hills Hospital)
Northumberland Hills Hospital (NHH) in Cobourg has opened a COVID-19 Assessment Centre effective Saturday (March 14), one day after the local health unit confirmed the first positive case of COVID-19 in the region — a resident of Northumberland County who was seen at the hospital on Wednesday (March 11).
The centre, located in the Ambulatory Care Clinic area of the hospital at 1000 DePalma Drive (immediately inside the main front entrance), will be used exclusively for the purpose of COVID-19 assessments and testing.
The COVID-19 Assessment Centre will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with hours of operation changing as needed.
Advertisement - content continues below
The centre, which will provide assessment and testing for people of all ages, is intended for those who are displaying mild symptoms associated with COVID-19 (a fever and/or a new or worsening cough) and who have either returned from international travel or who have had contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days.
People who are exhibiting severe symptoms associated with COVID-19 should call 911 and alert the dispatcher to the potential concern regarding COVID-19 so that responders can be appropriately prepared. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, severe symptoms requiring emergency intervention include difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, or bluish lips or face.
NHH’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre will screen patients, test them for COVID-19 (if deemed appropriate), and direct patients to proceed as required. These directions may be to go home with no action required at this time, to go home on self-isolation to await a test result, or to proceed to the NHH Emergency Department for further assessment by the department’s health care team.
Walk-ins at the centre are permitted, or people may also call the centre in advance at 905-377-7783 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. if they are not sure whether they should be assessed at the centre.
On Friday (March 13), the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) District Health Unit confirmed the first positive case of COVID-19 in the region.
The affected individual is a woman in her 60s who is a resident of Northumberland County.
The woman was seen at the Northumberland Hills Hospital (NHH) on Wednesday (March 11) after presenting with symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection and travel to Spain and Portugal.
Advertisement - content continues below
The woman had travelled on Air Transat flight 337 from Lisbon, Portugal to Toronto on Friday, March 6th
The patient was discharged home and remains in self-isolation with follow up from the HKPR District Health Unit.
Health Unit nurses have been in contact with the woman and are working with her to identify anyone she may have been in contact with while ill as well as any passengers on that flight who were seated near the woman.
If anyone who travelled on Air Transat 337 on that date develops symptoms, they are asked to call their local public health unit.
“We have been working very closely with our hospitals and health care providers in anticipation of a local case and pre-emptive measures were in place for this type of situation,” says Dr. Lynn Noseworthy, medical officer of health for HKPR District Health Unit. “Staff at NHH had the appropriate measures in place to isolate this woman when she came into the emergency department and there was no risk to anyone else at the hospital at that time.”
Advertisement - content continues below
With a local case, Dr. Noseworthy says it’s important for people to remember the following to help stop the spread of illness:
Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose as much as possible
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands
If you don’t have a tissue, sneeze or cough into your sleeve or arm
Stay home if you or a family member are ill
If you are ill and must visit a healthcare provider, clinic, or hospital emergency department, call ahead or tell them right away when you arrive that you have a respiratory illness and wear a mask while waiting to be seen
Avoid visiting people in hospitals or long-term care homes if you are sick.
If residents have travelled outside of Canada, they are asked to monitor their health for flu-like symptoms (cough, fever, difficulty breathing) for 14 days. If they have returned from China, Iran or Italy, they are asked to self-isolate for 14 days.
If you have travelled and develop symptoms, call your local health unit or contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000.
If symptoms are severe, call 911 and alert the dispatcher to the potential concern regarding COVID-19 so they can be appropriately prepared.
“NHH anticipates that the need for screening will continue to rise,” said Northumberland Hills Hospital president and CEO Linda Davis “As such, NHH will be opening a new COVID-19 Assessment Centre. We are working toward the opening of this Centre within the next 24 hours and will share further details with our community via local media and our website as this work proceeds.”
“Patients will notice additional active screening enhancements at our entry ways as well as visitor restrictions and we thank everyone in advance for their cooperation and patience as our team works to meet the needs of this rapidly evolving situation.”
The 15 members of the cast, all Trent University students, during a dress rehearsal of the musical song cycle "The Theory of Relativity", which runs for six performances from March 13 to March 26, 2020 at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough. Musical director Justin Hiscox and his band, made up of Sam Quinn, Nick Gilroy, and Mark Hiscox, are pictured in the background. (Photo: Alyssa Cymbalista)
COVID-19 UPDATE – Market Hall Performing Arts Centre will be closed until Monday, March 30th in compliance with Ontario’s chief medical officer suggesting the immediate suspension of all gatherings over 250 people because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This means there will be no performances of The Theory of Relativity after the opening night show on Friday, March 13th.
Starting on Friday, March 13th, the Anne Shirley Theatre Company (ASTC) returns to Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough with Neil Bartram and Brian Hill’s song cycle The Theory of Relativity.
Ann Shirley Theatre Company presents The Theory of Relativity
When: Friday, March 13 at 8 p.m., Saturday, March 14 at 2 & 8 p.m., Friday, March 20 at 8 p.m., Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 2 & 8 p.m. Where: Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St. E., Peterborough) How much: $20 general admission ($15 for students, seniors, and children), all fees included.
Music and lyrics by Neil Bartram, book by Brian Hill. Music direction by Justin Hiscox, artistic and vocal direction by Brandon Remmelgas, and choreography by Liz Moody. Featuring Kathryn Marsh, Carly Evans, Dheepthi Gnaneswaran, Edward Sweeny, Elias Trivett, Daze Francis, Jenna Milner, Blair Waller, Mackenzie Phillips, Drew Mills, Joseph Roper, Kalene Lupton, Josiah Sharpe, Aurora Baker, Amy Graves, and more. Presented through special arrangement with MTI. Tickets available in person at the Market Hall box office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org. Tickets can also be purchased from the Trent Central Student Association (TCSA) office.
Directed by Brandon Remmelgas and featuring 15 students from Trent University, The Theory of Relativity is not a traditional linear musical, but instead a song cycle that celebrates relationships and all the ways we connect with the people that make up our world.
The Theory of Relativity found its origins at Sheridan College in Toronto when the institution commissioned Neil Bartram and Brian Hill, who had previous Broadway success with The Story of My Life, to write a musical especially for college-aged students.
The team interviewed a cross-section of students to see what it is they think about and, instead of politics and social issues, the writers discovered the common factor students spoke about was their relationships — family, friends, romantic partners, and even pets.
Collecting these stories together, Bartram and Hill wrote a collective of songs that embody the loves, fears, anxieties, and joys of these varied relationships and crafted them into The Theory of Relativity, which saw its first staged performance at Sheridan College in 2012.
Advertisement - content continues below
The Theory of Relativity is not a musical with a traditional plot, but is instead a cycle of songs in which each musical number tells its own separate story, with only the loosest ties pulling the performers all together. The premise is that 15 college students are writing a physics exam whose first question is: “If person A’s position is seven miles from person B, and person A is walking at a speed of four miles an hour, and person B is walking a speed of five miles an hour, at a 45 degree angle to the path of person A, how long until those people meet?”
The question launches the performers into their own individual vignettes where each of them share their story about a person or an event that has made an impact in their life. The themes range drastically, from heartfelt to funny, but all celebrate the human experience and the powerful way personal connections impact our lives.
In The Theory of Relativity, Brandon and his company have created something very special. Building off of last year’s stellar production of Cabaret, ASTC picked something refreshingly different from their traditional musicals. It’s a show that packs a powerful emotional punch, but manages to stay light, joyful, and extremely relatable.
Each of the musical numbers brings its own drama to the stage, with only a small handful of songs looping around to relate to one another. The result is a number of different mini-dramas, each engaging in its own unique way, with all the cast members contributing to make The Theory of Relativity a showcase of collective talent, rather than a show divided by stars and supporting characters.
In “The Theory of Relativity”, 15 college students are writing a physics exam when a question launches them into each performing a vignette about a person or an event that has made an impact in their life. The musical song cycle runs for six performances from March 13 to March 26, 2020 at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Alyssa Cymbalista)
Some of the performance highlights include:
Kathryn Marsh and Carly Evans who, in the song “The End of the Line”, tell the story of Jenny and Sarah who were supposed to be “friends to the end” but found the balance of their friendship flipped around in college;
Dheepthi Gnaneswaran and Edward Sweeney as two people from radically different backgrounds who discover similar family pressures in “Great Expectations”;
Elias Trivett and Daze Francis who find an honest and perfect love with “Apples and Oranges”;
Jenna Milner who, in a recurring spoken word piece titled “Cake”, plays a germaphobe terrified to eat a cake her boyfriend made for her;
Blair Waller as a nervous physics major trying to figure out the theorem of romance in “Pi”;
Mackenzie Phillips who sings about an abusive relationship in the sultry torch number “Ricky and Me”; and,
and Drew Mills as a boy who confesses about his difficult relationship with feline friends in “I’m Allergic to Cats”.
While the majority of the songs are light-hearted, there are a few beautiful show-stopping numbers that turn your insides out with emotion.
Joseph Roper performs a heartfelt number called “Footprints”, about visits home and the sudden changes that happen in the background of your existence while you are too busy living your life somewhere else to notice, and Kalene Lupton in a song about one girl’s hard upbringing and the beautiful relationship with her mother.
These two moments are among the most sensitive moments of the show that makes it radiate with emotion.
Advertisement - content continues below
What makes The Theory of Relativity a winner is the fact that everyone can relate to something in this show.
My school days are decades behind me, but I found myself connecting to songs, characters, and themes continuously through the play, most strongly with one man’s emotional insecurity in “You Will Never Know” sung by Josiah Sharpe and, for better or for worse, Aurora Baker’s number “Julie’s Song” (I unashamedly related to Julie’s joy).
I want to give a special shout out to Amy Graves for her end-of-show monologue “Manicure”, in which she was funny, captivating, and heartwarming while cleverly tying all the loose threads together. It was a wonderful coda to the show.
Amy Graves delivering her end-of-show monologue “Manicure” during a dress rehearsal of the musical song cycle “The Theory of Relativity”, which runs for six performances from March 13 to March 26, 2020 at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Alyssa Cymbalista)
Further praise go to musical director Justin Hiscox and his band made up of Sam Quinn, Nick Gilroy, and Mark Hiscox, who keep the music flowing through this 90-minute one-act presentation. The musical direction is phenomenal, as seen within the chorus numbers. In all honesty, I had goosebumps before the end of the opening number — they honestly already had me before the show had barely begun.
The most remarkable thing about The Theory of Relativity is the way it made me feel after seeing it. It’s a show that made me think about all the people in my life, and it filled me with love for those who have made an impact in my life. It made me call my mother, hug my cats, and text friends long into the night. It had me reaching out to people just to let them know I love them. It made me thankful for the people that make up my world. It’s a show that just made me feel.
Brandon Remmelgas and the members of ASTC have created something to be proud of. I only knew a few members of the cast from previous shows, and seeing a lot of new faces and hearing new voices is always exciting to see. Brandon informed me that many of the members of the cast are first-year Trent students. If this is the new talent that is coming into this group, then the next four years of ASTC should be extremely good.
Advertisement - content continues below
I’d also like to see Brandon direct more. I’ve seen him on stage many times, but this is the first time I’ve seen him at the helm of a show. He is very good director, able to collect a large cast of players and motivate them to bring beauty and sensitivity to the stage. I’d love to see what he can do next.
The Theory of Relativity is the type of musical that I love: small under-the-radar musicals with a continuous musical score. It’s refreshingly optimistic and non-political and, with the tensions going on in our world, perhaps just the kind of show we need to calm our anxieties.
The Theory of Relativity runs for six performances on Friday, March 13th and Saturday, March 14th and Friday, March 20th and Saturday, March 21st. Shows start at 8 p.m., with additional 2 p.m. Saturday matinees.
The cast of “The Theory of Relativity”, including Edward Sweeney (foreground), during a dress rehearsal of the musical song cycle “The Theory of Relativity”, which runs for six performances from March 13 to March 26, 2020 at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Alyssa Cymbalista)
General admission tickets are $20 ($15 for students, seniors, and children), all fees included, and available in person at the box office at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St., Peterborough), by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org. Tickets can also be purchased from the Trent Central Student Association (TCSA) office.
Peterborough City Hall is located at 500 George Street in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW)
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Peterborough has announced it is suspending operations of several municipal programs and facilities for three weeks, as well as postponing non-essential public meetings.
City-operated facilities including the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre, the Peterborough Museum and Archives, the Peterborough Public Library, the Art Gallery of Peterborough, and community arenas will be closed during this period.
All events and programs in these facilities, including March Break camps, will be affected by this closure.
In addition, the Riverview Park and Zoo will be closed to the public as of Saturday, March 14th until further notice. All park and zoo education programs and events, as well as the use of all park and zoo facilities are suspended until further notice.
Advertisement - content continues below
With the closure of all Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board schools, the city-operated child care services at those facilities will also be closed for the three-week period. The closure affects the before-and-after-school programs at Edmison Heights Public School and Westmount Public School as well as the full-day program at Pearson/PCVS.
Peterborough Day Care Centre remains open at this time, based on the advice of health officials.
“The health and safety of residents is the top priority,” Mayor Diane Therrien says. “While we haven’t had a local case of COVID-19 yet, this action is necessary as a preventative measure to protect the health and safety of our community. I know it is an inconvenience but it’s the smart thing to do.”
The city has implemented enhanced cleaning for services that are continuing with normal operations, such as Peterborough Transit, and city facilities that are remaining open.
As a way to prevent the spread of illness, the city is encourageing the use of online and telephone services, when possible, and asks residents to follow the social-distancing recommendations of public health officials.
For residents visiting municipal facilities that will remain open during this period, there will be social-distancing measures implemented (based on the specifics of each facility) to try to reduce the spread of illness.
People are encouraged to follow the recommendations of Peterborough Public Health on interacting with other people and practising safe hand-washing and hygiene.
The city is also restricting non-essential work-related travel of city employees and taking other internal measures with its workforce as part of its COVID-19 response actions.
The city is continuing to communicate with public health officials to monitor and assess the evolving situation related to COVID-19. Actions related COVID-19 may change as the situation evolves.
kawarthaNOW.com offers two enews options to help readers stay in the know. Our VIP enews is delivered weekly every Wednesday morning and includes exclusive giveaways, and our news digest is delivered daily every morning. You can subscribe to one or both.
Submit your event for FREE!
Use our event submission form to post your event on our website — for free.
To submit editorial content or ideas, please contact us.
