Peterborough musician Jan Schoute, seen here performing during "Live & Local Lunches" in downtown Peterborough, has passed away suddenly at the age of 54. (Photo: Peterborough DBIA)
Family, friends, fans and fellow musicians have been posting messages of both grief and love on social media following news yesterday (November 6) of the sudden passing of Peterborough musician Jan Schoute at the age of 54.
Schoute was a well-known and beloved performer who was the lead guitarist for local band Jericho’s Wall, which played every Saturday night at the Historic Red Dog Tavern in downtown Peterborough for 15 years. He also performed in The Tony Silvestri Band among many others.
Schoute’s body was discovered after he failed to show up for a rehearsal for the upcoming fundraising concert for musician Rick Young, who is undergoing treatment for cancer. The cause of death will be determined by autopsy, but a heart attack is suspected. The musician’s final Facebook post was made on the evening of Friday, November 3rd and reads “friends … what a fun night at McThirstys last night! let’s do that again.”
Jan Schoute’s final post on his Facebook page from Friday, November 3.
After learning of his death, Schoute’s family, friends, and fellow musicians have been posting comments on social media to remember and honour him.
“Words can’t describe how much we’ll miss you,” writes Gailie Young. “Thank you for everything Jano.”
“One of the dearest friends I’ve known and one of the greatest singers I’ve known,” writes Ryan Weber of The Weber Brothers, who also posted the video below. “His influence on me is immense and is surpassed in my heart only by his love and my love for him.”
VIDEO: “Mull Of Kintyre” performed by Getting Better with Jan Schoute
“Catch you on the flip side Bro…And Thank You for the musical memories over the years… Miss you Jano,” writes Jerome Levon Avis.
“Very sad news today. RIP my good friend Jan Schoute,” writes Andrew Shedden.
“I have just lost one of my dearest friends and longtime bandmate of 20 + years,” writes Terry Guiel. “I love you Jan Schoute and will miss you greatly.”
Jan Shoute (second from left) with members of Jericho’s Wall (Brent Bailey, J Bruce Francis, Terry Guiel, and Derek McKendrick)
“RIP Jan Schoute. I’m completely shocked,” writes Shaune Walt.
“Probably the most amazing human I have ever had the pleasure to play with ever has died and this hurts,” writes Craig McEachern. “I hope he knows how important he is to many. Jan Schoute…man you are amazing Dude.”
“Rest easy Jan Schoute. It was great finally having a brother — if only for a few years,” writes Wray Ellis, who also wrote a song (below) as a tribute to his friend.
VIDEO: “Be Free” by Wray Ellis (a tribute to Jan Schoute)
“RIP Jan Schoute,” writes Sue Tyler. “To all my friends in Peterborough know I am thinking of you and sending my love.”
“I am heartbroken,” writes Kate Suhr. “Love you to the moon and beyond Jan Schoute.”
A celebration of Jan’s life of Jan Schoute was held last night (November 6) at The Black Horse Pub (452 George St. N., Peterborough).
“Back from the impromptu wake for Jan Schoute … feeling mortal and blown away by the passion (and quality) brought to the music that spontaneously erupted at the Crash and Burn at the Black Horse tonight,” writes JP Hovercraft. “Jan would have loved it so much. Someone said, ‘That’s the way musicians heal.’, and I think they’re right. No Dixiland music, but the feel was New Orleans funeral 100%. Just make damn sure I get one this good! ‘Laughing just to keep from crying …'”
A post shared by Marlon Hazlewood Photographer (@hazlewoodimages) on
Another celebration of the life of Jan Schoute will take place at the Red Dog Tavern (189 Hunter St. W., Peterborough) on Sunday, November 12th beginning at 7 p.m. The event will include a musical celebration, open mic format, with one song per performer. People are asked to bring printed photos of Schoute that will be on display during the event and then will be given to his family.
Admission will be a $10 donation at the door, with proceeds going to the Schoute family (he left behind two children). More information is available on Facebook.
Schoute’s funeral will be held on Tuesday, November 14th at 1 p.m. at Living Hope Church (1 Consumers Place, Peterborough, 705-740-9293). The public is invited to attend the funeral.
There will also be a visitation taking place on Monday, November 13th from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. at Comstock-Kaye Life Celebration Centre (356 Rubidge St., Peterborough, 705-745-4683).
CAST Canada is hosting a series of sessions called "The Cost of Caring" designed to respond to issues of caregiver burnout while talking directly to the role of loss, grief, communication and other factors that can overwhelm caregivers. Becca Partington, who is a family caregiver herself, will be facilitating the sessions along with Tom Regehr of CAST Canada. Becca is also a class leader for the Powerful Tools for Caregivers program, which was borne out of the need to support caregivers with the knowledge that physical well-being takes a backseat and the long-term health effects of stress can be deadly. (Photo courtesy of Becca Partington)
Crystal Hill recently shared a story about the impact of grief and loss in the life of a professional caregiver.
She recalled hiding in a closet in the Toronto long-term care home where she worked, overwhelmed by the stress and losses she was exposed to on the job.
When a series of deaths overtook the home she worked in, she became inundated with emotion and she struggled to get by. Compelled to hide her tears and hide from her colleagues and residents, Crystal felt alone and was resigned to internalize the complex challenges she faced that day on her own.
CAST Canada presents The Cost of Caring: Identifying Burntout Before You Burn Out!
When: Wednesday, November 22, 2017 from 2 – 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, November 23, 2017 from 2 – 4:30 p.m.; Monday, November 27, 2017 from 2 – 4:30 p.m. Where: Lions Community Centre, Peterborough; The Clock Tower, Campbellford; Columbus Community Centre, Cobourg How much: $20 in advance, $25 at the door
Crystal’s story, unfortunately, is not unique. Personal Support Workers (PSWs) and their fellow caregivers, both in long-term care and home-care settings, often develop intense connections and relationships with those they support. Death, grief and loss are a fact of life for these people, and the emotional toll and strain this level of effort takes can be astronomical, affecting every aspect of a person’s life and well-being.
Crystal was in her role as a paid employment position but for many, their task is to keep a loved one home due to lengthy long-term care waiting lists, limited funding for extra resources, and family obligations. According to Statistics Canada, an estimated 3.3 million Ontarians — or 29 per cent of the provincial population — are family caregivers. Given the sheer demographic shift happening across the country with its aging population, the number of family, home-based caregivers is sure to increase.
At what point in these caregiving roles does emotional overwhelm take over? When there is a death in the long-term care facility? When sleep is becoming hard to come by for the caregiver or when their frustrations are taken out on loved ones?
Many caregivers in both home and long-term care settings lack effective coping strategies and are under-supported in their daily well-being. They are stressed, and they either lack the time or the finances (or both) to invest in themselves as they manage their daily roles.
The stressors for those working in the long-term care field compound, and stress leaves and high absenteeism are commonplace — burdening an already burdened sector.
CAST Canada (a local organization which discusses the role of trauma, loss and unresolved grief in mental health, addictions and other concerns across the country) has recently focused its conversations on the emotional well-being of caregivers.
To this end, the organization is hosting a series of afternoon sessions across Peterborough and Northumberland counties throughout November and into December called “The Cost of Caring”. The sessions are designed to respond to some of the issues outlined above, while talking directly to the role of loss, grief, communication and other factors that can overwhelm caregivers.
For more information about The Cost of Caring and education focused directly to support caregivers, PSWs, nurses and home care supports, please go to www.cast-canada.ca or email becca@cast-canada.ca.
The Jim Cuddy Band is one of several shows being presented in 2017/2018 by Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. Cuddy and his band will be performing on March 19, 2018. (Publicity photo)
Showplace Performance Centre has announced Blue Rodeo singer-songwriter Jim Cuddy will be performing with his band at the venue in downtown Peterborough in March 2018 in support of his upcoming record Constellation.
The just-announced concert is one of several “Showplace Presents” shows coming up in 2017/18, along with previously announced shows including comedian Lorne Elliott, chanteuse Patricia O’Callaghan, Celtic musical family Next Generation Leahy, world music guitarist Pavlo, and three Classic Album Live concerts for Rush, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Led Zeppelin. There’s also an evening of discussion featuring TVO’s Steve Paikin and the annual Cozy Christmas concert and fundraiser.
For most of these “Showplace Presents” shows, proceeds from ticket sales will go to support the operation of the non-profit charitable organization. So, if you want to support Showplace, make sure you buy tickets to one or more of these upcoming shows.
You can purchase advance tickets in person at the box office (290 George St. N.) or by phone (705-742-7469 or toll free at 1-866-444-2154) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, or anytime online at showplace.org.
An Evening With Steve Paikin – Tuesday, November 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Steve Paikin, host of TVO’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin, will be in Peterborough to speak about his biography of former Ontario premier Bill Davis. (Photo: TVO)
Steve Paikin, best known as the host of TVO’s flagship current affairs program The Agenda with Steve Paikin, is one of the most celebrated observers of political life in Ontario.
He has also authored seven non-fiction books, including Paikin and the Premiers: Personal Reflections on a Half Century of Ontario Leaders and his latest book, an authorized biography of former Ontario premier Bill Davis entitled Bill Davis: Nation Builder, And Not So Bland After All.
Davis, Ontario’s 18th premier, is remembered as the father of the college system, the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), and TVO as well as being a key player in the repatriation of the Canadian Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Steve will be coming to Peterborough to shares stories behind the creation of his best-selling book on Davis in a discussion with local writer David Goyette in the intimate Nexicom Studio. Tickets are $35.
VIDEO: Nam Kiwanuka interviews Steve Paikin about Bill Davis
Lorne Elliott – Friday, November 24 at 8 p.m.
Comedian Lorne Elliott. (Publicity photo)
Comedian, musician, author and award-winning playwright Lorne Elliott has performed from Newfoundland to New York City, Los Angeles to Australia and many points in between.
Lorne started performing in 1974 as a folk musician on the East Coast. During this time, he continued to write fiction, songs, monologues and side-splitting one-liners.
Lorne will be performing his original, captivating, and hilarious take on contemporary trends and politics in the Nexicom Studio. Tickets are $30.
VIDEO: “The Night We Got Grannie Plastered” – Lorne Elliott
Patricia O’Callaghan – Thursday, December 14 at 8 p.m.
Singer Patricia O’Callaghan. (Publicity photo)
Classically trained soprano Patricia O’Callaghan has been performing for more than 15 years and has recorded six solo albums, including her most recent, a Christmas record called Deepest December.
A speaker of French, Spanish, and German, her early recordings focused on European cabaret, and she has performed with Soulpepper Theatre Company, Edmonton Opera, and Vancouver Opera, to name a few. She has sung with some of the world’s great ensembles and artists (Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Don Byron Quartet, Bryn Terfel), and has performed in venues that range from London’s Royal Opera House to New York’s Noho cabaret Le Poisson Rouge.
One of Patricia’s most unique talents is the ability blend a variety of languages and musical genres seamlessly together in her concerts, completely embodying whatever style she is singing at any given moment.
Patricia will be performing in the Nexicom Studio with her band (Lori Gemmell on harp and the keen and Kevin Fox on cello and guitar). Tickets are $35.
VIDEO: “Carol of the Bells” – Patricia O’Callaghan
Classic Albums Live: Rush 2112 – Saturday, December 16 at 8 p.m.
Classic Albums Live will perform Rush’s 1976 album “2112” in its entirety.
Classic Albums Live — performing classic rock albums note for note, and cut for cut — performs 2112, the 1976 album by the iconic Canadian progressive rock band Rush.
Its centre piece is a 20-minute title track, a futuristic science-fiction song in seven parts, with five individual tracks on side two. 2112 remains the band’s second highest selling album with over 3 million copies sold in the U.S. It is listed in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, and ranked second on Rolling Stone’s reader’s poll.
Tickets are $38. You can save 10 per cent if you purchase tickets for all three Classic Albums Live concerts (Rush 2112 on Decmeber 16th, Creedence Clearwater Revival Chronicls on March 2nd, and Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy on April 7th).
VIDEO: Classic Albums Live prepares for Rush’s 2112
A Cozy Christmas – Sunday, December 17 at 2 p.m.
A Cozy Christmas raises funds for teachers at a school in a small village in Liberia, West Africa.
For the 14th year, the Foley family and friends bring “A Cozy Christmas” back to Showplace.
The annual Christmas show and silent auction features storyteller Hugh Foley with performances by Bridget Foley and the Gospel Girls, Colleen Anthony (Foley), Theresa Foley, 4 Front, The Stage Café Band, Lizzeh Basciano, Matt and Kryn Vandermey, and more.
Sponsored by Showplace and Humanwave.com, this event is a fundraiser to pay for one month’s wages for teachers at a school in a small village in Liberia, West Africa.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students.
VIDEO: Cozy Christmas 2010
Next Generation Leahy – Thursday, December 21 at 7 p.m. and Friday, December 22 at 2 p.m.
Due to popular demand, a second matinee show was recently added for the multi-talented Next Generation Leahy family. (Publicity photo)
Most people have heard of Leahy, Lakefield’s famous Irish musical family who have been recording and touring since the 1980s (they rebranded as Leahy in the late 1990s and won two Junos, for Best New Group and Best Instrumental Artist, in 1998).
Next Generation Leahy is, as the name implies, the next generation of the musical family. Doug Leahy, together with his wife Jennifer and six of their eight children, are keeping the family’s musical traditions alive through music, song, and dance.
In a Next Generation Leahy show, fiddle, cello, french accordion, piano, singing and (of course) French-Canadian step-dancing all find a place on stage. With their parents leading the action on stage, the children (all under the age of 16) bring to life the high-energy and infectious Celtic music people associate with the Leahy heritage.
The Leahy children are all accomplished multi-instrumentalists with a level of musical mastery rarely seen in a group so young, and they have the remarkable ability to enamour audiences of all ages — making this the perfect show for the entire family.
Tickets are $50.50 for adults, $46.50 for seniors, and $26.75 for students.
VIDEO: Next Generation Leahy at the 2016 Mariposa Folk Festival
Pavlo – Thursday, March 1 at 8 p.m.
Guitarist Pavlo. (Publicity photo)
Born in Toronto to Greek parents, Pavlo Simtikidis (Pavlo) is a guitarist who performs what he calls “Mediterranean music” — a blend of Greek, flamenco, Latin, and Balkan music fused with contemporary pop.
Over his 20-year career, Pavlo has released 11 albums of his own music along with two collaborations, including 2015’s Guitarradas with Remigio Pereira and 2009’s Trifecta with fellow guitar virtuosos Rik Emmett and Oscar Lopez.
Along with selling more than 500,000 records, Pavlo has performed around the world, including for royalty (Prince Charles), and he has worked and toured with artists such as José Feliciano, Jon Secada, Olivia Newton-John, and The Tenors.
Tickets are $45.
VIDEO: Suenos Del Mar – Pavlo & Remigio
Classic Albums Live: Creedence Clearwater Revival Chronicle – Friday, March 2 at 8 p.m.
Classic Albums Live will perform Creedence Clearwater Revival’s 1976 greatest hits album in its entirety.
Classic Albums Live — performing classic rock albums note for note, and cut for cut — performs Chronicle Vol. 1, the 1976 greatest hits album by Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR).
CCR (John Fogerty, Tom Fogerty, Stu Cook, and Doug Clifford) played their unique style of roots rock, swamp rock, and blues rock in the late 1960s and early 1970s until the band broke up in 1972. Their music remains a staple of radio airplay and the band has sold 26 million albums in the United States alone.
Also known as Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits, Chronicle Vol. 1 includes some of CCR’s biggest hits, including “Susie Q”, “Proud Mary”, “Bad Moon Rising”, “Fortunate Son”, “Have You Ever Seen the Rain”, “Green River”, “Down on the Corner”, and many more.
Tickets are $38. You can save 10 per cent if you purchase tickets for all three Classic Albums Live concerts (Rush 2112 on Decmeber 16th, Creedence Clearwater Revival Chronicls on March 2nd, and Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy on April 7th).
VIDEO: “Long As I Can See The Light” – Classic Albums Live
The Jim Cuddy Band – Monday, March 19 at 8 p.m.
Jim Cuddy is best known as the singer-songwriter with Blue Rodeo. (Publicity photo)
Best known as a member of Blue Rodeo, singer-songwriter Jim Cuddy has also had a successful solo career with three albums, 1998’s All in Time, 2006’s The Light That Guides You Home, and 2011’s Skyscraper Soul.
Cuddy will release his fourth solo album, Constellation, on January 26, 2018 and — in support of the new record — the Jim Cuddy Band is embarking on a 30-date cross-Canada tour in February 2018.
Showplace in Peterborough is one of the stops on the tour and, as a special bonus, tickets for participating dates on the tour will include a copy of Constellation.
Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, November 10th at 10 a.m.
VIDEO: “Everyone Watched The Wedding” – Jim Cuddy Band
Classic Albums Live: Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy – Saturday, April 7 at 8 p.m.
Classic Albums Live will perform Led Zeppelin’s 1975 album “Houses of the Holy” in its entirety.
Classic Albums Live — performing classic rock albums note for note, and cut for cut — performs Houses of the Holy, the fifth studio album by the English rockers Led Zeppelin.
Containing some of the band’s most famous songs, including “The Song Remains the Same”, “The Rain Song”, and “No Quarter”, 1973’s Houses of the Holy became a commercial success. In 2012, the album was ranked #148 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Tickets are $38. You can save 10 per cent if you purchase tickets for all three Classic Albums Live concerts (Rush 2112 on Decmeber 16th, Creedence Clearwater Revival Chronicls on March 2nd, and Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy on April 7th).
VIDEO: Classic Albums Live performs Houses of the Holy
Other upcoming events at Showplace
In addition to the “Showplace Presents” shows, there are a lot more theatrical and musical events happening in 2017/18 at Showplace, including:
Mary Poppins by St. James Players (November 10 to 18)
The Last Waltz – A Musical Celebration Of The Band (November 25)
Oh What A Night Christmas! (November 28)
Another Buble Christmas with Michael Bell in the Nexicom Studio (November 30)
Christmas With The King Elvis Tribute Concert with Matt Cage (Decemeber 2)
The Jungle Book by Arbor Theatre (December 7 and 8)
Hollywood For The Holidays with the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra (December 9)
Serena Ryder (December 15)
Jeremy Hotz (January 10)
Dirty Dishes in the Nexicom Studio (January 25)
Paris Bustle & Blues with the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra (February 3)
Gord Bamford (February 6)
Alan Doyle (February 10)
The Musicals Of Andrew Lloyd Webber (February 23)
Letterkenny Live! (March 12)
Motown Soul (March 27)
For an up-to-date list of all the shows coming to Showplace and to purchase tickets, visit www.showplace.org/coming-soon/.
Gourmet pizza purveyor The Night Kitchen has reopened in its new location at 168 Hunter Street in downtown Peterborough. The interior is decorated with lights made by owner Tim Weatherup from mixer attachments. (Photo: Eva Fisher / kawarthaNOW.com)
The Night Kitchen reopens at new Peterborough location
The Night Kitchen recently reopened in its new location at 168 Hunter Street in downtown Peterborough.
Owners Yannick Thiriar and Tim Weatherup said it was just time for a move. The new location gives them more room and an expanded menu, but you’ll still find that specialty pizza shop offering walk ins, take out, and delivery as well as catering with their portable wood-fired pizza oven.
The Sunset Grill, known for its all-day breakfast, now has a location in Peterborough. (Photo: Sunset Grill Peterborough)
The Sunset Grill recently opened for business at 1005 Lansdowne Street in Peterborough.
Owners Derek and Jennifer are one of over 70 franchise locations in Ontario and Alberta of the restaurant chain started by Angelo Christo in The Beaches in 1985. The Sunset Grill serves breakfast and lunch and the menu features an all-day breakfast (including French toast, pancakes and waffles), sandwiches, burgers, salads, a kids’ menu, and more.
For more information, call 705-749-0222, visit sunsetgrill.ca or visit them on Facebook.
Benefit for local musician Rick Young
A fundraising concert for Rick Young takes place on November 19 at The Venue in downtown Peterborough.
There are not many people who haven’t seen Rick and Gailie perform at some point. The couple has had to take a hiatus from performing as Rick Young fights cancer.
The couple, who have performed at dozens of benefits for fellow musicians over the years, are now the recipients of such a benefit concert on Sunday, November 19th. Everyone from Jackson Delta to Bobby Watson to Al Black and the Steady Band and many others will perform at The Venue in downtown Peterborough from 1 – 10 p.m.
Tickets are $25, available at Moondance and The Venue and online and, if you are a business, it’s a good opportunity to hang a poster or contribute to the raffle table.
To help out, call Phil Connor at 705-768-4084. For more information about the concert, visit Facebook.
Talk on role of business in reconciliation
David Newhouse, director of the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies at Trent University, will be speaking on the role of business in reconciliation. (Photo: Trent University)
There are two interesting opportunities for local business people to find out more about the history of local indigenous peoples and the details of treaties as they relate to this area.
This Thursday (November 9), a panel discussion called “Understanding our Local Treaties” will be held at the Gathering Space at Gzowski College from 7 to 9 p.m.
And on Friday night (November 10), Professor David Newhouse, Chair of Trent University’s Indigenous Studies department and Associate Professor of the Trent School of Business, will be speaking on “Does Business have a Role in Reconciliation?” The talk is from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Unitarian Fellowship of Peterborough (775 Weller St., Peterborough).
The Village of Lakefield had a strong presence among the winners of the 18th annual Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Awards of Excellence, including Citizen of the Year Jennie MacKenzie (front row centre), Lifetime Achievement Award winners Aileen and Mike Dean (front row, second and third from right), Young Professional of the Year Erin McLean (back row, third from left), whose family business also won the Tourism or Hospitality Excellence award, and Vikki Griffin of Griffin's Greenhouses (back row, third from right), whose family business won the Outstanding Business Achievement award. (Photo: Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism)
The Village of Lakefield in Selwyn Township dominated the 18th annual Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Awards of Excellence, held on Friday evening (November 3) at Elmhirst’s Resort in Keene.
Jennie MacKenzie, owner and operator of the Lakefield Pantry, is the Kawartha Chamber’s 2017 Citizen of the Year. (Photo: Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism)
Jennie MacKenzie, owner and operator of the Lakefield Pantry, was named as Citizen of the Year.
MacKenzie was recognized for her long-standing commitment to the area, both as a business person and community initiator. For 28 years, Lakefield Pantry has supported the concept of “buying local” and the store today carries products from 28 local suppliers.
MacKenzie was part of the group that organized in 1997 to buy the Imagine the Marsh property to prevent its development, and the annual Polar Paddle was her brainchild.
She has co-organized or assisted with many other initiatives including Ladies’ Night Out, Lakefield 5K Run & Walk, Family Paddle Day, Lakefield Farmers’ Market, Lakefield Canada Day festivities, and the PolarFest ice carving competition.
Lakefield residents Mike and Aileen Dean, who have been called “Mr. and Mrs. Lakefield”, received a special Lifetime Achievement Award.
Aileen and Mike Dean were awarded a special Lifetime Achievement Award. (Photo: Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism)
For over two decades they operated a successful marina business on Stoney and Clear Lakes, where Mike initiated and organized the first fire service for island cottages on Stoney, until municipal services became available. Early in his career Mike owned a construction business. Both have been successful real estate agents for decades, most recently with RE/MAX Eastern Realty.
Aileen has been involved with the Lakefield and Selwyn Women’s Institutes since the 1970s. Mike was on the Board of Directors for the then Lakefield Chamber of Commerce and he arranged for a bank loan and supervised the building of the first Chamber office. He was one of five people who started teaching the Lakefield community about recycling, building three bin dumpsters at the train station and maintaining them for six years until the municipal recycling program started.
Both Aileen and Mike have been extremely active in the Lakefield Horticultural Society for close to 40 years, and were instrumental in beginning and maintaining the hanging baskets and Village gardens. For 30 years, they secured dealers and organized logistics for the Society’s popular Antique Sale and Flower Show. One day a week, for 12 years, they along with one other volunteers prepared and served breakfast at Ridpath school to about 80 students.
Erin McLean of McLean Berry Farm was named Young Professional of the Year. In addition to hiring, training, managing and scheduling staff, Erin is responsible for all of the farm’s marketing, including leveraging their social media accounts. She has been chair of the Lakefield Farmers’ Market, a board member of the Ontario Farm Fresh Market Association, an executive member with Farmers’ Markets Ontario, a member of the Economic Development & Business Committee for Selwyn Township, and has volunteered at the warming room in Peterborough.
McLean Berry Farm also won the award for Tourism or Hospitality Excellence, and Griffin’s Greenhouses won the Outstanding Business Achievement award.
Other award winners included Camp Kawartha for Customer Service Excellence, Lakeshore Designs for Commercial Development or Renovation, Kawartha Local Marketplace for Entrepreneur Innovation, Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region for Not-For-Profit Excellence, and Cross Wind Farm for Retailer of the Year.
The sold-out evening was emceed by Kawartha Chamber Board President, Cindy Windover of Windover Plumbing, with live auctions held during dinner with Keith Monk as well as a silent auction with many items and services donated by local businesses available for bidding.
For more information about each of the winners, visit kawarthachamber.ca.
Ken "The Pepper Kid" Randall when he played for the Toronto Blueshirts of the National Hockey Association from 1915 to 1917. When Randall was defenseman for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1919, he was fined $10 by the NHL for reportedly calling called referee Steve Vair a "son of a bitch." While he was a "a gentleman and a scholar" off the ice, according to his grandson Shayne Randall, author of "The Pepper Kid", Randall was one of the most penalized, fined, and suspended players becuase of his tough and aggressive play and his use of foul language. (Public domain)
Difficult as it remains to believe for fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs born in the 1960s and since, the franchise achieved frequent championship success over the 50 years prior.
Suspended high above the Air Canada Centre ice surface, neatly aligned banners speak to the club’s 13 Stanley Cup victories while similar tributes pay homage to the Hockey Hall of Fame-inducted players who are forever linked with the team’s glory years.
As a lifelong Maple Leafs supporter, Shayne Randall is well aware of the likes of Syl Apps, King Clancy, Johnny Bower and Dave Keon and their respective contributions to the Maple Leafs’ historic past. That said, the Peterborough resident is sharing the unheralded story of “an amazing pioneer” who captained the Toronto Arenas to a Stanley Cup title in 1918 — the first for the Maple Leafs franchise.
“Off the ice, he was a gentleman and a scholar … great to his kids,” says Shayne of his grandfather Ken Randall.
“But there was a Jekyll and Hyde personality. He was mean (on the ice). It’s rumoured he had one regular hockey stick and he had another that he sharpened the end of so sharp that he could shave with. It was a brutal time for hockey.”
The Pepper Kid: The Life and Times of Ken Randall, Hockey’s Bad Hombre relates the story of the life and times of the Kingston-born forward and defenceman who played professionally for two decades, 10 of those years in the National Hockey League (NHL) with four teams — the Toronto Arenas, the Toronto St. Patricks, the Hamilton Tigers, and the New York Americans.
At age 76, Shayne Randall is the the oldest of Ken Randall’s 14 grandchildren. He is the author of “The Pepper Kid: The Life and Times of Ken Randall, Hockey’s Bad Hombre”, which relates the story of the life and times of the Kingston-born forward and defenceman who played professionally for two decades in the early 20th century. (Supplied photo)
The 428-page book, heavily illustrated with historic photos, resulted from Randall’s mission to have his grandfather nominated for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
“I have a cousin who was sort of the historian as far as Ken Randall is concerned,” relates Shayne, who at age 76 is the oldest of Ken Randall’s 14 grandchildren.
“We would talk and felt he had such a good career when you look at some of the others that are in the Hall of Fame. I got more interested in it and about 10 years ago, I thought I’m going to try and see if I can get him in (the Hall of Fame), so I got his statistics and found out more about him.”
“My kids got on me about five years ago. They were all bugging me, ‘When are you going to write this book?’ I got really serious about it three years ago and started digging. I got information from the family: stories about him and some of the incidents he had been involved in over the years, people he had met, and so on.”
The end result, says Randall, is “a historical primer for professional hockey” which features his grandfather at its centre; a tale of how the game evolved from the use of a wooden octagon-shaped puck to professional hockey’s development and subsequent popularity south of the border.
“He was first tagged with that name (The Pepper Kid) during his Maritime days,” Shayne says.
“He had hooked on with one of the Toronto teams and played a couple of games. He wasn’t getting much ice time. The guy who owned the Toronto team was a rascal, Eddie Livingstone. He pushed his partners in the NHA (National Hockey Association) so badly that they started the NHL just to get rid of him.
“The Pepper Kid: The Life and Times of Ken Randall, Hockey’s Bad Hombre” by Peterborough author Shayne Randall is available at Amazon.ca as well as in an ebook format via Kindle, Smashbooks and Kobo.
“Livingstone made a deal with the Cape Breton team that had got into the Maritime Hockey League in 1912. He sent two players down there (Randall being one). He was such a star they nicknamed him The Pepper Kid because that’s when he really started to develop his reputation as a tough man and a bad guy and all the rest.”
“When he got back to Toronto in 1915 or 1916, he hooked up with another great defenceman, Harry Cameron, and they were the keys to two Stanley Cup victories. Cameron was a Bobby Orr-type of defenceman, a free-wheeling rushing defenceman, and Randall was a stay-at-home defenceman. They said they went together like salt and pepper. The salt was Harry Cameron because he could score and the pepper was Ken Randall because he was a tough guy.”
In 1925, Hamilton Tigers players — Randall included — went on strike, demanding more money right before the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“It was a long and bitter struggle,” Shayne relates. “The league suspended them and they didn’t even get to play for the Stanley Cup.
“The NHL expanded the following year and sold an expansion franchise to a guy in New York. They bought all the players contracts and he went from making about $900 a year Canadian to a three-year deal for $5,000 US a year. He went from playing at the Mutual Arena in Toronto in front of 5,000 to the first game in Madison Square Garden that drew 17,900 fans.
“He was a radical. He was one of the early pioneers for hockey players’ rights.”
Shayne hasn’t completely given up his effort to have his grandfather inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, but rates his chance of any success as “less than five per cent.”
With an NHL career total of 121 points (including playoffs) in 224 games, to go along with 533 penalty minutes, Ken Randall’s statistics aren’t the stuff of legend. Still, his grandson maintains the breadth of his experience during the professional game’s early years — “He refereed, he coached, he played” — is enough to merit consideration.
Having begun his hockey journey in 1906 with the Lindsay Midgets, Randall last laced up his skates in 1930-31 with the Ottawa Patricias of the Ontario Professional Hockey League. His name is engraved on the Stanley Cup twice — with the 1917-18 Toronto Arenas and with the 1921-22 Toronto St. Patricks. He died in 1947 at age 58 after a short illness.
“He had so many blows to the head,” Shayne says. “That was really his downfall.”
With this project done, Shayne is working on another book, Bag Dragger: Memoirs of a Looper, which details his experiences as a professional caddy from the mid 1950s into the following decade. Among those he caddied for were Jack Nicklaus and Bob Hope. And he has yet another book on the backburner, titled Yesterday’s Peach Pie “about the rise and fall of a guy who goes from the outhouse to the penthouse and back to the outhouse.”
A sports journalist who wrote for The Peterborough Examiner, Shayne’s previous published writing experiences include 2013’s So You Want To Own A Subway Franchise, described as “a cautionary tale about the QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) industry.”
The Pepper Kid, however, is a benchmark for Randall, speaking to his passion for the Maple Leafs as well as his admiration for his grandfather’s paving the way for the game as we know it today.
“When the Leafs trained here (in Peterborough) in the 1960s, I was the assistant pro at the golf course and I got to meet them all and played golf with most of them,” he says.
“I was a real fan but, in the 1970s and 1980s, I lost interest because the game got rather barbaric. I’m enjoying what I see today. It’s become watchable again.”
Would his grandfather be equally impressed with today’s version of the game he was a huge part of it during its growing pains?
“He wouldn’t believe today’s NHL … they’re so big and fast and skilled.”
The Pepper Kid is available at Amazon.ca as well as in an ebook format via Kindle, Smashbooks, and Kobo. As of this writing, Shanye was negotiating with Chapters in Peterborough for its sale there.
Owen the Griff, the adorably cute Brussels Griffon owned by Lisa Besseling and Marlon Hazlewood of Lakefield, now has more than 36,400 followers on Instagram. His human parents are taking him to New York City in November for PetCon, the first-ever conference for the world's most influential pets on social media. Owen's social calendar is quickly filling up for the weekend, with so many of his fans wanting to meet him. (Photo: Marlon Hazlewood)
Instagram star Owen the Griff is heading to New York City where his humans will attend PetCon, billed as “the first and only event to bring together the world’s most influential pets.”
Owen’s human dad, professional photographer Marlon Hazlewood, is one of the reasons behind Owen’s Instagram popularity. (Photo: Marlon Hazlewood)
More than 30 celebrity pets and influencers who will be in attendance at PetCon, which takes place on November 18 and 19th. You may be wondering why there’s a social media conference for pets, but many pet-related accounts have millions of followers and social media influencing is big business.
Some of the most popular accounts on Instagram collect images of pets from around the world, while others feature specific pets. For instance, @cats_of_instagram has 8.4 million followers, @dogsofinstagram has four million followers, while @tunameltsmyheart (a Chiweenie — a mix of Chihuahua and Dachshund) has 1.9 million followers.
With 36,400 followers, @owenthegriff isn’t yet in the millions, but Owen’s growing online popularity is undeniable and he is much beloved by his fans.
The 10-year-old five-pound Brussels Griffon (a breed of toy dog named for its city of origin in Belgium) is the shop dog at Stony Lake Furniture Co., located in Lakefield, Ontario, near Stony Lake. Even before Owen became an Instagram celebrity, he was already stealing the hearts of family and friends and visitors to the store.
Lisa is the owner and designer at Stony Lake Furniture Co. and her husband Marlon is a photographer — and one half of the creative genius behind Owen’s great photo shoots, part of the reason behind Owen’s popularity on Instagram.
“I wanted a place to post Owen’s photos and not be filling my own social accounts with all of Owen’s photos,” says Lisa, explaining why she originally created an Instagram account for Owen. “It was a place where friends could see Owen online.”
At first, Owen gained about 1,500 followers on Instagram, which is not unusual for the average pet account. But then he was featured on the aforementioned Dogs of Instagram account.
“Overnight my phone buzzed with crazy updates, and he was at 3,000 followers,” Lisa recalls. “Once he reached 10,000 followers, the growth to the current level of 36,400 followers was pretty fast.”
So, aside from being adorably cute, why is Owen so popular? It may be because he has some personality quirks that regularly delight his Instagram followers.
For example, Owen often walks backwards through doorways. He wasn’t trained to do this, according to Lisa.
“We think that maybe it’s the way the light hits the floor sometimes,” she says. “It’s the same way that a child would go downstairs backwards — he backs up through the door.”
Owen also barks like a chicken (he will be sporting his chicken hat while in New York City).
Breakfast with Owen and his human dad Marlon has also become a regular and popular feature with the fans. Owen eats fruit and also really loves his human dad, so their Instagram videos of eating breakfast together are a big hit.
Lisa says Owen’s fans also feel directly connected to him.
“Owen’s fans really engage with him on Instagram,” she explains. “We have people saying they wait for his posts each day. If we miss a post, they message us and ask if he is okay.”
Owen’s most popular Instagram video — where he tries to avoid stepping in snow — has so far racked up more than one million views.
So what prompted Lisa and Marlon decided to go to PetCon in New York City and take Owen with them?
“Recently we travelled to Burlington to attend a meetup for other griff owners,” Lisa says. “These are people we only knew online, but I would trust Owen with them — I see how they care for their own griffs.
“So when the opportunity arose to attend PetCon we decided to go for it. We’ll be meeting up with other griff owners that we have met online, and our hotel is even nearby to one.”
Owen’s calendar is already getting full for the weekend at PetCon, with so many of his fans really wanting to meet him.
We ask Lisa whether she will be ready if she gets a call from The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
“Well, we have his pet carrier ready to go,” she laughs.
This will be Owen’s first flight and he’ll be travelling in the cabin along with his human parents.
While social media influencing — including pet-related accounts — can be financially lucrative, Lisa says they never intended Owen’s Instagram account to be a commercial venture.
They are mainly attending PetCon to learn more about social media influencing and to make connections with others.
“And if we can leverage Owen’s account to do good work and bring people joy, that’s a good thing.”
Nova, a child in Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation (a fly-in community in the boreal forest of Northern Ontario), reacts as she receives her new donated winter coat. (Photo: Kawartha Truth and Reconciliation Support Group)
A local truth and reconciliation support group is renewing its campaign to deliver winter coats to remote First Nations communities in Northern Ontario.
The Kawartha Truth and Reconciliation Support Group (KTRSG) first initiated the coat drive campaign in 2015, at the request of Sandra Mckay of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation, a fly-in community in the boreal forest of Northern Ontario.
Mckay had asked KTRSG member Laurie Siblock to consider organizing the coat drive, as many of Mckay’s six children and 10 grandchildren needed new winter jackets, but the high cost of living, personal health challenges and lack of employment opportunities make it almost impossible to purchase warm winter wear.
Siblock was happy for the opportunity to repay the kindness and generosity the Mckay family and the people of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug had shown her when she attended a reconciliation event there in 2014.
As well as providing warm winter wear for 10 northern communities, the coat drive creates an opportunity for Canadians in southern Ontario to ally with First Nations and learn about the challenges people in northern communities face. The program also fosters many conversations, education in schools, volunteerism, and lasting relationships between people in northern First Nation communities and Canadians in the south.
The Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board (PVNCCDSB) is partnering with the campaign for the third year, providing a public drop-off point. Kawartha Missions in Fenelon Falls is also collecting for the drive.
This year, Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene will be providing a location for sorting and packing the coats for transport to these fly-in communities.
Honouring Indigenous People, a charitable organization whose board is evenly comprised of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Rotarians, is providing the logistics to get the shipment of coats to the communities and fundraising to help support the sustainability of the drive. They are inviting contributions at www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/HIP/coatdrive.
The coats are destined for 10 communities: Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, Kasabonika Lake, Kingfisher Lake, Bearskin, Muskrat Dam, Neskantaga, Pikangikum, Wapekeka, Wawakapewin, and Wunnumin Lake.
These communities, located hundreds of kilometers north of Thunder Bay, experience temperatures that average -20°C to -29°C in the winter, with lows of -49°C and even colder with the wind chill. The cost of winter clothing — as well as necessities like toiletries and even food — is extremely expensive in these fly-in communities because of the cost of transportation.
Students from St. John Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough with the coats they collected for the 2016 Northern First Nation Coat Drive. (Photo: Kawartha Truth and Reconciliation Support Group)
Siblock urges people to dig into their closets for warm coats they no longer need or consider buying a coat to donate.
“It’s a great thing for families to do together, to go out shopping for warm winter wear to help a child in a remote community stay warm this winter,” says Siblock.
The drive also accepts snow pants, snowsuits, boots, hats, mittens and scarves of all sizes. The donated goods must be clean and in good condition. Items not suitable for sending to the communities will not be accepted.
In Peterborough, items can be dropped off at PNVCCDSB at 1355 Lansdowne St. W., and in Cobourg at 300 Division Street.
For other drop-off locations (Durham Region, Curve Lake First Nation, Lakefield and Toronto) and information about the communities receiving the coats, visit the Northern First Nations Coat Drive Facebook page.
Donations will be accepted until 4 p.m. on Friday, November 17, 2017.
Actors Gillian Harknett, who plays Mary, and Warren Sweeting, who plays Burt, at a rehearsal for the St. James Players production of "Mary Poppins". The family-friendly musical, which features a cast of 40 performers of all ages, opens on Friday, November 10th and runs until November 18th at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW.com)
On Friday, November 10th, St. James Players opens its 45th musical season by bringing the mirth and magic of Mary Poppins to the stage at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough.
St. James Players presents Mary Poppins
When: Friday, November 10 and Saturday, November 11, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, November 11 and Sunday, November 12, 2017 at 2 p.m.; Wednesday, November 15 to Saturday, November 18, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. Where: Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: $25 adults, $20 students/seniors
Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). Tickets are available in person at the Showplace box office or by phone at 705-742-7469 (11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday) or online anytime at www.showplace.org.
Directed by Natalie Dorsett (with assistance from Shelly Moody, Margaret Peiper, Barb Mills, Fred Batley, Jim Mills, and musical director Dustin Bowers), the musical stars Gillian Harknett as the magical nanny and Warren Sweeting as Burt the chimney sweep.
However, Mary Poppins is not just another entry in the Players’ long repertoire of fall musicals. It has become an important show for the Players as the group continues to rebuild its brand as a purveyor of family-friendly theatre.
Natalie was inspired to pitch the show to the St. James Players board after watching a production of the musical last year in Toronto at the Lower Ossington Theatre.
“I saw Mary Poppins in Toronto, in which Kate Suhr played Mary, and I fell in love with it,” Natalie says.
“At intermission, my husband Chris looked over at me and said ‘You want to direct this show, don’t you?’ I knew I had to do this show, and I presented it to the board.”
Although St. James Players has a long tradition of presenting family-friendly theatre, for a number of years recently the group tried a different direction by presenting bigger shows with more mature content. Although the shows were well-received by audiences, as St. James Players strayed further away from family entertainment, the group found itself losing its sense of identity — along with its core audience.
Last year, the group decided to return to its roots with a very successful production of The Wizard of Oz. Mary Poppins is a continuation along that path, re-establishing St. James’ brand in the theatre community.
“This year it’s our 45th anniversary and it’s big,” Natalie says. “We need to come back to who we are. We really all sat back and talked about what had to happen to bring us back to what we used to be. We’ve done some fantastic shows over the years, but they weren’t necessarily the kind of shows our patrons wanted to see.
“St. James tried something new. We had amazing directors that were coming to us with fantastic shows. Les Miserables is an incredible show. Chicago and The Producers are fantastic shows. But our customers didn’t want that. It didn’t have anything to do with the quality of the show, but it just wasn’t a St. James show.
“I think it’s kind of like if The Theatre on King did Mary Poppins. That’s not where you’d go see that kind of show. It could be the best show in the world, but it doesn’t matter if that’s not what the customer wants to see. That’s what we had to get back to at St. James.”
“Mary Poppins” director Natalie Dorsett with Gillian Harknett in costume as Mary. (Photo: Natalie Dorsett)
Like many people, Natalie agrees that the key to St. James success has always been presenting shows for the family.
“St. James Players is about family,” she says. “We put on shows where you can bring your grandma, you can bring your Mom, and you can bring your eight year old. It’s what St. James is best at. Those are the kind of shows where I think it showcases us the best. Those types of shows where the curtain opens and there is this fantastic set full of colour. Those are the kind of shows that makes St. James what we are.”
Gillian Harknett performs as magical nanny Mary Poppins and Warren Sweeting as Burt the chimney sweep. (Publicity photo)
For Mary Poppins, Natalie and her team have brought together a cast of 40 performers of all ages. While attending a Sunday afternoon rehearsal, I could feel the passion and positivity from this tight-knit group of high-energy people.
Despite late nights and a cold virus that was going through the group, the performers stepped up their game to give a performance that was filled with so much joy and life that I couldn’t help but feel the sense of warmth and love that is being put into this show.
In the role of Mary Poppins is actress Gillian Harkness. Although she has been in a number or productions before, Mary Poppins is Gillian’s first starring role. Natalie believes that Gillian, filled with a warm standoffishness, has become the living embodiment of the show’s iconic character.
“Gillian hasn’t had the chance to be given a lot of leads, but she just is Mary Poppins,” Natalie says. “She walks into the room and she has that energy. She’s got that likeable but kind of distant nature that Mary Poppins has. With Mary you are kind of unsure if she’s going to hug you or not. Gillian plays that so well. She understands who Mary is, and she’s so easy to direct.”
“I’m very much a background person,” Gillian admits. “I don’t mind supporting people, but being at the front is a little nerve-racking. But I’ve got great people backing me up in this show. I’ve got so many supportive people that it’s not that hard to take a chance and put myself out there.
“I’ve kind of balanced Mary between the way Julie Andrews played her in the movie, and the way that Mary was in the book. Julie Andrews played her as very bubbly and bright, but in the book Mary was more stern but with a magical element to her that made kids love her. I don’t want to be the strict version, but I don’t want to be excited and over the top about everything all the time.”
“The problem is that the moment Gillian and I step on stage, people are going to start drawing comparisons to the movie,” adds actor Warren Sweeting, who plays the show’s leading male character Burt (who was played in the Disney film by Dick Van Dyke). “What we do is try to create a character that the movie was trying to represent, but step away from people’s preconceived ideas of how Burt or Mary should be.”
Once one of the most prolific leading men in Peterborough musical theatre, Warren has been absent from centre stage for a while now. The role of Burt is a major comeback for this talented and much-loved local actor.
“Warren brings so much experience to the stage,” Natalie says. “He hasn’t done a lot in the last few years because he’s particular, but he has been practicing for Burt for months. He brings a really great presence to the show and a lot of experience, which is really important for the kids.”
Warren Sweeting sings “Step in Time” with members of the cast of “Mary Poppins” during a rehearsal. (Photo: Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW.com)
Nearly as enigmatic as Mary herself, Burt is an unusual character engulfed in his own mystery. Warren gives his own interesting take on the friendly chimney sweep.
“I read an article where the author tried to break down where Burt came from,” Warren explains. “In that particular article, they figured that Burt was probably the son of the bank chairman and that he left home and rebelled.
“They also figured that Mary Poppins, who is magical and doesn’t age, was actually his nanny and Burt fell in love with her. Burt, not being magical, grew up to a certain age and that’s why he is so infatuated with Mary. So Burt is this wandering happy guy who helps people get back on track with their lives.
“The story also is that all the chimney sweeps are guardian angels. The idea behind the song Step in Time is that they step in, just in time before disaster hits, to move you along and get you through that hard time.”
Although Mary and Burt are the iconic characters of the show, Natalie points out that it’s actually Mary’s wards Michael and Jane Banks, played by 11-year-old Ben Freeman and 13-year-old Macayla Vaughn, who have the most stage time and the majority of the lines. This is a huge feat for these two these two young actors.
“Michael and Jane were the two roles that we knew were going to be the hardest to cast,” Natalie says. “Mary Poppins and Burt are important roles, but the kids would be the hardest. We thought maybe we might go with a fifteen and a thirteen year old. But Macayla came in and blew us away. Her energy and tenacity and stage presence is amazing.
“Ben’s Mom plays Mrs. Banks, and she has two sons and we asked if they would want to audition. When Ben came in for his audition it was the same thing. Dustin Bowen, my musical director, squeezed my hand because he knew that Ben was exactly what we needed. Ben’s got this perfect cheeky nature. Both of these kids are just amazing.”
In the St. James Players production, the roles of Jane and Michael have more of an edge then they did in the Disney movie.
“Michael Banks is a spoiled little boy who lives with a rich family and does lot of mean things to nannies,” says Ben of his character.
“And Jane is a spoiled girl who thinks that she can just rule everyone,” Macayla adds.
“Basically the plot is Mary is trying to fix us,” Ben continues. “In some ways it’s difficult to make a character change, but it’s a gradual change.”
13-year-old Macayla Vaughn and 11-year-old Ben Freeman at a rehearsal of “Mary Poppins”. The two kids, who play Mary’s wards Jane and Michael Banks, have the most stage time and most lines in what is a nearly three-hour production. (Photo: Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW.com)
Although both Ben and Macayla have performed in plays before, being pushed into the spotlight has been a big responsibility, but they have taken up the challenge. Ben offers a unique perspective to this, saying that Mary Poppins has given him a chance to actually act.
“In some shows the kids are just there,” he says. “The difference between that and this show is that we have actual lines. When a show has kids that are standing around, they don’t pick kids who can act because they don’t need to.”
Ben and Macayla are two of eight kids in Mary Poppins. When attending the rehearsal I was impressed by how attentive, engaged, and talented the young members of Natalie’s cast are.
“I wanted children involved because they finish this kind of production,” Natalie says. “When all you see on stage are adults for a family show, there is something missing. They add that fine detail and the kids are such a whimsical aspect to a show. When you look at their faces you are drawn right in.
Sam Tweedle and Avery Cantello with Gillian Harknett (in costume as Mary Poppins) after a pop-up appearance by St. James Players at Lansdowne Place Mall in October.
“I also think that when kids are coming to see it and they see other kids on stage, it makes a difference. They realize that they could do this too. That’s the whole point.”
I asked Ben and Macayla, nearing the end of a long and often grueling rehearsal schedule, what they plan to do when the show is over.
“I’m going to sleep,” answers Ben with a grin.
“I’m going to get ready for the next one,” Macayla says. “I like acting a lot because we are all like a family.”
I can’t even begin to express the joy I had from watching the Mary Poppins cast rehearse “Chim Chim Cher-ee” and “Step in Time”. The music, the dancing, the joy, and the energy was addicting. Despite the fact that it was still a work in progress, I smiled so much that my face hurt afterwards.
I know that this show is going to be something very special, and not just because St. James needs to reset its direction but perhaps because all of us need it. Mary Poppins is a chance for us to turn away from the cynicism and disasters we see on the news and social media, and just take a few hours to join Mary Poppins and Burt on their jolly holiday.
“We all need this show right now,” Natalie says. “We all need to shut our TV off, and get out and support each other and enjoy one another. There is so much bad stuff going on in the world. This is an escape. Mary’s flying, and she’s talking to birds, and there’s dancing chimney sweeps on a rooftop. It sounds so ridiculous that it makes it so magical.”
Mary Poppins opens on November 10th and runs until November 18th at Showplace Performance Centre . Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students and seniors and available in person at the Showplace box office (290 George St. N., Peterborough), by calling 705-742-7469, or online at www.showplace.org.
Singer-songwriter and roots rocker Laura Merrimen is touring eastern Canada with Tequila Jay and will be performing at The Garnet in downtown Peterborough on Friday, November 3. (Publicity photo)
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, November 2 to Wednesday, November 8.
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.
Thursday, November 9 7:30pm - Jazz and Blues w/ Marsala Lukianchuk and the Rob Phillips Trio
Friday, November 10 8:30pm - Crossroads
Saturday, November 11 8:30pm - Classic Collectives
Canoe & Paddle
18 Bridge St., Lakefield
(705) 651-1111
Thursdays
7:30-10:30pm - Live music
Saturdays
7:30-10:30pm - Live music
Catalina's
131 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
(705) 874-5972
Thursday, November 2
8pm - Day of the Dead Celebration ft Daniel Smith reading from T.E. Wilson's Mezcalero w/ live music by Chic'n Pot Pi and reading of Sally Barnes' novel Unleashed ($5, costumes are encouraged)
Coming Soon
Thursday, December 7 9pm - The Holy Gasp w/ Kitty Pit, Meowlinda ($10 at door)
The Ceilie (Trent University student pub)
1600 West Bank Dr., Peterborough
(705) 748-1011
Thursday, November 2
7-10pm - Trent History Undergraduate Society Triva Night
The Church-key Pub & Grindhouse
26 Bridge St. W., Campbellford
(705) 653-0001
Thursday, November 2
9pm - Euchre & Ray on the Radio
Friday, November 3
9pm - Cale Crowe
Saturday, November 4
9pm - Lawrence Cotton
Mondays
Trivial Pursuit
Tuesdays
OpinioNation w/ Bill Davenport
Wednesdays
8pm - Whiskey Wednesday w/ Ken Tizzard
Coach & Horses Pub
16 York St. S., Lindsay
(705) 328-0006
Thursdays
10pm - Open Mic w/ Gerald Vanhalteren
Fridays
9:30pm - Karaoke Night w/ DJ. Ross
Wednesdays
7-11pm - Live music
The Cow & Sow Eatery
38 Colborne St., Fenelon Falls
(705) 887-5111
Coming Soon
Saturday, November 18 7pm - 21st Anniversary Party ft Live on the Line
Dobro Restaurant & Bar
287-289 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 775-9645
Thursday, November 2
10pm - Live music TBA (no cover)
Friday, November 3
10pm - High Waters Band (no cover)
Saturday, November 4
10pm - High Waters Band (no cover)
Wednesdays
Open stage
Frank's Pasta and Grill
426 King St. E., Cobourg
(905) 372-2727
Fridays
9pm-12am - Karaoke Night Girls Night Out; 12am - DJ Chrome
Saturday, November 11 9pm - Peterborough Folk Festival presents My Son The Hurricane & Dub Trinity ($10, available at www.ticketscene.ca/events/19388/)
379 George Street K9H 3R2, Peterborough
(705) 749-9315
Wednesdays
10pm - Wednesday House Party
The Social
295 George St. N., Peterborough
(705) 874-6724
Thursdays
Throwback Thursday
Fridays
Nashville Night
Saturdays
Saturday Night Live w/ live music & DJ
Sundays
Sunday Funday
Wednesdays
Student Pub Night w/ live music
Southside Pizzeria
25 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough
(705) 748-6120
Fridays
9am-12pm - Open mic ($2);
The Trend
110 London St., Peterborough
(705) 750-1265
Thursday, November 2
8-11pm - Trent University Music Society Open Mic
Coming Soon
Thursday, November 16 8-11pm - Trent University Music Society Open Mic
Turtle John's Pub & Restaurant
64 John St., Port Hope
(905) 885-7200
Coming Soon
Saturday, November 25 9pm - The Tragically Hits
The Venue
286 George Street North, Peterborough
(705) 876-0008
Coming Soon
Friday, November 10 8pm - Produce for Veterans presents Ambush, Dean James, Austin Carson Band, Sticks N' Tones ($25 til August 31, $30 advance, $35 at door)
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