The summer is finally heating up and August is filled with excellent live music. I’ve a highlighted a few great shows, with an emphasis on some of the amazing free events taking place all month long in Peterborough and the Kawarthas.

Emilie-Claire Barlow at Westben in Campbellford on August 5

Juno-winning jazz singer Emilie-Claire Barlow will appear at the beautiful Westben Arts Festival Theatre (6698 County Road 30 North, Campbellford, 705-653-5508 or 877-883-5777) on Saturday, August 5th.

Barlow has released 11 albums full of fresh takes on standards and much, much more. This will be a classy show in a great setting. Accompanying Barlow will be pianist Amanda Tosoff and bassist Jon Maharaj.

Tickets are $41 for regular seats, $39 for 65+, $15 for students under 30, and $5 for youth 18 and under, available at www.westben.ca. It’s an early show beginning at 2 p.m.

VIDEO: “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright by Bob Dylan” performed by Emilie-Claire Barlow

The Hootenanny on Hunter Street in Peterborough on August 12

One of Peterborough’s favourite summertime events returns once again on Saturday, August 12th. That’s right, it’s time once again for The Hootenanny on Hunter Streett. A full day and evening of music, vendors, and (hopefully) sunny patios in downtown Peterborough’s café district.

There is something so special when Hunter Street West is open for partying, and this year’s musical acts are just as diverse and exciting as any year.

Melissa Payne returns with her fiddle and emotive roots sound. Jordan Mac of The Birthday Boys plays a solo set full of swagger and good writing. The Bluegrass Menagerie bring the hoedown vibes. Sean Conway and his band go beyond rock and roots, bringing something fresh in between. Diamond Dave & The Smoke Eaters play country-rock.

Tarantuela reform with a rhythm-and-blues-meets-The Band-meets-garage-rock sound. Dylan Ireland brings some new songs forward with his great songwriting. Mokomokai play old-school metal. Well-known New York City DJ Jonathan Toubin spins classic soul.

Last but not least, headliners The Big Sound, a 25+-piece band playing hits of soul and Motown, will close the night.

The Hoot begins at 11 a.m. and goes on right until 1 a.m. The event is free to all.

VIDEO: “Nowhere to Run” by Martha and the Vandellas performed by The Big Sound

The Sheepdogs at Peterborough Musicfest on August 16

Saskatchewn-based rockers The Sheepdogs bring their retro-yet-new classic rock sound to Peterborough Musicfest in Del Crary Park on Wednesday, August 16th … and this time they’re going to have Bailieboro super talent Jimmy Bowskill with them as well.

Since 2007, The Sheepdogs have released five studio records and continue to tour behind their latest one, the aptly named Future Nostalgia. Del Crary Park will be rocking and you don’t want to miss it.

Music begins at 8 p.m. and, as always, it’s completely free.

VIDEO: “Right On” – The Sheepdogs featuring Jimmy Bowskill

Buffy Sainte-Marie at Showplace Performance Centre in Peterborough on August 18

Another excellent free event in Peterborough is the Peterborough Folk Festival, which runs from August 18th to 20th. The three-day festival is one of the best of the summer and this year’s line-up is a diverse and exciting lineup throughout.

The Friday night gala on August 18th is the only ticketed part of the weekend, and this year it’s the absolutely iconic Buffy Sainte-Marie at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-742-7469). Saint-Marie is one of the most accomplished Canadian songwriters having won awards like Oscars, Golden Globes, Junos, and the Polaris Prize. Her protest songs in the 1960’s were a huge part of the civil rights movement, and her continuing career has been a legendary one.

Tickets for the show are $49.50 plus fees and are available exclusively online www.showplace.org. A portion of the proceeds from the show benefits the Folk Fest.

The show begins at 8 p.m. and will also feature the 2017 Peterborough Folk Festival Emerging Artist: Mary-Kate Edwards who will open for Buffy Sainte-Marie.

VIDEO: “Starwalker” – Buffy Sainte-Marie

Peterborough Folk Festival at Nichols Oval in Peterborough on August 19 and 20

The rest of the Peterborough Folk Festival is free and runs on Saturday, August 19th and Sunday, August 20th at the lovely Nicholls Oval in Peterborough. Artists who will play include The Sadies, Hannah Georgas, Hollerado, Donovan Woods, Jenn Grant, The Wooden Sky, Sharon & Bram, Fast Romantics, Delhi 2 Dublin, Cat Clyde, Kirty, Samito, and Mary-Kate Edwards.

There will also be live music workshops with these artists, as well as children’s activities, artisan and food vendors and, of course, delicious beer at the Pavilion. The Saturday and Sunday shows begin around 11 a.m. both days. Check out www.peterboroughfolkfest.com for all the details

VIDEO: Peterborough Folk Festival Promo (featuring music by Mayhemingways)

Pine Box String Band at Elmhirst’s Resort in Keene on August 22

Every Tuesday in August, you can check out some great music at the lovely Elmhirst’s Resort (1045 Settlers Line, Keene, 705-295-4591 or 800-461-1940) on their boardwalk as part of Tuned Up Tuesdays.

On August 22nd, musical entertainment will be provided by the excellent Pine Box String Band. The group plays low-down old-time blues songs. From stomping to howling to slow-burners, their music has a little something for everybody. Come early and get a great Texas-style smoked beef brisket buffet dinner at 6:30 p.m. Music begins at 7:30 p.m. and is free to check out.

Other artists for the month include Mark Sepic at August 8th, Bridget Foley and Mike Graham on August 15th, Carling Stephen on August 29th.

VIDEO: “Bring Another Half Pint” – Pine Box String Band

Rheostatics at Peterborough Musicfest on August 23

One of Canada’s most influential and eclectic rock bands, Rheostatics will take the stage at Peterborough Musicfest at Del Crary Park on Wednesday, August 23rd.

The band was most prominent in the ’90s and early 2000s, calling it quits in 2007, until a reunion eight years later. The Rheos released 11 studio albums, toured with The Tragically Hip, and have made it to numerous all-time best Canadian Albums lists.

If you have never heard or seen the Rheostatics, this is a great chance to see an iconic Canadian band with their own sound. If you have been a fan for years, then you know exactly what you’re in for and I’m guessing you’re pretty excited.

As always at Musicfest, the show is free and music begins at 8 p.m. The Rheostatics show is sponsored by kawarthaNOW.com and we’ll have lots of free VIP seats to give away. For your chance to win, make sure you’re subscribed to kawarthaNOW’s weekly e-news.

VIDEO: Rheostatics Live at Massey Hall in 2016

Fin De Fiesta Flamenco at Catalina’s in Peterborough on August 26

Sometimes an event speaks for itself. On Saturday, August 26th, Fin De Fiesta Flamenco presents “Liåndola: An Electrifying Evening of Flamenco Music and Dance” at Catalina’s (131 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-5972).

This is a rare chance in Peterborough to take in the captivating essence of flamenco all the way from Seville, Spain. A beautiful way to spend an evening.

Tickets are $10 in advance, from Catalina’s or Union Studio, and $15 at the door. Call 705-874-5972 for more information.

VIDEO: Fin de Fiesta Flamenco 2016 National Tour Highlights

This August, take in some electronic and data-based conceptual arts, along with traditional drawing and painting.

The Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth will feature interactive electronic sculptures by Douglas Back, and Artspace in Peterborough is showing William Robinson’s “Pickard Quarry Transpose”, an installation based on site-specific information about the Mount Allison University Chapel.

Then you could stop in at the Art Gallery of Bancroft to see some abstract paintings, the Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio in Peterborough for a stroll down memory lane into the world of vintage Steam trains, or Galerie Q in Cavan for a retrospective of the late Armand Tatossian’s paintings.

Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth presents Douglas Back’s “(Noun) Pulse” series of interactive electronic sculptures

Doug Back works primarily in electronic and media arts, and was one of the pioneers of teaching physical computing at the Ontario College of Art and Design. Physical computing, in very basic terms, involves using sensors to translate analog input such as movement (for instance, a motion sensor) into a software system that can then control mechanical devices such as lights or motors.

In this show, we are presented with a series of interactive electronic sculptures. These sculptures will respond to the viewer’s presence in some way. I for one am definitely curious. This sounds like a show worth seeing — if you are interested in art, and also if you are interested in electronics and computers.

An opening reception will be held at the Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth on Saturday, August 5th at 7 p.m. On the same evening from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. there will be a live jazz performance featuring San Murata on volin and Steve Holt on piano.

Ah! Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth is located at 35 Church Street in downtown Warkworth. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For more information, please contact Rebecca Baptista, Arts Administrator, at info@ahcentre.ca or 705-925-4450.

Artspace presents “Pickard Quarry Transpose” by William Robinson

“Pickard Quarry Transpose” is an artistic investigation into the Mount Allison University Chapel and the Pickard Quarry where the rock was sourced. Artist William Robinson looks at the architectural design, materials used, and the industrial history involved in the building of the chapel. He explores these themes through sound, visual, and sculptural elements.

William has created an installation based on encoding and transposing site-specific data and historical information. As part of this, William overlaid architectural design plans for the chapel with a topographical map of the quarry where the rock was sourced.

He then mapped out the intersecting points in the drawings to create an abstracted image and gave them to musical collaborator Nicholas Veltmeyer.

Nicholas created a musical score for the pipe organ based on these markings and then recorded it in the chapel. This recording constitutes one audio part of the installation.

The other aspects involve images and sculptural/architectural configurations displayed in the gallery space. A hallmark of William’s work is that he creates site-specific sound and music, in that he uses information from a specific site, location or from cultural ephemera to create and conceptualise his work.

In this installation, William encodes and brings together information in different ways, resulting in new compositions that all reference the sites of his exploration, namely the Mount Allison University Chapel and the Pickard Quarry.

The show is on display now in both gallery spaces until Saturday, September 9th.

Artspace is an accessible space located at 378 Aylmer Street in downtown Peterborough. Regular hours of operation are Tuesday to Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Parking is available in the municipal lot on Hunter Street between Aylmer and George. For more information, call 705-748-3883 or visit artspace-arc.org.

Art Gallery of Bancroft presents “Four Seasons, Different Lens” by Patrick Stewart

Patrick Stewart’s abstract paintings are studies of light as it reflects and refracts on glass, water, and various surfaces and atmospheres.

Painting intuitively, Patrick uses the external world for inspiration, and his internal feelings and intuition to guide him as he decides where to put the next brush stroke.

Art and religious faith have helped him a lot in life, and today his aim is to benefit others. Patrick donates all proceeds from art sales to missions around the world that help poor and disadvantaged people.

An opening reception will be held on Friday, August 4th at 7:30 p.m., and the show will be on display from Wednesday, August 2nd until Saturday, August 26th. The exhibition is sponsored by Gertrud Sorensen.

The Art Gallery of Bancroft is located at 10 Flint Avenue in Bancroft. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday. For more information, visit www.artgallerybancroft.ca.

Galerie Q presents oil paintings by the late Armand Tatossian

This August, a selection of paintings by the late Armand Tatossian will be on display at Galerie Q along with some works from the permanent collection of the Tatossian Foundation.

Armand was born in Egypt and then his family emigrated to Canada. He continued to call Canada home until his death in 2012. Early in his career, Armand became a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts and the term “Tatossianisme” was coined to describe his distinct painting style.

An opening reception will be held on Saturday, August 12th during gallery hours (1 0a.m. until 6 p.m.). After the reception, the show will remain on display until Friday, September 22nd,

Galerie Q is located at 1521 County Road 10 in Cavan. Gallery hours are 10a.m. until 6 p.m. daily. For more information, visit www.galerie-q.com or contact Kathryn Last at 705-944-8888 or at kl@galerie-q.com.

Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio presents Julia Carr-Wilson’s “Vintage Steam Trains” and “Faces and Figures” group show and sale

From Wednesday, August 2nd until Sunday, August 13th, the Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio will be showing a series of charcoal and mixed-media works based on vintage steam trains by local artist Julia Carr-Wilson.

The collection includes Julia’s impressions of The Flying Scotsman, Mallard, and Wolf of Badenoch.

An opening reception will be held on Saturday, August 5th from 1 to 4 p.m.

Later in the month, the gallery will host a group show and sale of portraits and figurative work. “Faces and Figures” will run from Wednesday, August 16th until Saturday, September 10th, with an opening reception on Sunday, August 20th from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.

Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio is a not-for-profit artist’s co-operative, located at 420 O’Connell Road in Peterborough. Hours of operation are Wednesday to Sunday from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. and Thursdays from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.kawarthaartists.org.

Because as a child, trauma used to visit me between the sheets. – From “Coping” by Wes Ryan

For years, local performer Wes Ryan has been very candid about his past substance abuse, being a survivor of sexual abuse, and living with a brain injury.

However, when Wes felt his story was misinterpreted on stage late last year by a theatre group, he was prompted to create These Are Horizon Days, his first full-length show in 15 years, which runs from August 3rd to 5th at The Theatre on King in downtown Peterborough.

In These Are Horizon Days, Wes reclaims his own story while looking at the way sensitive topics are presented on stage, as well as shared with the community, in a safe way.

“About a year ago I got really busy traveling around Ontario and doing spoken word on top of studying at Trent,” Wes says. “As the workload increased, I wasn’t quite on top of things that I should be, such as my brain injury which has its own challenges.

“I shared my abuse story with a theatre group for part of a show about sexual assault and the justice system, but the way they presented my story was traumatic for me.

“I soon realized I did not possess the resilience needed to deal with the situation. These are Horizon Days is, in part, an exploration of that experience while reclaiming my personal narrative. It’s a way for me to explore resilience and to also engage the audience on a discussion about how we stage sensitive stories — how we deal with traumatizing content in front of an audience.”

Alongside Wes, These Are Horizon Days also features actress Hilary Wear and musician D. Dmuchowski on cello.

“Horizons are a bit frustrating,” Wes says, explaining the title of the show. “We say that things are ‘just over the horizon’, or ‘reach for the horizon’, or ‘shoot for the horizon’. While those statements are encouraging, you can never reach the horizon. As soon as you do, the horizon is beyond you again. So it’s something that you have to always go after.

“Recovering from trauma is a lot like that. You get to a place where you feel grounded and stable and then events can happen and, depending on your adaptability and your stamina at the time, you can falter.”

For Wes, the creation of art and performance has always been a way to deal with the difficulties that he has faced throughout his life. These Are Horizon Days is a very bold and very public way to open up about not only his past, but also his present.

“The through line in all my life has been art making. As a kid it was a defense mechanism, and it was also a way to interrupt the violence in my home. As an adult I put on shows so we can talk about social issues, such as domestic violence, abuse, addiction, poverty and mental health. This is what I do. I’ve done some funny pieces, but most of the stuff I do is serious.

“I have a long history of presenting what I call trauma-informed theatre. When people from vulnerable backgrounds want to tell their stories, one has to be aware that much of the content could be triggering for that one person and it can be triggering for the audience.

“So you have to create a rapport and create safety and trust in the environment. As you work on the production, it’s key that you collaborate all the way through to show awareness about trauma.”

In These Are Horizon Days Wes speaks about various aspects of his past, but focuses on the sexual abuse he experienced when he was younger.

“I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, as well as many of the repercussions that come with that. I had a long history of addiction and I’m now thirteen years sober. Although the show is about my experiences, about what happened in my early childhood, about what happened in my adolescence — and goes through right to testifying about one of my abusers — the story is told in fragments. It’s told as though the audience is watching the show being assembled.

“One of the challenges is how I make some of this content humorous. There’s a lot of absurdity in my life, with a lot of it linked to my past. Trying to live with and move through a traumatic history, you encounter a lot of comic irony. For instance, it’s quite common that people who try to do this type of theatre can get harmed. You’re always vulnerable on stage, although for me it’s probably the safest space.”

One of the unique aspects of These Are Horizon Days is that Wes has developed the show using a variety of different performance techniques including theatre, spoken word, music, and dance. Wes explains how he uses these performance techniques on a daily basis as a way to focus on and remember material.

“I have a brain injury,” Wes reveals. “I am also on the Asperger’s scale and I am neurodivergent. So when I’m researching for an essay, I’ll be seeing dance. When I’m writing out what I’m going to say, I’ll be hearing music in the background. Because of my brain injury, in order for me to remember something I need to condense it into poetry. I’m trying to present this show compassionately, and in different forms of art because that’s how my brain works.

VIDEO: “Coping” – Wes Ryan at the 2013 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in Montreal

“There are sequences where I have choreography to explore trauma. Then there are sequences where I tell my story in a spoken word format. For one of those, I am backed up by a cello. Then there are scenes with dialogue between me and Hilary Wear’s role of ‘The Drama Scourge’ who represents that self-talk voice we have. The show has elements of vaudeville and physical comedy, theatre, contemporary dance, and verbatim dance.”

One of the centrepieces of the show is a verbatim dance performance Wes has created around the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) questionnaire used to measure degrees of trauma and abuse experienced by both children and adults alike.

“It’s being utilized in the United States right now, and more and more in Canada. So if kids are acting out in school, you might ask them these ten questions. What they are finding out is that the higher that the kids rate out of these ten questions, the more likely it is that they will face various challenges including physical health, mental health, and emotional well-being. I score ten out of ten on the questionnaire. How often is it that we are perfect at something?

“One of the reasons I’m going to dance in this production is because trauma is felt in the body and dance is expressed through the body. It’s impossible not to be dancing on this planet. If you are breathing you are dancing. It’s impossible to be static. You are always dancing.”

But These Are Horizon Days is not just a way for Wes to present his story. The most important part of the performance is creating a discussion about how sensitive material should be presented on stage.

“It’s my story but the subject of childhood sexual abuse, and how we present dramatic stories on stage and approach these kinds of narratives, is what I’m inviting other people’s input on.”

While preparing his performance, Wes has kept the well-being of his audience in mind — especially those who have also experienced abuse or trauma during their life. He will have a counsellor present at every performance, as well as support information available at the theatre for those audience members looking for more help.

“I recognize a certain percentage of the audience will have their own trauma history. The show acknowledges this while striving to create a safe and trusting environment to explore trauma and resilience. The audience will have a choice about participating during the collaborative portion — collaboration being a key element of the trauma-informaed approach — and there will be support people on site.”

Although there will only be three performances of These Are Horizon Days, Wes reveals that he has bigger plans for the show.

VIDEO: “Icarus” by Wes Ryan (film by Michael Morritt, music by Jonathan Dowdell)

“I am presenting the audience a pitch for a longer show. I am hoping that this is the beginning of being able to bring this show to its proper staging, which would be a large stage with multiple performers.

“Moving forward, I want the show to be a venue for other people to tell their stories and explore their stories artistically. I want it to be a venue for service providers to feel that they can engage artists in this conversation, so we can better represent the issues they want covered. But more than anything, I want this to be accessible to people.”

These Are Horizon Days will be performed at The Theatre on King at 8 p.m. on Thursday, August 3rd and Friday, August 4th and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 5th. Tickets are $10 and can be ordered in advanced by email at thesearehorizondays@gmail.com or by phone at 705-875-4239. For more information, visit thesearehorizonday.wixsite.com/mysite.

Local fans of one of Canada’s most popular rock bands would certainly agree that the result was well worth the wait.

Earlier this year, they were among many waiting for confirmation of the headliner for the August 2nd date of Peterborough Musicfest’s 17-concert schedule.

When ONtour announced it was bringing Our Lady Peace to Del Crary Park as part of its 2017 offering of 23 free concerts province wide, their wait was over and anticipation began in earnest.

With opening acts Coleman Hell and River Town Saints, the four-time Juno Award-winning quartet takes to the Fred Anderson Stage, capping a rare tripleheader for the free summer concert series.

Those planning to attend should note the special start time of 7 p.m., with the VIP seating section opens at 5:30 p.m.

Note that VIP seating will be relocated to the east side of the stage for this concert, and seat location will be allotted on a first come, first served basis.

The host for the evening is Sudbury beatboxer Emilie Carrey aka Sparx (she took second place at the World Beatbox Championships in 2015). She will be on stage from 7 to 7:15 p.m. River Town Saints perform from 7:15 to 8 p.m., followed by Coleman Hell from 8:30 to 9 p.m. Headliners Our Lady Peace perform a 75-minute set from 9:45 to 11 p.m.

VIDEO: “Starseed” — Our Lady Peace

Formed in Toronto in 1992 and still headed by co-founder and lead singer Raine Maida — Our Lady Peace’s name is taken from a Mark Van Doren poem of the same name — the band has since sold millions of albums worldwide, taking home four Juno Awards and 10 MuchMusic Video Awards in the process.

Our Lady Peace’s debut album Naveed was released in March 1994 and immediately paid a huge dividend in the form of a Canadian tour supporting I Mother Earth and 54-40 and, south of the border, opening for Van Halen on tour. The album’s title track and “Starseed” charted high, the latter included on the soundtrack for the film Armageddon.

VIDEO: “Superman’s Dead” — Our Lady Peace

Seven studio albums followed, the latest being 2012’s Curve, but it was the early 1997 follow-up to Naveed that took Our Lady Peace into a whole other stratosphere. Featuring the singles “Superman’s Dead”, “Automatic Flowers” and the title track, Clumsy achieved diamond-certified status on the strength of one million sales in Canada alone.

While subsequent album sales remained strong, the new millennium brought several changes to the band’s lineup, including the departure of original guitarist Mike Turner in early 2002.

“The last two records we’ve been yearning for a guitar player that can really stand up and have a strong voice and Mike (Turner) just wasn’t that kind of guitar player,” says Maida in a subsequent Winnipeg Free Press article, hinting at dissension in the ranks.

VIDEO: “Somewhere Out There” — Our Lady Peace

Gravity, Our Lady Peace’s fifth album, featured a more mainstream sound. While many fans and critics jumped on that, the album’s chart-topping single “Somewhere Out There” was, and remains, the band’s biggest international hit. After nearly breaking up during the recording of Healthy In Paranoid Times, the band’s sixth album, Our Lady Peace took a break, returning with Burn Burn in 2009 followed by Curve three years later.

However, as noted in an interview with Andrea Warner posted on www.cbcmusic.ca on the 20th anniversary of the release of Naveed, that first studio album still holds a special place in Maida’s heart.

“It was basically made out of naiveté,” says Maida.

“We didn’t know anything about the music business. It was probably the most pure piece of music we’ve ever made because of that.”

With the departure of original drummer Jeremy Taggart in June 2014, Our Lady Peace arrives in Peterborough with Steve Mazur (lead guitar), Duncan Coutts (bass guitar), and Jason Pierce backing Maida’s lead vocals.

In Coleman Hell and River Town Saints, Musicfest’s audience will be treated to two very different sounds.

Thunder Bay’s Coleman Hell released his debut single “2 Heads” in October 2015 and followed that up exactly year later with Top 30-charting Summerland, his first full-length album from which two singles, “Fireproof” and “Devotion”, also charted high.

VIDEO: “2 Heads” — Coleman Hell

VIDEO: “Fireproof” — Coleman Hell

The producer, singer, and songwriter brings an interesting mix of pop-rock, electronic, and rap music genres to the table with equally interesting results — “2 Heads”, for example, features a banjo-infused R&B dance sound.

Ottawa’s River Town Saints was originally founded in 2013 as Labelle by Chris Labelle, Chris McComb, and Jeremy Bortot. With the addition of Jordan Potvin and Daniel DiGiacomo, the quintet released its first single “A Little Bit Goes A Long Way” in November 2015.

However, it was the follow-up single “Cherry Bomb” that turned heads, peaking at number 24 on the Billboard Canadian Country chart and bringing the band a 2017 Country Music Association of Ontario Award for Single of the Year.

VIDEO: “Cherry Bomb” — River Town Saints

VIDEO: “Bonfire” — River Town Saints

River Town Saints’ self-titled debut full-length album was released just this past June, featuring “Bonfire”, the band’s first Top 10 hit.

Our Lady Peace with Coleman Hell and River Town Saints is sponsored by Ashburnham Realty, Fairstone, Home Hardware, Package Plus, Porter Sound and Marj Tellis.

Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 17 free-admission concerts featuring a total of 22 acts during its 31st season — each staged every Wednesday and Saturday night until August 26th.

Overseen by general manager Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission is to “provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”

For more information on this concert and/or the 2017 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or phone the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.

In their newest production Raising the Barn, Globus Theatre invites you to Bobcaygeon’s social event of the year: the marriage of Shannon McGee to Brandon Jones.

Tearing down the wall between fantasy and reality, Raising the Barn is a brand new comedy written by Globus Theatre founders James Barrett and Sarah Quick, and features the largest cast ever assembled for a Globus production. What makes the show even more special is that it’s a tribute to the Lakefield Arts Barn and its special place in the Bobcaygeon community.

This year, the Lakeview Arts Barn celebrates 50 years as a community space for the town of Bobcaygeon. Originally a working cattle barn, in 1967 owner Fabien O’Neil transformed the barn into a dance hall to host local events. Since then the barn has been used as a hall for celebrations of all sorts, but most notably for weddings.

When James and Sarah purchased the space in 2006 they transformed it into a theatre, although they still have continued its tradition of hosting weddings, dances, and other events.

Raising the Barn is a loving tribute to the Lakeview Arts Barn itself, as much as it is about the zany small-town characters and celebratory shenanigans of a local wedding gone awry.

While Verona had the Montagues and Capulets and Tug River Valley had the Hatfields and the McCoys, Bobcaygeon has the McGees and the Joneses. For generations, the McGees and the Joneses have owned the two grocery stores in Bobcaygeon: Food-Mart and Valueland.

Despite a long history of animosity towards each other, the two families are putting aside their feud (albeit badly) on the wedding day of the youngest members of their clans: Brandon (Brandon Swann) and Shannon (Shannon McCracken). Their wedding, of course, takes place at the Lakeview Arts Barn.

However, while the day should be all about the bride and groom, the tension between Brandon’s mother Jolene Jones (Jennine Profeta) and Shannon’s father Mayor Randy McGee (Dave Pearce) seeps through the celebrations, creating havoc and shenanigans to the dismay of the bride and groom and the amusement of the wedding guests assembled at the barn.

The term “guests” is dubious because the Lakeview Arts Barn has a double booking that night. Local director Jim Barnett (James Barrett — see what they did there?) was to stage his production of Romeo and Juliet before Mayor McGee bought out the owners of the barn for his daughter’s wedding. So, instead of wedding guests, the people in attendance (which is the actual audience for Raising the Barn) are there for the show rather than for the wedding.

The only person who doesn’t know this is the bride, and the entire cast of characters decides to keep this from her. The result is a night of fun, games, secrets, reveals, romance, music, and laughter in Globus’ biggest and most experimental theatrical production to date.

James and Sarah have called Raising the Barn “a dinner theatre experience” which is the perfect way to describe it. The entire performance takes place around the audience within the special dining area at the Lakeview Arts Barn before, during, and after the dinner. The show is a play set in reality, with a wedding taking place just as if it really were taking place, and with the audience very much becoming part of the set itself. There is a bit of audience participation, and lots of improvisation alongside the actual performance.

But what is most unique about the show is that the cast is made up of many of past performers who have become Globus Theatre regulars. Just as you are reunited with old friends and family at a wedding, in Raising the Barn you are reunited with many of the theatre’s most familiar faces.

Alongside James, Jennine, and Dave are other members of the Globus family of performers including Anna Black as Randy’s wife and town lush Flossie McGee, Mark Whelan as cousin Adrian O’Keel, Sarah Quick and Kevin Sepaul as Globus actors Sara Click and Kevin Sopeal, Shelby Camman as Lexi the photographer, and Chris Gibbs as the master of ceremonies and wedding officiant Keely O’Keel. It’s a virtual reunion of Globus favourites in a huge show full of surprises.

As in an actual wedding, while bride and groom Shannon and Brandon should be the centerpiece of the play, Jennine Profeta and Dave Pierce steal the show as feuding grocers Jolene Jones and Mayor Randy McGee. A real-life married couple, the two have a natural chemistry with each other and bounce quips off one another with a quick and believable rapport. Their wild conflict and growing tension become the comedy of the piece; each time they interact, hilarity ensues.

Another dimension of their characters is that they become a parody of small-town elitism and politics, with Jolene as the tough businesswoman and Randy as the local political power (and he will remind you he is the mayor every chance he gets). Jolene and Randy are the typical big fishes in a small pond who would probably get buried outside of Bobcaygeon. Their own self-importance is hilarious to watch, making them the true stars of the show. Their performances are priceless.

But let’s not forget the bride and groom. Brandon Swann brings a sort of sweetness to the show as hapless groom Brandon, who finds himself in over his head marrying his sweetheart Shannon. A nice kid with an overbearing ambitious mother, Brandon just wants the day to go right and wants his bride to be happy.

I’ll admit I kind of fell for Shannon McCracken as Shannon. A true product of her parents, Shannon is pretty and proper and knows how to work a room and exactly what to say. However, as the mayor’s daughter, she is also spoiled, explosive, and lacking in emotional maturity, which also creates a lot of the most memorable moments of the show. Shannon is a delight to watch as the bride and became my favourite character.

Together Brandon and Shannon are fantastic, especially for their musical finale that moved audience members to tears. Gifted singers, Brandon and Shannon do make wonderful music together.

A shout out to Chris Gibb as Keely O’Keel who is easily the audience favourite. As the master of ceremonies at the wedding, Keely is filled with small-town wit and good humour, and keeps the other characters and the audience engaged with one another. It’s a fun performance glueing together the pieces of the play.

Although Globus normally allows the audience to pick between two tickets options — one that includes dinner and the show and one for the show only — Raising the Barn is only available as dinner theatre due to the nature of the show. However, it’s totally worth every penny. The buffet-style three-course meal is decadent and is finished off with Sarah Quick’s famous Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert.

Raising the Barn is a unique evening of theatre unlike anything I’ve experienced in the Kawarthas in the time I’ve been writing theatre reviews. There is much more to the show I am not allowed to reveal, only to say that you need to experience it for yourself. But promise me when I say that it is something you need to see.

I’d even go one step further to say that Raising the Barn is one of the highlights of the 2017 theatrical year, a phenomenal show and the best I have seen so far all summer. Another hit for James and Sarah, it’s a great reason to visit Globus Theatre at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon this summer.

Raising the Barn runs until August 5th at the Lakeview Arts Barn (2300 Pigeon Lake Road, Bobcaygeon). Tickets are $65.50 ($54 for students) and include a three-course buffet dinner. The show starts at 6 p.m., with a special noon performance on August 3rd. For tickets, call the Globus box office toll free at 1-800-304-7897 or or 705-738-2037.

When confronting an issue that hits close to home it doesn’t hurt to be, well, close to home.

Home for Robert Winslow has always been the quaint farm property on Zion Line near Millbrook where, in 1992, he established 4th Line Theatre as its founding artistic director. It’s where he was raised and, over the last 25 years, it’s where his creative juices have flowed to produce numerous original theatre works that have both delighted and challenged audiences each and every summer since.

With The History of Drinking in Cavan set to premiere next month, home is also where the play’s writer, director, and lead actor is finding some much-needed comfort, as he confronts alcohol-soaked demons from his past as part of the play’s storyline.

“I’m excited but also very vulnerable because of the personal nature of some parts of the play,” Winslow says. “There’s a scene in the second act which is very personal and very painful — probably the most painful moment of my whole life.”

His voice quivers as he explains the scene that sees him go back in time to the 1980s to visit his mom Jean, “to try to resolve things with her.”

“We all have stories about our lives. We want to think everything is positive but there are difficult things that people experience. I hope people will relate to some of these issues.”

The History of Drinking in Cavan tackles the history of alcohol consumption and its prohibition in Cavan-Monaghan Township over the past 200 years. Having grown up in the township, Winslow lived that experience.

“As a teenager, I drank a lot. My friends did too, and eventually some of them got into drugs. We’re talking about the 1970s.

“As the play evolved in my mind, and I got older and I had my own issues around my family and stuff, it became a little bit more than just fun time stories. It’s personal and that’s very hard for me. I think it’s very hard for any family member where there is alcoholism involved to face some of this stuff, whether it’s yourself or somebody close to you.

“It’s hard to know how to deal with it. It’s hard to know how to behave. It’s hard to know how to figure things out. Sometimes you can’t. What is the age-old slogan, about God give me strength to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the things I can’t?”

Winslow, playing himself as well as his alter-ego King, the town drunk, is part of a small cast comprised of five other professional actors — Edward Belanger, Cyndi Carleton, Justin Hiscox, Mark Hiscox, and Shelley Simester — working alongside community actors Kiana Bromley, Maude Rose Craig, Tristan Cruise, Emma Khaimovich, and Gary Reker.

Winslow notes that a reminiscence held in February 2011 at the Millbrook Legion during which “people told stories” proved pivotal in the play’s development. That has resulted in “verbatim theatre” which uses other people’s words verbatim as opposed to the playwright’s.

Terming the play “a dramedy”, Winslow notes “there’s an awful lot of funny stuff” in the play but adds “if it was just all comedy, that would be disrespectful to the seriousness of the issues. It’s a real ride. It’s a play that’s as much about theatre as it is about stories, so things will transform and become something else.”

For her part, 4th Line Theatre Managing Artistic Director Kim Blackwell describes The History of Drinking in Cavan as “very confessional.” While she is taking a rare day off with this production, Blackwell hasn’t been idle in terms of closely monitoring the impact of the play’s content on its creator.

“I was very aware, as we developed the play over the last seven years, of wanting to make sure that he (Winslow) did what he wanted to do in terms of exposing his own story in a very honest and authentic way,” Blackwell says. “But I also wanted him to protect himself … there’s some stuff in the early drafts that isn’t in the piece we’re producing.

“As he’s been going through the painful journey of Robert the character in the piece, I’ve been checking in with him to make sure that he’s okay. The thing about Robert that is so extraordinary, that I am so in awe of, is so many times over the 26 seasons of the theatre he has used his own life, his own family, as a window into everybody’s lives, the struggles and the pain.

“This is probably his most personal piece, because he looks at himself and his mom and their relationship and her struggles. Why Robert is so good at what he does is that it’s a survey piece about the history of alcohol consumption and production in the township, so it’s great fun and he has made it incredibly entertaining.”

Blackwell adds her gauge for measuring the success of each 4th Line production is rooted in the presence of the three Es — Educate, Entertain, and Enthrall — noting “this play does all three.”

Speaking to the play’s small cast, Blackwell notes 4th Line’s employment of community actors is a story in itself, allowing the theatre, in this case, “to create an epic piece with a handful of people” as it carves out a unique niche.

“There is no other theatre company in this country that puts community members on stage in important, pivotal roles alongside professionals,” says Blackwell, her pride in that mission clear.

Among the play’s six professional actors is Justin Hiscox, a 19-year 4th Line veteran who is also serving as the play’s musical director. He says the lyrics for play’s songs were written first and then handed over for him to do his thing.

“I look at what kind of emotion or mood the lyrics portray. If the lyrics are about drinking and partying, then I compose something more upbeat. If it’s ‘Oh, I’ll never drink again … I’ve learned my lesson’, the music goes slower.”

Hiscox says his 4th Line work remains a welcome change from his regular gig playing with orchestras and bands, where “they hand you a book and it’s full of notes someone else has written and you’ve got to play them the exact right way.”

“That makes you a very good musician, but it doesn’t do anything for your creativity. Out here, once it’s set, you have to do that too but here I’m doing the setting. I really like a play like this because it has so many different styles of music.”

When all is said and done, Winslow’s hope for The History of Drinking in Cavan is not unlike that he has had for every production staged at 4th Line.

“I hope people in the audience will relate to their own parents or siblings where there has been a complex struggle,” he says.

“Sometimes the connections are made through the difficult way rather than the fun times way. I wish it was all fun and games. I wish everything I did out here was light and happy but right from The Cavan Blazers to The History of Drinking in Cavan, there’s always been that element of struggle as well as fun.”

Helping him through each staging will be thoughts of home and, more notably, memories of his mother.

“My mom was an amazing person. She was a great singer, a piano player, the leader of the church choir, and the leader of the high school choir. She sang at people’s weddings and was loved in this community, absolutely adored. The whole spirit of 4th Line being welcoming is really from my mom’s spirit. Anybody that came here she greeted them with extreme warmth. Her spirit is really at the heart of the play.”

Does her son sense that she’s still watching over him, perhaps from a second-floor window of the neighbouring family home?

“It (her presence) comes in weird ways at weird moments. There are little guidances here and there.”

With song lyrics by Winslow, musical composition and direction by Justin Hiscox, costume design by Meredith Hubbard, and fight direction by Edward Belanger, The History of Drinking in Cavan sees choreographer Monica Dottor serving as intern director.

Curtain is 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday from August 7th to 26th. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 705-932-4445, online at www.4thlinetheatre.ca, or at 4th Line’s box office in Millbrook at 4 Tupper Street and in Peterborough at the Peterborough Museum and Archives, 300 Hunter Street East (atop Armour Hill).