A detail of a recently discovered painting by the late Erik Loder. This newly unearthed series will be on display at Evans Contemporary for the month of June, with an opening reception on June 2. (Photo courtesy of Evans Contemporary)
This month, the theme is history. Accordingly you can check out a retrospective show of newly discovered work by the late Erik Loder, an artist who has a history of involvement in the early arts scene in Peterborough. Artspace will host a curator’s talk about an exhibit dealing with family history, as well as the history of Canada, and there will be an historical art show in Warkworth, with a fun-filled festival to follow.
More attractions this June include a new series of interesting work by Sarah Gibeault, a showing of some lovely landscape work by Connie Van Riijn, who has recently thrown herself back into producing art after a 20 year hiatus, and Mary Derrick ‘s latest series ‘Dreamscapes’. Last but not least a group show of local artists with a focus on light and shadow, will be opening near the end of the month. So get out there and see for yourself what the area has to offer this June.
Evans Contemporary presents a recently discovered series by painter Erik Loder
One of the still-life paintings by Erik Loder on display this June. (Photo courtesy of Evans Contemporary)
If you are involved in the arts in Peterborough you may well have heard of Erik Loder. A well-known teacher and painter and quite a character as well, Erik left his mark on the community, living, and working in Peterborough through the ’70s until the end of his life in the early ’90s.
This month, Evans Contemporary will be showcasing a series of seven still-life paintings by the late artist that have been recently discovered. These newly unearthed paintings represent the everyday spaces in which Erik lived and worked. An opening reception takes place at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 2nd.
A detail of one of the oil-based paintings by Connie Van Rijn at her first exhibition in 20 years, on display at Star X. (Photo courtesy of Evans Contemporary)
On Friday (June 2), Connie Van Rijn will unveil a series of oil-based landscape interpretations at the Star X gallery.
This will be Connie’s first exhibition in 20 years — she has returned to her studio practice after relocating to Peterborough and re-connecting with the arts.
The show will until Saturday, July 1st, with an opening reception held in the gallery from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, June 2nd.
Star X is located on the 3rd floor at 129-1/2 Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough. The gallery is open from noon until 6 p.m. on Saturdays or by appointment.
Acme Art & Sailboat Company presents ‘Faces’ by Sarah Gibeault
One of Sarah Gibeault’s recent paintings in her new series ‘Faces’. (Photo courtesy of Acme Art & Sailboat Co.)
Acme Art & Sailboat Co. will be hosting ‘Faces’, a show of new work by prolific artist Sarah Gibeault for the month of June.
Also in the space will be work by Joe Stable, and Joe will be giving private tours of ‘the big room’ where he has a large collection of artwork, among other things!
Don’t miss the opening reception, to be held in conjunction with those of Evans Contemporary and Star X, on Friday, June 2nd from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. The gallery will be open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Acme Art and Sailboat Company is located at 129 ½ Hunter St. West
Curator’s Talk at Artspace discussing Dylan Miner’s latest show
Dylan Miner’s show ‘Aanikoobijiganag’ is currently on display at Artspace. (Photo courtesy of Artspace)
On Thursday, June 22nd, Artspace curator and director Jon Lockyer will give a talk about Dylan Miner’s latest show ‘Aanikoobijiganag’.
Dylan is an accomplished artist, published author, and associate professor who holds a doctorate from the University of New Mexico. Accordingly, his work is rich in cultural meaning, both personal and political, and his artistic process interesting in its own right. In this body of work he delves into his own family history, using his great-great-grandfather’s arrest 110 years ago, for poaching on traditional hunting grounds as a point of entry for the exploration.
The opportunity to learn more about this artist and his work will be provided to the public, free of charge, at 7 p.m. on June 22nd.
Artspace is 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.
Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio presents ‘Dreamscapes’ by Mary Derrick and the ‘Sunlight and Shadow’ group show
‘Daydreaming’ by Mary Derrick. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio)
From Saturday, June 3rd until Sunday, June 18th, the Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio will be showing a series of paintings by Mary Derrick entitled ‘Dreamscapes – Paintings from My Mind’s Eye’.
Please drop by the opening reception that will be held on Sunday, June 4th from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.
A detail of ‘Peterborough, Spring Clearing’ by Claire Hogencamp. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Artists’ Gallery and Studio)
‘Sunlight and Shadow’ is a group show, with a focus on the ways that artists depict light and shadow and how these factors inform their work. The show will be on display from Wednesday, June 21st until Sunday, July 9th. An opening reception will be held on Sunday, June 25th from 1 p.m until 4 p.m.
The Kawartha Artist’s Gallery will then be closed as of July 10th for three weeks and will open again on Tuesday, August 1st.
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.
Ah! Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth presents ‘Warkworth’s Heritage – Artist in the Community’
‘Warkworth’s Heritage – Artist in the Community’ runs form June 2 to July 30 in Warkworth. (Graphic: Ah! Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth)
Take a trip back in time this June as Ah! Arts and Heritage Centre of Warkworth joins forces with Keene’s Lang Pioneer Village to present a show by J.D. Kelly and Audrey Caryi called ‘Warkworth’s Heritage – Artist in the Community’.
J.D. and Audrey have prepared a show about the development of Trent Hills, and also the early days of Canada. The exhibit will be on display from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays to Sundays between June 2nd and July 30th.
An opening reception will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 3rd at 7 p.m. This event will also kick off the new street festival ‘Warkworth by Night’, featuring live music, professional dancers, art, food, and more. Earlier that same day, will be a celebration of Percy Centennial Public School’s 50th anniversary.
So if you’re in the neighbourhood, there is a lot to see and do in Warkworth on Saturday, June 3nd!
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.
Children at the Peterborough Children's Water Festival learn about the benefits of drinking municipal tap water at the PTBO H20 mobile tap water station. This 'water buggy' provides a supply of fresh tap water to refill reusable bottles and can be used as a drinking fountain, too. Watch for the Peterborough Utilities' PTBO H20 at community events throughout the Peterborough area this summer, and fill up your reusable water bottle for free. (Photo: Karen Halley)
Why are people still buying bottled water?
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Karen Halley, GreenUP Communications & Marketing Specialist.
I asked myself this question during a recent trip to the grocery store. Several shoppers were piling multiple cases of individually packed plastic bottles of water into their carts while a nearby sign advertised the everyday low price of only $1.88. Why are they spending money on bottled water when many have a safe water source, right from the nearby tap?
Is bottled water cheaper?
At fewer than two dollars per case, it might seem cheaper, but it is quite the opposite. According to the Council of Canadians, bottled water is 2,000 times more energy intensive to produce than tap water. And Canadians spend a lot of money on bottled water generating $2.5 billion in annual sales for the bottled water industry, which is led by big brands like Nestle, Perrier, and Montclair.
Do people think it is safer to drink?
Regardless of the type of water you purchase (spring, well, mineral, or distilled), once water is packaged up in a bottle it is considered a food product and it is therefore regulated by the Federal Food and Drugs Act.
However, your tap water has much more stringent regulations than bottled water, with the Canadian Drinking Water Quality Guidelines setting out very thorough quality measures to ensure its safety.
Locally, the Peterborough Utilities Commission (PUC) manages our water to meet and exceed government requirements for water testing. The PUC conducts more than 20,000 tests a year, which equates to a test every half hour. This ensures that our drinking water is of the highest quality. Tap water is safer and more reliable to drink with higher quality standards than bottled water.
Is clean, safe water inaccessible for most people?
We are very fortunate here in Peterborough but, unfortunately not everyone has clean, safe, healthy water coming from their taps. The David Suzuki Foundation reports that in Canada, there are more than 1,000 boil-water advisories in place on any given day.
In this region, residents who rely on water from the Otonabee River have recently experienced boil-water advisories, and Curve Lake has been on a boil-water advisory for years. All the more reason to not take our local tap water for granted.
Does bottled water taste better?
I have heard some Peterborians complain of an earthy taste in our tap water. I too have noticed it in the summer months.
In Peterborough, our water comes from the Otonabee River and during the warmer months of the year, there is an alga that grows in the river. It produces a compound that can be detected in the taste of the water, even after treatment.
I’ve become quite accustomed to this seasonal taste in our water, but if you don’t like it, try filling a jug and placing it in your fridge; when the water is chilled, the earthy taste is lessened.
Activated carbon filter systems can also be used to remove tastes from tap water. There are many pros and cons to using home filtration systems including ongoing maintenance, space requirements, and cost of technology. The Health Canada website at www.hc-sc.gc.ca covers many of the advantages and disadvantages of various systems.
Is bottled water more convenient?
Bottled water comes in individually packaged, plastic bottles. While it may seem quite convenient to have the option of grabbing a pre-packaged drink from the fridge, there are huge disadvantages to the earth.
Did you know that each 500 ml bottle of water takes six times that amount of water to process it? Also, fossil fuels are required to produce that bottle. It takes one-quarter of a bottle of oil to produce each plastic bottle and transport it to the store.
There are varying statistics about how many of those single-use bottles actually get recycled. Many end up in landfills where they can take hundreds of years to break down. And many end up in our oceans.
“Someone living in Peterborough, Ontario may not imagine that their plastic water bottle could end up in the ocean,” explains Jenn McCallum, GreenUP Water Programs Coordinator. “But we are surrounded by water in this area and any plastic bottle that ends up in the Otonabee River could find its way through the watershed to Rice Lake, into the Trent River, to Lake Ontario, and finally to the Atlantic Ocean. Our waterways are all connected.”
Trent University and the City of Peterborough have both implemented bottled water bans in an effort to reduce environmental harm and to encourage the drinking of municipal tap water. The Riverview Park and Zoo is also bottle-water free and provides tap water available from several fountains and a bottle refill station on site.
Reusable water bottles are available in many local stores, including the GreenUP Store at 378 Aylmer Street North in downtown Peterborough. The GreenUP Store carries stainless steel S’well and Kleen Kanteen bottles, foldable and convenient Vapur bottles, and Botl portable water filter systems.
The Ptbo H20 mobile drinking water station (Photo: PtboH2O / Twitter)
When you are out and about in the Peterborough area, you can access free re-fillable water via BlueWptbo.ca. Bookmark the site in your ‘Favourites’ so that you can easily find the closest tap water, right from your mobile, to refill your bottle.
You can also find the Ptbo H20 mobile drinking water station at several events in and around the Peterborough area. Follow @PtboH2O on twitter to find out if it is at your favourite events this summer.
If you find yourself reaching for that $1.88 case of bottled water because it’s easier to haul to the cottage or the soccer field, consider taking one large bottle, or lugging a jug filled with tap water, instead. Bottled water is not cheaper, safer, or healthier for you than tap water.
If you’re still buying bottled water for the convenience, a few changes to your routine can actually make it more convenient to go with the option that is plentifully provided from the tap, with less waste to worry about — and the environment will win big, too.
TAS Musical Theatre's production of Curtains, playing May 31 to June 2, begins with the murder of Jessica Cranshaw (Keeley Wilson), the star of a musical called "Robbin' Hood". (Photo: Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW)
After months of preparation, TAS Musical Theatre — the Musical Theatre Program at Peterborough’s Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School — opens its highly anticipated production of Curtains tonight (May 31). Directed by Sarah Tye, Curtains is both a musical comedy and a murder mystery that cleverly spoofs itself every step of the way.
Ironically, the background of Curtains has nearly the same body count as the play itself. The play was first developed by mystery writer Phillip Stone, whose films Charade and Mirage were some of the best mystery films of the 1960s. Before he could finish the book, Stone died and Rupert Holmes was hired to finish and rewrite it.
The successful Broadway songwriting team of John Kander and Fred Ebb — who had hits with Cabaret, Chicago and Kiss of the Spider Woman — were brought in to write the music for the show. Before they could complete all the music, Fred Ebb also died, which saw Holmes stepping in to do double duty working on the book and music.
While still in production, the show’s orchestrator Michael Gibson also died. However, despite all of losses, Curtains opened at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles in 2006 starring David Hyde Price in the lead role of Lieutenant Frank Cioffi. Despite mixed reviews, the production moved to Broadway in March of 2017 where it was nominated for eight Tony Awards, with Price winning the award for Best Performance by a Lead Actor.
Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School presents Curtains
When: Wednesday, May 31 to Friday, June 2, 2017 at 7 p.m. Where: Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School (1009 Armour Rd., Peterborough) How much: $12 students, $15 adults
Written by Rupert Holmes. Music by John Kander. Lyrics by Fred Ebb. Directed by Sarah Tye and starring the students of the Musical Theatre Program at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School.
Curtains is a big show that has a number of different layers, a large cast of characters, and multiple sub-plots running through it. Situated in the fictional Colonial Theater in Boston in 1959, Curtains revolves around the cast and crew of a brand new musical titled “Robbin’ Hood”, a western version of the classic story. However, on the show’s opening night its star, Jessica Cranshaw (Keeley Wilson), drops dead right after the curtain call.
The next morning it is revealed that there have been two murders in the night: Jessica Cranshaw, whose death is deemed suspicious, and the play itself, which has gotten terrible reviews.
Enter Lieutenant Frank Cioffi (Parker Slaunwhite), who is not only a crackerjack detective, but also a Broadway enthusiast who dreams of being on the stage himself. With a theatre full of suspects, Cioffi confines the entire company to the venue while he investigates the murder.
As the company tries to rework the play with new leading lady Georgia Hendricks (Jayde Taylor), Cioffi discovers that nearly the entire company had reasons to want to bump off Jessica Cranshaw. Now, with the company trying to save their show and the body count continuing to rise, Cioffi finds himself searching for a killer, reworking a musical flop, and falling in love.
As he investigates the murder of Jessica Cranshaw, Lieutenant Frank Cioffi (Parker Slaunwhite) speaks with actress Niki Harris (Lindsay Rudkins). (Photo: Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW)
While visiting the set of Curtains a week before its opening, I was struck by how big this production was. Sarah Tye’s students are not only talented but extremely professional, and it shows in the largeness of this production. Each of the actors on the stage also doubles as crew, be it for set construction, costuming, props, corpse handler, and other various stage duties.
But this isn’t normal high school theatre. The professionalism and quality of this show go far beyond normal expectations. The TASS students went big on this one and it shows in every moment.
The production has a huge cast of 29 students, and a lot of colourful characters with their own sub-plots who make up the world of Curtains. Each of the students involved in the show brings something to the stage, creating a vivid world of intrigue, music. and comedy.
However, the show firmly sits on the shoulders of Parker Slaunwhite in the role of Lieutenant Frank Cioffi. In his stage debut, Parker tackles the role with great zeal, creating a character that is more theatre nerd than hardboiled detective, but still has the skills to get his job done.
Sometimes it seems that Cioffi is more interested in the backstage drama of the show rather than catching a killer, which adds to the show’s comedy. Parker creates a really great character and instantly becomes an audience favourite.
Parker also has endearing stage chemistry with Lindsay Rudkins, who plays actress Niki Harris. Admitting he is a fan in their first meeting, Cioffi and Niki make up one of the shows romantic sub-plots.
Although it isn’t the biggest musical number of the show, Parker and Lindsay’s second act performance of “A Tough Act to Follow” is possibly the most enchanting number in the show. A real Ginger Rogers/Fred Astaire moment, their performance together just made me melt, and Lindsay’s funny little dance made me smile so wide my face hurt.
Maggie Grant as Carmen Bernstein, Tyler Evans-Knott as Aaron Fox, Jayde Taylor as Georgia Hendricks, and Lauren Moher as Olivia Shapiro. (Photo: Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW)
Maggie Grant gives another outstanding performance as hardened co-producer Carmen Bernstein. It’s an interesting performance that I would describe as being “brash”. Playing a woman who hates her explosive husband Sidney Bernstein (Vasco Silva) and is constantly dashing the theatrical dreams of her daughter Bambi (Chelsey Elle-Carberry), Carmen is a woman who seems to have her own motives to keep the show alive. Maggie plays her with a sense of strength and has a huge presence while on the stage.
Furthermore, Maggie gives a number of commanding musical performances with “Show People” and “It’s a Business”. Her singing is as unique as her character, with a largeness that sits somewhere between Ethel Merman and Liza Minelli. I absolutely loved watching Maggie and I hope I see her on the stage again soon.
In another important subplot to the show, Curtains introduces the songwriting team of Aaron Fox (Tyler Evans-Knott) and Georgia Hendricks (Jayde Taylor), a divorced couple who are reunited to write the music for “Robbin’ Hood”. While Georgia has moved on to a romance with “Robbin’ Hood’s” star Bobby Pepper (Simon Mazziotti) and is talked into taking over the lead after Jessica Cranshaw’s murder, Aaron pines over his ex-wife and the relationship he lost.
Beyond playing these colourful characters, Tyler and Jayde bring to the stage some of the biggest musical numbers of the show. Jayde has her biggest moment with “What Kind of Man”, and shines in the show’s biggest production number “Thataway”.
But Aaron brings down the house with his solo “I Miss the Music”. With a huge voice and an emotional delivery, Aaron comes out of nowhere with a performance I didn’t expect, leaving me utterly speechless, making his solo the de facto musical moment of the show.
The cast of Curtains performers a number from “Robbin’ Hood.” (Photo: Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW)
With such a large cast, Curtains is full of colourful characters brought to life by an extremely talented company.
In outstanding character roles are Will Tedford as larger-than-life director Christopher Belling, Vason Silva as explosive co-producer Sidney Bernstein, Chelsey Ette-Carberry as ambitious dancer Bambi Bernet, Brenan Bailey as despised theatre critic Daryl Grady, and Olivia Smith as secretive stage manager Jenny Harmon. Each of them has a reason to kill. Could one of them be the killer?
I also want to give a shout out to Keely Wilson for her performance as Jessica Cranshaw. As the first murder victim of the show, Keely gets killed off pretty quickly, but not before giving a “terrible” performance — proving that sometimes to be so bad, you need to be at the top of your game.
Another shout out to Simon Mazziotti who, while playing double duty as Bobby Pepper, choreographed the show. The large production numbers are fantastic and inventive, with Simon giving certain degrees of dancing to cast members based upon their individual strengths.
The dance highlights go to Simon and Chelsey Elle-Carberry who are just delicious together. I absolutely love watching them dance. Simon has a big future in dance ahead of him.
I also want to make mention of the full orchestra in the show, which not made up on TASS students but volunteer musicians from the community. Directed by Ben Jackson and Justin Hiscox, the orchestra creates a big sound for the production, adding to the theatrical experience. It was fantastic seeing these experienced musicians supporting a student production.
Finally, one of the most eye-popping elements of Curtains are the wonderful costumes worn by the cast. In all, the 29 students have approximately 130 different costumes. With western gear for “Robbin’ Hood”, and 1950s-era clothing for backstage scenes, the cast looks fantastic in their vintage outfits.
Costumes were provided by a number of local theatre companies, including The Peterborough Theatre Guild and 4th Line Theatre, as well as created by the TASS sewing class. Curtains is a huge costume drama and everybody looks fantastic.
There is no denying that Curtains is a big show. Sarah Tye is an amazing director who knows how to keep young performers engaged and dedicated, and is able to push them to their best. Together with her company, she has made Curtains one of the musical highlights of the theatrical season.
This is a production that everybody involved in should be extremely proud of, and it raises the bar in regards to student productions. High school musicals definitely were not as good as this when I was in school.
Curtains runs from May 31 to June 2nd in the TASS Theatre. Public performances begin at 7 p.m. and tickets are $12 for students and $15 for adults.
Peterborough's Beau Dixon has received a Toronto Theatre Critics Award and is nominated for a Dora for his performance in the Toronto musical Passing Strange. (Photo: Adam Rankin)
Peterborough’s Beau Dixon is a man of many talents and they are once again being recognized.
After receiving a Toronto Theatre Critics Award last week for his performance in the critically acclaimed comedy-drama rock musical Passing Strange, Beau has now also been nominated for a Dora Award for the same role.
Passing Strange is a coming-of-age story told through sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll. In the late 1970s, a black teen is driven from Los Angeles to Amsterdam and Berlin in search of himself and a place to call home. The musical, produced by Acting Up Stage Company and Obsidian Theatre Company, ran for 12 performances at The Opera House in Toronto during January and February this year.
At last week’s Toronto Theatre Critics Awards, Passing Strange picked up two awards: Beau Dixon as Best Actor in a Musical and Vanessa Sears Best Supporting Actress in a Musical.
Passing Strange has received eight Dora nominations. (Photo: The Musical Stage Co.)
Yesterday (May 30), the nominations were announced for the Dora Mavor Moore Awards, better known as the Doras, which honour Toronto’s theatre, opera, and dance community.
While the hit Canadian Broadway musical Come From Away received a lot of media attention for its eight Dora nominations, Passing Strange was also nominated for eight Doras — including Beau for Outstanding Male Performance:
Outstanding Production, Musical Theatre Division
Outstanding Ensemble, Musical Theatre Division
Jahlen Barnes, Outstanding Male Performance, Musical Theatre Division
Beau Dixon, Outstanding Male Performance, Musical Theatre Division
Sabryn Rock, Outstanding Female Performance, Musical Theatre Division
Philip Akin, Outstanding Direction, Musical Theatre/Opera Division
Steve Lucas, Outstanding Lighting Design, Musical Theatre/Opera Division
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The Dora Awards will be presented on Monday, June 26 at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto.
Beau isn’t spending much time in Peterborough these days. He’s currently performing in two productions at the Stratford Festival: HMS Pinafore in the role of Bob Becket and Guys and Dolls in the role of Big Jule.
Guys and Dolls opened yesterday (May 30), the same day Beau received his Dora nomination for Passing Strange, and runs until October 29th. HMS Pinafore opens tonight (May 31) and runs until October 21st.
As black bears are known to travel hundreds of kilometres foraging for food, they are often sighted in urban areas that are close to wilderness and provide easy access to food sources. (Photo: Getty Images)
The Peterborough Police Service has confirmed a black bear is roaming in the west end of Peterborough.
Shortly after midnight on Tuesday (May 30), police received reports of a bear sighting in the area of Weller Street between Sherwood Crescent and Wallis Drive.
When officers and representatives from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) arrived on scene, they located a black bear in the area of Homewood Avenue.
As the bear was not acting in an aggressive manner, officials determined it was not an immediate threat to persons or property. Police are now working with MNRF to determine the best course of action to deal with the bear.
Police are asking anyone who sees the bear to call 9-1-1 to report the sighting.
Police and MNRF officials are remindng Peterborough residents to be “bear wise” and take steps to avoid attracting bears into local neighbourhoods. Bears are often attracted to things such as garbage, bird food, including suet, seed and nectar, odours from barbecues, and ripe fruit left on trees and on the ground. MNRF advises that it takes only one property to draw bears to a neighbourhood.
If you encounter a black bear, don’t panic. Slowly back away from the bear until the bear is out of sight and get inside a building or vehicle if possible. Do not corner the bear or try to get closer to the bear for a better look or to take a picture.
For more information on how to prevent bear encounters, and for what to do if you encounter a bear, visit Bear Wise.
This year, Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Lakeview Arts Barn and Canada's 150th birthday with five shows over the summer by Canadian playwrights, as well as three children's shows. The theatre company will also be performing living history in the streets of Bobcaygeon and is selling their famous Sticky Coffee Pudding at the Bobcaygeon Farmers' Market. (Photo: Globus Theatre)
One of my yearly summer highlights are my trips to the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon to attend performances by Globus Theatre. Only a short scenic drive away, it’s a beautiful space I return to year after year, where I not only see some of the best theatre performed in the Kawarthas, but where I reunite with people and performers I have come to think of as friends.
Although not the only professional theatre company in the area, Globus Theatre has the distinction of producing the most professional shows per year, staging five shows per summer season. However, this year artistic producer James Barrett and artistic director Sarah Quick have put together their biggest season yet.
Beyond the normal five shows, this year Globus has added an additional three kids’ shows and have extended their operations outside of the barn and into the greater Bobcaygeon community itself. The result is an ambitious summer season designed to draw more people into Globus’ devoted family of subscribers.
Globus Theatre won the award for Arts Excellence at the Lindsay & District Chamber of Commerce Awards of Excellence on May 26, which was hosted at the Lakeview Arts Barn. Pictured are MP Jamie Schmale, James Barratt and Sarah Quick of Globus Theatre. and MPP Laurie Scott. (Photo: Globus Theatre)
While Globus always picks a number of Canadian shows to produce each season, this year Sarah and James have decided to produce only shows by Canadian playwrights.
“The whole season is a Canadian season to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary,” Sarah explains. “We always look at Canadian plays first every year, and we want to hire Canadian artists and playwrights. It’s kind of the equivalent of shopping locally. We’ve obviously gone and chose the best plays internationally as well, but this year we decided to just strictly pick Canadian shows.”
Real Estate (June 28 – July 8)
Globus’ season opens on Wednesday, June 28th with Allana Harkin’s play Real Estate. Running until July 8th, the play is about Emma, an inexperienced realtor who is attempting to sell a home owned by Joel, a mystery writer who finds himself bogged down in back taxes. The already complicated task of selling the house get more sticky when Joel’s soon-to-be-ex-wife and Emma’s new boyfriend arrive on the scene.
“It’s a very funny play,” Sarah says of Real Estate. “It’s quite topical because of all the realtors out there and the hot property market.”
“We are doing that show in the round, so we are very excited about that,” James adds. “We didn’t do one last year, so we are excited to do one this year We enjoy doing theatre in the round, but you’ve got to make sure you have a show that will work, and this one does.”
“Oh, Canada! We Sing For Thee”, running from July 11 to 22, features Leisa Way and her band performing songs from great Canadian singer-songwriters. (Graphic: Globus Theatre)
Oh, Canada! We Sing For Thee (July 11 – 22)
From July 11th to 22nd, Globus Theatre welcomes performer Leisa Way back to Globus for her latest show Oh, Canada! We Sing For Thee! For the past number of seasons, Leisa’s performances have become a yearly event at Globus. A gifted singer with a spirited stage presence, Leisa’s show are more concert than drama, but are truly amongst the most delightful performances I see each year. I can honestly say I have become a huge fan of her shows, but it’s not only me — audiences return year after year to see Leisa.
In previous years, Leisa has performed her unique tributes to Judy Garland, Dolly Parton, and Patsy Cline at Globus. However, in her new show, Leisa and her band The Wayward Wind Band are celebrating a plethora of Canadian artists including Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young, k.d. Lang, Anne Murray, The Barenaked Ladies, Leonard Cohen, Shania Twain, Stompin’ Tom Connors, Joni Mitchell, and tons more in a special celebration of Canada’s most beloved musical icons.
“It’s just spectacular,” James says of Oh, Canada! We Sing For Thee!. “We’ve had subscribers who have seen it already elsewhere who have said to us ‘You have to bring that show here.’ It also features her band a lot more as well. It’s a great piece.”
The Lakeview Arts Barn has been a fixture of the Bobcaygeon community for 50 years. (Photo: Globus Theatre)
Raising the Barn (July 26 – August 5)
July 26th to August 5th will see what may not only be Globus’ most ambitious show of the season, but possibly the most unique show they have featured at the Lakeview Arts Barn to date.
James and Sarah will be presenting Raising the Barn, a brand new show they are writing that pays tribute to the history of the Lakeview Arts Barn as well as the community of Bobcaygeon. Furthermore, with a cast made up of seven returning performers from some of Globus’ previous shows, as well as three cameo performances from another Globus project, Raising the Barn will have a cast of 10 actors, making it the biggest production Globus Theatre has yet produced.
Win tickets to the Globus Theatre Barn Dance!
We have five pairs of tickets to give away to the Globus Theatre Barn Dance 50th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, June 3. This an exclusive event for 150 people, by invitation only, featuring live music by Kikn’, Harry Peterson Band, Terri Crawford, and The Retro Rockets. For your chance to win, subscribe to our weekly VIP enews.
Originally a working cattle barn, the Lakeview Arts Barn was transformed into a dance hall in 1967 by its owner Fabian O’Neil. For years the community of Bobcaygeon used the barn for weddings, celebrations, and dances until James and Sarah transformed it into a theatre after they purchased it.
By maintaining it as a restaurant and bar space, they still rent the barn out for weddings and dances, continuing its long tradition as being a place wjere the community can celebrate.
This year marks the barn’s 50th anniversary as a community space, and Sarah and James are producing Raising the Barn as a way to celebrate the unique role the Lakeview Arts Barn holds in the community.
“Fifty years ago this barn went from being a cattle barn to a dance hall,” Sarah says. “Since then, it really been the central hub of the community. Many generations of families have been married here, there have been big dances, and people have fallen in love, and now we have theatre happening which continues the social aspect of it.
“So we thought we’d write a play which is purely fictional, but involves all the different characters that you’d imagine would have come to this barn in the last fifty years.”
When it’s not being used for theatre, James and Sarah rent the Lakeview Arts Barn out for weddings and dances, continuing its long tradition as being a place where the community can celebrate. (Photo: Globus Theatre)
The Fixer Upper (August 8 – 19)
From August 8th to August 19th Globus welcomes Lorne Elliott, host of the long-running CBC radio show Madly Off in All Directions, who will be starring in his play The Fixer Upper.
Taking place on Prince Edward Island, the play tells the story of one man’s attempt to rent his decaying cottage to summer tourists.
“It’s a really good play,” Sarah says of The Fixer Upper. “And it’s also very suited to cottage country as well because so many people are all involved in renovations, even if a small amount. This is a cottage that requires a complete overhaul, and the character in the play is someone who is not particularly able to do that.”
Halfway There (August 23 – September 2)
Globus’ final production of the season is popular playwright Norm Foster’s newest production Halfway There, which runs from August 23rd until September 2nd.
Making its debut at last year’s Forster Festival in St. Catherines, Halfway There is about Dr. Sean Merrit who comes to the small town of Stewiackle, Nova Scotia in search of a new start after a devastating break up. There he meets four local women, each of whom have their own stories to tell.
“Halfway There is set in Nova Scotia in a little town which is half way between the equator and the North Pole,” Sarah explains. “It’s basically a love story about a doctor who comes to town and falls in love with one of the residents there. It’s gossipy and dramatic and hilarious and it’s really about friendship.”
“It’s a beautiful story,” James adds. “It’s very funny and it’s touching. It’s a really great play.”
Although final casting to some of the shows has yet to be announced, James and Sarah will be welcoming back a number of Globus’ regular performers, but will also a lot of new faces to the theatre.
“This summer we have a ton of new actors starting with us,” Sarah states. “Actors who are firmly established in the acting community in Toronto, but new to Globus.”
2017 Children’s Series: The Dog Pound (July 8), Raising the Barn – Kid’s Style (August 8), Peter Pan (August 26)
James and Sarah of Globus Theatre with their appropriately named son Cue, who is now five years old. Globus Theatre is offering three one-performance-only children’s shows over the summer. (Photo: James Barrett and Sarah Quick)
While producing five professional shows is a huge enough task for one season, this is only a fraction of the unique theatrical projects Globus is working on for the summer. Globus is also opening its doors to a series of productions aimed toward children ages six to 12 throughout the summer.
Each show runs for one performance only and costs only five dollars plus HST —, thanks to sponsorship from Stewart Morrison Insurance and Business for the Arts for their matching funds through the artsVest Kawartha Lakes program.
The first of these special shows is presented by Toronto-based group Bad Dog Theatre and is an improv show called The Dog Pound, which will be performed on Saturday, July 8th.
“It’s an improvisation show which is the same if you went to see Who’s Line is it Anyway, but it’s for kids,” Sarah says. “So it’s the kids who give the suggestions, and who get up on the stage with the performers. It’s so hilarious. Even the performers are laughing half of the time because the kids often come out with the most random things. So that’s fun.”
On Saturday, August 5th, James and Sarah will be presenting a children’s version of Raising the Barn featuring many of the actors from the regular production, and inviting a younger audience to explore Bobcaygeon’s past through the Lakeview Arts Barn.
The children’s summer season will wrap up on Saturday, August 26th when Toronto-based company Dufflebag Theatre brings its production of Peter Pan to the Lakeview Arts Barn.
Globus Theatre in the streets of Bobcaygeon
In addition to living history performances in the streets of Bobcaygeon, Globus Theatre is selling Sarah’s famous Sticky Toffee Pudding, a popular item on the Globus Theatre menu, at the Bobcaygeon Farmers’ Market. (Photo: Globus Theatre)
But Globus Theatre’s theatrical projects continue outside of the barn throughout the summer and into the streets of Bobcaygeon. Teaming up with the Boyd Museum, Globus is hiring three performers who will be walking about the streets of downtown Bobcaygeon this summer, interacting with people and putting on a daily street show. This is a repeat of a successful theatrical experience that Globus and the Boyd Museum undertook in 2010.
“Seven years ago we partnered with the Boyd Museum in Bobcaygeon and we did a living history with three actors who walked through town and sang and interacted with each other,” Sarah explains.
“They got the attention of people who were shopping downtown and then they acted a short play about the history of Bobcaygeon, and the logging industry and the people who lived there. It was a really fun experience and the merchants in Bobcaygeon liked it. It was just an interesting thing to look at. The museum applied for some funding this year in part with the Canada 150 celebrations, and we are going to reprise the living history.
“It is scripted, but also interactive. It’s loud and energetic. You might be shopping in Foodland, and all of a sudden a woman wearing clothes from 1850 will be standing next to you and you will be caught up in this. It’s to publicize the museum and downtown Bobcaygeon and to also let people know that, just out of town, there is this theatre that has exciting things going on.”
Sarah also reveals that the three actors in the living history performance will also be appearing in Raising the Barn, in a unique way.
“I thought it’d be nice to bring in these three historical figures from town into Raising the Barn,” Sarah says. “They’ll play the next generation of the characters they are playing in town.”
In addition to the living history performance, James and Sarah are bringing one of their most beloved creations from the Lakeview Arts Barn to Bobcaygeon Farmers’ Market every Saturday throughout the summer.
Sarah Quick’s popular Sticky Toffee Pudding. (Photo: Globus Theatre)
Sarah’s famous Sticky Toffee Pudding has become the most popular item on Globus’ already decadent dinner theatre menu — almost as popular as the plays themselves.
Believe me when I say that Sarah’s Sticky Toffee Pudding is truly something to be desired, and it is the type of desert that deserves to be legendary.
By making the dessert available to the public outside of the theatre for the first time, this gives residents who have not visited the theatre to connect personally with James and Sarah.
Globus Theatre eliminated barriers to accessibility at the Lakeview Arts Barn in 2016 with the installation of two accessible washrooms and a push-button automatic door opener. Here James and Sarah pose with their accessibility award from the City of Kawartha Lakes for Outstanding Design. (Photo: Globus Theatre)
“The Sticky Toffee Pudding was on our first theatre menu twelve years ago using a recipe I cobbled together from a number of different ones,” Sarah says. “With some other various experimentation, I managed to land on a successful recipe. Straight away, it was everybody’s favourite. People would come back every year and ask ‘Which play has the Sticky Toffee Pudding on the menu? That’s the one I’m coming to!’
“I wouldn’t tell them which one had it on the menu, so they’d have to come to all the plays,” Sarah jokes. “We always toyed with doing the farmers’ market so we could be out there telling people about the theatre, so it occurred to me that a way of doing that would be to retail this thing that everybody wants to get their hands on. That way I can tell them about the theatre while they are buying it and eating it.”
James says selling the dessert at the Bobcaygeon Farmers’ Market is proving to be a great way to promote Globus Theatre.
“The first weekend was very successful, with talking to people about the theatre,” he says. “People kept telling us they enjoyed the Sticky Toffee Pudding.”
With the summer season opening only a few weeks away, 2017 be a landmark season for Globus Theatre, filled with theatre, food, music and celebration. If you haven’t visited the Lakeview Arts Barn before, this is the summer you need to make the trip to this wonderful place.
There’s a reason why I regard this theatre as one of my favourite places in the Kawarthas. Not only is it a warm and inviting space presenting high-caliber entertainment, but it’s also a place filled with good people.
This year, make Globus Theatre and the Lakeview Arts Barn part of your summer. Just like me, you will want to go back.
Free WiFi is now available in some of the highest-traffic areas of downtown Peterborough,
Free WiFi is now available in downtown Peterborough.
The new wireless network is the first phase of a public outdoor wireless internet initiative from the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA).
“In 2014 we held a strategic planning session with our members and public WiFi was named as one of our top five priorities,” says Terry Guiel, DBIA Executive Director. “This network will be a big asset for our businesses as well as the patrons who support our local businesses.”
The wireless project is supported by Community Futures Peterborough, Peterborough Utilities Group, and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development.
“Peterborough Utilities Group is pleased to be part of the Downtown WiFi project,” says David Whitehouse, Peterborough Utilities Group Vice-President Customer/Corporate Services and Conservation Officer. “We hope that visitors to the downtown core will find this service to be convenient and enhance the experience of their time spent in our downtown businesses and our city.”
The first phase of the network covers some of the highest-traffic areas downtown, including sections of Hunter, Charlotte, and George streets.
Map of free WiFi coverage in downtown Peterborough. (Graphic: Peterborough DBIA)
To use the free service, look for the “DowntownPTBO WiFi” network on your mobile device. Selecting the network will bring you to a landing page where you can log in by agreeing to the terms of service. No password is necessary and it is 100% free to use.
“Access to public WiFi is becoming a priority for the business community as well as the thousands of tourists that visit Peterborough and the Kawarthas every year,” adds Rhonda Keenan, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development President and CEO. “Downtown Peterborough already has a lot to offer, but this will give visitors yet another reason to come and enjoy this beautiful city.”
Peterborough DBIA has also released a mobile app for Android and iOS devices (Graphic: acorn30)
While the free WiFi was officially launched today (May 30), the network has already been operating in various forms for the past two months. Despite no public advertisement, 30,000 logins have already been made on the network.
“Access to public WiFi is becoming a priority for the business community as well as the thousands of tourists that visit Peterborough and the Kawarthas every year,” says Rhonda Keenan, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development President and CEO. “Downtown Peterborough already has a lot to offer, but this will give visitors yet another reason to come and enjoy this beautiful city.”
In addition to the free WiFI, the Peterborough DBIA has also launched a mobile app for Android and iOS devices, which provides information and business information for downtown Peterborough. The app was developed by Peterborough company acorn30.
Alberta-based musician Leeroy Stagger performs at the Red Dog in downtown Peterborough on Friday, June 9th. (Photo: David Guenther)
June is the true beginning of summer and there is a lot of great music to get it started. There are weekly gigs, festivals, and as usual a ton of great one-off shows at venues across Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here are just a few of the excellent events and concerts that are taking place.
Tarantuela at The Garnet in Peterborough on June 1
Reunion shows are always fun, especially when it’s for local rock/roots band Tarantuela. The band, named after Bob Dylan’s novel, will play The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) on Thursday, June 1st at 10 p.m.
The group was made up of a number of talented Peterborough and area musicians, including Jay Swinnerton, Rob Viscardis, brothers Steve and Marty Kerslake, Ryan West, Jamie Muir, and Mike Duguay. Their sound was somewhere between The Band and Deadly Snakes.
Get there early, this one could get hairy. Opening the show will be the talented Laura Merrimen.
VIDEO: “Leave Us Strong” – Tarantuela
Live and Local Lunches in downtown Peterborough Fridays in June
The Peterborough DBIA and other sponsors are presenting Live and Local Lunches, running every Friday throughout the summer, in the Peterborough Square courtyard (340 George St. N., Peterborough). The music is free and runs from noon to 1 p.m.
Performers in June are Earl Wilfong (June 2), Rick Fines (June 9), Christine Atrill (June 16), Whitney Paget (June 23), and a special Canada 150 concert with Catfish Willie and Washboard Hank (June 30).
Audience members are encouraged to shop local for lunch and check out some great music.
VIDEO: “Deep Elm Blues” – Catfish Willie and the Buckle Busters
Country Wild Music Festival in Cobourg on June 3
For country fans out there, get your fill with the Country Wild Music Festival in Cobourg on Saturday, June 3rd in Victoria Park.
Bands include Cold Creek County, Runaway Angel, Kansas Stone, Colin Amey, Sacha, Sawmill Road, SweetGrass Band, Marc Ekins, and not-so-country-but-oh-so-good locals Gentlemen Husbands. Music runs from 3 to 10 p.m.
Jamie Hamburg, Frankie & Jimmy, C. Clarkin & The Residents, and Sideroad 17 at The Garnet in Peterborough on June 3
There’s a full and eclectic bill at The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) on Saturday, June 3rd as four acts take the stage.
The show features Boston rock/blues artist Jamie Hamburg, along with Hamilton’s ‘demento’ blues duo Frankie & Jimmy, Peterborough indie rock band C. Clarkin & The Residents, and Uxbridge rockers Sideroad 17.
The show begins around 10 p.m. and costs only $5 at the door.
VIDEO: “Bones” – C. Clarkin & The Residents
Tuned Up Tuesdays begin at Elmhirst’s Resort in Keene featuring Fewings and Son on June 6
Tuned Up Tuesdays begin on Tuesday, June 6th at Elmhirst’s Resort (1045 Settlers Line, Keene, 705-295-4591 or 800-461-1940) with Peterborough’s Dan Fewings and Josh Fewings with special guests.
The series takes place on the boardwalk beside Rice Lake every Tuesday from June to August beginning at 7:30 p.m. Food service runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. with tasty beverages available throughout the show.
June’s lineup also includes the Al Black Trio (June 13), Emily Burgess from The Weber Brothers (June 20), and Washboard Hank (June 27).
VIDEO: “Dreamy Eyed Girl” – Al Black Trio
David Essig at The Garnet in Peterborough on June 8
There are few who can boast about their past endeavours as much as David Essig could, but that is simply not his style. The humble songwriter, guitarist, and producer has recorded countless albums himself, while also producing and engineering the late, great Willie P. Bennett’s first three records.
He returns to Peterborough on Thursday, June 8th for a show at The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107). Essig’s own music is steeped in acoustic blues, and features elements of folk as well. Into his 70s now, Essig continues to record and tour. Emigrating to Canada in 1971, Essig became known to audiences as a performer at that year’s Mariposa Folk Festival. He also enjoys popularity in Italy where he has toured over 20 times.
The show begins shortly after 8 p.m. and Bobby Watson will be opening. Tickets are available at the door but if you want to reserve some, email bookingthegarnet@gmail.com.
VIDEO: “Woman in the Snow” – David Essig
Leeroy Stagger at the Red Dog in Peterborough on June 9
Head to the Historic Red Dog Tavern (189 Hunter St. W, Peterborough, 705-750-1710) on Friday, June 9th for a performance by B.C. born and Alberta-based artist and producer Leeroy Stagger.
His music is more complex than simple rock and roll, with elements of roots and pop in there as well. His new record Love Versus, his eleventh studio album, is the first made at his own studio in southern Alberta.
The show begins around 10 p.m. Tickets are $10, available in advance at ticketscene.ca or at the door. Mayhemingways will open the show.
VIDEO: “I Want It All” – Leeroy Stagger
The Legendary Downchild Blues Band in Bobcaygeon on June 10
As part of Bobcaygeon’s “Unlock the Summer” weekend, The Legendary Downchild Blues Band takes the stage at the Bobcaygeon area (51 Mansfield Dr., Bobcaygeon) on Saturday, June 10th.
Downchild has been making great music for decades and this is a rare opportunity to see them live. Whether you love the blues or you just want to dance, you’ll certainly enjoy this one.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $34 each or two for $62, available in advance online.
VIDEO: “I’ve Got Everything I Need (Almost)” – The Legendary Downchild Blues Band
Les Stroud at Gamiing Nature Centre in Lindsay on June 17 and 18
There will be a very special celebration of the summer solstice at Gamiing Nature Centre (1884 Pigeon Lake Rd., Lindsay, 705-928-0263) on Saturday, June 17th and Sunday, June 18th.
Les Stroud, best known as TV’s Survivorman, will be performing music and leading a hike as part of the celebration. There will be lots of activities for children and food and artisan vendors onsite as well.
Survivorman Les Stroud will be performing a concert and guiding a nature hike at Gamiing Nature Centre in Lindsay
Tickets for the concert are $30, $25 for the nature walk, or $70 for a weekend pass including overnight camping. Children eight and under are free. All proceeds from the event go to Gamiing’s outdoor education program.
For a full listing of events and to get tickets, visit eventbrite.ca.
If you’ve been waiting for the annual spring Peterborough Police auction to snag a deal or two, you’ll have to go online this year.
For the first time, the Peterborough Police Service auction is being run by Police Auctions Canada, a website that features items from 19 different police services across Canada as well as four universities.
“A live auction is weather dependent, necessitates that people attend in person, and requires a sufficient number of items to attract many potential buyers in order to have competitive bidding prices,” says Inspector Lynne Buehler, Support Services Division.
“In an online auction bidders can be anywhere and can place their bid at any time. An online auction is less labour intensive for our property and evidence staff, will make it easier for people to purchase items, and will generate more revenue for the Peterborough Police Services Board auction fund.”
Bidding for all items starts at one dollar. For more information on the online auction, to see what items are available, or to place a bid, visit www.policeauctionscanada.com.
Note that items offered on the Police Auctions Canada website are not organized by police service, but by category. So you can’t search for items only offered by the Peterborough Police Service.
The items submitted by the Peterborough police include 93 bicycles, jewellery, electronics, and high-end designer clothing.
The revenue received from the auction items goes into the Peterborough Police Services Board Auction Fund. The police use auction funds for award and recognition programs, community policing consultations, rewards for major crimes, and similar non-operating costs in the public interest.
James Birrell with his sister Rebecca, who wasn't quite 10 years old when James died from neuroblastoma in 2001. Many young people who've lost a beloved brother or sister are at risk of serious depression or other mental health challenges; for Rebecca, depression first struck in her mid-teens. Some of the funds raised by the 10th Annual Nexicom James Fund Golf Classic on June 5 will support research at the University of British Columbia into the emotional and psychological effects on siblings of children with neuroblastoma. (Photo: The Birrell family)
At 23, Katie Brown has spent more time than most in the shadow of death, working with and learning about some of life’s greatest challenges during the course of her co-operative placements as an undergrad student in the Child, Youth and Family program at the University of Guelph.
Among five transformative experiences was her time at a Children’s Hospice in Ottawa where she gained an intimate understanding of the immense pressure families feel when a child is dying.
10th Annual Nexicom James Fund Golf Classic
When: Monday, June 5, 2017 from 12 – 9 p.m. Where: Kawartha Golf & Country Club (777 Clonsilla Ave., Peterborough) How much: $200 per golfer (includes lunch, oyster bar and dinner), $160 for club members, $80 dinner only, $250 hole sponsorship
Featuring a BBQ lunch at 12 p.m., shotgun start at 1 p.m., cocktail hour with oyster bar at 6 p.m., and dinner and entertainment at 7 p.m. To register for golf or dinner or for sponsorship and donation information, visit jamesfundfamilysupport.com.
Proceeds from the event will support the annual James Fund Family Retreat for families living with neuroblastoma, fund an information day in partnership with SickKids clinicians and researchers for neuroblastoma families in treatment or remission, and (funds permitting) contribute toward a new research project in partnership with UBC, studying the effects of childhood cancer on siblings.
With partial support from the 10th annual Nexicom James Fund Golf Classic on June 5th, Katie will explore the subject further as she prepares for a new research path focused specifically on the impact a child’s death from terminal disease has on siblings.
She was drawn to the field after falling in love with the Child Life Specialists at Toronto’s SickKids Hospital where she began treatments for newly diagnosed Crohn’s disease when she was barely a teenager. The entire focus of these specialists is on the children, helping them understand what they can expect from the hospital experience and offering them as much choice as possible in situations where control is often elusive.
“They really walk them through what’s going to happen in the hospital and be with them from beginning to end,” Katie explains. “I really fell in love with them and from there I wanted to be a Child Life Specialist.”
With great persistence, she secured the co-op placement at the Ottawa hospice and her life was transformed. There were incredibly difficult days but also amazing opportunities to support children and families and help them make the most out of every second they have together.
James (right) with his sister Rebecca and younger brother Ben. James was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was only four years old. After bravely battling the cancer over the next four years (he came up with the family slogan “Ya Can’t Let Cancer Ruin Your Day”), he died at the age of eight. The James Fund is his legacy. (Photo: The Birrell family)
It was here that she first encountered the sibling perspective, she says, “and I was struck by the amount of people wanting to help, but the fact was there wasn’t a lot of research into siblings. Yes, we definitely need to focus on the (sick) child and the parents for sure … but at some point we need to look at survivorship for children because when they’re little and they lose a sibling, that’s going to continue to affect them for a very long time.”
Rebecca Birrell, who will share her unique insights at the Nexicom James Fund Golf Classic, is all too familiar with the depth of loss felt when a sibling is taken from this life far too early.
In 2001, when Rebecca wasn’t yet 10 years old, her brother James died from a rare and little-understood childhood cancer, neuroblastoma.
The fund created in his name has since raised millions to support research, while in the past 10 years the Golf Classic has helped support hundreds of loved ones facing the disease. When Rebecca and her other brother Ben were little, however, there was practically nothing by way of specific support.
“I don’t think I ever knew what to expect,” Rebecca says, looking back to the terrible experience of watching her brother and family struggle in the face of hope and despair with the ultimate tragic end to follow. “I guess I kind of had the unconscious assumption that as I grew up, what was in the past would stay in the past and it wouldn’t affect me growing up.”
Siblings Rebecca, James, and Ben Birrell as children at Halloween. James was too ill to leave his wheelchair for trick or treating so a friend converted his wheelchair into this forklift costume. (Photo: The Birrell family)
She had no idea that she, like so many young people who’ve lost a beloved brother or sister, would be at risk of serious depression or other mental health challenges. Looking back, that knowledge would likely have had an immense impact in her formative years.
She may have recognized the signs earlier when depression first struck in her mid-teens; she may have been able to articulate the internal struggle rearing itself and felt compelled to seek help earlier.
“I had no reference point for what depression was or what the symptoms were,” Rebecca recalls. “I just didn’t know at first what I was experiencing and then when I figured it out, how to then approach people and say ‘ I think I’m experiencing these symptoms, I think I need help, but I don’t know what I need.’
“You get to a point where you know you need help but you don’t know what to ask for,” she says.
The Birrell family: Rebecca, Ben, Syd, James, and Pamela. When James was living with neuroblastoma, a rare and little-understood childhood cancer that ultimately led to his death at the age of eight, there was practically nothing by way of specific support for families dealing with the disease. While The James Fund has since raised millions of dollars for neuroblastoma research and has helped support hundreds of loved ones facing the disease, there has been little research on the impact of the disease on siblings who have lost a brother or sister. (Photo: The Birrell family)
There was guilt, of course, because she knew how deeply her parents felt the loss of James and she didn’t want to burden them with her own struggle. She didn’t want them to feel that anything was their fault or blame themselves. She wanted to protect them from the weight she carried.
She never blamed her parents, but she does suggest a deeper lack of preparation and understanding in society in relation to trauma, loss, and mental health existed then and still does today. Things are improving, she says, but there’s a long way to go and the work Katie will begin at the University of British Columbia this fall is one more positive step towards helping young people prepare for an experience like Rebecca’s.
“While the emotional and psychological effects on siblings of children with neuroblastoma is very evident to families and friends, there has been little research on what the specific effects are and how we can develop and mobilize resources to help siblings and their families,” says Dr. David Kaplan, Head of Research with the James Fund for Neuroblastoma Research at the Hospital for Sick Children.
“The goal of this unique collaboration between the University of British Columbia, SickKids, and the James Fund will be to perform the necessary research to develop the tools and resources that will help siblings throughout their lives to manage, cope, and thrive.”
Under the supervision of Dr. Judy Illes, Professor of Neurology and Canada Research Chair in Neuroethics, and Dr. Tim Oberlander, Medical Lead in Complex Pain Service at BC Children’s Hospital and a professor in UBC’s Department of Pediatrics and School of Population and Public Health, Katie will study the impact on siblings who’ve specifically lost a brother or sister to neuroblastoma or brain tumours.
Rebecca, James (wearing hearing aids as a result of chemotherapy killing his auditory hair cells), and Ben Birrell. Researcher Katie Brown will begin work at the University of British Columbia this fall to study the impact on siblings who’ve specifically lost a brother or sister to neuroblastoma or brain tumours. (Photo: The Birrell family)
The Nexicom James Fund Golf Classic, which is focused entirely on family support for neuroblastoma families, has offered a $5,000 grant this year and next to support this work.
It will be a complex study based in large part on in-depth interviews, but if it could be distilled to one easy reference point, Katie says she hopes to identify some of the key, unanswered questions a young person asks when faced with the mortality of their beloved.
Ideally, the study will lead to the creation a template of sorts to help guide young people through the tragic experience they’re facing and prepare them for future challenges that are almost sure to arise.
The impact of such loss, Rebecca says, “doesn’t go away and we shouldn’t expect it to.”
Perhaps this study, created in the wake of her brother’s legacy, will help others come to this realization, and for that Rebecca is grateful.
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