On Saturday, September 2nd at 7:30 p.m., Peterborough LIVE invites you to The Historic Red Dog Tavern (189 Hunter St. W, Peterborough, 705-750-1710) to dance away the final days of summer as they revive the Red Dog’s dance hall tradition with four acts calculated to get you on the dance floor.

Peterborough LIVE’s dance party is a unique smorgasbord of music including swing, funk, R&B, rock n’ roll, soul and blues. Performers include Oshawa-based funk/soul band Something Extra, local favourite Bridget Foley, the 16-piece swing band Knightshift and Peterborough’s newest musical sensation — 12-year-old rockabilly prodigy Nicholas Campbell.

The event is a fundraiser for Peterborough LIVE, a music festival held every spring in downtown Peterborough (this year’s festival, held over five days in May, featured more than 100 acts performing at more than 20 venues).

“My Mom is 75 and my dad is 76,” says Peterborough LIVE founder Wendy Fischer, who has been working hard to put together this unique show.

“Mom told me that she always came to the Red Dog when they were young for dances. I asked ‘Was it a weekly dance?’ She said ‘No, I think it was every night. There was a band and there was the dance floor and that’s what we did. We went to dances at the Red Dog.'”

Taking inspirations from When the Night is Young, a series of dances organized by Laurie Davis a number of years ago, Wendy realized that the tradition of going to the Red Dog to dance has somewhat become lost on the community. By bringing together four dynamic acts that perform in different genres highly associated with dance music, Wendy hopes to revive the tradition with this show.

VIDEO: Vance McKenzie and Something Extra

Playing for their first time ever in the Kawarthas is Something Extra, featuring frontman Vance McKenzie, first established in 1972. Vance relocated to Oshawa in 1981 where he transformed his band into a high-octane six-piece hybrid of funk, blues, soul and R&B. Touring throughout the world and nominated for a Juno, Vance and Something Extra will be doing a set combining covers with original material.

Looking at an 18-minute video of Something Extra on YouTube, I was impressed by their unrelenting energy and power as they plow through a medley of hits by a diverse cross-section of performers including Michael Jackson, Earth, Wind and Fire and The Doobie Brothers.

“You need to play to the pulse of the room and the atmosphere and you’ve got to play exactly what the audience wants,” says Vance of Something Extra’s set. “Once you’ve got them on the dance floor, you’ve got to keep them there. You can’t take any pauses in between songs. You got to keep the beat. You’ve got to be like a live DJ. You’ve also got to know a lot of songs. That’s the key to keep the audience involved. If the song isn’t working, you’ve got to get rid of it and get into another one.”

However, as Vance points out, it’s important to him that Something Extra is far more than a cover band. Although they do perform cover material, it’s all about giving the audience something new to listen to.

“Let me tell you about cover songs,” Vance says. “We don’t try to play cover songs like you’d hear it on the record. We make it ours. No matter what it is, we’ll put a reggae funk vibe to it. We hit the rock, and we hit the ska, and we hit the rap and we make it totally different.”

On the other side of the spectrum is Peterborough’s Knightshift. Formed five years ago, Knightshift is made up of 16 primarily retired musicians who get together to perform the great hits of yesteryear. From Glen Miller to Frank Sinatra, Knightshift brings back the dance hall days of the 1940s and 1950s.

“We’re all mature musicians,” Knightshift’s spokesperson Tim Roway observes with a chuckle. “We’ve been playing music longer than most of the other performers have been alive.”

However, while Knightshift is made up of older musicians, Tim acknowledges that swing music is even a throwback for the band itself.

“For most of us, swing music isn’t what we grew up with,” Tim says. “It’s the music that we learned while we were in high school, when we were playing in concert bands and many dance bands. That music was the stuff that was written for those kinds of bands. We grew up on Elvis and folk music like The Kingston Trio. But that’s not the music that was written for the instruments that we were listening to in high school.

“But swing has a melody and the music has stood the test of time. It has classic melodies and you can’t just help yourself to move to it. It’s coming back with guys like Michael Bublé. They’re either writing songs in that style, or giving new life to the old tunes.”

Usually playing gigs at weddings and private parties, this will be Knightshift’s first show at The Red Dog for what will prove to be a busy weekend for the band, who perform the next day at the Riverview Park and Zoo.

The night also features the music of Nicholas Campbell who, at the age of 12,, gained his own following this summer when he and his group held court every Wednesday evening at The Blackhorse Pub.

A regular at the popular night spot’s open mic night, Nicholas was offered a regular night after catching the attention of owner Ray Kapoor.

“I was doing July on Wednesdays, and then the owner asked me if I wanted to August too,” says Nicholas. “I only have one more gig there though because of school, which sucks.”

When asked to describe his sound Nicholas says “It’s raw acoustic and it’s like almost swing, but at the same time it’s not. It has a swing beat to, but more of rock n’ roll mixed with country.”

Performing hits by many of rock n’ roll early legends like Eddie Cochran, Chuck Berry, and Carl Perkins, Nicholas found early musical inspiration while listening to Elvis Presley.

“My dad started playing guitar and I wanted to play too,” Nicholas explains. “Then I was listening to some Elvis, and what Elvis did in his earlier years was rockabilly. I liked the sound and the style, and I started playing all that. I used to play acoustic, but I started playing electric and that helps a lot.”

VIDEO: “That’ll Be The Day” performed by Nick Campbell with Dean James Band

While Bridget Foley is a well-respected local musician, it’s difficult to imagine her in this quartet of performers. But, as she says, people who attend this event are going to see a very different side of her come out in the music.

“I’m really excited because I’ll be performing the kind of music that I don’t get to perform much of,” says Bridget. “I want to be able to bridge the gap between Knightshift being a swing band and Something Extra being a funk one. It’s going to be mostly R and B funk, but hopefully something danceable.”

A favourite at the Black Horse’s Thursday night Jazz Jam, Bridget is a popular vocal coach and has worked with a number of local musicians, most notably Beau Dixon. A gifted vocalist, Bridget is ready to put on a brand new musical hat and show the audience how much soul she has.

“If I’m playing the Black Horse, the crowd that comes out is not necessarily a funk crowd,” Bridget explains. “This is an opportunity to narrow down a niche. Funk is a bit of a guilty pleasure, because it’s the one thing that can get me up to dance every time. So I’m happy to be part of this dance party.”

VIDEO: “Chain of Fools” and “It Must be Love” performed by Bridget Foley and the Gospel Girls

By presenting something a little bit different, Wendy hopes an early crowd will show up and be joined by more people later as the night goes on. She also notes the support of Mike Stone at The Historic Red Dog and Dave Searle at guerrillaSTUDIOS for sponsoring this event and helping to make it possible.

Tickets are $10, available at the door or in advance online. Limited reserved table seating is also available for $15 per person, in advance and at the door (if still available).

All proceeds from the show will go towards the next Peterborough LIVE music festival in 2018.

“Peterborough LIVE is more than just an annual festival,” Wendy says. “We want to support all genres and an inter-generational fusion of music and dance.”

All photos supplied except where noted.

This fall, head out for a night of entertainment while supporting one of downtown Peterborough’s most-loved performance venues. As part of its fall lineup, Showplace Performance Centre is presenting six great shows showcasing music (including rockabilly, folk, celtic, and more), comedy, and variety:

Over the course of its 20-plus years, Showplace has faced and overcome its fair share of challenges as a non-profit organization. When the 640-seat performing arts venue opened on October 5, 1996, an inspiring rendition of the song “From This Moment” filled the space. Cue a rousing rendition of “I’m Still Standing” two decades later as Showplace — despite a deficit and a long list of facility infrastructure needs — embraces the “show must go on” approach that has been a guiding principle of the arts since time immortal.

The show is certainly going on this coming fall with the diverse lineup of entertainment scheduled for both the main stage and the more intimate Nexicom Studio space, including the six “Showplace Presents” offerings, among them Tonic@Twenty — a homegrown fundraiser that will see all proceeds go directly to the organization.

“Tonic At Twenty is going to be amazing,” enthuses Showplace interim general manager Emily Martin.

“Pat Hooper, Beth McMaster, Len Lifchus, and Danny Bronson have teamed up to present this show. Anyone who knows local arts knows those four are a force to be reckoned with. They’ve been working their behinds off. We’re really grateful that the four of them have come together to help Showplace out.”

“The focus of the show is on the building, kind of like a Showplace-through-the-decades idea. We’re celebrating 20 years of Showplace and celebrating almost 80 years for this building. It’s going to be really fun.”

In determining what shows Showplace should present — a process that sees Showplace promote and market each show — Martin explains that not competing with other scheduled presentations is paramount.

“We look at what’s already been rented,” she says. “People will rent the space sometimes up to two years in advance. If someone has rented the space to bring in an Elvis tribute, we know not to book an Elvis show ourselves.”

An added benefit is that any net revenue from the shows goes back into supporting the operation of the non-profit organization, although Martin points out that not the motivation behind the “Showplace Presents” shows.

“Our goal is to break even. We do these shows for our mission. The purpose isn’t necessarily to make a profit. It’s to bring that artistic vision, and bring these artists, to the people.”

As for the challenges of late, Martin stresses Showplace “is alive and well … we’re going forward, full speed ahead”, adding there’s an education component that comes into play when it comes to appealing for support.

“We are a non-profit charitable organization. A lot of people think we are run by the City of Peterborough. While we do get service grants from the City, we’re independent. And we actually own the building we’re in. If the roof starts leaking, it’s on us to find the money to fix it.”

While Showplace’s focus is primarily on supporting the shows at the venue, Martin acknoweldges the organization has capital needs and is taking steps to address them.

“It’s an older building. People know the seats need to be replaced. There are campaigns in place to raise money and bring awareness to those things we need help with.”

If you want to support Showplace so it can keep bringing great performers to the stage in downtown Peterborough, make sure you buy tickets to one or more of the upcoming “Showplace Presents” shows, available now at Showplace — especially the two Tonic @ Twenty performances as all proceeds from those shows will directly support the organization.

You can purchase advance tickets in person at the box office (290 George St. N.) or by phone (705-742-7469 or toll free at 1-866-444-2154) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, or anytime online at showplace.org.

Pat Temple

Friday, September 15, 8 p.m., Nexicom Studio, $25

Pat Temple is a local favourite. While he calls the Peterborough area his home, he has performed extensively across Canada, the US, and the UK. With 30 years of songwriting and performing under his belt, Pat has developed an impressive, and unique, body of work. His music is informed by western swing, jump blues, rockabilly and roadhouse soul. For his Showplace appearance, Pat brings his Hi Lo Players: Kyler Tapscott on lead guitar, Rob Foreman on stand up bass, and Alan Black on percussion and harmonic. Pat will be releasing a vinyl version of One Song at a Time, originally released on CD in 2000.

VIDEO: “Say So” – Pat Temple and the Hi Lo Players

The Marigolds

Friday, September 29, 8 p.m., Nexicom Studio; Tickets are $29 in advance, $31 at the door

Gwen Swick, Suzie Vinnick and Caitlin Hanford, three of Canada’s top singer-songwriters, have combined their talents to form The Marigolds. Backed by Randall Coryell, The Marigolds are part blues, part jazz, and part traditional country and bluegrass, specializing in angelic harmonies and gutsy playing. With Suzie on lead guitar, Caitlin on rhythm guitar, Gwen on electric bass, and Randall on drums, they’ll perform a variety of songs including tunes from their second Juno-nominated album, That’s The State I’m In.

VIDEO: “Sometimes I Think I Can Fly” – The Marigolds

Gordon Belsher and Richard Wood

Sunday, October 1, 8 p.m., Nexicom Studio; Tickets are $30

Canada’s East Coast comes to Peterborough as Prince Edward Island singer-songwriter and guitarist Gordon Belsher joins forces with fiery fiddler Richard Wood. As a duo, Belsher and Wood enthrall audiences with their roller coaster ride of exhilarating jigs, reels, and beautiful airs.

VIDEO: Richard Wood and Gordon Belsher

Tonic @ Twenty

Saturday, October 28, 8 p.m. and Sunday, October 29, 2 p.m.; Tickets are $25

Showplace brings back the Spring Tonic shows from a few years ago to fill the stage once again with comedy, song, and dance. With script by Beth McMaster and musical direction by Danny Bronson, under the guidance of director Len Lifchus and producer Pat Hooper, there will be two performances of this show, a fundraiser for Showplace.

Lorne Elliott

Friday, November 24, 8 p.m., Nexicom Studio; Tickets are $30

Comedian, musician, author and award-winning playwright Lorne Elliott gives his original, captivating, and hilarious take on contemporary trends and politics.

VIDEO: “The Night We Got Grannie Plastered” – Lorne Elliott

Patricia O’Callaghan

Thursday, December 14, 8 p.m., Nexicom Studio; Tickets are $35

Canadian soprano Patricia O’Callaghan performs the songs that have made her a sensation across Canada and well beyond, including her stunning rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.

VIDEO: “Carol of the Bells” – Patricia O’Callaghan

As we approach the final days of summer, when looking back at the 2017 theatre season it was truly the summer of Norm Foster. With four of the popular Canadian playwright’s shows being staged locally in the past two months, Norm Foster’s unique brand of dramatic comedy has produced some of the best shows this year.

For its final play of the season, Globus Theatre at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bocaygeon is wrapping things up with one of Norm Foster’s newest productions, Halfway There. Directed by James Barrett, the production stars Cosette Derome, Jordan Kanner, Heather Dick, Joanne Latimer, and Sarah Quick in a show about love and friendships, and the roads that take us from where we are to where we need to be.

Making its debut at the Norm Foster Festival in 2016, Halfway There follows the lives of four women from the small town of Stewiacke, Nova Scotia, and what happens when a big-city doctor wanders into their town. Famous for being exactly halfway between the equator and the North Pole, Stewiacke is a place where everybody seems to know everybody else’s business, and there is no such thing as secrets — especially between best friends Vi (Joanne Latimer), Rita (Heather Dick), Mary Ellen (Sarah Quick), and Janine (Cosette Derome).

Meeting each Friday around closing at Juniors, the diner where Janine works, the four women engage week after week, and year after year, in blunt and honest conversations about life, love, and town gossip. So when Dr. Sean Merritt (Jordan Kanner) walks into the diner one afternoon, he not only suddenly becomes pulled into the ladies’ conversation but also gives them something new to talk about.

Having left Toronto after a hurtful break up, Dr. Sean is in the midst of a personal crisis and trying to find anything better than what he left behind. However, the handsome young doctor meets his match when he sets his sights on Janine. A small-town girl who went out in the world and decided she just wanted to go back home, Janine is clever, brash, and blunt — and not falling for Dr. Sean’s flirtations no matter how genuine or sweet he can be.

But as the seemingly dead-end drama between Dr. Sean and Janine plays out, the personal lives of the other ladies begin to transform in different emotional ways, and the winds of change are blowing through Stewiacke. Soon, be it for better or worse, nothing will ever be the same in the lives of the four friends again — but the strength of their friendship will ensure they will endure.

While watching Halfway There, I couldn’t help but compare it to Norm Foster’s The Foursome, which was presented by the Peterborough Theatre Guild earlier this summer. Halfway There is primarily about the friendship between four women, while The Foursome is about the friendship between four men. What is interesting after seeing these shows back to back is how well Norm Foster is able to capture the friendship and psychology of both men and women so beautifully.

Foster ts able to write for both these genders in a realistic and entertaining way, which makes him an extraordinary observer on the way that people communicate with each other. He is a master at writing about human relationships, and Halfway There really becomes a moving piece about the bonds that women forge between one another.

Although on the surface it seems to motivate much of the plot, the potential romance between Dr. Sean and Janine is really an interesting device to bring out the stories and the relationships between the four female characters. In a sense, it is almost used as a distraction for the audience so the deeper stories of the characters can emerge from the background.

Still, the on-stage chemistry between Jordan Kanner and Cosette Derome is a winning one. As the downtrodden doctor, Jordan Kanner is handsome and charming, but wears his heart on his sleeve and is not used to the blunt banter of the women — who seem to love to make him squirm with their openness and the fact nothing seems to be secret or sacred within their circle.

Meanwhile, he seems to greatly underestimate Cosette’s character Janine, who is unimpressed by his charms. While he walks into the diner like he’s Doctor McDreamy, he isn’t ready for Janine’s frank yet reasonable way of thinking, or that she would so quickly call him out every step of the way. The big-city doctor soon learns he is completely out of the small-town waitress’s league.

Cosette Derome is an absolute delight as Janine, and creates a wonderful woman who knows her own mind, unlike the doctor who is enamored by her.

While the romantic plot is entertaining, its real purpose to give the four women something to gossip about. By the second act, the show begins to shift to the changing lives of Vi, Rita, Mary Ellen, and Janine. Although it isn’t evident at the beginning of the show, three of the women find their lives at different crossroads, while the fourth is allowing the tragedies of the past to prevent her from moving forward with her journey.

The on-stage chemistry between by Joanne Latimer, Heather Dick, Sarah Quick, and Cosette Derome is simply beautiful. It is funny and spirited and the actresses are able to create a sense of emotion between their characters the audience can feel. The four women create some great character moments that give Halfway There emotional depth, making the show much more interesting than a straightforward romantic comedy.

By the time you get to the final scene, the characters and the world of Halfway There are so real you’re not ready to get the final cheque from Juniors. I didn’t feel like I was done with these characters at all — I wanted to know what happens next and where they will be in another five years.

This is not only due to the brilliance of Norm Foster’s writing, but also the performances of the superb group of actors who bring these characters to life. I don’t know if he’d ever do it, but if Norm Foster were to ever write a sequel to any of his shows, this is the one I’d want to see. I have a feeling these characters have a lot more stories to tell.

I also just want to mention the show has one of the best ongoing Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young jokes ever written for theatre. Well, it might be the only ongoing Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young joke ever written for theatre, but I loved it.

It’s hard to believe the end of the summer season is already upon us and this is the final show in Globus’ current playbill. Globus has had an outstanding season this year by consistently producing some of the best shows offered in the Kawarthas. If you have yet to take in a production at Globus this year, they have left one of their very best shows for last. Halfway There is a truly special show with genuine laughter and love.

I want to thank James Barrett and Sarah Quick, along with their incredible staff at the Lakeview Arts Barn, for another wonderful summer theatrical season. There is little wonder why this has become one of my favourite summer spots. It’s not just the top-notch performances and professionally produced theatre, or the incredible food and desserts. It’s also the people I’ve met and the friendships I’ve made that get me to return year after year. There is just something special about that space. It has a certain warmth that is so inviting and addictive. Thank you for another wonderful summer, and for all the wonderful shows that are put on at the Lakeview Arts Barn.

Halfway There runs until September 2nd at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon. A three-course table d’hôte menu is available at 6 p.m. prior to every evening performance. Tickets are $31.50 for adults and $20 for students for the show only, or $65.50 for adults and $54 for students if you want the dinner and the show. For tickets, visit the box office at Lakeview Arts Barn or call 705-738-2037.