Lakefield College School Presents 'Something Rotten' Musical

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Lakefield College School is bringing Shakespeare and rock-and-roll to the stage with the musical production of ‘Something Rotten’ starting Feb. 28.

A cast and crew of over 50 staff and students from Lakefield College School (LCS) have been working since October to bring this production of the annual musical to the Bryan Jones Theatre.

Now that pandemic regulations have eased and LCS is able to invite a wider audience to the show, Something Rotten director and producer Geoff Bemrose says that he is excited to see the show come together.

“It’s kind of a show within a show. It’s a good send up of Shakespeare, tons of musical theatre and jokes as well,” he says.

The show is based off of the novel by Karen Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell. Something Rotten takes place in 1595 London, England. The Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel are trying to find success by writing plays, but are outshined by the rock-star playwright of the Renaissance, William Shakespeare. Nick gets help from a soothsayer for the next big hit, who foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time. Nick and Nigel then set out to write the world’s first musical’ Omelette: The Musical.’ But amidst the excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being ‘true to thine own self.’

Ben Freeman, who plays Nicholas Bottom, has been apart of LCS musicals since Grade 9, and is now in Grade 12.

“They’re probably the most fun part of the year, although a little stressful. Because on top of classes and preparing for tests, I also have to memorize all my lines,” says Freeman. “At the end of the day it’s really satisfying and everyone really loves it. Not only the cast, but the people at the school because they get to see their friends on stage.”

“I’m also excited for my friends to see it. I’m not really like my character at all, he’s very egotistical. He’s almost polar opposite of me. So I’m excited to see how I can be like that,” says Alex Bemrose.

Alex, who plays William Shakespeare in his second musical production with the school, says that with many rehearsals under their belt the Something Rotten cast is enjoying the “fun part.”

“As (the show) goes on, you just get more comfortable, and it gets more fun,” he says. “And now we’re at the fun part. You know your lines, you get to play more, and you get to really get into your character.”

Along with the other seasoned musical theatre students, Isabelle Kim, who plays Portica, says that the seniors of the school help to foster a comfortable environment for newer performers.

“It’s been a really supportive, really fun team, and everyone’s just had this shared passion and I think that’s what makes it so fun. People feel free to express themselves, try new things and not be afraid to explore their characters,” she says. “That’s something really cool about Something Rotten, everyone has the ability to develop their own character and how they want that to translate on stage.”

Kim says that the students in the audience can look forward to some familiar jokes and characters in the performance.

“It aligns with what the different English classes are working on right now, they’re all studying Shakespeare, so I think it’ll be really cool for them to kind of connect those dots and see how many jokes they catch on to,” she says.

‘Something Rotten’ will run from Feb. 28 to Mar. 3 starting at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.). The opening night show is already sold-out.

Those interested in seeing the production can purchase tickets online for $10 (plus applicable fees) here.

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Gibson and Sons Comedy Production Comes to The Peterborough Theatre Guild

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The comedy production Gibson and Sons, written by Kristen Da Silva, is coming to the stage at Peterborough Theatre Guild starting Feb. 24.

photo courtesy of the peterborough theatre guild.

Directed by Jerry Allen and produced by Pat Hooper, this comedy performance stars Luke Foster, Dan Smith, Lyndele Gauci, Jade O'Keeffe, Brian McIntosh, Bethany Heemskerk and Sheila Charleton.

Gibson and Sons at the Peterborough Theatre Guild has multiple dates with showtimes beginning at 7:30 p.m. (Feb. 24, 26, March 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11), as well as matinee performances (Feb. 26, March 5) beginning at 2 p.m.

The cast and crew work together to tell Kristen Da Silva’s story of Harry Gibson, who helps his father run the family business (a struggling small-town funeral home) through he sees it beginning to interfere with his love life. Missing his recently departed mother, and hungry for companionship and the chance at having his own family, he secretly turns to an unconventional method of meeting a woman: an online Russian bride service. When his bride Katya and her acerbic older sister Eva arrive on Canadian soil, the sisters are plunged into culture shock while the Gibson family is thrown into a tailspin.

The Theatre Guild notes that the March 9 performance will have a reduced capacity with COVID-19 protocols in place, although masking is encouraged at all performances.

Tickets will be $25 for adults, $22 for seniors and $15 for students and can be purchased online or by phone.

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St. Peter CSS Returns To the Showplace Stage With 'GREASE: The Musical'

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St. Peter Catholic Secondary School is set to return to the Showplace Performance Centre with the production of GREASE The Musical starting Feb. 15.

For the first time since 2018, St. Peter’s is taking the Showplace stage with Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey’s GREASE The Musical, running performances until Feb. 18.

The production includes close to 200 students and staff within the school community, and is directed by drama teacher and arts chair Paul Crough. St. Peter’s staff Jennifer Riel (choreographer), James Wright (music director) and Dyanne McDonald (stage manager) are among the production crew as well.

“It’s always an exciting time, we have students from Grade 9 through 12 in the musical. The part that I love about the whole experience that the audience doesn’t get to see is the process,” said Crough. “We have students who have never sung publicly in front of someone, and they’re terrified at auditions, and we witness the growth that takes place within their confidence with a like-minded group.”

Cast leads include Ryan Forsyth as Danny and Macayla Vaughan as Sandy. The two say they are excited to see the production come to fruition with all of the hard work going on behind the scenes.

“This is a dream role of mine, and as the first and last show I get to be a part of with this school, it is something special,” said Vaughan.

General admission tickets are $28.50 plus fees and are available for purchase at the Showplace Performance Centre box office (290 George St. N) or online.

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Waawaate Fobister Brings 'Omaagomaan' to Market Hall

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Experience the artistry of Dora-award winning contemporary dance artist Waawaate Fobister with Omaagomaan at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m.

photo courtesy of Public Energy.

Omaagomaan, created and performed by Waawaate Fobister, is described as a multi-genre exploration of ways to stitch a fractured landscape back together through the effects of mercury poisoning and clearcutting. The show is presented by Public Energy Performing Arts, and is set to take audiences on a journey of dance, storytelling, spectacle, surprise and a unique blend of original soundscapes and musical composition supported by a seasoned group of artists and designers.

Fobister embodies Omaagomaan, a two-spirit being, and a manifestation of the earth and man-made poisons that have seeped into the earth’s crust. A shape-shifter inspired by Anishinaabe cosmology, Omaagomaan forces audiences to reckon with the ways the maanaadizi (ugly) and the onizhishi (beautiful) collide.

First performed in 2019, Omaagomaan has now been remounted following the pandemic shutdown, beginning with performances in Munich, Germany, in Nov. and coming to Peterborough in Feb.

photo courtesy of Public Energy.

Waawaate Fobister is a proud Anishnaaben artist from Grassy Narrows First Nation. Waawaate trained and studied Theatre Arts Performance at Humber College, Indigenous Dance at Banff Centre for the Arts, Summer School Intensives at Toronto Dance Theatre, Intensives at Centre for Indigenous Theatre and Kahawi Dance Theatre.

The dancer currently resides in Shoal Lake, and most recently organized the establishment of Canada’s first ever 2SLGBTQ+ Council for an Indigenous governing body at Grand Council Treaty #3.

Tickets for Waawaate’s performance of Omaagomaan are pay-what-you-can between $5 and $30. For more information visit the Public Energy Performing Arts website.

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The Peterborough Theatre Guild Presents ‘The Crucible’

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Arthur Miller’s The Crucible to take the stage at the Peterborough Theatre Guild, with performances beginning Jan. 20.

File photo.

Directed by Jane Werger and produced by Linda Conway and Elaine Orgill, The Crucible will be brought to life by an 18-member cast on the Theatre Guild stage from Jan. 20-22, 26-29 and Feb. 2-4.

Winner of the 1953 Tony Award for Best Play, The Crucible is an ode to courage and conscience; featuring a tender love story with a cautionary tale. Miller, one of America’s most celebrated playwrights used the historical Salem, Massachusetts witch trials as an analogy for the political turmoil of his time, when the House Un-American Activities Committee held its infamous Communist “witch” hunts. 

The play will be set in the 1930’s for the Guild’s performances, bringing the themes of social and political climates closer to our time.

Matinee shows (Jan. 22 and 29) will start at 2 p.m. and evening performances at 7:30 p.m. The Feb. 3 performance will have reduced capacity with COVID-19 protocols in place. The Peterborough Theatre Guild notes that masking is encouraged at all performances.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $22 for senior and $15 for students and can be purchased online at the Peterborough Theatre Guild website, or by phone at (705) 745-4211.

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4th Line Theatre to Fund Local Playwrights Through Ontario Arts Council Grants

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4th Line Theatre is recommending playwrights to receive between $1,000 and $3,000 in funding for future works through the Ontario Arts Council’s (OAC) Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators program announced Monday.

Photo courtesy of 4th Line Theatre, Facebook.

4th Line Theatre is administering the grants with the goal of supporting as many worthy playwriting projects as possible. The outdoor theatre company is also looking for projects that align with its artistic mandate: to preserve Canadian cultural heritage through the development and presentation of regionally-based, environmentally-staged historical dramas, with special consideration for culturally diverse artists/collectives and artists living with disabilities.

Ontario-based professional theatre artists and artists’ collectives are eligible to apply from now until Jan. 13 at 1 p.m.

Funding decisions are based on the artistic interest of the project, the quality of the artistic examples given and the impact of the program on the artist’s development.

A positive funding decision will then be forwarded to the OAC for final recommendation and grant amounts will be determined by the number of approved applicants and the funds available.

“I understand the financial challenges faced by playwrights and the OAC’s Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators is vital to supporting their writing projects,” says Kim Blackwell, 4th Line Theatre managing artistic director.

Application forms can be found on the OAC website and applicants will have to create a NOVA account and follow the instructions for submission. The applications will be reviewed by Blackwell.

If those interested have any questions about the process, contact 4th Line Theatre’s administration at submissions@4thlinetheatre.on.ca or by phone at 705-932-4506.

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'The Little Prince' Coming To The Peterborough Theatre Guild in December

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‘The Little Prince’ adapted by Rick Cummins and John Scoullar is coming to the Peterborough Theatre Guild, with shows from Dec. 2 to 4 and 6 to 10.

Photo courtesy of The peterborough Theatre Guild.

The production, based on the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, is directed by Jacqueline Barrow and assistant-directed by Caoimhe MacQuarrie.

After an aviator descends from the sky to find himself in the middle of the Sahara Desert he meets the Little Prince, a young hero on an extraordinary adventure. The story depicts Little Prince on his journey as he meets many fascinating characters who help him learn the magic in a sunset and how to follow your heart.

The cast of 26 performers will dance audiences away into this enchanting “multilayered tale that awakens the child tucked inside all of us.”

Matinee performances begin at 1 p.m. and evening performances at 7 p.m. The Dec. 9 show will be reduced-capacity with COVID protocols. Masking is encouraged at all performances.

Tickets are $10 and a full list of shows can be found at the Peterborough Theatre Guild website, or by calling (705) 745-4211.

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St. James Players Enter Final Performances of Beauty and The Beast

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The St. James Players’ production of Beauty and The Beast takes the stage from Nov. 11 to 19, preparing for final nights of performances at the Showplace Performance Centre.

Photo courtesy of Natalie Dorsett.

After 127 auditions, director Natalie Dorsett says the chosen cast and crew take ‘local and amateur theatre to a whole new level.’

“We have 41 people in this cast and the level of enthusiasm and professionalism is all top-notch,” she says. “We were really able to get a cast that is super solid. Everyone had lived, breathed and ate Beauty and The Beast for the past six months without complaint.”

With a ‘beautiful mix’ of both experienced and first-time performers, Dorsett says the cast’s dedication towards the production was ‘unparalleled.’

She reflects on the story-telling skills of Whitney Paget, who plays Belle, and Andrew Little, who plays Beast.

“Their ability to story-tell and captivate an audience is unreal. It’s hard doing a show that has such iconic characters. You know what they look like, you know what they sound like, and we all know a lot of the music. So bringing that to life can be a little bit difficult because people are comparing you,” she said.

As for the ensemble and other supporting cast, Dorsett says they have ‘really come into the characters.’

“I mean, they’re playing a clock or a feather duster,” laughs Dorsett. “It’s the most asinine thing when you look at it but they’re absolutely unreal. They brought these characters to life.”

Photo courtesy of Natalie Dorsett.

Dorsett says she proposed the iconic Disney musical to the St. James Players in 2019. After two years of COVID-19 pandemic delays, the St. James Players’ group is finally taking the production to the stage.

“(Beauty and The Beast) is about loving somebody for who they are, not what they are. I feel like sometimes we lose that in life. It has connection and friendship. That’s what this show is all about,” she says. “We’ve stayed really true to the essence of what that story is however, we’ve put our own unique spin on it.”

From costumes and makeup to set design and choreography, Dorsett says the cast and crew worked together to bring the classic ‘Disney magic’ to their production.

“Shelley Moody did our makeup and she has taken a vision and surpassed every single expectation I had,” says Dorsett. “Belle’s yellow dress is so iconic, what (costume designers) were able to do with the dress blows my mind. Every night she comes out on stage I am practically in tears.”

Dorsett designed and built the set with the help of her husband.

“You’ll never see him on stage. He’s not a singer, he doesn’t dance, he’s so shy,” she remarks with a laugh. “But I am not.”

The family affair also includes her daughter, Lucy Dorsett, as part of the play’s junior ensemble.

“I feel like we were really able to take it to the next level, a level I didn’t even know we were going to be capable of doing when I had all these grandeur ideas,” says Dorsett about the production. “The picture we’ve been able to create is awesome and I am incredibly proud.”

Photo courtesy of Natalie Dorsett.

With a number of shows under their belt and the final performances on the horizon, Dorsett says she has enjoyed seeing the production come to life as an audience member.

“My job is essentially done now, but for the past six months it’s been my life and I’ve worked every minute of it,” she said. “To bring up the Showplace website and see it say “sold out”, my heart was just so full, it was wonderful. The cast and crew deserve that sold-out audience.”

The remaining tickets are $35 for adults and $32 for seniors or students and can be purchased online at tickets.showplace.org.

“I’m so grateful for Peterborough for coming out and supporting St. James Players. It’s been a humbling, great experience,” Dorsett says.

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"Sondheim, A Celebration" To Honour Late Musical Theatre Figure Stephen Sondheim

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On the one-year anniversary of his death, join New Stages in celebrating Stephen Sondheim’s life, music and influence on the industry with “Sondheim, A Celebration” at Market Hall on Nov. 25.

Photo courtesy of New Stages.

Sondheim’s list of prolific and iconic work goes on, from Into the Woods to A Little Night Music, or Sweeney Todd to Sunday in the Park with George. These works all feature Sondheim’s works and show his profound influence on musical theatre and music composition.

Written and narrated by Beth McMaster, “Sondheim, A Celebration” is a one-night performance of storytelling and song that is set to take the audience on a journey through their own memories.

The show will feature a cast of local performers such as Kate Suhr, Shannon McCracken, Linda Kash and Geoff Bemrose.

Founder Randy Read and assistant director of News Stages Mark Wallace will also take the stage, along with Peterborough’s Indigo Chesser, the 11-year-old who starred in 4th Line Theatre’s production of The Great Shadow this past summer. 

Henry Firmston from Chicago’s Stratford Festival stage, along with acclaimed musical director Benjamin Kersey will also be taking the stage. Kersey made his Mirvish debut this summer with the award-winning production of & Juliet.  

Tickets are $35 for regular or cabaret seats, and can be purchased at https://www.markethall.org.

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Peterborough Theatre Guild Returns Neil Simon’s Rumors to the Stage Starting Nov. 4

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Two-act play Rumors by Neil Simon is being brought to The Peterborough Theatre Guild starting Nov. 4.

Photo courtesy of The Peterborough Theatre Guild.

The act is described as a trip back to 1900 at a large, tastefully renovated house in the Palisades, the Deputy Mayor of New York has just shot himself. Though only a flesh wound, four couples are set to experience an evening of unexpected chaos, cover ups and confusion.

Local actors Laura Kennedy, Seamus McCann, Chris Ratz, Tristina Haines, Kyle Robertson, Vikki Bell, Darryl Mitchell, Laura Lawson, David Geene and Kaylin Aylward along- with director Chris Lee and producer Margaret Pieper- bring this over the top story to life.

The show runs for two hours at the Peterborough Theatre Guild from Nov. 4-6, 10-13 and 17-19 starting at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets range from $15 to $25 and can be purchased online at www.peterboroughtheatreguild.com or by phone at (705) 745-4211.

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