A Couple of Shows! Cyrano de Bergerac at the Citadel and Autumn at Shadow Theatre!

Over the last week I saw a couple of shows in town and depending on what you like, you might want to check out one or both of them. There are always lots of good shows on in Edmonton which is one of the reasons I like living here!

Photo by Nanc Price

Anyhow, most recently, I saw Cyrano de Bergerac at the Citadel Theatre. It was the show to wrap up the season (my mother and I have season tickets) and it was simply a terrific end to the theatre year! Adapted from Rostand's script by local playwright, Jessy Ardern, Cyrano de Bergerac is clever and fast paced with many humorous moments and a few sad ones! The cast attacked the script with vigour and commitment and it made for a wonderful afternoon of theatre. Usually when I see sword-fighting shows I wish for less sword-fights, but the sword fight in this one was staged so brilliantly that I actually wished for more! Leading the cast was the tremendous Scott Shpeley as Cyrano. He was incredible! I wish we saw him more on our stages! Not many could handle the tricky word play and the physical and emotional demands of this role, but it feels effortless coming from Shpeley (I'm sure it was not - but he made it seem so easy!). He's surrounded by a great ensemble and you get the feeling they all know they are doing something really special on that stage. Catch this one if you can. You won't regret it! 

Cyrano de Bergerac runs to May 24th at the Citadel in the Shoctor Theatre. Tickets run from $74-$139 and can be purchased here. 

Photo by Marc J Chalifoux

Last week I also caught Autumn by Peter Quilter at Shadow Theatre. The story is about two middle aged sisters with not much in common who have come together to throw a wedding for the daughter of one of them. This is a play for sisters, particularly those who love each other but who recognize that they are very different and those differences often lead to tensions. While I wasn't a great fan of the script as I found it a bit repetitive and predictable, the performances of the two actresses (Karen Johnson Diamond and Cathy Derkach) make the most of what is on the page. There are quite a few laughs and a satisfying resolution and it did make for an enjoyable afternoon. 

Autumn runs to May 24 at Shadow Theatre at the Varscona. Tickets are $25-$40 and can be purchased here. 

Request Programme at NLT - Figuring out the story behind the action...

I love those shows where you have to lean in more as an audience member. Request Programme is one of those shows. Because the single actor on stage has no dialogue and instead performs units of action while listening to a radio show, it is up to the audience to interpret their actions and their responses to the show they’re listening to. There are no definite answers to this interpretation, and in fact the possible interpretations are equal to the number of audience members. I know from discussions on the ride home with my husband that we both took away different things and the conversation was interesting because we could speculate on what the other had perceived. And again we could not be definitive. It’s all observation.

Vanessa Sabourin - supplied

The featured radio show, Request Programme, is a fantastic collection of songs by local female artists. I was so pleased to hear some of my favourites and for the two artists I had not previously known. I really enjoyed their songs as well. It is amazing to think that all those wonderful artists live and create in our community. I’m of the age where I want to buy their CD, in fact, I would love it if you could purchase the soundtrack to this play. It’s clear that those pieces were curated specifically for the production of this show in our community. I think they did a fabulous job.

So what’s this play about? Well because there’s the ambiguity in understanding the motivations of the character on stage it’s not 100% clear - but it is inherently personal. It’s definitely a reflection on loneliness in our modern society. It seems to be pre-cell phone pre-computer so there’s even a lack of reaching out digitally, which amplifies the isolation of the character on stage. As I mentioned earlier, there are units of action performed by the actor, and my understanding from a conversation with director Trevor Schmidt is that each of the actors (there’s a different one every night of the production - I saw Vanessa Sabourin) has leeway in how they perform those units of action. There are some tasks that are specifically dictated.  I don’t know which ones and there’s one in particular that I don’t want to talk about because I don’t want to have spoilers. How each actor responds to the different songs is individual choice which gives way to multiple interpretations of the story behind the action. It makes it intriguing to think about coming back and seeing how having an actor of a different age or ethnicity or even attack might affect your interpretation as an audience member. I’m hoping to do so but I’m not exactly sure when and I think I want to pick an artist that might be different from the one I saw on opening night. I’m not exactly sure how I’ll be able to pick that one.

It's a compelling piece of theatre. Well worth checking out, maybe even more than once. 

Request Programme is presented by Northern Light Theatre at Studio Theatre Inside Fringe Theatre Adventures. The show runs until May 16th. Tickets are $22-$37 and there are Pay-What-You-Can and 2-for-1 performances. You can purchase your tickets here. 

Shows I Saw But Didn't Have Time to Write About... Until Now...

This has been a busy few months for me, not just with theatre, but with life. I started a new position which seems to be ever-evolving and that has taken up a lot of mental and physical space in my life; I am also working on a show (Waiting for the Parade - Walterdale Theatre - I am doing Props - it goes up sooooooon!) so that naturally has taken up time in my life; I have had a nice visit from my sister from Toronto; I remain active on the Walterdale Board; and I am still trying to occasionally read. Somewhere in all that, I have managed to see some shows AND NOT write about them... My reflections on these will be briefer than usual. 

Photo by Brianne Jang

Most recently, I saw A Chorus Line at MacEwan University. The show itself is not my favourite structurally, but I thought they did a really good job with it. I always forget how many of the songs I know! It's also nice to see this show done by people the right age (or close to it) who can also handle the dance. I felt the dancing was really strong (and it needs to be). Standout moments for me (besides the big dance numbers) were Ethan Bintu-Watt's vocals (he played Richie), a monologue from Don Raphael Figueroa (Paul) which made me cry, and the lovely trio who sing my favourite song from the show, At the Ballet (Layne Labbe, Harmony B, and Mana Middleton). 

Photo by Nanc Price

I also saw The Wizard of Oz at the Citadel. It was good and I think kids in particular will love it. I enjoyed the afternoon but having done the show myself many years ago, it was hard to wow me and I think they actually missed a few opportunities to do so. Yeah, yeah, I know, they fly people. That's cool. And really, it's not like there was anything wrong with the 'pieces' of the show, but I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between Dorothy and the 3 friends and that's the heart of it for me. They were all individually good, some stronger than others, but they didn't feel connected. My favourite parts were the ensemble numbers and I think the ensemble was outstanding. The costumes and the big group dance numbers were really what made the show for me. By the way, if you want to be the one that the lead jitterbug surprises in the audience, I can tell you the exact seat because I was sitting in it! ha ha ha! Anyhow, the rest of the audience was up on their feet, so it's quite possible I just had an off day. 

Photo by Nanc Price

Before that I took in Death of a Salesman at the Citadel. A classic that I have seen three times before. They did a solid job, but there were a couple actors were miscast (in my opinion) and the ending didn't really give me the punch that it usually does. It would, however, be hard to beat the production that the Citadel produced 15 odd years ago. I was a bit distracted by the staging with the alley of musical instruments and for a show that is long to begin with, adding length with a cinematic score didn't really serve the piece. But sometimes I was drawn to watch the instrumentalists instead of the action and I wasn't really sure why that choice was made other than it seemed like a cool thing to do. Also, by casting a person of colour as Charley, it really changed our perceptions of why Willy rejects his help. It makes it seem that Willy is racist, as opposed to it being about pride and failure. The moment is shifted dramatically and it greatly alters what playwright Arthur Miller likely intended. 

Please remember, these are just my ramblings and my personal reactions to these shows. I respect that others will have engage with the material in a very different way. I don't have to love everything I see and I'm cool with that. 

The Revolutionists and Cry-Baby! The Musical - First 2 shows of my 3 Show Weekend! Off to a Terrific Start!

The Revolutionists by Lauren Gunderson at Shadow Theatre
March 18-April 5, 2026
2 hours (including 15 minutes intermission)
Starring: Aimée Beaudoin, Alexandra Dawkins, Jaquelin Walters, & Kijo Gatama
Directed by: John Hudson
Photo Credits: Marc J. Chalifoux Photography and Video

Tickets are $25-$40 and can be purchased here. 
There are also Wednesday matinees, pay-what-you-can and 2-for-1 nights for financial and schedule accessibility. 

This was a terrific show with four strong actors taking on the challenge of playing reimagined historical figures from the height of the French Revolution. I was familiar with "let them eat cake" Marie Antoinette (Beaudoin) and the murderer of Marat, Charlotte Corday (Walters) but not playwright Olympe De Gouges (Dawkins) or champion of freedom and democracy, Marianne Angelle (Gatama). Fortunately there is a nice page or two in the program for background on all four of the historical figures, but don't worry, you don't need the background to get the play. For me it was great to skim that before and read more afterwards! This play imagines what if the four of these women converged at the time of the French Revolution. With three of them coming to playwright De Gouges for her writing skills to help them tell their story, write political pamphlets, develop their last words and plead their cases to the world. While these four were unlikley to have met in real life, putting them together onstage provides many opportunities for tension and humour. 

It's very funny and fast paced. I am pretty sure that several of the actors have backgrounds in clowning as the physical commitment and choices are no-holds-barred. Gunderson's dialogue is modern yet feels entirely appropriate and helps to create many moments of laughter. Early on in the play, which is somewhat meta in it's construction, they discuss that a play that starts off funny and ends seriously and maybe has a few songs, is best (I don't have the exact quote). There is music, and references to both Les Miserables and Hamilton, which feel perfect and expected so there's a bit of delight when they happen.  The cast works well together as an ensemble, with no weak links. Beaudoin is hysterically funny at times and seems to be channeling Marilyn Monroe and Moira Rose - I loved her! Angelle and Corday come at different angles as proponents of their causes and it works. Gatama's Angelle demonstrates maturity and calm, while Walter's Corday is fiery and impulsive. Two sides of the revolutionary coin. The Playwright De Gouges is in the middle and I reflected most on her role as she wants to act, but is hesitant because of the consequences. Dawkins skillfully walks this line between action and inaction, showing real indecision and rationalizing. 

I loved the set (Cindi Zuby). I'm a sucker for a beautifully painted floor. As a former set painter I know the incredible work put in to create things like that. But not only did it create the writer's room of De Gouges, but the pattern on the floor at times suggested prison bars, and the set and lights (Ken Matthews) created a stylish upstage guillotine, for when that was needed. 

As mentioned, it's funny at the beginning and serious at the end. The historical write-ups give you a head's up (see what I did there) about what happens to them in real life. It's an engaging ride and highlights many things about the impact of revolution - what the women were doing (often omitted from history), and what happens when a leader is removed and what moves into the vacuum (it's not always what you expect). I did reflect about a lot of things happening in the world today and what could happen. I also thought about the role of artists - should they not be speaking out more boldly? Some are today and attempts to silence them have been noted. Will those in power go further? That's got to be a fear... 

Cry-Baby! The Musical presented by Uniform Theatre at The Roxy (Theatre Network)
March 19 - 22, 2026
Nancy Power Theatre
120 minutes with an intermission
Cast: Gab Gagnon, Arden Phillips, Renell Doneza, Jacob Holloway, Amanda Neufeld, Matthew Gregg, Megan Holt, Sarah Kyle, Sika Clarke, Lucas Paterson, Benjamin Healey, Rhiannon Eldridge, Kit Brooks, Gunho Kwak, John Avila, Ethan Lang, Robyn Clark, Damon Pitcher
Director: Lauren Boyd
Musical Director: Mackenzie Tennessen
Choreographer: Jason Hardwick
Photo Credit: Mat Simpson

Tickets are $32 (including fees) and can be purchased here.  

Usually I wait a couple days before writing because I need to let my thoughts percolate, but there are only two performances left (as of writing this) and I don't want you to miss out. This was such a good show. It's not for everyone, but if you love really well-done musicals and the off-centre humour of John Waters, then you should definitely go to this show. 

Cry-Baby! is a musical adaptation of the John Water's film of the same name. It tells the Romeo & Juliet-like story of Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker (Gabriel Gagnon) and Allison Vernon-William (Arden Phillips). Allison's a square and Cry-Baby is a drape (delinquent). Of course, there is conflict between the drapes and the squares, leading to arson, false charges and incarceration of the drapes, and then a prison escape. A lot happens! And it's so fun in a campy, raunchy way! 

There is so much awesome about this production. The cast as a whole are great singers and dancers. Jason Hardwick's choreography is clever and funny, and the cast delivered it with 100% commitment and excellent execution! This is the second show I've seen him choregraph this season, and I want to see him choreograph even more around town! The score is a mix of rockabilly, blues, and swing, featuring songs like "I'm Infected," "Screw Loose," and "Nothing Bad's Ever Gonna Happen Again". Music Director Mackenzie Tennessen conducts a fabulous band to make all the numbers rock. Both the leads, Gagnon and Phillips, are excellent singers who definitely know how to sell a song - "Girl, Can I Kiss You With Tongue" is a ridiculous treat to watch. Stand-outs in the show include Amanda Neufeld as the likely insane Lenora Frigid who is obsessed with Cry-Baby. Her comedic gifts abound! Renell Doneza is outstanding vocally and we were very fortunate to get to hear him riff on "Jukebox Jamboree" and "Jailyard Jubilee". He can sure sing and it's incredible! 

The cast is also 100% committed to telling the story. This is a great collection of actors who were able to sell the campiness of the story. This is not an easy feat. But they all seemed to know how far to go and when to give focus to story. All this while singing and dancing! 

The show also has a super fun set (Will Chichak) and costume (Logan Stefura) aesthetic that helps support all the cool directorial choices (Lauren Boyd). I loved the themed costume details and the ice cream coloured squares contrasted delightfully with the darker dressed drapes in black leather and appliqued denim. The set was cleverly transformed by banners moving it from park, to country club, to junkyard, to jail. Very fun and it worked so well! 

I'm so glad that I caught the show - I wish I'd seen it earlier so I could have told you all about it last week! I have seen many a Uniform Theatre show in the past, and they are certainly living up to their high standards with this one. It is also terrific to see this Fringe-formed company branching out to producing in the main theatre season and taking risks with a show of this size and complexity and doing it so well.

A Nice Light Comedy to Keep You Warm - "I Meant What I Said" at Teatro Live

Teatro Live! is currently presenting a brand new play by Stewart Lemoine called I Meant What I Said. It's a bubbly little piece that demonstrates the power of the creation of story. Dinah (played cheerfully and optimistically by Bella King) is approaching her 30th birthday and is experiencing a period of reflection about her life and her purpose. As such, she starts to weave a story that comes to life in front of us. We meet a former friend and current acquaintance, Helen (Jayce McKenzie) who finds herself at a different turning point as her marriage appears to be ending. Dinah also observes Alex (Sam Free) who becomes her boyfriend in the story she creates (is he an actor? or an academic?), and Juris (Eli Yaschuk) a newcomer to the country seeking to converse in order to improve his English. In Dinah's story he also has a tragic past. Added to the mix is The Oddball (Nida Vanderham) who is actually several characters who fill in the world that Dinah creates. It's a very cool little story that roams from coffee shop to upscale hotel bar to academic classroom to wintry high mountaintops. Some is true, some is made-up, but I'm not sure we know entirely which is which. It's definitely about the journey! I had a very enjoyable time and as a playwright, I found the witnessing of the process of creation of story very interesting. I most enjoyed the interplay between King and Yaschuk, as he is such a natural comedian and King's reactions are so truthful. I also loved McKenzie's turn as the tightly wound Helen. This was a big shift from anything I have ever seen her in before and it was fun to watch. 

I also reflected on the five actors that were onstage, as it did not seem that long ago that I observed them as 'the young ones coming up', but now they are firmly established. It's a testament to the investment that the Edmonton theatre community has made to young artists that we can watch them evolve on stages over several years (and hopefully more to come). I certainly look forward to seeing these actors onstage in future projects and was glad to see them as an ensemble in this piece. As I said, it's a lovely comedy that will keep you warm this winter. Definitely worth checking out!

I Meant What I Said runs to March 8th at the Varscona. Tickets are $25-$42 and there are Pay-What-You-Can Nights and other special events. You can purchase those tickets here. 

Photo Credit:  Marc J Chalifoux Photography 

Sex Please, We're Sixty at St. Albert Dinner Theatre

This past weekend I took in the latest offering from St. Albert Dinner Theatre, Sex Please, We're Sixty! It was a laugh-filled evening, with a terrific dinner and great company at my table! Like any great farce, there are several doors and for much of the second act, you are never quite sure what will be coming out of what door! It's also chock full of big characters whose convergence leads to the requisite mix-ups and misfortunes. 

Set in a floral themed Bed and Breakfast, permanent resident Bud "the Stud" (Rob Beeston with the most absurd hairline and a ridiculous pelvis popping) is awaiting the return of a former guest with whom he had a liaison. The only problem is he can't remember who they are. Enter three possible candidates and off we go. There's also a very rigid and time obsessed B&B owner, Mrs Stancliffe (played by Myrna Ferris who has a delightful transformation in the finale of the show) and her fumbling but earnest suitor, Henry Mitchell (the charming and befuddled Dave McKay) who has been courting her for over a decade with no progression. He's a scientist who has developed a little blue pill for menopausal women to stimulate their libido called Venusia. When these get mixed up with Bud's Viagra, the hijinks abound! 

As mentioned, the show is full of larger than life characters. There's a nerdy scientist Hillary Hudson (Ursula Pattloch, with broken glasses and appropriate t-shirts) there to help Henry with the testing of of his magic medication; a romance writer Victoria Ambrose (Joanne Poplett), looking for a new and innovative way to end her latest novel; and Charmaine Beauregard, a southern vamp hoping to get some action with Bud (Christine Gold, who is an absolute hoot!) The folks at my table remarked of Gold, "She has the best lines!" and indeed, in the second act, every time she came onstage I was waiting to see what she would say next. I have been quoting some of them around my house all week. I don't want to give them away, so you will have to see for yourself! 

Like all good farces, the first act gets everyone in place and you can anticipate over intermission how they will all collide, and then the second act pays off with even more ridiculousness than you expect. The cast worked well together with everyone putting in 110% regardless of what silly thing the script asked of them. The laughs came hard and fast leading to a very enjoyable evening! 

Sex Please, We're Sixty runs to February 14th with shows on Thursday through Saturday at the St. Albert Dinner Theatre. Tickets are $70 and include a fantastic buffet supper. There's also a discount for groups of 10+. You can purchase your tickets here. 

The Mythology of War - An Iliad at Shadow Theatre

 Marc J. Chalifoux Photography

Last weekend I took in An Iliad at Shadow Theatre. The Iliad is an epic story from Greek Mythology recounting the battle of Troy. You've likely got some bits and pieces of it floating in your head, from Helen of Troy, to Achilles, to Odysseus, to The Trojan Horse. And of course, there's all those deities mixed up in it with vested interests: Athena, Apollo, Ares, and others. I'm very familiar, having directed The Penelopiad (the story of Odysseus' long suffering wife, Penelope) and having read Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles last year and just finished her more recent novel Circe. I felt a bit surrounded by the Myth, but familiarity does cultivate affection. 

At the centre of this production, is the poet, played masterfully by Michael Peng. Peng is an excellent story-teller and even injured and constrained in his movement he weaves a compelling tale about the Trojan War. I appreciated that this retelling does not pick sides but rather tells the tale from the perspective of both sides. We hear about Hector as well as Achilles. The poet sees and relates wrongs and triumphs of either side of the wall. He has been telling this story for centuries and we are getting the version that's a little under 2 hours. He tells us he's told versions that last several days. The weight of that underscores the shorter version we receive. 

 Marc J. Chalifoux Photography

You can't help but reflect beyond the mythology and think about the essential nature of war, in fact, Peng draws our attention to war in the world over our long human history up to today. The list feels endless and sadly incomplete. As we live in a world with increasing tensions, it is perhaps a kindness to reflect on war through the lens of an ancient mythological one. I certainly have thought a lot about war lately and how relatively safe we are in North America (and growing less so). There are many places in the world where war is first-hand and deadly, and while the play does not provide answers to humanity's ongoing conflicts, the recognition that both sides of any conflict are human is important. 

As I mentioned earlier, the story is well-told by Peng. He is also supported by the live score created by Erik Mortimer on a variety of instruments. The music and sound is thoughtful and supportive of the storytelling. Directed by John Hudson, the blocking is simple, yet effective, as it avoids distracting from the story. I guess with an uninjured narrator you could add more physical action to the story-telling, but I actually found it very engaging to focus on the images created by the words, and the emotion layered on Peng's face and in his voice. Set in a lonely bar (set design by Scott Peters), where all the best stories are told, the show relies on the best of story-telling, the testimony of "I was there, I saw this, and it was devastating." 

An Iliad is presented by Shadow Theatre and runs at the Varscona until February 8th. Tickets are $25-40 with several Pay-What-You-Can performances and they can be purchased here. 

Fun Fact: The crutches used in the show came from my garage! A call went out for wooden crutches and I happened to have 3 sets of wooden crutches hanging in there, as well as 2 sets of metal crutches... don't ask... 

Laughing at Present Laughter at Walterdale Theatre

Last night I took in the Noël Coward play, Present Laughter, at Walterdale Theatre. I'm pleased to say that it produced much in the way of present laughter. For those of you who love Coward's plays, you will absolutely adore this production. I'm not usually a fan of his, so I was quite delighted that many of the things I don't enjoy were not there, and that it focused on things that I did enjoy. What a weird way of saying that I liked it, huh? 

Anyhow, this is a fun show and I loved the momentum that built from the first to the second and culminated in the third act. Director John Anderson did an excellent job building the pace and creating the world for this wacky crew. The third act is a lot of ridiculous chaos! Note: there is only one intermission as the company has wisely split the action in the middle of the second act in a place that totally works. At the centre of the show is Garry Essendine (Randy Brososky) who is his time's most famous actor. As such, he is stalked by super fans and many young attractive women (and men) who want to be with him. He does not object and has many flirtations and dalliances which previously lead to an estrangement from his wife Liz (Angela James-Findlay). Things come to a head when one of these affairs strike a little too close to home. Garry has a team that protects him and who his work provides for, and this is the real marriage of his life. Maintaining that means that lines need to be drawn. 

I was thinking that it would be interesting to see this re-written in the modern age as the age of digital stalking and public ownership of our superstar actors and celebrities was certainly paralleled by Garry's hi-jinks. I think it would be a little darker if set today, however, and might not have the farcical elements that we see onstage in this production. 

The cast is well suited to their roles and they embraced the craziness of Garry's world. I absolutely loved the contrast of the sane and stoic wife Liz and much put-upon personal secretary Monica (Donna Call) with the more outrageous fans like the overly-romantic Daphne (Stephanie Swensrude) and entirely kooky Roland (Andréus Wallace). I cannot decide if my favourite moment was Roland's crawl over the couch or Daphne's over-the-top audition. I did chuckle at so many of Monica's dry asides, Donna Call played her quiet moments so perfectly. There's also a femme fatale, Joanna (Kate Power) who had a fierce barracuda-like energy. At the centre is Garry, and Brososky bounces around from choice to choice like a kid in a candy store, until it all explodes and it has to be shut down. That is very satisfying, I also wanted to mention a new young actor who plays the valet Fred (Drake Seipert) - although the role was not large, he impressed me with every choice he made. I'm really interested to see what he does next. 

Anyhow, I had a great time. I can't really talk about all of it as there should be some surprises, but it was certainly a lot of fun!

Present Laughter runs to December 13th at Walterdale Theatre. Tickets start at around $25 plus fees and there is a Pay-What-You-Can Night on Wednesday, December 10th. You can purchase tickets in advance here. 

Wrapping up my Theatre week! NLT, Grant MacEwan and Foote in the Door!

 I'm not kidding when I say the last week was jam-packed with theatre. I saw five shows (two of which I already wrote about) in 7 days! I combined that with my usual Trivia adventures, a visit from my sister, and chauffeuring my husband to and from his cataract surgery. A busy, busy week with a wide variety of theatre!

Brianne Jang BB Collective Photography

I mentioned a visit from my sister. We had a terrific time this week, mostly talking (but she did come to trivia with us and help secure our second place finish). On Thursday, the two of us went for dinner on Whyte at the newly opened Town 82 which was a lovely spot with great food and atmosphere. And we talked. Then we set off for Northern Light Theatre’s How Patty and Joanne Won High Gold at the Grand Christmas Cup Winter Dance Competition. This show was simply delightful. About two women who are a little lonely who are participating in a Beginner Adult Tap Class for different reasons. After the instructor leaves her position, the rest of the class also departs leaving only Patty and Joanne. Patty (Jenny McKillop) is a tired mother of 5, seeking something for herself  in her busy life. For Joanne (Kendra Connor)  the tap class is her path to her love of musical theatre (she knows facts about classic musical theatre shows that she can list off at the drop of a hat), and memories of her now deceased parents. When they find themselves alone with no instructor they decide to create their own routine and enter the big Winter Dance Competition. Through the journey, they get to know each other and themselves better and create a magical tap number (Choreographer Jason Hardwick) that literally had me sobbing with joy! Perhaps I connected to this so strongly because, like Patty and Joanne, I too am at a point in my life where I am seeking something for me. I think many of us hit that point in our middle years and an artistic pursuit, no matter what your skill-level, can fill that. I have so many friends that have started taking up artistic hobbies that it made me really think about what is missing that art fills in our lives. I may not take up tap-dancing, but I know I have been seriously thinking about finally writing a novel! Look out world! If there's a Christmas Cup for novel writing I might be trying for it. Anyhow, this is a terrific little show. It's a tight 60 minutes that's funny and heart-warming, and certainly kicks off the Christmas season in a truly original way! Plus, it features the BEST Christmas song every written so there's that. No ghosts on this stage, but I'm good with that. The show runs until December 13th and there's plenty of different price points including Pay-What-You-Can and 2-For-1 Tickets. 

I also saw Grant MacEwan Theatre Program's Carrie. It has closed now but it was an excellently done show. However, it was not my kind of show. I think that there are certain people who love this show and shows like it. Based on the Stephen King book and movie it has a bit of a cult status. It was executed with great skill. Standouts were the actresses who played Carrie and her mother (I failed to grab a program and I can no longer find the online program - so if anyone knows who they were, feel free to comment). But the whole thing was pretty cool for concept and it was tight. I'm glad I saw it, even though it wasn't my kind of show, because there are some fabulous performers in the Grant MacEwan Theatre program! 

Finally, I saw Foote in the Door's Guys and Dolls. It has also closed as I saw it on it's closing weekend, but I had a great time. I went with friends from Amélie (ELOPE) and there were several members of the Amélie cast/team onstage and in the orchestra and production team. It was nice to see all them, as well as the Walterdale peeps! A very 'theatre-family' experience. Having done Guys and Dolls many, many years ago it was terrific to revisit it. My seat partner and I chair-danced and lip synced along to many of the songs and it was full of funny moments that we laughed at. It's easy to see why a company would produce this show. So many great songs and opportunities for humour and great dancing! This was a terrific ensemble and they put on a show that was a real audience pleaser! I'm glad I was able to fit it into my schedule! 

Getting in the Spirit of the Season with THEATRE! Castle Spectre and The Vinyl Cafe Kick it all off!

I've been super busy this week because I have my sister visiting from Ontario, but I did see a couple of show son the weekend that I think you should check out. 

The first was Castle Spectre, presented by Paper Crown Theatre at the Gateway Theatre. It's an adaptation of a gothic play from long ago. It's been edited for length and some characters have been trimmed to create a tighter piece more suitable for modern audiences. The story tells of a haunted castle with a history of treachery and a long lost daughter returns, not knowing who she really is. The story leans on gothic tropes, like ghosts and a mysterious prisoner in a dungeon, as well as an isolated heroine. There's a lot of humour, particularly from Father Philip (Andrew Mcready), Motley the fool (Christian Lundgren, who also plays the villian, Lord Osmond) and a delightfully Scottish housekeeper Alice (Samantha Beck). As the heroine Angela, Irene Poole has a lovely onstage presence and a beautiful voice. She sings duets with the ghost of her mother, Evelina, the equally talented Maggie Salopek. It's a lot of fun and worth checking out, particularly if you like stories of castles and long lost royal heirs and sword fighting! It's perfectly suitable for younger audiences, but only if they are able to handle the running time as it is a two act piece - so maybe not the really little ones.  It runs to November 30th at the Gateway Theatre and tickets can be purchased here. 

Photo: Nanc Price

I also saw The Vinyl Cafe at The Citadel. I'm a big fan of the CBC program, The Vinyl Cafe and have listened to a lot of them. I was both excited and apprehensive about seeing it because I love the show but I also wanted it to live up to my expectations. I needn't have been apprehensive, it was such a  lovely and fun show! It may not look or feel exactly how you imagine it (there's a wide distance between Stuart Maclean's voice and musical theatre), but the spirit and themes of the stories are spot-on. The bulk of the show is built around the classic story, "Dave Cooks the Turkey", but there are other bits and pieces from many of the recognizable favourites from the Vinyl Cafe. There will be moments that surprise you! The music is tuneful and fun and the entire cast is terrific. They are all wonderful singers and dancers committed to selling the story, so whether there's 2 or 3 or the full cast onstage, it's really well done! The central family of Dave, Morley, Stephanie and Sam were the emotional heart of the show, as they should be. I even teared up in the last number. I left the show feeling so good. It's a  wonderful holiday theatre adventure, and for me the theme of leaving behind petty disagreements to share in the joy of the season with your friends, family and neighbours is so very timely. The show has been held over a week and now runs to December 7th and tickets can be purchased here. 

I mentioned I've been busy - I also saw How Patty and Joann Won High Gold at the Grand Christmas Cup Winter Dance Competition  at Northern Light Theatre - which was hilarious and heartbreaking and I highly recommend, and about which I will write more about later; and Carrie presented by MacEwan University Theatre program, which while it is not my kind of musical, it was excellently done - I will write more later about this, as well. 

And now I am off to Guys and Dolls presented by Foote in the Door! It's been a very busy week!

Ridiculous Fun and a Surreal Personal Adventure - The 39 Steps at Teatro Live!

There's something very weird about going to a new production of a show that you have been in as an actor, or have directed in the past. This first happened to me 25 odd years ago when I saw Hello Dolly! at the Citadel a few years after having being in it. I remember being very disassociated from the show because of how close I had been to the material. I couldn't get into it. A decade or so later I went to a production of Steel Magnolias only a couple of years after having played M'Lynn, and the opposite thing happened as I found myself so immersed in the story that I was body-shaking sobbing at the end of it. So I wondered how seeing The 39 Steps at Teatro Live! would affect me. I hadn't been in the show, but I had directed it 4 years previously at Walterdale Theatre across the street. It was my first show coming out of the COVID shutdown and doing it actually woke me up from the low-key malaise I was experiencing after being in lockdown for so long. 

I'm pleased to say that, while surreal, the experience of seeing Teatro's production (directed by new Artistic Director, Farren Timoteo) was quite a lot of fun! It was really interesting to see what was done differently and what was pretty much the same, and of course, what surprised me (and there were a few of those moments). Of course, I have a deep emotional attachment to my own production but this is such a hilarious piece of theatre and the room the script gives to explore and try new things means that I would likely see it again done by another company because it offers that world of  "let's see how ridiculous we can make this!" to any cast and team!

The 39 Steps, Teatro Live!. Photo by Marc J Chalifoux

So, what's it all about? The show recreates Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps, where Richard Hannay (Geoffrey Simon Brown - a youngish, and extremely flexible, Hannay with a somewhat pinched upper class accent) is swung into a spy plot by a chance encounter with femme fatale Annabella Schmidt (Priya Narine). After an unfortunate death, Hannay is forced to flee to the Scottish Highlands to evade a murder charge and hopefully foil spies (we know about as much as he does which at this point is not very much!). Along the way there are dozens of other characters played by 2 clowns, Katie Yoner and Michael Watt, and two other women of note also played by Narine. The multitude of different characters played by the 2 clowns leads to much hilarity as they swap hats and coats and accents and wigs with great fervour and often with nary a breath between one and another. This cast as a whole are obviously skilled improvisers as they had to deal with costume and hat and set malfunctions and did so with humour and quick thinking - a confession  about a moustache has likely never been so funny. This was much in the spirit of The Play that Goes Wrong - except I am not sure all or any of the mishaps were planned. There are a lot of moving parts and I did sometimes wish for a a tighter execution, perhaps thinking back to how many times I had rehearsed a particular hat, coat and wig swap when preparing my own production. It could be that this show will be a little looser and allow for those magic moments of live onstage problem-solving. Judging from the audience laughter it was certainly appreciated. 

I encourage you to check this show out - whether you've seen it or not - it's a wild ride and literally a laugh-a-minute! As we move into the colder winter days, you'll be grateful for the silliness! 

The 39 Steps runs until November 30, 2025 at the Varscona Theatre. Tickets run from $25-42 but there are also Pay-What-You-Can Tuesdays and a Free Wine and cheese Night. You can purchase your tickets Here. 

Social Issues - According to the Chorus and Wildcat

I thought I would catch up a bit and  chat about a couple of shows I saw that I didn't have time to blog about at the time. Sometimes I get busy... I still have a post to write about my last day of Fringe this summer as I usually collapse after Fringe wraps up that whatever I see on the last day gets neglected... Anyhow, I digress... 

I say two pieces this fall that were both heavy on social issues, each of them approaching them in a very different way. 

The first, According to the Chorus, was presented as the October production at Walterdale Theatre. It told the story of the backstage of a Broadway show during the mid-eighties during the height of the AIDS crisis. The show also alluded to other social issues, eating disorders and domestic violence, but these were not dealt with in as much depth. It was a clever way to talk about what was going on at the time, as Broadway was no doubt hit harder than other industries with illness and death. We heard about this from the perspectives of the chorus girls and saw the impact of the disease on the stage manager Vander (played by Josh Young) who seemed to shrink before our eyes throughout the show. The show was definitely telling this story from a new perspective - that of those observing it happen while it is not happening to them. I felt the script could have used a little more work as it seemed to want to lean into comedy and petty disputes, but I was very impressed with the actors who did the work to make the world feel real. 

The second, Wildcat, at first glance seemed to be about a former union activist searching for relevance as she ages, however, it shifted to be really about catfishing and online fraud and a unique way that elderly people might be caught up in giving away their money to unsavory people. I will admit, I feel that the activism storyline that kind of bookends the piece could have been eliminated and it would have been stronger. The clever set-up for the catfishing and how the problem is solved is the shining diamond of the play. That's where the story moves and gets entertaining and engaging, and I think it tells a story that we all need to hear to protect ourselves. I'm getting older and I could see very clearly how someone, lonely and isolated and wishing for their past could get swept up in the danger. I think the bookends about activism might have come from the inspiration for the characters and the perception of a necessary backstory, but I think it might be a case of less is more - OR - maybe there's actually two plays there - maybe there's a play about the Activist that earns the ending epilogue.  It is a fun piece of theatre and the acting is excellent (Michelle Fleiger, Maralyn Ryan, Melissa Thingelstad, & Graham Mothersill). The second act gets very funny and dangerous and there's some terrific choreography used to help support the story-telling. I'm certainly still thinking about it, & that's always what you want from theatre! 

A Nostalgic Theatre Adventure Continues with Beehive: The 60's Musical!

The Cast of Beehive: The Musical
- supplied

On Thursday night I had a wonderful time revisiting the music of the 1960s with St. Albert Dinner Theatre's Opening Night of Beehive: The 60's Musical. The show was handily directed by Caitlyn Tywoniuk with Music Direction by Dalton B. Terhorst. It featured a talented collection of 6 singer/actor/dancers who wove together a journey through the pop music of the 1960s. While I was not alive for most of the 60s (note: I say most of as I was born during the tail end of the decade) I was very familiar with most of the songs due to growing up with the radio on and absolutely loving the 60s girl group sounds! I also directed and performed in a similar show, Shout!, a number of years ago at the Fringe and there were some overlaps in song selection. Needless to say, I was quietly singing along to many of the songs in Beehive! 

The cast was very well suited to the music, both in voice and dance (choreographed by Sabrina Thieven). Their harmonies were bang-on and each of the 6 actors had moments where they could shine. Josephine Herbut as Wanda, skillfully guided us through the journey, and I loved all her songs. Her voice never falters and has such a beautiful tone which is perfect for the music of the era. Her renditions of Walking in the Rain and The Beehive Dance were simply terrific! Sika Clarke as Pattie is a powerhouse vocalist which leads to a dynamic version of You Don't Own Me. I absolutely loved everything that Renee DeSilva-Bissell (Jasmine) sang as she is remarkably vocally flexible. Her Diana Ross inspired, You Can't Hurry Love, is a showstopper. Melanie Dobos (Allison) has a bright youthfulness and elegance that is charming in her rendition of Where the Boys Are. Chrissie Palacios (Gina) stands out when she delivers the classic, (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman, and Kelsey Hoople (Laura) channels Janis Joplin with a warm and smoky medley including Cry Baby and Me and Bobby McGee. Through all the songs, the cast works as a true team backing each other up with energetic dance and tight harmonies. They also don't limit themselves to the stage, but literally work the crowd with shout-outs and weaving through the audience to make the whole thing more immersive. It was a fun ride! 

I should also mention, that this company is a dinner theatre, so the evening starts with a buffet meal which was delicious. This was also the company's first foray into producing a musical and they've done a terrific job with an excellent piece of theatre!

Beehive: The 60's Musical runs on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until November 22nd. Tickets are $70.00 and that include dinner and the show and can be purchased here. 

Theatrical Nostalgia - Billy Bishop Goes to War and Morningside Road

It's interesting that after seeing Big Stuff on the weekend, the next two shows I saw this week learned in heavily to feelings of nostalgia. Nostalgia for eras of history I wasn't even born yet for (WW I and WWII). I had a fascinating conversation after the second one about why we see so many shows dealing with periods of history from before we were born that we somehow are still cognizant of - perhaps due to cultural storytelling in our lifetimes - but also wondering about how'd we write about our youth which was more the 1970s and 1980s and how and why we'd tell those stories... 

I took in the inaugural production from Edmonton Repertory Theatre Company this past week. For their first production they mounted a Canadian Classic, Billy Bishop Goes to War starring Steven Greenfield as Billy Bishop and Cathy Derkach on piano and supporting vocals and sound effects. This is not the first time I've seen this play, in fact I have seen it twice before, but it is a show worth revisiting, and if you've never seen it you should. A large part of that is the excellent script and how it tells and shows the real Canadian World War One hero, Billy Bishop. It's a terrific story with songs and in this production it is animatedly told by Greenfield. He is certainly up to the task of playing the unexpected hero. Known as the worst student ever to come out of the Royal Military College, Bishop becomes a flying Ace in WWI and shoots down a remarkable amount of German planes and receives the highest of military honours for it. Greenfield is physical and flexible as he plays not only Bishop, but a plethora of other characters. He is supported throughout this by Derkach, a gifted pianist and vocalist. I feel this is one of the plays that every Canadian should probably see, and this production, directed by Gerry Potter, is an excellent interpretation of it. The play explores themes of heroism, the cost of war and the brutal realities of conflict, and the creation of a national hero.

The Edmonton Repertory Theatre Company has taken up residence at the Biederman Theatre (inside Lifestyles Options Retirement Community - 17203 99 Ave NW). This is a new space for the Edmonton Theatre community and it's a lovely one. Free parking is available to the West of the building. Billy Bishop Goes to War runs from October 24-November 8, 2025. Tickets run from $23-$40 and are available here.

I also had the opportunity to see the newest iteration of Morningside Road at Shadow Theatre. I had seen the first version of this lovely musical at Fringe in 2023 and recommended it to everyone at the time. The updated version is an expanded two act musical with a full band and additional musical numbers. Morningside Road tells the story of a Girl (played by playwright & composer Mhairi Berg) and her grandmother Elaine (Maureen Rooney). The two are close and the Girl has always been entertained by the stories her grandmother has told her about growing up on Morningside Road in Scotland and how she met her grandfather during World War II before the two of them emigrated to Canada to start a family. As they revisit the stories Berg plays the younger Elaine and we meet her grandfather in the past who is known as the Lad (Cameron Kneteman). But grandmother Elaine is starting to experience dementia and as she deteriorates her stories change and we discover that the actual past was somewhat different from what she's been relaying over the years. I do not want to give too much away, but let's just say, secrets are revealed. The music (by Berg and Simon Abbot) is gorgeous and takes up more space in the story than in the original Fringe production. I absolutely loved That Blessèd Wedding Day and Christmas Stockings and I think those were both new or at least more developed! All three performers are lovely singers and committed to telling this story. I did wish that I was experiencing it for the first time, however, because I knew the big secret so the reveal had less impact on me. I'm curious, if you are seeing it for the first time, how that discovery rings with you.  

I'm so impressed with Shadow Theatre for investing in this show. I love that they are looking at what local artists are doing at Fringe and helping to develop those works further. We have so much incredible talent creating new work in the city and this was a real treat to see in the mainstage season. 

Morningside Road runs to November 2nd so you need to catch it quickly. I was meant to see it a week earlier but shows were canceled due to illness, so I am sorry this is coming so close to the end of the run. Tickets are $25 - $40 and can be purchased here. 

Big Stuff at the Citadel - what are you holding on to?

This weekend, my Mom and I went to Big Stuff at the Citadel Theatre. The show features improvised moments and scenes within a framework wherein actors Naomi Sniekus and Matt Baram tell stories about all their "stuff" (physical) and their "stuff" (emotional and memory). They relate their meeting and tell the stories of their parents who have now all passed away. Throughout the show (and this is the improv stuff), the audience reveals stories about their things. When you arrive at the theatre, there's a notecard on the seat that you write about an object that you have that reminds you of someone close to you. During the show, at key moments, a card is drawn and that audience member is encouraged to tell their story and this is woven into the overall narrative. They also ask questions, like who has been married the longest, which my Mom won at 62 years (she said 62 but remembered later on the way to the car that it was actually 63 years). It was such a lovely show. Very funny both in the planned story and in the quick thinking incorporation of the prompts peppered throughout the show, but is is also touching and heart warming. So it's completely fair to mention that I laughed and I cried and I loved it! As we were leaving my Mom said, "Now that is the kind of theatre I want to see!". 

I've seen Sniekus and Baram before in Toronto in 2013. They are just as quick and in sync today and in a city like Edmonton with such good Improv, they are holding their own with this phenomenal show. It's a must-see!

Big Stuff runs at the Citadel Theatre in the Rice until November 9th. Tickets are $40-$69 and can be purchased here. 

Unicorns and Tigers... A Zoological Start to the Theatre Season!

The Pink Unicorn by Elise Forier Edie - Northern Light Theatre
Directed by Trevor Schmidt and starring Patricia Zentilli

Brianne Jang BB Collective Photography

I saw this play 10 years ago at Northern Light Theatre and loved it. It has come back to me several times a year when things would happen in the world, or when I would encounter magical children as a teacher, or when I would read a certain book (This is How It's Always Is by Laurie Frankel). It's that kind of play. This production was just as good as the show I saw so long ago and hits as hard (or harder) because the rhetoric has gotten worse in recent years, so it feels even more necessary. As Trisha Lee, Zentilli leans into the flaws of her character and that searching that every parent does to make the right choice. She is luminous and questing and we feel for her as she struggles to do the right thing in a world she is completely unprepared for. At the core of the story is love. Love for a child no matter who they are, and trying to find the ways to show that love and support them even if it feels foreign and strange. It is a true testament to unconditional love of a parent for their child. It is also about Trisha recognizing her own relationship with judging people and working to overcome that. Once again, you recognize the small-town close-mindedness and the wacky misfit characters that populate it, as well as those that cannot bend to show love and acceptance because of being so invested in their judgment and their need to be "right". 

I loved the journey that director Schmidt took us on. It's pacing is fast, but slows for thought and reflection. Trisha moves more in this production and this pulls us is. I also really loved Schmidt's set design, so I wanted to give that a shout out. It's a humongous papercraft window box of a small town Texas field, set off by pink swirls. Simply beautiful and giving a frame to this touching story of mother and child. Whether you saw this before or not, I highly recommend. 

Tickets are $37.00 with Pay-What-You-Can and 2-For-1 performances and can be purchased here.  

The Life of Pi - The Citadel Theatre 
Based on the novel by Yann Martel; Adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti
Directed by Haysam Kadri

Photo Credit: Nanc Price

I've been really looking forward to seeing The Life of Pi at the Citadel Theatre. It is one of my favourite books and so many friends who saw it earlier in the run told me it was marvelous. It also has puppets that were created by a former student so I was especially invested! It did not disappoint. The creation of the world is magical - puppets tend to up the theatricality and magic of a show! But the colours or the world and the manipulation of all the animals is very well-done and you are simply immersed in Pi Patel's journey. From the zoo in  Pondicherry, to the tempest tossed cargo ship, to the lonely but crowded lifeboat, this production has managed to capture the feel and mood of those presented in the book. I re-read the book in the three days leading up to seeing the show so it was all present in my mind. I didn't mind the changes and I think leaving off the extra layer of story being told to the novelist was a strong choice for the play (we did not need another layer) instead bringing the hospital in Mexico in at the beginning and having Pi relate the story in a book-ended manner. I loved that I could hear actual lines that I had just read, but delivered in a way that was alive, honest and present. 

The cast as a whole is very committed to serving this story. No one has much down time as many of them switch from puppeteer to character and back. The flow is incredible. The anchor to it all is Davinder Malhi as Pi and he is simply wonderful. You feel his joy and despair as well as his anger and need to survive. It is resilience demonstrated masterfully onstage. His nemesis, Richard Parker, the Bengal Tiger he shares the lifeboat with, is a worthy scene partner to Pi. The puppet is gorgeous and wild and manipulated with strength and artistry by Braydon Dowler-Coltman and Troy Feldman. Kudos to them for making him come alive, and to Puppet Director Dayna Tietzen for all the puppet work. I really want some of those stunning flying fish just so I can make them flutter. 

It was one of the best shows I have seen at the Citadel in recent years. I highly recommend! 

Tickets for The Life of Pi are $40.00 - $147.00 and can be purchase here.  It looks like several nights have limited availability which can make ticket prices increase, so buying earlier rather than later is recommened.