The Season proceeds with Rock n' Roll - Iron Matron at Northern Light Theatre & Heart at The River Cree Casino!

The past week and a half has been a whirlwind for me. I held auditions and call-backs for the show I am directing at Walterdale Theatre (Peter and the Starcatcher - onstage February 1-20, 2027) but in between auditions and meetings I managed to squeeze in some solid performances!

I think it was a weird twist of fate that the night before I went to North Light Theatre's production of Iron Matron I saw Heart in concert. Led by Ann (76) and Nancy (72) Wilson, the concert showed that age has not diminished their immense talent. It was so fabulous to hear those iconic songs performed by the original artists, and now I can say I've heard Ann Wilson sing live - truly iconic! It was a slightly different rock and roll story onstage in Iron Matron. 

Brianne Jang BB Collective Photography

Iron Matron, written and directed by Trevor Schmidt, is about three mature women with various musical skill levels who decide to start a rock band. It is less about rock n' roll, and more about friendship and identity. Alice (Pamela Schmunk), 60 and recently divorced, has discovered that she doesn't really know who she is any more. After spending a lifetime with her husband being part of a couple, she is now single and struggles to figure out how she fits in the world. She reaches out to Corinne (Linda Grass), her estranged college roommate, in an attempt to reconnect and re-find herself by grasping for one of her pre-marriage relationships. The bond between the women is tenuous because each remembers the relationship differently. After some initial and (ongoing bumps) they decide to start a rock band in an attempt to bring purpose to their connection. They are not very good at the music part of the rock band, and an ad for a drummer brings professional drummer Rita (Patricia Darbasie) into the mix, and her bluntness and clear sight stirs up a lot. 

Brianne Jang BB Collective Photography

I'm a woman of a certain age myself, and I could completely connect to that need to reinvent or re discover who you are after kids and marriage. I imagine the loss of a partner shakes that up even more. I have many friends who discovered a new passion or pursuit as they rounded 60 in an attempt to cultivate a purpose in life. I myself have considered some of those things I used to do when I was in my 20s, wondering if it was too late to pick them up again. The questions about who you are and who you can be when you are past so many life posts pop up aplenty. This show found a unique way to approach that. It's not just Alice who is trying to figure out how she fits in the world as Corinne's life has shifted to care-giver for her husband who suffers from a degenerative illness. She needs 'me-time' and although she and Alice don't mesh very well, it's an escape. Rita is also at a turning point as her former band mates have retired and she still needs something - It's not clear if Alice and Corinne's band is the right fit, but it's certainly a "it will do for now" kind of thing. The show is also about friendships and how they change over time and how each person in the friendship has a different perspective on what it actually was or is. I personally have tried to tend to my friendships over the years, but I know that it's easy to lose connection through distance and times and life changes (kids, marriage, etc...). It's not so easy to pick things up again 30-40 years later. The show makes some important comments about this and the importance of maintaining and respecting friendships.

This was a fun night out and it was great to see Darbasie and Grass in roles unlike anything I've seen them do in the past, a testament to their flexibility as actors, and also nice to see NLT newcomer Schmunk embracing the awkward over-stepping Alice and bringing that to the stage. 

Iron Matron runs to November 7th with tickets at $37.00. Several of their remaining shows are Sold Out, so purchase soon to avoid disappointment. You can purchase tickets here. 

An Excellent Start to the 2026-2027 Theatre Season - YAGA and MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

I'm always very happy to see an excellent show - isn't everyone? - but it's a particularly great feeling to kick of a season with two excellent shows back to back!

 Marc J. Chalifoux Photography

Most recently, and still onstage, I saw Yaga by Kat Sandler and directed by new Artistic Director Lana Michelle Hughes at Shadow Theatre. I went in kind of blind as I didn't really know the Yaga reference (my son asked if it was about the woman who had a cabin in the woods on chicken legs - and it sort of is, but I had no idea going in what that meant; my husband referenced John Wick movies - and the play does too briefly). Anyhow, the mythology of Yaga, or Baba Yaga, is all explained creatively throughout the play so I was good. The show itself melds police thriller with fairy tale and cautionary tale and seems quite fitted for our current world. It's scary and funny and the ride is wild! I was invested from start to finish and was never quite sure what was coming next, but I sure wanted to know!

 Marc J. Chalifoux Photography

There's a few reasons why this show worked so well. First, the script is really well written. Three actors play all the characters and this helps with the unknowns and the unwrapping of what's going on. You can see why the play is being adapted for a TV series (which I definitely will be watching) - smart, sharp modern dialogue that drives the action. Second, the direction is so tight. Transitions that clip and never slow things down and often add to the dramatic tension. Third, the cast of three (N Girgis, Emily Howard and Maxwell Vesely) are so connected and all three are able to flip from character to character fluidly. They work so well with each other and with the text and they are also able to be both smart and funny. Finally, the world created is perfect - such a gorgeous and unexpectedly dynamic set (cm zuby), highlighted with dramatic lighting and smoke effects (Even Gilchrist), a chilling and creepy soundscape (Chris Scott), and costumes that perfectly define who those characters are (Kat Evans). I say you should definitely check this out! Shadow Theatre has set the bar high for this season and all the shows that will follow! 

Yaga runs to November 1st with tickets running from $25-40. There are also PWYC and Two for One Nights. You can purchase tickets here. 

Nanc Price

Earlier in the fall, I caught Murder on the Orient Express at the Citadel Theatre. It's run is finished and I am sorry you won't be able to catch it. I believe they had a sold out final week of their run, so it might have been hard to grad tickets anyhow. It's was also excellent. The show was a co-production and because they had a run in Winnipeg, they were a tight, well-oiled machine. The production was also very well done. The script scaled down the number of potential murderers on the train, but on a stage and a very cool set, it still felt like there were a lot of people with motives and secrets and large personalities. Alex Pochin-Goldin was the perfect Hercule Poirot, and the cast and production as a whole captured the required atmosphere for the Agatha Christie classic. I really loved Brian Perchaliuk's set since the Orient Express must have it's own personality in the story, and this world was certainly well thought out and magical. Director Kelly Thornton kept the pace brisk and the secrets well hidden until just the right time! A thoroughly enjoyable theatre experience!

Tonight I am headed to Walterdale Theatre for the first show in their season. It's a sequel to Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew called The Tamer Tamed. Written in the age of Shakespeare by John Fletcher, the script has been adapted by Anne Marie Szucs and Joyanne Rudiak for the company. I'm looking forward to seeing how Petruchio's new wife, Maria, manages to tame him! 

The Tamer Tamed runs to October 24th with tickets $25-30 and they also have a PWYC night coming up. You can get your tickets here. 

Thursday, August 20, 2026 - Fringe Unforgettable!

I had a very Fringy experience yesterday when I saw PORK & BEANS: Attorneys At Law at the Grindstone site. The show itself is very fringy - silly, naughty, a new work, with fun songs and choreography performed by terrific singers and dancers, and actors making big ridiculous choices - but the Fringe factor was leveled up when we got the announcement immediately before the show started that not one, but two, of the roles would be played by replacements! One was Pork - one of the leads! The other was the SM filling in! Anyhow, it made for a very surreal experience, no doubt more surreal for the actors onstage and I think it may have increased the silliness of the show even more. Kudos to the two actors filling in and to the rest of the cast for helping them through the experience!

The next show I saw was also one that you might only see at Fringe, but more because of it's experimentalist feel. 650 Light Years Away is a new show starring Andrea House with her musical collaborators Chris Andrew, and Rubim de Toledo, directed by Davina Stewart. I saw Salsa Lesson a couple of years ago and loved it; Forget Me Not had me sobbing. This one has a similar feel in structure to Salsa Lesson, but the music is very different and the story is more metaphorical and layered with cosmology and genealogy and the mysteries of life. It's worth it just to hear the songs, but House's storytelling elevates it beyond just a concert. She's so very charismatic onstage and knows how to engage an audience. At times the story is bigger than the universe and at other times it's intimate and very personal. A terrific theatrical experience. 

Happy Fringing All! I'm back for three more today! 

Wednesday, August 19, 2026 - Fringe Unforgettable!

First up today was A Hellmark Christmas Musical Parody written and directed by David Son! I always love the fact that people take the risk to launch a brand new play or (even more impressive) musical at Fringe. Some are more successful than others, and this in one that is truly a delight! As the title suggests it follows the trope of a Hallmark Christmas romance with big city business gal Krystle Frost (Francesca Scarpella - who has an incredible voice and excellent comic timing!) returning to her small town 'for work' at the demands of her tyrannical boss (Jeremey Zimmerman - who makes big choices resulting in big fun on stage!). She's accompanied by the business social media influencer, Bexley (Mana Middleton - also very funny with a great voice). Anyhow, once there things start to go weird - It's Hellmark, not Hallmark so obviously somewhere in there is a deal with the devil and lots of killing. The whole cast (Francesca Scarpella, Chelsea Laport, Mana Middleton, Ali Foster-Balloun, Sunshine Mauricio, Seth Gilfillan, Andrew Cormier, Jeremey Zimmerman) is terrific in playing multiple roles and executing Son's choreography. They know it's not to be taken seriously, but they commit to the bit and it's quite hilarious. There are unexpected things that keep it from being predictable (I won't spoil - but the lady sitting next to me practically jumped out of her seat at one jump scare!). Music Direcotr Grace Huang has some wonderful voices to work with in this group as each of them can easily handle a solo and the harmonies are tight! A clever script and terrific tunes! 

I then took in Matt & Ben presented by Nacho Pals Theatre at the Sugar Swing. I was very happy to see this show on the docket as it had been done many years ago and I didn't mange to get tickets but the premise sounded so intriguing. Angela James-Findlay and Mélissa Masse play Matt Damon and Ben Affleck respectively who are surprised when an awesome script (literally) falls from the sky into their lives. The title? Good Will Hunting... Yeah... that one. Anyhow, they debate over using it and we see tensions and differences between the two. Damon's the smart one, Affleck is charming but not so bright and maybe less talented? Anyhow, it's a very fun script and James-Findlay and Masse work so well against each other. A solid play that's super funny and features dream sequence visits from Gwyneth Paltrow and J.D. Salinger. I recommend you check this out. A terrific script with two excellent performances!

Happy Fringing all! 

Word of Mouth - Wednesday, August 19, 2026

So... Tuesday I hit a little wall and didn't talk to many folks... but yesterday I was back at it! Here are the Word of Mouth Recommendations I received. Some of these shows were mentioned multiple times by different people!

Jon Bennett: Playing With Men

The Late Great Mormon Drag Queen

Off Book the musical

Vaping Gay

Chase Padgett: The Next Guy

The Edmonton Queen

Gordon’s Big Bald Head

Stop Kiss

Story Story Lie

An Electrified Bard's Tale

Punch Up

In My Room

52 Stories

A Hellmark Christmas Musical Parody

Confirmed Bachelor

Gore

A Hollywood Horror Story

ERIKA MACDONALD: Tea TIME

Witch with Her Skirt on Fire

False Profits

Merkin Sisters

Jimmy Hogg: Mashed

Afeni

Not Quite Sherlock

Bil & Skeeter Break the Ocean

Tall Tale Storytelling

So in going through this before posting, I noticed that there are some shows that no longer have any more performances this Fringe - I imagine they are moving on to the Vancouver Fringe - so I am sorry I didn't hear about them sooner! Don't worry though, there are still a lot of other shows you can see! 

Happy Fringing!

Tuesday, August 18th, 2026 - Fringe Unforgettable!

This Fringe day was brought to you by laughter as I took in a solo improv show and a sketch comedy show. The Improv show was SOLOVELA, AN IMPROVISED SOLO TELENOVELA which was exactly what it sounds like in the title! Diane Jorje (amusingly annoyed by having to be up so early to do a 12:15 pm show) interviewed two audience members about their lives, which she then crafts into an improvised telenovela. She has a rack of costume pieces to help delineate the many characters she plays, switching back and forth with ease and often extra-comic results when there are more than two people in the scene. The story has romance, villain's and helpful friends and the situation depends on the prompts from the audience. Jorje is a gifted improvisor and a charming and engaging performer who clearly owns the stage. I was also impressed with her follow-up with the audience members she interviewed to make sure that they felt okay about the "made-up story" she created from their provided details. They were sitting right behind me and from their laugher, I am pretty sure they were. 

Then I caught Sketchy Broads presents: Resting Bitumen Face which is an all-women (broads) sketch comedy troupe made up of some of Edmonton's best comedians and improvisors (Jules Balluffi, Jennie Emms, Lindsey Walker, Kristen J Welker, and Nikki Hulowski). The show was very funny with sketches ranging from the political to the raunchy. The title suggests some content will deal with oil, and it does. A few highlights include a parody of the Cell Block Tango from Chicago, a lesson in Art History, a tour of a sauna complete with a towel dance, and a very strange real estate home viewing. They wisely save the messiest scene for last! These broads are not afraid to go for the big joke and despite approaching some topics from a woman's perspective, there is nothing dainty or timid about their humour. Lots of big laughs and, from what I understand, Sold Out shows! Catch them quick! 

Happy Fringing everyone! See you on the Fringe Grounds!

Monday, August 17, 2026 - Fringe Unforgettable

Only two shows again today. I looked but the window I had was awkward and the only things in walking distance that fit were either Sold Out (so many Sold Out shows - great for artists! Yay!) or I had already bought a ticket for on another day.  But pacing myself this year isn't a bad thing as I am lower energy than usual AND it had the added benefit of some terrific conversations with friends I saw on the street! 

I started with the adorable In My Room at Grindstone. Starring Eli Yaschuk and Rain Matkin from last year's amazing Victor and Victoria's Terrifying Tale of Terrible Things, with Music Direction by Elaine Dunbar. Eli and Rain have such incredible chemistry with each other and it shines through in this show. Eli, for some reason, cannot seem to leave his room and Rain is his personal assistant, helping him get through whatever he's going through. The care of Eli involves singing songs and choreography and tucking him in and crafts! It's clear that Rain and in-room accompanist Elaine, really want Eli to leave the room. This show works because they are all committed to the bit, and the two of them are lovely singers, and they've built solid show with a beginning, middle and satisfying end. I really enjoyed it! 

Then I took in Being Norwegian, presented by Orange Cat productions. I was so glad to see a play! There seems to be a dearth of plays this year and those are my favourite! This one is directed by Amy DeFelice and stars Clarice Eckford and Cody Porter. It's a combination of artists that has worked well int he past and continues to do so in this piece. It's very solid and Porter and Eckford play off each other well. Playing two strangers who've met at a bar and come back to Sean's box-filled apartment, it's dark and funny as they each navigate the others presence. We learn that Sean has not unpacked although he's been in the apartment for a year and that he's estranged from his ex-wife and son. We learn that Lisa is Norwegian despite all other appearances to the contrary. Her Norwegian-ness becomes a gateway for their moving forward. Porter and Eckford each have a clear idea of their character and although we do not find out everything about their pasts it is obvious they know their own stories. I really enjoyed Porter's awkwardness as Sean, and this contrasted nicely with the lightness and adventurousness of Eckford's Lisa. It's a terrific little show and it comes to a very satisfying conclusion. 

All in all a good day! Happy Fringing everyone!