Ontario Theatre Journey - Something Rotten! What a show!

Photo by: David Hou

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, a big factor for me planning this trip was to see the Stratford Festival production of Something Rotten! which I had been unable to see in 2024. It certainly held up to the promise as it was fantastic! I mean, this is a show for me - Shakespeare, and a musical, but also a musical about musicals which is chock full of references and jokes about Shakespeare and musicals! I was in audience heaven. It wasn't just the show though, this production is outstanding. Director and Choreographer Donna Feore has done an incredible job with this piece and her top-notch cast and creative team has risen to the challenge to do what she has asked of them. I have seen many, many excellent musical theatre productions over the years (and, yes, I direct them myself) and I think this was one of the best I have ever seen. 

As mentioned, the cast is outstanding. Mark Uhre (Nick Bottom) and Henry Firmston (Nigel Bottom) play off each other wonderfully as the brothers competing with the superstar playwright Shakespeare (played hilariously by Jeff Lillico). I had seen Uhre before in 2015 in Sweet Charity at the Shaw Festival and he was one of my favourites onstage in that show. He doesn't disappoint in this show, either! Firmston is a wonderful constrast to him, and has a gorgeous voice. Starr Domingue is so funny as Bea Bottom, Nick's beleaguered wife, and a woman of a thousand faces (and beards and voices). I've been singing her song, Right Hand Man, in my head a lot since seeing the show. Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane plays Portia, the new love interest for younger brother Nigel. Her voice is so lovely, and I loved her snickering at her father, Brother Jeremiah (Juan Chioran - known to Edmonton audiences for his villainous turn as Mr. Hart in the Citadel's 9 to 5 a few seasons ago). I could probably go on an on about every cast member because they were all so good - the voices, the acting, and OOOOH the dancing! 

The dancing! A standing ovation stopped the show for a little bit after Make an Omelette. It's such  good number and they pulled out all the stops. The references in this one - seeing Nostradamus (Dan Chameroy) as both the Phantom and Frank n' Furter is something I will never forget. But seriously - how many musical references can you fit in one number AND have it make sense AND have it be so funny AND be performed/danced so well. 

Suffice it to say, I left the theatre wanting to see the show again immediately. Much appreciation to my sister who did get to see the show in 2024 but came along with me this time too! She said she was glad she did and quizzed me on the many musical theatre references she missed but knew were there because I was laughing! 

Next show was Guys and Dolls! It was also amazing! I will write about that in my next post! I have to get these done before the Fringe starts!

Kicking off my Ontario Theatre Journey with &Juliet!

 A couple of years ago, something happened that prevented my taking a trip to New York. I call it The Great Pause. Then a few years later things changed globally that made me want to stick to Canada for awhile, and actually made me wanted to support the artistic work we were doing in Canada first and foremost. I had been doing a lot of that already with the blog, definitely trying to support local Edmonton theatre artists, but when I was thinking about what I wanted to do this summer, I decided that instead of a trip to New York for Broadway, I would head to Ontario for some Toronto, Stratford and Shaw! I also really wanted to see the Stratford Festival's Something Rotten and had been unable to go in 2024 due to a family trip but now it was back! Huzzah! 

Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz

Anyhow, my first stop was Toronto where I took in one of the final performances of the Mirvish production of & Juliet! My sister had seen the show previously (twice because she loved it so much!) and she highly recommended it. I knew little beyond the premise and that the music was going to be highly recognizable (much in the way of Mamma Mia!). I had an absolute blast! The show is so much fun and I am a bit of a Shakespeare fan so I was totally in there for anything referential and there was quite a bit. I did not know beforehand but apparently the cast was all-Canadian and this show definitely speaks to the talent we have in Canada! Leading the cast as Juliet was Vanessa Sears. She was just incredible. She blew me out of the water every time she sang, but she was also a fine actor - able to be both funny and serious - and a terrific dancer. I was also delightfully surprised to see George Krissa as Shakespeare. I was working at the Citadel in Edmonton when he played the Sterling Award-winning role of Tony in West Side Story, and he was so good then and such a nice person! In this show he is so funny and I just loved hearing him sing again! The whole cast is terrific, but I wanted to shout out Julia McLellan as Anne (Shakespeare's wife) who gets the whole show running and keeps it on track. Amazing voice and what a fabulous and gorgeous comedian! The production is so perfect - from the costumes, to the set, to the music and the choreography. What a fun ride and the perfect way to kick off my Ontario Theatre Journey!

The show is closed now, but I encourage you to see it if it comes your way in a tour. You WILL want to sing a long because you will know all the songs. I think you will enjoy the twists and turns and also the fact the book was clearly written for today's audiences. 

Summer Theatre Season rushes in with the Rain!

I'm a teacher, so Summer for me is a glorious time! I get to read - A LOT - and luckily for me, because I live in Edmonton (the unofficial theatre-capital of Canada) I usually get to rack up a few shows right off the hop! I'm going to go in reverse order for what I have seen - so far - and let you know there are some great shows on offer in the city right now! 

Photo by Kristen M. Finlay

Most recently I took in Once at Walterdale Theatre. I've seen this show several times before (I think 3 different other companies) but it's one of those shows that you can see multiple times and still be wowed. I was definitely wowed by this one. The company does a terrific job telling the story with the actors also playing all the instruments and singing and dancing while playing them. The musicianship blew my mind. It's also a lovely show to see in the intimacy of Walterdale. As an audience there were definitely times we were all holding our breath together. It's a show that's both funny and sad, but the music is wonderful. Leasing the cast are newcomer Mark O'Reilly, as Guy, and Miriam Veugelers, as Girl. As an almost-couple they are charming and their contrasts make us root for them so much. They are both excellent musicians and singers and there's a real connection between them. The show runs to Saturday, July 18th and Tickets are available here, but I encourage you to purchase them sooner rather than later as they have Sold Out many of their performances so far. 

I almost saw Cocktails at Pam's at Teatro Live! on it's Opening Night, but a freak storm shut down the power. I will be going to see it later this week. I never miss Cocktails at Pam's - It's such a terrific script - and the Teatro Company knows exactly how to do it (it's also directed by the playwright, Stewart Lemoine, so you KNOW he's aware of how it should be done). For all the times I've seen (and done it myself) I am always surprised and delighted by the mayhem that ensues. The first 15 minutes we managed to see before the power died were hilarious, so I can't wait to see the rest! It runs until July 26 at tickets can be purchased here. 

Photo by Nanc Price

Last Tuesday, I was at the Citadel for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Having directed the show before there was a lot of wonderful flashbacks in seeing it. But it was a long time ago, so I had totally forgotten who won and I was sooooo invested! This is one of those adorable musicals that are so fun to watch. Part of that comes from the fact that because the show requires audience participation (extra spellers are selected before the show starts) and they may or may not spell words correctly or incorrectly as anticipated, the cast has to be on top of it and roll with whatever happens! The 6 Spelling competitors are also very charming in their own way. We had an excellent audience speller the night I saw it who was just as surprised as the cast when they kept getting words right! Anyhow, the show is super fun and a terrific choice. Everyone on stage is excellent and I had a great time. I was particularly delighted to see Mark Sinongco in the show, as he was my Chip Tolentino 13 years ago when I directed the show for ELOPE. The show runs to August 2 and Tickets can be purchased here. 

I also saw two shows that have since closed... Sorry I was so busy I didn't have time to write about them earlier. 

Photo by Brianne Jang

I saw Much Ado About Nothing presented at the Freewill Shakespeare Festival. It was very funny and I had a great time. Jesse Gervais as Benedict was hilarious, as was Ron Pederson as Dogberry, but the whole company was in fine form. It was also so incredibly wonderful to be back in Hawrelak Park for the Festival. This was a great show for them to come back with, and a terrific company of players to present it. I do hope next year they return to two Shakespeare pieces in rep, but I applaud them for taking on Something Rotten this year.

supplied

I also caught ELOPE's presentation of 42nd Street. It was such a cheerful show full of tap-dancing (like FULL OF tap-dancing!) and classic songs that are earworms that you cannot stop singing for at least a week afterwards. I knew a few of the performers but many were new to me. I was so delighted to see Madison Lalonde as ingénue Peggy Sawyer. I directed Madison last year and she is such a joy. That quality was evident onstage as she was simply wonderful. I also greatly enjoyed Katy Yachimec as the diva Dorothy Brock. So great to hear her belt some of those big songs.  The company was terrific and everyone in the theatre, both onstage and in the house, had a great time!

Next on my list is a second chance at Cocktails at Pam's and then I am seeing Once again. After that I am heading off to Ontario where I will take in a few shows at Stratford! And then... You know what's coming to Edmonton in August - The Fringe! 

Fully Committed is Full of Laughs! At Teatro Live!

Last weekend I caught Fully Committed by Becky Mode at the Varscona Theatre presented by Teatro Live! It was a fabulous show! Although ostensibly there is only one character, the much put upon Sam, the stage feels full of oddballs and quirky personalities as Andrew MacDonald-Smith performs a masterclass in how to do a one-man show. He deftly and hilariously creates every character on the other end of the phone (or intercom) physically becoming both sides of the conversation. The pace from one character to another is break-neck but MacDonald-Smith performs it all like a well-rehearsed dance. It's pretty seamless! It's a clever play, telling the story of an actor who works on the reservation phone line for a much in demand New York restaurant. Everyone wants a table, but the restaurant is fully committed for the next three months. Of course, VVVIPs (marked in burgundy) often get to skip the line, and although the reservationist is not allowed to accept gifts, that doesn't mean they aren't offered. 

It's a challenging thing to be the low-man in a busy organization and the trickle down of unwanted jobs and demands for Sam's time made me anxious and tense as I have often been in that position as the person who is asked to get things done. I was very invested in whether Sam would get to go home for Christmas, or get the call-back from his audition, or solve the problems presented by Bryce from Gwynneth Paltrow's office. I won't tell you how, but suffice it to say, I felt MY shoulders relax when Sam's collection of facts and bargaining chips allowed him to end up on top. 

It's a terrific show and runs about 90 minutes that clip along so fast you're surprised when it's over!

Fully Committed is presented by Teatro Live! and runs to June 21st at the Varscona Theatre. Tickets are $25-$42 and can be purchased here. There are also special events and Pay-What-You-Can Nights.

Photo Credit: Marc J Chalifoux Photography 

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.