Saturday, August 15, 2026 - Fringe Unforgettable!

I caught two shows today and enjoyed a nice lunch with a friend who joined me for the first. Not only do I love Fringe for the shows, but I also enjoy seeing friends! It is definitely the time when I feel a part of the larger Edmonton artistic community. I think I have run into about 30 people that I know and love so far at Fringe, and that's a terrific perk to the festival! 

First up was Chase Padgett: The Next Guy. I have to say, that when I've done my Word of Mouth conversations, Chase Padgett is the name that comes up the most often. Most Fringes his shows appear on more than one day and usually it's been recommended by multiple people at different times throughout the day. So, I figured that this was the Fringe I should probably check out one of his shows. It did not disappoint! Padgett is a gifted story-teller and guitarist. He's funny, engaging and real. He told a story about dealing with the grief of his divorce and the path his life took afterwards. It's a path with mistakes and wrong turns and red flags that he ignores to his detriment but (fortunately) he overcomes these and survives. Woven into the story are songs that are sometimes touching, but usually very funny, and which demonstrate his excellent skills as a guitarist, songwriter and vocalist. Very enjoyable and I highly recommend, along with all the folks who have recommended his shows to me in the past! 

After my lunch at The Next Act with my friend, I took in the Guys in Disguise show, Go West, Young Man. Inspired by the true story of Canadian Drag Legend Craig Russell (Zachary Parsons-Lozinski) who showed up at Mae West's home in 1963 with a suitcase full of fan mail from Canada and is hired as her personal secretary. He uses the job as an opportunity to study her. It's very silly, and most funny when Andrea House takes the stage as the legendary Mae West. House is such a natural impressionist and comedienne and this role is firmly in her wheelhouse. There's a monkey (yes! played by the excellent mover Ainsley Hillyard) and a very well-muscled boyfriend (Paul Novak played by David McNally) that both Mae and Russell are attracted to. Mae eventually figures out that what Russell needs are a few lessons and the show culminates with her sending him on his way to be true to himself, something he's been unable to be before their encounter.  Like most biographical plays, I spent a little time afterwards reading up on Mae West and Craig Russell. 

It was a shorter day today. I currently have two shows booked for tomorrow, but have a few ideas for a third to squeeze into the mix! Happy Fringing Everyone!

Word of Mouth - Saturday, August 15, 2026

I picked up a few more Word of Mouth recommendations from today's line-ups! There's a nice variety of shows, and hopefully this brings a few shows to your attention that you were unaware of! 

Lumber

The Review by Martin Dockery 

Gordon's Big Bald Head

Chase & Tymisha's Cabaret of Courage

Afeni

False Profits

Rivercity the Musical

Houdini

Being Norwegian

Blackground

Cavalleria rusticana

I'm glad that I have tickets for a couple of these and might pick up a few more based on the chats that I had! Perhaps I will see you there! Remember, if you see me on site, feel free to come and tell me your recommendations and I will add them to the list!

Word of Mouth - Friday, August 14, 2026

As always I will doing my Word of Mouth updates - I chat with folks in line up and ask them what they saw that they would recommend. They don't have to say why - some do - but just tell me the shows they thought were good that others would like to see. 

It being the second day of Fringe and many of the folks I chatted with today were at their first show, I don't have a lot, but I did get a couple to share! The list always grows!

Go West Young Man

God is a Scottish Drag Queen

Side Effects

Solovela

The Funny Thing About Men

I encourage you to read the Program description and check one of these shows out if it sounds like something you might be interested in! 

Friday, August 14, 2026 - Fringe Unforgettable!

Caught my first three shows of the Fringe today. Overall it was a great afternoon of a mix of shows!

First up was with Queens of Romance from 100% More Girls. I always enjoy their shows as they are usually very funny, with double entendre both accidental and deliberate, and their characters are varied. They also usually have some 'real' moments that make it more than just a funny play. This year's show was a panel of Romance writers who each come from a different generation and perspective on what a romance novel should be. With allusions to Barbara Cartland (Jason Hardwick), the grand dame of romance novels, and Jackie Collins (Michelle Todd), the racier writer of the 70s and into the 2000s, and then a much more modern (spicier?) romance writer of the Fifty Shades of Grey era (Jake Tkaczyk). It was as much a comparison of eras of feminism as styles of romance novels and the discussion gets heated between the three novelists, and it's left to the last minute fill-in host (Trevor Schmidt) to referee. There's much to reflect on with regards to what readers get from romance novels. I've read my share (during junior high I likely read about 500 harlequin romances). I think that those of us who do read modern romances each have their preferred level of spice, and it varies, and preferred number of supernatural creatures, hockey players and farm hands. I loved the host's obvious love for all the different romances and her reflection on what they meant for her. I read a lot of books, not just romances, but it also made me think about why reading was so important to me and why I wanted different things from different books. Oh! And I also laughed A LOT! 

Next I saw Fetch by Cat Walsh, directed by Steven Sobolewski, and starring Shyanne Duquette and Abby Krushel. I will go to anything by Cat Walsh as she is such a gifted playwright Her plays always surprise and engage me and they're a little weird, and I like that. I saw this in 2018 and enjoyed it then (but I see so many shows I had forgotten - it was nice to be re-surprised). A play about two possible girls names Hannah Morgan and we do not know which is the real story. I love that this play doesn't answer the questions that it poses and that it lets the audience do the work on trying to figure out what is true, or if both stories told are true. It's fascinating and there's terrific story-telling from both actors sharing the stage, who while similar are also different due to their diverging lives. It's a small space and they have found ways to make that intimacy benefit the audience with low-stakes interactions. It is a small space and this house was pretty full, so this might be one to grab tickets for early, rather than later. 

I wrapped up the after noon with Rodgers and Hammerstein's ROBOCOP: The Musical. This was an ambitious show that was very good and has the potential be awesome. Some costume quick change mishaps and mic issues happened, but this was their first show and I imagine they will get those sorted out. As someone who has been through the paces of producing a musical at Fringe I know that it just gets better as the festival progresses. It was clear there were some in the audience for the Robocop references and some for the Rodgers and Hammerstein references. I was there for both! I couldn't believe the deep cuts that they grabbed from the Rodgers and Hammerstein music book. There were parodied songs, dances, and scenes from Oklahoma, The Sound of Music, South Pacific, Carousel, and The King and I. There might have been more. This might be the only time people actually want to see a dream ballet - hilarious! I love how this company just goes for it and embraces the style. That's the only way a show like this works and they all commit 100%. Stand-outs were Andrew Boyd as Murphy, Sarah Kyle as Lewis, and Jason Hardwick as Chief Mother Superior. Now, it's already SOLD OUT for the whole Fringe, but maybe they will be held-over? It would be worth it, so stay posted and cross your fingers. 

Fringe Unforgettable! For me it starts today!

 

I'll get back to my blogging about my Ontario Theatre Journey later... I'm off to my first three Fringe shows in less than an hour and for now that's the focus! 

I'll be doing my WORD OF MOUTH posts so if you see me, tell me what you loved and I will add it to the list! 

Today I am on the main grounds, starting with Queens of Romance, then Fetch, and winding it up with Rodgers and Hammerstein's ROBOCOP: The Musical. These three shows are coming from creatives who have produced some of my favourite Fringe shows in the past so I am looking forward to a great afternoon of Fringe Theatre Fun! 

See you on the Fringe Grounds!

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.