Monthly Archives: May 2019

Music

Going Strong Shanneyganock

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SATURDAY, JUNE 1ST, 7:30 PM at the Harbourfront Theatre
ALL SEATS: $32.00 tax & fees included

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Well-known for their authentic brand of true Newfoundland folk, Shanneyganock has delighted audiences from coast to coast to coast.

From performing at the North Pole for Canadian military to performing on Broadway for the opening party of COME FROM AWAY (whose score was incidentally inspired by Shanneyganock), the Newfoundland band has made festivals, theatres and clubs across North America their stomping ground for the last 25 years.

Featuring button accordion, guitar, hearty baritone vocals, and a rhythm section, the band has continued to grow its legion of fans by relentless touring, anthemic songs, and a highly energetic live show.

To celebrate this milestone, you’re invited to join them as they open the Shanneyganock songbook, and experience a rollicking wave of Newfoundland history through some of its greatest storied ambassadors, who are still in fine voice after a quarter of a century.

PEI Professional Theatre Network

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PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
Music

Shannon Quinn Kicks Off Victoria Concert Series

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Sannon hails from Halifax, Nova Scotia and has been performing as a fiddler/vocalist for the past 16 years. In 2016 Shannon won Roots Traditional Album of the Year & New Artist Recording of the Year at the Music Nova Scotia Awards, and has also been nominated for two Canadian Folk Music Awards. For the past two years she been touring internationally with the award winning Scottish group ‘The Paul McKenna Band’.

This has included many international performances in the United States, England, Scotland, Germany as well as the Netherlands. Some of Shannon’s past performances have included being featured with Cirque Du Soleil and The Chieftains as well as being a featured soloist with Symphony Nova Scotia. She’s also performed with the award winning group ‘Down with Webster’ at Massey Hall and was a featured violinist for the ‘We Day’ concert in Halifax at the Metro Centre, performing for over 10, 000 people.

She has also been a featured performer at the ‘Music City Roots’ concert as well as Bluegrass Underground concert; both in Nashville and both broadcast live on WSM radio. Shannon released her third album ‘Watchmaker’ – a modern celtic concept album, based on the painting ‘The Watchmaker of Switzerland’ in January 2019.

PEI Professional Theatre Network

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PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
News Flash

Kronborg Hits the Homburg

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Kronborg—The Hamlet Rock Musical opens June 21 at Confederation Centre

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“To be or not to be” is the most famous question in all of drama. And it is around this central question that the history of Kronborg–The Hamlet Rock Musical hangs upon.

And like Hamlet returning to Denmark, this celebrated Canadian musical is returning to The Charlottetown Festival, 45 years since it was first produced here. Sponsored by SYSCO Food Services the production runs June 28 to July 20—just 15 nights—in the Homburg Theatre at Confederation Centre of the Arts. Preview performances are slated for June 21 and June 27.

Cliff Jones, the musical’s creator, is excited to see the show take on a new life. “This talented company and this theatre will be incredible for Kronborg,” he muses, “and I’ve also gotten the chance to tweak little things that have nagged me for years.”

The electrifying rock production has been revived by Director Mary Francis Moore and Music Director Craig Fair, as well as the talented Festival cast, crew, and orchestra. But it was a winding road back to Charlottetown and the world-renowned Festival.

First commissioned as a CBC radio play in 1973, the original title was Kronborg: 1582, named for the Danish castle and year Shakespeare’s original revenge tragedy takes place.Jones’ inspiration came from when he first heard the Jesus Christ  Superstar soundtrack, which married anthemic rock music with rich storytelling. It is a curious symmetry that the Kronborg remount follows last summer’s Superstar as the next “big Festival show” here on the Centre mainstage. Both productions also star Island son, Aaron Hastelow.

After the original radio production in 1973, the play moved to the stage at Confederation Centre. Its first staging at the Festival in 1974 was an absolute hit leading to an eastern Canadian tour with Brent Carver as Hamlet and Beverly D’Angelo as Ophelia. In the following years Jones and other directors would tackle this production through diverse variations. These included a month-long Broadway engagement as Rockabye Hamlet (1976), and a 14-month run in L.A. in the early ‘80s as Something’s Rockin in Denmark.

Then, the play was put to rest.

It wasn’t until years later when Jones crossed paths with Adam Brazier—the Centre’s artistic director—that Kronborg was given a new lease on life and was turned into a concert performance at the Historic St. Mary’s Church in Indian River, P.E.I. in 2017. Jones came back to Charlottetown while recovering from a serious health scare with Legionnaire’s disease. “The disease had quickly destroyed me,” he recalls, “I was delirious, could hardly recognize my daughters, was lethargic, and battling depression.”

When the Kronborg writer came in for rehearsals it gave him a new purpose. “I saw what they were doing with this incredible company and with Craig Fair’s new arrangements and musical direction. It made my life worth living again; it renewed me.”

Jones recalls the sold-out Indian River concert—with full company and an orchestra—as thrilling. Indeed, a Buzz review described the rock opera as “spectacular and electrifying…Aaron Hastelow shone brightly as Hamlet.”

For Jones, he pondered, “Can it get any better than this?” It turns out it certainly can. The new show is set to run for 15 nights this summer on the main stage.

When asked what endures about Kronborg all these years later, the writer offers “It’s always carried a special combination of being a fun, entertaining experience but also being faithful to Shakespeare’s story—to thine own self be true.”

New life for the writer and his storied musical awaits at this year’s Festival.

The full artistic team for Kronborg: The Hamlet Rock Musical is listed online. Confederation Centre wishes to acknowledge the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Government of P.E.I., and the City of Charlottetown for their continued support. The Charlottetown Festival is sponsored by CIBC.

PEI Professional Theatre Network

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PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
News Flash

Showcasing Island Playwrights

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Plays Announced For Play Reading Series Featuring PEI Playwrights

428e642d-77a7-4541-9ce3-9a5826a09fb1Three PEI playwrights will have their plays read at the Watermark Theatre this August as part of the theatre’s Play Reading Series. The three plays are “Two Monkeys, One Grape” by Kent Stetson, “Round An Island” by Emily Cann, and “The Ginzie Piece” by Malcolm Murray. This is the 2nd year that the theatre has featured new plays by PEI playwrights in their Play Reading Series. “It’s important to provide an opportunity for playwrights to hear their plays read allowed before an audience”, says Artistic Director Robert Tsonos, “the experience really helps the writer see what the next steps might be in the play’s development”.

Kent Stetson‘s play “Two Monkeys, One Grape” is described as an evening of Fraud, Fake-News, Slapstick, Torture, Music and Merriment in two acts. The play’s suite of six twenty-minute plays crack wise, snap selfies, weep and laugh, lament and exalt the human condition. Its two comedies, Tiger Warning! and Bawdy Parts, two dramas, Dead White Males and Torture: A Love Story, plus the Grand Guignol/Baroque comedy/horror show, Androgynous Student Devoured by Rats and closing musical, Jouissance: Five Simple Songs explore things outrageous, jittery, tragic, curious and comedic. Kent, a Marshfield PEI native, is a Governor General’s Literary Award winner, Member of the Order of Canada and Canadian Author’s Association Award Laureate for Drama. Kent was the inaugural laureate for Heritage Prince Edward Island’s Wendall Boyle Award for his outstanding contributions to the cultural history of Prince Edward Island. He is best known for the plays “Warm Wind in China”, “As I Am”, and “The Harps of God”. His other plays include “Queen of the Cadillac”, “Just Plain Murder”, “Sweet Magdalena”, “The Eyes of the Gull”, “New Arcadia”, and “Horse High, Bull Strong, Pig Tight”. He has also published two novels, “The World Above the Sky” and “Meat Cove”.

Emily Cann‘s play “Round an Island” tells the story of a PEI family the summer their second oldest daughter returns home from university. At its core, it is a play about choices, but it is also a play about love, family, forgiveness, and what it means to come home. Emily was born and raised on PEI. She has a BA in English from Acadia University and a MA in English from the University of Guelph. She’s currently working on obtaining her MS from Columbia University in New York City. Emily has been writing poetry for years, and last year received third place in the Island Literary Awards for her short story “Whatever’s Next.” This is her first play.

Malcolm Murray‘s play “The Ginzie Piece” is about two small-time art sellers who buy a big-time sculpture for their gallery. All they have to do is assemble it. The comedy touches upon many philosophy of art questions, but focuses mainly on the vexing question: who owns art? Malcolm is a fiction writer and philosopher. His collection of plays, “The Philosopher: One-Act Plays” was recently launched at UPEI. His produced plays are “Art of Posing”, “The Abettor”, “The Philosopher”, and “Chop Wood, Carry Water”. His short stories have appeared in the collections, Victoria Review,  Snow Softly Falling, and Riptides, as well as in the journals Galleon and Fiction Fix. His philosophy books are “Morals and Consent”, “The Atheist’s Primer”, “The Moral Wager”, “Liberty Games and Contracts”, and “Critical Reflection”. Malcolm teaches Philosophy at the University of Prince Edward Island.

The dates and times of the plays are:

August 7th 1:00PM – “Two Monkeys, One Grape” by Kent Stetson
August 14th 1:00PM – “Round An Island” by Emily Cann
August 21st 1:00PM – “The Ginzie Piece” by Malcolm Murray

Tickets are only $10 and can be purchased by going to the company’s website www.watermarktheatre.com

For more information, or to set up an interview with any of the playwrights please contact Andrea Surich at 902-963-3963 or generalmanager@watermarktheatre.com.

PEI Professional Theatre Network

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PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
News Flash

Drama Festival Comes to the Watermark

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This weekend, Watermark Theatre will host the National Theatre School of Canada’s Atlantic Drama Festival at their theatre in North Rustico.

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The Festival, which runs from May 17th to 19th, brings together high school students from throughout the region to view, discuss and enjoy each other’s creative efforts, under the guidance of an experienced adjudicator. Participants also take part in acting workshops with local acting teachers. The Festival facilitates and inspires a love of theatre, teamwork, problem solving, originality and entrepreneurship.

The Atlantic Drama Festival is part of a trio of Drama Festivals, the other two are in Ontario and B.C. all now under the umbrella of the National Theatre School (NTS).

Earlier this year, NTS announced a new partnership with TD Bank Group as the national presenting partner of the National Theatre School Festival. The agreement and sponsorship, which began this year, will support thousands of high school students, in hundreds of communities across Canada, who will create and present shows in their schools, regions and provinces.

“We are thrilled to welcome TD in this leadership role” said Gideon Arthurs, CEO of the National Theatre School of Canada. “The Festival is an almost 75-year-old tradition that has touched the lives of thousands of young Canadians. With TD’s support, we can ensure the festival will thrive and continue to grow. The Festival is a vital happening that builds future generations of artists and arts lovers, while fostering respect, inclusiveness, excitement, empathy and entrepreneurship in our youth. TD is truly a model corporate citizen, making a difference in over 300 communities across Canada through this program.”

“At TD, we recognize the importance of programs, like this one, that unite communities and amplify these voices. That’s why, through The Ready Commitment, TD’s corporate citizenship platform, we are proud to work with the National Theatre School to help young Canadians build confidence and thrive in a changing world, one community at a time,” notes Andrea Barrack, Vice President, Global Corporate Citizenship, TD Bank Group.

“It’s an exciting time for both students and teachers alike to take part in the NTS Festival,” said Wayne Fairhead, Executive Director, NTS Festival. “TD’s new partnership with the NTS Festival will provide ways to lead, build learning opportunities and develop practices.”

About the NTS Festival
The NTS Festival showcases secondary school theatre productions in their respective provinces and convene thousands of drama students to perform and share their talents and passion in a friendly atmosphere. Formerly known as the Sears Drama Festival, founded in Ontario in 1946 by the late Ken Watts, it is Canada’s oldest theatre festival. The Drama Festival started out with just three plays, and now has over 400 annual entries spotlighting spectacular performances and productions – including the addition of Festival offshoots in British Colombia (2009) and the Atlantic provinces (2011). The Festival helped launch the careers of numerous actors, directors and production professionals, including actors Margot Kidder, Rachel McAdams, Yanna McIntosh and R.H. Thomson, as well as movie director David Cronenberg.

About TD Global Corporate Citizenship
TD has a long-standing commitment to enriching the lives of its customers, colleagues and communities. As part of its corporate citizenship platform, The Ready Commitment, TD is targeting CDN $1 billion (US $775 million) in total by 2030 towards community giving in four areas critical to opening doors for a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow – Financial Security, Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through The Ready Commitment TD aspires to link its business, philanthropy and human capital to help people feel more confident – not just about their finances, but also in their ability to achieve their personal goals in a changing world. For further information, visit td.com/thereadycommitment.

About the National Theatre School of Canada
The National Theatre School (NTS) is a school for the arts open to all. Since 1960, it has trained artists, in English and French, in all of theatre’s trades and professions. Many of its 2100 alumni are among the most active and recognized actors, directors, designers, writers, and production professionals in Canada and around the world. NTS is committed to solidifying community and breaking down the walls that separate us. NTS now offers workshops for anyone aged 15 to 115 who wishes to discover the power of theatre as an instrument of social as well as personal growth.

Watermark is thrilled to host this remarkable event and look forward to inspiring the next generation of theatre artists.

For more information, or to set up an interview with any of the participants please contact Andrea Surich at 902-963-3963 or generalmanager@watermarktheatre.com.

PEI Professional Theatre Network

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PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
State of the Art

More Than Mother’s Day

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Women Artists of P.E.I. Performances and Panel

 

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In conjunction with the exhibition Who’s Your Mother? Women Artists of P.E.I., 1964 to the Present, the Gallery is offering a series of performances and a panel that everyone is invited to attend.

Saturday, May 4 from 7-9 p.m., Women Artists of P.E.I. Performance Series
Donnalee Downe, Sitting Down with Downe, an interactive durational performance
Sandi Hartling in a durational “reading” called How Many Variations Does it Take?
Sarah Wendt and Pascal Dufaux in a performance piece, The mountains move while my fingernails grow, that starts at 8 p.m.

Sunday, May 12 at 2 p.m., Women Artists of P.E.I. Mother’s Day Panel Discussion
Moderator: D’Arcy Wilson, Assistant Professor, Visual Arts, Memorial University
Panellists: Mari Basiletti, Sandy Kowalik, Jane Ledwell, Rilla Marshall.

 

PEI Professional Theatre Network

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PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
State of the Art

Abstract and Amazing

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Abstract Joy: The Amazing Natural Beauty That Surrounds Us, work by Julea Boswell
May 15, 2019 through May 26
Julia-Boswell
Abstract Joy features lively abstract art which Julea describes as “providing a nice hit of colour to warm us up
for summer”. Her imaginative pieces take shape with a blend of recalled imagery, thoughts and emotion.
“Although the work is abstract it is pretty straightforward,” says Julea. “I simply try to capture moments of
spontaneous joy and express this in my art. What stays with me from these moments becomes my inner
springboard for creation. Like many artists, the amazing natural beauty that surrounds me, especially on PEI,
is a primary source of inspiration.”

PEI Professional Theatre Network

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PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
News Flash

Wayne-Philips Joins Cast at the Watermark

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Casting Update – Watermark 2019 Acting Company

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A slight change to the casting for Watermark’s 2019 summer season. Unfortunately, Kathyrn McCormack, previously announced as a member of our 2019 summer season acting company, will not be joining us due to personal reasons. We are delighted to announce that Toronto based actress Hannah Wayne-Phillips will be joining the company in her stead.

Hannah graduated with an MFA in Performance from York University and has written, directed and produced two shows, “Lighthouse” and “Fifteen” both of which were mounted in Hamilton, Ontario. Her recent acting credits include Vibrator Play (Tarragon Theatre/RedWit Theatre), King Lear, Twelfth Night (Canadian Stage), Living With Olivia Cadence Donovan (Red Wit Theatre), Ladies Sigh No More (Red Sandcastle Theatre), Merchant of Venice, Dream Play, Three Sisters, Richard II, Alkestis (Theatre @ York).

Hannah will be playing the part of Berthe in Boeing Boeing by Marc Camoletti and Lenny in Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley throughout the summer months as well as taking part in the Watermark Play Reading Series.

Boeing Boeing runs from June 25th to August 31st
Crimes of the Heart runs from July 5th to August 30th
The Play Reading Series is on August 7th, 14th, and 21st

For more information, or to set up an interview with Hannah, please contact Andrea Surich at 902-963-3963 or generalmanager@watermarktheatre.com.

PEI Professional Theatre Network

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PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse

News Flash

Sinclair Gets Symons Medal

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Confederation Centre of the Arts Announces 2019 Symons Medallist

Senator Murray Sinclair to receive the 19th Symons Medal for exceptional contribution to Canadian life

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Confederation Centre of the Arts announced today that the 2019 Symons Medal will be awarded to Senator Murray Sinclair on Friday, November 1 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

The Symons Medal is one of Canada’s most prestigious honours and recognizes an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to Canadian life. Awarded each fall, the Symons Medal Ceremony creates a national platform for a prominent Canadian to discuss the State of Canadian Confederation in the context of their life’s work and contribution.

Senator Murray Sinclair served the justice system in Manitoba for over 25 years. He was the second Indigenous Judge to be appointed in Canada and the first Indigenous Judge in Manitoba.

He served as Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry in Manitoba and as Chief Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). As Chair of the TRC, he participated in hundreds of hearings across Canada, culminating in the issuance of the TRC’s report in 2015. He also oversaw an active multi-million dollar fundraising program to support various TRC events and activities, and to allow survivors to travel to attend TRC events.

Senator Sinclair has been invited to speak throughout Canada and internationally. He served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Manitoba. He was very active within his profession and his community and has won numerous awards including the Meritorious Service Cross (2017), a National Aboriginal Achievement Award (1994), a Lifetime Achievement Award (2017), the Manitoba Bar Association’s Equality Award (2001) and its Distinguished Service Award (2016) and has received Honorary Doctorates from eight Canadian universities. Senator Sinclair was appointed to the Senate on April 2, 2016.

The Symons Medal award is presented at Confederation Centre of the Arts—Canada’s living memorial to Canadian Confederation—in honour of the first meetings of the Fathers of Confederation, who gathered for the Charlottetown Conference in the fall of 1864. Since 2004, the Centre has honoured 18 distinguished Symons Medallists—see the full list below in addendum. 

The 2019 Symons Medal Ceremony and Lecture will take place in the Homburg Theatre and will also be livestreamed on the Centre’s YouTube channel. Tickets for this important ceremony will be available via the Box Office at a later date. Stay tuned for further event updates on social media @confedcentre and via hashtag, #Symons2019.

PEI Professional Theatre Network

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PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse
News Flash

Backstage at Crimes of the Heart

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A Chat With Charlotte Gowdy

Charlotte Gowdy will direct “Crimes of the Heart” by Beth Henley in Watermark Theatre’s 2019 summer season. We had a chat with Charlotte about the play.

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Q: What excites you about the play Crimes of the Heart?
CG: So many things! I love the nuance and subtext of Henley’s writing and the rich history embedded in the relationships between characters. I am also excited by the Southern gothic setting of the play (Mississippi 1970’s) where a lazy, cheerful surface is intensified by an underbelly of explosive desire, deception, desperation and drama. This play has a wonderful mix of comedy and tragedy. I love that the characters can laugh even in the darkest moments. The play has a huge heart.
 

Q: What does the play say about sisterhood?
CG:The bond between the sisters in this play is immensely powerful, and I think it’s what keeps each of them from going off the deep end! Babe, Meg and Lenora are each so different in personality & lifestyle, but their shared history, and being together in times of crisis, serves to empower and embolden them. Of course, they fight and argue, and things are not easy between them, but there is a strength in their bond that is beyond words. It is full of love and optimism. I have been so fortunate in my own life to have experienced the powerful and uplifting force of sisterhood and female friendship. This play celebrates that force.

Q: How does the intimacy of the Watermark help or hinder the play?
CG: Well, the intimacy of the Watermark space will definitely help the actors embrace nuance, subtlety and depth of emotion. So, for the audience the experience will be very immersive and personal. I hope the audience feels like a fly on the wall of a very private, domestic scenario.
In terms of the set, the intimacy of the space is a bit of a challenge. In the original script the setting is described as a “spacious kitchen” with four doorways leading to different parts of the house, plus kitchen appliances (fridge, stove, sink, cupboards), plus a small bed in one corner, plus a kitchen table with chairs etc. So finding enough room on stage for actors to move around all the furniture is proving to be a fun challenge!

Q: What other challenges do you think this play presents?
CG It’s a slow burn. In this day and age, when people are accustomed to being overstimulated by technology and fast-paced entertainment, the play asks the audience to slow down and appreciate the depth of soul in each character and the subtle details of the plot. It asks the audience to appreciate the small things in life and the importance of family and resilience in the face of adversity. That said, with our amazingly talented actors, I am certain the audience will have no difficulty being drawn in to the drama!

Q: How does the play touch you emotionally?
CG: My heart aches for each of the sisters. They have faced immense tragedy in their young lives and still, they move forward, coping as best they can, and with a wonderful sense of humour. It’s inspiring! I am also deeply charmed by the men in the play. They are good men, enamoured by the sisters, and doing their best to help. At its core, the play looks at the complexities of being human, and of being a woman in a man’s world. This is not only relatable to me but also particularly relevant to everyone in the world today. The heartfelt relationships reassure me that connecting with other people is the only thing worth living for. And that fills me with joy!

Warm-hearted, irreverent, zany and brilliantly imaginative, “Crimes of the Heart” teems with humanity and humour as it examines the plight of three young Mississippi sisters betrayed by their passions. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, the play brings you into the Mississippi household of the Magrath sisters. Babe has just shot her husband because she didn’t like his looks. Meg is back in town after a failed attempt in the music business and a nervous breakdown. And poor Lenny – everyone has forgotten her 30th birthday…plus, her pet horse was just struck by lightning! Bad luck certainly runs deep among the Magrath clan. But with warm-hearted laughs and touching family moments, the sisters forgive the past, face the present, and embrace the future in this contemporary American stage classic.

“Crimes of the Heart” runs from July 5th to August 30th at the Watermark Theatre in North Rustico.

For more information, or to set up an interview with Ms. Gowdy please contact Andrea Surich at 902‐963‐3963 or generalmanager@watermarktheatre.com.

PEI Professional Theatre Network

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PEI Theatre is the Guild, Harbourfront Theatre,
Confederation Centre for the Arts,
Watermark Theatre, and the Victoria Playhouse