The ’17-18 season kicks off on October 16 with major pop-rock icons, The Barenaked Ladies and their Canada 1-FIVE-0 TOUR, presented by the National Arts Centre. October 24 marks the return of Canadian troubadour Joel Plaskett, joining his father Bill Plaskett for a collaborative show in the Homburg Theatre to celebrate their duo album, Solidarity.
November is jam-packed month with 11 shows on deck. These include Liam Corcoran’s album release for Nevahland; the Island premiere of A Passage to Bollywood, a rollicking family musical experience; the return of Classic Albums LIVE with the prog-rock classic 2112 by Rush; and a one night only musical comedy performance of the international hit, Menopause the Musical.
The holiday season is equally busy in December with Tomato/Tomato’s A Maritime Christmas channeling old school holiday concerts with special guests Heather Rankin and Dave Gunning. From December 14-16, Adam Brazier’s Holiday Spectacular variety show brings big laughs, guest stars, stunning dance and musical numbers, and sketches to the mainstage.
Sprinkled throughout December, the Choral Music Programme – under the direction of Donald Fraser – presents three beloved annual concerts, with Handel’s Messiah, Sing Noël, and Sing Along Messiah.
The 2018 portion of the LIVE calendar is equally exciting, and more stacked than ever with the theatre renovations now complete and no more closures planned. January offers critically acclaimed Indigenous artist Susan Aglukark as well as the return of Toronto Dance Theatre (TDT). TDT has produced an exceptional body of original Canadian choreography and had a major impact on the development of national dance audiences.
Other highlights in 2017 include Island artists The East Pointers, Dennis Ellsworth and Kinley Dowling, and The Atlantic String Machine. The Songwriters Series also returns with three heavy hitting raconteurs from Canada’s East Coast: Old Man Luedecke, Hillsburn, and Fortunate Ones, each performing for one night only in the intimate listening space of The Mack. Fellow Maritimer, Classified makes a rare Charlottetown appearance on April 14, with a special acoustic performance with guest artists entitled Classified and Friends.
The Centre’s own dance umbrella program culminates their 2017-18 instructional season with four public performances — musical theatre romps The Nifty Fifties and All the World’s A Stage in March and April at The Mack, and the matinee and evening Annual Showcases, May 5 on the mainstage.
For ticket information and the entire Sobeys LIVE @ the Centre season calendar please visit confederationcentre.com/live or contact the Confederation Centre box office at (902) 566.1267 or toll free, at 1-800-565-0278. Special thanks are extended to the Government of Canada for their support of Confederation Centre; as well to Sobeys, the returning title sponsor for LIVE @ The Centre. Media sponsors are The Guardian, Hot 105.5, and Ocean 100.
Art in the Open returns for its seventh year with an inspiring array of FREE, all ages events and contemporary art works by locally and nationally renowned artists.
The main event, Saturday August 26 from 4 p.m. until midnight, historic downtown Charlottetown will become an open air gallery presenting ephemeral works of public art. Each year numerous generous sponsors, artists and volunteers, come together to infuse creativity and beauty into the public spaces of the city. In total, there are about 40 artworks, installations and performances for people to discover and interact with.
Since its introduction in 2011, Art in the Open has become a well-loved and inspiring festival that takes pride in transforming many of downtown Charlottetown’s green spaces. “The City’s historic buildings and open green spaces provide the perfect canvas for Art in the Open and we are so proud to host this amazing event each year,” said Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee. “Attending this event is such a unique experience and I encourage residents and visitors to explore the city during this magical evening.”
Formed out of a partnership among the City of Charlottetown, this town is small, inc. and the Confederation Centre Art Gallery, the annual festival showcases a variety of contemporary art set within historic downtown Charlottetown. Co-curator and festival organizer Becka Viau encourages festival goers to park their preconceptions of contemporary art and take their time strolling through the festival sites, exploring the diverse program.
“To truly Art in the Open, one must be open to making unexpected memories,” said Viau. “You don’t need a set plan, but there will be some scheduled performances that should not be missed, like the Carnavale en Promenade at 4 p.m. on Victoria Row and Lennie MacPherson at the Grafton St. loading dock of Confederation Centre of the Arts as Pelly McGeogeghan – Spoutist, who will have you in stitches every hour on the hour from 6 p.m.- 10 p.m. But overall, my advice for festival goers is to plan for a journey of the imagination, that can take a few hours, and have FUN!”
Again this year, Art in the Open has attracted some extremely high-profile artists. Festival goers can look forward to a variety of new programming as well as a few fan favourites. Artist in residence at this town is small, Rémi Belliveau is a multi-disciplinary Acadian artist who will be joining us from Moncton, N.B. His project, Passe-Pierre, is an outdoor installation and performance that explores the notion of Acadian rurality through the culinary traditions of goose tongue greens and Island potatoes with the local Acadian community while hearing their stories.
Millefiore Clarkes, will present SOFT SNOW, a projection and live performance will present a contemporary classical score in an immersive experience that combines musical performance for three voices, flute, and piano, with a large-screen video projection. Music composed by Gerard L. Clarkes.
Alongside the new programming, organizers say festival goers can expect to see a few fan favourites again this year such as the March of the Crows, an annual parade where hundreds of local residents dress up in handmade crow costumes. On August 16th and August 24th, we invite the community to join our Crow Costume Workshop which will take place at the Schurman Family studio at the Gallery between 5 p.m. – 7p.m. Material will be provided, but we encourage bringing any special sparkly treasures.
The festival is presented by the City of Charlottetown, this town is small, La Fédération culturelle de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard, Island Media Arts Cooperative, The Architects Association of PEI, Discover Charlottetown and the Confederation Centre Art Gallery. With support from many community partners; KENT, Sobeys, Upstreet, Maritime Electric, The Dunes, Stantec, The Ten Spot, PEI Crafts Council, Synergy Screens, Charlottetown Area Development Corporation, Wicked eh?, Bell Aliant, Receiver Coffee Company, Playing with Choir, East Coast Art Party, and Downtown Charlottetown Inc.
Kronborg is coming home. After a sold-out performance at Indian River in July, Confederation Centre is pleased to announce an encore concert performance of Kronborg 1582 – coming home to the Centre for one night only. The rock opera starring P.E.I.’s Aaron Hastelow as Hamlet will be presented on September 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the Homburg Theatre.
This performance also marks the kickoff to The Charlottetown Festival Theatre Conference, September 5 to 9 . There will be a tickets pre-sale for members as of tomorrow, Tuesday August 8. Tickets for general public will be available as of Wednesday August 9. Tickets are also available as included in Festival Theatre Conference pass.
Tickets are available at the Confederation Centre Box Office at 130 Queen Street, online, in person, or via phone at 1.800.565.0278 (toll free) or 902.566.1267.
Kronborg features a Festival ensemble and orchestra of more than 30 performers from Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™ and Glenda’s Kitchen. The Festival’s Associate Artistic Director, Mary Francis Moore directed the production and musical direction is from Craig Fair.
The production rocked the rafters at the Historic St. Mary’s Church in Indian River on July 28, playing to a sold out house. The Buzz reviewed that show calling it “Spectacular…impressive… left people on their feet literally screaming for more!” With that magic in the air, producers felt Island audiences deserved a chance to see the Festival classic back where it all began — on the main stage.
Based on the Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet, the rock opera was originally produced by Confederation Centre in 1975, starring Brent Carver and Beverly D’Angelo, and went on to play on Broadway. The musical was created by Cliff Jones and was originally commissioned by the CBC. It tells the story of a Danish prince who plots revenge on his uncle for killing his father.
This concert performance replaces the originally scheduled concert performance of The House of Martin Guerre at this time, which is unable to be presented this season to unforeseen events.
Special thanks are extended to the Government of Canada for their support of Confederation Centre; and The Charlottetown Festival sponsor, CIBC. Appreciation is extended to media sponsors Ocean 100, Hot 105.5, CTV, and The Guardian.
VaughnCo Entertainment is very proud to announce this special family show! Quality entertainment for all ages is something we take great pride in, and this event, we know will embrace dog lovers all across Atlantic Canada, both children and children at heart.
In 2012 on the seventh season, the audience of ‘America’s Got Talent’ would meet a family like no other. A father, a son and a story that touched the heart of everyone; the bond between man and his best friend, or in this case, friends.
The Olate Dogs and Olate family were the winning participants from Season 7 of America’s Got Talent, receiving the $1,000,000 and headlining The Palazzo in Vegas that year. The 22 Olate Dogs create a high-energy, fast-paced theatrical act filled with amazing “doggie-friendly” pet tricks. The stunts, furiously wagging tales and joyful leaps into their owners’ arms will delight young and old.
The Olate Dogs are at the Harbourfront Theatre on Tuesday, August 15th, at 7:30 PM.
This summer’s productions of “Barefoot in the Park” by Neil Simon and “Mrs. Warren’s Profession” by George Bernard Shaw have both received outstanding critical and audience response. The Guardian called our production of “Mrs. Warren’s Profession”, “…the most satisfying piece of theatre I’ve seen on Prince Edward Island…Highly recommended”. The Buzz said about the show, “…delivered with intelligence and sensitivity…I am so whole-heartedly grateful for the Watermark Theatre”. “Barefoot in the Park” was equally well regarded, with The Guardian saying about the show, “…hard work, talent, charm and honesty can help carry the day…played with genuine commitment”. The Buzz added, “…a comedy about relationships, full of zingy dialogue and zany antics…a great summer evening”.
Four performances of “Barefoot in the Park” will be added on August 28th and 31st at 7:30PM, as well as on September 2nd at 1:30PM and 7:30PM.Three performances of “Mrs. Warren’s Profession” will be added on August 29th and 30th, as well as September 1st, all at 7:30PM.
“We are, of course, thrilled that we’re able to add extra performances and play right into Labour Day weekend”, says Artistic Director Robert Tsonos, “we’ve had such a wonderful response from audiences so far this season and we’re expecting crowds to increase even more over the rest of the summer”.
The romantic comedy “Barefoot in the Park” is a 1963 play about a free-spirited bride and her buttoned-down groom who settle down to some rocky happily-ever-aftering in a New York City walk-up, occasionally invaded by the bride’s wacky mother and the quirky bohemian who lives in the attic.
George Bernard Shaw’s beautifully crafted “Mrs. Warren’s Profession“, written in 1893, tells the story of Mrs. Kitty Warren who worked her way out of the London slums and now lives abroad, having provided her daughter Vivie with the education and means to grow into a smart, independent young woman of strong convictions. When Mrs. Warren returns, mother and daughter discover that neither is the woman they thought they knew.
Tickets can be purchased at watermarktheatre.com or 902-963-3963
For more information or an interview please contact Andrea Surich at 902-963-3963 or generalmanager@watermarktheatre.com
