Tag Archives: Scott Christian

On Stage

Misfortune’s World Premiere

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A Misfortune makes its world premiere tonight at The Charlottetown Festival.Sponsored by Key Murray Law, the bittersweet Canadian musical is playing a short run at the Centre’s cabaret theatre, The Mack until Sept 22.

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Adapted from a short story by Anton Chekhov, the musical starts with two old friends going for a walk in the woods. Their conversation soon takes a turn, revealing hidden depths to their relationship and forcing them to question the lives they’ve chosen.

 “Despite being written over a hundred years ago, the play’s themes are timeless,” says Kevin Michael Shea, scriptwriter and musical co-creator. “We’ve all loved the wrong people, or not loved the right people enough.”

 A Misfortune promises audiences a romantic, bittersweet musical about small moments and momentous decisions. Set at a dinner party among friends, sordid secrets are revealed with every shot of vodka.

Confederation Centre will present only nine performances of A Misfortune, so get your tickets for this must-see show. Please visit: http://www.confederationcentre.com/en/show/350-A-Misfortune

The cast includes Rejean Cournoyer (Andrey), Kelsey Falconer (Sofya), Connor Lucas (Ivan), Melanie Phillipson (Masha), and Brendan Wall (Pavel).

A Misfortune is directed by Eliza-Jane Scott with music by Scott Christian and lyrics by Wade Bogert-O’Brien.

Special thanks are extended to the Government of Canada for their support of Confederation Centre and to The Charlottetown Festival title sponsor, CIBC. Appreciation is extended to media sponsors Ocean 100, Hot 105.5, CTV, and The Guardian.

On Stage

Fortunate Casting Announced for Misfortune

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The Charlottetown Festival is in top gear this month, and producers are already preparing for the next round of productions, including the world premiere of A Misfortune, sponsored by Key Murray Law.

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The bittersweet Canadian musical plays a short run from September 7-22 at Confederation Centre’s cabaret theatre, The Mack. With just nine performances on deck, blink and you may miss it, so this is one theatre event to circle on the calendar.

A Misfortune follows Ivan, a young lawyer (Connor Lucas) and Sofya, a married woman (Kelsey Falconer), in pre-revolutionary Russia on a walk through the woods; their friendship has reached an impasse.

Soon they gather with three friends (Réjean Cournoyer, Brendan Wall, and Melanie Phillipson) for a dinner party in the country. With each drink, more sordid secrets are revealed. Adapted from a short story by Anton Chekhov, one of the world’s most celebrated and enduring writers, A Misfortune is a romantic, darkly comedic musical about small moments and momentous decisions. We follow Sofya’s journey from innocence and youth towards knowledge and self-actualization.

A Misfortune is directed by Festival alumna Eliza-Jane Scott, who wowed audiences in Mamma Mia! last year, and recently landed a lead role in the musical phenomenon, Come From Away, playing this winter with Mirvish.

A Sheridan College graduate, Lucas is currently performing in the Adam Brazier-led revival of Anne of Green Gables–The Musical™ and also appeared in two previous Young Company productions, The Voices of Canada and We Are Canadian. Falconer is playing Josie Pye in Anne™ as well this summer and is a recent graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The Blyth, Ontario native has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe as well as in workshops for the hit Proclaimers musical, Sunshine on Leith.

Cournoyer is a household name at the Festival, having starred in Mamma Mia! last year, as well as memorable roles in Evangeline, Alice Through the Looking-Glass, The Founding Father, and Anne™.

Wall performed here last year in the acclaimed Festival/Soulpepper musical Spoon River. He is currently appearing with Soulpepper’s Festival in New York City, in Of Human Bondage and Spoon River, which is drawing international attention and strong reviews, including from the New York Times. Wall has also performed in the award-winning War Horse (West End and Mirvish) and Once (Mirvish).

Phillipson is also presently performing in Anne™, and made her Festival debut in last year’s Belles Soeurs: The Musical. The Moose Jaw native has appeared across Canada with Mirvish, Tarragon, and seven seasons at the Shaw Festival.

Scott Christian is the musical’s composer, orchestrator, and music director with lyrics from Wade Bogert-O’Brien, and book and additional lyrics by Kevin Michael Shea.

Special thanks are extended to the Government of Canada for their support of Confederation Centre; and to The Charlottetown Festival title sponsor, CIBC. Appreciation is extended to media sponsors Ocean 100, Hot 105.5, CTV, and The Guardian.

 

On Stage

Glenda’s Kitchen Opens for Business

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Premiering July 13, The Charlottetown Festival is proud to present a new production of the cabaret musical which charmed Islanders and tourists alike last summer. Glenda Landry returns with new songs, stories and her talented musical kitchen party team, as Glenda’s Kitchen cooks up the best kind of seafood chowder, a bowl with a story behind it!

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Directed by Festival favourite Wade Lynch, Glenda’s Kitchen plays in Studio 1 at Confederation Centre of the Arts on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 1:30 p.m. until September 1.

Led by Island theatre icon, Glenda Landry, the 75-minute production offers a taste of the Island, literally and culturally, including a plated bowl of chowder for each patron. This afternoon cabaret features new tunes and tales from Glenda, her band, and a stacked cast of Festival all-stars. Landry and the ensemble explore the many bounties of P.E.I.’s people, traditions, and world-famous food.

Landry is an accomplished chef, motivational speaker, and actor, having performed in Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™for many summers, as well as memorable roles in Sound of Music and Oliver! at the Capitol Theatre, and Wizard of Oz, The Full Monty, and the world premiere of Evangeline at the Centre.

She is joined at the table by Hank Stinson, Marlane O’Brien, Julain Molnar, Cameron MacDuffee, Scott Christian andKaren Graves. Husband and wife team MacDuffee and Graves will provide the musical accompaniment alongside Christian, who serves as musical director for the production. The light-hearted musical is sponsored by the PEI Fishermen’s Association with kitchen products courtesy The Kitchen Store.

Special thanks are extended to the Government of Canada for their support of Confederation Centre; production sponsor, Tim Horton’s; and The Charlottetown Festival sponsor, CIBC. Appreciation is extended to media sponsors Ocean 100, Hot 105.5, CTV, and The Guardian.

On Stage

Walk Right In, It’s Around the Back, Glenda’s Restaurant

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The final production of the summer season has opened at The Charlottetown Festival — a hot new matinee show that offers a taste of the Island, literally and culturally. Starring P.E.I. actress and accomplished chef Glenda Landry, Glenda’s Kitchen is sponsored by CAA, and plays select dates in Studio 1 at Confederation Centre until August 26.

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Glenda Landry is a 45-year veteran of The Charlottetown Festival, having shone for many seasons in Avonlea as Diana and later Mrs. Pye, among others, and in Centre productions such as The Kitchen Witches and Wizard of Oz. The Island native has also moonlighted for years as a chef, having completed the apprenticeship program at the Culinary Institute and plied her second trade alongside Chef Emily Wells at The Dunes and at Sim’s in Charlottetown.

This summer she leads a talented kitchen party cast, including fellow Islanders and Festival veterans Charlotte Moore, Marlane O’Brien, and Hank Stinson, all backed by the 12-piece Charlottetown Festival Orchestra, as they cook up the best kind of seafood chowder — a bowl with a story behind it. Glenda’s Kitchen plays Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 1:30 p.m. and concludes with a steaming bowl of chowder with an Island biscuit for every audience member.

Offering a bounty of songs, stories, and soup, Glenda’s Kitchen is directed by Artistic Director Adam Brazier and co-written by Brazier and Stinson. Musical direction and arrangements are by Scott Christian, and stage management is from Al Gadowsky.

Music

Raise Your Voice

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Through lively song, stories, and dance, the 2016 Confederation Centre Young Company is proud to present The Voices of Canada until Saturday, August 20.

This high-energy celebration weaves song, dance, and legend into a stunning kaleidoscope of movement and colour, offered by donation, six days a week at Confederation Centre. The Voices of Canada is sponsored by TD Bank and this year’s musical includes song selections from Stan Rogers, Gordon Lightfoot, Serena Ryder, The Trews, Great Big Sea, The Guess Who, and more.

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The 2016 creative team for the Young Company includes Writer/Director Adam Brazier, Musical Director and Arranger Scott Christian, Choreographer Kerry Gage, Set Designer Cory Sincennes, Costume Designer Bonnie Deakin, and Company and Stage Manager Seren Lannon.

First established at the Centre in 1993, the Young Company is theatre training program for emerging performers from across Canada. The summer program includes vocal, dance, and acting training as well professional development towards auditioning, best practices, workshopping new theatre, and much more.