Capital Critics Circle, Author at Capital Critics' Circle / Le cercle des critiques de la capitale

Tomson Highway Wins 2015 Herbert Whittaker-CTCA Award: Cree Playwright Honoured For Distinguished Contribution to Canadian Theatre

By Capital Critics Circle | October 27, 2015

Tomson Highway, 2009 file photo “Northern Life.ca”.

http://www.tomsonhighway.com/biography.html

Tomson Highway, playwright, musician, novelist and former artistic director of Native Earth Performing Arts, has been chosen as the winner of the 2015 Herbert Whittaker-CTCA Award. The award, which is given by the Canadian Theatre Critics Association, honours individuals for their outstanding long-term contributions to Canadian theatre.

Named after the distinguished Canadian theatre critic and author Herbert Whittaker (1910-2006), the award has been given out since 1975. Past winners have included playwrights Judith Thompson and George F. Walker, Shaw Festival artistic director Jackie Maxwell, director Robert Lepage and puppeteer Ronnie Burkett.

“Oh deer!” responded Highway by email when he learned he had won. He then hastened to add: “You have to understand that I do come from a hunting and gathering society.”

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Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God at NAC Falls Flat.

By Capital Critics Circle | October 26, 2015

Photo: NAC English Theatre

The English Theatre at the NAC has opened their season with a production of “The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God,” written and directed by Djanet Sears. It’s the story of Rainey, a doctor, her husband Michael, a preacher, and her elderly father Ben. “Adventures . . .” deals with Rainey’s inability to accept her daughter’s death and Ben’s attempts to uphold the town’s black history.

We who live near the US/Canada border and go back and forth often tend to think of ourselves as pretty similar. However sometimes there are striking differences in cross-border sensibilities. One example is Newfie humor – Americans just don’t get it. The subject matter of this play is another. Americans have been seeing plays about race relations and black history since the 1970s, for example August Wilson’s brilliant “Century Cycle,” ten plays that chart the African-American experience throughout the 20^th century. There’s also Alvin Ailey’s iconic piece “Revelations,” choreographed in 1960. In “Adventures . . .,” the cast marches to protest graffiti on their church wall. In the US Deep South, black churches are burned down. All this contributes to my viewpoint that “Adventures . . .” says nothing new.

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Opera Lyra closes the curtain! The end of an era in Ottawa.

By Capital Critics Circle | October 14, 2015

Rosemary Thompson. 14 octobre 2015 – OTTAWA (Canada) – C’est avec une grande tristesse que le Centre national des Arts a appris aujourd’hui la cessation des activités d’Opéra Lyra. Le CNA travaillait depuis plus de 20 ans en étroite collaboration avec la compagnie, qui s’était fièrement acquis la réputation de présenter d’excellentes productions dans la région de la capitale nationale.

« Pendant de nombreuses années, Opéra Lyra a connu des succès artistiques, particulièrement sous le leadership de son directeur général actuel, John Peter (Jeep) Jeffries. L’organisation a formé de nombreux jeunes chanteurs qui ont accédé à la scène internationale, et a connu certains succès au chapitre des ventes, en particulier avec la production de Carmen en 2013 », a déclaré Christopher Deacon, directeur administratif de l’Orchestre du CNA. «Nous savons toute l’ardeur qu’ont mis la direction et le conseil d’administration d’Opéra Lyra à maintenir la compagnie sur les rails. C’est un jour extrêmement triste pour les arts de la scène à Ottawa. »

Les clients qui

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National Theatre Live returns to Ottawa. Watch the postings

By Capital Critics Circle | October 14, 2015

http://www.cineplex.com/Events/NationalTheatre

“Dear Johnny Deere” Bang-up Season Finale at 1000 Islands Playhouse in Gananoque

By Capital Critics Circle | September 30, 2015

The 1000 Islands Playhouse is closing out their season with a foot-stomping production of “Dear Johnny Deere.” The book is by Ken Cameron and is based on the music and lyrics of Fred Eaglesmith, with additional music and arrangements by Music Director David Archibald. If you’re not familiar with Fred Eaglesmith, and I wasn’t, his funny and evocative songs have garnered numerous awards in the US and Canada in the country and bluegrass fields.

Playwright Cameron has woven a plot around 15 Fred Eaglesmith songs. Johnny, well-played by Greg Gale, and his wife Caroline, again well-played by Shannon Currie, are having emotional, financial, and farming problems. Into the mix comes Mike, played by the versatile Bruce Horak, with an offer to buy the farm. Mr. Horak also plays Johnny’s father and a snobbish tractor collector. The whole is narrated by the excellent Jeff Culbert playing Johnny’s neighbor, McAllister. The only cast member who doesn’t speak is the dynamite fiddler Capucine Onn. As you might expect, everything works out. These are all good actors, but the show is really about the music.

Listing a few of the song titles will give you the idea: “White Trash,” “Spookin’ the Horses,” “I Wanna Buy Your Truck,” “Old John Deere,” “Time to Get a Gun,” and “It’s Got a Bench Seat Baby” that includes a snippet of “It’s a Mighty Big Car.” All these actors are terrific singers, including Music Director David Archibald, and they all play multiple instruments. …

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Good to Go. Election show at the Cube Gallery:

By Capital Critics Circle | September 28, 2015

Allan Harding MacKay : Court Painter: Good To Go!

October 6 – 25

The Great Game" Vernissage (The artist will be in attendance) Thursday, Oct. 8th, 6:00 – 9:00 pm Get political at Cube Gallery as renowned Alberta artist Allan Harding MacKay casts his gimlet eye on scandals in the Senate, stirs the election pot, and pokes our public conscience. Court Painter, Good to Go! is an exhibition of MacKay at his searing, satirical best as he takes aim at all things political from the ongoing trial of suspended Senator Mike Duffy, the follies of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and the tomfoolery of some of Canada’s other top public figures.

MacKays skillfully constructed collages are created from the vantage of the Court Painter as chronicler of Canada’s politicos, players, journalists and hangers-on in a revival of the traditional relationship between the artist and those who consider themselves to be the ruling elite. Look closely at this contemporary take on The Court Painter and be prepared to be shocked and bemused by MacKay’s penchant for political peccadilloes.

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Production Values Don’t Save a Weak Play at GCTC

By Capital Critics Circle | September 21, 2015

The Great Canadian Theatre Company has opened their season with “Generous” by Michael Healey. The play is the first of a trilogy that includes “Courageous” and “Proud,” the latter produced by GCTC a couple of years ago.

The play’s structure is fractured. The four scenes in Act I seem to come from different plays. The first, set 15 years ago, features a frantic group of Parliamentarians trying to avoid a no-confidence vote. The second, also 15 years ago, introduces a venal oil executive. In the third, now in the present, a judge and young law clerk both try to justify a one-night stand and in the fourth a couple has an odd gymnastic quarrel involving a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Some of these plot lines come together in Act II, but only structurally rather than emotionally and don’t go anywhere. “Generous” is basically about seeking power, both political and sexual, but leads to no new understanding of the various motivations behind the search. …

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Ouverture de la Saison de La Nouvelle Scène: Une Production de Montréal

By Capital Critics Circle | September 15, 2015

ET AU PIRE, ON SE MARIERA

d’après le roman de Sophie Bienvenu (Éditions La Mèche)
Une production d’ExLibris (Montréal), accueilli par le Théâtre la Catapulte
dans le cadre de la saison de La Nouvelle Scène

Du jeudi 1er au samedi 3 octobre à 19 h 30
Au Studio Léonard-Beaune de l’Université d’Ottawa (135 Séraphin Marion)
Mise en scène et adaptation : Nicolas Gendron * Interprétation : Kim Despatis
Scénographie, accessoires et costumes : Joëlle Harbec * Éclairages : Leticia Hamaoui
Environnement sonore : Joé Pelletier * Assistance à la mise en scène et régie : Mélanie Primeau

N.B. Au Studio Léonard –Beaune de l’Université d’Ottawa.