reviewed by Natasha Lomonossoff

The third production to play in the Springer Theatre  at the 1000 Islands PLayhouse, Meredith  Wilson’s  The Music Man,  continues the feel-good theme  for the  Playhouse’s 40th season.  Directed and choreographed by Stephanie Graham (who was also responsible for the 2019 production of Anne of Green Gables),   The Music Man tells the story of a con hartist who indergoes a change of heart during his most recent swindling attempt in the town of River City, Iowa. The musical numbers and choreography are easily the highlight of this production, as they provide excitement to the action occurring onstage. A lot of laughs are also had, which help to carry the story along.

Set in the early 20^th century, the musical opens with a group of men on a train chatting about Harold Hill, a well-known conman. A statement by one of them, “But he doesn’t know the territory,” serves to demonstrate the challenge Hill (David Leyshon) will face when he comes to River City to enact his con; this turns out to be posing as an organizer for a children’s band to sell instruments before leaving without giving any lessons. This sequence, as well as Hill’s arrival in town, are all presented in song. The first three opening songs (“Rock Island,” “Iowa Stubborn,” and “(Ya Got) Trouble”) are lively, yet seem to be reflecting the main character’s maxim that “singing is just sustained talking.”

After he arrives, the librarian character of Marian Paroo (Kate Blackburn) is introduced, giving a piano lesson to her sister. She is later established as the love interest of Harold, which complicates his attempt to swindle the town. Side plots include the growing confidence of her younger brother Winthrop (Matthew Fournier) under Hill’s tutelage and the romance between youth Tommy Dijilas (Daniel Yeh) and Zaneeta Shinn (Meghan Caine), daughter of River City’s disapproving mayor (David Talbot).

The overall story is fairly easy to follow and stresses the importance of truth over appearances, but it is the musical numbers which really stand out in this production of The Music Man. Special highlights include the rendition of “Goodnight, My Someone” by Blackburn and the rollicking dance of the town children in the library during “Marian the Librarian” (Graham’s choreography is especially well-executed in the latter sequence). The two main characters, Harold and Marian, are amply realized by Leyshorn and Blackburn respectively; other exceptional portrayals are made by Talbot as Mayor Shinn, Fournier as Winthrop, Michael MacEachern as Harold’s fast-talking con partner Marcellus Washburn, and Makayla Vanderhost as Marian’s younger sister Amaryllis (the interactions between them are delightful to watch).

On a technical front, the set design by Brandon Kleiman is particularly impressive. The beginning set-up consists of a row of white arches at the sides with well-constructed miniature buildings in the middle of the stage. Hanging on top is a round, blue sign that says “River City, Iowa,” which is present throughout the show. Different sets are used and put together nimbly, such as the walls of books and tables in the library, as well as the bridge and starry backdrop for when Marian and Harold have a romantic meeting. The costumes are also authentic to the period in which the musical is set, something which co-costume designers Robin Fisher and Joshua Quinlan deserve credit for.

Overall, TIP’s production The Music Man is an enjoyable show which is able to provide entertainment for a wide audience, no matter their age.

The Music Man continues at the Springer Theatre in Gananoque, ON until August 20. For information and tickets, see The Music Man – Thousand Islands Playhouse (1000islandsplayhouse.com).

The Music Man: Book, Music & Lyrics by Meredith Wilson

Cast

Marian Paroo: Kate Blackburn
Zaneeta Shinn/Dance Captain: Meghan Caine
Ethel Toffelmier/Farmer’s Wife: Naomi Costain
Charlie Cowell/Farmer/Constable Locke: Michael Cox
Winthrop Paroo: Matthew Fournier
Mrs. Squires: Jasmine Huang
Olin Britt/Quartet/Salesman: Spencer Laing
Harold Hill: David Leyshorn
Marcellus Washburn/Salesman: Michael MacEachern
Alma Hix: Alison J. Palmer
Oliver Hix/Quartet/Salesman: Hal Wesley Rogers
Mayor Shinn/Conductor: David Talbot
Jacey Squires/Quartet/Salesman: Rob Torr
Mrs. Paroo: Rennie Wilkinson
Eulalie Mackenzie Shinn: Seana-Lee Wood
Amaryllis: Makayla Vanderhost
Tommy Djilas/Newspaper Reader: Daniel Yeh
Ewart Dunlop/Quartet/Salesman: Robert Yeretch

Creative Team

Director & Choreographer: Stephanie Graham
Music Director: Rachel Cameron
Asst. Choreographer: Keleshaye Christmas-Simpson
Set Designer: Brandon Kleiman
Co-Costume Designer: Robin Fisher
Co-Costume Designer: Joshua Quinlan
Lighting Designer: Renee Brode
Sound Designer: Deanna Choi
Stage Manager: Jordan Guetter
Asst. Stage Manager: Cristina Hernandez
Asst. Stage Manager: Arielle Voght
Youth Ensemble Supervisor: Sedona Jones

Photo: Candice Fiorentino

Anatolia speaks takes us back to the Bosnian conflict that took place 30 years ago. A flood of refugees was forced to leave the country at the time and find a new homeland. Many of them found home in Canada.

The story takes place in an ESL class, where Anatolia is talking to her classmates about her Canadian experience. We find out that she works at a supermarket, enjoys a welcoming, if very cold, Edmonton, and is hoping to earn more money, so that she can buy a refrigerator by summertime. But, as much as she is eager to talk about her life in Canada and about the Canadian Corporal Jason Orman, who taught the song, “You are My Sunshine”,  the class is as eager to hear about her war experience. So, little by little, she starts to talk about her family – father, husband and daughter. She is an educated woman – she speaks 6 languages – who got married and has a baby girl at the age of 19. Next, we learn that her family perished, and that she left her twin boys – a result of rape that happened during the conflict – in Bosnia. As she says, she never knew what the father of her boys looked like.

The story tells a general truth about the madness of war and its consequences.  Although it is well written and excellently performed by Candice Fiorentino, there are some elements that need additional work.

The story conveys the horrors of war well enough, but, since it is told as a personal experience, it should have been better researched in order to maintain authenticity. Had Brown done this, the play and its general meaning would be much more powerful.  Details such as car brands – Bosnians would usually have a Golf, Renault 4, or the Yugoslav brand “Yugo” and not so often the Russian-made “Lada.”  This is not only a cliché but also an incorrect assumption that any European socialist country will have firm tides with Russia – Yugoslavia was a member and founder of Nonalignment movement from mid fifties until the war in the 90s.

Anatolia says that she is a Croat, her husband was a Serb, her grandfather a Muslim.  At one moment, she tells the class that her grandfather gave up his Muslim roots; since Muslim became a nationality at the beginning of seventies in Yugoslavia, Anatolia’s grandfather would still be a Muslim, just not a religious one.

Bearing in mind all these facts, the choice of names, both her sons and especially hers (Anatolia is a city in Turkey) are also very odd. Additionally, nationally mixed marriages were fairly common in Bosnia, not unusual, as she claims. To understand  the extent of the tragedy and the absurdity of the conflict in Bosnia, where people once lived peacefully together, it is essential that the character (Anatolia) tells true facts about Bosnia (not any imagined or similar country).

Candice must be given full credit for her interpretation of Anatolia. Her posture and emotions were very convincing. Her accent was consistent all the way through the performance. Unfortunately, the pronunciation of Bosnian words (Srebrenica, for example) was wrong – the accent in Bosnian language is always on the first syllable. Also, the family name of the first postwar Miss Bosnia was pronounced in such a way that it was unrecognizable.

Although “Anatolia” is a play that lacks authenticity,  its main message is conveyed successfully. The way it is written, t is more universal. It can refer to refugees from a wide variety of places, and the victims of war in general. It touched the audience and gave us all a lot to think about.

Produced by Poiema Productions (Edmonton)

Created and directed by Kenneth Brown

Cast

Candice Fiorentino as Anatolia

Ah, theatre! It is not called a “play” for nothing. Just remember the time when we all, as children, played in our backyards and basements developing all kinds of stories with our friends. Jamine Ackert and Pierre Brault’s “Ready or Knot” brings with it the lighthearted creativity of that time.

So, let’s play! At the beginning, we are introduced to Pierre and Jamina, two lonely divorcees trying to get on with their lives. As we follow them through their travels, yoga classes, on the bus, we get acquainted with them and their routines through well paced jokes. This first part, helped by the use of well-incorporated video, ends when Pierre meets Jamina in her yoga class.

In part two, the romance begins. After a number of lifelike situations they decide to marry. So, we come to the part three – a game of marriage. This is where the actors asked the audience to participate. Three bridesmaids, three bridegrooms and the officer (who officiates the marriage) are selected. We all stand up for the bride’s entrance. When seated again, we play the role of guests at their wedding. Witty, romantic and humorous vows are said (and, unexpectedly, some participants from the audience did a very good job!), and, finally, we are treated to a wedding cake – cupcakes, actually, but real ones, carried around by the bride.

Ready or Knot is a lighthearted, fun comedy. Although from time to time the actors lacked a bit of energy, it was, overall well written and well performed. The union of two stand-up comedians proved to be a success. The audience enjoyed it, laughed and, all in all, had a wonderful time.

 

 

Directed by William Beddoe* Dramaturgy/Workshop Direction (The Ring) & Photography by Andrew Alexander Fight Direction by Zach Counsil* Lighting Design by Graham Price Stage Manager Donna Price Assistant Stage Manager Kenney Vandelinde Produced by Andrew Alexander & William Beddoe

 

We have been waiting for two years, and we can finally say: ‘Welcome back to the Ottawa Fringe Festival”. This year for it 25^th anniversary, the Ottawa Fringe brings 42 shows, wth genres as different as can be: dramas, comedies, dance, music, magic, storytelling – there is something for every taste. Plus – something we all need after two gloomy years – there is quite a number of comedies to cheer us up. One such comedy is TheProposal/The Ring, an interesting take on Anton Chekhov’s one act play. “The Proposal”.

The show consists of two plays performed as one two-act play – Checkov’s original one act play, “The Proposal” (the first part), as well as a more modern view of the relations of the two main characters, Natalya Stepanovna Chubukova and Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov making up the second part, called The Ring and written by Laurie Fyffe.

Chekhov’s original play is a story about wealthy landowner Ivan’s decision to marry his neighbour’s (Stepan’s) daughter Natalya. He comes to Stepan’s house to propose, but his personality stands in his way. The narrative and the humor in “The Proposal” relies on the expression of Ivan’s  insecurity, greediness, arrogance, and stubbornness. All these characteristics combined prevent him from speaking directly, and continually sidetrack the conversation, making him an awkward character. Contrary to Ivan, Natalya is a self-confident young woman, though as greedy and stubborn as he is. Living in 19^th century Russia, on top of that, she needs to be married if she wants to have a better place in Russian society.

Although Chekhov himself never thought much of this fast paced, dialogue based farce, it was an instant success, thanks to its humorous way of exposing greedy, superficial attitudes of the Russian high class, where (like everywhere else in those days), marriage was based on wealth rather than on sentiment. Still Chekhov did not like it, claiming that it was mostly misinterpreted.

Of course, all published works are subject to interpretation, both by the audience/readers and by directors/actors. In this version of the play, the director William Beddoe sees Ivan as a nervy guy and Natalya as a strong woman. That is how Laurie Fyffe portrays them in “The Ring,” as well. Ivan does not know his own mind and constantly second guesses himself, one moment wanting to be married another to escape. Natalya is portrayed as a determined, scheming woman, who knows what she wants and does not let honour or principles stand in her way. In both plays, a vital role in this courtship belongs to Natalya’s eager, greedy father Gruzinsky, expertly played by Jeff Lefebvre. Kurt Shantz (as Ivan) and Sarah Marks (as Natalya) overall do justice to their respective characters.

All in all, this is a very interesting and innovative approach in which Laurie Fyffe did a good job as playwright. The performance could do with some work in order to make the characters more natural. Change of mood and, therefore increase of voice volume during the disagreements between Ivan and Natalya could be more gradual. Also, keeping in mind that this is a dialogue-based comedy, the comedic effects could have been more verbal and less physical. Sometimes this physical element diminished  the strength of the play and lost some meaning in the process. Other than this, “The Proposal/The Ring” is a very entertaining play which is well worth seeing.

Production: Plan B Productions

Written by: Anton Chekhov (The Proposal) and Laurie Fyffe (The Ring)

Cast:

Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov                             (Kurt Shantz)

Natalya Stepanovna Chubukova                (Sarah Marks)

Stepan/father Gruzinsky                              (Jeff Lefebvre

Creative team:

Director                                                    William Beddoe

Dramaturge and Photography –

 

Reviewed Monday, June 20, 2022, by Laurie Fyffe

A shipwreck! A deserted island! A tale of betrayal, revenge, magic and love! Welcome to William Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

When a timely storm, whipped up by the mighty Prospero, a being possessed of the magic arts, lands a shipped wrecked crew on an Island, thus begins a tale that delves into past betrayals but concludes – eventually – with forgiveness and the union of two young lovers. Under the appropriately whimsical direction of Tamara Freeman, The Tempest is set in motion at the height of a storm with a delightful shipwreck scene then carried along on the crest of a wave by clever magical interventions. With the aid of a little stop start motion from the actors, Freeman has found an inventive way of demonstrating Prospero’s magical powers. These comic bits are well supported by an energetic cast playing multiple roles, adopting different physical and vocal attitudes to suit their various characters, helping the audience navigate the unexpected interactions of these shipwrecked souls as they scramble over Prospero’s forbidding Island terrain.

Forbidding and deserted except, of course, for the pair of storm-crossed lovers, Miranda, played by Kate McArthur and Ferdinand played by Jon Dickey. Their love scenes, some manipulated by the magic of a lingering Prospero, add a delightful measure of charm to the proceedings. Kate McArthur’s portrayal of Miranda, an Island bound lass who has never set eyes on any human creature, much less a young man, is particularly endearing.

Singularly adept at the changeling portrayals of multiple personas is Geoff McBride (Trinculo/Anthonio/Spirits-Ceres). McBride’s unabashed physicality fuels a number of the play’s comic highlights. While the cast is uniformly excellent, to Micah Jondel DeShazer credit must go for his dual playing of the spirit Ariel, shackled in service to Prospero, and the complicated (often problematic) character of Caliban. Rendering Ariel, a spirit of air and fire one moment, and Caliban, an earth bound troll if ever there was one, the next, is no small artistic feat, and DeShazer adds humour and humanity to both.

But what of Prospero? Well, on this particular opening night, Henry Austin Shikongo was unable to perform. Therefore, donning his magical aura and speaking his formidable text, we were engaged by Sarah Finn. Responding to the challenge of the moment has become the norm of these past few years, and if any company can forge ahead with flair, it’s the Fools. An accomplished actor and playwright, Finn boldly rushed in where no true Fool would hesitate to tread and offered a commanding Prospero.

The actors in this Tempest are performing with microphones; so the outdoor venue, beneath the imposing trees of Strathcona Park offers little resistance to sound. However, as the light began to fade, I found myself wondering if a touch

of ‘light’ magic of some kind might have offered the latter part of the production a little more illumination.

However, as added bonus the play offers a fun and frolicking musical score, courtesy of Heidi Chan, with all the actors playing musical instruments, often led by Micah Jondel DeShazer’s impressive vocals. In addition we have – what to call them but – weird and wonderful puppets, sprouting from even weirder costumes. Vanessa Imeson’s sartorial design conjures up an ocean gale in which one imagines the stricken sailors, with seconds to spare, eschewing lifejackets and instead raiding the ships wardrobe before being cast overboard.

There were a few scenes in which I wondered why the cast were so curiously bound to one location on Brian Smith’s set; a wonderful design resembling a lookout tower. But, there is little to quibble in this production, and much to admire. As The Tempest tours, this show will blow with increasing creative velocity! Don’t miss it!

Finally, having enjoyed the talent on display in The Tempest, I can’t wait for the Fools’ production of Hamlet.

The Tempest is directed by Tamara Freeman. Acting ensemble includes Micah Jondel DeShazer, Jon Dickey, Kate McArthur, Geoff McBride, Cara Pantalone, and on June 20, stepping in for Henry Austin Shikongo, Sarah Finn. Stage Manager: Jane Vanstone Osborn.

Company of Fools’ The Tempest runs to August 13, 2022. The play starts at 7 pm, and runs for 90 minutes. Admission is Pay What You Can; collected at the end of the show by Cash-In-The-Hat, or visiting the concession to pay by credit card.

Bring a blanket or chair, perhaps bug spray. Many people were enjoying the finale of a picnic as the show began.

To find your park and performance go to: https://fools.ca/the-tempest/

Laurie Fyffe is an Ottawa based playwright. Her play The Ring is currently on stage at the Ottawa Fringe Festival

Please NOTE  

We are thrilled to announce that local legend Rebecca Benson will be stepping into the role of Prospero at the grand re-opening of The Tempest on July 4th, and will be holding down the fort with us all summer long. An actor, teacher, and artistic producer extraordinaire, we are pleased as punch to have Rebecca join us for her first ever foray with the Fools. An extra special shoutout goes to Sarah Finn for her incredible performances as Prospero and for assuming the role with only a precious few days to prepare. A massive thank you to Sarah the superstar, and a warm Foolish welcome to Rebecca, our newest spellcaster ✨ The Tempest will be awoken again on July 4th for a grand reopening in Strathcona Park, and playing parks across Ottawa and beyond ‘till August – you won’t want to miss this electrifying performance. Find a park near you on our website! We can’t wait to see you there 🌊

 

Tour Calendar

 

 

Thousand Island Playhouse’s production of Robin Hawdon’s farce Perfect Wedding (directed by Krista Jackson) at the Springer Theatre marks not only the return of live theatre in much of Ontario but also the 40^th anniversary of the playhouse itself. As a production, Perfect Wedding is emblematic of the kind of enjoyable, feel-good comedies that TIP specializes in. The light-hearted nature of it meshes well with the playhouse’s reputation as a destination theatre. A play focusing on a wedding day gone wrong, Perfect Wedding wraps up questions of identity and infidelity into an off-the-cuff formula that inevitably ensues in a chain of misunderstandings.

The play begins with a man named Bill (Nathan Howe) waking up in a hotel room bed next to a mysterious woman named Judy (Rachel VanDuzer). While it is quickly established that this occurrence is the result of a drunken encounter during the previous night, the stakes are heightened by the fact that it is the morning of Bill’s wedding to day to Rachel (Reena Jolly). Things go from bad to worse once he realizes that the space for their liaison is meant to be his and Rachel’s honeymoon suite. As Bill hastily beckons Rachel to leave, his best man Tom (Dan Mousseau) appears. With the danger of Rachel arriving soon, he involves Tom in a ploy to pass the woman off as the latter’s girlfriend; a hotel cleaning lady named Julie (Jenny Weisz), however, is mistaken by Tom to be Judy when she comes in to investigate the room. What follows are hilarious mishaps and contrived stories, until the truth is eventually revealed.

Each of the actors in this production do well in enacting physical humour for maximum effect, eliciting plenty of laughter from the audience. While a British accent can be hard to maintain for North American actors, Mousseau and Weisz do an especially convincing job of it. Weisz’s character is delightful as an innocent bystander who gets swept up in the madness of the intrigue, with her incredulity at the whole situation being easy to relate to. Rachel’s boisterous mother Daphne, portrayed by Alana Bridgewater, also acts as a humorous intruder into the younger people’s drama with her busybody personality.

To be sure, there are moments when the play addresses very real concerns of unfaithfulness and mistrust among friends, with Judy’s identity turning out to have ramifications for everyone involved. Yet, as with most comedies, these issues are transformed into pleasant jokes, reminding viewers that the purpose of the play is indeed good fun – and that it is.

On the technical front, the set design especially shines. The re-created hotel room by John Dinning is elaborate and features no less than four doors that are amply used for rushing in and out of. Although there might have been more of a clear demarcation between the bedroom and living room sections of the suite (which are treated by the actors as being separate spaces), it still serves its purpose capably for this production.

Perfect Wedding runs in the Springer Theatre at the Thousand Islands Playhouse until July 10. For information and tickets, see Perfect Wedding – Thousand Islands Playhouse (1000islandsplayhouse.com)

Author: Robin Hawdon

Cast:

Daphne – Alana Bridgewater
Bill – Nathan Howe
Rachel – Reena Jolly
Tom – Dan Mousseau
Judy – Rachel VanDuzer
Julie – Jenny Weisz

Creative Team:

Director – Krista Jackson
Set & Costume Designer – John Dinning
Lighting Designer – Echo Zhou
Sound Designer – Richard Feren
Stage Manager – Scott Spider

Assistant Stage Manager –Alysse Szatkowski

Miss Caledonia, the final show in Thousand Island Playhouse’s 2021 season, provides a cheerful story for the increasingly cold month of November. It indeed aims to warm hearts not merely in a literal sense, but also on an emotional level, with its tale of a young girl growing up in Caledonia, Ontario who dreams of stardom. The play, written by Melody Johnson and directed by Brett Christopher, also involves music, with the inclusion of violinist Quinn Dooley on stage alongside Janelle Hanna, who portrays all the characters in the play. The result is a harmonizing effect at times, which adds more flavour to the actions being enacted by Hanna. The element of music makes the play more engaging overall, particularly if one is watching it via livestream.

The plot of Miss Caledonia is a feel-good one: set in 1955, it follows the story of Peggy Douglas, who is determined to enter the local pageant despite the objections of her parents (who are hard-working Scottish farmers). In a reverie at the beginning of the play, she muses about how she can then make it to Miss Canada and eventually Hollywood, treading the paths of actresses such as Debbie Reynolds. With the spirit of Bing Crosby’s portrait accompanying her, Peggy pursues her aspiration amidst challenges from her parents and later on, a teacher. The result is a somewhat worn, though charming story about the importance of following one’s passion.

As a performer, Hanna is vivid and captivating to watch. She artfully conveys impressions of multiple characters, ranging from Peggy and her parents to her competitors at the pageant. Peggy’s mother and father are particularly memorable characters, as Hanna effectively creates a contrast between their down to earth attitudes and Peggy’s youthful naivete. While Dooley mainly provides musical accompaniment for the scenes that take place, she always takes care to match her presence to the mood at hand, often smiling or expressing another facial expression to go along with Peggy’s sentiments. A moment when Dooley’s violin provides a particularly apt touch is when she plays the sound of a bow and arrow as Peggy is performing that activity.

In terms of the show’s technical elements, the sound, lighting and set work well enough together for the most part. The set includes a mixture of both indoor and outdoor elements (such as hay), which adequately double for the different spaces that are portrayed throughout. The décor used onstage is also fitting for a 1950s farm home. Lighting is also effective, with the blue tone creating a mellow effect periodically. A neat moment for the livestream production occurred when the camera panned up from Dooley to a recreation of the night sky with bright stars.

Overall, Miss Caledonia is a well-meaning production that successfully recreates a dream of childhood for its audience (as alluded to by Brett Christopher in the play’s program).

Miss Caledonia, written by Melody A. Johnson. Musical arrangements and original score by Alison Porter

Cast:

Fiddler: Quinn Dooley
Peggy Ann Douglas: Janelle Hanna

Creative Team:

Director: Brett Christopher
Set Designer: Anna Treusch
Costume Designer: Jayne Christopher
Sound Designer: Richard Feren
Lighting Designer: Raha Javanfar
Stage Manager: Rebecca Eamon Campbell