Solider in the Arts (SITA) presents two plays, I Found My Horn and Tunnel at the End of the Light, running back-to-back on the Alumnae Theatre Mainstage (70 Berkeley St., Toronto, ON, M5A 2W6), opening Wed, May 3 and on until Sun, May 21, 2023. Details and tickets for each show below.
Jonathan Guy Lewis. Photo credit: Max Hamilton-MacKenzie
Accessibility: Alumnae Theatre’s Berkeley Street entrance and the Mainstage theatre are wheelchair accessible. There is a wheelchair accessible restroom on the ground floor.
Synopsis:I Found My Horn is a one-man show – a true story about a man’s mid-life crisis, written by Jasper Rees and Jonathan Guy Lewis, adapted from the book by Jasper Rees and directed by Harry Burton. Jasper wakes up one day after a broken marriage fearing that he’s done nothing memorable, and decides to pick up the French horn that defeated him in his youth. He gives himself an impossible task: perform a Mozart concerto in one year’s time in front of a paying audience of horn fanatics. What happens next is a feel-good show placing the transforming power of music centre stage.
Accessibility: Alumnae Theatre’s Berkeley Street entrance and the Mainstage theatre are wheelchair accessible. There is a wheelchair accessible restroom on the ground floor.
Synopsis: In this darkly funny and poignant new play written and directed by Jonathan Guy Lewis, Tunnel at the End of the Light explores the very raw emotions that the veteran community is feeling after the sudden fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban. What was the point of it all? They thought they were there to make a difference, for the long haul. But it turns out that was a lie. So… who betrayed who? Proceeds go toward Soldiers in the Arts programs and productions.
Cast: Alexandra Floras-Matic, Andrea Greening, Ryan Hawkyard, M. John Kennedy, Cassidy Little, Reece Presley, Tony White, Matthew Wilson and Indi the dog
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 (Preview): 8pm
Thursday, May 11, 2023 (Opening Night): 8pm
Friday, May 12, 2023: 8pm
Saturday, May 13, 2023: 2pm and 8pm
Wednesday, May 17, 2023: 8pm
Thursday, May 18, 2023: 8pm
Friday, May 19, 2023: 8pm
Saturday, May 20, 2023: 2pm and 8pm
Sunday, May 21, 2023: 2pm
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About Soldiers in the Arts
Soldiers in the Arts is a Canadian non-profit that uses theatre to address traumatic stress and related problems encountered by veterans and their loved ones. Working closely with actors, directors, producers, dancers, writers, poets and artists, SITA creates opportunities for participants to fulfil their artistic potential. The program aims to give veterans and their families new skills and experiences they may have never considered before.
Step into a dream-like sci-fi world of mysterious experiments & interspatial portals with Patrick Jenkins’ short animated film Hall of Mirrors, now available for viewing on CBC Gem as part of its Canadian Reflections series.
Jenkins describes the film as: “A whimsical meditation on human foibles and how we struggle to live our lives free from manipulation and control.”
Created with Jenkins’ fascinating paint on glass animation technique, Hall of Mirrors features great attention to detail and a sense of whimsy. There’s very little dialogue, so it’s very accessible as well.
Well now, that’s a question. I previously mentioned that I was cooking up some new stuff for the cowbell blog in the new year. And just when I was sorting out what to do, something wonderful happened.
In mid-February, I started a new job: a part-time contract position (till mid-Aug) as a content writer for Young W.
What is Young W? Thanks for asking! It’s an online arts & letters resource hub and shop that wants to inspire you to put down your devices and step away from your screens, and get out to explore and engage your curiosity and creativity – and live a flourishing analog life. And, yes, we get the irony. You can read about the folks behind it, as well as the inspiration for its name here.
Young W includes directory (with more detailed and new listings to come) and event listings, as well as an online shop and blog to support your analog endeavours. This is where I come in. And I’m very grateful that it means I get to write about and share awesome artists and arts & letters organizations from all over the world, not just the GTA (though the GTA features prominently, as that’s where we’re based) – and get paid to do so!
In addition to my weekly work and time commitment to Young W, I’m also continuing to do freelance copy editing, as well as non-union voice-over work. I’ve been getting back to seeing live theatre too – and though I’m still not writing reviews, I continue to tweet about the shows I’ve seen. Sort of mini-reviews, I guess. And I’m being more mindful about my capacity for socializing and attending events, taking greater care to ensure that I get the downtime and solitude that introverts like myself need to rest, relax and rejuvenate.
So, while I may not be posting here as much as a result, you can check out my contributions at Young W. As I’ve been getting used to my new work schedule, I’ll be making a point of showing up here more often.
Hey all, I know – it’s been a while. More on that in an upcoming post.
In case you were wondering if there was more to summer theatre festivals than Shaw and Stratford – yes, there is! And one such fest is right here in the GTA.
Launching the season with this popular annual event, Family Fest offers a variety of free performances and activities for people of all ages. The event will have live performances, music, dance, games and many more fun activities. To know more about the lineup, featuring both returning favourites and exciting new acts, visit our website.
Alice in Wonderland (July 12 – 22)
Adapted by David Savoy
After a sold-out run in 2021, as well as seven Dora nominations and two wins (Outstanding Performance by an Individual & the Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Award), Alice in Wonderland will make a spectacular return to Guild Park before touring to theatres across the province.
Three Men in a Boat (July 27 – August 13)
Adapted by Mark Brownell
Award-winning writer/director team Mark Brownell and Sue Miner present a hilarious adaptation of Jerome K. Jerome’s classic Victorian satire. Join our three intrepid bachelors Jay, George, and Harris (and their dog) as they spend a disastrous weekend punting up the river Thames.
The Drowning Girls (August 17 – 27)
By Beth Graham, Charlie Tomlinson and Daniela Vlaskalic
A true crime story about three brides with a gruesome connection: they were all married to and murdered by the same man. Hauntingly poetic and unnervingly playful, this award-winning play will bring a touch of mystery to the Greek Theatre.
Tickets: $20-$30
Multi-show Passes: $50-$70
Alice in Wonderland Family Pass: $90
About Guild Festival Theatre
Guild Festival Theatre is Scarborough’s only professional theatre company. Since 2011, tens of thousands of patrons have been enchanted by GFT’s contemporary takes on theatre classics at the iconic Greek Theatre in Guild Park & Gardens. GFT is proud to champion local arts and culture and has been honoured with numerous awards and commendations including Best Live Theatre (Scarborough Mirror), 2017 OAC Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts (nomination), the Urban Hero Award (Metroland Media), the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Award and two Dora Mavor Moore Awards.
Image: YouTube video screenshot photo of the band Queen, posing together for a photo.
Hey again. So, this week I nailed down my theme song for 2023.
At first, I was thinking more in terms of some kind of “fight” song, but I chose instead to go with something that felt more like resilience. Hope. Love.
Image: A close-up of sunflowers against a clear sky, with the word: THRIVE, in a paintbrush-like font, in the bottom right corner. Photo by ulleo on Pixabay.
Happy New Year! I hope 2023 has been good to you so far.
We’re well into the first week of January now, and I found my mind turning toward picking a word and theme song for this year. I’ll stick with my word for 2023 in this post, as I’m still mulling over the theme song—plus, that’s something for another post anyway.
My word to live by for this year is “thrive”.
A significant proportion of my adult life has been about survival, from my first years in Toronto as an art and theatre school student, then as an aspiring actor and part-time phone room supervisor, to more recently working as a reluctant freelancer after being laid off my full-time, permanent job. And, of course, navigating the pandemic, ridiculously high cost of living, disturbing local and world events, the dark hard right turns in society and on social media, yadda, yadda. I think it’s safe to say that, to varying degrees, most of us are exhausted.
This year, I want to focus on finding and creating conditions for thriving—personally, creatively and professionally. This will sometimes mean saying “Yes”, as well as saying “No”. This will mean being open to new and different possibilities and opportunities. This will mean looking at priorities from a different perspective (something many of us have been reminded about during the pandemic). And being especially mindful about not taking people or things for granted, and making time for daily expressions of gratitude.
Given the current public health and respiratory virus/illness climate, I thought this post, originally titled “People suck & also rock”, was worth a re-post.
Sadly, it’s pretty clear that we can’t count on political leaders to #BringBackMasks That doesn’t mean we can’t do it ourselves. Think about all the people we come into contact with daily. All those people come into contact with at least as many people, and so on, and so on. Some of those people are coming into contact with very young kids, the elderly, immunocompromised folks (some who aren’t able to get vaccinated). So, it’s not just about individual health/outcomes, it’s about everyone. Let’s #BringBackMasks ourselves & #GetVaccinated
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People suck. Not us, the others. (Yes, I stole that last bit from Ellen DeGeneres.) Allow me to explain. Get comfortable, this may take a little while.
I was very excited to win a 10-play pass for Toronto Fringe 2022 after filling out their survey in the Spring—especially as I’m now attending as a “civilian”, which means I have to pay for my pass again. Unfortunately, after my experience at my first show on the opening day of the festival, I decided to bail on Fringe this year.
One of the main reasons I’d chosen to attend was the audience mask mandate (see Toronto Fringe 2022 COVID-19 protocols). When I arrived at my first show, The Sorauren Book Club at Al Green Theatre, everyone was masked in the ticket holder line—but once seated inside the house, a whole bunch of people removed their masks. So, I made a difficult decision and exited before curtain time. I let the venue FOH and box office folks know about the situation. They were kind and understanding, and offered to issue a reminder—but we all knew that there was no guarantee that those audience members would comply for the duration of the performance once the lights went down.
In my heart, I wanted to believe that Fringe audiences would be respectful and mask up—and many did—but a significant number at that performance didn’t, and that’s troubling. It’s sad and disappointing that people would disrespect performers, fellow audience members, Fringe folks and the festival in this way. I appreciate how Toronto Fringe took great care to make arrangements so we could all have a safe and enjoyable festival experience. But it’s up to us to make safety measures work. And, yes, while I based my decision on a single experience, ongoing observations of mask mandate compliance tell me that there will always be folks who choose what’s easy and convenient over what’s right. And with mask mandates no longer applying in most public indoor places, there are those who just won’t bother, even if the space requires a mask—including medical offices! So, after leaving the Al Green without seeing the show, I contacted the festival box office and Patron Services Manager about my experience, and cancelled the remainder of my bookings. And then I reached out to folks who’d invited me to their shows, including Tricia Williams from The Sorauren Book Club (which did very well, including winning Patron’s Pick for Al Green), to send regrets. I was heartbroken.
Yeah, but it’s only Fringe. What’s the big deal? It wasn’t just about missing Fringe; it was what it represented. For many of us who live alone—some unable to join a “bubble” and already working from home—the prolonged periods of isolation, with lockdowns and limited contacts, have made for an excruciatingly long, lonely couple of years. The excitement and anticipation of summer festivals returning after an Omicron winter was cause for cautious optimism, and even celebration. And just as my own personal living room dance party was getting started, the music came to a vinyl-screeching halt as yet another variant brought yet another wave—and public health awareness and practices aren’t nearly as ubiquitous as they need to be. Like my GP said when we were discussing boosters during my checkup last week, “There’s a lot of COVID out there.” (As I have no risk factors, and unless public health officials recommend otherwise, I’ve decided to wait till the Fall to get a second booster, aka fourth shot.)
As I didn’t want to risk inadvertently hurting the festival, I chose to hold off on posting this till after Toronto Fringe closed. I recognize that my experience with this one performance may have been an infrequent situation for the entirety of the run, as well as the venue and festival overall. However, I chose to not take any chances, and not spend more time—including travelling on public transit for commutes of 10-60 minutes (one way), where many are unmasked—attending shows with the possibility of a similar outcome. This is not on Toronto Fringe. This is on those audience members who chose to ignore the festival’s mask mandate.
Performers need to be unmasked in order to do their job—and the very least audience members can do is put on a mask so they’ll be safe, and able to continue to entertain and inspire us. Not to mention consideration for fellow audience members, and venue staff and volunteers. Some folks don’t get, or care, that their “personal choices” can have negative—even serious—impacts on others, especially during a global pandemic. And even though spaces, including theatres, have different protocols—just because you don’t have to wear a mask doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t wear one.
Unfortunately, that lack of care and awareness has been exacerbated by government decisions to lift mask mandates, which many of us—including health care and education professionals and organizations—believe was a mistake, especially given the emergence of new, more contagious Omicron variants.
Masks are a good, simple way for us to take good care of ourselves, each other and the health care system. Yeah, they’re uncomfortable and take getting used to. Nobody wants to wear a mask (no disrespect to those who enjoy them—you do you). But they’re one of the best public health tools we have; and the vast majority of us don’t have a legitimate reason not to wear one. However, masks have been politicized by those who want to “get back to normal”. For them, masks are a reminder that all is not well, so removing mask mandates—taking away the predominance of masks—bolsters the illusion that COVID-19 is over and we’re all good to be “open for business” again. Such actions and beliefs are disheartening and dangerous, as they demonstrate greater consideration for corporate and political interests than for people’s health and well-being, especially the more vulnerable among us.
We each have our own levels of risk tolerance, and apply boundaries accordingly. And many of us are doing what we can to take good care, including making decisions about when to get a second booster (see opinion, info and a link to NACI guidance). We may be finished with COVID, but COVID isn’t finished with us.
Big shouts and gratitude to the Toronto Fringe FOH, box office staff and volunteers at Al Green Theatre, and the festival box office folks and Patron Services Manager Lucy McPhee, for their active listening and kindness; and to the audience members who kept their masks on—they’re the “helpers” we need to look for in situations like this.
And a big shout-out to stellar performing artist and fierce theatre etiquette proponent Patti LuPone, for saying what a lot of us are thinking. She’s my fucking hero and I wish I’d had the guts to show even an ounce of her chutzpah that day at Al Green. (Then again, maybe not—you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry. And, yes, I stole that one from Dr. David Banner aka The Hulk.) Or better yet, that Ms. LuPone had been in the theatre with me. Put the fear of LuPone into them.
Thought this might be worth a re-post. I’ve seen a few of these already this holiday season…
Although holiday music, movies and television have been running since November, I like to wait till December 1 before diving into my holiday favourites.
Here, in no particular order, are my 10 favourite holiday movies (some are set during the holidays and not so much about the holidays).
A Christmas Carol (a.k.a. Scrooge – 1951 version)
TheBells of St. Mary’s
Elf
Love Actually
The Holiday
Last Holiday
Uncle Buck
Scrooged
It’s A Wonderful Life
Miracle on 34th Street (1947 version)
A Christmas Story (Bonus listing! Thanks to Mum and Dad for letting me know that I forgot this one.)
Wishing you and yours a safe and happy holiday season—and all good things for 2022!
Image: A perspectival view of a wooden footbridge crossing over a ravine at dusk, leaves scattered along the sides of the walkway, and flanked by trees in fall foliage and the glow of vintage street lamps.A few people and their dogs pause in their walks at the other end. Photo by the blogger.
Hey and howdy, all!
Recently realized that it’s been a while since I posted here—July, yikes!
Been working, writing (for work), walking and keeping up-to-date on my COVID-19 boosters and flu shot. Managed to score a ticket for the closing matinee of Crow’s Theatre’s production of Uncle Vanya and loved it.
These days, my main focus has been spending as much time as I can, safely, with close friends and family. Otherwise, I’m on the lookout for shows at theatres that have mask mandates (or at least select performances with mask mandates) and PWYC tickets. Budget’s been a bit tight lately due to a slow/delayed freelance project schedule earlier this fall; plus cost of living increases on groceries and cat supplies (especially for a senior cat with health issues), and the extra vet bills. I swear, every time I go to buy cat litter, it’s more expensive.
Things have been percolating once again on the cowbell blog front, and I’m cooking something up for the New Year. A bit of a return to the blog’s roots. No, not reviews—but something that I think you’ll enjoy.
Till then, stay safe, have fun and go careful out there.
People suck. Not us, the others. (Yes, I stole that last bit from Ellen DeGeneres.) Allow me to explain. Get comfortable, this may take a little while.
I was very excited to win a 10-play pass for Toronto Fringe 2022 after filling out their survey in the Spring—especially as I’m now attending as a “civilian”, which means I have to pay for my pass again. Unfortunately, after my experience at my first show on the opening day of the festival, I decided to bail on Fringe this year.
One of the main reasons I’d chosen to attend was the audience mask mandate (see Toronto Fringe 2022 COVID-19 protocols). When I arrived at my first show, The Sorauren Book Club at Al Green Theatre, everyone was masked in the ticket holder line—but once seated inside the house, a whole bunch of people removed their masks. So, I made a difficult decision and exited before curtain time. I let the venue FOH and box office folks know about the situation. They were kind and understanding, and offered to issue a reminder—but we all knew that there was no guarantee that those audience members would comply for the duration of the performance once the lights went down.
In my heart, I wanted to believe that Fringe audiences would be respectful and mask up—and many did—but a significant number at that performance didn’t, and that’s troubling. It’s sad and disappointing that people would disrespect performers, fellow audience members, Fringe folks and the festival in this way. I appreciate how Toronto Fringe took great care to make arrangements so we could all have a safe and enjoyable festival experience. But it’s up to us to make safety measures work. And, yes, while I based my decision on a single experience, ongoing observations of mask mandate compliance tell me that there will always be folks who choose what’s easy and convenient over what’s right. And with mask mandates no longer applying in most public indoor places, there are those who just won’t bother, even if the space requires a mask—including medical offices! So, after leaving the Al Green without seeing the show, I contacted the festival box office and Patron Services Manager about my experience, and cancelled the remainder of my bookings. And then I reached out to folks who’d invited me to their shows, including Tricia Williams from The Sorauren Book Club (which did very well, including winning Patron’s Pick for Al Green), to send regrets. I was heartbroken.
Yeah, but it’s only Fringe. What’s the big deal? It wasn’t just about missing Fringe; it was what it represented. For many of us who live alone—some unable to join a “bubble” and already working from home—the prolonged periods of isolation, with lockdowns and limited contacts, have made for an excruciatingly long, lonely couple of years. The excitement and anticipation of summer festivals returning after an Omicron winter was cause for cautious optimism, and even celebration. And just as my own personal living room dance party was getting started, the music came to a vinyl-screeching halt as yet another variant brought yet another wave—and public health awareness and practices aren’t nearly as ubiquitous as they need to be. Like my GP said when we were discussing boosters during my checkup last week, “There’s a lot of COVID out there.” (As I have no risk factors, and unless public health officials recommend otherwise, I’ve decided to wait till the Fall to get a second booster, aka fourth shot.)
As I didn’t want to risk inadvertently hurting the festival, I chose to hold off on posting this till after Toronto Fringe closed. I recognize that my experience with this one performance may have been an infrequent situation for the entirety of the run, as well as the venue and festival overall. However, I chose to not take any chances, and not spend more time—including travelling on public transit for commutes of 10-60 minutes (one way), where many are unmasked—attending shows with the possibility of a similar outcome. This is not on Toronto Fringe. This is on those audience members who chose to ignore the festival’s mask mandate.
Performers need to be unmasked in order to do their job—and the very least audience members can do is put on a mask so they’ll be safe, and able to continue to entertain and inspire us. Not to mention consideration for fellow audience members, and venue staff and volunteers. Some folks don’t get, or care, that their “personal choices” can have negative—even serious—impacts on others, especially during a global pandemic. And even though spaces, including theatres, have different protocols—just because you don’t have to wear a mask doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t wear one.
Unfortunately, that lack of care and awareness has been exacerbated by government decisions to lift mask mandates, which many of us—including health care and education professionals and organizations—believe was a mistake, especially given the emergence of new, more contagious Omicron variants.
Masks are a good, simple way for us to take good care of ourselves, each other and the health care system. Yeah, they’re uncomfortable and take getting used to. Nobody wants to wear a mask (no disrespect to those who enjoy them—you do you). But they’re one of the best public health tools we have; and the vast majority of us don’t have a legitimate reason not to wear one. However, masks have been politicized by those who want to “get back to normal”. For them, masks are a reminder that all is not well, so removing mask mandates—taking away the predominance of masks—bolsters the illusion that COVID-19 is over and we’re all good to be “open for business” again. Such actions and beliefs are disheartening and dangerous, as they demonstrate greater consideration for corporate and political interests than for people’s health and well-being, especially the more vulnerable among us.
We each have our own levels of risk tolerance, and apply boundaries accordingly. And many of us are doing what we can to take good care, including making decisions about when to get a second booster (see opinion, info and a link to NACI guidance). We may be finished with COVID, but COVID isn’t finished with us.
Big shouts and gratitude to the Toronto Fringe FOH, box office staff and volunteers at Al Green Theatre, and the festival box office folks and Patron Services Manager Lucy McPhee, for their active listening and kindness; and to the audience members who kept their masks on—they’re the “helpers” we need to look for in situations like this.
And a big shout-out to stellar performing artist and fierce theatre etiquette proponent Patti LuPone, for saying what a lot of us are thinking. She’s my fucking hero and I wish I’d had the guts to show even an ounce of her chutzpah that day at Al Green. (Then again, maybe not—you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry. And, yes, I stole that one from Dr. David Banner aka The Hulk.) Or better yet, that Ms. LuPone had been in the theatre with me. Put the fear of LuPone into them.