Grand Bend, Ontario community newspaper and entertainment events guide. Also serves Zurich, Dashwood, Port Franks, Exeter, Parkhill. Casey Lessard photos.
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School bands bring home gold, two silvers, and big awards from MusicFest Canada Story and photos by Casey Lessard They’re the best percussion ensemble in Canada, and they’re right here in our backyard. Led by music director Isaac Moore and coach Dave Robilliard, South Huron District High School’s percussionists won the Zildjian Outstanding Percussion Section [...]
SHDHS, Jon Gill named best in Canada Jon Gill (right) of Grand Bend is a member of the 2010 Zildjian Outstanding Percussion Ensemble of the year (below), and winner of the Zildjian Outstanding Percussionist Award. As told to Casey Lessard Photos by Casey Lessard When we won in 2008, it was the first time in [...]
A Killing Snow runs June 23 to August 13 and features Patricia Hamilton of Green Gables fame Patricia Hamilton is a Canadian icon best known as Rachel Lynde in Anne of Green Gables and Road to Avonlea. A long-time stage performer at Shaw Festival and other theatres, she makes her Blyth Festival debut in Grand [...]
If Thursday’s opener is any indication, Sweet Charity is sure to please crowds at the Huron Country Playhouse. Starring Stratford legend Cynthia Dale as hopeless-in-love dancer-for-hire Charity Hope Valentine, the cast is rounded out by a line of women whose talent bursts from their barely-there costumes. Their necessary sex appeal is only effective because they [...]
Drayton Entertainment continues its tradition of tributes to popular music, this season bringing Country Legends to life at the Huron Country Playhouse. The Alex Mustakas show sold out last year in Penetanguishene, bringing a fusion of classic country, gospel and bluegrass music, dance and comedy to the Grand Bend stage. Among the highlights are songs [...]
Our Lady of Mount Carmel church celebrates 150 years as a parish July 18 with a mass, music, games, and a barbecue chicken dinner. Anyone interested in attending the 5 p.m. dinner must buy their tickets before July 4, the caterer’s deadline for attendance numbers. You can do so by contacting Judy Steeper (519-294-6639), Fran [...]
South Huron District High School held its seventh annual Relay for Life for the Canadian Cancer Society June 11. The overnight walking relay raised $40,000 this year, bringing the total raised by walkers and their sponsors to $250,000 over the years. Next year’s relay runs June 10-11 with the theme of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. [...]
Community/Charity Grand Bend Nursery School is now offering five sessions a week of the Early Learning Program, a FREE high quality program designed to help prepare young children for school. If you have children 2.5 to 4 years old and reside in Lambton County, call Grand Bend Nursery School at 519-238-8514 Tuesdays 10 a.m. to [...]
Here’s your chance to mingle with local artists and enjoy an evening out: artists at the Sunset Arts and River Road Galleries, located west of Purdy’s on River Road, invite you to their 2010 gala opening June 25 from 4 to 9 p.m. Grand Bend Strip publisher Casey Lessard is among the artists selling art [...]
One Touch of Venus Written by Ogden Nash and S. J. Perelman Music by Kurt Weill, Lyrics by Ogden Nash Directed by Eda Holmes Choreographed by Michael Lichtefeld Musical direction by Ryan deSouza Performed by Robin Evan Willis, Kyle Blair, Deborah Hay & Mark Uhre Shaw Festival Royal George Theatre, Niagara-on-the-Lake May 16 to October [...]
Harvey Written by Mary Chase Directed by Joseph Ziegler Performed by Peter Krantz, Mary Haney, Norman Browning et al Shaw Festival Production Royal George Theatre April 1 to October 31, 2010 Entertain This Thought! Review by Mary Alderson The story of Harvey and his endearing companion, Elwood P. Dowd, hit Hollywood’s big screens 60 years [...]
Forever Plaid Written by Stuart Ross Directed and musical direction by Sandy Thorburn Choreographed by Ramona Gilmour-Darling Performed by Douglas John Alan (Price), Russell Tyson Clark, Ben Kunder, Sef Wood Originally produced by Thousand Islands Playhouse, Gananoque Victoria Playhouse Petrolia May 18 to June 5, 2010 Entertain This Thought! Review by Mary Alderson A turquoise [...]
The Wedding Singer Written by Chad Beguelin & Tim Herlihy Music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin Directed & choreographed by Tim French Musical direction by Anthony Bastianon Performed by Matthew Campbell, Erica Peck et al Stage West, Mississauga April 22 to July 4, 2010 Entertain This Thought! Review by Mary Alderson Based on [...]
Stratford actor and screen star Cynthia Dale is coming to the Huron Country Playhouse next month. Dale, star of CBC’s Street Legal and frequent stage presence at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, hits the stage June 9 to 26 as the title character in Sweet Charity. Set in New York in the 1960s, Sweet Charity is [...]
Community/Charity Grand Bend Nursery School is now offering five sessions a week of the Early Learning Program, a FREE high quality program designed to help prepare young children for school. If you have children 2.5 to 4 years old and reside in Lambton County, call Grand Bend Nursery School at 519-238-8514 Tuesdays 10 a.m. to [...]
Rock of Ages Written by Chris D’Arienzo Directed by Kristin Hanggi, Associate Director Adam John Hunter, Resident Director David Connolly Choreographed by Kelly Devine Musical supervision by Ethan Popp Performed by Yvan Pedneault, Elicia MacKenzie, David W. Keeley, Aaron Walpole, Cody Scott Lancaster, et al. Mirvish Production Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto May 11, 2010 – [...]
Legends Conceived, Written and Directed by Alex Mustakas Orchestrations and Vocal Arrangements by Robert Foster Choreographed by Gino Berti Musical direction by Mike Lerner Originally produced by Drayton Entertainment Grand Theatre, London April 20 to May 22, 2010 Entertain This Thought! By Mary Alderson If you enjoyed “Twist and Shout: The British Invasion” when it [...]
Disney’s High School Musical Written by David Simpatico Directed & Choreographed by David Connelly, with Louise Johnson and Luke Brown Musical direction by Peter Aylin Performed by David Cotton, Melissa O’Neil, Lisa Lennox, Chad McNamara, with Thomas Alderson, Mark Harapiak, Cassandra Kranjec, Amelia Sirianni, Stephanie West, Shaun Castor, Liam Flanagan, Alison Jantzie, Tim Porter, Liam [...]
Some of you may recognize the name Murray “Slim” Gordon Lewis from his long and storied career as a musician in Ontario and across North America. For others, like the editor’s parents, he was your insurance salesman. Slim Gordon, as he was called, was born in 1926 in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia. Today, he lives [...]
The Grand Bend Studio Tour runs May 1 and 2 in studios and galleries across the area. This year’s roster includes: Adelaide Glass (Linda Rupp), Anne Luxton, Barb McKnight, Barry Richman, Bill Nieuwland, Bliss Studio, Casey Lessard (I’ll be at Pine Dale and Sunset Arts), Christopher Grimes, David Bannister, Debra Bailey, Fran Roelands, Gallery Algo, [...]
SHDHS Cabaret All members of the community are invited to attend South Huron District High School’s Music Department 2010 Cabaret concerts. The concerts will take place in the large gym on Saturday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, April 18 at 2:00 p.m. Each day will be a totally different program. This informal, relaxed [...]
Young Frankenstein Written by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan Music and lyrics by Mel Brooks Directed & Choreographed by Susan Stroman Musical direction by Robert Billig Performed by Roger Bart, Shuler Hensley, Cory English, Brad Oscar, Beth Curry, Joanna Glushak, Anne Horak. North American Tour Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto March 17 to April 18, [...]
Pride and Prejudice Written by Jane Austen, adapted by James Maxwell, revised by Alan Stanford Directed by Susan Ferley Performed by Susanna Fournier, Brad Hodder et al. Grand Theatre, London March 10 to April 3, 2010 Entertain This Thought! By Mary Alderson When Artistic Director Susan Ferley welcomed the audience to the opening night of [...]
High School Musical Presented by Drayton Entertainment Huron Country Playhouse May 19 to 30 Tickets: $39 for adults, $20 for under 18 Box office: 1-888-449-4463 Photos and story by Casey Lessard Aiming for fame, more than 100 teenagers joined auditions in Exeter and Guelph for Drayton Entertainment’s summer presentation of Disney’s High School Musical, which [...]
