Grand Bend, Ontario community newspaper and entertainment events guide. Also serves Zurich, Dashwood, Port Franks, Exeter, Parkhill. Casey Lessard photos.
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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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Story by Casey Lessard Drayton Entertainment is gearing up for the summer season at the Huron Country Playhouse, but needs your help finding accommodations for its cast and crew. More than 100 people will need a place to stay for their time here, which can range from five weeks to the whole summer. “It’s a [...]
Area high school students will hit the stage at the Huron Country Playhouse this summer as members of the chorus of Disney’s High School Musical May 19 to June 5. Auditions for Avon Maitland, Bluewater, Huron Perth and Lambton Kent District School Boards take place this Sunday, February 21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. [...]
Wingfield Lost & Found Written by Dan Needles Directed by Doug Beattie Performed by Rod Beattie Grand Theatre, London February 9 to 28, 2010 Entertain This Thought! By Mary Alderson The Wingfield franchise of laughter continues with its seventh instalment, Wingfield Lost & Found, which opened Friday at London’s Grand Theatre. For those not familiar [...]
Little House on the Prairie ~ The Musical Written by Rachel Sheinkin, based on the books of Laura Ingalls Wilder Music by Rachel Portman Lyrics by Donna Di Novelli Directed by Francesca Zambello Choreographed by Michele Lynch Musical direction by Kevin Stites Performed by Melissa Gilbert, Steve Blanchard, Kara Lindsay, Kate Loprest, Kevin Massey, Alessa [...]
The Last Five Years Written and Composed by Jason Robert Brown Directed by Vikki Anderson Musical direction by Ryan DeSouza Performed by Julie Martell and Mark Uhre Grand Theatre, London January 19 to February 6, 2010 Reviewed by Mary Alderson Entertain This Thought! By Mary Alderson The Last Five Years, currently on stage at the [...]
Drayton Entertainment is looking for area teens to be members of the chorus for Disney’s High School Musical, which runs from May 19 to June 5 at the Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend. Open auditions will be held on Sunday, February 21 at South Huron District High School in Exeter from 10 a.m. to [...]
The Wizard of Oz Written by L. Frank Baum Music and lyrics by Harold Arden and E. Y. Harburg Directed by Susan Ferley Musical direction by Mike Lerner, assisted by Floydd Rickets Choreography by Kerry Gage, assisted by Doug Price Grand Theatre, London November 25 to January 3, 2009 Live! On Stage! Review by Mary [...]
Story by Casey Lessard Disney sensation High School Musical will kick off a musical summer at the Huron Country Playhouse as Drayton Entertainment prepares for the 2010 season. The playbill also includes Sweet Charity, Country Legends, Cagney! and the world premiere of Dance Legends. The playbill “offers something for everyone,” artistic director Alex Mustakas said [...]
Cyrano de Bergerac Written by Edmond Rostand Translated by Anthony Burgess Directed by Donna Feore, with Colm Feore as Cyrano Stratford Shakespeare Festival Production Festival Stage, Stratford May 29 to November 1, 2009 Live! On Stage! By Mary Alderson One of my favourite Stratford actors, Colm Feore, is starring in Cyrano de Bergerac on the [...]
Story by Casey Lessard Sometimes the Huron Country Playhouse saves the best for last, and this year is one of those times. Evita, playing now until August 29, is top quality theatre thanks to excellent hiring decisions that include a star director, a perfect Evita, and great talent all around. Michael Lichtefeld, who was a [...]
