Even though we are deep into the dead of winter, there is no excuse for cabin fever this weekend and next, as we have a wealth of arts-related events going on in Niagara or just a short drive away. So this week and next in this space I will present some of the notable performances worth catching so you can get out of the house or apartment and get some real, live entertainment.
The final film in the Shaw Festival film series happens Saturday afternoon at 3 with the Dustin Hoffman directed comedy Quartet, a movie about retired opera singers and their new lives in a retirement home, thrown upside down by a new addition to the mix. It looks to be a fun afternoon to wrap up the always-successful film series at Shaw, and tickets should still be available at the door. It is general admission seating at the Festival Theatre, so I suggest you get there early to claim a good spot. For more information, go to www.shawfest.com/films.
Just down the QEW in Burlington, The Players' Guild of Hamilton presents Eric Bogosian's Talk Radio, a play about a controversial radio host in Cleveland, Ohio by the name of Barry Champlain. He does what he does best, insulting the pathetic souls who call in the middle of the night to sound off about whatever is bugging them. The play, directed by and starring my esteemed colleague on the CKTB Morning Show, Tim Denis, is getting great reviews and wraps up a three-week run Saturday of this weekend. There's a matinee performance and evening performance tomorrow, and more information can be had by calling 905-529-0284 or going to www.playersguild.org.
More theatre is available in Niagara Falls this weekend and through to March 10th when Lyndesfarne Theatre Projects presents Canadian playwright George F. Walker's Criminal Genius at the Seneca Queen Theatre in downtown Niagara Falls. This is the new home for Lyndesfarne, having moved after last season from the Sullivan Mahoney Courthouse Theatre in downtown St. Catharines.
Criminal Genius is the second in Walker's 6-play cycle, Suburban Motel, consisting of Problem Child, Criminal Genius, Adult Entertainment, Featuring Loretta, End of Civilization, and Risk Everything. This instalment follows the antics of small time crooks, Rolly and Steve, a dysfunctional father and son tag team hired to torch a restaurant. After botching the job they end up in a seedy Niagara motel where they meet up with a drunken motel manager named Phillie and criminal accomplice "Shirl the Pearl".
Lyndesfarne Theatre Projects has been employed a number of Shaw ensemble actors during their inaugural season in Niagara Falls, and Criminal Genius stars Ric Reid and William Vickers from Shaw, along with Lyndesfarne Artistic Director Kelly Daniels and Gemini Award-winning actress Sarah Murphy-Dyson. The play is directed by Wes Berger and in fact opened this evening after a couple of preview performances. Criminal Genius continues until March 10th with performances Wednesday to Saturday at 7:30 pm and matinees on Friday at 11:30 and Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm.
For tickets and more information, go to www.lyndesfarnetheatreprojects.com or call the box office at 905-374-7469.
The Niagara Symphony presents their Pops! 3 concert this weekend at the Sean O'Sullivan Theatre, Centre for the Arts at Brock University for two afternoon performances, in two different formats. A new feature this year rather than a regular Pops! concert on Saturday evening, they are experimenting with a shorter, 75-minute family-friendly concert Saturday afternoon, followed by the full Pops! programme on Sunday afternoon. Both performances begin at 2:30 pm, by the way.
Associate Conductor Laura Thomas will be on the podium for these performances, titled Heroes and Villains, with guest artist Niagara tenor Matthew Cairns, who makes his professional debut with the NSO this weekend. Cairns is currently in the final year of studies at Ridley College and has already garnered extensive stage experience, having appeared in Ridley productions of Little Shop of Horrors and Hairspray, as well as Blood Brothers which just recently played at Ridley.
The concert will be fairly light in nature, with music from such familiar film franchises as Star Wars, Superman, Batman and some of the popular Disney movies. Both afternoons, I will be in the lobby before and after the concert and at intermission as well on Sunday afternoon with a wealth of great music available for purchase, so be sure to stop by if you are going to the concert.
For tickets call the Brock box office at 905-688-5550, ext. 3257 or pick them up at the door. See you at the symphony this weekend!
Finally, early next week, neXt Company Theatre presents Khalida: A Play for the Arab Spring at the Sullivan Mahoney Courthouse Theatre in downtown St. Catharines. The one-act, 90-minute play opens Tuesday night, February 26th at 8 pm with performances continuing until Saturday, March 2nd. There will also be a matinee on Saturday, March 2nd at 2 pm, and a special, community engaged performance project entitled The Arab Spring Monologues at Robertson Hall on March 2nd at 5 pm.
The play is written and directed by neXt Theatre Company Co-Artistic Director David Fancy for a friend of Fancy's who was once Saddam Hussein's favourite actor. I don't know if you would want that on your resume these days but there it is. Khalida is an international story and as timely as the nightly news on television and features Toronto's Jason Jazrawy onstage, with a stunning design by Serbian-Canadian director and designer Vojin Vasovic. Should be a great evening of theatre, which I am looking forward to catching myself at the opening Tuesday evening.
For tickets, call the Brock box office at 905-688-5550, ext. 3257 or pick them up at the door.
So that should keep you going until next weekend when we look at Chorus Niagara's big weekend and other arts events in and around the Region.
Enjoy the weekend!
February 22nd, 2013.
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