Luminato building its own 'environment as art' within Toronto's Hearn Plant

More and more it seems to be artists are creating their own environments. In SlowCity's own backyard one can cite Bill Lishman, Edward Falkenberg and Viktor Tinkl for whom environment is vital to their creative spirit. They, like many others, build worlds around themselves, we can call them home studios if we like but they are more but lets extend out from there.

The artist brings a world into being so their surroundings are a reflection of themselves but also act to project back onto the artist. Their inspiration and tools come from that environment. When we speak about the Richard Florida's Creative Class defining cities, and building cities, and moving to cities, we speak of only those places with the right tools and inspiration for an artist to work with and from. The place must in a manner function as a home studio.

The City is a medium and as such subject to Marshall McLuhan's theories on media. A city is an extension of its residents but also an environment for its artists. Artists build the city. The presence of artists informs a city's future. We see again and again artists moving away from the flat to the fully dimensional, to a physically magnified worldscape, layered with space.

The rise of music as a medium in the latter half of the 20th century also reflects this growth in building one's own environment, music is the architecture. Headphones are an obvious visual example of creating a personal acoustic environment (It is possible too that the rise in tiny homes are an extension of the tiny personal space headphones creates) but Luminato's takeover of the Hearn Plant is perhaps not so obvious. Luminato is creating a collective acoustic environment and art experience, somewhat more difficult than strapping on a set of Beats. To achieve its goal Luminato is working with PARTISANS, a Toronto-based architectural firm and Charcoalblue, a theatre and acoustics consultancy firm.
If we push these art environments as media out further it suggest cities will become home studios for the new creative class being unleashed by the digital world of mass instantaneous media. In such a case, and if you believe as I do in McLuhan, then we can say it is inevitable, in such a case city planners must build as art. If they wish for their cities to, not just thrive, but survive, art must be included as a support structure. If they need guidance they can look to Luminato for some insight.

ACT's "And Then There Were None" is the one says Joe

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE by Agatha Christie
Ajax Community Theatre
Producer:  Sarah-Liis Salonius, Director:  Kate Arms

April 28, 29 and 30 at 8:00 pm and April 24 at 2:00 pm
t the St. Francis Centre, 78 Church Street South in Ajax

Note:  If you haven’t seen the play, I promise not to ruin its conclusion for potential audience members.  If you have seen the play or read the book, let’s not spoil it for others.

In a recent commentary, I mentioned that one smart marketing ploy to conclude a community theatre season is to stage an uproarious farce that will keep audiences coming back for more.  Another technique is to stage ‘who dun it’ murder mysteries.  The crime of murder is horrendous on any account no matter what, yet its genre has always remained a staple moneymaker for community theatre.  During World War 2, audiences in London’s West End liked to attend murder mysteries as they were able to forget about the atrocities of World War 2 that enveloped their country even if for a few hours.  For its final production this year, ACT tackles one of Agatha Christie’s most intricate murder mystery scripts ‘And Then There Were None’ at the beautiful St. Francis Centre on Church Street in Ajax.

‘And Then’ has had some interesting historical developments over the years when it transferred from the West End to North America.  Miss Christie was unhappy with some of the adaptations of her novels to live drama; therefore, she had tackled writing this script herself.  This is the third title of the play as the first two were considered inappropriate and possibly racist from a North American standpoint.  If you have already read ‘And Then There Were None’, you will be aware of some slight alterations and changes for the stage adaptation. 

In her Director’s Note, Kate Arms chose to present the play as a product of its time even with some of the dated attitudes about race and gender of the 1930s.  She has worked diligently to ensure distinct personalities exist, and this cast convincingly maintains their various idiosyncrasies, oddities and hidden suspicions as they are slowly bumped off one by one.  There is the law-abiding judge (Mark Salonius), the conflicted and hurting damsel (Chelsea Jones), the wise guy cop (Peter Bou-Ghannam), the stuffy general (Daniel Wyse), the unhappy spinster (Eren Barnett), the carefree playboy (Matthew Hyslop), the man of bravado (Craig Estrella), the ‘so-called’ medical professional(Paul Love), the odd servants (Todd Bowles and Sarah-Liis Salonius) and the quiet ‘skipper’ (Dillon Hunter) who ferries the guests to Soldier Island.  Ms. Arms and the cast will know and sense the audience has had a good time in deciphering ‘who dun it’ when they hear gasps from the audience (as I did opening night) when the killer is finally revealed.

Recently, an ACT-CO adjudicator told me that depending on the context and actors available, a director may forego any use of accents if there is a concern they might not work.   ‘And Then’ requires believable accents if the audience is to buy the fact it has been transported to another world.  For the most part, the actors admirably sustain and maintain the natural cadence of the speech in this nearly three-hour story length.  A slight quibble, however, as it might have been some opening night jitters.  I like to sit in the back row of any live theatre to listen carefully if I can hear the words.  As performances continue, I’m certain the actors will continue to work on their enunciation and pronunciation.  Since this play has an intricate plot, it is important to hear every word of the spoken dialogue.

A tremendous amount of work of many selfless individuals goes on behind the scenes of any community theatre production, and this production benefits from their dedication and commitment.  The intimate stage and set of the living room of the house on Soldier Island lends itself nicely to the growing sense of claustrophobia as the story progresses.    A variety of stylized 1930s pre-show and intermission music sets the year for us, and many of the audience were smiling as they listened to this big band sound.  A good number of the costumes evoke the colours and fabrics of the period. 

‘And Then There Were None’ tickets may be purchased at the door or call (289) 892-4132.  For further information, visit their website.            

One by One Breadworks and Coffee & Cakes have recipes for a great town says Ryan Thomas.

Real Estate agent Ryan Thomas continues his “Shaping Our Community” video series with a look at some businesses he thinks add to the unique character of his Clarington, Ontario. We highlight two this week with him, One By One Breadworks and Coffee & Cakes. 

Whitby Courthouse Theatre's "Moon Over Buffalo" shines bright

MOON OVER BUFFALO: Whitby Courthouse Theatre
Producers:  Heather Doucette and Brandon Rideout, Director:  Roz McArthur-Keyes

It’s one smart marketing ploy (and yet not the only one) to conclude a theatre season with a fast paced comedy that will keep audiences coming back and wanting more.  WCT concludes its 2015-2016 season with the hilarious ‘Moon Over Buffalo’ by Ken Ludwig.  There is an interesting YOU TUBE selection on the history of ‘Moon’ and how it came to the New York stage with the original cast of Carol Burnett and Philip Bosco.  Give it a look as it will help you to appreciate the tremendous amount of work that has gone into this delightful production now on stage at Whitby’s Centennial Building.

George and Charlotte Hay (real life married couple Shael Risman and Sharon Berman who are wonderful in these two roles) are George and Charlotte Hay, traveling actors, who are performing in repertory ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ and ‘Private Lives’ in a theatre in Buffalo New York in 1953.  Charlotte has dreams of becoming a Hollywood star while George is content to remain a stage actor and sees live theatre as superior to being in film.  News arrives that Frank Capra (one of the biggest film directors in Hollywood in the 1950s) says that he needs to replace both Ronald Coleman and Greer Garson (two important and influential Hollywood actors in the 1950s) from his current film and that he plans to see George’s show and consider George and Charlotte as the replacements for his upcoming film.  This is where the fun begins as there is a cavalcade of buxom, independent and winsome women, nerdy and needy men, being in the wrong place at the right time, doors slamming and closing for entrances and exits of characters, drunken binges and ill-fitting costumes.

Chris Francom’s set design is top notch as we do receive the immediate impression that this is a second rate traveling theatrical company who has been housed in a dilapidated and run down dressing room with rickety stairs to climb to stage left and stage right.  There is a clever use of scrim that hides the setting from the audience before the performance begins.  This scrim is then used quite effectively to open the play with the ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ production.  Costumes effectively evoke the 1950s feel with all the bright shades of colours, textures and tones.  Kudos to Mirtha Quattrochi and her team.

Comedic farce, in particular, is by no means an easy feat of performance.   It must and needs to keep moving quickly at such a pace where the audience literally does not have to time to breathe or to think, but just be in the moment. Under Roz McArthur-Keyes direction (who is one busy lady when you read her bio), this particular cast works extremely well to move the story forward quickly without it becoming high camp.  I can imagine all of them must be sweating and exhausted at the conclusion of each performance.  Pay close attention to Shael Risman’s tour de force drunken binge as it is wonderful to watch.  There are other memorable moments.

As Charlotte’s wise cracking, dotty and nearly deaf mother, Ethel, Deborah Lobban’s wisecracking and smart ass side comments to the action playing out in front of her provide much of the laughter.  As Eileen (Richard’s one night stand who ends up pregnant by him), Jennie Archambault’s moments where she bursts into tears as to what Richard did to her are rather amusing. Her tearful outbursts remind us of the way Sally Struthers used to cry on television’s ‘All In The Family’.  Garret Lee’s nerdish and nasally weather forecaster, Howard (fiancée to George and Ethel’s daughter, Rosalind) offers a unique vocal contrast to the other actors.  The moment Howard becomes confused by Charlotte who thinks he is Frank Capra is a gem to watch.  Janet Phillips, Kevin Shaver and Harry Noble accentuate further laughter as Rosalind, the Hay’s daughter, Paul (Rosalind’s ex-fiance) and Richard (Charlotte’s needy lawyer).

In her Director’s message, Ms. McArthur-Keyes reminds us all of the simple reason why we have a devotion to theatre, especially community theatre. It builds community; it builds a family albeit for a short time, and we love community theatre for the sheer joy, laughter, frustrations, perseverance and total abandon.  Community theatre is a magnetic for those who work on stage or behind the scenes.  It draws us inexplicably, cements us together and through storm, stress and laughter and confusion we develop an even greater awareness of our human connection and dimension. Nicely stated, Ms. Keyes.

‘Moon Over Buffalo’ continues to April 30 at 8 pm with a matinee performance at 2 pm on April 23.  Tickets may be purchased at the door or online.  For further information, visit their website.  The Whitby Centennial Building is located at 416 Centre Street South.

Scugog Choral Society's "Addams Family" is a zany trip down memory lane

THE ADDAMS FAMILY
Presented by SCS Musicals (Scugog Choral Society) and Port Perry Town Hall Players
Producer:  Liz Auston, Musical Director:  Alissa Smith, Director:  David Ellis

They’re finally here………. Ba da da dum (snap, snap); Ba da da dum (snap, snap) …. and …you know the rest.   ‘The Addams Family’ opened April 14 at Port Perry’s Town Hall and it’s worth checking it out if anything either to relive the zany and kooky humour from the old black and white tv show with John Astin and Carolyn Jones OR to remember reading the ghoulish Chas Addams cartoons.

A bit of history regarding the original cast of this musical comedy.  It opened in Chicago (with Nathan Lane as Gomez and Bebe Neuwirth as Morticia) to mostly panned reviews and commentaries.  Once a number of changes in the text (including book directors) were implemented the show travelled to the Great White Way with the same cast where it opened, once again, to a number of negative reviews.  But with Lane and Neuwirth at the helm (followed by a replacement cast of Roger Rees and Brooke Shields), the show played to mostly packed houses for a year before closing. There was a wonderful Equity touring production that played in Toronto a few years ago with yet another revision to the script that was to have been implemented in New York before the show closed.  From what I understand, it is this text that will be used in future professional and non-professional productions.

One final bit of history.  If you YOUTUBE ‘Clandango’, you can find the opening musical number to the Chicago production that never made it to Broadway and to the current text used. On a personal note, this musical number propels the story forward regarding Wednesday’s transition to womanhood far more than the one that is used in all productions.  Again, this is only a personal comment.

SCS is to be congratulated for producing ‘The Addams Family’ as it is one to which you can bring the entire family to enjoy.  As Gomez Addams, the tall and lanky Darren Klingenburg plays the patriarch with a wink of a caricature of all the great Latin lovers without crossing the line.  Kyffen Gaudet is slinky, slithery and sexy as the matriarch, Morticia.    In pairing these two, you have the makings of a couple that is truly hot for each other especially in the tango dance of the second act where they gaze at each other so longingly that you might have to throw cold water on them. 

Kathy Knight as the perpetually high and stoned 102-year-old grandmother (looking for some 90 year old hotties since she has one more round in her) is a hoot and provides many of the laughs.  Listen carefully, kids, as she provides Pugsley (Melissa Thornton) with some important information about reading a book.  Melissa Thornton is quite believable as the odd son, Pugsley, who loves to be tortured by his older sister, Wednesday (a lovely singing voice in Emily Tohana).  Wednesday has finally found her true love in the wholesome boy next door (a solid performance and singing voice of Richard De Jong) and wants to marry him.  She only wants one normal night for his up tight parents (convincingly played by real life couple Richard and Deborah De Jong) to meet her parents.  Normal night, you say, hah!!!!!!!  Far from it.  I don’t want to spoil the rest of the story for you.

Rounding out this cast are Uxbridge Town Crier, Bill McKee as the balding, weird of no specific sexuality Uncle Fester who narrates part of this story.  His love song to the Moon is quite hilarious.  We can’t forget the zombie butler, Lurch, (played for many laughs by David Hooker) who surprises all of us in the second act in something he does.  The company of the Addams Family Ancestors is a treat to watch as they work together as a real ensemble of players and help set the mood for specific scenes.  Not once do they ever upstage the action playing out in front of them.

A great deal of work has gone into the vocal work, set construction, costume design and make up for this production.  For the most part, I could hear the lyrics of most of the songs and I’m certain this will improve as performances continue.  I marveled at how easy set pieces were brought off and on in a matter of seconds.   The costumes were textured and layered nicely.  I can only imagine some of the cast must be called early to ensure they have time to put their make up on.   When you see the play, you’ll understand why.

Performances of ‘The Addams Family’ continue to April 23 at Port Perry’s Town Hall at 8 pm with some matinees at 2 pm.  For further information, visit their website for further information or call 905-985-8181.