IS COMING TO OTTAWA & OPENING TUESDAY MARCH 13th  AT THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE!
  
The tour of the smash hit Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY is coming to Ottawa.  WEST SIDE STORY will open at the National Arts Centre on Tuesday March 13th.  Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents’ Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).
 
The new Broadway cast album of WEST SIDE STORY won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album on January 31, 2010. The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway’s finest and features such classics of the American musical theatre as “Something’s Coming,” “Tonight,” “America,” “I Feel Pretty” and “Somewhere.”

The new Broadway production began previews at the Palace Theatre on Broadway Monday, February 23, 2009, opened to critical acclaim breaking box office records at the Palace Theatre on Thursday, March 19, 2009, and recouped its $14 million investment after running only 30 weeks. The Broadway production played its final performance January 2, 2011. The musical played 27 previews and 748 regular performances, making it the longest-running production of the groundbreaking musical in Broadway history. The original production, which had held the record, played 732 performances on Broadway.  

WEST SIDE STORY features scenic designs by James Youmans (Gypsy), costumes by Tony Award nominee David C. Woolard (The Farnsworth Invention, The Who’s Tommy), lighting by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (Gypsy, Jersey Boys), sound design by Tony Award nominee Dan Moses Schreier (Gypsy, A Catered Affair) and hair by Mark Adam Rampmeyer (The Farnsworth Invention).  
 
WEST SIDE STORY is written by three theatrical luminaries: two-time Tony Award winner Arthur Laurents (book) and multiple Tony and Grammy Award winners Leonard Bernstein (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) in his Broadway debut.  
 
WEST SIDE STORY is produced by Kevin McCollum, James L. Nederlander, Jeffrey Seller with Terry Allen Kramer, Sander Jacobs, Roy Furman / Jill Furman Willis, Robyn Goodman / Walt Grossman, Hal Luftig, Roy Miller and Broadway Across America.
 
Performances times of WEST SIDE STORY at The National Arts Centre are as follows:  Tuesday March 13th through Friday March 16th at 8pm, Saturday March 17th and 2 & 8 pm and Sunday March 18th at 2 & 7:30 pm. 
 
Ticket prices for WEST SIDE STORY range depending on performance date and time, seat location and date of purchase.  Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday January 30th at 10 am at The National Arts Centre Box Office, via phone at 1.888.991.2787 or on line at www.ticketmaster.ca. 

American Express® Cardmembers have access to some of the best seats in the house for all WEST SIDE STORY performances. Advance tickets are available through Front Of The Line® by American Express January 18-24, 2012. 
 
 WEST SIDE STORY is a part of Broadway Across Canada’s 11-12 subscription season. 

About Broadway Across Canada:
Broadway Across Canada:  Owned and operated by British theatre producer John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman), Broadway Across Canada, in association with Broadway Across America, presents first-class touring Broadway musicals and plays, family productions and other live events throughout a network of 43 North American cities.  Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse live theatre for productions on Broadway, across America and throughout the world.  Current and upcoming productions include the Broadway premiere of Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS, Tony Award-winners BOEING BOEING and SPAMALOT, 13 A NEW MUSICAL, WEST SIDE STORY opening on Broadway in 2009, and DORA THE EXPLORER on tour.  For more information or to purchase tickets through an authorized agent go to BroadwayAcrossCanada.ca.
 

Last Thursday, I set off to see Sleeping Dog Theatre’s (in association with the National Arts Centre English Theatre) Blood on the Moon  at the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre (GCTC).  Written by Pierre Brault, this show was selected as a last-minute replacement for You Fancy Yourself by Maja Ardal cancelled due to Ardal’s severe illness.  Blood on the Moon features Brault as the ghost of James Patrick Whelan, an Irish  immigrant who was found guilty of assassinating D’arcy McGee, retelling the story of his trial. Those who are familiar with Brault’s work will not be surprised that this is a one man show with Brault playing all the characters.  Brault has built his reputation with these kinds of performances and once again does an admirable job juggling all the roles.

Pierre Brault as Whelan, Photo by Lydia Pawelak

I am always pleased when local writers make an effort to tell Ottawa’s stories and Brault has done a nice job of telling Whelan’s story in Blood on the Moon. I particularly enjoyed the way he weaves in modern local references that Ottawa residents will relate to along with the historical facts of the trial.

Martin Conboy’s lighting design is also quite effective. The various scenes in the play from jail cell, to courthouse, and finally the gallows are all depicted through the use of clever lighting techniques.

Blood on the Moon is a local story skilfully told. It’s a show definitely worth seeing.

It’s important to remember that this show started 13 years ago as an Ottawa Fringe Festival show before touring Canada and Ireland extensively.                                                                      

This is not surprising, in fact, with so few opportunities to catch independent theatre on main stages, the theatre festivals have become the breeding grounds for the best of independent theatre in the country.

On that note, I’m very pleased that the GCTC is once again offering the Undercurrents festival in February. It’s a perfect opportunity to check out more independent Canadian theatre. Perhaps, some of the shows featured here will move on to main stages or, like Blood on the Moon, tour internationally.

Brothers: Zac, Taylor, and Isaac Hanson

The Hanson brothers have been to Canada before, but not extensively and will be gracing Ottawa with a live show on February 8th*. In preparation for their tour through Canada, Zac, 1/3 of the band Hanson sat down for a quick phone interview with yours truly to touch base on the upcoming tour and more.

So this tour is going to be a launch of sorts, for the “Shout It Out” Album?

Zac: Yea, we’ve been to Canada before but not with as many stops. We’re excited to be coming to Ottawa, meeting new fans is a challenge we always enjoy and we hope to entertain.

You guys have a lot of songs, which song are you most looking forward to playing on this tour?

Zac: That’s a hard question actually! New music is always fun for me to play, but I also like older songs with a bit of history. This is really hard!  I’m excited to play “Thinkin’ ‘Bout Somethin’ ” among others. Fan reaction also plays a huge part for sure. We are lucky to have fans that are really engaged at our shows and make the performance energetic.

At many of your concerts you do The Walk before the event, to raise awareness for the HIV/AIDS Pandemic and poverty in Africa. Since it’s winter will there be an indoor walk?

Zac: (laughs) Yea, not on this tour! It is really cold, and the walk is a barefoot walk and it would probably be bad to send people to the hospital with their toes falling off from a Hanson walk. I know I need my toes! But also, the walk is about giving people a way to act, to make an impact. In fact, people could host their own walks, it isn’t something limited to just us. We want people to know that these walks stand for something, and it’s action that will help facilitate change.

What do you want fans to take away from this tour?

Zac: You know, we hope to create a unique experience for them, we want it to be memorable. This isn’t going to be one of those shows where everybody stands around with their arms folded, and looks somber. We want fans to feel a connection to our songs, we want them to be engaged.

*For official  tour dates and more info please visit Hanson.net

If you would like information on The Walk, please visit Take The Walk

Check back with us for the official Ottawa concert review!

**Special thanks to Zac for taking the time out,  and Catrina Jaricot from Strut Entertainment for setting this up!

Carmen Mayer and her 8 year old daughter, Madi, lost their home and dog on January 3rd to a fire in the Hunt Club area.

A fundraiser was held at the  Royal Oak on Hunt Club on January 14th!

** The following RAFFLE PRIZES were drawn this morning. CONGRATULATIONS and THANKS to all of you! **

Video camera – 352072
50/50 draw – 464789
CD’s – 352160
Rinaldo gift card – 352162
Christmas basket – 352171
Kids bundle – 351934
NAC Bomb and Beyond Tickets – 352187
NAC Vouchers – 352117
Wild Wing gift card – 352167

Raffle prizes will be available for pick up at the Royal Oak on Hunt Club until Wednesday January 18th.

Please bring your ticket for verification. Any questions, please contact juliedodd@hotmail.com.

We were able to raise over $2500.00. 

In memory of Mike Jenkins and in support of his daughters Lucy and Violet.  

All proceeds will be donated to their trust fund.

Friday, February 24th, 9:30pm

Elmdale House Tavern (1084 Wellington St. W., Ottawa)

Tickets: $10 (suggested donation at door)

Hippie Campfire: http://hippiecampfire.com/fr_home.cfm

Jimmy George: http://jimmygeorge.bandcamp.com/

With such a diverse and exciting array of art and artists to feature, it has been a wonderfully busy and informative year!

So many events and so little time…YOUR interest in what Ottawa artists are doing and helping to extend their reach, is what Ottawa Tonite is ALL about!

Have a wonderful holiday season, as we look forward to sharing more with you in 2012!

Best wishes,

Cheryl and the Ottawa Tonite Team

Photo courtesy - Andrew Alexander

HM: AL Connors. First of all, I would like to thank you for joining me in the house that we both live in.

AL: It is a pleasure to be here, as always, Heather Marie.

HM: I wanted to ask you a few questions about “A Midwinter’s Dream Tale”, opening this week at the GCTC, very big deal…

AL: Yup.

HM: Can you give me your basic 140-character summary of what the show is?

AL: #GCTCmwdt is about two clowns on a quest for ice cream who get wrapped up in a Shakespearean mash-up of the characters from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and some of the storylines from “The Winter’s Tale”.

HM: And the two protagonists in this story are…

AL: Two clowns, named Pomme Frites and ‘Restes, played by Scott Florence and Margo MacDonald.

HM: Right. And this isn’t the first time that audiences have seen Pomme and ‘Restes – I wonder if you could talk a bit about the genesis of those two characters.

Photo courtesy - Andrew Alexander

AL: Pomme and ‘Restes were first seen on stage at the 2001 Ottawa Fringe Festival in a show called “The Danish Play” (later re-made as “Shakespeare’s Danish Play”)…but rehearsing Danish Play in 2001, I don’t remember Scott or Margo ever ‘workshopping’ either Pomme or ‘Restes.. I just remember them being Pomme and ‘Restes, and, me trying to keep up as the clown named Landis in that play. So, yeah, Pomme and ‘Restes, to my knowledge, poofed into existence in 2001.

HM: That’s amazing. Midwinter’s Dream Tale takes place in what we’re told is a winter wonderland, but it’s sort of a magical winter wonderland – can you tell me about the world of the play?

AL: Yeah, it’s a land inhabited by fairies. Presumably if you’re familiar with Shakespeare, you’ll start to place the setting in reference to a “Midsummer Night’s Dream” because we’re talking about Oberon and Titania, the King and Queen of the fairies. Oberon suspects Titania of being unfaithful, which is one of the stories from “Winter’s Tale”, and he suspects that she’s been with a mortal, which is presumably Bottom from “Midsummer Night’s Dream”. And it’s been about nine months since that play, so, I guess we’re outside the Athenian woods in a crazy snowy Canadian winter? Kind of?  Really, it’s fairyland.

HM: Um, do we want to address the fact that our cat is meowing incessantly?

AL: That depends on what you intend to use this recording for…I was told you were going to transcribe this. But if it’s going to be released, the cat clearly has opinions.

HM: I think she wants to be included.

AL: Yes. There is no reason why she shouldn’t be.

HM: This is the first ever co-production between a Company of Fools and the GCTC – how did that happen?

AL: I don’t really know, honestly. When we produced the show in 2009, Lise Ann and a whole bunch of folks came to see the play. I know that immediately following, Scott or Margo or both had conversations with the Great Canadian Theatre Company that were ‘hey wouldn’t it be great if we could do this big silly show at your house’. And then…14 months of nothing…and then I found out through Scott Florence, who was doing all of the actual wheeling and dealing on behalf of the show, that it was happening. Then we had to hold our tongues (that was in November/December) and not tell anyone about it until April, when the GCTC announced their season. So, that was hard. I told all kinds of people. I was pretty excited.

HM: Well, you are the director of this show…

AL: Yup.

HM: …and you directed it in 2009, and for that work you were nominated for a Rideau Award…

AL: I suppose I was.

HM: …what’s it like to be working as a director  at the GCTC?

AL: I’ve had nothing but very positive experiences working at the GCTC – first as sound designer for the Lawyer Play, for Mr. Pat Gauthier’s “The Crucible” – and I feel very fortunate for the opportunity to work on that show; to get to know everyone in the theatre and get to know how that building works, before having to come in as a director. So that experience was great for all sorts of reasons. This time around, yeah… I could totally work there, just, forever. Or at least, I don’t hate it yet. It’s still all fun and exciting and new, and a novelty for me. Everybody’s been very supportive and, I’m sure it helps that the show we’re working on is a big, inclusive, ridiculous affair that is easy for people to get excited about. You know, all the stuff gets moved into the building, and you know that there’s clowns on site, all the time.

HM: So…let’s talk about the fact there are clowns on site all the time. What is it like to direct clowns?

AL: You have to resign yourself to the fact that…um, they’re gonna want to do what they want to do, and so…sometimes you have to ask Pomme and ‘Restes what they want in a scene. It’s great. It’s truly…look, let me put it this way: working with clowns, in real life, as a professional, you’re basically just in a somewhat state of make-believe, all the time. There’s always some play happening when Pomme and ‘Restes are in the room. Period. And you can try to overthink it, which is what I just did – but the bottom line is: when clowns are in the room, at some level, no matter how hard you’re working or how frustrated you are, there’s still some play happening.

HM: Right. So, Midwinter’s Dream Tale is a comedy…

AL: Yeah, I hope so.

HM: …you work a lot in comedy…

AL: I enjoy working in comedy, yes.

HM: Tell me about directing comedy. Who are your influences when it comes to your own brand of comedy?

AL: I have never been asked who my influences are…in any situation…before…

HM: Inquiring minds want to know, AL Connors.

AL: Yeah, well, they’re about to find out. And you know who most of these influences are: I’m a fan of Judd Apatow movies, big fan of Will Ferrell…growing up my folks showed me Monty Python, so, British comedy stuff…um, lately, Stephen Colbert is probably my favourite comedian…that type of political satire is fun…I don’t have it in me to do that kind of comedy, but I enjoy it.

HM: So what kind of comedy are you thinking about when you’re directing Midwinter’s?

AL: I guess if I had to put a label on it, the kind of comedy I’m thinking about is Company of Fools.

HM: Nice.

AL: ‘Cause I’ve worked with them for over 10 years now, and over that time I’ve really come to respect and understand that flavour of comedy – it is pretty unique to that company. And I’ve watched other people try to do it, and have it be a struggle, ’cause it’s a really difficult style of comedy to pull off. Partly because… it’s in the bones of that style of comedy to be accessible. It has to be accessible to the whole rainbow of ages, and, basically we’re forcing ourselves to work within that box – to come up with ways to get the most out of not breaking all the rules. (to the cat) Isn’t that right, kitty?

HM: (to the cat) Kitty, we are doing a very serious interview right now, and you need to respect that. Now be quiet.
So, back to the topic of inspiration…

AL: You really told our cat off. And she listened…is the most impressive thing…I just had to comment on that.

HM: You just have to reason with her.

AL: I guess I didn’t give the cat enough credit.

HM:<ahem> Inspirations.

AL: Yes.

HM: How much have I inspired you, during this creative process?

AL: Um…well…okay…the writing process for the play started in August of 2009, and throughout that Fall, the Fools would have these writing meetings, where we’d get on our feet for some bits and we’d pitch story ideas…we’d get homework where everyone would have to come up with a scene and bring it back. And so I’d come home from some of these meetings, and like, toss ideas around with you, in a similar manner. And, in memory, because I love you, some of those ideas get mishmashed together, and I can’t remember whose idea some things were…

HM: That’s okay. I am just surprised you came up with an answer to that question, cause I was just kidding.
And finally, AL Connors, opening night is this Thursday night…what will you be wearing?

AL: <Sigh> I don’t know. Probably this pinky, pinstripey shirt I have that matches, or at least ties in with, some of the costumes in the show, and then with that, maybe a white tie.

HM: Thank you for this.

AL: Hey, it was my pleasure. I am happy to talk about myself.

A Midwinter’s Dream Tale, a Company of Fools production, opens December 1st at the GCTC and runs until December 18th. Family pricing is available, please see gctc.ca for all the details. 

Hibernation Nation by Andrea-Simms Karp is now available on iTunes.   

Connie Bernardi plays the roll of radio announcer on Majic 100 in Ottawa, full time music blogger and seeker of new music. 

Photo by Matt Ohara via Flickr

For the next two weeks, Ottawa audiences have the unique opportunity to sample some of the best independent films coming out of the EU. The European Union Film Festival is hosted by the Canadian Film Institute (the oldest film institution in Canada) and takes place at the Library and Archives on Wellington Street. The participating films are chosen by the CFI and many are credited as official selections for other big international film festivals such as Cannes, or have already won awards in their country of origin.

This is the 26th year for the Festival and in an interview, CFI Executive Director Tom McSorley told Ottawa Tonite that attendance and popularity grow steadily every year due to Ottawa’s “love of international cinema in general and European cinema in particular.” There are similarities between Canadian cinema and that of the EU, namely that filmmakers tend to generate “small, personal films with modest budgets and big ideas.”

Running now until December 4th, the EU Film Festival offers a diverse array of film styles and subjects, so there is something for every taste.

To highlight a few:

• The film “Stricken” comes from a first-time director in the Netherlands. It is about a married man who, when tragedy strikes, must decide between his current life and an intriguing new woman.    December 4, 7:00pm

• “Breathing” is the official Austrian selection for entry into the 84th Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film category. The protagonist is a nineteen year-old ex-con who is learning to rebuild his life after prison, and the film has received critical praise for its stunning visual style.
  December 3, 9:00pm

• A Canadian-Hungarian co-production, “The Maiden Danced to Death” was filmed right here in Ottawa. It is about two men and the woman who came between them; and how, 20 years after the fact, they try to make peace by reviving their dance company in Hungary with a performance of “The Maiden Danced to Death.”
  November 26, 7:00pm

More information on the Festival and the Canadian Film Institute can be found on their website: http://www.cfi-icf.ca/