I just wanted to give you a little background on our upcoming concert –Our daughter, Chelsey,  has always wanted to work overseas helping in Third World countries.  She has earned a degree in Anthropology and certification in Emergency Management in order to pursue that goal.  However, she also has auto-immune diseases and therefore extended trips overseas are not possible. She is now back at university completing a graduate program in social work. After researching different charities, she decided on Friends of the Orphans Canada. It is volunteer-driven, based in Woodstock, and helpers are needed at orphanages for two weeks to give the regular workers a break. So last year, Chelsey went to the Dominican Republic and this year she is going to Peru. She has extensive experience with children with developmental and physical disabilities, and she will be helping out with special needs kids.

Our son, Thomas, on the other hand, has always wanted to be an entertainer. When he was only 3, he would make us sit on the grass, while he climbed on top of the picnic table to sing and dance for us. Around the house, Thomas is apt to burst into song at any given moment – which can be a bit disconcerting since he has a very loud musical theatre belting voice. As sisters do, Chelsey has complained about his loud, impromptu songs startling her or even waking her up. So she was really pleased when he offered to put his voice to good use and present a benefit concert.

Thomas graduated from Sheridan College’s musical theatre program in 2009, and has been employed fairly steadily as a performer ever since – as much as a stage actor in Canada can be. Last summer he was Bud Frump in How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, at Huron Country Playhouse if you happened to see that show. He has worked at the Playhouse frequently – he was also Mordred in Camelot there – and then Camelot was sold to a Broadway company and went on tour – they did 100 shows in 88 cities in 35 states and 2 provinces. It was fun when they came back here and spent 2 days at the JLC in London. Last winter he did White Christmas in Winnipeg and then this year, he choreographed White Christmas at the Palace Theatre in London. On Tuesday night they held an awards ceremony – it’s the “Oscars” for live theatre in London and he won the award for best choreographer. Coming up next he’s going to be at the Neptune Theatre in Halifax.

Most of us would find it a tough life – on Mondays, he goes to auditions in Toronto and sometimes he travels to New York, faces rejection, never knows when he’ll find work next, and then when he gets a job, he packs his suitcase and heads off – but he absolutely loves it. At the concert, Thomas will be performing Broadway hits from old favourites like Camelot or Brigadoon, and also songs from newer shows like Wicked.

Our other entertainer at the concert is Michael Vanhevel. We heard this young man sing last fall at Oakwood Inn in Grand Bend, and we were amazed. He just turned 20, but he has a rich, smooth melodic voice way beyond his years. He is a crooner and sings Frank Sinatra – songs like New York, New York, or My Way – which actually brought a lump to my throat. I also love his rendition of Bobby Darin’s Mack the Knife, or my personal favourite, Beyond the Sea. He is presenting a concert with a full orchestra at the Imperial Theatre in Sarnia on February 10. This young man is going places; he has a voice better than Michael Bublé’s. Please come to our concert and hear him, because then you’ll be able to say “I heard Michael Vanhevel before he was famous.”

We are truly grateful for the talents these young people possess – as Thomas says, “Chelsey is going to save the world, while I sing and dance.”

The concert is this Saturday, January 28, 2:00 p.m. at Strathroy United Church, and it will be repeated at Forest United Church at 7:00 p.m. Please come and bring your friends.

Warm up your winter by making plans for summer theatre!

The Wizard of Oz comes to HCP

This summer, the greatest family musical of all time, The Wizard of Oz, is touching down in Grand Bend! Venture down the yellow brick road with Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and faithful dog Toto during their epic journey to find the mighty Wizard who can send them home. Munchkins of all ages will be enchanted from June 4th through June 23rd.

Next up, audiences will be treated to a brand new production in Drayton Entertainment’s popular Legends series. Backed by an all-star orchestra, Big Band Legends is a high-octane show that honours the greatest crooners and songbirds of our time, from Bing Crosby to Michael Bublé. It features a spectrum of hits that have dominated the charts for the past 80 years with orchestrations and arrangements by the big band legend himself, Howard Cable; June 27th through July 14th.

After a sold out run last season, the King returns for one week only! Get ready to swivel your hips to the rockin’ music of Elvis Presley with Blue Suede Shoes: Memories of the King. Relive a jukebox of classics including, “Love Me Tender”, “Hound Dog”, “Suspicious Mind”, “Heartbreak Hotel” and many more in this energetic tribute; July 17th through July 21st.

An instant sensation on Broadway, 9 To 5: The Musical is an all-new musical comedy based on the classic motion picture that features the blockbuster title song, plus an exciting score of 18 original numbers penned by the iconic Dolly Parton. Don’t miss this hilarious story of friendship, female empowerment, and revenge; July 25th through August 11th.

To close the season, Annie will capture the hearts of audiences young and old. Brimming with memorable music and magical moments, this story about a darling orphan with an irrepressible spirit is a family favourite the world over; August 15th through September 1st.

Playhouse II, Grand Bend

All’s fair in love – and murder – in the screwball suspense-comedy Murder at Oakwood Resort*. Set in an inconspicuous hotel room on Lake Huron , this twisted tale about a love triangle between a ditzy wife, her serious husband, and their buffoon dentist will leave you screaming bloody murder by the time the curtain falls on the final witty line; June 12th through June 23rd. 

*Previously titled Murder at the Howard Johnson’s & Murder at the Best Western

There’s no doubt that audiences will be delighted by the Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, Harvey . A classic comedy about dignity, self-respect and loyalty, the story centres upon Elwood P. Dowd and his mythical friend – a six-foot tall rabbit named Harvey . This inspiring tale will charm audiences with its warmth, wit … and yes, whiskers; June 26th through July 14th.

Then it’s a long and hilarious trip to the altar in the matrimonial comedy Perfect Wedding. When the groom-to-be wakes up with a dreadful hangover on the morning of his wedding day to find an unknown – and unclothed – woman in his bed, it’s clear that wedded bliss is not on the agenda. Say “I DO!” to a lifetime of love, laughter and lunacy; July 18th through July 28th.

Escape for a weekend of laughs in Norm Foster’s humorous tale of brotherly love, The Melville Boys. Owen and Lee are ready for a relaxing guy’s getaway but, their plans are thrown for a loop when they meet two attractive sisters who unwittingly change their agenda – and their perspective on life; August 1st through August 11th.

To end the season, enter the golden age of country music with Johnny & June, a nostalgic tribute to the Man in Black and his talented wife, June Carter. Each classic song is reborn in this musical walk down memory lane including their Grammy Award-winning duet “Jackson”, along with “Folsum Prison Blues,” “Ring of Fire,” “Will The Circle Be Unbroken,” and many more; August 15th through September 1st.

Here’s to more great theatre in 2012!

Victoria Street United Church, Goderich, after the Aug. 21 tornado

A star-studded cast has been assembled for Spotlight on Goderich: A Variety Show at the Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend on Sunday, November 20th at 3:00 p.m.

Leading performers in Canada’s professional theatre community will be coming together in a spectacular afternoon of singing, dancing, and comedy.

Confirmed artists include:

• Louise Pitre, international star of Mamma Mia!

• David Rogers, Raoul and Phantom in Toronto’s Phantom of the Opera /Starbright

• Rod Beattie, star of the popular Wingfield series / 15 seasons with Stratford Festival

Along with:

• Jayme Armstrong, Guenevere in the international tour of Camelot / Drayton

• Theodore Baerg, acclaimed operatic baritone / Starbright

• Matthew Campbell, Theatre Aquarius / Charlottetown Festival’s Anne of Green Gables

• Michael Clarke, Tommy / The Lion King / Theatre Aquarius / Drayton

• Karen Coughlin, Belle in Beauty and the Beast (Drayton, Aquarius, The Grand)

• Marion Day, Blyth Festival veteran

• Austin Di Iulio, So You Think You Can Dance Canada / Drayton

• Gabi Epstein, Dora nominee / Talk Is Free Theatre / Drayton

• The Mantini Sisters, award-winning trio

• Joe Matheson, star of Dancap’s Jersey Boys

• Jacques Monfiston, Stratford / Drayton

• Kimberly O’Neill, So You Think You Can Dance Canada / Drayton

• Stephen Patterson, Marius in Broadway’s Les Misérables / Stratford / Drayton

• Andrew Pogson, also known as Freddy Fusion of the Science Magic Show

• Leisa Way, star of Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton tributes / Theatre Orangeville

Renowned humorist Neil Aitchison will act as Master of Ceremonies. Bob Foster (Mirvish Productions’ Dirty Dancing, Rock of Ages / Drayton Entertainment’s Legends series), will act as Music Director.

To order tickets please call 1-855-372-9866 or go to www.draytonentertainment.com

Michael Vanhevel

This young man has been blessed with an extraordinary voice and he knows how to use to enthrall the audience. He is a crooner, following in the footsteps of Michael Bublé, and many others before him.

He opens his show with Mack the Knife, and includes many Rat Pack hits. He covers all Bobby Darin’s hits, including my personal favourite Beyond The Sea. He fills his first two sets with golden oldies: Let’s Do It, What Kind of Fool am I, The Lady is a Tramp, Bewitched and Dream Lover are just some of the crowd pleasers he sings.

In his third set, he belts out New York, New York, and then fills the dance floor with Sweet Caroline.  The Monkees’ I’m a Believer and Michael Bublés’ I Just Haven’t Met You Yet keep everyone dancing. He continues the fun with All Shook Up and Crazy Little Thing Called Love, among many other pop songs. The night wraps up with Bobby Darin’s The Curtain Falls.

His voice is smooth, with near-perfect pitch and good dynamics. But here’s the amazing thing – he is ONLY 19 YEARS OLD!! This wonderful voice is not yet fully mature: he is going to get better and better.

He kept the crowd at Oakwood all night. Many of the folks waited in line to get a table for a pub-fare meal, then stayed the entire evening after hearing Michael on stage. Oakwood Inn owner Dave Scatcherd was, as usual, a gracious and congenial host, mixing with his patrons and enjoying a laugh. But he had a special request for Michael, wanting to hear Sinatra’s signature song, My Way. Michael happily complied, and Dave, listening to the lyrics, said, “That’s me, that’s my life.” By the song’s end, Dave was wiping tears from his eyes, marveling at Michael’s performance, showing a softness that has come with his 76 years, 30 of those years as Oakwood’s proprietor.

Between sets, Michael moves comfortably around the pub, visiting with his many fans. Even though he is probably the only one under age 50 in the room, he is completely at ease, appearing totally relaxed on and off stage. His good looks and charisma charm his audience.

At Saturday night’s show, Michael sang to pre-recorded music, his fingers flying over his Mac lap-top to find the tunes he wanted to sing. Michael has also performed at other bars and pubs in the ‘Bend with musicians to back him. He’s a machine for remembering lyrics – he has a huge repertoire and moved flawlessly from song to song.

Michael has the full support of his family in his pursuing his singing career. Dad Greg Vanhevel is his “roadie”, setting up & tearing down his sound equipment, while Mom Sharon Vanhevel reaches into her oversized purse to pull out Michael’s CDs, happy to handle sales of his recording. Grandparents Frank and Elaine Vanhevel were on the dance floor.

You can catch Michael this Saturday (September 24) at Aunt Gussie’s in Grand Bend where he will be singing as part of a Benefit Show – it’s a fundraiser for the Goderich tornado victims.

Check out this video about Michael on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4DEZb3Tne0

David Hogan

I had a chance to chat with David Hogan during intermission at the Dolly Parton Rhinstone Cowgirl show at Victoria Playhouse in Petrolia last week.  David is half of the two-David team who are taking over as Artistic Directors at the playhouse.  Hogan and Rogers are busy planning the 2012 season there.

 The two Davids have had a wonderful three-year run with their Starbright Festival at Sarnia’s Imperial Theatre.  The have brought in crowds for their hallmark Broadway revues, and had big name stars on the stage.  Michael Learned (Ma from the Waltons) was Daisy in Driving Miss Daisy last year, and this year they featured Linda Kash (the cream cheese angel) in The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead. This summer they also had the audiences charmed by their group of students singing Canadian pop songs in Let the Sunshine In.  Their musical revues have included the wonderful voices of Cynthia Dale, June Crowley, Susan Gilmore, Rebecca Poff, Theodore Barge, and Marcus Nance, with Mark Payne as musical director.  And of course, David Rogers – himself a star of Phantom of the Opera, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat and many other shows – performs in the revues. 

David Rogers

 So why, when they were so well received in Sarnia, are the Davids making the move to Petrolia?  Hogan explains that their three-year contract with the Imperial Theatre was up, and they were offered positions as co-artistic directors at VPP. So it seemed like a good time for a change.  “I hope our Sarnia audience will drive the 20 minutes to Petrolia,” David Hogan says.  They will be returning to The Imperial in Sarnia with their Starbright Christmas Show in late November, before it moves to Stratford in December.

 Petrolia’s 2012 season is in the making:  Of course, there will be more musical revues – one of Broadway tunes, and another of country music.  And while things aren’t fully confirmed yet, they are also planning a full-scale musical – perhaps the seventies hit, Godspell.  They’d like to bring back Linda Kash, who along with her husband would be in Michel Tremblay’s wonderful Quebecois play, “For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again.”  They are also talking to Michael Learned about getting her back, along with her Walton co-star, Ralph Waite, who played Pa in the popular TV series, with plans to obtain the rights for the play “Love Letters”.  Let’s hope all these exciting plans come to fruition for the creative team of Davids.  

 Petrolia’s gain is Sarnia’s loss – but Lambton County is the better for keeping this talented pair!

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

For one brief shining moment, this blog-site “Entertain This Thought” hit a major milestone.  On Saturday, August 6, there were 16 shows listed in the “Now Playing” category, a record number. 

Billy Elliot

I have been going to shows and writing my thoughts on them since the summer of 2004, when we moved to Strathroy.   Our location here is central to theatre in southwestern Ontario – just an hour to Stratford, 50 minutes to Sarnia, and 40 minutes to Grand Bend or Petrolia.  It’s only an hour and a half for the occasional trip to Blyth, or under an hour to visit Port Stanley once and awhile.  To go a little beyond southwestern Ontario, it’s just over two hours to Niagara-on-the-Lake, and two and a half hours to downtown to Toronto.  

Merry Wives of Windsor

If the show is still running, I leave it posted in the “Now Playing” listing, and once the show has closed, I move it over to the “Archives” pages. 

Simply Grand - Mark Payne

On Saturday , I saw Simply Grand at Sarnia’s Starbright Festival and added it, late that night to the Now Playing section – bringing the total to 16.  I must confess that this is not a true Ontario total.  Two shows, Anne of Green Gables and The Full Monty, are now playing in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, where I saw them earlier this summer.

Anne of Green Gables - Charlottetown

But no sooner had I posted the opening of Simply Grand, when I had to archive Vimy at the Blyth Festival and Italian Funerals at Playhouse II.  So from 16, the Now Playing total fell back to 14.  But still a record!

Ice sculpture celebrating new Playhouse

Congratulations to Drayton Entertainment for the many improvements at Huron Country Playhouse! The celebrations continue with the opening of the brand new Playhouse II.

Last look at the old barn on the left.

The new construction coincides with the 40th season celebration, and the list of improvements is significant:

· New seats in Main Stage theatre.

· All new Playhouse II: instead of a 150 seats in the old barn, it is now a substantial 300-seat theatre – but there is still unfinished business. Work crews will be back every Monday to paint, lay carpet, add acoustic tiles, etc.

· New grass in yard – it literally appeared over night. But I heard from one group that the picnic tables are missed. Maybe those will appear overnight, too.

· New box office – the old shed is gone.

· New reception area, bar and gift shop – high ceiling, beautiful tiled floors. It’s lovely, but not as cosy as the old barn, where the doors were always open.

· New washrooms – and this is possibly the best asset when compared to the old facilities. The ladies room is wonderful, adorned with big bright bouquets of flowers, no less!

· Residence for actors

I believe the old farm house once provided a place for actors to live. Later some of the cabins from The Wondergrove, once located behind the old Roller Rink (now J.D.’s) were moved to the playhouse site to be used as actors’ living quarters. The farm house also housed the gift shop before it was taken down years ago.

The box office came down last November

I remember the early years of Playhouse II: at one time it was set up cabaret style, with chairs around small tables. Over the years, the stage was moved from one end to the other during a remodelling. In its last incarnation it seated about 150 people in chairs, on a flat floor with a small stage.

Originally the barn was intended to be the theatre, 40 years ago. But founders James Murphy and Bill Heinsohn discovered it wasn’t going to work, so instead, a tent was erected to house the early seasons. The barn was used as rehearsal space before Playhouse II opened.

I was a high school student working in the Tourist Information office in Grand Bend (it was located where the PUC office is now.) James Murphy would stop by and offer me tickets to the shows, so that I could talk to visitors about the new theatre.

This was pretty exciting – The only live theatre I had ever attended was the Stratford Festival to see Romeo and Juliet, so this was my first experience with comedies and mysteries on stage! I have a vivid memory of sitting in a tent full of folding chairs– the tent was right alongside the barn, so the barn could be used as the back stage. Gravel had been brought into the barnyard to support the tent, and the ground was sloped toward the stage, to give better sightlines from the folding chairs. On one particular night, it was pouring rain, and water was flowing in rivulets through the gravel toward the stage. We sat with our feet up on the chair in front of us to avoid getting them wet. Fortunately the chairs were more than half empty, so all theatre goers were able to have their feet up! And while I have this clear memory of the rain flowing under the tent, I can’t tell you what the shows were that first season.

I do have memories of working at the Tourist Information Booth in Grand Bend – and no, I didn’t have any Americans show up with their skis on the car roof, but I remember one couple spreading out the Ontario map and asking me how far they would have to drive to see snow!

Frequently, visitors made requests for accommodations “with indoor plumbing”. I’m pretty sure all the motels in Grand Bend had abandoned their outhouses by the seventies! I suspect I rolled my eyes when I heard that one!

And when people came in looking for “something to do”, I’d tell them we had a drive-in theatre and a live theatre nearby. Drive-in movies they understood, but when I said live theatre, they would respond with something like “you mean an indoor theatre” as opposed to the drive-in, assuming it was movies. “No, it’s actually in a tent, and it’s live actors,” I’d reply. “Shakespeare?” was the next question. If they were Canadians, the Stratford Festival was probably all they’d ever heard of. American tourists “got it” – they were more familiar with summer stock. I think a handful of summer visitors made their way out to the new Huron Country Playhouse from the Tourist Information office.

New Playhouse II under construction

Today, they go in big crowds. With 660 seats in the main house at Huron Country Playhouse, and another 300 in the new Playhouse II, that’s nearly 1000 people going down the B Line eight times a week!

New Playhouse II on left, main theatre on right.

In fact, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge says she loved reading the book when she was young – it touched a young English girl, who will someday be a queen. It was Kate’s enjoyment of Anne of Green Gables that prompted Prince William and Kate to visit PEI last week.

And it was my lifelong love of Anne that prompted our visit of PEI last week, as well. But there was a special bonus in our trip—Tess Benger playing the lead role of Anne in the iconic Charlottetown Festival’s new “re-imagined” production. (Please read my review in “Now Playing” on this website.) Tess is a former classmate and friend of our son, Thomas. She is a graduate of Sheridan College’s Music Theatre Performance Program, and at 23 has an impressive resume. We got to know her in the summer of 2009 when she stayed at our house while performing in Camelot with Thomas at Huron Country Playhouse.

Tess Benger as Anne

So when we learned that Tess had landed the lead role in Charlottetown’s Anne, we counted up our Air Miles and booked the trip. Thomas could only go for a two days in early July between shows at Huron Country Playhouse this summer. Mom and Dad decided to join him there, packing a lot into our four-day visit.

For an Anne fan, Prince Edward Island is wonderful. The leafy dark green potato plants around Summerside were just up, hilled into neat rows of bright red soil. The white sandy beaches contrasted against the red cliffs are beautiful. The people are pleasant and every server in every restaurant was friendly and cheerful.

Sandy beaches and red cliffs

After we had the flights booked and the plans made, we learned that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were going to be in PEI at the same time! So our first morning, we drove to downtown Charlottetown and yes, in the drizzling rain, we caught a glimpse of William and Kate as they rode by in the Landau carriage, accompanied by the Mounted Police of the musical ride.

Aaron's photo of Kate

We weren’t as ambitious as one young man, Aaron Hastelow, whom we met in Charlottetown. He got up at 5:00 a.m. to get a place on the sidewalk for William & Kate’s walk-about. He met up with others who had camped out all night on the sidewalk. His efforts paid off: he chatted with Kate, took several close-up photos, and asked to see her ring. He showed me a photo of Diana’s beautiful sapphire on Kate’s finger.

Aaron's photo of the sapphire

We also caught a glimpse of William and Kate in Summerside as they went by in a limo after the Coast Guard demonstration. Summerside is a charming resort, and in some ways reminded me of Grand Bend or Bayfield.

The highlight of my trip, next to seeing the musical Anne of Green Gables live on stage, was travelling to Cavandish to see Green Gables, the house that inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery’s book. The house is, of course, an historic site in a national park, crawling with tourists, but despite that, it still has a wonderful tranquillity about it. Lucy’s cousins actually lived in the house – she was raised down the road at the Macneill homestead, where visitors can see the old stone foundation and walk around the yard and down the trails.

Green Gables

I must give a shout out to Shirley and David Crews, our hosts at The Boathouse Bed and Breakfast in Stratford, PEI, just across the Hillsborough River from the Charlottetown harbour. In fact, is was only a five minute drive to downtown Charlottetown. We sat on their lovely deck at their beautiful waterfront home and saw a huge cruise ship depart. See their information at http://www.bbcanada.com/11490.html?showpage=1 

View of Charlottetown from our B&B

Those who know me, know that my maiden name was Mary Blewett. When I first read Anne at age 9 or 10, I was horrified to learn that Mrs. Blewett was an evil woman who abused her children. Marilla says she wouldn’t give a dog she liked to that Blewett woman, and she wouldn’t turn the orphan Anne over to her – resulting in Anne being allowed to stay at Green Gables. Imagine my embarrassment – I went straight to my Mom to complain that she should have prepared me for this horror. Of course, my mother had read Anne long before she was married, prior to changing her name to Blewett, and hadn’t made any connection. In the musical version, it’s always fun to see how that actors handle the role of the terrible Mrs. Blewett. Despite my mortification at the use of the name Blewett, I still loved the Anne book. It is has been a thrill to re-read it this summer, and especially to see Tess Benger bring my friend Anne to life!

This trip to PEI reinforced my being a great Anne fan, but it has also made me a Kate fan, as well. Tess had the opportunity to meet Kate in character as Anne, and gave her a copy of Anne of Green Gables. Both William and Kate told Tess they were sorry they didn’t have time to see the show. Let’s hope they return soon to take in the Charlottetown production!

Duchess Kate, Tess Benger as Anne, Kristian Truelsen as Matthew, Prince William

Our cousin Sharon is a wardrobe mistress at a leading classical Canadian theatre. But if you had seen her shopping list of supplies a few years ago, you might have thought she was in charge of planning a night of wild partying!

Topping her list were condoms, hypodermic needles and vodka. When she submitted the purchase order, it was enough to make the accounts payable department question her! So why did our quiet, hard-working cousin need such supplies?

The condoms had an important job to do in keeping the battery packs for microphones dry. In musicals, the performers wear a tiny microphone, usually on their forehead or cheek. Those mics are wired to a battery pack, worn on the performer’s back. If those batteries were dampened with sweat, they might not work. The batteries couldn’t be put into plastic bags that would crinkle and make noise, so they were squeezed into condoms: quiet, moisture-resistant containers. Then they were put into fabric belts and worn under the performers’ costumes.

Hypodermic syringes were perfect devices for spreading the tiniest amount of glue. If she wanted to re-attach a tiny bead or sequin to a costume, Sharon used the needle to produce a small drop of glue. It ensured an accurate amount of Crazy Glue when quick fixes were needed.

Vodka is used to keep those elaborate Elizabethan costumes odour-free. You can’t toss those gowns covered in lace, beadwork and layers of satin or velvet into a washing machine. But a little vodka on the armpits will remove perspiration odour.

Today, the condoms aren’t needed as the mics are built to resist dampness, and it’s now illegal to possess hypodermic needles. But vodka still arrives by the case.

A wild night of sex, drugs and booze? No, just the tools of wardrobe malfunction prevention!