Mary

West Side Story

Book by Arthur Laurents, Conceived by Jerome Robbins Music by Leonard Bernstein, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Directed by Gary Griffin, Musical direction by Rick Fox Choreographed by Sergio Trujillo Performed by Chilina Kennedy, Paul Nolan and company Stratford Shakespeare Festival Production Festival Theatre, Stratford June 5 to October 31, 2009 Reviewed by Mary Alderson Tragic […]

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Oliver!

Joel Cox as Oliver and Cameron MacDuffee as Fagin. Book, Music & Lyrics by Lionel BartDirected by Ron UlrichMusical direction by Michael BarberChoreographed by Jim WhiteDrayton Entertainment ProductionHuron Country Playhouse, Grand BendJune 2 to 20, 2009Reviewed by Mary Alderson Hungry Orphan’s Story is Heart-warming Huron Country Playhouse is kicking off its 2009 season with an

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Cyrano de Bergerac

Colm Feore as Cyrano Written by Edmond RostandTranslated by Anthony BurgessDirected by Donna Feore, with Colm Feore as CyranoStratford Shakespeare Festival ProductionFestival Stage, StratfordMay 29 to November 1, 2009Reviewed by Mary Alderson Feore Fascinating as the Bilingual Cyrano One of my favourite Stratford actors, Colm Feore, is starring in Cyrano de Bergerac on the Festival

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Mending Fences

Norm Foster Written by Norm FosterDirected by Robert MorePerformed by Norm Foster, Heather Hodgson, Derek RitschelVictoria Playhouse, PetroliaMay 19 to June 6, 2009Reviewed by Mary Alderson Mending Fences is about making amends You can’t find a better actor than Norm Foster to star in a Norm Foster play, and once again, Director Robert More has

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High School Musical

  Written by David Simpatico (Disney)Directed & Choreographed by David ConnollyMusic Director Mark CamilleriPerformed by David Cotton, Melissa O’Neil, additional cast of 18, plus local high school studentsDrayton EntertainmentSt. Jacobs Country Playhouse, St. Jacobs (April 29 to May 30)King’s Wharf Theatre, Penetanguishene (June 3 to June 20)Reviewed by Mary Alderson(Disclaimer: The reviewer’s son is part

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Dreamgirls

Dream GirlsBook and Lyrics by Tom Eyen Music by Henry Krieger Directed and choreographed by Tim French Music direction by Andrew Craig Grand Theatre, London April 14 to May 9, 2009 Reviewed by Mary Alderson Glitzy Show Biz Story Brings Broadway to Richmond Everyone enjoys a rags-to-riches story, and I confess to having a penchant

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The Syringa Tree

Written by Pamela GienDirected by Miles PotterPerformed by Carmen GrantGrand Theatre, LondonMarch 17 to April 4, 2009Reviewed by Mary Alderson Apartheid through a child’s eyes As the action begins on stage, my first thought is “how can one actor possibly play 24 roles?” As The Syringa Tree opens, Carmen Grant is protraying a little girl

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Misery

Misery Written by Stephen KingAdapted by Simon MooreDirected by D. Michael DobbinPerformed by Karen Skidmore & Geoffrey WhynotGrand Theatre, LondonFebruary 17 to March 7, 2009Reviewed by Mary Alderson Only Certain Company Will Love Misery Madness is contagious in the Grand’s latest production, the Stephen King thriller, Misery. We first realize that Annie is crazy when

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Happy Days

Written by Garry Marshall Music and lyrics by Paul Williams Directed by Gordon Greenberg Performed by Joey Sorge and company Dancap Production Elgin Theatre, Toronto February 3 to 15, 2009 Reviewed by Mary Alderson Happy Days!   TV Comes Alive The hit TV show of the 1970s was a sit-com called Happy Days set in the

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The Wild Guys

Written by Andrew Wreggitt and Rebecca Shaw Directed by Susan Ferley Performed by Eric Coats, Aidan deSalaiz, David Snelgrove, Williams Vickers. Grand Theatre Production Grand Theatre, London January 20 to February 7, 2009 Reviewed by Mary Alderson The Wild Guys are Pretty Tame The Wild Guys, currently on stage at London’s Grand Theatre, starts with

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