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Nostalgia Tied with a Bow Reviewed by Vicki Stokes Disclosure: I willingly admit that all the elements I love are present in this show: cheery Christmas carols, show tunes, glitter, gowns and live music, but I will do my best to be unbiased. Back Home for the Holidays is an energizing trip down memory lane […]

A Walk Back in Time with Patsy Cline Reviewed by Vicki Stokes You don’t have to be a country music fan to enjoy the music of Patsy Cline.  Her bright, lively songs crossed over onto pop music charts and she had that special charisma that got people talking about her.  Drayton’s first show after a

Bringing Restorative Justice into Focus Reviewed by Vicki Stokes Before learning of this play, I wasn’t aware of Restorative Justice Week, held on the third week of November in Canada.  Now I realize how much restorative justice touches us all: in the news, in our lives, in our families.  Its exploration falls under the mission

Christmas Begins with Starbright Reviewed by Vicki Stokes VPP’s Starbright Christmas is today’s equivalent of the Sear’s Christmas Wishbook for bringing on the Christmas spirit.  Now in its seventeenth year, and a staple at the VPP since 2012, this show has the magic formula of talent, music and an ideal white Christmas set.  The tree

Fun for All Seasons Reviewed by Mary Alderson Imagine a musical with the warmth of Christmas, the spring colours of Easter, and the fun of dancing turkeys at Thanksgiving!  The Shaw Festival’s Holiday Inn is an enchanting romp through the calendar with stops at all the major holidays for singing and dancing. What’s not to like?

Scrooge’s Story: Humorous and Heartwarming Reviewed by Mary Alderson Maybe you’re thinking “ho-hum, A Christmas Carol again.” I’m sure we have all seen it so many times – including all the movie versions and every theatres’ productions.  It’s a great story, but do we need to see it again? You know the Shaw Festival’s A

Fasten Your Seatbelts –Come From Away is Going to Take Off!     Note:  This review is based on the Toronto production in 2016.  It is now on Broadway at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 West 45th Street, New York, NY 10036.Come From Away returns to Toronto, opening February 13, 2018, with a new Canadian cast.   Michael

Mental Health Story told with Warmth Reviewed by Mary Alderson Note: This review contains spoilers.  It’s difficult subject matter – depression and suicide. It’s certainly not funny. And yet, the audience is laughing as we watch the story of boy whose mother tries to take her own life and eventually does.  And guess who creates the laughter

by Mary Alderson Follies in Concert was not Folly Richard Ouzounian tried to bring Follies to Toronto last year, but the pandemic put the kybosh on that plan. So 2021 become the new plan, and Ouzounian was successful. He gathered a stellar cast with an amazing orchestra and Follies became a fundraising gala for Koerner

Viewing History Through a Different Lens Reviewed by Mary Alderson Serving Elizabeth, now on stage at the Thousand Island Playhouse in Gananoque, gives us an interesting look at a moment in history. Those of us who are descendants of Great Britain have been taught history from textbooks created by settlers for settlers. We know little