Vitaly

I've been a volunteer at our local theatre ever since it opened about ten years ago. I take tickets, show patrons to their seats, hand out programmes, tidy up after everyone's gone home. Consequently, my reward is the ability to see some terrific movies, concerts and shows.

Yesterday it was Vitaly - World Class Illusionist. Illusions? Magic? C'm on...it's not real, is it? But this illusionist is truly World Class. Vitaly Beckman was born in Belarus, and now lives in Vancouver. He's doing two shows here.... last night's astonishing show was totally sold out, and for good reason. He got a well deserved standing ovation.

Vitaly can make people disappear from ordinary photographs and appear on another. He can levitate an apple, and then take a bite out of it. He has a paintbrush that paints by itself. His drawings magically turn into the real thing. He does illegal things with the photos on drivers licences.  He did all this only eight feet from the front row of the enthralled audience. And he's funny, personable and full of character.

Take a look:

Michael Kaeshammer comes to Town

I`ve been a serial volunteer at my local theatre ever since the theatre opened about 5 years ago, taking tickets, showing people to their seats, making popcorn, selling CDs, picking up garbage, doing whatever's necessary. I get to meet lots of interesting people, and see all sorts of movies, shows and concerts. It`s only a tiny small town theatre as theatres go.... just over 150 seats when totally full, but it was sold out on Saturday for Michael Kaeshammer.

You`ve never heard of him? Check out this video. I chose a Christmas number, well, just because.

Michael Kaeshammer attacks the piano with a terrific enthusiasm, I was wondering if the piano stool would survive! His fingers are a blur most of the time, I didn't know anyone could play the piano like that!

He was accompanied by Paul on the guitar (amazing!) and a fantastic drummer (sorry, I can't remember his name). All three musicians worked off each other constantly with smiles and grins. They seemed to have a secret musical language between them that translated into a memorable musical evening of joyful boogie-woogie, jazz, R&B, classics and just about everything else.

And not only does he play an incendiary piano, he sings too. And he's very easy on the eyes!

After the concert and the CD signings.... a hug for the volunteers! Michael Kaeshammer is used to performing to huge audiences at much larger venues than our little theatre, I'm so glad he was here. Come back soon, Michael, that was an amazing concert.

Jully Black

I've been doing some more volunteering at the theatre, and this time the concert was Jully Black. OK.... if you don't live in Canada her name may not be familiar, but if she and her band ever come to your town, definitely go and see her! Don't miss it.

Born the youngest of nine children in the notorious Jane and Finch neighbourhood in Toronto, Jully started singing in church when she was little. She's been part of the Canadian R&B music scene for a few years now.... and she is nothing short of DYNAMIC! She performed with a 4 piece band, and a couple of crazy hiphop dancers. As soon as those hiphop guys hit the stage, I knew we were in for a wild night.



Jully performed at the opening of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, opened for Kanye West in Singapore, headlined the Canada Day concert in Trafalgar Square, London, and has sung at a private event for the Queen.
Her show here was sold out, and the crowd were very appreciative, dancing along with her and making the rafters shake with whistles and cheering. The show was ultra-high energy, the best concert I've ever been at, and as our modest little theatre seats only about 150 people maximum, it's a very intimate venue. The audience is very close to the performers.... you can see every bead of sweat!

After the show.... me and my new friend!!

Ashley MacIsaac

I have mentioned that I volunteer at the local theatre..... and yesterday I was taking tickets and showing people to their seats for a concert by Canadian fiddler Ashley MacIsaac.
Never heard of him?
He's a Cape Breton fiddler who started his career about 20 years ago and quickly became the notorious bad boy of the Canadian music scene with his outrageous behaviour, his brush with cocaine addiction and eventual bankruptcy. But he's back performing concerts and he's truly amazing.... sold out theatre and two standing ovations.



I sold CDs for him at the intermission and after the show. He signed my well used copy of the first (and best IMHO!) CD he ever made (20 years ago), and gave me copies of his 2 most recent CDs. I'll be playing them today. A great evening.

19OTP

Five years ago this 100 year old building became the town's arts and culture centre, and is now known as "Nineteen on the Park". House number is 19, and there's a park right behind it...... so it makes sense.

It has been many things in the past: a garage, a cinema, a market hall, and most recently the Town Offices housing the office of the Mayor and Town Councillors.

Now it's home to concerts, movies, conferences, trade shows, craft sales, art exhibitions, even wedding receptions. My grandson's nursery school held its "graduation" there in June. My theatre group holds its Christmas show there in December. And I'm one of the many volunteers who take tickets, sell the popcorn, show people to their seats and help clean up afterwards. And the best thing about volunteering here is that I see the concert too!

Emma-Lee

I'm a serial volunteer at our local theatre, taking tickets, showing customers to their seats, and selling CDs and Tshirts for the performers. And the advantage is that I get to stay and watch the show. I've seen some great performers here. The most recent concert was singer Emma-Lee...a case of local girl makes good. What a voice! She sang this song.... (make sure you see the last scene of the video... made me giggle, and it's even funnier in the next video)....



.... and if you'd like to know how this video was made (all night session in No Frills grocery store) and you have eight minutes to spare, here it is:

Break a Leg!

Has it really been almost two weeks since I posted? Bad me. But I have a legit excuse.... been busy. Up to my eyeballs busy.
Our third annual Christmas Variety Show is history.
We had a Dress Rehearsal last Monday. Let's just say that it didn't bode well for the show. It ran far too long, too many people didn't know what they were doing, we all looked stiff and nervous, it just didn't go so well.

The Director looked worried.

On Tuesday there were two shows for the public, one at 7:00pm and one at 8:45pm.

Will the chorus relax and look like they are having a good time?
Will the skit people remember their lines?
Will anyone turn up to watch us?

We needn't have worried. The first show was sold out... we even had to find more chairs. And what the second audience lacked in numbers, they made up for in enthusiasm.

The Blacklite crew staged a mini version of the "Nutcracker Sweet". I'm in front of the ladder with the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Mouse King.

The Blacklite Crew 2011

Two sets of eyes blinked and went to sleep, and dreamed about the Christmas tree growing up to the ceiling and "visions of sugar plums" while the army of mice and the soldiers engaged in a raging battle. Signs saying BOO! and HISS! accompanied the appearance of the evil Mouse King, who was eventually vanquished by the handsome Nutcracker Prince... HOORAY!
And all this had to be accomplished in total darkness (other than the actual blacklites) while wearing black clothing, black gloves and black net hoods over our heads. It was a challenge, but we did it!

Will there be a fourth annual Christmas Show next year? Wait and see.

Waving the Flag

Rule Brittania! Brittania rule the waves!
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves!

I and a group of other ex-pat Brits waved the flag this week at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's version of the Last Night of the Proms, a musical party of all things British.

The Promenade Concerts started in England in 1895, and have continued since then, with classical and pops music presented in concert halls all over Britain.
But the culminating concert, the Last Night of the Proms, takes place at the Royal Albert Hall in London, and always features the pieces of music that bring tears to the eyes of Brits living abroad, such as Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance (features Land of Hope and Glory), Fantasia on British Sea Songs (includes Rule Brittania!), and the hymn, Jerusalem.

Are you sniffling yet, ex-pats? Just a little bit?

We couldn't make it all the way to London, so we decided to attend the Canadian version. When we arrived at Roy Thomson Hall, the 48th Highlanders of Canada Pipes and Drums were in full voice with Scotland the Brave.

Once inside the concert hall, the crowd began to fill the 2630 seats, with many of the concert-goers clutching a flag.... mostly Union Jacks, but some Scottish, Welsh and English flags too. After all, this is a flag-waving extravaganza, if you don't have a flag to wave at this event, you're in the minority!
If you didn't have a flag, not to worry, they were selling them in the lobby, so there was no excuse!

And the guests of honour were Will and Kate (well, Will and Kate wannabe's actually). And of course, the orchestra played the appropriate wedding music.... Mendelssohn's Wedding March, and Sammy Kahn's Love and Marriage.

Arranged on the next level above the orchestra were the members of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir.
(Sorry about the blurry photos, you'll have to click to enlarge Will and Kate.)
Maestro Bramwell Tovey was scheduled to conduct the concert, but unfortunately he had to cancel due to the sudden death of his mother, so Maestro Grant Llewellyn took over at short notice, and he was marvellous. Funny, personable and entertaining. A great afternoon at the Symphony!

--oo--0--oo--

My volunteer job often has me taking tickets and showing people to their seats at my local Theatre and Arts and Culture Centre, where some great concerts take place. Last night was no exception. The opening artist was Ian Kelly, a singer-songwriter from Montreal.... he was awesome.
And the main act of the evening was Meaghan Smith, Canadian singer-songwriter and Juno Award winner... wow, could she sing! And she's gorgeous too. Accompanied by her guitarist husband (who she calls her husBAND, cos he makes up the whole band!) she sang her way through her latest CD... great stuff. I sold CDs and merchandise for her at intermission, and she gave me a copy of her CD.... I can't wait to listen to it!

Henderson-Kolk Duo

I often volunteer at our local Centre for Arts and Entertainment.
I get dressed up in my best volunteering outfit, take tickets, hand out programmes, show concert-goers to their seats, sell CDs, indicate the location of the washrooms.... whatever is necessary.
And after I do all that, I stay and watch the show.

This weekend's concert featured a pair of brilliant classical guitarists, Drew Henderson and Michael Kolk. They met studying music at UofT (University of Toronto) and have been established as one of Canada's premier classical guitar duos since 2004.

Drew Henderson was playing a brand new 8 string guitar. I know very little about guitars, but I'd never seen an 8 string version before. I was impressed.

Here's one of the pieces from the concert. The first movement of Le Tombeau de Couperin by Maurice Ravel. Enjoy!