Amanda Barnum

Thanks to a 14 year run on Broadway and the hit 2008 film featuring a star-studded cast, Mamma Mia! is one of the most well-known Broadway shows internationally. The timeless music of ABBA and the strong themes of love, family, and self-identity make this show an instant success. Its popularity was immediately clear, with audience members donning feather boas, platform shoes, disco-era fashions, and the greek staples of flowing white and blue florals. Broadway Across Canada delivers with a truly impressive cast, striking wardrobe, and mind-blowing choreography.

Vertigo Theatre's 'The Verdict' was a fascinating look at one lawyer's quest to uphold the law and confront the powerful institutions that run Boston's churches, schools, and hospitals. For fans of John Grisham novels, you will find the story familiar yet captivating. For those audience members less inclined to opt for courtroom dramas, you'll find yourself glued to the edge of your seat.

I am a fan of the Netflix series ‘Black Mirror’, so I appreciated the use of cutting edge technology to reveal a darker side of human nature and just how far we would go to survive and protect those we love. The cast did a fantastic job of jumping quickly from memory to memory in a way that tugged the audience along for an increasingly chaotic journey. Through the writing, Lara Schmitz was able to provide just enough context for the audience to piece together each character’s relationship, but kept it ambiguous enough that we had to work to understand the outcome of each action in a disjointed way.

Released 23 years ago, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ is the first film in what has now become a $4.5 billion franchise with five films released and a sixth on the way. The hilariously mischievous Captain Sparrow has been a fan favourite thanks to Johnny Depp’s skilled portrayal, and the film’s quick, witty plot is complimented by an astounding cast of actors. The visual effects, set decor, wardrobe, and props blend the world of mid-1700’s Jamaica into a truly magical place. However, nothing transports the audience quite as effectively as the powerful motion picture score.

This show has so many modern aspects that are blended in with the historic backdrop that the audience initially find the contrast comical. As the story unfolds and the offensive aspects that once seemed silly and outdated are suddenly not so different from modern issues, we are suddenly left with the heavy burden of reality.

The music is familiar to many thanks to various pop culture references including The Looney Tunes, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Simpsons, Pretty Woman, etc. The comedic timing of the performers was first-class, with so much of the story’s charm captured in the antics of the various larger-than-life characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and the feeling that it left me with. To witness such talented musicians sharing their passion was an absolute honour. Classical music really does feel like the epitome of cultured refinement, elevating our connectedness to each other by highlighting the miraculous genius that has gone into the creation of these moving symphonic pieces, the creation of such beautiful instruments, and the virtuosic abilities of those who have mastered them. It’s in your own best interest to go to at least one Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra performance this year, you won’t regret it.

The revelations in 'A Doll's House' unearth truths about the role of women in society, the expectations of mothers in the overall family dynamic, the portrayal of the husband as both the caretaker and patriarch in the home, and even the influence of nature versus nurture in our behavioural tendencies.

“A Killing Snow” transports the audience to a blizzard-ravaged home in Huron County, Ontario where five ‘strangers’ are unwittingly drawn together to escape the storm.

I was personally inspired to go into acting and filmmaking as a young adult thanks to this timeless trilogy. Although the films are marketed as the fantasy genre, they go beyond and touch on so many inherently human conditions from friendship and loyalty, to the ultimate corruption of power. I know I am looking forward to this performance more than any other this summer and I hope to see you there.

Having never attended a show at the Stage West Theatre here in Calgary, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. As a former performer for Jubilations Dinner Theatre, and a fan of Edmonton’s Mayfield Dinner Theatre, I was well versed in what the dinner theatre experience could be. Stage West finds a way to blend the silly, outrageous energy of a Jubilations show, with the more sophisticated, buffet-style dining experience of Mayfield. A nice balance and a great way to spend an evening with friends and loved ones.

The Candlelight® concert series is a special treat for music lovers of all ages and varying music tastes. The concert took place in an ecclesiological Gothic Revival style church built in 1911 - 1912 with a behemoth organ at its centre. The architectural grandeur of the vast sanctuary enhances the natural acoustics of the string quartet, the vaulted ceilings allowing for longer reverberation times. With thousands of candles delicately placed throughout the space, the ambience was surreal as night fell upon us.

There’s a reason that the ballet holds rank as an elite art form, and Alberta Ballet’s production of ‘Swan Lake’ is evidence of just such a title. Arguably the most famous ballet in the world, ‘Swan Lake’ is a story of love, deception, and loss. We must count ourselves amongst the truly blessed to bear witness to such a spectacle of raw physical mastery by both local and, in this case, international stars.

Every so often, we encounter stories so powerful that they remind us of the fragility of our human lives. We do our best to avoid thinking about death, mortality, and other crippling fears that are hard to handle, but it is important to have an appreciation for these truths. In a world of increasing online presence and reduced human connection, it can be tough to see the good in the world, but this show will remind the audience of just that.

Faraway kingdoms, magical interventions, and larger-than-life puppets may sound like child’s play but The Tale of the Gifted Prince has found a way to combine all of these into a heartfelt tale of self-discovery. This brand new musical is based on the novel ‘The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen’ by Lloyd Alexander and features an all Asian cast of incredibly talented performers.