Courtney Castelino - Page 7

For its first Pops Series performance of the 2018 / 2019 season, the NAC Orchestra is paying tribute to the famous composer / lyricist team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II by performing some of their most beloved songs in the newly renovated orchestra shell of the National Arts Centre. Led by conductor Maestro Jack Everly, the NAC Orchestra was in fine form, providing music not only from Rodgers & Hammerstein's most popular musicals, but delivering some lessor known melodies, such as the overture to the 1961 film, Flower Drum Song. Two choirs, the Calixa-Lavallee Ensemble and the Ewashko Singers, provided beautiful harmonies to complement the guest vocals. The three featured vocalists, handpicked by Maestro Everly, were Laura Osnes, Ben Crawford and Ted Keegan. All three were simply spectacular, with the twice Tony-nominated Osnes channeling Julie Andrews in the opening number, 'The Sound of Music', and again in 'My Favorite Things'.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit Broadway show, School of Rock the Musical, is based on the 2003 movie starring Jack Black. It tells the story of Dewey (Rob Colletti), a down and out rock n' roll guitarist, who has just been kicked out of his band. Under false pretences, Dewey gets a gig teaching at Horace Green, a snooty preparatory school headed by Rosalie (Lexie Dorsett Sharp). Dewey is unprepared (and unlicensed) for the job and has no interest in it apart from financial - that is, until he hears the kids' talent in music class. Inspired, he begins to give them an education in music. This is entirely self-serving, as Dewey still wants to compete in an upcoming Battle of the Bands and sees the children as his ticket there.

As its name implies, The Last Five Years takes place over a five-year period. The cast is comprised of only two individuals, Cathy (Michelle Gendron) and Jamie (Louie Rossetti). Cathy and Jaime are a couple and the story takes us through their five-year relationship, from its inception to its bitter end. What makes this musical unusual is that the story is told from both perspectives, with Jaime narrating in chronological order and with Cathy starting at the end, working her way back to the beginning of the relationship.

A.R. Gurney's Sylvia is a story about one man's relationship with his dog. The opening scene unfolds with Greg (Paul Williamson) at home with the newly adopted Sylvia, an excitable, fluffy pooch played by Emily Walsh. Greg has brought Sylvia, an apparent stray, home from the park unbeknownst to his wife, Kate (Amanda Jonz). Kate is not impressed, believing that Sylvia has replaced her in Greg's affections. Can Greg keep Sylvia and Kate happy or will one have to go? And which one will it be?

I had the pleasure of being invited to attend the premiere of The Great Canadian Theatre Company's production of Kate Hennig's The Virgin Trial, directed by Eric Coates. Although this production is the sequel to Hennig's The Last Wife, the play stands on its own so no prior knowledge is needed. The play is set in modern times, but the characters and events are from the Tudor era. English history buffs will particularly enjoy the story as it is partially based on factual events with some speculation thrown in, which makes for a fascinating crime drama.

The Unexpected Guest is based on a play written by Dame Agatha Christie, first staged in London in 1958. The show begins on a foggy night, when Michael Starkwedder (Jesse Lalonde) comes to a home looking for shelter and finds the body of Richard Warwick crumpled over his wheelchair with Laura Warwick (Dylan Barnabe), Richard's wife, holding a gun. When Laura admits to the murder, Starkwedder helps the pretty widow concoct a scheme to save her from the hangman's noose. But, of course, all may not be as it seems in a Christie play. Is Laura telling the truth or is she covering up for someone? We are soon introduced to other members of the Warwick household, each of whom had a possible motive to send the despicable Richard Warwick to an early grave.

Orpheus Musical Theatre's production of the smash Broadway hit, Mamma Mia, features over twenty ABBA songs incorporated into the storyline. The premise: a young girl, Sophie (Meaghan Chapin) has three possible fathers, Sam (Geoff Beck), Bill (Michael Schilder) and Harry (Rejean Dinelle-Mayer). Sophie, believing she will know her father the moment she sees him, invites them to her wedding so that she can have her father walk her down the aisle. When they all show up, Sophie doesn't know which one is actually her father, her mother, Donna (Nicole Milne), is shocked to get a blast from the past, and hilarity ensues.

From the brief synopsis I read, I knew that this performance would be unlike anything I had ever seen before. This was reinforced by the show's tag line, "Love and Other Things: a drama for flower, clay and bone". Well, I was right.