I couldn’t help but remember the adage “Good things come to those who wait” after seeing the opening night performance of ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ (from the book by Floyd Mutrux and Colin Escott) now onstage at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre.

Pay a visit to the Winslow Farm and to 4th Line Theatre to feel the heartbeat of a rural community and a troupe of solid actors who tell a good story.

Theatre on the Ridge should be congratulated for a fine summer festival encompassing drama, comedy, classics and Canadiana.  It has been a pool of diversity as wide as the Toronto Raptors’ fan base.  Their final production of David Ives’ ‘Venus in Fur’ deepens the pool even further with a witty production of a complex take on the battle of the sexes.

Like many other Canadian playwrights, Joan McLeod enjoys writing about Canada. But what sets her apart is her desire to peel back the peaceful veneer of Canadian society and reveal the stark reality of conflict and unease that often goes unacknowledged. This is true of her 2013 play, The Valley, which takes an unflinching look at mental health and, more specifically, the interaction of on-duty police officers with citizens suffering with mental illness.

Theatre on the Ridge has recognized the depths of Wilde’s most popular work with its recent preview performance in Port Perry, Ontario.  The writing speaks for itself, but it is the acting that elevates this production.

Nathan the Wise’ is a play that requires at least two or more viewings for its rich subtext of the exploration of three faiths. If anything, for a twenty first century audience, the play allows us hopefully to open that discussion of trying to find a common humanity and element that exists between all of us.

Let’s be honest – I had fun at ‘The Office A Musical Parody’. Yes, I smiled and laughed at some of the double entendres and innuendos that do take place in an office and/or school setting so thanks to the McSmiths for the laughs.

Creating Shakespearean productions that are accessible and intriguing entertainment for people of all ages is a true challenge. To do it consistently for a quarter century, well, that’s another thing entirely. Yet, the Driftwood Theatre Group has been doing just that since 1995.

Truth be told, this 36-year-old script now appears as if it doesn’t have the same electric punch and jab it once had. That is not to say the performances are lacking because these four actors are top notch.

If you feel like learning about the incredible woman who was known as “The Florence Nightingale of Newfoundland,” or you’re in the mood for a solid piece of theatre, head to Port Perry to see Theatre on the Ridge’s production of Tempting Providence.

As we left the auditorium, I heard some audience members behind me say this production was quite a historical lesson.  A young girl and her father sat next to me.  She turned to him at the end and said, “I understood a bit of what was going on”.  I turned to both and thanked them appreciatively for their support of live theatre and for learning a bit of history.

You should come to Stratford and learn a bit about the history of the Tudors too.

Beau Dixon asks some important questions in his Playwright Notes: ‘What does it take to reach success?’; ‘How do you determine success?’ and ‘What do you sacrifice to get you to the next level of success?’ Three extremely important questions which I wished we could have discussed with the playwright and the director post performance. In any event, ‘Bloom: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fable’ is a worthy evening of theatrical entertainment.  Get to see it if you can.

Beyond some of the stilted dialogue, this is an emotional evening demanding our attention reflecting on the issues of life and the inevitability of death.

The (possible?) conclusion of Kate Hennig’s final installment of her Queenmaker series was one to which I was most looking forward to seeing. I had seen the first ‘The Last Wife’ at Soulpepper and the second ‘The Virgin Trial’ at Soulpepper and Montreal’s Centaur Theatre. 

I attended The Young Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto’s Distillery District for the world premiere of the first production in the history of Canadian theatre, specifically musical theatre, of Adam Pottle’s ‘The Black Drum’, produced by The Deaf Culture Centre. After viewing a vibrant opening night production, I predict the deaf culture voice is one which will continue to make its mark within Canadian culture and particularly in the arts community.

Director Jillian Kelley creates an enchanting production, with an energized pace appropriate for a quest story—and one that will keep the young people in the audience riveted.

Dear Touring Musicals:

My wish for all of you is to provide what Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ gave me and my 16-year-old godson on opening night at Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre. Let me kindly explain why.

What worked extremely well at this matinee performance was the four actors’ adroit handling of the sweetly, delicious banter and repartee combined with just the right amount of silence to heighten interest in what is about to happen next.

We need The Stratford Festival’s production of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s musical sci-fi spoof right now.  A little wacky, escapist fun is good for the soul and, under the supreme direction and choreography of Donna Feore and sublime music direction of Laura Burton, this ‘Little Shop’ takes us away for two- and a-bit hours to be thoroughly entertained from the score’s first note.

A rollicking new version of Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor swept through the Festival theatre Saturday night as patrons were treated to an evening of bellicose laughter.  Many academics agree that this is not Shakespeare’s best work – perhaps rushed writing.  But on this night a colleague correctly reminded me that, still, it is Shakespeare.