Hello everyone! I am very pleased to be writing to you all from beautiful Halifax, Nova Scotia and my own computer (my laptop crashed a few weeks ago, which led to most of my blogs being hastily typed up between 1am-4am at the fine libraries of the University of Toronto). It’s nice to be home, and Meghan is excited to be sending in her first blog from Toronto very soon! Exciting theatrical happenings abound and there is no rest from the success of Canadian theatre artists so I thought that I would do a little roundup of some of the stories that have caught my eye in the past little while that can be summarized neatly into tidy paragraphs.

            First of all, as I’m sure you have all heard, the American Tony Award Nominations were announced shortly before I left Toronto. You can read the list here. I have found that the Tony Awards have lost a lot of their former excitement for me. The Economic Crisis has certainly had an impact on this season of productions which can be seen as a conglomeration of safe, “sure-fire hits.” Even the heart-warming Billy Elliot is a musical based on a film, and a British transfer to Broadway (after it won nine Laurence Olivier Awards is there any surprise that it has been nominated for fifteen Tonys?). My concern is that even before the recession, a few years ago it seemed that Broadway all of a sudden became saturated with musicals based on popular films, Jukebox musicals/revues, and Disney musical adaptations. While I have no problem with any of these three genres individually, I am disheartened at the thought of their power to completely dominate the Great White Way entirely for economic purposes. How will the future Rodgers and Hammersteins, Kander and Ebbs, Lerner and Loewes, Sondheims and Princes, Fosses and Fiersteins, Schwartzes and even Larsons emerge to create art in such an artistic climate? I guess there is always off-Broadway and Fringe.

            Broadway legend, comic genius and television superstar Carol Burnett is coming to Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina and Saskatoon (slightly random!?) this June!! Her show Laughter and Reflection with Carol Burnett is an evening of live, impromptu, banter with her audience. The audience is encouraged to ask questions which will no doubt spiral into hilarious stories and theatrical bliss. Burnett is most well-known for her smash-hit televised variety show The Carol Burnett Show (1967-78) but she also has a slew of other stage, film and television credits to her name. She will be at Massey Hall in Toronto June 12^th, 2009, Manitoba Centennial Concert Hall (Winnipeg) June 10^th, 2009, Conexus Arts Centre (Regina) June 14^th, 2009 and TLU Place (Saskatoon) June 16^th, 2009. All shows are at 7:30pm. Carol Burnett does not seem to have an official website, which I think is unfortunate, so for tickets you’re going to have to search the events individually via www.ticketmaster.ca.    

            Artistic Director of Buddies in Bad Times, David Oiye announced his resignation May 7^th after a ten year tenure with the company. Oiye, who is also a playwright and a theatre director, says that his decision to step down will give him the opportunity to focus on his own artistic endeavours as well as the chance to “shake things up within the company.” Buddies has faced some recent economic hardship but has been met by fantastic support from the Queer Community and the theatre community and its fundraising efforts from earlier this year apparently exceeded the company’s initial projections. According to xtra.ca (where Queer’s conspire) “during his tenure Oiye presented over thirty-five queer productions, including twenty Toronto premieres of queer Canadian work, as well as oodles of short works as part of Buddies’ nine Rhubarb and four Hysteria festivals. Oiye’s administration also led Buddies productions through 18 Dora Mavor Moore Award nominations, winning six.” Buddies has also recently released its 2009-10 Season, which reflects not only the company’s economic stability and optimism but also a new direction for Buddies, as all of the mainstage shows have been created by women. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to David Oiye for all his hard work and artistic vision for the past ten years. I wish him all the best in his future theatrical ventures and I know that his work will continue to be at the forefront of Canadian queer theatre.

            You can see the delightfully charming singer Brad Hampton and his fierce (and always stunning) accompanist Patti Loach at Sharron’s Party on May 29^th, 2009 at 8:00pm, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. For tickets call 416 975-8555. First; however, check out this promotional video. It’s all the rage.

            What do Peggy Baker, Jill Barber, Isabel Bayrakdarian, Laila Biali, Kristin Booth, Melanie Doane, Rosemary Dunsmore, Karina Gauvin, Geri Hall, Evelyn Hart, Christine Horne, Arsinee Khanjian, Dawn Langstroth, Ann Marie MacDonald, Seana McKenna, Alisa Palmer, Louise Pitre, Roxanne Potvin, Sonia Rodriguez, Sarah Slean, Dione Taylor, Kristen Thomson, Theresa Tova, Kate Trotter and Sook Yin Lee all have in common? Well, they are all fabulously talented female Canadian artists, but they also all wear clothes designed by the supremely creative, posh-yet spunky- fashion designer Rosemarie Umetsu. These women are all part of Iconic Beauty, which was founded by Umetsu in 2008, as an “ongoing project to celebrate the individual style and art of the Canadian Female Artist through the medium of Fashion Photography.” Each year twenty-four female artists are chosen from across Canada, styled and dressed by Umetsu, and then photographed (this year by Caitlin Cronenberg). Each photograph is interpreted by a visual artist, through a “spectrum of genres that vary every year.” The photographs are exhibited in association with CONTACT, North America’s largest Photography Festival (May 6-31^st 2009) R.U studios. 96 Avenue Road. Thursday-Saturday 11am-5pm. Or by appointment. 416 924-7575.

            Proceeds from the net sale of the paintings and photographs will be donated to Learning Through the Arts. Established in 1994 in Toronto, the LTTA encourages, fosters and promotes children to be creative thinkers and leaders.

            Patricia Zentilli, the first lady of the Canadian musical theatre, is currently in Edmonton, Alberta playing Christine Colgate in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre. She received this glowing review from Liz Nicholls of the Edmonton Journal: “Patricia Zentilli, who knows everything there is to know about delivering a musical theatre ballad like Nothing Is Too Wonderful To Be True, plays their mark, soap queen Christine Colgate, wholesome, blond, American and loaded. She knows how to move those goody two-shoes of hers. Delish.” Delish indeed.

            The National Theatre of the World has announced that Impromptu Splendor has been accepted into the Los Angeles Improv Festival! After proving to be “the real winners of the weekend” at the Chicago Improv Festival last month, which garnered Matt Baram, Naomi Snieckus and Kayla Lorette this praise from Time Out Chicago, “Equal parts funny and tragic, and aided with the help of improv legend Joe Flaherty, these guys proved themselves to be brave, brainy and incredibly agile,” Baram, Snieckus and (Ron) Pederson will take on Hollywood the first week of June! I wish them the very best for this new adventure; the National Theatre of the World is swiftly becoming a real bright feather in Canada’s cap! I wish that Carol Burnett’s appearance in Toronto preceded the LA Improv Festival because I think Impromptu Splendor and the Carnegie Hall Show would be right up Burnett’s alley. She would also be an incredibly fun guest star… maybe when they hit New York?  

            Finally, it has come to my attention that Tony Award winning Broadway star Idina Menzel and her husband Taye Diggs are expecting their first child later this year. I want to wish them every happiness and joy for what I know will be an amazing adventure. Congratulations! (Read the Amanda-Idina Interview here!)

 

In late September, 2007 I sat in the Diesel Playhouse in the audience for Acting Up Stage’s one-night only concert With A Little Help From My Friends: the stars of Toronto musical theatre singing the songs of the Beatles. I had just moved from Halifax (via Vancouver, but we don’t talk about that) to Toronto two weeks earlier and this was the first show that I would see in my new city. I didn’t have a blog. I didn’t write theatre reviews. I didn’t know who any of the actors who would grace the stage were except for Patricia Zentilli, who I had seen play Ophelia in Hamlet (2000) and Curley’s Wife in Of Mice and Men (1999) at Neptune Theatre in Halifax (and later, I remembered that we had done a benefit together in 1999 where she sang “Somewhere That’s Green” (spingle!) for which my memory is uncharacteristically hazy). I didn’t have an inkling what my future held, and could not have dreamed half of the adventure that would soon sweep me up so quickly and absolutely.

My first memory of With A Little Help From My Friends is of a boy coming out onstage, a remarkably young and eloquent boy, who of course was Mitchell Marcus, and he gave a speech (quite like the one he gave last night) about the need for musical theatre in Toronto, the goals and objectives of his theatre company and his dedication to bringing contemporary musical theatre to Torontonian audiences and employing local musical theatre performers. I remember that this speech alone moved me to tears. Yes, I remember thinking, Yes! This boy is fulfilling the dream, he’s perpetuating Canadian theatre in the perfect direction and he’s accomplishing such marvels, and he’s so young and so smart and so determined and he’s passionate about the theatre that he loves. He is part of the answer to the Canadian theatre conundrum.

A year and a half later, last night at The Sound of Silence, Acting Up Stage’s one-night only concert featuring musical theatre stars singing the songs of Paul Simon, armed with all the knowledge of Toronto’s theatre community that I have amassed and absorbed fervently, Mitchell’s speech last night still made me feel so proud and just as certain that we can expect fantastic things from this young man. He works so diligently, his goals are lofty, but pure, and he sees them through, and I admire him wholeheartedly.

The second thing I remember about With A Little Help From My Friends is Steven Gallagher bursting onto the scene and kick-starting the evening like the absolute rock star that he is. I was thrilled that The Sound of Silence began in the exact same way. His rendition of “Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard” was perfection and “Old Songs/Book Ends” was done with such simple beauty that it stands as proof that Gallagher is a master of his craft.

Eliza-Jane Scott was quirkiness at its best in her rendition of “At the Zoo” which included her playing the Melodica! She is such a captivating performer, and like Gallagher, she makes performing look like the easiest and most natural thing in the world. She sang a compelling version of “American Tune,” and I think I could listen to her sing the phone book and find the poetry in it. Andrew Kushnir sang a hauntingly gorgeous rendition of “The Sound of Silence” and then brought the house down with cohort Michael Therriault in a performance of “Mrs. Robinson” like nothing that has ever been seen before boasting of Kushnir’s amazing operatic and jazz stylings and Kushnir and Therriault’s freestyle hip hop talents. It was one of the most hilarious and creative things I have seen onstage, perhaps since Kushnir and Damien Atkins’ fifteen minute a cappella reworking of some of today’s most popular songs at Sing Out, Louise in March (which boasted of crazy harmonies and different musical styles!). Andrew Kushnir is a walking one-man-show and I always feel so fortunate to get to see him perform, whether he’s onstage or making up impromptu songs in real life. Therriault also rocked out, and showed off his amazing acting skills and comedic timing, with “You Can Call Me Al.” You could feel the sense of fun emanating off the stage and it proved utterly contagious.

Jeff Madden’s voice is absolutely incredible. I could listen to him sing all day. His rendition of “The Only Living Boy in New York” blew my mind. If you haven’t seen The Jersey Boys yet: go! Go! Go! Susan Henley sang a breathtaking rendition of “Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover” with Jamie Drake providing fantastic drum accompaniment. Sara Farb showed off her signature belt with “Late in the Evening.”

Amanda LeBlanc radiates the most beautiful light I have ever seen onstage. It is utterly enchanting. She always reminds me of an angel. Her rendition of “Kathy’s Song” was absolutely beautiful; she had the audience in the palm of her hand. Then Thom Allison almost brought the balcony down with his mind-blowing, gospel-esque, crowd-rousing rendition of “Loves Me Like A Rock.” Allison’s voice is so beautiful. It doesn’t matter how many times you hear him sing, you always come away feeling utterly impressed. The first thing I said to him ever in my life, after From A Little Help From My Friends, was, “wow, you should get “superstar” tattooed on your forehead.” I stand by my initial assessment. Blythe Wilson closed the show with a perfect rendition of “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” This song has been recorded countless times, but I defy anyone to find one better than the performance Wilson gave last night.  

    The power of this show was in the arrangements of Paul Simon’s songs to suit the singer’s voices and to capture a faction of their personalities. Each arrangement was unique while still maintaining the essence of Simon’s great songs. These were all done by the incomparable Reza Jacobs, with help from Amanda LeBlanc and Sara Farb. Jacobs bursts with energy as he bursts with talent, and plays the piano with such gusto that you get the sense he’s blasting the force and power toward the singers and into the audience as he head bangs. The band also included Bram Gielen on bass, Erik Patterson on guitar, Lindsey Hilliard who had some gorgeous violin solos, and Jamie Drake who rocked out on a vast array of different types of drums.

In all, The Sound of Silence was the best type of rock concert and it affirms that our Canadian musical theatre legends are true rock stars, who shine so brightly in this community and who should be a source of pride for our entire nation. A year and a half ago, I sat floored that such talented people, and such amazing theatrical opportunities existed in this country. Today, I beam with pride and feel so blessed to be in this city, at this exciting time in Canadian theatre history where such talented people with huge dreams, ambitions and hope converge and insure the last thing that Canada hears from us is silence.      

 

I have been to so many cabarets in the last few weeks, Kander and Ebb could have written a song about me. So, when Bryce Kulak, who I saw perform at Hugh’s Room, told me that he was doing a show as part of Statler’s Cabaret series on March 22^nd, I was excited to go, but wasn’t sure if I would blog about it- since I already expressed how talented he was once before (and I don’t want to start repeating myself!). However, then Bryce did something astute and put together an all-star evening of music entitled “The Big Idea” with special famous guests Patricia Zentilli, Michael Hughes, Colin Maier and Lily Ling.

            It is one thing for everyone to showcase their own individual talents (it is fantastic, no doubt!), but when the talent starts to overlap, and songwriters share their songs, and duets and harmonies burst forth, and collaborations emerge, this beautiful, clear picture of our vibrant, pulsing, community teeming with brilliance, goodness and modest touches of genius, floats above my head like a guiding star. At one point during the show, Bryce said that Statler’s is a gem, a little piece of New York, in Toronto, and that despite the economy, the talent here in Toronto right now is staggering and exhilarating. I couldn’t agree more, and with the “big ticket” shows dominating Broadway right now, it seems like the time is ripe for us to embrace the potential our city offers artists and the potential that Toronto has to someday become a world leader in the creation of beautiful, dynamic, artful, soulful theatrical endeavors. We sure as hell have the talent, and the potential here is so electrifying it continually pulsates excitedly in my veins as I type faster than I can think. The world is ours. We can do anything. I am all faith and pride.

            One of my favourite things about Bryce Kulak is that although he writes beautiful, tender, playful, breathtaking songs, and plays the piano and sings like a dream, he also knows how to put on a great show. He tells funny true stories (mostly about strangers in Edmonton who will never know their own infamy), he always has a witty quip, accompanied by a sincere grin, and he’s big with the innuendo. He began the evening with “Tin Can Telephone” (his voice is like homemade chocolate pudding), sang “Letters From Sadie” (watch his hands, if you can, in this one, it’s mesmerizing) “Old Buildings” and “Ballad of the Orphan Sock” before inviting Lily Ling (I keep waiting for one of her bounces to send her afloat into the air) to accompany him while he introduced us all to some songs that I can guarantee no one had ever heard before. The highlight was “The Drum Major,” a song from 1907 that Kulak performed jauntily to hysterical perfection.

            One of my other favourite things about Bryce Kulak is his deep affinity with the world around him. He sees things like buildings, and socks, and tin cans, and he knows how to make us empathize so strongly with them. He sees the loveliness and the poetry in things. He will also go out and find music hall songs that no one has heard since 1914- he will find the delight in them and share them with you.

            We were then treated to a beautiful interlude of classical music, the gorgeous Rachmaninoff Vocalise, by Lily Ling and Colin Maier (who can play every instrument in the world, and act, and sing, and he’s an acrobat- it’s incredible). The talent in the room at Statler’s was overwhelming by its sheer volume, but even more incredible was the range of it. I was so excited that “The Big Idea” was able to showcase so many different facets of performers and music. At times there was so much going on, I didn’t know where to look or who to applaud for.

            The ever-dazzling Patricia Zentilli, clad in OshKosh overalls, b’gosh, debuted Kulak’s new song “Drudgery,” a poignant tale about how soul-sucking working as a barista can be for an artist struggling to support him or herself. She then sang a gorgeous rendition of my favourite of Kulak’s songs “Paper and String,” which I think may be one of the loveliest pieces of music ever written. I know that is a gigantic statement to make- but I think this song absolutely warrants consideration. Go buy his album “Tin Can Telephone” right this moment on ITunes and see for yourself!

            As though hearing Patricia Zentilli sing my favourite Bryce Kulak song wasn’t blissful enough, then Michael Hughes and Bryce sang my second favourite song, “You’re My Man,” as a duet, while Colin played an assortment of instruments in succession, including the banjo! Their voices work gorgeously together, the possibilities are endless.

            The evening ended with “Pelican”, a song from Kulak’s debut album “Welcome” which is charming with insightful silliness reminiscent of Dr. Seuss or Lewis Carroll and a haunting rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” I strongly urge you to pick up Kulak’s albums and to visit his website for more information, but I must stress that there is nothing like seeing him perform in person. It is also a sheer pleasure, and added bonus, when he is joined by his famous friends. If you missed “The Big Idea”- you’re in luck! “The Big Idea Brunch Cabaret” is happening on Sunday March 29^th, 2009 from 1:00-2:00pm at Local 4 Restaurant on 4 Dundonald Street (one block North of Wellesley Subway Station), Toronto. You should go! See ya there!

On a lovely Spring-like Friday in March I headed to Yorkville to interview the flawless duo of Patricia Zentilli and Patti Loach at Atelier Rosemarie Umetsu. Loach and Zentilli have teamed up and created their cabaret Patti with an ‘I’ and Patty with a ‘Y’ which they performed at the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival last June. They recently released their CD Pull Me Through which is a heartfelt mixture of musical theatre and cabaret songs. We sat in Rosemarie’s back room with a camera, and later some dresses. Click below to read!
 

By Adam Brazier

I have known Patricia Zentilli for 5 years. During those 5 years I have learnt the following facts about her.

 The chief export of Patricia Zentilli is awesomness.

 Patricia can sneeze with her eyes open.

 Unlike most people, Patricia can eat just one Lay's potato chip

 There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of animals Patricia allows to live. Which is plenty cause she’s a vegan.

 Patricia Zentilli can win a game of Connect Four in only three moves.

 If you spell Patricia Zentilli in Scrabble, you win. Forever.

 In the Bible, Jesus turned water into wine. But then Patricia turned that wine into a cosmopolitan with a garnish of pineapple.

 Time waits for no woman. Unless that woman is Patricia Zentilli.

 When Patricia falls in water, Patricia doesn't get wet. Water gets Patricia.

 Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee. Except Patricia Zentilli.

 It takes Patricia Zentilli 20 minutes to watch 60 Minutes.

 Also she sings really good.

Come see Patricia Zentilli perform live at: SING OUT, LOUISE!:  Monday, March 9th, 8pm. $25.00. Buddies in Bad Times.

                           Toronto’s Biggest Theatre Stars.

ALL TOGETHER. ALL STAR. ALL FABULOUS.  

I am incredibly excited and proud to announce a new venture that my blog is embarking on beginning TOMORROW Saturday, February 21^st, 2009 and ongoing until March 8^th, 2009 in promotion for the Buddies in Bad Times Fundraiser SING OUT, LOUISE- Monday March 9^th, 2009 at Buddies- presented by the incredible Sharron Matthews (who is ALSO performing in Sharron’s FEBRUARY SUCKS Party Friday February 27^th, 2009!) 

The cast for this incredible theatrical extravaganza is MIND-BLOWING. There’s a little somethin’ for everyone!

Damien Atkins. Thom Allison. Adam Brazier. Jenni Burke. Sara Farb. Greg Gibson. Wayne Gwillim. Reza Jacobs. Michael Hughes. Lily Ling. Patti Loach. Sharron Matthews. George Masswohl. Jamie McKnight. Ari Weinberg. Patricia Zentilli.

I could write for days about how phenomenal these artists are- but I don’t want you to have to just take my word for it. And, now you don’t have to! Starting tomorrow, there will be SPECIAL SURPRISE GUEST BLOGGERS RIGHT HERE to share with you in creative, new, dynamic, poetical ways just how special an event Sing Out, Louise will be. One Surprise Special blogger every single day RIGHT HERE until March 8^th!

Keep checking back! You WON’T want to miss this!

SING OUT, LOUISE!:  Monday, March 9th, 8pm. $25.00.
                           Toronto’s Biggest Theatre Stars.

ALL TOGETHER. ALL STAR. ALL FABULOUS. 

416 975-8555. 

 In the early 1990s American musical theatre composer William Finn (25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Falsettos, Elegies: a Song Cycle) was hospitalized and diagnosed with arteriovenous malformation in the brain, which led to a near death experience resulting in brain surgery. It is clear that his 1998 musical A New Brain, now playing at the Berkeley Street Theatre Downstairs (produced by Acting Up Stage Theatre Company), is strongly autobiographical and I think, highly subjective. The result is a very quirky, often catchy, and at times strikingly poignant, trip inside the mind of protagonist Gordon Schwinn.

            While watching this show, I wondered how much had been conceived while Finn was sitting in a hospital bed, sick, scared and drugged up on codeine. Just as Kander and Ebb turned the 1920s criminal justice system into a nightclub for Chicago, Finn also seems to be making the argument that “all the world’s a stage” and that it’s “all show business, kid… the whole world, show business.” The rhythms of the hospital mix with Gordon’s hallucinations and fantasies and become production numbers. There are echoes of “We Both Reached for the Gun” and “The Tango Maureen,” which seem like just the sort of images that would haunt a Broadway aficionado’s subconscious. When thrown together, along with the images of Mr. Bungee, Gordon’s hateful boss, dressed as a giant frog, it becomes absurdist, but firmly rooted in heart and humanity. And oddly enough, it seems plausible because Gordon’s brain is supposed to be running wild, and we’re being taken along for the ride.

            Steven Gallagher plays Gordon, a composer grudgingly writing songs for frogs on Mr. Bungee’s Children’s TV show, who uses music and art to propel himself through his harrowing near-death experience. Gallagher plays Gordon with a remarkable balance of impatience, snarkiness, vulnerability, humanity and likeability. He has a beautifully gripping moment where he confronts his mortality in “In the Middle of the Room,” and he sells the odd (yet visually and musically fantastic) production numbers like “Gordo’s Law of Genetics” with his energy and the sense that he is conducting this show happening in his brain. There is a lovely moment at the end of the show where Gordon muses about how he is entirely different, and yet exactly the same, a contradiction of humanity that Gallagher nails perfectly. 

            I get the sense that the characters in A New Brain are constructed from Gordon’s perspective, which means that they tend towards the general and vague. Gordon’s boyfriend, Roger, for example, is the pinnacle paragon of perfection, while his mother’s idea of Heaven is a date with Mr. Clean. But in the hands of this phenomenal cast, moments of eloquence keep shining through. Thom Allison has a show stopping moment with “Sailing,” which shows off his gorgeous voice magnificently, and he and Paula Wolfson have a heart-wrenching duet “A Really Lousy Day in the Universe.” Wolfson also stops the show with her rendition of “Change.” Barbara Barsky shines particularly bright while singing “The Music Still Plays On.” Patricia Zentilli gives such humanity to Rhoda, a character that is only really seen in snippets, and her rendition of the extremely peculiar “Whenever I Dream,” confirms my hunch that she can do anything. Steve Ross is most endearing as Richard “the nice nurse” and has a star turn in the fantastic “Eating Myself Up Alive,” which is one of the highlights of the show.

            The direction by Daryl Cloran is particularly smooth and clear. He is able to give the audience a clearer picture of what is happening in real life, and what is the product of Gordon’s imagination/hallucination. The entire show seems to run simply and cleanly and the choreography by Marc Kimelman is lively, bright, charming and fun. I did feel that Juan Chioran as Mr. Bungee had found truly clever, funny moments that may have been overshadowed by his costume, and perhaps he would have been even funnier if his clothes had been more suggestive of a frog, rather than being so literal.

            A New Brain may leave your mind spinning, the songs will undoubtedly stick in your brain (“yes, yes, yes, is a good word. Yes, yes, yes is a very special word.), but at the end of the day, the image that stuck with me was one of joy, of hope, and of life. In his Programme Notes, Artistic Producer Mitchell Marcus quoted William Finn saying, “at the piano, there was just all this gratitude that I was alive, and all this life spewing out of me,” and this cast, especially Steven Gallagher, have this infectious, honest, joy about being on that stage and in this moment that is so palpable. I think it would be impossible for you to leave the Berkeley without your heart feeling a little lighter.

           
Unlike in New York where stars like Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone, Audra MacDonald and Barbara Cook command a sort of regal wonderment from the Broadway community, Toronto is more hesitant to herald its stars as theatrical royalty. I think it’s imperative that as Canadians we recognize the fact that we have our own stars in the theatre, and it is time that we stand up and take pride in them as such.

            Patricia Zentilli is one such star. She can be seen singing in theatres across the country from her own cabaret at the TD Canada Trust Jazz Festival last July to recent productions of Variations on a Nervous Breakdown (Talk is Free Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors (Canadian Stage Company/ Dora Award Nomination), and soon you’ll want to see her in Acting Up Stage’s production of William Finn’s A New Brain (www.anewbrain.ca). From the first time I heard Zentilli’s heartbreaking rendition of “Somewhere That’s Green” (http://mt-champion.livejournal.com/2638.html), I wished there was some way to take a bit of the gorgeousness home with me. And now you can!

            Zentilli has teamed up with powerfully talented pianist Patti Loach to create a beautiful compilation album of musical theatre and cabaret songs entitled Pull Me Through. She infuses each song with her unmatchable sincerity and sweet, gentle subtly, making this the perfect album to play as you snuggle into your warmest blanket with a cup of something warm to relax after a stressful day.

            Pull Me Through is a journey in poignant- yet ultimately heartwarming- song through the experiences of love, loss, and the perspective we gain as we grow. It is also an album rooted in the faith that even if we’re “covered with scars [we] did nothing to earn,” there will always be someone there to “pull [us] through.”

            I have been listening to this album steadily since November and it is one I am certain I’ll never tire of. It is impossible for me to pick a favourite track because each time I listen, the songs seem to resonate differently, and the poetry of the words and the music and Zentilli’s gorgeous voice continue to strike different, personal chords deep in my heart. “The Babysitter’s Here” sparkles with all the innocence and goodness of youth. “Love Quiz” is a perfect match for Zentilli’s nuanced voice, and it is a marvel how well she can convey every contradictory, overlapping emotion simply in her voice. Her rendition of Jonathan Monro’s “Who I Am” will leave you awestruck, and the title track “Pull Me Through” is a paragon of beauty that may leave you with tears in your eyes.

            All the elements are perfectly balanced here- the beauty of Zentilli’s voice, the dynamic elegance of Loach’s piano playing, and the poignancy of the lyrics of each song. The album is available at CD Baby http://cdbaby.com/cd/zentilliloach as well as at these fine stores located in Toronto: Theatre Books (11 Saint Thomas Street), Song and Script (2 Bloor Street West), r.u. studios- Rosemarie Umetsu’s gorgeous fashions- (96 Avenue Road), and L’Atelier Grigorian (70 Yorkville Avenue). The album design itself is absolutely breathtaking; it is hands down the most visually gorgeous CD that I own.

            I’m not the only one talking about the brilliance of this album and the magnificence that is Patricia Zentilli. According to the Manhattan Users Guide, which also has nice things to say about Barbara Cook and Patti LuPone, Zentilli “aces every one of the great cuts on her… album.” Check it out!

http://manhattanusersguide.com/article.php?id=1535

            Patricia Zentilli is a Canadian theatrical treasure. Hurry up and get “pulled through”!!

            As the dust from 2008 settles and I find myself resolutely rooted in this brand new year, I begin to sweep the cobwebs and eggnog from my brain and look back to the books and mountains of schoolwork I have disregarded in favor of shopping malls and organic candy canes. So, of course, I have begun to catch up reading my favourite blogs and websites and I realized that “the thing to do” was, apparently, to make a list of Amanda’s Favourite Theatrical Moments of 2008, to salute those who I felt were most deserving of a little extra recognition in hopes that 2009 would bring even more inspiration, profundity, awe, wonder and fun into my life.

Here they are, in alphabetical order.

Amanda’s Favourite Theatrical Moments of 2008

1. Ron Jenkins’ phenomenal direction of The Black Rider with November Theatre from Edmonton, which played at Tarragon Theatre this fall. I have never had a theatrical experience quite like this one before. It was gripping and poignant, poetic and beautiful, horrific and awing. It was everything that I think theatre should aspire to be.
2. Joseph Ziegler and John Jarvis’ portrayals of Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts respectively in Soulpepper’s production of A Christmas Carol. This show was magical, and these two actors were at the very hub.
3. Acting UpStage’s production of Edges. This show epitomizes the experience of being a young musical theatre aficionado in Toronto and it is infused with talent, faith, determination, love and optimism for a bright future.
4. The Company Theatre’s amazing production of Festen at the Berkeley Street theatre in December. This was a show that truly ripped down the fourth wall and flung its unsuspecting audience members headlong into the theatrical fray. I have never seen an audience so engaged at a 2:00pm matinee!!
5. Ghost Jail Theatre and their hilarious Improv show every Sunday night at Clinton’s Tavern (although not until January 18^th). Special shout out to Kayla Lorette and Fraz Wiest who have made me spittake. Seriously.
6. Stewart Lemoine’s new play Happy Toes, which I saw at the tail end of the Edmonton International Fringe Festival in August. Funny, clever, nuanced, with brilliant performances by five of Teatro la Quindicina’s core members, this show was even heralded as “awesome” by nine-year-old Cassidy Ekstrom and seven year old Ciarra Ekstrom.
7. The National Theatre of Canada’s weekly improvised Canadian play series Impromptu Splendor. The plays that come out of this show are remarkably (and consistently) fantastic, and getting to watch their creation through improvisation is the rarest of treats.
8. Anthony Black’s performance in his show Invisible Atom which played at Theatre Passe Muraille in the Spring. Black is a fantastic playwright and actor, and the lighting design of this piece blew my mind. It was one of the most beautiful pieces of theatre I have ever seen.
9. Jonathan Monro’s original music for his musical Variations on a Nervous Breakdown. Who knew a Broadway caliber original Canadian musical would come to Barrie?
10. Marla McLean’s portrayal of Mary Bailey and Mike Shara’s portrayal of George Bailey in the Canadian Stage Company’s production of It’s A Wonderful Life. They are the very stuff Christmas is made of.
11. Megan Follows and Dawn Greenhalgh’s gripping performances in Soulpepper’s Production of ‘Night Mother in the spring. Getting the opportunity to watch this famous Canadian mother and daughter duo in Marsha Norman’s play was a truly extraordinary experience.
12. Nicola Lipman’s amazing performance in the Canadian Stage Company’s production of The December Man. Lipman evokes such grief, pain and sorrow perfectly, without ever losing the integrity of the character she is playing.
13. The Canadian Stage Company’s production of Judith Thompson’s play Palace of the End is one of my favourite theatrical experiences of all time. I have never cried so much in a theatre. I walked out of that show with such pride in Canstage for having the bravery to confront such difficult and controversial material. I stand in awe of David Storch, and Maev Beaty’s performance still haunts me.
14. Pull Me Through: the gorgeous compilation album of Broadway and Cabaret songs sung by Toronto actor Patricia Zentilli and accompanied by the extremely talented Patti Loach on the piano. This CD is absolutely essential for anyone who appreciates this type of music. For more information on how to purchase the album, please visit www.patriciazentilli.com
15. Scorched, which played at the Tarragon Theatre in September, was a profound piece of theatre brilliantly written, acted and directed. It was a great example of all the elements coming together and creating an irresistible, powerful fusion.
16. Sharron Matthews and Sharron’s Party. Without a doubt the most fun you will have at the theatre. Her next party is January 19^th at Tallulah’s Cabaret at Buddies. For tickets call 416 975-8555.
17. Ted Dykstra’s performance in Fire. Watching that man play piano is beyond incredible. It almost didn’t matter that I didn’t like the script, the story, or most of the songs, Dykstra’s performance made the show entirely worthwhile for me. Hell, his final song made me cry at a show I didn’t even like! That takes talent.

I want to thank you all for stopping by to read my blog in 2008. I appreciate each and every one of you, and wish to extend my most sincere gratitude to all the theatre artists who work so diligently across our country to create works of art. You are my inspiration, and I find great strength in your words, pictures and most of all, your dreams. Happy 2009!

            As a society there is little doubt these days we are over-stimulated. With cell phones and laptops and BlackBerrys and Facebook, we are never far from the demands the world has placed on us. It’s enough to drive anyone crazy. Canadian musical theatre actor/musical director/composer (seriously! He’s a triple threat!) Jonathan Monro’s new song cycle Variations on a Nervous Breakdown explores how stress, pressure and the postmodern experience manifests itself, often subtly, in different people’s lives. It is currently receiving its world premiere at Talk is Free Theatre in Barrie, Ontario.

            On its own, Monro’s show is comparable to the song cycles of New York composers Jason Robert Brown and William Finn. His rhyming talents are sheer brilliance; he proves his ability to write in various styles and genres of music, the songs are funny, and fun, poignant, and beautiful, insightful and smart. Most of all, Variations on a Nervous Breakdown is about stories and character. The songs all exist in the same world, encouraging the audience to make connections and appreciate how the stories compliment and contrast with one another. Most impressive, is that most of the stories Monro tells are variations on themes that you thought you knew. Each character seems entirely unique, the situations are quirky, and yet there is a sense of familiarity blanketing it all because, if we’re being perfectly honest, everyone is a little bit crazy and we all fight nervous habits and self-destructive thoughts. Every song, and each moment in the song, is an honest reflection on the character’s experience, nothing is filler or passed off as genuine simply because it was a cheap laugh or happened to fit the music.

            The four actors in this production are extraordinary. Cory O’Brien has a fantastic voice and sings a particularly charming song about the woes of being a penny. Chilina Kennedy is a glorious dancer and beautiful singer and shines especially bright in “I Wish I’d Grown Up in the Twenties.” Patricia Zentilli is utterly hysterical throughout, and demonstrates clearly her talent for knowing how to strike the balance in taking comedy as far as she can to elicit the right response, but never crossing the line and losing the profound sincerity that makes her performances so rich and beautiful to watch. Her gorgeous voice is always the vehicle through which her nuance characters are created in earnest. Jonathan Monro, with his voice like butter that would melt in your mouth, is equally genuine in his performances while demonstrating perfect comedic timing and an amazing array of accents. His performance of “Who I Am” is the production’s amazing showstopper, and “Rumba Raylene” will you have you crying in hysterical laughter. Also particularly noteworthy is Sam Strasfeld’s fantastic choreography in “Ashtanga Conga” and the amazing Reza Jacobs’ inspired and spirited piano playing.

            In all, this show is more than worthy of a run in Toronto- if not New York- but it is significant that it is being given its world premiere at Talk is Free Theatre in Barrie. Arkady Spivak, the Artistic Producer of Talk is Free, has shown that he is dedicated to the development of new Canadian works, especially Canadian musicals. He uses his artistic position to foster and encourage and promote Canadian artists, artists like Jonathan Monro, who no doubt will go on to bring Canadian musical theatre to the world stage. Spivak is also dedicated to fostering a theatre community in the township of Barrie, and has recently acquired the lovely New Barrie Performing Arts Centre. It is inspiring to see how passion and dedication can bring dreams to fruition and help indigenous theatre in this country to continue to grow and thrive.

            I hope you will support this continued venture and this brilliant show. In a celebration of breaking down, you’ll jump up and cheer.

I recently attended a production of the American Touring Cast’s revival of A Chorus Line at the Cannon Theatre here in Toronto. The most striking moment of the evening for me occurred after the Curtain Call when members of the cast addressed the audience and spoke about a tradition they have in New York that I am familiar with but had never had the opportunity to experience first hand until that night. It’s called Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BCEFA) and it is a charity initiative that began in May, 1992 when Broadway Cares and Equity Fights AIDS merged to form one organization dedicated to “mobilize the unique abilities within the entertainment industries to mitigate the suffering of individuals affected by HIV/AIDS.” It also seeks to “increase national and public awareness and understanding of HIV/AIDS through the creation and dissemination of educational materials and to promote and encourage public support for programs and services which benefit people living with HIV/AIDS.” Therefore, the companies of dozens of Broadway, Off-Broadway and national touring shows- actors, dancers, singers, stage managers, ushers and box office personnel all contribute every year to their fundraising initiatives.

At A Chorus Line, members of the cast lined the lobby in costume, with their signature sparkly hats overturned, encouraging audience members to donate their spare change, as well as selling A Chorus Line eco-friendly bags and posters autographed by the entire cast, with all proceeds going to BC/EFA. Audience members were reminded that if every person donated as little as a Twoonie they could raise as much as $3,000 dollars in a single night.

Here are some examples of BCEFA’s fundraising extravaganzas!

 The Easter Bonnet Competition is the culmination of six weeks of intensive fundraising efforts by Broadway and Off-Broadway companies, including shows on National Tour. They give curtain speeches, sell autographed posters and programmes, hold auctions, and do cabaret performances- often using famous Broadway stars to encourage the giving. The winner (the company that has raised the most money for BCEFA) is announced at a star-studded gala evening, which includes more performances by the companies of Broadway shows. “Seasons of Love” and “Love Heals” was performed by a group of past and present stars of Rent in April, 2008, while the cast of Spring Awakening presented a more vulgar adaptation of the entire score of Grease. A second prize is given to the cast that makes the best Easter bonnet (a Ziegfeld Follies-esque headdress that epitomizes an element of their show (or sense of humor)). The 22^nd Annual Easter Bonnet Competition raised a staggering $3,734, 129.

 Broadway Bares, usually held in June, combines the naughtiness of burlesque and the razzle-dazzle of Broadway to create a very unique adult event which has been a success since its inception in 1992 and provides a chance for the hottest male and female dancers on Broadway to explore something different than Oklahoma! Last year it raised $874, 372.

The Gypsy of the Year Competition is the culmination of six weeks intensive fundraising and is presented at the beginning of December each year. It is this series of fundraising that is happening at the Cannon theatre right now! It has been cited as “possibly the season’s most dazzling talent show” and features New York’s most talented “gypsies” (chorus members from Broadway and Off-Broadway shows) in a competitive variety show. Audiences are encouraged to “support their favourite show,” which draws them into the competition as well.

Broadway Bears is an annual auction that features cuddly one-of-a-kind teddy bears that are each outfitted in original, handmade costumes by Broadway’s leading costume designers and represent memorable characters from plays and musicals, past and present. They are also autographed by a Broadway star associated with that particular character. 

Also, each Christmas the cast of various Broadway shows go into the recording studio and record brilliant Christmas/holiday albums which are sold via the Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS online store (http://broadwaycares.stores.yahoo.net/fese.html). “Broadway’s Greatest Gifts: Carols For A Cure” is a compilation 2-disc CD on which each company (or in some cases a few stars of the company) sing a holiday track- some traditional, some hilarious and some especially written to suit their show. All the proceeds (each CD is $20.00 (USD)) go to BCEFA.

These fundraising initiatives save lives and change lives. They root the Broadway performers in New York’s community and establish themselves as people who care and love and who are determined to use their art to make the world a better place all year round. At the same time, these fundraisers also strengthen the Broadway community as they all come together to work for a common goal. They come together in person, in a mob of talent in giant theatres and on Schubert Alley, not just on Facebook, which creates a bond between them all, and a pride in themselves. It also gives the “Broadway community” a face, and an identity that has been captured. It is an identity of selfless love and generosity. They also show support for one another and each other’s talents and their shows, as well as a healthy dose of satire (poking fun at their shows and other people’s shows) and competition. The stars of these fundraisers are also usually members of the Broadway ensembles, which provides an amazing opportunity for up and coming talented performers to perform in front of Broadway stars, directors, producers and audiences and to create a name for themselves outside of their show and the chorus line.

It is a month until Christmas and Hanukkah is upon us, a time for goodwill towards man, woman and child, and for us to lead with our hearts a little more than we usually do. It is my wish this Christmas season, that the Toronto theatre community could and would band together in the same way as the Broadway community does with BCEFA. How wonderful would it be for Tarragon and Soulpepper and Canstage and Stratford and Shaw and everyone to work together, to come together, to celebrate how wonderful it is to work as artists in this city, and the fabulous work that we do here. Work that we should be so proud of. How wonderful would it be to have a charity that we all believed in, so that we could save lives, and change lives and so that we could draw attention to ourselves as artists in the national consciousness. So that we could be seen doing something entirely selfless, that we believed in wholeheartedly, that was not an artist’s gala. Something that was the antithesis of pretentious and entirely of the community we serve, for the community that we serve, to prove that we belong here among the people and that theatre is made for the people and that we urge the people to come, and to come in droves because we think that they’ll find that the stories we have to tell are not too intellectual, too otherworldly or too pretentious for them to understand or love or be touched by. I think we could get a greater sense of ourselves if we band together, so that we’re not dozens of vagrant theatre companies struggling alone to survive, or hundreds of vagrant artists struggling alone to be noticed by the right person, to make this month’s rent and to keep the theatre critics at bay. We should be partners in this fight for a truly great Canadian theatre. We are colleagues. We are peers. We are friends.

Ultimately, I think it would be ideal to open up the initiative to theatre companies across the country. I never want to become one of those academics that abandon their hometown and start to view Toronto as being the essence of Canada. I think that blending voices and sharing experiences and talent and expertise should be a priority for us at this stage of our Canadian theatre’s development. I think there are so many interesting ideas that are being tested throughout this country that haven’t been disseminated enough to have the profound national effect that they ought to have. What sort of national Variety Show could we produce if we all worked together? How much money could that alone raise for a charity? What sort of collaborations could come from encouraging talented artists from different provinces to meet with open hearts and minds? How much could we learn from each other if we stopped seeing each other as a threat?

I also think that having these sorts of fundraisers would be a hell of a lot of fun. I get giddy at the very thought of having the companies of Toronto productions coming together to create parodies like on old fashion variety shows or the New Play Society’s annual fling- Spring Thaw (1948-1971). Bringing stars like Fiona Reid and Christopher Plummer out to help us would be incredible. There could be funny duets and we could do a “miscast” revue where our musical theatre stars like Patricia Zentilli, Thom Allison and Steven Gallagher, George Masswohl, Steven Sutcliffe, Sharron Matthews and Ron Pederson etc. could sing songs that they would never have another opportunity to sing. Smaller theatre companies like Acting Up Stage, Ghost Jail theatre, and the theatre companies within universities, among so many others, could benefit from some much-needed publicity and I bet members of our community would be hugely impressed by some of incredibly talented young theatre practitioners we have in this city alone that very few people have ever heard of. How funny would an evening of Toronto theatre community be? How inspiring! I bet it would strengthen our faith in ourselves. I bet we would all leave the theatre with a renewed strength and rekindled passion to do what we love and to do it well, despite all adversity we face from the outside world.   

The economy is bad, and money is always an issue looming over our heads. The impresario in me has to repress the urge to email all the talented actors I know and attempt to turn my dream into a reality right this second, but I know that ultimately this is bigger than just me. However, I urge the people who are older, wiser, better connected, and who have a better sense of what it takes to produce something big and lofty and magnificent, to think about the possibilities we have to create something extraordinary. Dora Mavor Moore created the foundation of professional theatre in Toronto because she believed in the power of theatre to enrich the lives of everyone it touched. She didn’t let anyone say (and lots of people tried) that it was impossible. Elizabeth Sterling Haynes developed theatre in Alberta despite the fact that she was told that there was no reason for theatre to exist in such a cold, barren, place. Actors fight to stay in the Maritimes despite the fact that there are far more actors than jobs available and very little support from anyone with money or might, because they believe strongly (as I do) that these provinces deserve to have a strong, indigenous theatre that they can be proud of. Nothing can come from not trying, and all the great theatre that has been created in this country has come from someone having a lofty dream and someone else helping him or her turn it into a reality.

I hope that someday, someone or some people, will band with me and say YES. Yes to Canada. Yes to Excellence. Yes to Community. Yes to Success. Yes to Faith. And Yes to Dreams. And making them come true.

At the very least, in the meantime, I encourage you all, please, to visit www.broadwaycares.org and to read about this amazing organization. And for Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanza or just for the fun of it, please invest in some “Carols For A Cure” CDs. They are amazing.

 Farren Timoteo plays Seymour and Patricia Zentilli plays Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors

 Two and half weeks ago in Edmonton I took two young girls to see Little Shop of Horrors at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre. The show boasted brilliant direction by Marianne Copithorne, the likes of which I’m sure you’d be hard pressed to find in many regional theatres across the country, let alone at a dinner theatre. Farren Timoteo plays Seymour, a sweet, genuine, nerdy little botanist trying his best to nurture a finicky, carnivorous plant and the heart of an insecure girl named Audrey. Timoteo is absolutely loveable as Seymour, the plant, Audrey II, is brought to life with style and flair by Andrew MacDonald-Smith (puppeteer) and Orville Charles Cameron (voice), Sean Hauk is hilariously dark as Orin- the pain-inflicting dentist, Natasha Napoleao rocks out with her huge voice as the urchin Crystal, and Patricia Zentilli touches and breaks your heart as Audrey the flower shop girl.

                Today, Patricia Zentilli and I sat down at our computers and constructed this interview for you via everyone’s favourite Facebook. Originally from Nova Scotia, Zentilli recently played Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors at the Canadian Stage Company in Toronto for which she was nominated for a 2008 Dora Mavor Moore Award. She also played Little Becky in Urinetown also at the Canadian Stage Company, and was seen as Cathy in The Last Five Years at the Manitoba Theatre Centre, won a Robert Merritt Award for her portrayal of Brooke/Vicki in The Atlantic Theatre Festival’s production of Noises Off, performed in Hamlet, Member of the Wedding, Grease and others at Neptune Theatre in Halifax and recently played Susan on Global TV’s sitcom The Jane Show. Patricia sings regularly in the Cabaret scene in Toronto and recently recorded a CD with pianist Patti Loach entitled “Pull Me Through.” For more information on Patricia, you can visit her website: www.patriciazentilli.com

            And without further ado- please sit back, have some tea, and read our little interview!

Amanda Campbell: So, at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre, guests start arriving as early as five o’clock and they are treated to a great buffet; folks have supper, they talk, they order drinks… and the show doesn’t start until 7:30. What’s going on for the actors while the audience is having dinner? What about during those brunch matinee shows?!

Patricia Zentilli: Well.. I usually head down to the dressing rooms (I live in the hotel) around an hour and a half before the curtain.. I am just like that.. I like to be in the theatre really early..I feel anxious when I am not. Nobody is there yet except maybe Pat, the costume designer and head of wardrobe. I make a tea, put my hair in pincurls, warm up my voice… Most people show up around 45 minutes before the show starts and get into costume.. chit chat in the green room, warm up... talk... hang out. It’s a very happy cast. We get along great, which is so nice.

AC: So. You were directed by THE Marianne Copithorne. She did such an amazing job. What was it like working with her?! She played Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors herself; did she have any unique direction for you? You played Audrey opposite Ron Pederson at Canstage last November/December, and Marianne also played Audrey opposite Ron Pederson- was that weird? Was that cool? Did Marianne have any fun stories you can share?

PZ: Marianne is a goddess and such a great director. We had lots of laughs in rehearsal and she really urged us to keep the honesty in the show. She kind of left me alone to do my own thing. It was strange to be playing the part again. I wanted to remain open to any new ideas that may come up with my new Seymour. It was never wierd at all. She is just the lovliest and I hope I get to work with her again.

AC: You obviously have a great dynamic with Farren Timoteo, who plays Seymour in this production; does your portrayal of Audrey change from the way you played her last year because the dynamic of the cast is different? If yes, how so?

PZ: Yes I think it changed a little bit. Farren makes such a lovely Seymour. He has this innate goodness about him that shines through. I feel like in this production the Audrey/Seymour relationship is more playful, and my costumes are a lot trashier which changed things for me too… as far as how i move around.

AC: When you were cast in Little Shop last year you were quoted as saying that it was a dream role for you. What was your first experience with seeing the show? What makes Audrey that dream role for you?

PZ: Audrey is a dream role I suppose because I just felt I could connect with her..and I love her. She is just so good and kind and so damaged in a way. Plus the songs are just fantastic to sing. I am still not sick of singing them!! The first time I saw the stage show was at Neptune Theatre (not sure the year) and I just LOVED it.

AC: Little Shop of Horrors is sort of a strange musical. Its two protagonists meet a dark and bloody end; there is no happily ever after, it probably doesn’t fill its audience with warm fuzzies… what do you think the biggest appeal of the show is for an audience?

PZ: People seem to love the combination of the darkness and absurdity of the talking, singing carniverous plant, and then the little love story between Audrey and Seymour. The ending is a bit confusing. It’s a strange way to end a musical, but people don't seem to mind!!

AC: What’s the most appealing thing for you about Audrey? What do you think Seymour loves most about her?

PZ: I think what I love most about Audrey is her vulnerability and her big heart. I think Seymour loves the same things in her.

AC: What do you think appeals to Audrey most about Seymour?

PZ: I think Audrey thinks he is sweet and considerate and loyal, the kind of guy she doesn't think she deserves.

AC: Where did you come up with the way your Audrey says “doc-tah”?

PS: Oh I think I must have stolen from Ellen Green and mixed in a bit of Zentilli.

AC: What’s Patricia Zentilli’s favourite thing about Edmonton?

PZ: The people.

AC: What’s the thing you miss most about fall in Toronto?

PZ: I miss my friends SO much.

AC: It’s 3pm on your day off from Little Shop- where are you and what have you gotten up to?

PZ: Probably on Whyte Avenue spending money I shouldn’t be spending!!!

I take issue with Richard Ouzounian, theatre critic of the Toronto Star. I do not know whether to be scathing or to be respectful and polite is a more compelling way to express myself, but since I have arrived in Toronto I have been constantly baffled and saddened in reading his reviews. I know it’s his job to critique. A very good argument could be made that he holds Canadian theatre to a high standard and this is a positive, but, I am unclear what exact standard it is, and curious whether he has any suggestions how Artistic Directors, producers and Canadian theatre makers can improve themselves, or whether his job description simply ends with ripping shows apart. I have dismissed him in the past, usually in remembering the script to his musical Emily, which as much as I had personal investment in wanting to read it, I simply could not- I felt Montgomery roll in her grave, and never looked back. What could he know, I thought, we have different tastes it’s clear, and that’s okay, surely. However, his review for Little Shop of Horrors sent me over the edge. I’m not exactly sure why.

I find his constantly beating down of Canadian theatre, especially Canadian musical theatre, to be doing a massive disservice to the citizens of Toronto. In an age where the majority of Canadians do not venture out to attend the theatre at all, but stay inside watching craft-less television programs and playing video games, Ouzounian is positioned with an opportunity to promote Canadian theatre and Canadian actors, and instead he more often than not uses his platform to tear productions limb from limb and rip often beautiful and compelling performances to shreds. No one needs Ouzounian to tell them why they shouldn’t venture out into the cold of winter in Toronto and support Canadian theatre. However, it would be nice if someone made a case why theatre should be a priority in Canadian lives before it disappears altogether. Perhaps then he wouldn’t have to write reviews with titles such as “If They Only Had A Budget.”

It is obvious that I am in a biased position when it comes to Little Shop of Horrors. I care about every single person standing on that stage, as a person first, and then as an actor. Most of them I don’t know very well, some not at all- but I still care that they succeed because that is the sort of person I am. I have chosen to champion Canadian theatre in the position I am forging for myself, to support the actors whose talents I don’t think can be denied. I like being a little light in the road; I think that’s important. I don’t think Ouzounian needs to champion my cause, but I would like to see him step up with a little more balance.

I think what struck me with his review of Little Shop of Horrors was how much Ouzounian missed. It seemed to me like he was intent on finding fault with the show from the moment it began, perhaps because it did not fit with what he had expected from Ted Dykstra. In the review he said, “I hoped they had some inventive reason up their sleeve for picking it and that director Ted Dykstra would illuminate the work in some crazy new way.” Firstly, Toronto is not New York, no matter how many Louis Vuitton handbags and Starbucks coffees it sells, Toronto’s theatre community is not comparable to Broadway because we don’t have that many theatres and we don’t have that many shows. In New York, directors have to be creative when they want to remount Sweeney Todd or Company because they are competing with forty-five other musicals, not to mention all the plays and special events going on constantly. Plus, there are constant college and community productions of these shows going on all the time. In New York, “you gotta get a gimmick if you wanna get ahead.” Patti Lupone plays the TUBA, now that is something that will get New Yorkers in to see Sweeney Todd for the third time. In Toronto, it seems silly to try to turn a book musical into a concept show, especially if a large portion of the audience has never seen a professional version of the show.

Why is Canadian Stage doing this show, Ouzounian asks. I think the answer is simple. Canadian Stage is a subscription based not-for-profit theatre company, and you only have to attend a few shows there and look around to see who their audience is- predominantly older, retired folks who have the money to pay $70.00 to attend a night at the theatre once every month and a half. A theatre, like anything, cannot hope to thrive in the future if over half of its customers are entering a phase of their lives when going to the theatre may soon become impractical or impossible. The Canadian Stage Company is smart to appeal to the younger generations. There is the generation that grew up watching this film, who may bring their children along if they have them, and there is the college and high school generation who will be intrigued at least by a musical that is campy, and self parodying and more about the blood and great tunes and less concerned with being intellectually self-involved.

I had the privilege of watching the audience out of the corner of my eye both times I have seen Little Shop of Horrors. As far as the eye could see at the Bluma Appel Theatre were Torontonian theatergoers utterly engrossed in what was going on onstage. A girl a few seats down from me was leaning so far forward, I’m sure she would have crawled onto the stage if she had been allowed. The performance was constantly being interrupted by applause, cheers and laughter- especially when Ron Pederson and Patricia Zentilli brought the house down with their astonishing version of Suddenly Seymour.

            Perhaps the problem with Ouzounian is that as an occupational hazard, he has really seen it all. That may explain why he has the urge for everything to be done in “crazy new ways.” However, I think he needs to remember that the people of Toronto have not seen it all- most of the people in Toronto don’t go to plays, or musicals at Canadian Stage. Some of them probably have never gone to see a play because they keep getting scared away by awful reviews. A bad review by Ouzounian is not going to scare away Canadian Stage’s subscription members. The older crowd who is more likely to have “seen it all”, will probably still go. The sad truth is that a bad Ouzounian review most likely dissuades the people who haven’t seen that much theatre at all. These people most likely will not be judging by the Ouzounian standard, and therefore might actually see an entirely different production than the one portrayed in The Star. I feel that is the true tragedy of Richard Ouzounian.

            I feel sorry for him in truth. I am sorry that he seems to have lost the ability to feel the sheer power of joy that still greets me whenever an overture starts. I am sorry that he chooses to focus his attention on some ideal in his head, rather than enjoying the reality offered to him onstage. I feel compelled to speak in particular to Ron Pederson, who I watched from the third row, and whose performance is so all-encompassing and detailed, you could watch him, and only him, for the entire show, I think, and feel as though you had gotten your money’s worth. I don’t understand what the fact that Ouzounian doesn’t think Pederson is actually a nerd has to do with Pederson’s portrayal of Seymour.

           There is a certain, special spark in musical theatre that gives it life, depth, heart and soul- the audience can feel it radiate from the stage, they lean in for a closer look, but can’t quite put their finger on what exactly it is. Usually the spark ignites from the very first notes to guarantee a worthwhile evening. As someone who sees a lot of musical theatre on an extremely frequent basis, often I forget all about this special spark and how powerful it can be. Then I see something like Little Shop of Horrors directed by Ted Dyskra at the Canadian Stage Company and am blown away by It.

            A story about a poverty-stricken, nerdy botanist named Seymour whose careful nurturing of an exotic plant with a taste for blood not only turns his own world upside-down but wreaks havoc worldwide does not immediately sound like the perfect ingredients for a musical. However, this campy little show with its satire of musical theatre and science fiction has become one of Broadway’s most produced musicals. Its success is due to the amazing collaboration between Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, the team that would go on to gives us the classic scores to Disney’s The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Aladdin (1992). With a sadistic dentist, a bluesy talking plant, one of the most awkward- yet surprisingly charming- romantic couplings in musical theatre history, clever lyrics, snappy music, a wonderfully bizarre narrative and hilarious dialogue: Ashman and Menken seem to have created a sure-fire hit.

That said, in the Canadian Stage production IT is in the astounding cast of nine brilliant performers. Ron Pederson does not simply star as the delightfully clumsy Seymour, but actually transforms into the role he has obviously carefully shaped- with beautiful clear physicality, a perfect Skid Row accent, intonations of love, awkwardness, loyalty and fierceness all mixed together and genius comic timing. He also has one of those singing voices that you wish you could bottle and keep with you for whenever you’re feeling down. It soars. It’s radiant. It has that spark. Réjean Cournoyer shows a gigantic array of his talents in playing various characters, each one both distinctive and compelling.. He is fantastically terrible as Orin,, the dentist- walking the perfect balance between eliciting humor and disgust simultaneously. His brutal strength is consistently clear- he delivers one of the most realistic across-the-face-slaps I have seen onstage- and yet his laughing fit is perfectly hysterical. I find Orin’s interaction with Seymour in this particular version especially fascinating as a complex interplay is clear between Pederson and Cournoyer’s strong, complex characters.

Also a highlight is watching Sheldon Davis and Ron Pederson dance together in the number “Mushnik and Son”, while Jenni Burke, Starr Domingue and Michelle E. White (Ronette, Crystal, Chiffon) provide the show with its constant energy, life and soul as they are musically interspliced into the action. The perfectly in-synch duo of Jeff Jones as the voice for Audrey II and Eric Woolfe as the puppeteer are astounding in their ability to give life to this character that surpasses audiences reacting to a puppet and beyond their perception of what constitutes “realistic” plant behavior. Once Jeff Jones begins to sing “Feed Me,” you won’t want him to stop.

They all have got the spark to give to the show, but it is Patricia Zentilli as Audrey, the battered and bruised flower shop girl with painfully low self-esteem, who brings down the house with her rendition of “Suddenly Seymour.” Her voice alone will leave you breathless in wonder at its sheer force and simultaneous beauty, clarity and resonance- add on her shrewd sense of comedy, her ability to make audiences laugh and cry at the same time and a beautiful and truly compelling portrayal of a girl who honestly believes she deserves no better than to be handcuffed by a sadist- Zentilli is reason enough to head downtown to the Canadian Stage Theatre and check out Little Shop of Horrors now playing until December 15, 2007. For tickets call 416. 368. 3110 or visit www.canstage.com. And whatever you do: don’t feed the plant!